The Angel Fell Twice

Chapter 15. I Am Not A Hero

The early suns rays filtered through the clouds, as she approached the elder tree.
The protector's gaze remained fixed on her, his visor a mask of unchanging resolve. His deep, resonant voice broke the silence. "I see you have recovered, outsider. State your purpose."
Marina drew a deep breath, her mind grappling with the weight of the revelations she had encountered.

"Did you have a hand in it?" she demanded, her eyes meeting his with unwavering intensity, "The torment of the demon... Was it you who oversaw such actions, believing him to be the harbinger of the tree's ruin?"

The protector's gaze, though obscured, conveyed nothing. His voice remained a measured rumble, cold and detached. "No, my duty is solely to protect the Elder Tree and uphold its sacred role. I am not involved in the actions of others beyond my appointed charge. If there was torture, it was neither my doing nor under my directive."

Despite his assurances, Marina's skepticism was evident. She stepped closer, her frustration palpable. "Did you witness the events unfold?"
"Yes," the protector replied, his tone unyielding.
"What happened exactly?" Marina pressed, her voice edged with desperation.
The protector hesitated, the faintest hint of uncertainty crossing his armored form. "I should not divulge—"
"I must know." Marina's voice softened, her gaze intense as she gently clasped his hand. "Please."

The protector's internal conflict was evident in the subtle shift of his stance. Marina's earnest eyes, filled with compassion and concern, made her seem strikingly out of place in this grim setting. It was a foreign earnestness that even the protector could not ignore. After a moment's pause, he began.

"The Holy Legion dragged him into the heart of the city," he started, his voice steady but somber. "The guild sought to punish him for his demonic nature. They bound him with chains and placed him on the cold, stone floor of the public square. Holy symbols were pressed against his skin, burning him with their searing light. His flesh was scarred by the brands and the stoning, the stones driven into his form while the crowd watched and cheered."

Marina's face turned pale, her grip tightening on the protector's gauntlet. "Why did you make no effort to stop them?" she growled.
"It is not my duty to intervene in such matters," the protector replied, his voice remaining impassive. "My sole responsibility is to safeguard the Elder Tree and maintain its sanctity."

In a surge of frustration, Marina reached out and grasped the edges of the protector's helmet, her voice breaking with intensity. "He was tortured! You know the war-torn nature of these people, and yet you do nothing to inform them of their own history. Why do you act so soulless? You have saved me, informed me, treated me kindly, and yet you appear to be a shell of a man. Protector? You do not deserve such a title."

The protector's voice, when he spoke, was softer, yet still bound by the rigid constraints of his duty. "I already told you. I am not a hero."
She clenched her fists, "Yes, you made that clear. You are just as bad as the rest of them... Protector." she spat, turning and leaving.