Small update regarding character names in Bringer of Salvation.
I recently renamed a few characters to better match the worldbuilding, themes, and long term direction of the story. The characters themselves remain the same, only their names have changed.
Old Name → New Name
Silas → Silvyr
Kaelen → Calem
Elara → Elaina
Thank you for continuing to support the story.
Here is a Story I would highly recommend:
Calem
"Another waste of time."
The words slipped out as I closed the book, a quiet breath of exasperation following soon after.
It had been a month since the darkness spread across the Fors Barony. Such incidents have occurred in the records of the past and the results were always catastrophic. In every other scenario, the Faith of Aethelhum arrived to save the day, purifying the land and saving the people to solidify its position in the region. But this time, the narrative has been twisted into something I cannot put into words.
My eyes shift to the single sheet of paper lying atop the messy stacks on my desk. It was the official list of funerals we held after the invasion, and the count didn't even reach double digits.
It felt like a miracle that mocked the very laws of nature and it was all thanks to that white light that had swept across the barony, a force so potent it healed the mortally injured and restored the broken infrastructure as if the destruction had never happened.
Ah~ Just remembering the touch of that radiance filled me with a feeling of warmth unlike any other I have ever known. I didn't even experience such a profound stirring of the heart when the Supreme Pontifex himself blessed us during our graduation from the seminary. A true divine presence had certainly looked upon us that day. I was blessed by it, for it took over my own meager magic and enhanced my spell beyond mortal limits.
I was touched by a GOD!!!
That sensation still remains in my very marrow.
I opened my eyes, collecting myself and focusing back on the reason why I was here.
That white light…
White... that element showed up during the Young Lord's evaluation.
The Young Lord also went to the time dungeon, and the white light had come from that same direction.
Young Lord... Siegfried Fors. He is a living mystery.
A knock came at the door. I cleared my throat and called for whoever it was to come in, though I had explicitly instructed the staff not to disturb my studies unless it was a matter of extreme importance. The heavy oak door creaked open and Lina, one of the younger nuns, stepped into the room with a hesitant look on her face.
"Forgive me for the disturbance, Father, but a soldier has delivered a report from the Fors Manor."
This is becoming a bothersome affair that drains my patience.
The main headquarters of the Faith keeps demanding more and more accounts of the events, and this latest arrival marks the fourth report on the same incident. I truly do not understand what it is they find so problematic or inconsistent. I have personally read through all three of the previous submissions, and the narrative has remained identical from word to word.
It goes like this: The group entered the time dungeon and split up, encountering a group of Darkkins before eventually reuniting to face an unending demon from the past. The demon supposedly devoured the dungeon source while the group focused on destroying the core of the time dungeon, leading to the demon coming into our world and turning the sky black. A desperate fight ensued where they managed to push the monster back into the collapsing time dungeon and kill it once and for all.
On paper, the entire sequence of events made perfect sense, yet, there was nothing in those reports that should have warranted this level of scrutiny.
My fingers tapped lightly against the desk as a thought surfaced.
Could it be something else?
The High Father who came here… his conduct had not gone unnoticed. His questions carried a certain edge, one that felt less like duty and more like intent.
Could the High father be using this tragedy to settle a personal grudge against the Fors family?
I remembered the dark rumors I once heard when I visited the headquarters in the dukedom's capital, shortly after the Beast of Cataclysm was slain.
Seven Cardinals died during the war against the Beast of Cataclysm, but according to the rumors they weren't actually killed by the beast itself, but were instead struck down by Lady Valka and her comrades. One of the Cardinals who died was the big brother of the high father who came here. According to what I heard, the Crown Prince at the time, who is now our Emperor, was looking into forbidden secrets that the Faith found out about. The faith tried to use that leverage to gain authority over the Imperial family, and the Cardinals—the second highest figures in our entire hierarchy—moved in to capture the Prince and his inner circle. If the rumors are true, they were completely annihilated by the very woman whose family we are now interrogating.
A faint chill ran through me, one I could not easily dismiss.
Lady Valka has always been an exceptionally dangerous presence, even from the time she was a small child.
I was first assigned to this post twenty-five years ago, when the Fors Barony was officially granted the title of a 'Developed State'. The goal each head priest is assigned is simple, to mold the ruling family into devout followers of the Faith, ensure their devotion to Aethelhum and strengthen the Faith's influence within their lands.
Lord Throvald Fors already believed in the Aethelhum, so it shouldn't have been difficult to influence him, but the true problem was always his wife. Lady Elaina was unfriendly from the very day I arrived here, and her prestigious position as one of the rare master alchemists made her incredibly hard to deal with. She could not be swayed by simple beliefs or emotional appeals, and it was nearly impossible to collect proper donations from the Lord because of her constant watch.
