Taking a deep breath, Father Casper approached the Emperor with a heavy heart.
"Your Highness! I have something I must convey!" He didn't bother bowing his head.
Emperor Robert, who had been in the process of leaving the church with his guards, stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. His brows furrowed when he took in the peculiar expression of the priest before him. The other members of the third faction also glanced his way. As did most of the people in the hall.
Casper felt sick. He did not know why he was feeling so anxious. After all, there was nothing wrong with speaking the truth. But he did not want to voice out such things. It was too heinous to utter! He still remembered the shock and horror that had gripped him when Father Demetri first revealed his findings. It was almost as if he'd taken a blow to the gut. As an ardent worshipper of Goddess Kartara, to be faced with the knowledge that he himself had indirectly contributed to such a horrendous crime was a truth too bitter to swallow.
The Emperor stepped closer, motioning for his knight to step away.
"Well, go on! Why the silence?! I do not have time to waste!"
"Your Highness, were you acquainted with my master, Father Demetri?" Despite his nervousness, Casper's voice was strong. Some of his brothers, who were not aware of what he was, stepped closer to him. Questions rung through their minds.
Where was Father Demetri? He stated that he was searching for the Pope. That meant he also went underground. Did he manage to escape in time? Was he lying somewhere underground, grievously injured?
"I met him on many occasions, but it was the Pope and his faction I was most familiar with. Why?" The Emperor couldn't understand the question. And he was beginning to feel uneasy by the haunted look on the face of the priest.
"I am Reverend Casper. And I can sense that my master is dead."
Sharp gasps and pained murmurs from the third faction filled the air.
Casper didn't pay it any mind. Now that the words were coming out of his mouth, he had to release them completely before shame trapped them in his throat.
"I was and am Father Demetri's most trusted aide. A few weeks ago, he confided in me a most unsettling truth. He told me that in the event that he should die, I must immediately inform the Emperor of his findings. My master figured out why all of these misfortunes have been unfolding and he believed that none of it was the result of a witch's curse. We, the church, erred horrifically in our judgement and now the Goddess has turned her back on us!"
Casper pointed at the waterfall. "This bloody deluge is in response to a betrayal! The Goddess is informing us that we have greatly insulted her!"
The entire hall was silent. Even the sound of crashing water seemed to grow faint.
All eyes were locked on Casper.
"It does not matter how ardently we pray to the Goddess to save us! We have invited this doom upon ourselves by blaspheming against our lord and protector!"
It took a moment for the Emperor to find his words. "What...what exactly did we do to invite the Goddess's wrath?"
"This in not the Goddess's wrath! This is the work of Saintess Felicia, whom we all decried a witch and executed inside this very cathedral! The Goddess's temple!"
The Pope's Bishop, who had just entered the hall and heard the declaration narrowed his eyes on Casper. His hands clenched as a strong desire to slap the insolent tongued sycophant of Father Demetri filled him. Much like his master, the man was spouting nonsense.
"How dare you claim something so ridiculous?!" The Bishop snarled, drawing attention to himself. "You dare to imply that the evil witch who has cursed us was a Saintess, instead?!"
Casper's eyes narrowed at the arrival of the disgusting man whom his master often clashed with. The priests behind him echoed his sentiments.
The Emperor too did not appreciate the interruption.
"I am speaking facts, Bishop! My late master searched through all the ancient scrolls in a desperate attempt to figure out what was happening. He prayed to the Goddess and received a revelation in his dreams."
His lips curled back into a sneer. "Meanwhile, your master was busy feeding lies to the people and promising a safety which he could not guarantee!"
The Bishop's face grew red. "And now you dare accuse the Holy Pope of lying! Much like Demetri, you must have truly lost your senses! Men such as yourselves should never have been allowed to become a part of the clergy. The third faction is a joke! Your kind only seek to create disharmony! You have no loyalty to the Holy Father!"
Several more priests from the first faction began to gather around the Bishop. They were in full agreement with his claims and glared at the priests before them.
The men behind Casper grew red with indignation. They could not stand for such insult! Unlike the first faction, they did not care about the birth status of their members. They welcomed all who wished to serve and they conducted themselves with humility. Though they were loyal to the Pope, they were more loyal to each other and to the Goddess.
How dare this pompous toad accuse us of creating division when it's him and his faction that only accept brethren from wealthier families?! They've always looked upon us as if we're inferior.
"You arrogant scoundrel! How dare you?! We only live to serve the Goddess! Which is more than you can say for yourselves!"
The Bishop fumed. But before he could speak he was cut off by another member of the third faction.
"You are all so focused on serving the Pope that you've lost sight of who your real master is! The Goddess's will is more important than that of your lying and cowardly Pope!"
"Father Demetri was always suspicious of the Pope. He told us in secret that the man was not nearly as holy and honorable as he presented himself to be!"
"How dare you!?" More than one voice shrieked.
"You all deserve to be flogged and thrown into the dungeons!" The Bishop yelled, spittle flying out of his mouth.
"Enough!" The Emperor roared. "Have you forgotten who you are standing in the presence of?! Do you think I am here to listen to you buffoons squabble like children?! My son is on his deathbed right now! And yet I've decided to leave his side so I can attend to this empire! How dare you waste my time!?"
The priests all fell silent and lowered their heads.
The Emperor's eyes shot back to Casper. "You there! Speak! You claim to have the answers to explain all this madness! You say that Felicia was a Saintess and not a witch! Explain what that means! I want the whole truth!"