The Church's Influence (2)

As they were escorted to the town square, more and more onlookers arrived. The wooden platform for criminals had been set out and Veridin and Anaroth were shoved onto it. Veridin was biting his tongue, his eyes filled with rage. Within that rage was a small drop of fear. The longer they waited on that platform, the more that fear grew. He wasn't embarrassed, nor ashamed. His hands were shaking in fear. The fear of death that he had long escaped from.

It was a dreadful feeling. It reminded him of when he was powerless. When he used to live on the streets and steal to make a living. When he was first taken in by the church and beaten until his body was black and blue. Those nights of lying on cold stone with an aching body, vowing he would get revenge. It reminded him of his own naivete. It reminded him of having to watch the grand marshal's death. Regret and rage ate away at his stomach. He had still been naive. He should have killed Malas when he had the chance.

"Veridin."

A smooth, soothing voice from beside him halted all of his thoughts. Fear replaced revenge at the forefront of his mind. He looked over at Anaroth's calm expression in terror. He didn't want to die here. He didn't want Anaroth to die here. He couldn't.

"Veridin, you have a plan don't you?"

Ah. Even in this situation, Anaroth believed in him. He calmed his emotions. A plan? He glanced around the crowd. Raven had disappeared in the midst of the chaos and he couldn't see the shadow guards. If the shadow guards hadn't stepped in, it meant either one of two things. Raven had abandoned him, or Raven had a plan. He grinned through his uncertainty. He was going to place his trust in that small hope.

"Raven should be looking into the high priest right now." Right. He shouldn't be panicking. Panic leads to mistakes.

"Then we have to put up with it until he gets here?"

"That's right." Veridin stopped talking when Malas and Lilis walked onto the platform.

"Dear citizens of the Empire! Your king has been suspected of being possessed by evil! What has he done since he's become king? Colluded with a demon! He has sentenced a noble and even a priest to death! He has begun punishing those who have no reason to be punished! Whatever happened to the kind holy knight that he used to be? The church has taken the task of purifying these two of evil itself!"

The crowd cheered and began to shout. Veridin couldn't even speak over them. It was evident that there were people instigating the crowd. Malas was truly relishing the spotlight. Veridin looked over at Lilis and scowled. If she was just going to let this happen, she was dumber than he thought. Malas continued his speech.

"We have bound them in chains that prevent evil from extending its influence, but an exorcism is still needed!"

Lilis looked up from her prayer in shock. "Your holiness, didn't you say that the chains will cleanse them of evil?"

"Poor girl, what can mere chains do? An exorcism will quell the people's fear. If they are free of sin, all will be well."

"I– I see. If that is what your holiness deems necessary."

"Very good. Bring me my staff!"

A priest carried a long staff on a pillow up to him. As he raised it, the staff of white and gold shone even under the faint light of dawn. On the top of the staff sat a golden orb with wings of gold surrounding it. Malas raised it up to show the crowd.

"We will begin the exorcism! Those who are filled with evil will feel pain at the slightest touch of this staff!" Malas walked over to Veridin. "Bring him to his knees."

The paladins standing on the platform pushed Veridin down by the shoulders. "Malas! Are you enjoying this?! Will you not be satisfied unless you control both kingdoms?"

"Veridin… You poor child." He placed his hand on Veridin's head and leaned down.

"Look! The high priest is praying for him!"

"He's so considerate, even to those who have sinned!"

He whispered, "You should be grateful that I found a use for a street rat like you. Rejoice in the fact that you will become a stepping stone for my great Holy Kingdom."

"MALAS!!!" Veridin was held in place by the paladins.

"Now then, let's begin." He stepped back and touched the end of the staff to Veridin's chest.

Pain spread through his body. He felt as though he was being skinned alive. All the hairs on his body stood up as he screamed. Red blurred his vision as his mana was forcefully ripped out of his body in waves. He couldn't hear anything over the sound of his own screams and his heart pounding in his ears. He tried to get away from the staff but was held in place. He spat up blood as his voice gave out. Every cell in his body felt like it was being torn apart.

"STOP THIS INSTANT!"

The source of his pain shifted away and Veridin gasped for breath. He looked up with blurred vision. Maria Betchner stood on a box at the back of the crowd with Raven at her side. Behind her was the duchy carriage and two more carriages. She was panting from the effort it took to shout over the crowd.

"Lady Betchner, what is the meaning of this?"

"High priest Malas, this is a clear act of treason! That staff and those cuffs! They are neither holy, nor used for exorcism! This ledger right here and these letters are the proof!"

"Proof…? Did you desecrate the holy sanctuary?! What an act against the Goddess this is!"

"If the Goddess were angry with anyone, it should be you! That staff steals mana from anything it touches, including animals! And those cuffs block mana from circulating! It's all in these letters!"

The crowd began to mutter. Veridin smiled with bloody teeth. Raven worked hard. If he had shown up here alone, no one would have believed him. However, if a daughter of a ducal house known for its loyalty presented the evidence then it's another story.

"Mana is the root of evil. Every child who practices the Goddess's doctrine knows this. Is there anything wrong with these items?"