Her daughter was a disaster of a different kind as she started growing up. Valka broke things wherever she went, especially whenever she was around the church grounds. Sometimes I honestly thought Lady Elaina deliberately sent her daughter to our doors just to cause mayhem and disrupt our services. I was deeply thankful when they finally sent her away to the university, as those were the best years of peace I have ever known in this barony. For the first time since arriving, I was thankful for Lady Elaina.
But who would have thought her time away would only make controlling the Fors family even more difficult. Lady Valka kept gaining achievement after achievement until her name was printed on every paper across the continent. Recognition turned into reverence, and before long, she even earned the title of Goddess. After all that, it was even more shocking when she suddenly returned home pregnant. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of man could possibly tame such a wild beast.
Then the biggest mystery of all arrived in the form of Siegfried Fors. He didn't look anything like Lady Valka, yet when I asked who the father was, Lady Valka told me straight up that it was none of my business. When I tried to ask Lord Fors, he simply said the father was a busy merchant who didn't like his identity to be revealed. In the end, I found nothing at all. I once considered if Sir Zayn might be the one, but he doesn't share a single physical trait with the boy, so I dismissed the idea entirely.
Then there is the matter of the eyepatch. I tried asking the maids who came to pray and even approached Doctor Ridge, but all I ever got was the claim that it covered a deformed eye. I would have accepted that response easily if the eyepatch itself wasn't coated in such incredibly powerful sealing magic.
My gaze lowered, thoughts settling into a quiet conclusion.
There is clearly much more to the young lord than meets the eye. His evaluation paper was a stained mess, he possesses a strength in Aethel magic on par with the Cardinals, or perhaps even the Supreme Pontifex himself. Then there is that 'White' magic. I know I read about something similar long ago, but the memory remains out of reach. I turned back to the book I was just reading to find a clue, but I found nothing.
I told the High Father about this 'White' magic too, but he just dismissed me. Of course he would, he is a noble who gained his position through the status of his brother and family. I, on the other hand, must complete thirty years of grueling service just to reach the status of a High Priest.
"Father, forgive me for overstepping, but is there something troubling you about the report?"
Lina's voice brought me back.
I had not even realized she was still standing there, the report still in my hand.
"It is nothing, my child," I said, steadying my tone. "Have it sent by messenger bird in the morning. You may retire for the night."
I handed the report back to her, and she gave a small, respectful nod as she took it. I also stood up from my chair since I wasn't making any further progress and it was getting late. I picked up the scattered books from the table and began putting them back on the shelves one by one.
As I turned to leave, I noticed Lina still standing near the door, her eyes fixed on the report with an intensity that seemed out of place.
I stepped closer.
"Have you observed something unusual?"
She jerked as she heard my voice, her face flushing with a sudden, nervous energy.
"N-no," she said quickly. "I was just… curious about the unending demon in the text. I had read in the hagiographies that they were immortal beings. So I was wondering… how was it slain?"
I felt a small wave of disappointment wash over me at her words. A small part of me had hoped she had spotted some irregularity or a hidden detail in the report that I had overlooked, but it was just a simple curiosity.
"It would seem Lady Valka possesses an Arcana capable of slaying the immortal," I explained. "She is the one who brought it to its end."
Though we truly know nothing about the specifics of her Arcana, the High Father had intended to question her personally, but Lady Elaina had refused, stating that her daughter was occupied with investigating the surrounding area and could not be disturbed.
It had not pleased him.
Yet there was little he could do.
"I understand, Father," Lina said softly. "Thank you for explaining it to me. It must have been Aethelhum's guidance that granted Lady Valka the power to slay the unending demon in our hour of need."
"That's corr—"
Her words stirred something deep within my memory. A forgotten truth began unearthing itself after decades of silence.
"…With every strike, arcs of pure white light were cast forth, severing the unending demons without end…"
That's it!!!!
I moved past Lina as fast as my aging legs could carry me, nearly knocking the report from her hands.
"Father?" she called out after me, her voice full of confusion, but I could not stop myself to answer.
I needed to confirm it myself. Make sure my memory is correct.
The halls blurred as I moved through the church. Voices called out to me, members of the clergy asking questions, but none of it reached me. None of it mattered, I couldn't bring myself to care about decorum or their startled looks.
I reached my room and pushed the door open.
"I did not throw it away… did I?"
My gaze swept across the shelves as I moved to them immediately, pulling books out one by one, checking each in haste.
"Did I really get rid of it? I know some people might consider even holding it to be blasphemous, so did I cave to the fear and get rid of it?"
I searched the room with my eyes wide open, determined not to miss a single detail. My heartbeat grew louder. Each second stretched thin as a unease crept in.
Then my eyes lifted.
A trunk sitting atop the tall almirah, the very same one I had brought with me all those years ago when I left the seminary.
"I remember now. I had that book in my possession when I was still a student in the capital."
