Embers of the Holy War

What Should Not Be Seen

Guang raised both his hands in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, chill, bro. I'm just asking because I heard the townspeople talking about it."

Jin stiffened. Looking away, he slowly and cautiously asked, "So...you've heard about the church?"

Guang nodded gravely. "Yeah. Seen it, actually. To think that last night would be the last time we would see Sister Rachel and that kid, Jason. Jin, I...regret not being able to protect them."

Jin pursed his lips, as if collecting his thoughts, before he ultimately sighed. "It was bound to happen. If it was Lord Janus' doing, you wouldn't be able to stop it, even if you wanted to."

Guang was a little miffed at that comment. Was he justifying Guang's sense of helplessness with his lack of power? "What do you mean?"

"You've been inside the manor this entire time, so you probably aren't aware."

"Aware of what?" Guang asked urgently.

"The Ministry of Intelligence," Jin explained. "They're a part of Alca's government that's responsible for information. On one hand, they gather and manage information nationwide, acting as an information hub of sorts."

"Oookay. And how does this relate-"

"They are also responsible for ensuring the validity of information. So, the Ministry also eliminates - or, if you prefer, silences - people who spread lies."

Guang was utterly flabbergasted. He had expected the gathering and managing information part, but eliminating people who spread lies?

Shakily, Guang asked, "Isn't that a little too extreme...? No, wait, why are you telling me about the Ministry of Intelligence? What do they have to do with Lord Janus?"

Jin stared at him right into his eyes as he stated, "Lord Janus is the Minister of Intelligence."

The puzzles clicked in Guang's head. He instantly shut up, understanding why Jin said he couldn't do anything even if he wanted to. Firstly, the arson had been instigated by the government, and as one of the higher-ups managing the entire country, they had the final say in whatever happens. Secondly, the arson had been instigated by none other than the Minister of Intelligence himself. Who was Guang, a nobody, to stop him?

Even so, the injustice of it all made Guang's blood boil. How could the government establish such an inhumane decree? To kill people, even children, simply because they were spreading lies? Wasn't such a fate too cruel for them to bear on their tiny shoulders?

But this also made Guang think: exactly what kind of lies did Sister Rachel and Jason spread? Did they do it intentionally, by accident, or without knowing it was even a misdeed? Guang couldn't believe that Sister Rachel or Jason had any ill intent. They were so real, so innocent and so genuine; there was no way they could have done a crime.

Frustrated, Guang ruffled his own hair. "Alca's government sucks. The Ministry of Intelligence sucks. Everything sucks!"

His voice was so loud that it startled a few pedestrians, earning him some odd and judging looks. Jin, for his part, remained silent.

After a while, when the pedestrians no longer stared, Jin said, "Alca may seem like a peaceful country, but in reality, every citizen has to live every day walking on eggshells. One lie, and that's all that the Ministry of Intelligence needs to end your life. So Guang, a piece of advice: never cross the Ministry of Intelligence."

Guang actually had another idea in mind. However, remembering the picture he had in his pocket, he temporarily put that thought aside. "Oh, yeah, Jin. There's actually something I want to show you."

Jin raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

Guang pulled out the picture from his pocket and smoothed it out. He shoved it into Jin's face, so close that Jin's eyes were crossed.

"Look! Jin!"

"I can't see it when you're holding it this close!" Jin snapped.

Guang pulled his arm back, excitedly pointing at the picture. "I was right about Hero Rayler's statue at the church! There really is someone else that should have been in the sculpture with him!"

For some reason, Jin paled. He snatched the picture from Guang and observed it critically, his eyes twitching more and more by the second.

Like a puppy giving its owner a ball, Guang was anticipating Jin's reaction. Would he praise Guang for being right? Would he be in disbelief? Would he simply act like he knew it all along?

However, Jin's reaction was one that Guang had never expected.

Monotonously, in a tone that left no room for argument, he said, "Burn this."

Guang's smile fell. "What?"

Roughly, Jin thrusted the picture into Guang's chest. His eyes were deadly as repeated with emphasis, "Burn. This."

Guang held onto the picture, cradling it like a baby. "But why?"

"Are you stupid?" Jin hissed under his breath. "That very thing you're holding is fake - it can get you killed if you're caught by the Ministry of Intelligence! Where did you find it?"

The picture...was fake? Horrifically, Guang's eyes widened in realisation. Was this what got Sister Rachel and Jason killed, and for the church to go up in flames? This picture, that simply showed another person alongside the sculpture of Hero Rayler doing the dip?

He doesn't dare say that the picture was found by Jamie beside Sister Rachel's body. Through gritted teeth, he said, "I picked it up by the roadside."

Jin didn't seem to buy his lie one bit, but he chose not to pursue it. Walking past Guang, he said sourly, "Fine. As long as you dispose of it later. Make sure you don't leave a single trace of it."

Under his breath, Guang grumbled. He gazed at the picture once more, memorising every single detail of it as best as he could. From the curves of Hero Rayler's smile, to the frozen laughter of his long-haired companion, their back arched and a leg lifted up, supported by Hero Rayler's firm hold.

Guang looked behind his shoulder, making sure that Jin was not looking in his direction. Sure enough, the young boy was fixed on his path towards the inn, not even sparing Guang a single glance.

To himself, Guang mumbled, "Well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

The picture was soundly tucked into Guang's pocket once more. Guang doesn't know what possessed him to go against his brother's advice, but something told him that it was a valuable clue to Hero Rayler's history.

It was also a keepsake of his to commemorate Sister Rachel and Jason. To them, who have been unjustly wronged by the Ministry of Intelligence - he prayed they are resting in peace.