Heartbeat: "thump-thump"
In a city within the world of Pantheos, the main street was teeming with people. They were cheering and hailing a woman standing in a horse-drawn carriage, holding a staff and flanked by knights of the church. This beautiful woman dressed in pure white was Rose, a Saint who had just successfully defeated and sealed the Evil God that had plagued the world. She returned to her city as a celebrated hero.
Rose stepped down from the carriage and walked into a grand building styled like a medieval European church. As soon as she entered, the doors slammed shut, and soldiers surrounded her. Rose became frightened and confused. A High Priest approached her.
"Forgive me, Your Holiness, but the time has come for you to sacrifice yourself for the church. Surely the Holy Saint wouldn't mind, would she?" the High Priest asked with a terrifying smile.
"What are you talking about? I don't understand!" Rose screamed.
"We, the church, are going to release you and send you back to the world in your memories—through the path of death, hehehe."
"This wasn't the promise! You said you'd let me go once I defeated the Evil God!"
The High Priest snapped his fingers, and several soldiers grabbed her arms. Her staff slipped and clattered to the floor.
"What is this? Let me go!"
"Clap."
Suddenly, a black wing and a white wing sprouted from Rose's back. Her white hair turned half-black, and a horn emerged from her head just beneath her halo. Seeing Rose's transformation, the soldiers were stunned but didn't let go, while the High Priest's grin widened as he approached the captive Saint.
"The Holy Saint has been defiled by the Evil God and has returned to bring calamity to the world! Her current form is proof. Therefore, she is sentenced to death by burning in the city square!" the High Priest shouted.
"De... defiled? What do you mean? Please, explain it to me!" Rose pleaded, her fear mounting.
"Take her to the basement," the High Priest ordered.
Rose was dragged to the dungeon, a prison for those who opposed the church. On the priest's orders, the soldiers strapped her to a large table. Her hands and feet were chained, and a cloth was tied over her mouth to keep her from screaming. The High Priest then commanded the other priests to strip her until she was completely naked. Tears streamed down her face; she felt humiliated, disgusted, and a burning resentment toward them all. They eventually left her alone in the dark, bound and stripped of every stitch of clothing.
Two days later, several priests returned with the High Priest. Rose, weak from being denied food and water, couldn't say a word. One priest removed her gag and forced her to drink hard liquor. Then, the High Priest ordered his subordinates to take turns violating her. In her weakened state, Rose couldn't fight back and could only watch helplessly as her body was tortured by the priests. Her soul wept in sorrow because she knew she had done nothing wrong, yet the agony she endured was unbearable.
"Agh... ah... it hurts... aaaaaaa," she screamed in her heart, tears flowing.
For five days, she suffered this torment. The priests who abused and tortured her grew more feral with each passing day. Rose had no strength left; her private areas were destroyed by the depraved actions of the priests. While the priests were in the middle of their assault, a knight in white armor wielding a greatsword burst in and slaughtered every priest in the room. He immediately freed Rose and carried her out. Rose knew this knight; he was her lover from her journey. The knight explained that he had learned the truth from a drunken priest at a bar.
Once they reached the surface, they found themselves surrounded by church soldiers. The High Priest approached them.
"You won't escape... Fire!" the High Priest yelled.
Archers stepped forward and unleashed a volley of arrows. The knight immediately shielded the Saint with his massive frame. Dozens of arrows peppered the knight's back.
"Run, Lady Rosemary... leave me here... you must live!"
"No... I won't leave you, Roan... we'll be together forever!" Rose screamed.
Rose forced herself to stand and opened her item box, pulling out a mace. She swung at several soldiers, knocking them down, but in her fragile state, she couldn't kill them. Refusing to be beaten, the soldiers lunged with spears aimed at the helpless Rose. The knight saw the attack and blocked every spear thrust with his chest. He coughed up blood as several spears pierced his torso and stomach. He slumped over, losing strength.
"No... why did you save me?" Rose pulled him close, refusing to let him hit the ground, and they both fell together.
"My Lady Saint... I lov..." The knight's head dropped as he took his final breath, his last words left unfinished.
"Noooooo! Don't leave me! Roaaaaan!" Rose shrieked.
"Hey, don't just stand there! Catch her and take her back down!" the High Priest barked.
Soldiers seized Rose, who was sobbing and wailing in grief. She was dragged back to the basement and subjected to the same treatment by the priests and soldiers. The following day, she was taken to the square and tied to a stake, her body broken. The High Priest began to preach, claiming the Saint had become a pawn of the Evil God and was no longer pure. As proof, he lifted Rose's legs and spread them, showing the townspeople the wreckage of her private self.
The townspeople, easily swayed by the priest's lies, began to hurl insults and whatever objects they could find at her. Rose's head bled from being struck by stones. Once the jeering stopped, the executioner piled straw at the base of the stake and lit the fire. In an instant, the flames began to consume Rose's body. Just as she was about to close her eyes for the last time, she saw the knight who had "saved" her watching from a distance, laughing alongside the High Priest. Her heart shattered, realizing her lover had betrayed her and was working with the priest all along. Then, the fire swallowed her, and everything went dark.
Heartbeat: "thump-thump"
***
"Huh!"
Rose woke up back in her ruined apartment, which was overgrown with vines. Her tears were still falling heavily, but she suddenly panicked and checked her own body. Her heart felt a sudden surge of relief when she realized her damaged body had been restored to how it used to be. But as she looked at her surroundings, she turned deathly pale.
"W... what happened? Why am I alive again? My apartment is destroyed and there are trees everywhere?" she asked herself, confused.
***
Rose sat dazed in front of her computer, staring at the photo of Rex. Tears began to fall while her other hand still held the dildo she hadn't removed yet. Then she snapped out of it and shook her head.
"Ugh... why am I remembering those two past lives again... damn it... damn it... forget it, back to Rex's place... I hope Rex isn't like Tyler... no, he's different, that's why I love him... if he changes... I won't let him. I'll change him back, and if I can't, then let's go to heaven together,"
She removed the toy and headed to the bathroom to clean up. Afterward, she went to her bedroom to grab some underwear and shorts. She picked up her smartphone from the kitchen table and headed out the door. After locking up, she turned and saw a girl standing in front of Rex's door, seemingly trying to pick the lock. The girl turned to look at her, and the two of them locked eyes.
"Huh, what is this girl doing," Rose said in her head.
"Huh... what does she want?" the girl who turned out to be Ruby asked in her head. Both of them stared at each other, standing perfectly still and silent.