Crossroads (1)
Crossroads (1)
A necessary sacrifice.
A sacrifice absolutely necessary for the great cause!
The paladins ground their teeth. They raised their swords and shouted.
Flames melted the snow. White steam escaped from beneath pulled-down black masks.
"Everyone...!"
A massacre on a massive scale, meant to draw out the Punishment Office's personnel.
"Kill them allllll!!!!"
The paladins who had been scouring the outskirts of Tantalos under Dwayne's orders moved toward the city of Filamon.
Hoofbeats gathered into a single thunderous roar. Those who could not ride charged the civilians on foot.
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!"
A fleeing mother and child tumbled across the ground. They were crushed beneath the hooves.
"S-stop... stop..."
A man with his stomach pierced through begged. The sword pulled free sent his head flying.
"N-no... no... please... please..."
The back of a young man clutching at a trouser leg burst into flame. His lungs burned away, and the air that leaked out scattered into the void.
A hellscape.
It was a hellscape. But this, too, was all a necessary process.
The young paladin steadied his breathing. A tangled light burst from his Sacred Mark. Sentences like brainwashing continued through his mind.
All for His Eminence Cardinal Dwayne.
O Ra. Watch over me. I shall soar higher.
"Kill them allllll!!!!"
Two hundred paladins led by the young paladin.
And following behind them, Dwayne's hidden card—five thousand fanatics.
The warhorses trampled the city. The crazed believers bared their teeth.
Fleeing refugees were swept away by the human wave.
"E-evacuate...!"
"O-over there...!"
"Aaaaaaaaah!!! M-my foot!! My foot!!!!!"
The guards who had been shouting, consumed by fear, were trampled. The imperial troops stationed there were crushed beneath the warhorses' kicks.
Ra's flames burned away the remaining evidence.
The paladins slaughtered humans with god at their backs.
The young paladin's eyes blazed red. As if lost in an uncontrollable frenzy, his words grew savage.
"Tear off their flesh! Kill them all! Offerings! Offer up the sacrifices!"
The paladins who had tasted blood gleamed in their eyes.
"Sacrifices for the new era!"
"He shall descend!"
"Kill them alllll!"
Screams and shouts.
Agony and slaughter.
The paladins' swords blazed with Sacred Power. Hands meant to save people killed them instead.
Ra's sacred dignity fell to the ground. The burning flames took on a bluish tinge.
The more innocents they murdered, the filthier the flames became. The murkier the color.
"...Ah... ah..."
A child hiding behind a crumbling wall trembled. He crawled backward, clutching his younger sibling.
He covered his mouth to avoid being caught. He covered his sibling's mouth, trying somehow to stop the continued wailing.
His mother had died before his eyes. His father's head had flown off as he tried to stop them.
I have to survive.
B-but how... how...
He raised his eyes and looked ahead. People were dying. The right arm of the woman who had answered him with a smile just yesterday was severed.
Everything spraying into the air was blood. A hellscape where chunks of flesh rolled about and flame-covered buildings collapsed.
The warhorse's cry rang out harshly once more. The child's eyes flew wide open.
The sound was close.
It was getting closer.
"Everyone... everyone... this is a necessary sacrifice..."
A voice repeating the words as if brainwashed drew near. Human screams sounded nearby.
The child opened his eyes wide. He clutched his sibling and held his breath.
But the voice popped out. The wailing he could not suppress slipped through his fingers.
The footsteps stopped.
A sword forced its way through the burning gap in the door.
"...Found you."
The young paladin smashed the door apart. He moved his sword and pressed it to the boy's neck.
The child trembled. Clutching his sibling, he begged desperately.
"M-mister... please spare me... spare me... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
"......."
For an instant, his gaze wavered. But as soon as the Sacred Mark shone, flames clung to the young paladin's eyes once more.
Flames staining from blue into a vile green.
A growl leaked from his mouth. His slurred pronunciation, barely intelligible, muttered on.
"Bybybyby His willlll..."
Saliva dripped from his trembling lips. His hesitating hand shot upward.
"A necessary... sacrifice... it is a sacrifice... obey... obey..."
The unhesitating sword fell through the air.
The child squeezed his eyes shut. He turned the sibling he was holding behind him.
Claaang!
A metallic sound rang out.
"...Huh..."
