"...All right...you may enter." Ryu, Nina and Sten nodded to the
armed guard and walked into the Grand Church, breathing a sigh of relief.
Who knew that they wouldn't actually be tested on the prayer to St.
Eva...but on the name of their God? Ryu was thankful that Nina had paid
more attention to the scripts than he did. Once inside, 'Father Manson' and
his 'nun' companion acknowledged their entrance, and they began to talk in
hushed tones.
"The founder of St. Eva, Habaruku, is going to give a sermon. We'll first listen to his story...then, if we have the chance, will get him! ...We're going to reveal the evil of this religion!" Tiga whispered, anger and excitement in his voice. They all waited until Habaruku showed up at the pulpit...
"Welcome...to God's home...I'm sure St. Evans is very happy to have the true believers gathered here. Now, as usual, I have a message from St. Evans." Habaruku spoke, the man clad in purple robes and several baubles, stood in front of the church body. "St. Evans said this...'There are people who dislike us...these people are possessed by the devil.'" Habaruku suddenly pointed into the audience, at no one in particular. "...and right now, there is a nonbeliever with us!"
Katt became extremely nervous, and turned to Tiga. "Do you think he's talking about us!?" she asked, sweat running down her forehead. The last thing they needed is to be caught...
"Shh, be quiet!" Tiga hissed, keeping his eyes on St. Eva's founder. Katt gulped and turned around, fidgeting slightly.
"I followed the words of our God...and found the nonbeliever...I found the evil person hiding in this town! Ladies and gentleman, take a look, this is the evil person!" Habaruku shouted his words, and then turned around, facing the statue behind the pulpit. The room became darkened as Habaruku lifted his hand, a single finger pointed to the sky. A beam of yellow light came down in front of the statue, gradually expanding, slowly lowering a young woman in the air, stopping her just in front of the statute. She remained suspended, in a bubble of crackling energy.
"This woman was doing the work of the devil, and trying to destroy our God! But! As you can see, she is powerless in front of our God!"
The rest of the congregation began shouting for the death of the woman, and Ryu gazed at the Dragon Tear, finding it a dark purple, almost black...
Katt turned to Tiga, afraid. "What will we do? Claris will be killed!" "Damn...!" was all he could reply, not entirely sure what he could do at this point.
"Kill her! Kill her! Tear the devil apart!" the believers shouted, wanting to see Claris die before them.
"Ladies and gentleman, we must not hold a feeling of hate...no matter how evil she is...I will teach her the ways of St. Eva, and try to change her heart." Habaruku turned to Claris, and began his inquiry. "First, what is your name?" Claris remained silent, staring down at Habaruku with hatred in her eyes. "Oh, you don't want to speak to us? Well, ok..." Habaruku said softly, and took a few steps away from the pulpit. "You don't want to tell me, so I'll tell you...Claris..." He said, grinning. Claris' eyes opened wide in surprise, and in fear.
"Why...why do you know my name?" she asked of him, trembling slightly.
"The power of our God, Claris...I can read your thoughts." Habaruku stepped directly in front of her, and then turned to the congregation. "You are a member of a group who is against St. Eva...you were hiding in the town of Evrai to see what was going on in the Grand Church...isn't that right? Claris?" Habaruku smiled, still pacing around Claris' floating body. "Don't try to close your heart to me, Claris...the more you try to hide yourself, the stronger your will is to speak the truth..."
"The hideout of your organization...is...oh, in that mountain! And your leader...his name is Tiga?" At this point, Claris cried out. "Stop! Get out of my mind!" Habaruku merely turned to Claris and grinned mischievously. "I can't do that, Claris...we have to reveal your heart completely to clean out the soul of the devil..." He strode directly in front of her again, facing her this time. "Wouldn't it be nice if Tiga, whom you love...came to save you? But that will not happen, no matter how much you love him. You are just a subordinate to him! He would not risk danger to save you!"
"Even if I should die here...Tiga will defeat you!" she growled, glaring at Habaruku with pure anger.
"What should we do Tiga?!?" Katt demanded, staring at the Worren with fear in her emerald eyes.
"Uh...Katt...I can't marry you." Tiga whispered softly, looking at her sadly.
"You're going to save Claris? We'll all go!" Tiga turned away from her, facing towards the pulpit and Habaruku.
"No...this is a trap...they're using her as bait to draw us all out...so, I'll go."
"You know what's going to happen...why?"
"She isn't just a subordinate to me...I just realized it...I'm in love with Claris...she believes in me, and I can't let her down..." Tiga turned to Ryu, walking into the aisle of the Grand Church. "I'm sorry...it's all up to you, from now on." Tiga strode toward Claris and Habaruku, shedding his Father Manson disguise. He stood at the steps, growling. "Stop right there!"