I dragged a chair beneath it and climbed up to grasp the handles of the trunk. I hauled the dust covered box down with a grunt of effort. Dust scattered into the air as it landed.
"*Cough*… it has been years…"
O Aethelhum, please… let me be correct.
I did not bother with the dust. The latch gave way, and I opened the trunk as it was.
Inside lay the memories of a life I had almost forgotten, and the sight of them brought a sudden nostalgia. I saw my old uniform from the seminary neatly folded, the fabric now yellowed with age, and the various textbooks I had once studied with devotion. I even found a small, faded picture taken on my graduation day, showing a version of myself that still believed the world was simple and right.
One by one, I pulled everything out and set it aside with trembling hands.
At the very bottom, beneath everything else, I saw it.
It was waiting buried as if trying to hide from the world itself.
My fingers slowed as I reached for it.
The cover was worn, the title faint but still clear: Sigurdism.
I lifted it carefully. The weight settled into my hands along with the truth it might carry.
I opened the book and began turning the pages, my eyes racing across the words. At first, I meant only to search. But as I read, I could not stop. Each line connected to the next, every piece of the mystery falling into place, answering questions I had carried for years.
The true nature of the Young Lord. The secrecy surrounding his father. Why they were so desperate to hide him. It was all here. All of it.
How did I not see this? The signs had been there from the beginning. Am I this blind? I must be. It was so obvious. Everything was right in front of my eyes—Everything.
A faint sound escaped me, then it grew. Before I realized it, I was laughing. It was a disbelieving laugh at my own foolishness and my simple mindedness.
Three hundred years. It has been three hundred years since the last one. The Faith should already be searching for him. And yet, here I am. The first to see it.
My chance has finally come.
I can leave this place behind and rise beyond it. I can carve my name into the history of the Faith itself. I let the book fall onto the bed without care and stepped out of the room. My pace was quick, and I was unable to slow myself. A smile pulled at my lips no matter how much I tried to suppress it. I could not hide my happiness.
It was a good thing I gave him that medallion. It is my proof. It proves I am the one providing him guidance. Forget about five more years to become a High Priest. I will be promoted instantly. No, even becoming a Cardinal is no longer a distant dream.
"I have been blessed..." The words slipped out under my breath. "Blessed by the Great Lord. All hail Aethelhum! All hail Siegfried!"
Everything I have endured was for this day!
I reached the communication room and pushed the doors open. The image communication orbs waited on the table.
I stepped inside and reached for the orb connected to the headquarters in the duke's capital, but a sudden thought stopped my hand in mid-air.
The man in charge there is the same High Father who just left this barony, and remembering his self-serving attitude and his arrogance, there is a very high chance he would simply seize my discovery and take all the credit for himself. I cannot allow my future to be stolen by a man who sees me as nothing.
I looked at the other orb on the table which connects directly to the imperial capital, but the risk lies there as well. If I report this to the wrong clerk or a mid-level official, the information might be buried or intercepted before it reaches the ears that matter. If only I could report this to a higher-up personally, without any greedy intermediaries to interfere.
My eyes moved to the small almirah in the far corner of the room, I walked toward it and pulled it open.
Inside sat a specialized orb connected directly to a Cardinal, it's supposed to be used only under the most dire emergency situations, protected by a spell that allows it to be used only once every month.
A faint hesitation surfaced within me, whether I should use it or not.
But… I have found the greatest treasure of our entire religion, a miracle three centuries in the making. This surely counts as an emergency of the highest order.
With that thought fueling my resolve, I pulled the heavy orb out and placed it carefully on the center of the table.
From what I remember, the one in charge of this specific region is Ketzar Callaster. He is a young man who rose rapidly through the ranks to take his position after the devastation caused by the Beast of Cataclysm.
I straightened my posture, adjusted my robes, and steadied my breathing, ensuring my appearance was as composed as possible.
Then I poured mana into the orb.
It responded slowly, a pale light forming at its center.
Answer me. Please, just answer.
Perhaps because of my impatience, every second felt longer than an hour as the connection hummed in the quiet room.
A bright beam of light shot out from the orb and a translucent rectangle formed in the air above it. The image of a young man appearing to be in his late twenties with dark brownish hair materialized before me. He was dressed in the formal, ornate robes of a Cardinal, and his focused eyes seemed to pierce through the magical projection to look directly into me.
I bowed immediately, lowering my head.
"I am Calem High Priest of the Fors Barony. I offer my greetings, O Great Cardinal, and ask forgiveness for disturbing you at this late hour."
"Fors…" Cardinal Ketzar spoke the name slowly. "Lift your head."
I did as I was instructed, and I noticed his eyes scanning the room around me, taking in every detail of the room before settling back on my face.
"Your surroundings look perfectly calm, so what is the urgent reason for this call?"
His eyes carried an intensity that made me flinch for a brief second, the sheer pressure of his gaze crossing the distance between us.