The child opened the eyes he had squeezed shut. Flames surged. The tail of fire enveloping him began to heal his burns.
"A little late."
A heavy voice dropped down. A weighty sword thudded to the ground. The gaze that turned back was as fearsome as a bear's.
But the hand he extended did not seize the child's throat. Instead, it simply gave a soft pat.
"...I'm sorry."
"H-huh..."
"You protected your sibling. Brave child. Leave the rest to me."
Flames surged from the greatsword. The 'real' paladin turned his heavy face and stepped forward.
The flames began to erupt. Throughout the small city of Filamon, the real ones—not the fakes—began to blaze.
A well-timed move by Dimona, who had foreseen what was coming. Troops sent to end the merciless slaughter.
"Judging heretics is..."
The Church's fire bear.
Inquisitor Radatok's greatsword shattered the young paladin's armor.
"...the inquisitor's role."
. . .
Radatok, who had been sent to the city of Filamon, sent a signal. An ultra-long-range communication network.
A disposable crystal flickered. It shattered immediately.
That meant only one thing.
An attack. Just as expected, an attack had broken out in Filamon.
Dimona bit her lip. She had expected it.
But the incident had erupted far sooner than she had thought. So fast that she wondered if it was even possible for it to be this fast.
It was not even precise. Nor was the execution flashy.
It felt like someone had hastily slapped paint onto a canvas.
Strange. Was he really this desperate? That was not how I had read him.
But the deed was already done. She had to move immediately. The fact that Filamon had been attacked meant Dwayne had already finished his rough preparations.
Dimona slammed the documents down. She directed the inquisitors.
"Send word to everyone on this list. Tell them to gather at the Order's headquarters, First Plaza. We will prepare to fight those consumed by the Sacred Marks."
"Consumed...?"
"A vicious Holy Art that burrows into Ra's Sacred Mark and strips away reason. A technique that stands in direct opposition to Ra's teachings. I don't know the principle. But this goes beyond mere brainwashing... it dominates even the soul."
Archbishop Dwayne had crossed the line. She had known that fact for a long time, but she could not reveal it.
If certain clear truths came to light, she would be checked. Dwayne could hide the truth and deny everything.
That would have produced a worse result than doing nothing.
The best she could do was secretly whisper the truth to those Dwayne had not yet reached.
But even that had been enough.
The forces she had managed to save amounted to a quarter of the whole. Absurdly few, but one archbishop had joined, and the First Inquisition Office had also sided with her.
They, too, were priests at heart. As befitted servants of Ra, they had not yielded to power. They had not stepped forward to speak out, but neither were they among those who had sided with Dwayne.
A great number of people moved toward the First Plaza. Part of the paladin order joined them, and young priests and priests from branch churches who had come seeking learning gathered as well.
There was no need to worry about Archbishop Dwayne watching.
They were already watching Dimona's group. They had entered the Holy See Headquarters beyond the barrier at the center of the Order's headquarters, and had bolted the doors shut.
They would not come out until the matter was finished. So they had to break through it. They had to get inside and stop them from seizing what they wanted.
"That Dwayne, what in the world..."
"For things to truly come to this..."
The archbishop who had rushed over after receiving word wiped his face. The First Divine Judge ground his teeth.
"To defile Ra's name!"
"Unforgivable!"
"But no matter how I think about it, our forces are insufficient..."
"We lack the strength to break through the barrier and judge them."
Dimona raised her eyes, dark circles heavy beneath them. She glanced around.
"...It's fine. If we lack forces, we just need to increase them."
"Well now. You've all gathered here, I see."
The imperial noble who had stayed behind, waiting for Zahard, entered the Order's interior.
"I've heard the situation. The Order's internal affairs are full of complicated stories indeed."
"Your Excellency."
"I will lend a hand, Divine Judge Dimona. I trust you will not forget your promise to form a separate alliance with the Third Imperial Princess later."
"Don't worry. I've never forgotten a word I've spoken."
The imperial soldiers joined them. Knights drew their swords, and the wizards who had been holding their breath began honing their magic.
The gap in numbers began to narrow. Dimona, who had been toiling endlessly for this very day, roused her weary body.
Even when it was hard, stepping forward one pace. That was the only solution.
"...We have to save Her Eminence Cardinal Arpina."