"Well, well...you must be Tiga! How wonderful!" Habaruku grinned, turning to the angered Worren.
"What's wonderful?!? Your God enjoys hurting women!? You dirtbag!" Tiga snarled, leaping at the founder with incredible agility and speed...but Habaruku seemed to vanish.
"It's wonderful, Tiga...did you come alone?" He asked, now to Tiga's right, having teleported out of the way.
"Yeah...I will kill you!" Tiga shouted, lunging again, only to miss once more, Habaruku appearing behind him.
"You cannot defeat me, Tiga...if any of Tiga's friends are among us, watch carefully. This is what happens when you defy God and his powers!" Habaruku turned to Claris with a smile. "Congratulations! Tiga has come to save you! I am going to send you both to St. Eva's side..." The evil priest turned to Tiga now. "I'm going to make you feel better...since you were brave enough to come alone..."
"Damn!" Tiga cursed, and attacked Habaruku....only to be smashed away, crumpling to a heap on the floor several feet from him, blood splattering from his mouth.
"Noooo! Tigaaaaaa!" Claris shouted. Time seemed to stand still...
"Claris, go with him." Habaruku merely pointed his finger upwards as he did before to bring Claris before them. The shield containing her dissipated, and Claris floated higher into the air...only to be brought down again, a sickening thud echoing in the sanctuary as her body snapped and broke when she hit the stone floor with a deadly speed...
"Ladies and gentleman...this is the power of God. God's punishment of evil has no mercy." Habaruku addressed the crowd, un-phased by his own cruelty. Tiga crawled slowly to Claris' side, whispering her name painfully, reaching out to clutch her hand...Habaruku turned and a bolt of lightning flashed behind him, obliterating their bodies into ash.
"The evil people are gone now...let us pray for the injured souls..." and the congregation began to chant their prayer.
Katt walked to Ryu's side and hugged him tightly, crying quietly, and Ryu affectionately embraced her. "Tiga was so brave...Tiga wasn't wrong, was he? We're not evil...St. Eva is the problem...right? Ryu..." She sobbed, and Ryu wiped her tears away, as he had done before in front of the campfire. She looked up into his glowing green eyes, and she grit her teeth in anger. "Ryu, let's go! Let's get them!" Ryu nodded once...and set off in hot pursuit of the evil priest, to avenge Tiga and Claris, and everyone else that had been hurt by this religion...
Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me. Except for the story in itself, 'cause I wrote it. Also my added twists on things that didn't happen in the game, taking this on its own path. Other than that, it's all owned by Capcom.
"The founder of St. Eva, Habaruku, is going to give a sermon. We'll first listen to his story...then, if we have the chance, will get him! ...We're going to reveal the evil of this religion!" Tiga whispered, anger and excitement in his voice. They all waited until Habaruku showed up at the pulpit...
"Welcome...to God's home...I'm sure St. Evans is very happy to have the true believers gathered here. Now, as usual, I have a message from St. Evans." Habaruku spoke, the man clad in purple robes and several baubles, stood in front of the church body. "St. Evans said this...'There are people who dislike us...these people are possessed by the devil.'" Habaruku suddenly pointed into the audience, at no one in particular. "...and right now, there is a nonbeliever with us!"
Katt became extremely nervous, and turned to Tiga. "Do you think he's talking about us!?" she asked, sweat running down her forehead. The last thing they needed is to be caught...
"Shh, be quiet!" Tiga hissed, keeping his eyes on St. Eva's founder. Katt gulped and turned around, fidgeting slightly.
"I followed the words of our God...and found the nonbeliever...I found the evil person hiding in this town! Ladies and gentleman, take a look, this is the evil person!" Habaruku shouted his words, and then turned around, facing the statue behind the pulpit. The room became darkened as Habaruku lifted his hand, a single finger pointed to the sky. A beam of yellow light came down in front of the statue, gradually expanding, slowly lowering a young woman in the air, stopping her just in front of the statute. She remained suspended, in a bubble of crackling energy.
"This woman was doing the work of the devil, and trying to destroy our God! But! As you can see, she is powerless in front of our God!"
The rest of the congregation began shouting for the death of the woman, and Ryu gazed at the Dragon Tear, finding it a dark purple, almost black...
Katt turned to Tiga, afraid. "What will we do? Claris will be killed!" "Damn...!" was all he could reply, not entirely sure what he could do at this point.
"Kill her! Kill her! Tear the devil apart!" the believers shouted, wanting to see Claris die before them.