I cleared my throat and began to explain everything I had uncovered, pouring out the details of my findings. He listened to my long, rambling explanation with the same dull and impenetrable expression.
"…That is what I wished to report." I finished, but to my dismay, his reaction did not change in the slightest. He didn't gasp or offer a word of praise, he simply watched me.
"Are you certain about this? It could spell a total disaster for your career and this region if it turns out to be a false alarm." The Cardinal spoke in a calm, measured tone that lacked even a hint of the excitement I had expected.
A faint heat rose within me.
How could I possibly be wrong when all the proofs are laid out right in front of us? The signs are undeniable to anyone with eyes to see.
"I am entirely sure of this, My Lord. We should take this golden opportunity and seize him before the Imperial family finds out what is happening. For once, the Faith will be steps ahead of the throne." I spoke with absolute confidence, my voice rising with the heat of my discovery.
He regarded me for another moment.
"Very well," he said at last. "I will confirm the facts you have provided and get back to you shortly. Inform the Fors family of our eventual arrival. Good work." He spoke the final words in that same dull tone before the connection abruptly severed.
I stood there, staring at the empty space where his image had been.
I couldn't quite understand his lack of reaction. He should have been overjoyed and trembling with excitement at such news, yet he looked as if I were reporting the weather… Perhaps he is merely doubting my words? All of these noble born high officials are the same, always skeptical of those in the borderlands. But every emergency call made through this orb must be reported to the Supreme Pontifex himself by law. The Cardinal will have no choice but to look into this matter, and when he does…
A smile spread across my face before I could stop it.
Then it broke into quiet laughter.
I had to force myself to stop and think about the monumental preparations that now lay ahead of me. The question of how to actually break this news to the Fors family began to eat away at my confidence.
Approaching Lady Valka or Lady Elaina with this felt like a death sentence, given their temperaments and their protective streaks. That truly only left Lord Throvald as a viable option, but he hasn't been coming to the church lately.
There's no other choice but to wait.
It will take the Cardinal several days to confirm the facts anyway. I will wait a few days for Lord Thorvald's arrival. If he does not appear, I will slip a letter to him through Sir Silvyr.
Having decided on my course of action, I finally left the communication room feeling more content than I have ever been in my entire life.
The following days crawled by with agonizing slowness as I kept a constant watch on the gate. Every shadow at the entrance made my heart skip, but the manor remained silent.
On the fifth day, just as I began preparing the letter, Lord Throvald finally entered the church. He was not alone, as little James followed closely behind him. Something was different about him. His steps lacked their usual weight, his posture seemed slightly lowered, and the presence he carried had dimmed in a way that was difficult to describe. He looked paler, worn in a manner that could not be hidden behind composure.
I didn't dare disturb him as he walked toward the altar to offer his devotions, choosing instead to remain in the wings and rehearse the exact words I would use to change our lives forever.
As he finished his prayer and moved to stand, I approached.
"Lord Throvald, there is something important I would like to discuss."
At the sound of my voice, he turned to look at me with eyes that were heavy and clouded with exhaustion.
"What is it, Father Calem?"
Before continuing, I shifted my gaze.
"Lina," I called gently, "why don't you take Lord James and show him our archives? I have heard he enjoys reading."
The child's eyes instantly glowed with excitement at the offer. He looked up at Lord Throvald for permission, and after a weary nod from the lord, the boy took the nun's hand. Lina led the child away toward the back of the chapel, leaving the two of us completely alone.
"What is so important that you needed to send James away?" the Lord asked.
I took a deep breath and began.
"For the sake of our relationship, I thought I should inform you beforehand..." With that, I explained everything. I told him how I had uncovered the truth about the Young Lord and how the Faith was already confirming the details.
I had found the confirmation I was looking for from his reactions.
Unlike Lady Elaina, he was not hard to read. His eyes widened, just slightly, at certain points. His hands slowly curled into fists, the faint sound of his knuckles tightening reaching my ears. A quiet tension filled the air between us, enough for me to begin preparing a defensive spell beneath the surface of my composure.
I continued to explain how this revelation would actually benefit the barony, promising him that with the full support and wealth of the Faith, his lands would grow more prosperous than he could ever imagine.
As I finished, Lord Thorvald closed his eyes. What made me step back, however, were the veins bulging from his neck to his forehead, strained, as if something within him was being held back by sheer force.
I realized in that moment that I should have made better defensive preparations before cornering a man of his strength. I was bracing myself for the absolute worst, expecting a blow that would shatter my bones, but the Lord let out a heavy breath, as if he had been holding it for hours.
"I see... So that is what it has finally come down to."
Before I could react, his hand came down on my shoulder with a force that nearly made my knees buckle under the sheer weight of it. He looked at me with a serious expression that seemed to strip away all my pretenses. "We all have our beliefs and our loved ones to protect, Father Calem. I won't hold this against you."
