The dust had settled in the stronghold. It had been a few days since the monster wave. People were mourning their losses. Life was cruel; some lost homes, some lost wealth, but some lost loved ones. Despite this, the people were strong, and they were already rebuilding and burying their dead. Many lives were lost this time. The attack was sudden and came from where the stronghold was vulnerable.
Mhlaba Town was a very powerful stronghold. Its walls were high and thick, towering over the landscape like a fortress from an ancient age. From the top of the wall, multiple cannons lay poised, a silent warning to any would-be attackers. The town was a military bastion of the church, where most recruits were trained, and one of the strongest High Guardians ruled. Despite its might, Mhlaba Town was unlucky this time; an enemy from the sky was their weakness.
The might of Mhlaba in terms of guns and technological defense rivaled that of a large town. However, its small size limited the number of soldiers it could muster. Although a large town was made up mostly of civilians, and Mhlaba consisted primarily of guardians or veteran soldiers, the might of a large town was still twice that of Mhlaba. Even for a small town like Mhlaba to have a High Guardian was an anomaly. Small towns typically had Guardian Commanders, but rarely a High Guardian.
Surviving such an attack was fortunate, a testament to the resilience and tenacity of its defenders. The town was lucky that there had been no further attacks in these few days since their best fighters were down. Nara had just healed and was summoned to the Sanctum of the Remnant, where high-ranking members convened. An elder had arrived in town, and she was called. She honestly wanted to rest some more; she had not fully recovered, as she didn't have regenerative abilities like the Croc Kings did. Thinking of her battle with the Croc King gave her a strange feeling. She had changed a little from that fight. She was happy about that fight but conflicted since it still brought misfortune to the town. But she had gained power, and power was a dangerous drug, and the world only responded to power. Mhlaba's misfortune was her fortune. Nara was human, and she felt that the lives lost were a sacrifice for her gains.
Nara finally arrived at the Sanctum.
The Sanctum of the Remnant stood as a testament to the church's influence and authority. Although not large in stature, it was an imposing structure, designed with an air of gravitas and reverence. The exterior was constructed from dark stone, giving it a foreboding appearance. Gothic arches framed the entrance, and intricate carvings of ancient symbols and runes adorned the walls, depicting the church's storied past and divine mission. Tall, narrow windows were filled with stained glass, each panel telling a different tale of heroism, sacrifice, and divine intervention.
A pair of massive, ornately carved wooden doors marked the entrance. They were flanked by stone statues of ancient guardians, their eyes seeming to follow any who approached. The air was thick with the scent of incense, a constant reminder of the Sanctum's sacred purpose. As Nara stepped closer, the heavy doors swung open silently, revealing the sanctum's dimly lit interior.
Inside, the sanctum was a stark contrast to the harsh exterior. The interior walls were lined with polished marble and adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of battles, miracles, and the divine. The floor was a mosaic of colored stones, forming intricate patterns that seemed to shift and change as one moved across them. The light from the stained glass windows cast a myriad of colors across the room, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere.
At the center of the Sanctum stood a raised dais, upon which a grand altar rested. Behind the altar, a massive statue of the Eternal Remnant loomed, its eyes seemingly alive with divine fire. The statue's presence was both comforting and intimidating, a reminder of the church's omnipotence.
Seated around a long, rectangular table were the high-ranking members of the church, their faces shadowed by the dim light. Their robes were elaborate, adorned with symbols of their rank and the church's insignia. An elder, distinguished by his silver hair and commanding presence, sat at the head of the table. His piercing eyes met Nara's as she entered, and he motioned for her to approach.
"Welcome, Nara," the elder's voice resonated through the chamber, carrying a weight of authority and expectation. "We have much to discuss regarding the recent events and your role in them."
Nara didn't know what this was about, but she was a high-ranking member only lower than an Elder and the Supreme Ecclesiarch. She took a seat, and just as she sat, the door opened and God's Punishment walked in.
