Teachings of Forgiveness

Sorin had changed.

That was the first thing that Felix had noticed. It was not a surprise for him, he cared little for anyone else. His loyalty will forever remain towards one person, that's how it worked in the world of beast men.

Their loyalty remained unwavering to whoever they had pledged it to.

Felix's loyalty will forever be tied to Sorin.

The first thing he noticed was the slight changes in Sorin's demeanor, the forced smiles, and the hint of sarcasm in his voice.

The way Sorin looked more confident. There was no hesitation in his actions as if every single one was calculated perfectly.

Felix cannot see the same Saint he knew.

Sorin changed. So suddenly at that.

Felix was determined to find out the truth why. He was a bit hurt that Sorin would hide something from him, still, he knew that Sorin had a reason why he would hide it from them.

The hunters had set up a temporary camp when nighttime came. There were more demons roaming around at the time, it would be safer for them not to proceed forward when danger loomed around every corner in the dark.

The camp was nestled in a small clearing surrounded by dense, towering trees. A few tents had already been set up, and a crackling fire set in the middle.

It was their source of warmth and light in the cold.

The shadows cast by the campfire highlighted the hunters' weary and tired faces.

The mages had casted spells that kept them hidden from the demons. Sorin also cast a divine barrier around the camp keeping everyone safe. The golden light of his magic was a haven for everyone.

Felix sat by the fire as he ate the last of his meal. The other hunters had already finished theirs, as they were hurrying to take a well-needed rest inside their tents.

The captain, Felix could not remember his name, placed a gloved hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to the older man, masking his surprise with a grin.

"Oh, captain? Is there something wrong?"

The captain gave a hearty laugh at his question "No, you were staring at the fire for a few minutes already."

Felix sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, exuding a friendly and clueless aura "I'm sorry, I guess the trip really did tire me out."

"You should rest after you finish your meal, everyone's already snoring inside their tents."

Felix nodded his head "I will, captain."

"You should also call his Holiness. We appreciate that he accepted our request for help and even brought a capable soldier like you along." The captain smiled.

"He might be tired from the journey. He even used his divine skills to keep the demons away."

Felix's smile widened, a flicker of deceit in his eyes "Your praise is unneeded, captain." he chuckled "I'll go check on So–His holiness. I'm sure he could use some rest."

He bid goodbye to the captain, watching as the older man entered his tent.

Felix's expression dropped as he was left alone in the middle of the camp.

Sorin was somewhere outside the edge of the camp, unseen by everyone but they trusted his capabilities enough to be left alone.

Seriously, these hunters just left an influential figure alone by himself.

He walked outside Sorin's barrier, shivering at the sudden coldness that pricked at his skin. His shoes crunched on the snow as the camp's warmth and glow faded the farther he traveled.

He found Sorin near a frozen Lake surrounded by thick trees.

The Saint stood eerily still, his attention focused on the blood-red moon in the sky.

As Felix approached the Saint cautiously, his footsteps light and quiet despite the thick layer of snow.

Then he stopped–

His entire being screamed in fear and shock when he found a massive demonic beast beside Sorin.

A serpent-like beast with obsidian scales that glistened ominously under the moonlight. On its head were giant, barbed horns that glowed dimly. One thing that made Felix freeze on the spot, was the beast's sharp fangs that looked like they could easily tear someone apart.

A murderous aura burned through Felix's bones evoking a primal fear inside him, screaming at him to flee.

Sorin did not even turn his head to Felix when he spoke "...You're here." his voice was gentle, ringing through the frozen air like bells.

"Don't be scared, Felix." The Saint assured "Come closer. I've been waiting." he ordered.

Felix locked eyes with the demonic beast, the creature hissing at him viciously.

Sorin tutted as if he would to a child "Behave."

Felix's heart hammered in his chest, as he approached Sorin. He was torn between his loyalty and fear, an unsettling dread settling in his stomach.

The demonic beast's tail was uncoiled as if he was about to attack. Sorin sighed at the action, glaring at the beast. The demon almost looked afraid, but its aggressive stance slowly subsided.

"What is this?" Felix couldn't hide the fear that laced his voice. The question felt foolish at the tip of his tongue but he couldn't get any words out of his throat.

Sorin chuckled quietly, reaching out his hand to the demonic beast as if it was simply a domestic animal. Felix's eyes widened in shock when he placed his hand on top of the demon's head.