"T-thank you, my Lord." I spoke in a frantic hurry, offering a small, jerky bow of my head to show my gratitude.
I had expected him to be angry, but he proved to be far more understanding and pragmatic than the other members of his family.
"So, will Lord Fors speak with Lady Valka and Lady Elaina about the Cardinal's impending arrival?" I asked, trying to regain my composure.
He gave a small nod.
"I will."
We waited for little James to return.
In that time, I continued, carefully outlining everything that lay ahead. The support of the Faith, the resources that would follow, the recognition that would elevate the barony beyond its current standing. A future secured and bright. I spoke with certainty, making sure each word carried weight. I wanted him to see the logic of my choice, to understand that this was a gateway to a prosperity that a simple Baron could never achieve on his own.
He listened without interruption.
When James finally returned, Lord Throvald took the boy's hand and turned to leave without another word. I watched their retreating figures, feeling a sense of triumph settle in my chest, but as he reached the heavy oak doors, he stopped.
"Calem" he said.
His calm voice carried back.
"Whatever the circumstances that follow this day, I want you to know that I do not hate you. In turn, you shouldn't hate me either, because in the end, we are both simply doing what we believe must be done."
For a moment, the words did not settle properly in my mind.
What…?
Then he turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder with a faint smile on his face that didn't seem to match the gravity of our conversation.
"I do not regret meeting you in this lifetime, Calem. From you, I have learned a valuable lesson."
"T-the honor is entirely mine, my Lord," I managed to stammer out in a hurry, offering a small, respectful bow.
And just like that, he left.
The door closed behind them.
I remained standing there, staring at the empty space, trying to piece together what he had meant.
"Doing what must be done…"
"Not hating each other…"
Doubt pierced my confidence.
Is he planning something…
Would he oppose us? Or send the boy away before the Faith arrived?
No. Throvald is a lifelong believer in the glory of Aethelhum, and I could not imagine him raising a hand against the will of Aethelhum.
Then perhaps…
Perhaps he said those words so I would not feel guilt. So I would not think of this as betrayal.
And that 'lesson' he spoke of… it must surely be the enlightened perspective I shared regarding the benefits of aligning with the Faith.
Yes. That must be it!
I could feel my chest swelling with a pride I have never known before. I broke into a quiet laugh, marveling at how far I had come in a single day. To think that I haven't even officially been named a Cardinal yet, and already the nobility is thanking me for my great teachings and guidance.
Nothing can possibly go wrong now.
"…The Fairy Queen, with solemn grace, placed the crown upon his head. He turned and took his seat upon the golden throne of the world, his sworn brother, the Dragon Supreme, at his right, and his lover, the Fairy Queen, at his left, the God Emperor Ascended.
Thus ended the age of fear… and so began a new era."
I finished the first part of the book, Sigurdism, with quiet sense of satisfaction settling within me.
I never understood why some considered it blasphemous when they are clearly such an important and foundational part of our religion.
My eyes drifted to the clock.
It was already past eleven in the evening. Today also passed without any reply from the headquarters in the capital, and more importantly, there has been no word from the Fors manor. I have no way of knowing if Lord Throvald actually spoke with Lady Valka and Lady Elaina as he promised.
A faint irritation surfaced, but I pushed it aside.
It would come in time.
Deciding to turn in for the night, I picked up the book and walked out of the room.
On my way through the corridors, I didn't meet a single soul, which was understandable if everyone had already retired for the evening.
Still, habit guided me.
I decided to take a quick walk through the ground floor to make sure all the doors were properly locked for the night.
As I was checking one of the hallway windows, I noticed that I couldn't see anything at all on the other side of the glass. It was a pitch black that seemed to swallow the light of the stars.
Is it about to rain? I should check if any laundry was left outside.
I made my way to the back entrance and used my key to open the heavy door. The wood did not budge, not even an inch.
Is it stuck due to rain?
I pushed harder with my shoulder, but the door remained immovable.
A faint crease formed on my brow. I stepped back and made my way to the western side of the church to try the door there, unlocking it as well.
And… I could not get that one open, either.
What is going on?
It was at that moment I noticed the silence. It wasn't just the quiet of a sleeping, but a total absence of noise that felt… lacking. There wasn't a single sound around me anymore. I looked down at my feet and realized that even my own steps were not making a sound as they struck the floor.
Something is happening. I need to get everyone out immediately.
I ran as fast as I could to the nearest living quarters and hammered my fist against the wood until my knuckles throbbed.
"Wake up, Peter! Wake up!"
But no answer came from within.
I tried the handle and found the door was unlocked.
"Peter?"
I peeked inside the room but the bed was neatly made and the room was entirely empty.
Where could he have gone at this hour?
A chill crept up my spine.
I moved to the next door and knocked harder this time, then shoved it open without waiting, only to find another empty room.
