"There is always a choice. If you tell yourself otherwise, it is only to escape the weight of consequence." -Prince Arthur Junior Luxemburg

Isabel rode through the forests on the back of her steed, her brain conjuring up all the ways she could deal with those who had captured her subordinate. The heat was unbearable even through the robe protecting her soft skin from the sun.

—Two—no, three. One more skilled than the others. Closing in on me fast, using the trees.

Isabel stood on the back of her horse, using it as support before launching herself into the sky, getting a bird's-eye view over the area. 

The three pursuers paused around the white steed in confusion, looking around anxiously, one of them tapping his feet.

"I-I-I knew this was a bad idea, man! You do not mess with the Inquisition!" he cried, tapping his foot fast, unsteady on his legs.
"Relax, Inquisition or not, they are all mortal. Even that monster..." another replied, examining the ground for clues as to the whereabouts of their pursuit.
"Besides, that is why we have brought her," the second one spoke again, a pleased smirk upon his face.

The strongest one stood beside the two, ignoring their chatter as he turned around. A faint whistling sound drew his attention upwards, and before he could even act, a golden light shot a hole through his chest, sending him falling face-first onto the ground to the shock of the others.

"N-no way, man! C-crap! I-I'm gone!" The cowardly one rushed off before promptly being shot down by another beam of heavenly light.
"You wenc—"

The third beastman went quiet, looking up at the levitating girl in front of him as he shook his head, getting down onto his knees and begging for his life.
"Please! I swear I'll turn myself in! I'll tell you anything you want to know, I swear on my life!!"

Isabel landed in front of him, pointing her hand in a sort of finger-gun position to his head. Closer now, she saw just how young this beastman was. Sixteen at best.

—Goddamnit, he is just a kid!
He is not a kid, he is a blasphemer. Kill him.

Doubt began to fill Isabel's mind as her hand shook.

Kill him now! You know what's at stake. Do not make me repeat myself.

"...I'm sorry kid, I have no choice." Isabel spoke, readying herself.

.

.

.

"You always have a choice, Ethan." Johnny held onto Ethan's shoulder stiffly, shaking his head.
"We are soldiers, Johnny. Top Brass says jump, we ask how high. You know this already."

Ethan and Johnny stood in black-ops gear, unmarked and disconnected from any mention of home or country, no flags nor names, just general information sewn on their uniform such as rank. Surrounding them were the rest of the squad, most of them clearly as unhappy as the rest with this predicament.

"Not when it means killing children!" Johnny rebutted, pulling Ethan around to face him. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you are going to kill this kid."

Ethan locked eyes with Johnny through the tactical ski-masks, his eyebrows tightly pushing at the middle.
"He saw us, Johnny. You know the order. We can't leave eyewitnesses, or we get tracked down!"
"Orders, orders! Would you stop for one second and listen to yourself, man?! This kid just witnessed the death of his mother and kidnapping of his father! Don't you think we have done enough?... Don't you think for yourself at all?"

Ethan shook slightly, lowering his pistol in consideration.
"Thank you, Ethan." Johnny breathed a sigh of relief, releasing some of the tension.

Ethan turned around slowly, facing the red and teary-eyed child, who held nothing but contempt in his features. 

And then he raised his pistol.

"ETHAN, NO—"

BANG!

The gunshot echoed through the now empty house, as Johnny was held back, throwing curse words and descriptives at the commander. The child slumped to the floor.
"I'm done!" Johnny forced his way from those holding him back, tearing out the ranks sewn into his uniform and thrusting them into Ethan's chest forcefully. "I'm done! With you, and Top Brass. Don't any of you see what the hell we are doing?" He choked, turning to the rest of his comrades "Do you really think we are the good guys?" Johnny motioned to the bloody floor and the body bags awaiting to be filled.
"We do what must be done, Johnny. Always have, always will."
"FUCK. YOU. Commander." Johnny spat at the floor, his eyes red with fury as he threw his gun and stormed outside.

.

.

.

What's taking you so long?! DO IT!

Isabel shivered as she felt her chest tighten once more. Without speaking, she lowered her hand and turned around, giving the young beastman the opportunity to escape. 

She suddenly collapsed onto her knees, grasping her chest, choking and spitting blood onto the ground. By the time Isabel managed to get to her feet and look up, the kid was long gone.

—G-good...

 The pain, however, wasn't gone. Isabel had to slog her way bleeding and limping, hoping to get to her steed.

Another violent outburst of blood from within sent her reeling to the ground, grunting in pain and clutching at her stomach.

You've failed me, Ethan. You've had plenty of chances to prove your worth to me, and now you die, a disappointment. Alone, and away from everything that matters to you.

Suddenly, time froze, and with it, the pain. Unable to move, Isabel was left looking around in confusion. This didn't feel like the deeds of Leopold.

—No, his time-freeze is colder. Disconnected. This one...

"So this is the so-called savior of humanity?" A woman stepped into view, her whole body covered in priestly black robes that seemed to swallow light itself. Her hood had a bright red eye insignia drawn upon it.

"All shriveled up on the floor, like a beaten-up dog."

"I-I can't feel him."

"Of course you can't. Leopold does not hold any authority within my sphere of influence."

"W-What do you mean? You can silence him?"

"If that is how you see it, then yes. Leopold is the god of light. Stay long enough in the shadows and..." She trailed off, looking away for a moment.

"W-What do you want?..."

"Simple, your cooperation."

"I can't. If I do—"

"Oh, I know your whole ordeal. You were fetched from an alternate reality to ours. Lied to and manipulated."

"What do you mean, lied to?..."

"Leopold cannot control your world nor the people within it. There is a singular reason why, but why reveal it and ruin the surprise~?"

"Even if we say I believe you-- which, I dont; if I cooperate, it will end with my death. as you can see."

The mysterious woman threw a unique-looking obsidian amulet accented with gold and silver towards Isabel, smirking as she turned around.

"Keep it. Oh, and you might want to hide it, for obvious reasons. That item is quite contrarian to the church..."

She said the last part with disgust, vanishing into thin air as time seemed to resume. 

"When it is time for you to cooperate, you will know. Until then, ta-ta~"

Was the last thing Isabel heard before she collapsed into unconsciousness.