I reunited with Kiel by the plaza and it was weird how he didn’t ask where I went and why I took long. He simply walked alongside me as we headed to the cave where the holy trial would occur. Marley, on the other hand, was leading us to the cave in silence.

My feet almost stopped chasing each other when my pace was almost akin to that of a snail’s. I then lowered my voice so only Kiel could hear, “How sure are you about this holy trial system? Does it really work? Are the innocents really saved? Will I really be spared from being burnt to death?”

“It works.” Kiel softy answered. “It works according to the will of the Goddess, but it may be changed due to the conditions present in the holy trial itself; however it is mostly reliant on the people’s faith. It’s nothing that can be fully explained in just a few minutes, I’m afraid.”

“So... I won’t be burnt?”

“The flames that the priestess will summon are sacred ones. They burn everything in they touch, purging any form of evil within its reach.“

“That... doesn’t help me at all.” I’m pretty sure I’m far from perfect, and that I have evils within me. Yup, I’m gonna fucking burn.

We walked past the place where Ser Michael and I faced the fire-dragon and a few minutes later, we ended up face-to-face with the cave where I briefly hid from the said dragon.

We saw a small crowd gathered by the entrance, with the priestess clad in white as she stood in the middle.

Kiel and I stopped halfway there while Marley continued on and approached the priestess with a bow saying, “Sa’ Raj. I have brought Lady Rinya, the accused, and her servant.”

“Thank you, Marley.” The priestess spoke, her sultry voice echoing in our ears and across the forest. She looked around and various faces returned her gaze, including mine. Some were mesmerized by her mystique and beauty, while others were enamored by her holy presence.

“My dear people of Raj. We are gathered here today at the Raj’an Cave where the evils of a blue fire dragon, Aogron, once dwelled; spreading death and terror across the various towns in the borders of Yorden and Oakensvale for decades. With the blessings of the Goddess, a Holy Knight struck death to the mighty Aogron and brought peace to these lands once more.”

“In the days that came after, another misfortune has struck our humble town, as Autumn was forcefully returned into the embrace of the Peerless One.” The heads of most of the townsfolk now hung low, with sadness painted on their eyes and regret plastered on their lips. “With an innocent life claimed, we have the accused in front of us today. Lady Rinya has claimed innocence and has requested to undergo a holy trial.”

Murmurs slowly spread as my name lingered in their lips with disdain.

“Is this true, Lady Rinya?” The priestess asked.

“Yes, I request to prove my innocence of Autumn’s murder by undergoing the holy trial.”

“Very well, then. By the power vested upon me by the Grand Archbishop Benjamin on behalf of the One True Goddess, I hereby declare to oversee this holy trial until its end. I hereby subject Lady Rinya to a trial by fire!”

I felt goosebumps as she spoke those words. It made things sound official.

She pulled a fan that looked quite different from the white paper fan she previously used upon arriving at Raj. She was holding onto a blue brise fan, which she spread open, revealing ornate floral designs and a thin white feathery lining at the edge.

There was silence for a few seconds while the priestess took a deep breath with her eyes shut.

Once she opened them, her once-cyan eyes turned gold that glowed beautifully under the sun. The priestess waved her fan forward, towards the direction of the cave. “Go inside the cave, Lady Rinya. Bring the candle that Marley will give you and keep walking until you see the end. Once you do so, extinguish the flames right away.”

“What should I do then?” I asked.

“Stop...” She looked at me with those piercing gold eyes. “...And pray, that the Goddess will invoke favor unto you.”

I swallowed a gulp as I turned my attention to Kiel. He looked back at me with his lips pursed at first, but then he mouthed, “You‘ll be fine.”

Will I really be?

With everyone’s eyes urging me, I took the candle handed by the silver-haired clerk and headed towards the cave.

The sound of each step I took echoed against the cave walls as the light from outside started to dwindle into nothing. The candle’s flames were my only guide as I went through the twist and turns of the cave. Good thing the path was straightforward and there were no forks in them.

I came face-to-face with the yellowish cave walls and stood there for a bit, before finding air in my lungs for extinguishing the candle flame in one quick blow.

I was obviously surrounded by the darkness afterwards.

Invoke favor from the Goddess, huh? How should I do that when Kiel tells me that I actually AM that Goddess?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I know I am innocent. I need to prove my innocence so I can find Autumn’s real murderer.

What was the voice that I heard?

What about the shadow that I saw, why did it grab her heart?

I felt something click in my head.

It was probably a malicious spirit, or an ethereal monster of sorts?

It was not even a few seconds later when the candle lit itself, with fire slowly burning its wick.

There was something different from these flames and the light they produce. It seemed... More pure?

By the time I realised, I was already surrounded by the same flames. Terror and despair filled by heart as heat embraced my body correspondingly. I found myself in a sea of flames that crackled and roared as it crawled towards me.

Quick, think!

Kiel mentioned these are not normal flames. I might feel pain, but it seems I won’t actually burn.

Should I run and risk catching those flames as I attempt to get outside?