The second day dawned, heavy with anticipation.
It was the day Benedict would confess his cris to the people. I donned my cloak and set out, leaving Lyall behind to look after the child.
Before leaving, I had asked the boy if he wished to accompany , but he refused. I understood his reluctance—his trauma was too fresh to confront. I didn’t press him further.
As I approached the Temple, I was t with a restless crowd. A platform had been erected, and clusters of people were already murmuring about the recent attacks on the villages near the Holy Place. The old rumors of the kingdom being cursed had begun to resurface, but such talk was inconsequential to . My sole focus was on Benedict’s confession—and Lisana, if she was present.
The people of Boulder Crest had treated well, showing kindness in my ti of need. If I could return their daughter to them, even in this chaos, it would be a small repaynt of their generosity.
I blended into the crowd, my face concealed, and wove my way through the throng. Their hushed conversations swirled around , questioning why the Temple had summoned them so suddenly. The higher platform lood ahead, still a short distance away.
As I pressed closer, I caught sight of a familiar blonde head erging from the Temple doors. Benedict followed, his appearance gaunt and haggard, a shadow of his forr self. He trudged up to the platform, the crowd falling silent as their attention shifted to him.
Benedict’s fear was palpable. Anxiety radiated from his trembling form, and I could see the weight of the mont pressing down on him. He hesitated, his eyes scanning the sea of expectant faces, doubt flickering in his gaze. Perhaps he was reconsidering.
But there was no turning back. If he faltered, I was here to ensure the truth ca to light.
Standing several paces behind Benedict was Asher, a vigilant presence that offered no reassurance, only the reminder of duty. I maneuvered through the crowd until I found a vantage point with an unobstructed view of the platform.
Benedict’s hands trembled, and he dabbed at the sweat gathering on his brow. Taking a shaky breath, he steadied himself as best he could. The silence grew heavier, the crowd’s anticipation a tangible force pressing against him.
And then, at last, he opened his mouth to speak.
"We-Welco, everyone. All the children of God... who ca here despite the short notice... Th-Thank you for coming," he spoke, his voice was faltering and he seed scared but he was still talking.
"I-I, Benedict Lovett, the High Priest of our Holy Temple... had requested your presence here for making a confession." He announced.
The people were confused which was natural but I bet they weren’t ready for what was coming next.
"I-I am... not worthy... of being called a High Priest... let alone stand anywhere near this Holy Place." He said.
Murmurs and whispers started spreading.
"I-I... I... under the... orders of... His Holiness the Pope Marvoni Venil... had... committed a lot of heinous cris." He finally said making the gasps run through the people.
I watched quietly as he went on, "On His Holiness’s orders... I-I would sell the holess and poor people who would co to us for help to the slave traders... I-I had also sold the orphan children from our orphanages in-in the b-black market."
More gasps and shocked whispers ran through but Benedict didn’t stop.
"I-I was also involved in... tarnishing the na of the Holy Temple, the Saintess and Dragons... I-I had been doing it all on the orders of His Holiness the Pope... de-despite that... It was my fault that I-I never stood up to him to st-stop all this..."
He then gulped hard before he opened his mouth, "I-I also have to tell you the truth about the Saint... He-He wasn’t found at the Holy Place as y-you were told... H-His Holiness had b-bought him from the b-black market and... ke-kept him confined in a cell be-below the Temple."
The crowd was furious at this point, so were starting to hurle their shoes at him but the Templar Knights were doing their best to keep them at bay.
Benedict went on, "In-In order to keep the Saint from telling the truth... Hi-His Holiness ha-had gotten the Saint... c-cursed with the C-Curse o-of Secrecy... th-the Dark spell wh-which would make the Sai-Saint un-unable to ask for help."
"I-I helped His Holiness... t-torture the Saint... He-He was never allowed to walk around freely be-because he had the anti-mana shackles bound around his ankles... b-because he-he wasn’t a human in the first place... We-We had committed this grave sin of-of hurting a D-Dragon’s descendant... The Saint... was a Dragon’s Descendant..."
This ti the people seed to freeze and I could feel the thick tension rising like a balloon sweeling beyond its capacity.
"Du-During the parade when the Saint was brought out... His Holiness had... had planned to create a... a bombing to... draw the attention from the Saintess back on the Saint."
If the crowd was furious before they were livid now, I was wondering if they would just get on the platform and kill the guy.
He was shivering as he watched the growing anger in the mob in front of him but he kept on.
"The-The man who had appeared that day an-and tried to take away the Saint!" He shouted this ti, "Was none other tha-than a real Dragon!"
