Chapter 94: Maid of Orleans, The Peasant Girl. 1431 CE

Thena, Pluto, and Jeanne were now back at the campfire, sitting in front of it. Jeanne was wrapped in a blanket once again, a bit traumatised on what she saw a couple of hours earlier.

“Honestly, you’ve been in wars, why are you still afraid of blood?” scoffed Pluto casually, which earned an elbow from Thena.

“No… it’s just– too gruesome…” she murmured, warming herself more.

Thena sighed. “Sorry, I lose myself in battles sometimes.” she said, making Pluto worried. She just held his hand, telling him that it’s fine.

Jeanne looked at the two, and asked. “A-Are you two married?”

“Yes.” Pluto chuckled. “What? You want to report us to the church for adultery?”

“I was just asking,” said Jeanne calmly. She stared at the fire in front of her, crackling softly as the fire burned the wood below it, just like it did wit-

Jeanne clenched the blanket tightly as she remembered the pyre again, the pain, the shouts, she still remembered it, anger filled her heart as she saw the bishop that was sitting calmly in front of the pyre, not caring about her scream at all.

Thena noticed her anxiousness, and held her hand. Jeanne flinched as she feel her warm hand, and sighed.

“So what happens to me now?” she asked the two.

Pluto and Thena looked at each other, before Pluto answered her question.

“Usually, I would tell you to go to my daughter back in Alexandria for some shelter, but your case is different.” he said.

“Different how?”

“It’s Thena’s choice.” said Pluto. “She was the one who asked me to accompany her watching you.”

“Watching… me?” repeated Jeanne.

“We’ve been watching you.” nodded Thena. “When you rushed to that battle, banner in hand, I knew that you were something special… you have a lot of courage for a young maiden.”

“I- I only did what I have to…” she answered, blushing at the compliment. “God gave me strength and a path forward, I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“God huh…” hummed Pluto, looking at the starry night sky above him. “Do you still believe in him?”

Jeanne frowned and clenched her fist hard. “I- Of course….”

“That doesn’t sound convincing…”

Jeanne clenched her fist even harder, her knuckles white. “Are you trying to make me a heretic?”

Pluto sighed as he heard that. “No.” he said. “I just admire you… after all that suffering, all that pain, you still believed in him… your devotion reminds me of someone I know.”

Jeanne didn’t say anything, she kept staring at the fire in front of her, as if drawn to it. “Do you believe in God?”

“I mean, it depends on what the definition of God is.” shrugged Pluto. “But… Yes, we do believe in god.”

“Then… Do you think my devotion for him is justified?” she asked again, her voice cracking.

“I don’t know.” Thena smiled, patting her shoulder. “You need to ask that yourself. In your heart.”

Jeanne looked at Pluto. “What about you?”

“What?”

“Do you think my devotion to God is justified?”

“Why are you asking me?” scoffed Pluto. “It’s your life, not mine. You decide if you want God to be in your life again or not.”

Jeanne didn’t say anything, she just kept thinking and thinking.

She then asks again. “Then… if you believe in god… why do you use this… witchcraft? It’s a sin to practice witchcraft.”

Pluto then continued. “Most people used witchcraft to do bad things, and they used a magic that requires some kind of sacrifice too, like a maiden’s blood… a babe’s heart… or anything demented like that…”

Pluto’s arm then was slowly covered in Eldritch armour, shining as the light of the fire got to it. “But… if you use it to do good things… wouldn’t it be a virtue instead of a sin?”

“Witchcraft can be good?” scoffed Jeanne.

Pluto sighed. “Okay Jeanne, have you noticed that there aren’t any demons around?”

“Demons?”

“Yes, demons.” nodded Pluto. “Creatures from hell.”

“They are invisible?”

Pluto shook his head. “No, because someone protected earth from the demons.”

“The angles?”

Pluto shook his head again. “No, sorcerers.” answered Pluto, making Jeanne frowned. “They protected earth from otherworldly invaders, such as demons.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you?”

“You don’t have to.” Pluto added. “I was trying to make a point. You are not condemned Jeanne, you can use your powers for good, and save people like what you did before you were burned at the stake… but, if you don’t want to, you could give the ring back to me.”

Jeanne then stared at the ring in her finger, and gulped. “I- Am I really not condemned?”

Thena then held her hand. “You are not Jeanne, you are a courageous woman, you fought for your kingdom, for your god, if God still condemned you for that, then it is not a benevolent God at all.”

Jeanne clenched Thena’s hand, before finally releasing it. She took a deep breath, and crossed her heart.

She then looked at Thena, her eyes full of determination, and said: 

“Then… teach me how to use it.”

—

In the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains, two women were fighting against one another. They both were using a sword, but it was a magical sword. One was made out of light, and the other was made out of cosmic energy.

As their swords clashed against one another, the trees around them shook, birds flew out in every direction, and the sounds vibrated through the mountainous region.

The two women were of course Jeanne and Thena. 

Jeanne had been trained by Thena for a couple of decades now, perfecting the art of combat, and Jeanne learned Thena’s style of fighting.

Jeanne also learned about her ability from Pluto. He taught her magic, but she was still hesitant to use it, she’d rather just use the ability to conjure weapons that use outright magic.

Pluto was a bit annoyed by her strong head, but he relented.

As Thena spun to make another strike, her weapon changed to an axe. Jeanne conjured a light shield to block, but it was too strong for her. Jeanne was thrown away a couple of metres, hitting the trees behind her.

Thena sighed, and smiled. “I can’t teach you anymore, you can go now.” she said, walking to her as she helped her to stand.

“Thank you, Thena.” smiled Jeanne. “But… I still feel that I am lacking.”

“Nonsense.” said Pluto suddenly, walking towards her. “You’re already good, what else do you want, unless you want me to teach you magic again?”

“No thanks,” said Jeanne calmly. “Okay… then… where do I need to go?”

“It’s up to you now,” said Thena. “You can go to Alexandria, or you could explore the world a bit.”

Jeanne then stared at the clear sky above her. She closed her heart, and prayed to her god. 

She then turned to Pluto and Thena once more. “Pluto, Thena, would you do me a favour?”

Thena smiled. “Anything.”

“Then… Can you accompany me… to home? I want to see my mother…”

Thena and Pluto looked at each other, before shrugging. “Sure, we still have a couple of decades before we need to move to Italy.”

Jeanne then nodded, before hugging both of them at once. “Thank you.”

Pluto and Thena just sighed, and patted her in the back.