Chapter
4 – The Only Way into a Prideful Heart
All our allies, both reluctant and
true, have gathered on all sides of a capital city that Priscilla has chosen to
be her home. We’ve communicated our plans to one another through conjured
messenger birds and have agreed that a pincer attack is the best course of
action. From there, we go straight for her and end her spell once and for all. Leading
the battle is none other than me because of the monstrance I have and its
ability to dispel Priscilla’s magic, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Most
of the people in the capital are sympathetic to Priscilla’s cause so I don’t
have to hold back from slaughtering them all.
When the charge starts, we are met
by a small army that defends the walls from the outside. This is no trouble for
us, especially since we are supported by siege weapons, archers, and mages who
take care of the guards on the walls and lessen their numbers before we reach
them. Once we get our siege weapons to the gates, we use them to break it open
and start the slaughter within the city, however, before my axe touches my next
foe, everyone and everything disappears in a flash of light as Priscilla’s
spell affects me and puts me in a void of dull gold.
“It’s over, Priscilla. Your forces
are no match for us and we are in your city’s walls. Surrender now and I will
make our time together more pleasure than pain,” I say.
Priscilla laughs while appearing
from thin air and then says, “Did you really think I would allow those loyal to
me to die so easily? No, you’re still in your camps getting ready for the fight
while my forces remain alive and my walls are untouched. I just thought I would
be nice and make you seem like you had a chance against me.”
Holding out the monstrance, I say, “That’s
what you think.”
“Ha! Do you think God will allow
you to use his power as if he’s a mere tool to be used? I don’t think he will.”
“He wants you stopped so I don’t
see why he wouldn’t.”
A blast of light comes from the
monstrance while Priscilla tries blasting it away with light magic of her own.
In the struggle, the light of the monstrance overpowers Priscilla and
evaporates her into nothing. The area around us changes into an empty throne room
in a castle. Before me are the unconscious bodies of Priscilla’s followers and
a pile of ash that is presumably her. I throw aside the monstrance as if it
were common trash.
“Useless piece of junk,” I say
while sitting on the throne. “Nevertheless, there are plenty more women out
there to birth my heirs. In fact, there are women here I can start with.”
Before I can take off my armor and
clothes, the scene around me changes back to a void of dull gold.
Priscilla laughs at me again,
appears out of the void, and says, “I just wanted to mess with you one last
time before my final victory over you. I actually wanted it to go on for longer
so you could be more disappointed to learn it was all fake, but I couldn’t hold
my laughter back any longer.”
I check for the monstrance and see
that it’s disappeared and not even in the place where I dropped it.
“Don’t worry about the monstrance,”
Priscilla continues. “I got rid of it so it won’t be a concern for me anymore.
I don’t know what kind of magic you used through it to dispel my magic, but it
doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters to me is bringing peace to the world
and bringing my dreams to life. Evander was kind in that he allowed everyone to
live in peace, however, I am not so kind and naïve. Some people like you don’t deserve
peace and happiness. Instead, I’ll give you what you deserve.”
I feel my body, face, and limbs get
cut and bludgeoned by invisible objects that destroy my helmet and armor.
After, I see and feel myself being violently violated by women, men, and beasts
of all kinds seemingly at the same time. This is the same kind of torture I put
Priscilla through and I am incapable of breaking free from it while I hear her
unending laughter in the background. I truly am defeated and there’s no way out
of this. At least none that I can see.
The torture comes to an end after
an undeterminable amount of time and I see my father fighting Priscilla. I am lying
on the floor of a throne room while Priscilla’s servants make sure I am lying
down while watching the fight. My father’s axes clash with Priscilla’s sword
and shield while she uses magic to throw him off. On my father’s hip, I see the
monstrance I once had.
“Leif!” my father says while
turning his head to look at me and trying to fight at the same time. “I have to
admit. I am a follower of the God of the Catholics and so was your mother. He
came to us in our dreams and converted us from there. It’s why I trust Him so
much and why I’ve been trying to get you to do the same. I’m sorry that I wasn’t
forward about this before and for not being a better father.”
“If you truly worship God, then go
back to sleep. I’ll give you a good dream this time if you do,” Priscilla says.
Ignoring what Priscilla said, my
father continues, “I know what His purpose is for you now, and resign myself to
His will. Please do as He says so I can see you in Heaven.”
My father throws me the monstrance
that I catch just as Priscilla cuts his legs and then his head off. I am now in
a black-and-gold void by myself and unrestrained. So, I’ve been reduced to this
as my only choice to save my life?
“I’ve always been your only choice
to save your life and your soul,” the God of the Catholics says.
Gritting my teeth, I say, “Fine
then. Let’s do things your way.”
The void around me dispels and I find
myself on a boat outside the capital city.
“Sail to the Vatican and inform the
Pope of what is happening here. He’ll only get unconfirmed reports and rumors
otherwise and won’t trust them since he personally knows Priscilla and thinks
the best of her.”
“Okay,” I say as I ready the boat
and then start sailing into the sea. “How am I supposed to know where to go
without a map? I hardly even know how to sail a boat.”
“I will be your guide and your
helping hand.”
“I hope you’re a good one and that
my father was right to place his trust in you. I’ll get revenge on Priscilla. I
swear it!”
“You’ll get your justice, not
revenge.”
“Whatever. She’ll pay for the humiliating
defeat that she gave to me.”
“It wasn’t a defeat.”
“How so?”
“Through your defeat, I have gained
one of the most valuable treasures of all, a place in your heart, and soon, I
will have all of it. You’ll come to see this as a victory through defeat in
time.”
“Tch. If you say so.”
The End
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