Prelate Dolus struck his staff into the courtyard stones with his left hand, summoning a bright, glowing light from the crystal orb at its apex. The light began to infuse with his weakly flickering aura. Behind me, I heard Aleph and Tetora gasping for air. As I turned, I saw them both fall flat onto the cobblestones, their neck collars emitting a blazing white light.

For a dreadfully long moment, I couldn’t tell if they were alive or not. I held my breath until I saw them draw theirs slowly. Despite their unsuccessful attempts to resist it, a powerful force seemed to keep them pinned to the ground. Before I could fully grasp the situation, I heard the angry shouts of the mob members overlapping one another. I couldn’t make out much of what they were saying because of a nearby bell tolling, but I caught a few one-liners that helped fill in the details.

“The one with the sword is the ringleader!”

“Overgrown filthy heathen is probably from the south!”

“Prelate Dolus! She was the one talking to that loathsome tiger!”

Prelate Dolus let the crowd continue on his behalf for a bit before holding up his right hand again, ushering in a wave of silence from the group. The ringing I heard continued, louder now.

“Outsiders!” the priest boomed. “You stand accused of entering town limits with dangerous livestock, failing to dehorn your ox, and consorting with an enemy of humanity!”

The wind whipped across the courtyard, and I saw dusky clouds of hazy animus billowing around the crowd. I glanced back to the Prelate, but he didn’t appear to be the swirling source of darkness. His shimmering silhouette indicated he was talking animatedly, perhaps orating an impromptu sermon, but I couldn’t hear it. The ringing had turned into a high-pitched screech that drowned out everything else. My vision began to tunnel and fade somewhat as I felt the increasing tension in my temples.

Nora was still behind me, pulling at my cloak. She appeared to be shouting at me as well, and I considered that perhaps she was the one to blame for generating animus, but no, she was just distracting me from my target. Surely, the source of this obfuscating chaos and ill will was a demon of significant rank, right?

But it wasn’t.

It was me.

I wasn’t simply frustrated or irritated. I was filled with a dark, all-consuming rage. The blatant exploitation of the vulnerable and marginalized. The dehumanization of hybrids. The unprovoked and unwarranted attack on my friends. And in front of me was the one profiting off the whole damn system. But I could end him and it in just a few seconds. The world would undoubtedly be better off if I did! Wasn’t I told to do whatever it takes to make things right?

You could chop off his head and put it on a pike to deter others. I’m sure there’s a lot more where he came from.

It was the softest of dispassionate whispers, yet it cut through the distracting noise buzzing between my ears. W…What?

Hang his corpse from the wall? Drain all the blood out first to make it last longer.

Th.. that’s…!

Why is that so upsetting? You’ve already decided to break your promise to Nora about not killing him. If you’re going to go that far, why just stop there?

I won’t… I won’t kill him. It was… I mean…

I know. It’s not you. You’re the type to save that as a last resort.

But I won’t let him get away with all of this!

I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.

Are you–

No.

Then who…

Doesn’t matter. I was just passing by for the moment. Just think of me as a distraction.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

A distraction from what?

No one can avoid having intrusive thoughts sometimes. Accept them as they are and move on, but don’t give in to them. Don’t lose yourself. We’ll talk again later when it’s more convenient.

“Rae!” Nora’s insistent shriek hit me from behind as the darkness enveloped me and ebbed away, its last tendrils dissipating off my limbs.

“What just…?” I asked, still disoriented.

“It seems you have nothing to say about your misdeeds!” the Prelate slammed his staff again, catching my attention.

“You’re… accusing me of wrongdoing?” I blinked several times to shake off my sweaty shame and confusion. “After what you’ve wrought here? You’ve codified slavery and turned against your fellow man!”

“Just who do you think you are to come here and judge our customs, outsider?!” someone shouted from the mob as others jeered at my use of ‘fellow man.’

And there was the opening I couldn’t ignore. I glanced at Nora for some last-second reassurance before turning to… Vernie? But she wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“She said to tell you to draw this out as long as possible,” Nora whispered. “Also, shout it loud enough so she can hear you.” What was she up to now?

I took a deep breath and steeled myself.

