Trickles of sweat slid down and framed my face. Heat gathered as the flames that reached the end of the cave continued to crackle and taunt me.

I saw that at this point, only the jagged cave walls were covered by these unearthly flames. They stretched beyond the line of white fire in front of me, which means I can still pass through the passageway without catching fire - at least in theory.

Goddess or not, I knew that it’s better to play safe. As far as I am aware, even if I really was the deity in this world, I am still in a mortal body. This means I can die. Probably.

As much as I was so close to giving up on living when the accident happened to me in my original world, seeing a huge possibility of making a difference in this one stirs up a warm feeling within me.

I can meet new friends and experience a wondrous world.

I can leave my mark in the world.

I can finally prove that I’m not useless.

I decided not to waste another second to think so I threw the candle I was holding and gathered my skirt before leaping above the low flames. I continued dashing towards the exit but found it difficult to run barefoot inside a cave decorated with patches of rocks on the floor. I cringed in pain as I stepped on a sharp-edged rock. I bit my lips and pushed onwards.

My lungs tightened as I was burdened by the shortness of my breath. I was still running when I tore a good portion of my dress, leaving fabric that was a mere few inches above my knees.

I managed to save a portion of the torn dress which I tied around my face to help with my difficulty in breathing. The rest of it landed on the floor which probably quickly turned into ash a few moments later.

I continued with my pace despite the complaints of my body and the mental stress that was continuously building up.

When I briefly looked back, I saw a torrent of fire rapidly rushing towards me. I urged my feet to move faster.

I was close to getting out. The entrance was only a few meters away, with the six-foot entrance beginning to look like it was as big as my hand.

My head turned as I glanced back once more, only to realize that the flames are now devouring the cave walls and even the floors at a faster rate.

It was getting hot - really hot now.

I needed to move faster, but my body tells me that this is as fast as I can go without straining myself too much.

I gritted my teeth as I held back a shout of pain. Increasing my speed also meant more pain for my naked feet.

When I looked back for the third time, my eyes widened in shock and despair. I quickly closed my eyes and turned my head around before shaking it vigorously, as if shunning any form of negativity.

The light from the outside was only a few feet away so I stretched my arm out, desperately trying to grab hold of the fragments of light that will prove my innocence and grant me back my freedom.

It felt like it happened in only a few frames flashing slowly; like everything happened in slow motion.

White flames grabbed hold of my foot and twistedly climbed up my limbs.

At first it was prickling heat, but then it was shortly followed by a shot of pain that was turned into an excruciating burn.

I was still fast on my feet despite the whiteness engulfing my body and showering me with torturous pain. Tears of anguish escaping from my eyes instantaneously evaporated with the high temperature.

I’m burning.

I’m dying.

I’m fucking dying.

I’ve been given a second shot in living and I end up wasting this as well... Not being able to do anything; not being able to save a single life.

Not even my own.

I don’t want to die!

I didn’t feel my body slump onto the floor while I was burning. I felt like I was still running for my life.

The next thing that happened was everything got swallowed by the white flames until everything that remained was its color.

“Huh?”

I was standing now, still surrounded by the color of snow.

“Hi.” A child-like voice greeted me in the ashen nothingness. “Welcome, indicted one.”

I turned around and saw a little girl whose skin was as pale as porcelain and has eyes as green as lush grasses. Aside from uncanny silver hair similar to Marley’s, what made her stand out was her long pointed ears that sticked out from the sides of her head. Her white robes reminded me of Kiel’s, when I first met him.

“A-An elf? Who are you? What is this place?”

“There is something different about you.” A smile slowly crept on her lips. “You are more concerned about your surroundings rather than yourself. Are you not curious about what happened or what is about to happen to you?”

She was right.

“What do you remember?”

“I was subjected to a trial by fire. I... I was running away from the flames. I almost made it out but they caught up with me.” A realisation dawned upon me. “Am I dead?”

She giggled ever so slightly. “Who knows?”

“But then who are you? What am I doing here?” I slowly walked towards a little girl who sat behind a huge mahogany desk.

“People of all races know me by various names. The Fourth, the Just, the Child, and many others. You can call me Fourth.”

She jumped off what seemed to be a high chair and walked towards me with little steps. “To answer your other question, I am also known as the High Judge of the Heavens, only second to the Goddess Herself in handing down judgment to people. Well at least, those who are subjected to holy trials.”

“You mean to say that the fire acts like some sort of transporter to this... dimension? Is this also true to other types of holy trials?”

“Yes and no. Only those accused of the gravest of crimes would need a trial by fire.” The little elf continued to walk towards me. Despite her small stature, I could feel an overwhelming aura coming from her, almost making me hands and feet tremble.

“And how exactly do you judge?” I said warily.

“Like this.” She was smiling sweetly when she swiftly brought out long slender blade with a needle-like point. The Fourth raised her armed hands and thrusted the stiletto deep into my heart and everything went blank.

Suddenly, images of everything that happened to me in this world rained down on me.

I woke up in a cold dark cave, with little light showing Ser Michael’s worried face. He carried me outside as my body was too weak to carry its own. We went to the nearest village north of Svet, where we stayed in an inn for two days so I can fully recover. It was on the third day when we started traveling and faced the blue fire dragon who was known as Aogron.

Everything that led up to this point continued to flash before my eyes. Upon reaching the cave scenario for the holy trial, I felt my knees weaken and found myself kneeling on the floor of the white ethereal place.

I was panting hard and sweat quickly slid down my face, matching the quick racing of my heart.

I looked at the Fourth and saw a look of terror and disbelief. Her shaky hands dropped the elaborate dagger on the floor.

“T-This can’t be...” she dug nails deep into her silver locks. And hung her head low. “Your Servant has caused shame unto You and Your Name. Please forgive my rudeness!”

Her confidence and playful attitude broke down and she became a sobbing mess, like a kid torn away from her parents and lost in a sea of strangers. “How could I not have noticed?!”

I couldn’t help it. I wrapped the girl within my arms and gave her a tight embrace. “It’s fine. I’m just a human after all. I don’t think you would’ve known.”

“Damn that Kyrie, he should’ve told us he found Your Greatness already! No wonder he went off grid!”

“Kyrie who - do you mean Kiel?”

“Y-Yes.” The Fourth was still tearing up and stared at me with puppy-dog eyes. She looked so cute I wanted to gobble her up.

“Wait, so what will happen to me now?” I casually asked.

********************************************************************

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Series: Saga of the Wide Winged World (Light Novel)

Author: ReroOnyx

Synopsis:

"A thousand years ago, two groups known as Angels and Demons came into existence. Now, those groups live together with humans, under the watchful and protective eye of the world police force, The Enforcement. It is within this strange and wonderful world of winged humans, that a certain boy named Ryuuji Yukimura finds himself in. "

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