Chapter 13: A Fool
The twelve hours of brutal training had left me feeling like a tightly wound spring. Every muscle screamed, I was physically broken, but mentally, the pain was so forced.
I stood with Kenji, who was visibly trembling from all the training.The Captain stood before a projected map of the Hinterlands. On the map, a small, farming village about two hours' run from the fortress pulsed with an aggressive, sickly red light.
"The training is over," the Captain stated, Your mission begins now. It is a necessary act of faith."
He pointed to the red pulse. "A local girl, sixteen years old, has been fully possessed by a False God's. This is the corruption we fight. It is absolute, and it spreads rapidly."
My stomach seized. "We're going to rescue her, right? Exorcise the spirit?"
The Captain looked at me with cold, surgical clarity. "You will destroy it. Anima does not attempt rescues where the corruption is complete. The vessel is irrevocably poisoned. Our sole purpose is to kill the host to exorcise the spirit, preventing the Decay from spreading."
Kenji choked back a sound next to me.
"That's a person," I whispered, the crushing weight feeling heavy. "We're going to kill a civilian."
"You are going to execute the manadate of a false God," the Captain corrected. "And you will do it using the abilities He has assigned you. Listen carefully,
The Captain tapped a small console. "You both have potent gifts. It will manifest when you focus your strength, The Captain paused, letting the grim weight of the task settle.
"The corrupted vessel will be volatile and strong.Yall will need tostabilize and protect. Then deliver strike the killing blow. You will leave nothing behind but ash. Focus on your internal energy and trust your instinct."
He handed each of us a unique sun pendant I do not know why though, what is it for.
"Go," the Captain ordered. "Prove the Syqnix Tree did not waste its gift on a coward."
We left the fortress in silence, the heavy steel gate clanging shut behind us. I looked at Kenji, who avoided my gaze, focused entirely on the road ahead. We were heading toward a village, not to save anyone, but to execute a chilling, divine command. My body was the weapon, and the price of salvation was the first life I would knowingly take, but I wonder why only send two members to help us we should've had more I hope this will be easy.