One after another, I checked the rooms of the clergy and found every single one of them deserted.
"Where did they go…?" I muttered, my voice sounding strange in the silence. "Did something happen to them?"
I stood in the center of a vacant room and looked toward the window. There was nothing beyond the glass, no trees, no sky, only black. I grabbed a chair with both hands and raised it high, reinforcing it with mana as I swung it with everything I had.
Mana crackled upon impact . The glass didn't break, instead, it retaliated with a violent force. a shockwave of energy throwing me onto my back.
"A barrier…?"
My breath grew uneven as I stared at the window.
Is that why nothing is visible outside the glass? I struggled to process the reality of being caged within my own church.
But what had happened to the others? No, I had to focus. First I would get out. Then I will find them.
I pulled myself up.
"O Aethelhum."
At my call, the sacrament answered. A wooden stake formed within my grasp. I drew my arm back, preparing to strike again with far greater force.
A beeping sound stopped me in my tracks. The noise was coming from the bracelet on my wrist which held three distinct gems. Each stone was connected to one of the communication orbs in the room below, and the one currently pulsing with light was the center gem linked directly to the Cardinal.
"…Now?"
The timing twisted something inside me.
Why would he choose to call at this exact moment of crisis?
For a brief moment, I hesitated. Then I let the stake fade from my hand.
Missing this call would be a grave mistake and besides, the Cardinal is the only one with the power to save me.
I left the room at once and made my way down.
Each step felt heavier than the last, the silence pressing in from all sides as I descended toward the communication room.
As I opened the door, it was dark. Too dark.
The room was swallowed whole, as if light itself had been drained away, leaving behind only a faint glow from the communication orb resting at the center.
I stepped inside slowly.
My eyes caught a faint outline of a figure standing at the far end of the room, barely visible against the oppressive dark.
"Who is there? Identify yourself!" I called out, my voice firm despite the unease building within me.
Mana gathered at my fingertips forming a spell.
Before I could complete it, the doors behind me suddenly shut with a violent bang that echoed through the small room.
"What…?"
I turned back and grabbed the handles, trying to pull them open with all my strength, but they didn't budge at all. They were just as immovable as the doors I had tried above. My heart began to hammer against my ribs as the realization of my entrapment in the dark truly set in.
Then I heard a soft, swirling sound from behind.
I turned away from the door and saw the extended hand of the stranger, a small flicker of orange fire dancing in their open palm. The fire took the form of a perfect sphere and flew upward toward the ceiling. As it reached the center of the room, the ball of flame brightened significantly, casting a pale light that finally revealed the identity of the person standing before me.
"Lady Elaina?"
I felt an internal sigh of relief wash over me at the sight of a familiar face. The tension that had coiled inside my chest loosened, if only slightly.
It is just her…but what is she doing here at this—
I felt something stroke against the right side of my neck, in the same moment a thin sensation pierced the left side and pulled back out in one fluid motion.
My heart lurched violently against my ribs.
A cough tore out of my throat as my vision shook, the world tilting and slipping out of alignment. Strength drained from my legs without warning, forcing me down as my knees struck the ground.
"W-what… M-my bod…?" I could barely form the words as my tongue felt heavy and useless in my mouth. It was becoming increasingly difficult to even draw a breath.
I forced my head to turn.
There was someone behind me.
An unfamiliar woman stood there, close enough that I could see every detail under the dim light. Her presence felt wrong in a way that words could not fully capture.
She looked as if she were crafted from the very essence of the darkness itself, her black hair possessing a tinge of deep blue tied neatly in a knot. Her skin was incredibly fair, appearing almost ghostly against her cold, dark blue purple eyes. She wore clothes that seemed to be made of shifting shadows, clinging to her form like a second skin resembling a butler's uniform. My eyes moved down to her gloved hand, which was holding a small, empty syringe.
I-i was injected? Is this paralysis?
"Calem."
My name came from her lips, filled with something far more dangerous than anger.
I forced my head to turn toward Lady Elaina, my vision swimming as the paralysis continued its cold march through my veins.
"Did you think you would get away after trying to sell my grandson?"
So, it was about my report, but it's already too late for them to change the outcome.
"C-cardinal… will come…" The words dragged out in broken pieces. "S-stop… and we… f-forget…any of this—"
"Ketzar has already erased the record of the call," the woman in the shadows answered me in a stoic, emotionless voice. "No one will ever know it happened."
Ketzar? She spoke the Cardinal's name with such casual familiarity that my mind struggled to grasp the implication.
Is the Cardinal actually in league with them?
It cannot be... no, that would explain his dull and disinterested reaction to my life altering news. He already knew everything I was trying to tell him!!
It was all a setup from the very start.
Slowly my situation became clear.
No one is going to come to help me
Even through the creeping paralysis, I could feel my body shaking.
