When a Light Forsakes its Shine

…

How long had it been?

“Stellar Priest Lyrelith Caelynne Syllaire Ashdyelith. Your Excellency awaits you.”

Lyrelith put the quill down—his eyes vacant, his body heavy.

“…I thank you for informing me. I’ll be on my way.”

As the young deacon excused themselves with a bow, the priest forced his body to stand up. He saw the sunlight pouring from the window, his wandering thoughts making his heart throb.

Yuushin…he must be all right.

After all, Veritux wouldn’t punish the otherworldly people.

We couldn’t…

Lyrelith bit his lip, fighting the burn in his eyes as he walked out the door.

…how long had it been?

And how much longer could he take?

The answer did not matter. For knowing the truth would not change things, much less would it change the past. So the priest made his way to the Luritax Chamber, not surprised to see the templar knights forming four lines on each side, weapons in hands.

Yet he was surprised to see a familiar face standing beside the Arch Bishop.

Isn’t that…Yuushin’s friend?

Yes…yes, it was. His name was Jay, was it not?

“Did you tire of stalling for time, Lyrelith?”

As the Arch Bishop’s voice reached him, the priest rushed with anxious steps, stopping a few meters from the elevated chair.

“F-forgive me, Your Excellency. It was not my intention to waste your time.”

The man opened a soft and bright smile, tilting his head to the side. “Thank you for informing me. I was under the impression this was what you loved to do the most.”

Lyrelith felt a lump in his throat, his heart thumping against his chest with an uneven, shaken beat.

“I was told I was needed here, Your Excellency? May I inquire the reason?” Without meeting His Excellency’s gaze, the priest spoke with reluctant words. Words that shared the same tension of his muscles, the same restlessness of his mind.

With the same calm voice, the Arch Bishop pointed at the human standing beside him—a human who wore Veritux’s coat-of-arms across his chest.

“This man will be leading one of the squads for the next excursion. There’s great potential for mana manipulation, yet his knowledge and experience are quite scarce. You will aid him with training during Evenings, while Merzone will teach him swordsmanship during mornings.”

Lyrelith’s eyes shifted for a moment, connecting the familiar name with the muscular female theryan standing close at his left, one of her tiger ears missing its tip.

“While I trust the Arch Bishop’s judgment…why give such a task to someone like me, Your Excellency?”

“Because all of our best priests became either great Arch Priests or are on their way to passing the exam for Bishop now. Experience-wise, yours is unmatched.” It was such a natural, crisp reply—one that made the priest even more ashamed.

Still…that revolting feeling deep in his stomach, the unease in his heart…they would not settle.

It’s all right…I’m certain it’s nothing grave.

“I am honored, Your Excellency, to be seen in such high regard. And seeing how I had hoped to oversee Yuushin’s progress instead, would you allow me to train them both? It would be no issue to me at all, you see.”

Beside the man, Yuushin’s friend continued to gaze at the priest with a passive expression. His body was relaxed, even as he stood with both hands at his back. Still…

Why did that make Lyrelith’s muscles even tenser? Why did it make his mouth drier, and his palms sweatier?

When the Arch Bishop spoke next, Lyrelith’s heart grew cold.

“There’s no need to worry about that man anymore. Simply focus on ‘Jay’, and report his progress to me.”

The priest met the Arch Bishop’s eyes at last, the man’s black eyes shining like two uncaring stones.

“P-Pardon me? Is there a reason why such a talented individual should not be nurtured by Veritux’s hands, Your Excellency?”

As Lyrelith saw the Arch Bishop’s face contort, disgust and hatred dripping from his voice like acid, he had to dig his nails into his own skin in order to remain standing, the strength leaving his legs together with his body’s warmth.

“That fiend was soon to be a Chaos conspirator. Refusing to aid Veritux on its sacred duty, questioning the beasts' true nature…”

No no no no, the Arch Bishop wouldn’t.

He wouldn’t punish Yuushin like that.