They were inside the barrier, the Holy See's core facility. Archbishop Dwayne, who sought to remake the entire Church of Ra to his own liking.
And at the very innermost part... was Cardinal Arpina.
Archbishop Dwayne's target was surely her. With the Pope officially bedridden, the cardinal's seat was the only position with the power to wield the Church.
If he could just climb up there somehow, he could reshape the Church to his liking. Moreover, if he seized the cardinal's seat, he would be able to use the Church of Ra's greatest weapon, the 'Holy Sword Ascalon.'
That would bring about the worst possible outcome. It would be no different from giving wings to an already formidable force.
"......"
There had been a time when she had wondered whether the Day Priestesses might take her side. But they were, ultimately, the Pope's personal guard. No matter how powerful the Day Priestesses were, their strength could not be used just anywhere.
They could not use their power for private matters. The only places where that power could be exercised were those connected to the 'Pope.'
That the Day Priestesses and Cardinal Arpina were close was already an open secret, but they could not move officially. A case where long tradition had become a shackle.
Dimona was certain. Tiela would not move. Nor would the Day Priestesses under her command.
At this rate, Arpina, trapped in the deepest part of the Holy See Headquarters, would clearly come under concentrated attack. Arpina was rumored to be strong in combat as well, but she would inevitably die if she took countless attacks.
"What they're after is clearly a pretext. You know this as well, Judge."
"Just as you predicted, Judge, they attacked the city. They wore masks, but we know. Their intent is clearly to pin the crime of failing to protect the city of Filamon on her!"
"The city of Filamon is an autonomous district officially recognized by the Empire as governed by the Church!"
"If a large-scale massacre occurs there... the Empire will surely blame us for failing to protect it. It will naturally become a pretext to drag down Her Eminence Cardinal Arpina!"
"......"
Amid the noisy conversation, Dimona thought.
It was fine. Arpina was strong, and there was a reason she had been chosen as the 'Voice of the Church.'
And had she not already taken out insurance? There was enough time remaining before they broke through the barrier.
"Her Eminence Cardinal Arpina will be safe. At least until we cross the barrier, she will be able to hold out."
"Why didn't you pull her out earlier..."
"Do you know how many eyes are watching? This is actually better. Because someone specialized in holding a defensive position is at Her Eminence's side."
"What do you mean?"
"Just... well... I stationed a wizard who commands those who do not die. Someone specialized in wars of attrition."
All preparations had already been made perfectly. There was only one thing that bothered her.
"...Is pinning the Filamon massacre... on Cardinal Arpina... truly the end of what Archbishop Dwayne is after?"
"What else could there be?"
"Judge Dimona knows as well that there is nothing else for them to target."
Her head was tangled. There had not been quite enough time to figure everything out. She had only grasped the outline.
One thing about the enemy's aim was certain. That they would not formally try Cardinal Arpina, but would execute her on the spot, citing a pretext, the moment they captured her.
And the moment she died, the Church of Ra would run according to Dwayne's tastes.
"...562 people."
Dimona muttered.
"What did you say?"
"562 people. The people Dwayne secretly killed behind the scenes. All of them were someone's family, or faithful priests. Not a single one had committed a crime worthy of death. 562 is the number of people who died for the sole reason that they did not side with Dwayne."
Dimona glanced at the barrier where the Holy See Headquarters stood. Dwayne's underlings packed densely atop the barrier.
Those loyal to Dwayne were people consumed by Holy Arts. But consumption could never be one-sided.
They had been devoured because they agreed with his opinions.
In a sense, it could be called a transaction. They were people who had sought wealth and glory in exchange for offering up their own bodies.
Closing their eyes to corruption.
Betraying relationships built on trust.
People who had outright denied Ra's will for their own gain were gathered there.
"...I will declare it."
Behind Dimona, priests spoke blessings. Countless paladins laid Holy Arts upon their weapons.
Ashval Haltz's soldiers moved. The massive Order headquarters. A war on the scale of a small city began to raise its curtain.
The goal was to break through the barrier. To extract Cardinal Arpina, reveal all the truth, and... execute the vile Archbishop Dwayne.
That meant only one thing.
"Those who have defiled Ra's name, from this moment..."
Flames gathered on Dimona's sword. Her eyes gleamed ominously.
"I hereby declare them heretics and pass judgment."
The Divine Judge moved.