In the dull and lifeless border town, the dry northern wind carried away almost all signs of life. When the strong winds blew, clouds of yellow sand filled the air, enveloping the entire town in a layer of dust. Such weather made people sluggish, wrapped in their drab cloths, unwilling to move.
However, at that moment, the town was unusually lively. People gathered in the town square, craning their necks to witness this rare spectacle.
At the center of the square stood a pyre. A thin girl was bound to the pyre, her body covered in wounds, and her tattered clothes stained with blood, making it impossible to discern their original color. The girl hung her head quietly, her long hair cascading down to shield her face. If it weren't for the faint rises and falls of her chest, one might doubt whether the person on the pyre was still alive.
It was unclear how much time had passed when a shout suddenly erupted from the long-silent crowd: "Burn her!"
The crowd stirred, emotions spreading like waves.
"Burn this monster!"
Another cry rang out.
"Burn her! Burn her!" The shouts grew into a chorus, eventually turning into a unified roar from the entire square.
Amidst the powerful shouts, a man in black, holding a torch, stepped out of the crowd and ignited the wood piled at the girl's feet.
The dry wood quickly turned into a sea of flames, scorching the girl on the pyre, who struggled in pain. Flames rapidly climbed up her clothing, engulfing her body. As her piercing screams filled the air, the crowd erupted into cheers.
The evil monster would turn to ash in the raging fire, all would be purified, and even the sunlight became more transparent. The people seemed to see a sacred radiance pouring down from the clouds, enveloping the entire execution ground.
The Holy Light grew stronger, and the flames seemed to shrink in fear, eventually extinguishing completely. A man in white emerged from the crowd, his ornate attire forming a striking contrast with those around him, and the tails of his coat bore the emblem of the Temple of Light.
Upon seeing the emblem, the people stepped back in reverence, parting to make way for the man. At the end of the path, the ropes binding the girl, having burned in the flames, finally snapped under the strain. The girl, charred black from the fire, fell heavily into the ashes below. Her bloodied and mangled hands reached out toward the man enveloped in the Holy Light, but they fell weakly to the ground upon touching his feet, and her consciousness descended into complete Darkness.
A wave of intense pain surged through her limbs, and Arabella couldn't help but let out a painful groan. Her body felt as if it were filled with lead, rendering her unable to move, and her eyes were covered with a damp piece of gauze, preventing her from opening them. A cool sensation touched her, slightly alleviating the burning pain.
"Awake?" The man's cool voice came through, pure and sharp, like a glacial spring from the far north.
"To survive after being burned like this, you must indeed be a Witch." Speaking in a language Arabella could not comprehend, his long fingers brushed over her body, and at that moment, she realized she was lying naked on the bed.
The cool sensation from his fingers gradually spread throughout her body, and the seemingly endless burning pain finally receded. Noticing that her breathing had become steadier, the man continued his ministrations while addressing the questions in her mind: "I do not know what reason you had to make a Contract with the Inner Demon. Although the Dark Power is so weak it's almost imperceptible, it is indeed the Inner Demon residing within you that has allowed you to survive. The Inner Demon will feed on your Desire and grow stronger, ultimately leading to the complete Corruption of your consciousness, turning you into a true Demon."
Despite the cruel words, the man's voice showed no fluctuations, as if merely stating an ordinary fact: "You currently have two choices: first, to be executed by me here as a Demon. Second, to join the Temple of Light, serving the Holy See from now on. The Holy See will control the Inner Demon within you, ensuring your safety."
"Will you choose death, or choose life?" He asked this life-and-death question in an even tone, having completed the application of the medicine, quietly awaiting her answer.
It seemed there was little room for choice. "I want to live." Arabella opened her mouth slightly, her hoarse voice softly uttering the three words.
Receiving a satisfactory response, the man stood up from beside the bed: "I am Dorian, the High Priest of the Sis Holy Court. I do not have much healing medicine on hand; you will need better treatment. Rest well tonight; we will depart for the Holy Court early tomorrow morning."