158 Divine Intervention (1/2)
A silence cloyed in the air. It cloyed in a tense way far too unbecoming of the gentle breeze that floated about the Winterwoods. Tension seeped into the silence as Li felt his followers gather behind him, the farmers already shifting their feet forward and clenching their fists in preparation to fight, knowing full well of the many years of persecution they had felt from the temple of light.
In return, the trio of high priests aimed their gold-tipped staffs at the farmers. ”And he has already amassed such a gathering, nay, he has scrounged up the heretics of old, the frolickers of the forest, the heathens of the leaf!”
A hiss broke through the crowd as Tia leaped into the air, sailing past the heads of a few farmers before she landed besides Li, her hackles raised and her jaws bared. The horse the priest rode on whinnied in terror, but the priest forcibly cast [Courage] upon it to steel its nerves. Yet noticeably, the man stopped pointing his staff, causing Tia to stand down a little.
”Are you certain this is him?” said a knight following right behind the priest on horseback. From the white plume at his helm, it was evident that he was the squadron's leader. ”I, er, do not sense anything…demonic? From this man. And we know him well as a man of good character that has aided our causes greatly.”
”You fool,” said the high priest. ”You think mine eyes of true light deceive me? No, my hands were foremost in uprooting this accursed faith from the earth many years ago; I know the like of heresy when I gaze upon it.”
The priest tore off his mask, revealing a surprisingly chiseled face not at all marked with the wrinkles that would have been normal for a man to have known a faith that existed decades ago. Yet it was a face marred with the wildness of zealotry, the eyes wide with an insanity forged by a sense of delusional purpose.
”And look at me! I yet remain youthful, blessed by the light. Is that not evidence enough that mine words shine with the light of truth? That our faith in the light is true? That the light rewards us well?”
Li did not wish to deal with such an insignificant thing prattling at him. He took a look at the high priest, then at his two companions, and judged the worth of their lives. They had lived many years, it was true, but years spent taking and taking and taking, never giving.
All life that flowed had some inherent value, but not all life was created equal. As Li began to raise his hand, Jeanne pushed past the farmers and in front of him.
”The hero!?” murmured the knight captain, and as his words echoed out, it spread like wildfire through the ranks of the knights, and they all moved forwards, craning their necks to try and catch a glimpse of the celebrity.
”Hero you may be,” said the high priest patronizingly. ”But you are far too young to be interpreting doctrine to us. We will overlook your frolicking with dark forces, so leave our sight, little one. You do not understand what true faith is. It is not at all like the falsities that this foreigner promises.”
Li put a hand to Jeanne's shoulder and moved her behind him. He came up to the high priest, right up to the horse that he rode on, and the high priest pulled back his reigns, wanting the horse to fall back.
However, the horse was mesmerized by Li, understanding at an instinctive level that life incarnate stood before it. It lowered its head, and Li pet it.
With an understanding nod, the horse bucked its legs, throwing the high priest off its back and into the dirt beside Li.