Mystery from Another World--MHA

Part 173: An electrifying conclusion

Shine looked back with her same probing expression, and her jaw was in a thin line.

Wally was frowning too.

"I think you're some kind of priests yourselves, maybe," High Father continued, "of the--"

"Silence," Shine suddenly said, almost...normally, like it was just a statement.

The High Father broke off, stunned. "What?"

"I said silence." She leveled him with a look. "You know what I'm talking about. Knowledge is power--that is what you think, huh? But you won't say anymore about us. Look to your own soul. Someone should."

As usual, her very odd phrasing was rattling to everyone.

But it did throw the Elders off. They glared at her.

High Father recoiled a bit. "I don't know if there's any need to be so rude. I don't really think we're enemies, do you? We don't even want opposing things."

"That is something we pointed out too," Hawks acknowledged.

"Hawks!" Mirko hissed, "Shut up."

"I mean, I'm just saying. I don't get what's going on here either," Hawks said, "I'm glad you all tried to help, but how does this benefit if the LOV? And aren't you all in enough trouble?"

"Wally," Shine said quietly.

Wally grabbed Hawks and gagged him forcefully.

"Weak-minded imbecile," one Elder muttered distastefully.

"Do you think we cannot tell what you're doing?" Shine pointed her sword at the High Father, causing him to back up. "You're persuasion charisma is good, I'll admit. If I didn't know you were such a snake, I might almost fall for it...almost. I don't know what you paid in order to become so powerful and high up, here, but I'm of the belief that people who claw their way to the top and exalt themselves will only be humbled in the end, so you don't impress me. Anyone else impressed?"

"No," Mirko said.

"Not at all," Shigaraki agreed, feeling like he'd been half dazed, "Why stand here talking about all this? We're past negotiations."

"You...you witch!" High Father insulted Shine.

"Witch?" Shine repeated, "I'm not a witch. You might be. I don't know what you are. You're no priest, that's for sure, not of any order I'd recognize. It's highly offensive that you use that garb to try to hide your true nature...all of you. A bunch of sniveling, small cowards, aren't you?... But it's useless to insult people like you. I just want everyone else to realize the truth of the matter."

Suddenly, the Elders and the High Father did seem rather small and wimpy. They were eyeing her with hatred...hatred that was based on fear, if the heroes had to guess. They'd seen it before.

Shine seemed to gleam by comparison, though she didn't look glamorous at all after running around all day fighting, but her whole aura exuded confidence, while theirs exuded only the wish to appear powerful.

It was as if a haze lifted.

Hawks blinked. Wally let him go. "What...what is it with all of them? Why are they so afraid of you?" he said strangely.

"Their power comes from leading people who have nothing else to go on," Wally said, "I've seen it before... The poor sods go to them, and they devote their heart and soul to it. And these guys thrive off of that...but if you take that way, if you put them next to people who really believe in something...they look fake. Cults are like that. All the appeal is in mystery and hiding from people. Out in the open, look at them--they look ridiculous."