“An easy target? What is that supposed to mean ?” Bette said her hand gripping her sword instinctively.

Henry froze in his spot and turned around slowly. The cheerful smile he had before was now an evil grin, his brown hair had spiked up, and his brown eyes turned a deep shade of red.

“See how easily you trusted me?” Henry growled his voice turning monstrous.

“Ahh,” Bette squeaked pulling out her sword.

Henry roared loudly and his teeth turned into razor sharp fangs as his nails grew into sharp claws. Bette swung her sword anxiously but Henry grabbed the blade with his hand effortlessly and yanked it from her hand. He threw the sword behind him and walked towards her salivating like some sort of hungry animal.

Bette stepped back in fear until her back hit a tree behind her then she slid down the tree to sit down on the floor.

Bette let out a scream when Henry raised her claw in the air, but suddenly he froze when a hand gripped his throat firmly.

The thunder without sound slammed through the air and Henry resumed his non-hideous form as he fell to the floor on his knees. Bette looked shocked as a tired Tina appeared behind him, her hand releasing its grip on Henry’s throat.

Henry turned to Tina with puppy dog eyes and said, “command me confessor.”

“What?” Bette said standing up.

“Command me mistress,” Henry begged laying his forehead at Tina’s feet.

“Mistress?” Bette repeated looking at Tina who looked down at Henry with anger in her eyes.

“I want you to go into the forest, and protect any travelers that walk this path from your people,” Tina said.

“Yes mistress! Anything you want mistress,” Henry said bowing his head and looking up at her reverently.

“You will never kill again, this is what you will do until the day you die, now go!” Tina said firmly.

Henry stood up instantly and said, “yes mistress,” before running into the forest and disappearing out of sight.

Bette watched the entire thing dumbfounded, “w-what did you do?”

“I confessed him,” Tina answered, “that’s my power. When I release my power into a person I take their souls and their entire free will. They fall desperately in love with me and lose all will to do anything else but please and protect me.”

“Oh Spirits,” Bette said sitting down on the floor.

Tina sat down next to her with a sigh and said, “this is why Confessors are so feared. Our job is to keep order and peace in Midlands, that’s why Buckley killed every single confessor and now she’s after me.”

“H-how do you keep peace?” Bette said looking down to the floor in deep thought.

Tina looked at her and said, “when there’s a crime, a confessor is called to confess the suspect and force him to answer all questions honestly since there’s no way he or she could ever disobey when under confession.”

“But what if the person is innocent?” Bette said turning her head to look at Tina.

Tina sighed sadly and said, “occupational hazard.”

“Oh,” Bette said sadly, “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry for not telling you this from the beginning, I was just so scared you would think I‘m a monster” Tina said letting her tears fall, “I’m so sorry for abandoning you, I should have never left.”

Bette reached out and wiped the tears away gently, then leaned forward and pressed her lips softly against Tina’s. “I would never think that of you Tina, I love you. I’ve loved you since the day I met you,” Bette said, “but why can’t we be together?”

Tina sighed and grabbed Bette’s hand that was on her cheek, “because in the throes of passion confessors release their power.”

“So I would become confessed,” Bette said sadly.

Tina sighed and stood up slowly. She walked across the path and retrieved the sword to hand to Bette, “I love you so much Bette, but this is an impossible love. We just can’t be together.”