"Preposterous! Accusing the saintess of being a fraud?! That's practically grounds for beheading!" Serafine huffed, her voice rising, before she immediately clamped a hand over her mouth. Oops.
Okay, maybe she went a bit overboard with that one. A saintess really shouldn't threaten people with beheadings. Especially not when she's supposed to be embodying peace and divine wisdom. But hey, she was really not here for being called a fraud.
She quickly recomposed herself, forcing a serene expression on her face. A deep breath, and she was back to saintly composure, well, almost. "Ahem... I apologize, dear believer. It seems I... overreacted."
The man, however, was still insistent. "If you stay on this path, you will only remain weak. You need to leave and rediscover who you're meant to be."
'Oh no he didn't.'
"Leave?!" Serafine scoffed, flicking her hair back dramatically. "I am the saintess! The one who will save this world, unite the races, and defeat the stains. I'm not going anywhere! Get out!" she finally commanded, making a shooing motion with her hand.
The man looked taken aback, as if he hadn't quite expected that level of intensity from the saintess. "But—"
"I said GET OUT!" she snapped, not entirely sure if she was channeling divine authority or the stress of a thousand unanswered questions, but the point was clear.
The man finally retreated, leaving Serafine standing there, still a bit shaken, but resolute.
'Ridiculous. I'll show them. I'll save the world, even if it kills me.'
The mysterious man, whom Serafine had now dubbed The Annoying Shadow, had been following her for days.
No matter where she went, there he was, lurking in the corners, sometimes pretending to be a street performer, other times pretending to be a vendor.
It was as if he had an endless array of disguises at his disposal, but no amount of costumes could hide the fact that he was undeniably the same person.
Serafine tried to ignore him.
She'd even tried to "accidentally" throw holy water in his direction once, but it only resulted in him crying out dramatically, "The holy waters of Aurelia! They burn!" and sprinting off in the most theatrical manner possible.
She hadn't expected that level of performance from someone trying to undermine her saintly identity.
But The Annoying Shadow was relentless. Every time she turned a corner, there he was, offering unsolicited advice about her "true nature" and the "secret truth" he knew about her.
One afternoon, while she was walking through the grand cathedral's courtyard, she suddenly heard the all-too-familiar voice.
"Saintess Serafine! I know the truth of your origins! You are not who you think you are!"
She didn't even flinch. Not because she was used to it, but because she had been hearing this exact line for the past week. "Oh, not again," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
The man appeared from behind a nearby fountain, wearing a cloak that looked suspiciously like a bathrobe. It was an undeniable fashion statement. He raised his arms dramatically. "You have been deceived, Saintess! You are the imposter!"
At this point, Serafine had learned to handle these situations with grace. She sighed heavily, giving him a smile that was equal parts condescending and amused. "Imposter? My dear man, if you're referring to my divine mission, I assure you, it's perfectly legitimate. I've been appointed by Aurelia herself. I've got the paperwork to prove it."
The mysterious man, clearly undeterred by her lack of reaction, pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment and began waving it around. "I have evidence! Evidence that you are the true heir to the sun!"
Now, Serafine did flinch. The mention of the sun always got to her because of this prophecy where there would be someone who shone so bright that they burned the world.
But before she could respond, a group of nearby priests caught sight of the chaos. And just like that, a small crowd began to form, no doubt eager to watch the drama unfold.
One priest, who clearly had a lot of free time, stepped forward and said, "Good sir, your outbursts are causing a disturbance. Do you need to be escorted to the authorities?"
The man's eyes went wide. "Authorities?! You are too quick to judge! I'm just trying to reveal the truth! You see—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the priests seized him, but he was not done yet.
No, this man had more fight in him than a dozen wild goats. He wriggled free and made a break for it, running through the courtyard like a madman, his robe flapping behind him like a flag of chaotic defiance.
Unfortunately, he was caught by a pair of guards who had apparently been on their lunch break.
They didn't hesitate. Chop. In a swift motion, his head was severed from his body and rolled across the stone floor.
Serafine stood in stunned silence for a second, unsure if she should be relieved or just mortified. The priests and guards seemed satisfied with their work, and they wandered off, leaving her alone with the now headless body of The Annoying Shadow.
"Good riddance, I guess," Serafine muttered to herself, walking back inside the cathedral. But as she was about to enter, a thought struck her. 'Was that the last of him? Could it be?'
The next few days were peaceful. Too peaceful. Serafine began to feel a sense of dread creeping in, the kind of dread that only a saintess could understand. She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. So, she spent the night in her private quarters, attempting to read through some ancient texts to keep her mind occupied.
Just as she was settling into the quiet hum of the candlelight, she heard a noise, a faint tapping on her window.
She opened the window, only to see the unthinkable.
There he was, standing on the ledge, grinning maniacally with his head back on. He was fully intact, as though nothing had happened.
"Surprise, Saintess!" he shouted with glee. "You thought you could get rid of me so easily?!"
Serafine screamed. The sound echoed throughout the entire church.
"AHHHHHHH!"
She backed away from the window, hands shaking. Was this some kind of twisted dream? Had he somehow come back from the dead? Why was this happening?!
"Oh, don't mind me," he said, casually brushing off his shoulder like a regular man who had not just been beheaded in front of a crowd. "I may have been beheaded, but I've come back stronger! You can't get rid of me that easily, my lady Saintess. I am your destiny!"
Serafine, now thoroughly disturbed, pulled a pillow from her bed and screamed into it. What was happening to her life? Was this the price of being a saintess?
She threw the pillow at him. "Get out of my window! I don't care if you're a ghost or a cursed soul! You are NOT my destiny!"
The man, not deterred in the slightest, jumped off the ledge and disappeared into the night, his voice still echoing in the air.
"I'll be back tomorrow, Saintess! And next time, I'll bring proof! Wait for me!!"
Serafine fell back onto her bed with a groan. "I can't do this anymore," she muttered to herself. "I just wanted a peaceful life of blessings and cake…"
With that, she buried her head under the covers, praying to Aurelia for some peace and quiet.