"Yes! Even animals have a small amount of mana in them! Do we need to perform exorcisms on the food that we eat? What about magical beast meat? We call it a luxury, yet it is filled with this 'evil' that you speak of!"

"Lady Betchner, you are young so you don't understand–"

"That's not all! There were children chained in the basement of the church's holy sanctuary! How do you explain that? Those children are all right here!"

Raven opened the door to the carriages behind Maria's. Tentatively, around two dozen children of various ages stepped out of them. The children were dressed in rags. Their legs and arms were covered in bruises but their faces were completely clean. Some of them had bandages wrapped around their wounds. The crowd stood shocked.

"What is this, Maria Betchner! You dare kidnap and abuse children to accuse me?"

"My son! That's my son! I sent my son to the church!" A woman's voice echoed through the crowd. She rushed out of the crowd and ran towards the children. Raven stepped forward and stopped her. "What are you doing? Let me go to my son!"

"The children are frightened right now. Their abuser is running free." Raven raised his hand slowly, pointing to the high priest.

On the platform, Lilis stared in horror at the children. She recognized each and every face. Those children were children that had "misbehaved" and were sent to the high priest to learn. She looked to Anaroth. Those solemn red eyes held sympathy and relief. Behind him, Veridin was catching his breath, his mouth stained with blood. What had she done? What had they known? Was she just the high priest's pawn? Looking at her figure of adoration, her suspicions were confirmed and her beliefs shattered.

The high priest's face was contorted with rage. "What are you doing? Seize those criminals immediately!"

"Yes. Seize that criminal at once," Lilis spoke up, "Paladin order! If you have eyes that are not blinded by sin, arrest the high priest!"

Malas whipped around to stare at Lilis with a red face. "You! Are you betraying me? I raised you! You are the saint that I raised! YOU BELONG TO ME!"

With his words, the paladins broke free of their hesitation. They grabbed the high priest and forced him to his knees. He fought back, his staff dropping to the floor. Lilis looked down on him in disgust and pity. His once imposing figure was now nothing more than a repulsive old man. "Your holiness, no… High Priest Malas, you have committed a grave sin."

"You wench! If you had kept your mouth shut, I could have had everything! I should have left you to die on the streets! You and Veridin!"

Blood splattered across the platform. A tooth rolled down off the edge. Veridin huffed in effort as he brought his foot down. His boot was dripping red. Anaroth hurried to his side as he almost fell over. "I've already given you my mercy for saving me, Malas. Now is the time to pay for your crimes."

Anaroth healed Veridin with magic. It wouldn't do much. He could feel how little mana Veridin had. He was barely able to move his body. The healing magic could only provide temporary physical relief; It wouldn't recover his mana. Being out of mana meant Veridin was practically out of stamina.

"Execute him! He hit my child," Voices from the audience rose up, "Sentence him to death! He is no high priest! Why should we believe in a child abuser? Right, he should be put to death!"

Veridin looked out over the crowd. He had publically humiliated Malas. He had gotten justice for his suffering. He had torn down the image of purity that Malas had built up. Yet he felt empty. There was no satisfaction in just ending him here. He looked down at the shriveled man coldly.

"Why don't you tell them how you really feel? Your image is ruined now, so you can speak freely."

"Speak freely? HA! That's a lot coming from you! Fine, I'll tell you. I regret not teaching you the lesson not to bare your fangs at your master! I saved you! A mutt like you should be kneeling before me!"

Veridin's eyes flared with rage that slowly subsided. The warmth seeping into his side quelled his anger. "Malas, I am not your dog. The people here are not your pawns. You will be imprisoned and punished for every crime you've committed. I am no longer a dog, or a street rat. I am the Hero King."

"You would be nothing without me."

"You're right. Guards! Take the high priest to jail! From this moment on, the head of the church will be the Saint: Lilis! Every priest that colluded with Malas shall be investigated! The children without families will be under the protection of the imperial palace for the time being!"

Veridin leaned into Anaroth as Malas was dragged off of the platform. Raven started to disperse the crowd along with the guards. Questions and insults were hurled out over the square. Veridin sighed as he turned his eyes from the crowd to Lilis.

"Veridin… I'm sorry." Her eyes glistened with tears, but she didn't cry.

"It's in the past now. What could you have even done if you knew?"

"I–"

"Saint, he needs rest. Please take care of this for now," Anaroth spoke up. He couldn't describe this strange feeling in his chest. He just knew that Veridin needed to be alone.

"... I will do just that, your majesty."

Anaroth helped Veridin off of the platform silently. He glanced at the ground before making a decision. He began to channel his mana into Veridin slowly. Veridin jolted when the soothing sensation spread through his body.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you."

Veridin looked at Anaroth, surprised. "Thank you."

He looked away. "I only felt bad that you were the only one that went through all that pain."

"Does that mean you want to experience the same thing?"

"Really! Do you want me to drop you?"

Anaroth looked back at Veridin. His expression wasn't painful or angry. He was smiling. His eyes were no longer dark and ominous. They seemed to be sparkling and clear; focused and serene.

"You wouldn't drop me."

His chest tightened. "Let's go. This week has been more than anyone can handle."