When the Paladin found himself excommunicated, he couldn’t believe it. His powers came from his god, not men.
But when he prayed at the next sunrise, he felt no presence of the divine. He was abandoned, alone. His enemies had spoken, and his god obeyed.
He didn’t know what to do. The revelation of his smallness unnerved him, and he had dedicated his life to his office.
Finally, he accepted the rebuke as a punishment for his pride, and worked to fulfill his vows without title or powers. A Paladin was not what you were, it was what you did.

“Tong, St. Bartholomew’s Church, The ‘Door of Excommunication’ – geograph.org.uk – 5756433” by Michael Garlick is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Everyday Drabbles © 2025 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0