Chp 31: The Cardinals' Panic

Back to the near past, a few days before The Sorcerer Dynasty usurped the City of E-rantel. The Cardinals assembled once again for an urgent meeting.

"The rebels are moving." Raymond's grim words settled in the dark oppressive room.

Everyone wore disturbed expressions as their thoughts were jumbled from the constant setbacks they were facing.

The recent disappearance of the Black Scriptures shook them to their core. What further troubled them was the news of the Healer's revelation that he was attacked that night by the Scriptures. This revelation pitted the already angry mob against them.

Some were still loyal to them but they too were wavering. The Healer's actions didn't stop there, he continued to heal the neighbouring cities after curing the ones in that Marquis's City.

This earned him greater credibility of the fact that The Healer can indeed heal the victims of the Plague, while they, the Cardinals were powerless against it. Their decision of sending the Scriptures to capture and investigate The Healer backfired on them.

"What should we do?" After a long silence, Dominic asked, his voice unsure.

"We have no choice...gather the personnels still loyal to us. The Capital will become the final stronghold against these rebels." Raymond sighed out.

"Has the situation reached this point now? Can't we try to de-escalate the situation? We have been ruling the nation longer than that Heretic!!" Zinedine asked, shocked at how the situation has turned so dire.

"What do you propose we do? Our actions from the beginning till now has done nothing but aggravate the mass." Maximillian rebuked, his anger evident.

Out of the six, he had suffered the greatest loss, the disappearance of the Black Scriptures especially Zesshi.

"*Sigh* we have no choice. The situation has gone out of our control, we can only hope to divert it the best we can." Raymond sighed out.

Silence spread in the chamber as they took in his words. The pressure they carried over their shoulders increasing.

Was there no hope for them now?

"Maybe....he is right...the Six are just.." Berenice murmured but he was interrupted by a slap from Yvon.

"Don't you dare spout such nonsense, the Six are the true Gods, whatever that imposter claims is mere falsehood." Yvon angrily spoke, storming out of the chamber as the rest remained.

"The meeting is adjourned." Seeing no purpose in continuing the conversation Raymond dismissed them.

Seeing the leaving figures of his Colleagues he too stood up as he walked in the chamber of the Pontifex behind his seat.

Entering the chamber, it was almost similar to a small size throne room, with a sole throne on the room. The whole chamber supported by Six Pillars symbolising the Six Great Gods.

The throne was occupied by a shadowy figure. At present it was nighttime, the chamber was dimly lit by the moon light passing through the opening above the chamber illuminating the place where Raymond now stopped at, at the center.

Kneeling before the throne Raymond opened his mouth, "It is Done.."

"Very Good... Pandora's Actor."

A familiar voice echoed in the chamber as the shadow stood up, emerging from the shadow.

As if on cue, Raymond's body morphed into a Pandora's Actor as it remained kneeling, still playing the role of a subordinate even though both the Shadow and Him were technically of the same status.

"Soon, this nation will be under Father's rule!" Pandora's Actor enthusiastically commented, his hands moving theatrically.

"Yes, it will.." The body of Hyortr emerged from the shadow as he looked out.

...

Few days later.

"Hold the fort!!" A captain gave his orders as he looked at the horizon. Countless humans whom he once would call his own friends, brothers or fellow citizens, now against them.

The Capital of Slane, Silksuntecks, was now completely fortified. The draw bridge now closed off, as the remaining loyal citizens huddled in the city, an oppressive and suffocating air filled their whole world.

Gathering all the ones still loyal to the Theocracy and Cardinals wasn't an easy task. Forget transporting them such long distances, the sole problem they faced was the fact that who among them was even loyal. Some could have already infiltrated their ranks as a spy, waiting for the right moment to strike.

There simply was no way they could afford such a situation in this important moment. But what other choices did they have? The nearest loyal nobles and their armies were recalled, even the non-combatants were drafted as the Cardinals ammased an impromptu personnel of a few hundred thousand.

Although impressive at first but compared to the original 5million at peaceful times, it was devastatingly low. Also given that only a third were true trained soldiers and the rest were drafted peasants.

Gritting his teeth hard at the disparities between the loyalist and the rebels who boasted a now powerful half million soldiers and a few hundred thousand peasants. Backed by that powerful Healer, the captain already knew this battle was a lost cause.

"Man your stations! Eyes on the battlefield!!" Another command was given as the mages and archers stepped forward on the walls, ready to fire at command.

The captain fixed his eyes on the approaching rebel army, his inner temptation to simply flee growing. Cold sweat trickling slowly down his cheeks. As he swallowed hard.

In the distance, he saw the makeshift seige weapons. Ramps, ramming machines and the towers, each crudely built but functional.

The rebels also had mages and former scriptures who left after they were 'enlightened'. And among them, leading the whole rebels, the culprit.

The Healer stayed at the forefront, his purple black priest robes billowing in the wind. His gaze sharp as the captain could have sworn the healer looked directly at him, even though a couple hundred meters still separated them.

"Hold!!" Another command rang out as the rebel slowly but steadily approached, almost reaching the right firing zone.

"Hold!"..."Fire!!"

With that command, a barrage of magic attacks and arrows streaked across the sky as they rapidly reached their destination.

But before the expected deaths and destruction was supposed to happen, the attacks simply dissolved into fine particles after reaching a certain limit.

"The God Of Death is with us!! Charge forth and fight for his name!" A booming voice rang out as the Healer's declaration set off a chain reaction. The rebels rushed forward, not afraid for death as they quickly crossed the distance.

"Keep firing!!" The captain panicked as he kept shouting commands, but despaired when he saw how the projectiles simple dispersed into golden particles.

'Are we truly doomed?' The Captain, seeing the scene of how that 'God' favored the Rebels couldn't help but entertain such dark thoughts.

Not only him but almost all who saw this display of what could be called a divine miracle thought this too.

-------

In the Empire of Baharuth. At Arwinter, in his office, Jircniv shakingly held the report he just snatched from Vermillion.

Disbelief was etched on his face as he re-read the reports. 'Slane Theocracy is Now Under the new Regime of the Rebels. It has been now re-named to be The Holy Lands of Yggdrasil. The religion will be changed to worship the one true God of Death, Ainz Ooal Gown. Furthermore, Yggdrasil will be ruled by the Saint.'

"This is too fast!! Only 13 days had passed since the Katze War, how did things escalate to this extent!!" One of the Senators questioned Vermilion as the rest were also stunned by the news.

"We have no idea, our spies reported that a swift rebellion was staged, and the Capital Silksuntecks was invaded. Reports mentioned that the attacks from the city dissolved into particles as the Healer at the finale moment cast a large scale spell that destroyed a portion of the Castle, prompting the Cardinals to surrender." Vermillion narrated.

An eerie silence spread in the air, the sheer unfathomable had just occurred, Slane Theocracy, a nation boasting the highest human population and faith, a nation that valued loyalty and faith more than lives, was so quickly usurped by a new Religion that it was simply astounding how long the Theocracy had remained standing till now.

"Send a delegation to the Sla- Holy Land of Yggdrasil, send my congratulations and some gifts." Jircniv decisively ordered. Even though he should have been apprehensive of this new Nation, he had no other choice but to make ties with them.

Soon, news of the Usurption spread throughout the world as the world once again shook because of the sheer absurdity of the situation.

Meanwhile, the giant wheel of schemes called plan Armageddon that was slowly moving in the background, was now gaining momentum.

Soon, the Great Wall that protected the citizens of Roble will crumble and fall, ushering in a new era of the New Religion.

★★★★★★★