The people froze at that again.
"A-A real Dragon had co-co to retrieve their c-child... He-He... t-told to re-repent for my sins an-and confess about my cris be-before everyone or-or I would en-end up like His Holiness..." Benedict spoke.
"Where’s the Pope?"
"Where is he?!"
"Did he do sothing to the Saint and Saintess?!"
"Bring him to us!"
The crowd started shouting as they pushed against the Templar Knights, I was also getting pushed around so, I managed to get out of the crowd and stood at a side.
"Th-The Saint and the Saintess... we-were taken back b-by the Dragon." He announced.
"What?!"
"So, the Dragon’s curse was real!"
"We were lied to!"
"There’s no problem at the borders!"
"We’re dood!"
"Denril will end!"
"N-No!" Benedict shouted.
"L-Lord Dragon j-just said that he-he will... he will punish th-those who dared to tarnish the na of Saintess Miella and the Dragons... He-He hasn’t c-cursed or forsaken this kingdom..."
"Then what about the attacks that happened at the villages near the Holy Place?!"
"Everyone died there!"
"Th-The Dragon was there to help!" Benedict shouted.
"T-Those attacks... th-they were do-done by the one wh-who took the Pope."
"Who?"
"Is this another one of your stories?"
"How do we trust you now?!"
"D-Duke Damon and others... t-tried to control the situation at that ti... B-But since... o-our cris were too big... we-we had b-brought everything to-to this point..."
"Where is the Pope?! Bring him out here!"
"H-He was..." Benedict gulped, "He was ta-taken-"
"Another lie!"
"You’re just trying to lie!"
"He must have ran away!"
The crowd was starting to go beyond control now and I was only hoping that they wouldn’t break the barrier and attack Benedict which seed like it would happen any mont.
I was ready to intervene. Benedict had kept his word, done exactly what I needed him to do. It was only fair that I save him—at least for now.
He stood frozen as a pair of burly n shoved past the Templar Knights, their rage unbridled, charging straight for him. My fingers twitched, and without hesitation, I began to unfurl my wings. But just as I prepared to move, a shiver ran down my spine.
A void-like presence—cold, suffocating—manifested high above us.
My gaze instinctively shot upward, scanning the skies. Yet there was nothing there. Or so it seed. My eyes followed an unseen force, trailing a shape plumting from the heavens.
The crowd cried out in alarm, recoiling in panic. Benedict stumbled backward, his pale face twisting in fear. Asher, quick on his feet, caught him before he could collapse completely.
With a sickening thud, the object hit the platform. No, not an object—a body.
The dead body of Marvoni Venil had landed with a sickening finality on the platform, silencing even the most furious voices in the crowd.
"I-It’s the Pope!"
"He’s dead!"
"How did he fall from there?!"
Confusion turned into outright panic as soone scread, "L-Look up there!"
All heads craned upwards, eyes widening in fear.
"Wh-What’s that?!"
"A D-Dragon?!"
My frown deepened as I followed their line of sight. A black, hulking form lood atop the temple, its silhouette unmistakably resembling a dragon. But it was no dragon—not a real one. It was a mockery, an illusion conjured by a creature too arrogant to know its limits.
The sight made my blood boil.
"How dare this bitch!" I snarled under my breath, the fury bubbling over as my wings unfurled with an audible snap.
In an instant, I shot into the air, my form shifting. The Water Dragon—vast, majestic, and filled with wrath—erged as the crowd below gasped.
"T-Two Dragons?"
"What’s happening?!"
The black figure moved, its enormous, leathery wings beating slowly as it rose into the sky. The movent only infuriated further.
"The hell are you doing here?" I snarled, my voice a guttural growl that carried over the crowd.
The demon-pretender didn’t respond, but its posture was a clear challenge. Its wings flared, its tail whipping behind it as it prepared to engage.
I didn’t hesitate. With a roar, I surged forward, the force of my ascent sending waves of pressure rippling through the air. Below us, the crowd staggered back, so falling to their knees as the clash of energies made the very ground tremble.
The demon dodged my first strike, weaving out of the way with surprising agility. My claws slashed at the empty air as it circled around , staying just out of reach.
It wasn’t fighting. It was trying to get away from .
That only added fuel to the fire.
"Stand still, coward!" I bellowed, unleashing a torrent of water infused with mana. The blast surged toward the black dragon, but it shifted at the last mont, evading with a speed that belied its size.
Below, the crowd’s panic reached a fever pitch.
Screams rose as people jostled one another, so falling in the chaos. Children cried, and the Templar Knights struggled to maintain order. The sight made falter.
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