N-no, I can't die like this. I was so incredibly close to gaining everything I have ever wanted in this world.
I tried to focus my mana and cast Aethel magic spell to erase whatever toxin that woman had injected into my veins, but the corruption refused to break. I couldn't purify it no matter how hard I struggled. It felt less like a poison and more like a spell that had taken root within my body.
I forced my gaze back to Lady Elaina, desperation rising, clinging to the only hope I had left. "Lord T-throvald will never agree to such a c-cowardly act. He is a man of honor."
Yes, he is a kind and great man who would never agree to the cold blooded murder of the priest in his barony.
"And who exactly do you think changed the patrol routes of the soldiers around the barony tonight?"
Something inside me gave way as the last thread of hope snapped.
"C-can't be…"
"My husband asked me to pass this on to you. He meant every word he said… and he thanks you for teaching him that time alone is no measure of trust."
His words came to mind.
"Whatever the circumstances that follow this day, I want you to know that I do not hate you. In turn, you shouldn't hate me either, because in the end, we are both simply doing what we believe must be done."
So this is what he meant…
Another sharp sting drove into the back of my neck.
This time it went deeper.
A violent cough tore through me as blood spilled from my mouth splattering against the floor. My vision wavered, the edges darkening as the world began to slip further away.
"Crawl on the ground and die like the bug you are."
Elaina's voice came from above, devoid of even a shred of mercy.
No. This cannot be how it ends.
My hand trembled as it moved, fingers scraping weakly against my chest until they found the medallion hanging there. I gripped it as tightly as I could, as if it alone could anchor me.
O Aethelhum… O Aethelhum… O Aethelhum…
Help me… I was only trying to fulfill the mission you gave me…
Pain spread through my body as if something was eating away at me from within. My sight continued to fade, the light shrinking into a narrow tunnel.
No answer came.
No divine intervention.
No salvation.
"Pitiful," she said, her voice carrying a quiet mockery. "Even the gods have abandoned you now."
A faint breath left me.
Pitiful…
A broken laugh formed somewhere within my chest, though it barely reached my lips.
What a jest.
If I am going to die, then let it be in a final blaze of glory.
I poured every drop of my mana into my failing muscles to reinforce my broken body, using the last of my resolve to heave myself upward.
"D-do you know what I find pitiful?" I gasped the words out, using the heavy table to support my weight even as my eyes lost their sight entirely. "To think… the one who will touch the heavens… is to be bound by those who never will."
My hand pressed against the table as I dragged myself upward, inch by inch.
"On the journey to salvation… loss is ever present… and even a life… is but a fleeting speck of dust."
If this body had no more purpose, then it would serve one final act.
I tightened my grip on the medallion.
Then let this be my offering.
"Let my death serve as the beginning of this era's journey of salvation." Golden flames erupted from my skin, surrounding me in divine fire devouring flesh, bone, and thought alike.
"Let these flames purify the sins of Fors… and break the chains on the child."
My entire body burned with a ferocity that defied all my senses, the pain reaching a point that was simply too much to bear, yet I did not scream. This was not an end, but the glorious moment of my ascension. It was a moment of pure, blinding joy that transcended the physical world.
"May the Prince of Aethelhum bring Salvation to all."
Elaina Fors
I watched as he was consumed by the fire, burned so utterly that not even a trace of ash remained behind.
Good, at least we won't have to spend any time cleaning up after a creature like him.
What a foolish man he turned out to be. Even if we never managed to get along, one would expect some small shred of loyalty or trust to form over the course of twenty five long years, but this bastard didn't hesitate for even a second before trying to sell our grandson.
Even the wild magic beasts in the forest have more loyalty in their blood than these dogs of the Faith.
I looked up at the lady standing in front of me, our eyes meeting in the pale light.
"It has been a long time, Lady Fors."
She spoke with a voice that was stripped of any recognizable emotion. I smoothed my robes and met her gaze. "It has indeed Lady Scathra. The last time we talked was at the wedding, wasn't it?"
"It was."
A brief pause settled before she tilted her head slightly.
"Have you been well?"
I let out a slow breath.
"…It has not been easy," I admitted. "But we have endured this once before, so it does not feel as unbearable as it should."
The burden of Valka's absence pressing heavily on my heart.
"But it looks like 'he' still doesn't care enough to show his face. Even if he refuses to see us, he could at least come to offer some comfort to Sieg."
At my words a trace of emotion passed through her otherwise composed expression.
"Please do not hold that against him," she said softly. "If he appeared now, there are those who would take notice, and that would bring consequences none of you can afford."
Her gaze shifted slightly, as if recalling something distant.
"And if you seek proof of his concern… there is the earthquake from a few days ago."
My brows drew together.
"What?"
"Just a small glimpse of his grief was enough to shake the world itself." She spoke the words as if she were reminiscing about it.
I stood in silence for a moment processing what I just heard.
