Seraphina's control soon left my body, causing me to fall to the ground, the power within me returning to its slumber, waiting until I could call upon it without using Seraphina. I swiftly fell to the ground, impacting with the road below, landing near a crowd of onlookers who cautiously approached my collapsed form.
Watching Seraphina use my body to fight against Artoria only heightened my ambition to grow and develop my skills with the divinity inside of me, but also so I would never have to resort to Seraphina's aid. While she spoke of empathy towards Artoria, she didn't enact those same feelings. She was too detached from angels and life other than herself; her aid would only lead to ruin, and that was something I couldn't allow. Never again would I allow her to use my body again, no matter if I'm dying. I won't.
"The Primordial String really showed this wingless vermin."
"How could a wingless have so much power? He was keeping up with the Primordial String for a moment. Is he truly wingless?"
"Wait, be careful. He might still be awake; don't approach him and wait for the Primordial String's arrival. Don't be foolish, you'll be executed if you go against the Custodian."
"Stop worrying, boy. We are doing the Custodian a favour by ridding him of such a dangerous vermin."
"I'm not so sure about that."
"I say we just finish him off for the Primordial String. This pest also destroyed our great city; he's too dangerous to be allowed to live. A completely unknown entity shouldn't be permitted to breathe."
"Yeah, I agree. Let's kill him; he's too weak to fight back. Let's do it now. For the custodian!"
""For the Custodian!""
I was completely defenseless against the approaching angry mob armed with a variety of household items. I couldn't move a muscle, all my strength being exhausted by Seraphina with that final attack. The last thing I wished for was to be beaten to death by an angry mob. I'd rather have my lungs severed again than go through such humiliation and pain. A slow death was the last thing I wished for.
"Let's kill him before the Primordial String arrives! If we say that he was threatening the peace of Grandheart, then they have to accept it! Come on!"
"Yeah! We are just upholding order. He's just some wingless vermin; even if he has power, he's currently just another weak pest. Let's stomp out his fight before he can threaten us again!"
"Don't tell you lot feel bad for a wingless mutt? He's nothing compared to us!"
"Yeah, you're right! Everyone grab something, let's stone the little fucker!"
"This isn't right, come on, stop. If the Primordial String finds out, she'll execute us all. Stop, please."
While I couldn't see past the first line of the crowd, I heard a loud thudding sound, and a panicked cry escaped the crowd.
"Shut up, kid! Stay on the ground if you don't want to."
"No! You'll all get executed if you lay a finger on him; he's obviously something that defines this world's logic. If you touch him, the custodian will execute you! Please!"
"What did I say!? Shut up, you filthy sympathiser!"
More cries escaped the crowd with each blow; the sound of skin colliding with skin echoed throughout the streets, but no one offered any aid to the poor boy. Passing them with indifference, focusing their attention on me.
"Stop, leave him alone," I muttered, reaching my hand out towards the boy's cries, only to be struck by a large stone, knocking my hand down.
"Silence, vermin!"
A sea of stones soon appeared, pelting me all over. I was too weak to guard against such a primal attack. My only defense was to curl into a ball and protect my head, but the pain didn't diminish from my earlier battle. No one dared to take a step closer than a few paces away, choosing the coward's way of fighting.
"Step back! Any attempt to harm him would lead to imminent execution, disperse immediately!" ordered Artoria, her six gray and emerald wings casted a shadow across the road.
All of the civilians soon retreated cautiously, returning to their homes, not wanting to accidentally incite Artoria's ire.
"Thank you. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused."
Unable to move much, I merely stared at Artoria's beauty, the same traces of sorrow hiding within her eyes. She clasped my hands together, putting on some sort of binding on my arms, doing the same for my feet. Silently, she picked me up, flying towards the grand palace, hovering above Grandheart, looking down on every inch of the city.
I gave no resistance to her actions, allowing myself to be captured. Preparing myself for whatever was to come. I doubt Ickni would let my attempt to annihilate the city go unpunished.
In Artoria's grasp, I thought of only one question that had been on my mind ever since Serpahina's control left my body. Was Seraphina's sympathy sincere or just a lie?