"It seems that everyone is finally here. Although I don't like tardiness, I'll forgive it this time since you're both injured."
The Elder threw glances at both Nara and Tira. For a millisecond, the Elder's face frowned and turned back to a gracious smile, which gave both Nara and Tira the creeps. This man was scary; he was a fat Caucasian man wearing a tidy and clean black robe free of any bold symbols, but his collar shone slightly with symbolism as he moved.
Nara liked how clean this man was. He too had no idea why he was here, but he would listen.
The Elder walked up to the dais and sat down, looking at all the people at the table with a smile that creeped everyone out.
The Elder's eyes blazed with fervor as he addressed the assembled high-ranking members, his voice resonating with authority.
"Let us remember the words from the Book of Eternal Remembrance, Chapter Fourteen, Verse Seven, which forewarns us:
'And lo, in the twilight of man's arrogance, there shall arise a great scourge from the remnants of their sins. Beasts of shadow and fury, born of hubris and forsaken knowledge, shall roam the earth. Yet, fear not, for the faithful shall rise, their hearts steeled by divine purpose, to cleanse the land and restore the light.'
This prophecy is our guiding light, reminding us why we must remain vigilant against heresy and the misuse of technology. It justifies our sacred duty to persecute the heretics and maintain strict control over the relics of the old world. For if we fail, a second apocalypse will surely descend upon us all."
The room was silent.
"Do you know why we hunt and execute the sleepers?" Elder Ignatius Vale posed the question and no answer came.
"We do that because they are beyond salvation. Those who have lived in the Old World cannot be saved. They live in the past and seek to bring it back, and bringing back the past is bringing back destruction."
The high-ranking members nodded in understanding.
"I heard that there was such a person under our nose and that he even escaped your grasp. I want to know why." Elder Vale's face became grim for a second and then went back to smiling.
"I have been searching and looking for the man for a while now and I couldn't have guessed that he would risk hiding in the enemy's ranks," Nara explained.
"That is because you don't think like a heretic, but you are still responsible for letting him escape your grasp once he was found." Elder Vale's smile grew awkward, but a force descended on the shoulders of all the high-ranking members in the room.
"I tried to intercept him and when I tried to execute him, but monsters suddenly descended. Even though I still went after him, that man is skilled and very crazy. I couldn't take him down fast enough until the wave got too intense," Nara spoke.
"Excuses, excuses... All I hear is excuses." Elder Vale's expression went from bored to disappointed in a few seconds.
More force descended upon everyone in the room. They were all beginning to feel discomfort.
"Do you know that there was a third Winged Crocodile King in the monster attack?"
"What!?" Both Nara and Tira were surprised. They had been resting since the fight and didn't know. Yara was calm sine he was the first to find out.
"Yes, its dead carcass was found just outside the stronghold, meaning the heretic took it out on his way out."
"Impossible, how can he fight and kill a Class III monster without abilities or supreme weapons like the one God's Punishment has? Even if he did have one; even God's Punishment had to use his elite team and his super strength to finally put that monster down, and Nara, on the other hand, had a stalemate with the beast," another priest spoke in disbelief.
"There lies a dead carcass to prove his capability, and if that man doesn't have abilities, he has knowledge. Knowledge that the scourge warns we must safeguard against and not let it be abused. We have a sleeper with the knowledge to create weapons of mass destruction and you let him escape!"
The pressure slammed down on the room, breaking the legs of the table and chairs, forcing each high-ranking member to their knees.
"This man must be found and eliminated. He is too much of a danger to be left alive. I don't need any excuses, just action. Understood?"
"Yes Elder."
Elder Vale got up and walked past them to the door. The door opened for him and closed behind him.
Slam!
Suddenly, the pressure disappeared like it was never there. If it wasn't for the table and chairs, they would think of themselves as insane. Each and every one of them had only one question in their mind:
"What the hell was that?"