Orichalcum: Chapter 4- Holy Man's Pride

The pain continued to pulse as Hoshiko began to awaken. The vision vibrated; her eyes attempted to focus. She slowly moved her head to regain her sight. She immediately noticed that her arms and legs were bound. She struggled and squirmed to escape whatever her prison was. After her vision was repaired, she found herself moving in what appeared to be a carriage. Smooth silk curtains and cloth surrounded her, but the entire chamber reeked of flesh. A thin strip of light pierced through the curtains. She felt herself tilting back and forth upon the carriage, until the entire thing stopped. The thin light widened and a tough, burly man grabbed her robe and tugged her out of the carriage.

"We shall let Reverend Michael judge you, wench." he said in a low, scruffy voice. Hoshiko was pulled to her feet, tears pouring from her eyes. She was pushed to the center of the town square, with the Reverend standing upon a tall podium and staring down to her. His brown hair flowed across his face and an irritating smirk was upon his face.

"So you have decided to intrude upon my great village, have you?" he said, stepping down from the stand. His eyes moved up and down her body; he examined every part of her tattered appearance. He then raised his arms to the crowd surrounding the event and began another grandiose speech. "This wench has committed sin: trespassing and sacrilegious intrusion on the land of God. How shall we repair the damage that she has caused? Citizens, I ask of you!" His voice quickly became a great nuisance to Hoshiko, who struggled to escape, but was constantly struck by the angry-looking guards who stood behind her. She felt herself cursing Sennen’s name repeatedly, for it was his doing that got her into such a predicament. Her tears flowed further, but all she could do was listen to the Reverend’s rambling. "I declare...execution!" he yelled. Hoshiko felt her heart sink as she was pulled through the village, towards the so-called "Execution Square," as she heard the people chanting. The guards shoved her through the village violently, until the leading Reverend stopped. Hoshiko saw a vast square scattered with bodies and decaying flesh. Her face was frozen in total fright. The Reverend turned towards her and grabbed her face with his free hand. "Quite a shame, my lady: if you hadn’t been such a sacrilegious wench, you could’ve done me some good. Maybe another harem girl for my palace." Hoshiko couldn’t stand another moment of the Reverend’s presence. She solemnly walked towards the center of the square with the guards following her every step. The Reverend followed her, with a giant soldier wielding a great axe close by. Hoshiko continued to cry and continued to curse Sennen’s name. The guards kicked her onto her knees and the giant soldier raised his axe high above his head. The Reverend smirked from the side. "Any last words, sinner?" he said. Hoshiko could not speak, so she merely closed her eyes, awaiting the slash that would end her life. The axe fell; Hoshiko did not resist. With eyes closed, she cringed, but was awoken with a splatter of liquid upon her face. Nervous to open her eyes, Hoshiko slowly trembled. Her curiosity, however, got the better of her, and she found herself staring at whatever saved her from death. The tall, dark figure, wearing the skin and flesh of her love; Sennen had stepped in front of the blade. Hoshiko slowly stood, staring at a gruesome image of Sennen, who had the axe blade lodged into the front of his face. Reaching to her face, Hoshiko touched the cold blood that had fell upon her gentle cheek. Still in shock, Hoshiko backed away. Equally, the people could not believe what had happened. Even the annoying Reverend was motionless, and to Hoshiko’s delight, was silent, at least for a while.

"S-Sennen?" Hoshiko said, holding her cheek with her robed sleeves. Sennen’s clawed hand gripped the blade that projected from his face.

"Shut your mouth, girl." he said, "I’m just following this contract’s rules. I can’t let you die, so don’t take it as common courtesy." Sennen clenched the blade and shattered the handle of the axe, leaving the executioner stunned in shock. He nervously backed away into the crowd of people. Sennen wiped the blood from his mangled face, letting it heal on its own.

"You!" Reverend Michael yelled. "Who are you? Why have you intruded upon here?" Sennen casually walked towards him.

"Ah, yes." he said, "so you’re this ‘Reverend’ I’ve heard so much about."

"Insolent beast! Stay away from me!" the Reverend said, raising his staff. Sennen continued to walk towards him until he was face-to-face with the holy man. Sennen’s demonic eyes shifted around, examining the Reverend’s appearance.

"So you’re the reincarnation of Michael? Expected." Sennen said.

"Reincarnation? What do you speak of, devil?" he said.

"Michael, you’re still the pathetic coward I remember." Sennen said.

"Coward?" Michael said, "I am no coward!"

"As always. You were always the insecure whelp of your little group." Sennen said. "Hiding behind your status; what an embarrassment." Sennen’s eyes shifted more. Michael was trembling; the people were beginning to brew in confusion. Sennen’s focus shifted to the Reverend’s fearful face. "Will you attack me and prove your strength? Or will you hide like a coward?" That was it; Michael rushed in and raised his holy staff high into the air.

"I will show you my great power, you devil!" he said, swinging it down towards Sennen. There was a moment of silence, directly before Sennen’s claw rushed into the Reverend Michael’s face. It impaled Michael’s face directly. The staff fell aside; Sennen tore back his arm, leaving a dead, impaled Reverend Michael on the ground. The surrounding crowds of citizens were in utter silence, all frozen in fright by the assassination of their once great leader. Sennen took a quick look of the people’s expressions, then turned his attention to Michael’s fallen body. He peered into the cross atop the staff the Reverend had in his grasp, seeing a charm nestled in the top. With his mighty claw, he grabbed the shining charm. It glowed with an intense red hue, but in an instant, Sennen shattered it. The light surrounded him in streaming colors, then finally entered his body.

"Pride..." he quietly spoke. As his words drifted out of his mouth, he felt his own muscles begin to tighten. He clenched his claws as his body began to fluctuate and gain a crimson aura. His body felt renewed, even stronger than ever. Hoshiko slowly walked towards him, confused at what his power of Pride had accomplished. Sennen raised his hand to her as she ran. "Get out of the village." he said.

"But..." Hoshiko quietly replied.

"GET OUT OF THE VILLAGE NOW!" Sennen yelled, eyes shining with rage. Hoshiko made no hesitation and dashed towards the village walls, escaping the crowds. Sennen stared to the people; his red eyes struck fear into every single one of them. With the eyes, he saw Hoshiko run outside the city walls. Sennen then raised his hand above him, and with a single punch to the earth, destroyed the entire village and everyone inside it.