"Ladies and gentleman, we must not hold a feeling of hate...no matter how evil she is...I will teach her the ways of St. Eva, and try to change her heart." Habaruku turned to Claris, and began his inquiry. "First, what is your name?" Claris remained silent, staring down at Habaruku with hatred in her eyes. "Oh, you don't want to speak to us? Well, ok..." Habaruku said softly, and took a few steps away from the pulpit. "You don't want to tell me, so I'll tell you...Claris..." He said, grinning. Claris' eyes opened wide in surprise, and in fear.
"Why...why do you know my name?" she asked of him, trembling slightly.
"The power of our God, Claris...I can read your thoughts." Habaruku stepped directly in front of her, and then turned to the congregation. "You are a member of a group who is against St. Eva...you were hiding in the town of Evrai to see what was going on in the Grand Church...isn't that right? Claris?" Habaruku smiled, still pacing around Claris' floating body. "Don't try to close your heart to me, Claris...the more you try to hide yourself, the stronger your will is to speak the truth..."
"The hideout of your organization...is...oh, in that mountain! And your leader...his name is Tiga?" At this point, Claris cried out. "Stop! Get out of my mind!" Habaruku merely turned to Claris and grinned mischievously. "I can't do that, Claris...we have to reveal your heart completely to clean out the soul of the devil..." He strode directly in front of her again, facing her this time. "Wouldn't it be nice if Tiga, whom you love...came to save you? But that will not happen, no matter how much you love him. You are just a subordinate to him! He would not risk danger to save you!"
"Even if I should die here...Tiga will defeat you!" she growled, glaring at Habaruku with pure anger.
"What should we do Tiga?!?" Katt demanded, staring at the Worren with fear in her emerald eyes.
"Uh...Katt...I can't marry you." Tiga whispered softly, looking at her sadly.
"You're going to save Claris? We'll all go!" Tiga turned away from her, facing towards the pulpit and Habaruku.
"No...this is a trap...they're using her as bait to draw us all out...so, I'll go."
"You know what's going to happen...why?"
"She isn't just a subordinate to me...I just realized it...I'm in love with Claris...she believes in me, and I can't let her down..." Tiga turned to Ryu, walking into the aisle of the Grand Church. "I'm sorry...it's all up to you, from now on." Tiga strode toward Claris and Habaruku, shedding his Father Manson disguise. He stood at the steps, growling. "Stop right there!"
"Well, well...you must be Tiga! How wonderful!" Habaruku grinned, turning to the angered Worren.
"What's wonderful?!? Your God enjoys hurting women!? You dirtbag!" Tiga snarled, leaping at the founder with incredible agility and speed...but Habaruku seemed to vanish.
"It's wonderful, Tiga...did you come alone?" He asked, now to Tiga's right, having teleported out of the way.
"Yeah...I will kill you!" Tiga shouted, lunging again, only to miss once more, Habaruku appearing behind him.
"You cannot defeat me, Tiga...if any of Tiga's friends are among us, watch carefully. This is what happens when you defy God and his powers!" Habaruku turned to Claris with a smile. "Congratulations! Tiga has come to save you! I am going to send you both to St. Eva's side..." The evil priest turned to Tiga now. "I'm going to make you feel better...since you were brave enough to come alone..."
"Damn!" Tiga cursed, and attacked Habaruku....only to be smashed away, crumpling to a heap on the floor several feet from him, blood splattering from his mouth.
"Noooo! Tigaaaaaa!" Claris shouted. Time seemed to stand still...
"Claris, go with him." Habaruku merely pointed his finger upwards as he did before to bring Claris before them. The shield containing her dissipated, and Claris floated higher into the air...only to be brought down again, a sickening thud echoing in the sanctuary as her body snapped and broke when she hit the stone floor with a deadly speed...
"Ladies and gentleman...this is the power of God. God's punishment of evil has no mercy." Habaruku addressed the crowd, un-phased by his own cruelty. Tiga crawled slowly to Claris' side, whispering her name painfully, reaching out to clutch her hand...Habaruku turned and a bolt of lightning flashed behind him, obliterating their bodies into ash.
"The evil people are gone now...let us pray for the injured souls..." and the congregation began to chant their prayer.
Katt walked to Ryu's side and hugged him tightly, crying quietly, and Ryu affectionately embraced her. "Tiga was so brave...Tiga wasn't wrong, was he? We're not evil...St. Eva is the problem...right? Ryu..." She sobbed, and Ryu wiped her tears away, as he had done before in front of the campfire. She looked up into his glowing green eyes, and she grit her teeth in anger. "Ryu, let's go! Let's get them!" Ryu nodded once...and set off in hot pursuit of the evil priest, to avenge Tiga and Claris, and everyone else that had been hurt by this religion...
Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me. Except for the story in itself, 'cause I wrote it. Also my added twists on things that didn't happen in the game, taking this on its own path. Other than that, it's all owned by Capcom.