A low rumbling purr emanated from the beast. Its long tail whipped through the air.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He asked Felix, eyes completely focused on the beast "Look at this demon, a culmination of all of humanity's filthy and wicked sins."

"...It could create a creature such as this."

"H-how? Sorin... I thought that..."

Felix had known Sorin to be a Saint, someone who is unconditionally kind. But Sorin siding with demons felt impossible, like a cruel joke.

He was the one who gave Felix his life, someone who accepted him and saved him from death.

Sorin turned to Felix "I know this is a lot to take in, Felix." he said, eyes filled with bitterness and resentment "But you'll understand me, right?"

There was hesitation in the Saint's voice as if he was scared of what Felix's answer would be. A moment of vulnerability coming from someone as powerful as him.

"Felix, this is the path I've chosen." Sorin explained in a melancholic tone "I've seen the truth behind everything, the veil has been lifted from my eyes, and now I'm here to deliver punishment for humanity's sins."

It felt like his entire world shattered in front of him. Sorin, the symbol of hope and righteousness was a traitor all along.

A wave of sickening confusion washed over him, it felt like icy water was doused on top of his head.

"This empire has been built on the foundation of lies and scourge."

At that moment, a surge of demonic magic exploded through the air. It sent shivers down Felix's spine that made his knees tremble.

Still, he couldn't resist the feeling of awe and reverence at the mere sight of his savior.

He doesn't believe that Sorin had been connected with demons from the start. Felix had felt the genuine kindness in Sorin when they first met, one that was so pure and unmarred that he thought it was wrong to follow him.

Something must have happened for him to become like this.

Whoever hurt Sorin to this point must be punished properly.

His thoughts raced, as he tried to process everything. A flicker of anger and guilt built up in his chest... what had driven Sorin to become like this?

What pain did he experience?

"Listen to me, Felix."

And he did, Felix locked eyes with Saint.

"It's okay if you choose to side with them, I don't want to involve you in this war. If I could, I would bear this burden alone." His gaze was gentle and accepting as he moved closer to Felix.

Felix was smart.

He was smart but he couldn't understand. He couldn't grasp what Sorin was saying. His memories of the past flashed in his mind.

"S-Sorin... I can't... I don't want to leave you."

Sorin's expression softened as he smiled, his smile was bright as if they were just at the manor "Oh, Felix." he cupped Felix's cheeks between his fingers.

"Don't abandon me, Sorin." Felix's voice dripped with desperation.

"I won't. Everything I do is all for you. For Lili."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I'll kill them all, Felix. Everyone single one of that filth that taints this world. They deserve this for everything they've done to you— to me."

His fingers gently caressed Felix's cheeks, a tender sensation that made Felix temporarily forget everything "I don't understand."

"I know." Sorin comforted "Still, I've made my choice."

"...You'll kill them? Who? I'll do it for you."

Sorin laughed at his words "Foolish."

"Sorin, you taught me everything. You told me to be kind."

The Saint pulled away taking a step back from Felix "That's enough, Felix."

When Felix's entire clan was raided by hunters, he watched as his family was killed right in front of his eyes. The hunters had taken him to be sold as a slave.

But Sorin saved him and gave him a chance to live life.

"...You told me to forgive..."

Demonic magic crackled in the air "Felix." Sorin warned.

The memories of his parent's death flashed in his mind like a broken record. The screams of torment and grief as his home was burnt to the ground—

"You told me forgiveness would save me." Felix's voice shook with pain "That's what you taught me, Sorin, Please."

"That was stupid of me. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid Saint." Sorin seethed, eyes burning with hatred.

The whip felt like acid on his skin, each and every single time it would crack on his back, Felix taught he wouldn't survive–

He wanted to take revenge on those who destroyed his people but Sorin gave him a purpose. Sorin had told him to become better, to not let anger consume him.

"You're a hypocrite." Felix's voice trembled in desperation.

Pained laughter echoed through the air "Forget everything I told you."

"...But–"

"It was all wishful thinking. I'm doing this for us! For what they've done to you! To Lili! To everyone... to me." his voice ended in a whisper as if he was hiding something from Felix.

"I don't forgive them, Felix."

"Sorin... What do you mean?"

"Do you forgive them?" Sorin's question was simple.