The earthquake from a few days ago was man-made?
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, knowing the sheer magnitude of the power he wields.
"Did you create this barrier?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
She nodded.
"Yes. I call this the Shadow World. It is an exact copy of the real church, and I pulled that priest and yourself into it the moment you entered the grounds. The rest of the clergy is still sleeping soundly in their own rooms, completely undisturbed by anything that has transpired here tonight."
Strong people can just do anything, huh.
"Thank you for your help with the priest." I said, offering a slight, respectful bow as the reality of our situation settled back into my bones. "I believe we should get moving."
"Of course, but before we depart..." Her hand moved with a fluid grace into her coat's inner pocket. "Here." She pulled out what looked like a leather bound passbook and a sealed envelope, holding them out toward me with an unreadable expression.
"What is this?" I asked, reaching out to take the items from her gloved hand.
"I am the designated holder and the reader of Val's will. Coming to your manor to read it aloud in front of the family didn't seem like the right way to handle her legacy, so I am giving it to you here.
How's that not right?
In the first place, I never even considered the possibility that she had a will ready.
I flipped open the passbook.
"HUH!?"
The sound escaped me as a strangled gasp, my eyes nearly popping from their sockets as I stared at the zeroes. I counted the digits once, then twice, I traced the long, impossible string of zeroes that stretched across the page. At the very end of that staggering number sat a single, sharp letter—a 'G' for Gold.
I looked up at Lady Scathra, my hands trembling slightly against the leather. "Excuse me, are we sure about the count of the zeroes here? I think I am counting eleven digits in total."
"…For her performance against the Beast of Cataclysm, Val was awarded a monetary prize by almost every major country in the world. Some took longer than others, but this is the sum and total."
One could start a small country and fund a private army with this kind of money. It was a good thing she didn't come to our house to read it, if word of this wealth ever got out, it would have been... bad.
This is so much like Valka… doing something absurd and leaving the aftermath for us to deal with.
My grip on the book tightened slightly. The weight in my hands no longer felt like paper.
"There are also her estates in the old capital and the current capital which she was awarded for her military services. Beyond the coin, there is her noble title of Countess. She was never assigned a specific land to rule because of the ongoing war, but a territory will be assigned the moment her successor comes of age. until then, you are the official handler of these assets. You are free to use every bit of it for the child's sake." She finished speaking in the same calm, stoic tone as if she hadn't just dropped the greatest fortune in the world into my hands.
"Me? The handler for all of this?"
It felt impossible for me to do. I looked at Scathra for some sign of a jest, but she simply gave a definitive nod, as if there was nothing more to say, as if this outcome had already been decided long ago.
Deciding to push these overwhelming thoughts into the back of my mind for later, I closed the passbook with a careful, almost gentle click. I tucked the envelope and the book into my robes.
"We should leave now." Scathra spoke while clicking her silver pocket watch shut. She tucked the timepiece away and walked closer to me, her movements so elegant they barely seemed human. "Excuse me for a moment, Lady Fors."
"What are you—"
Before I could finish the thought, she suddenly lifted me into her arms easily.
In the next breath, the world was submerged in blackness. The next time my vision cleared, we were standing at the backdoor of our own mansion.
What speed…
She carefully put me down, her touch light and professional as she smoothed the air between us.
I was about to offer my gratitude once more, but she spoke before the words could leave my lips.
"Please take it as well."
A light purple communication crystal rested in her hand.
"This…?" I asked, looking at the stone with a sense of mounting confusion as I turned it over in my palm.
"It is directly connected to the crystal I carry with me." She produced an identical stone from her shadow like robes to show me. "Contact me immediately if you find yourself in need of assistance. You do not need to worry about 'him' discovering our correspondence. I will keep your family's secrets as if they were my own."
Her tone carried no hesitation.
"Why are you willing to go this far for us?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it. We were not close, yet she was risking everything for us.
"Valka and I were more than just sister brides bound by the same oaths." She tilted her head slightly and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone that brooked no argument. "She is... she was family to me. Is it not entirely obvious that I would move to help her family in their hour of need?"
There was no grand emotion in her voice, no attempt to justify herself. It was simple and direct, as if the answer had always been that way.
Family…
Perhaps I had judged her too quickly. I had always thought of her as someone distant, hollow vessel with no emotions who only followed the orders, but the warmth in her logic proved me wrong.
"Thank you, Lady Scathra." Those words came from the very depths of my heart, they carried everything I could not convey.
She gave a small nod, and for a fleeting moment, a faint smile touched her lips. It was subtle, almost easy to miss, yet it felt more genuine than anything else.
She turned as if to leave, then paused.
"I almost forgot."
Her gaze shifted back to me.
"Be careful of the Duke Valois and Count Hansen. They are aware of Val's absence."
I see… the snakes have begun circling the nest now that its owner is absent.