The man spat his following words, clenching his hands into the armrests. “I could see the pity in his eyes, the doubt. A shadow our Light dare not touch, lest it festers and spreads across our land.”

Eyes brimming with fear, ears down, tail wrapping around leg—Lyrelith gave a couple of steps toward the Arch Bishop, his voice cracking and trembling.

“C-certainly, he could be taught? Yuushin has s-such a bright mind, you see, without a doubt, someone like him could be educated, Your Excellency.”

His Excellency’s gaze pierced Lyrelith’s with such a mercilessness voracity, it sent shivers crawling up and down the priest's spine.

“Of course. He could be.”

A broken smile twisted on Lyrelith’s lips. “In this case, I can—”

“Which is why he was sentenced to one year at Sepkros Animor.”

The priest staggered, almost losing his balance.

No…

“T-this shouldn’t… I, I didn’t receive any notification about a ritual being prepared… To open a portal to Sepkros, it would take at least three Nova Priests, if not a Stellar Priest… Ye-yet I received no messages for the past days, then how, how…”

Lyrelith widened his eyes, a soft gasp leaving his lungs as white fur began to cover his hands.

It can’t be.

His nails growing longer and sharper.

“We permitted the use of a Soulchanted scroll, in case that man’s kin failed to make him see reason.”

“But those were forbidden by the Cardinal! We were to burn them all, after the last purge—I set fire to our stocks myself!” His voice rose on its own, trying to fight a reality his heart and mind could not accept.

“Do you dare to question my judgment?”

Words of indignation choked in his throat, Lyrelith’s silent pleas burning his crystal blue eyes as the Arch Bishop himself stood up from his seat, stealing all warmth from the oval room.

“Does a mere priest dare to question the integrity and morality of my decision?” The man’s voice boomed across the room, so fierce it made him flinch.

Lyrelith clenched his fists, bit down his lips.

As his heart faltered, as his emotions wept and raged from within, his animal’s traits manifested more and more. For an adult theryan like him to lose control of his transformation, just because of his emotions…

…how shameful.

Yet they all see me as a failure already. What is but one more?

…how long had it been?

“…but, Your Excellency…”

“As Veritux’s loyal servant, there’s no space for doubt in your mind! Veritux’s Truth reflects the Order’s Light, and people like that outsider—”

“YOU SENTENCED HIM TO DEATH!”

Tears fell from his eyes, the shouted words cutting through his throat like sorrowful daggers as his canines grew, fur covering Lyrelith’s face entirely.

It took no more than a few heartbeats for Lyrelith to be pinned to the ground, two blades touching his neck as the templar knights closed around him. Still, the priest’s cries echoed through the chamber, singing a tune of sorrow and remorse.

How long had it been since he had sworn an oath to serve the Veritux Church?

“A year on Sepkros Animor?! Lords above, one would be fortunate enough to last a day, let alone weeks—months!”

The blades pressed harder against his neck, yet Lyrelith’s skin was too numb to feel their cut. With trembling lips, the priest’s words could hardly carry all the ache from his heart.

…how long since I stopped believing it’s Truth?

“There was no evil in that man’s soul, so how could you…”

How long can I keep pretending I still do?

*WHACK*

Lyrelith’s face was thrown back by one quick, powerful kick—a metallic taste spreading in his mouth.

With a vein pulsing from his neck, the Arch Bishop's face reddened as mana poured from his body.

“See this, young man? Our priest barely interacted with your kin, yet his heart was shaken. His sight blinded. Not only was I too lenient, it seems I turned a blind-eye one time too many.”

For a brief second, as Yuushin’s friend stared at Lyrelith, his green eyes looked at him with pity. Something almost apologetic.

The priest opened his mouth, still uncertain of what he could ask Jay—uncertain if the man would still be willing to help and save Yuushin—when the Arch Bishop turned to his knights.

“Take him. Our seasoned Stellar Priest must be reminded of Veritux’s Light.”

Lyrelith had time to look to the side before Merzone hit him at the back of the head with one swift strike.

Then—

Nothingness.