When we all teleported in front of the village, everyone dropped to the ground. None of us were exactly in peak condition, so we just all felt drained. Immediately, carvatians rushed out of the village and helped them in. Nobody helped me though. Typical. To be fair, I was the only one healthy enough to still be able to stand. There was one carvatian who stuck around though. She had been guarding the village gates when we arrived.

“Gryft,” a gruff woman barked at me. Ah shit, I know this one. Couldn’t forget that light pink hair if I tried. She was one of those bug variants; resembled a cicada. Even was the one who hauled my ass out of the village years ago. “Time to face your crimes.”

“Sona!” I cried, clasping my hands together. “It’s been too long!”

“It hasn’t been long enough,” she growled. “The years haven’t been kind to you. You look like a damn fossil.”

“Thanks, I’ve been really trying to get the “too old to be alive” look to finally show.”

“No hiding from what you did though. The Temple knows what you did, and demands for you to show your face to it.”

“So that marble block did hear me!”

My eyes darted back and forth. Nothing was technically stopping me from flying away. Other than the fact that Sona could probably catch up to me after a few minutes, and I couldn’t really kill her. Not at my current strength. And we’ve got history, so maybe that would be hard anyway.

“You thinking about running, Grift?” she said between gritted teeth, tightening the grip on her spear.

“Nah, take me to the Temple already,” I said, raising my hands. “I’ve got some choice words for it anyway.”

I didn’t like her grabbing my arm and instantly teleporting us away, but I couldn’t really stop it. In a flash of light, we were in front of the Temple. She shoved me inside, and I didn’t really try to hide myself or anything. I wasn’t going to humble myself to a building. I strutted inside with my head held high and approached the statue in the back. A beauty, it was, but a shame it was in the worst place.

“So, you wanna talk or what?” I spat.

“You, Gryft, have violated the carvatian law multiple times,” rang a voice all around me. “You will have to pay for your crimes against our oath of peace.”

“Oh come on!” I shouted. So pro tip: don’t raise your voice to deities in most scenarios. I was just having a bad day. “I asked for your help and you refused! Whether you liked how I did it or not, I saved those carvatians’ lives!”

“Intent does not excuse the crime.”

“Come down here and tell me that yourself!” I said, shaking my fist to the ceiling.

“DO NOT TEST US!” it bellowed into my brain. Now that shit hurt. “You will pay with your life for taking theirs.”

“Wait,” I said, knowing I had to think of something quicker than I had realistic time to actually form. “If you kill me now, you’re losing out!”

Those two minutes that the temple paused were nerve wracking. I figured the Temple was probably debating with itself.

“Tell us Gryft,” The Temple said, slowly and methodically. “What are we, or anyone else, losing if you perish?”

“You are losing a humble servant of your… Templeness…” Yeah, I know, it was a bullshit argument. I knew, you know, the Temple knew. “I shall be your wrathful fist of the Temple!”

Another long pause. Did well for the nerves.

“Congratulations, you are the first carvatian in thirteen centuries to humor us.”

“I’m honored.”

“However, we cannot let you walk free for your crimes.”

“Look at me. I’m already dying. You taking my life isn’t doing much more than making your last punishment come faster, is it?” Made that one up on the fly. Seemed pretty sound, but the Temple could’ve just said no when I think about it.