The Wrong Hero

Chapter 76 - Haunting

~The Oracle~

It was the same as it always was. When a condemned criminal was brought to her, she had to execute them. Sometimes she would be sent to hunt them down, others she would be told where they were hiding and had to flush them out. Then there were the spectacles, where the execution was to be done in front of dozens of magistrates, government officials, and others with power or influence.

The soon-to-be execution of this clearly pregnant woman was the latter, being held in the courtyard of the palace.

Shildina held her katana in her hand, her body cloaked in the garb of the Priestess of Carnage. Being in her therianthrope form wasn't necessary, but it was expected. All for the thrill of the crowd.

She approached the bound woman, blade ready. Shildina didn't know what the crime was. It didn't matter. All she was told was the method of the execution demanded. As such, she extended her blade, the tip barely touching the left side of the woman's stomach.

The woman screamed and begged, but it made no difference. With a single slash, her stomach was sliced open, letting what was inside fall to the ground. The crowd roared with delight. Shildina ignored both them and her own thoughts, turning around and walking away from the grieving and dying woman.

Shildina only took a few steps before the noise around her stopped. Confused, she turned back around. The woman...was no longer there. Shildina couldn't recall what she looked like, even what type of demi-human she was. It didn't matter.

In her place, another orca woman knelt, her hands delicately holding the small baby in her hands as she looked up at Shildina. Shock and pain adorned her face, a face that looked so much like her own.

"Little Shildina...why...?"

Tears poured down Sadeena's face as she held her dead child. Shildina let her sword drop to the ground as her arms swayed limply at her side.

"I..."

The current Priestess of Carnage fell to her knees, hands gripping the earth below her. Her body transformed back into demi-human form without any real thought.

"I didn't want this..."

Shildina cried as she watched her older sister cling to the baby. The blood from her cut belly that covered the baby now stained her chest.

"This wasn't supposed to..."

Shildina had no words. She wanted revenge for everything she was put through from the moment she was born, but not like this.

The older sister glared at her. The grief had quickly turned to hate.

"Monster!" Sadeena screamed.

The word felt like a knife through Shildina's heart. This wasn't the vengeance she wanted. The women she made an example of from the government's orders all deserved their fate, or so she was told. But Sadeena...

I don't deserve to live.

There was no coming back from this. Her hand slowly made its way to her katana. She gripped the hilt and brought it up, resting the blade against her throat.

I deserve to—

"Wake up!"

A shout made her jerk her head to the side.

Shildina found herself kneeling in a cave, a tunnel in front and behind her. The torchlight didn't extend too far. Her katana was in her hand, but the edge was away from her. Dante held it in his hand, the blade cutting into him and making him bleed.

"D-Dante...?" She questioned, looking up.

"Are you back?" He asked sternly.

"I...yes." She gave a nod. He released her weapon and offered his hand for her to take.