He hesitated again. Emotions conflicting with one another, the memories of his clan suffering and screaming for revenge opposed Sorin's teachings of kindness and forgiveness.

He always followed what Sorin taught him.

"I...do?"

"Do you?" Sorin tilted his head.

"You told me to." He returned.

Sorin's purple eyes bore heavily into Felix's, swirling with so much hate and resentment that he found himself almost getting sucked in.

"I'm asking you, Felix." The syllables of each word were icy as he spoke, each one feeling like a deep cut on his chest.

"...I..." his lips quivered, struggling to find an answer.

"I'm asking you a question, Felix," Sorin said. He has never seen Sorin like this before, it was like talking to a different version of a man he once knew.

He feared that if he didn't answer Sorin would be mad. He doesn't want Sorin to be angry at him.

A sense of guilt crept to the back of his mind as he answered;

"I don't."

It was a simple answer. One that he had buried so deep in his heart. Sorin had told him to.

The honesty in his answer seemed to have pleased Soirn, a sense of relief washed over him.

"It's hard, isn't it?" Sorin hummed with a small smile "I'm sorry for forcing such teachings on you. I'm sorry."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"I'll give you a choice, Felix." Sorin reached out to him, his hands trembling as if he was afraid to touch the red-haired man.

"Those hunters, do you think they should live?"

What?

"What?"

"The ones that raided your village. The ones that killed you're entire family, do you think they should live?"

His loyalty to Sorin conflicted with his thoughts, morality was never something he thought about since Sorin had always told him what to do.

Felix didn't answer.

"They've caused so much pain and suffering, do you think they deserve to pay?"

"Sorin, stop." Felix ignored the strange bitter emotion that stirred inside of him as Sorin's words sank into his mind.

–The screams of his loved ones. He wanted revenge. Revenge. Revenge. But Sorin told him not to.

"The hunters we were with, they are all the same. Do you think they should live?"

"Sorin."

"Should we spare them?"

"Enough. Sorin, enough."

Sorin had taught him to forgive. To be compassionate. To be kind.

Lives could only be judged by the Gods.

"Felix, I'm giving you the right to decide their fate."

A vile emotion gnawed in his stomach.

"They never showed you mercy, Felix." Sorin's words pressed heavily upon him.

"Will you give them mercy?"

Like a dam, memories flooded through his mind. Everything that he tried to push back and forget came crashing down on him.

It hurts.

The burning anger that he had hidden for so long finally ignited inside of him. The heavy pressure of their sins on his family swirled in him.

His breath quickened but he doesn't feel like the air was entering his lungs–

"No. No. No. I can't. I don't– I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Sorin smiled. "There we go."

Something flashed in Felix's vision but he couldn't see it through his tears. Sorin stood in front of him whispering a quick apology before something had pierced him in his chest.

He looked down, in a frenzied state to find Sorin's hands through his chest.

Then the pain came afterward.

Suddenly a crushing feeling filled his chest, and his lungs; hindering his ability to breathe. A wave of emotions washed over him; anger, hate, malice–

It consumed his very being as he gasped for air. His body stumbled only to be caught by Sorin, the Saint gently laying him on the ground.

"I know it hurts, Felix." He whispered, "Endure it."

His body convulsed with pain as everything seemed to warp and twist. He felt emotions that he had never felt with such intensity– sadness, guilt, and grief.

It wrapped around his throat, constricting everything.

Sorin's eyes were soft as he watched Felix heave a pained breath "...This is yours, Felix. It's right to return it." he placed a gentle hand on top of Felix's head.

"Everything you felt in the past. I'm giving it back to you."

It was pure torment.

...This was his?

How?

"This was the sacrifice you made for me," Sorin said in a low voice, he couldn't understand what the Saint meant.

Felix had crumpled to the ground in pain, his body writhing on the snow. The pain overwhelmed his entire senses, emotions that weren't his–

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Sorin crouched down in front of Felix, resting his chin on his hands as he smiled wickedly "Let it out, Felix."

"Scream." He ordered.

And Felix did.

His anguished scream pierced through the air. The ice in the lake cracked into pieces, as each agonized scream echoed around them.

Tendrils beneath the lake started to crawl up, as the demonic beast let out a loud hissing noise that would instill fear in anyone who heard it.

The hunters in the camp woke up when Sorin's divine barrier crumbled into pieces.

And Felix was the one who decided their fate.