“Who am I? I have many names and titles, and some of you might have memorized all of them.” I unbuttoned the clasp of my cloak with my trembling left hand. “I am Raelynn Lightbringer, Knight Captain of the Holy Order of Gold, 7th Appointed Hero of Legend, and Chosen One of the Goddess. I am the Champion of Euphridia!” I tore off my cloak and flung it to the side, hoping I pulled off a dramatic flair as I did so. The mob’s sharp inhalations were moderately satisfying, but the scoff from the Prelate sobered me from any hope of an easy verbal victory.

My tone dropped to absolute zero. “Release my companions at once!” I swept my fierce gaze over the crowd, locking eyes with anyone who dared to stare back. Some laughed, others elbowed each other as if they were enjoying a show. Well, then… let’s add some special effects.

To focus my amity, I didn’t think about selfish things, like ice cream or sleeping late. I thought about how Aleph and Tetora have looked after Nora and me since our arrival, accepted us into their home, shared meals, and even agreed to travel with us as we navigate this world.

Nora let out a high-pitched squawk. “Rae…! You’re….!”

“Finally adulting?” I murmured so only she could hear as I handed her my bo staff for safekeeping.

“I was going to say shining like starlight!” It was the first time I saw my own bright aura radiating out several feet in all directions in a slow, pulsating fashion, dulling the Prelate’s own. A few mob members started to take me seriously at that point.

“It’s… The Chosen One!”

“H…Holy Captain…”

“Feel free to help me bluff this one,” I said through clenched teeth to Nora as I assumed a Wonder Woman pose before shouting, “Let them go, or I will hold all of you fully accountable for your reprehensible actions!” Okay, I have to admit, that pose really does help. Even imagining it can make a difference.

Prelate Dolus wasn’t about to lose his hold over the crowd that easily. “Beware the Face of Sin, who masks itself in the illusion of authority!” He leveled his blazing staff at me in case anyone was confused about who he was talking about. Was he calling me ugly now, too?

Nora cackled loudly in retort. “That’s exactly what I wanted to say! How much would you say you’ve bankrolled from normalizing such deviant behavior? I mean, I’m not a priest, so I couldn’t pull off such a devious con… but your finery suggests you’ve been doing rather well until now!”

There were dark mutters from the mob, and a few people started pulling back from the rest of the crowd. Others dressed noticeably better than the rest shouted their unwavering support for Prelate Dolus. At least it was easy enough to identify his professional guards. It would take more than mentioning morals and money to turn them, though.

“A paid comedian, no doubt, for surely you jest!” the Prelate snapped. “But your jackal-like japes do not distract the virtuous from their duty!” It was much too serious a moment to make a joke about duty.

“I’ll say it again!” I retorted. “Release Aleph the Ox-Like and Iron Tiger Tetora!” The murmurs only increased as I name-dropped them, too.

“Aleph and Tetora?! Here?”

“I… think we made a big mistake…!”

“F-free those imposters, and they will surely destroy us all!” Prelate Dolus retorted in a shrill voice. “Everyone knows the tigers have sided with the demon army after their Grandmaster disappeared!” Okay, now, that was unexpected but irrelevant at the moment.

I was getting tired of repeating myself. I thundered, “Anyone not supporting this terrible excuse for a priest, leave immediately or suffer my righteous wrath!” while drawing my sword from my scabbard with a steely hiss.

Maybe I should have given the mob the option to flee first. A good dozen denizens took off after realizing they wouldn’t be treated as innocent bystanders anymore.

Prelate Dolus quivered with fury. “I refuse to acknowledge your authority! You’re nothing but a heretic! The real Raelynn Lightbringer died because of those do-nothing, deceitful beasts! The Goddess won’t return until we eradicate every last one! Humanity must be purified!” Did he… actually believe the words coming out of his mouth? I had assumed he was spouting rhetoric, but the truth was even more horrible.

I had had enough of both of us posturing. Although I doubted he knew what I required him for, it was time to drop the hammer.

I leveled my sword at him. “By the authority of Euphridia and the power she bestowed upon me, I, Raelynn Lightbringer, declare you, Prelate Dolus, Excommunicate Traitoris! By your thoughts, intents, and actions, I find you guilty of treason to the Will of Euphridia. Submit or die!”