The dark clouds surrounded the sky; some rained, and some roared as if screaming their pain and spreading gloom. Why? The question arose, yet there were no answers, for there was none to answer, as the news had yet to spread throughout the realm.
The glimmer of hope for millions vanished. Even without the news, a few hearts shuddered, confusing them. From Gracia to the Sorrow Kingdom, enough eyes were ready to weep.
Chaos ensued in Sandwall County, even after the cannibals left. The soldiers felt confused and wronged, as their actions were undoubtedly ungodly. Meanwhile, the Count was nowhere to be seen, and Felix was locked in the dungeon.
However, the monastery sprang into action as per the common laws. First, the monastery bells were rung five times, signifying an occurrence of something devastating. Following that, dozens of letters were written and handed over to Running men or other clergymen to be sent throughout the Sol continent.
Unaware, Duchess Bethany Normani, the local Inquisitors, and Holy Army arrived as per Sylvester's call for help. As they entered the city, they were confused by the lack of people. All doors and windows appeared shut, and not a single voice was heard. Not even the wild dogs or cats made a noise as if everything was dead.
But as they reached the Sandwall castle, they saw guards standing at the gates.
"What happened? Why is the town empty?" Duchess Bethany inquired while atop a horse, flanked by Inquisitor and Holy Army Commanders.
The Knight guarding the entrance bowed his head stiffly. "My lady… T-The cannibal attack was too massive. We tried to fight, but in the end, His Grace traded his life for us."
"Stop lying!" The other knight shouted, anger seething in his voice. "Count killed him! We all saw him stabbing the Darkstone spear! My Lady, the Count killed Lord Bard and let the cannibals take his body!"
There was a long, empty silence and uncomfortable shifting on their saddles. Nobody could come to believe what was being said.
Duchess Bethany chuckled. "Enough jesting, now open the gates. I have come with reinforcements."
The two knights, however, fell to their knees as if hopeless. Their shoulders plummeted in defeat, and their eyes grew wet. They knew what they had seen, and it was hard to believe it.
"Why would the Count commit such a heinous act? How could he slay the Bard…The County is now damned for eternity,"
She ceased to think of it as a mere jest and swung her blade at the metal gates, shattering it open. She galloped in and dismounted near the castle gates before rushing inside.
"Sandwall! Where are you?" She bellowed, searching for the Count. "Where is Lord Bard?"
However, only servants were present in the castle. Thus, she stopped one of them and interrogated, "Where is everyone?"
The servant woman lowered her gaze in fear. "C-Count is absent. Young master Felix is imprisoned in the dungeons. Pardon us, my lady…We know not why the Count would harm the famed Bard…We know nothing more."
Duchess Bethany's heart continued to sink as the ambiance in the castle suggested that something was amiss. Behind her, the two commanders held the same view and constantly kept one hand on the hilt of their sheathed swords.
"Bring me to the dungeons then!" She ordered the servant sternly.
In no time, she was standing beneath the castle where the dark cells were constructed to hold important prisoners. It was damp and mostly deserted; even when she called Felix's name, no response was heard.
"This way." The servant guided Bethany to the correct cell. "He's held there by the Count's decree. He is bound with Darkstone shackles."
It was pitch black, so it was impossible to see inside. They halted in front of a locked cell, and Lady Bethany ignited a flame on her palm. "Felix, what ha—"
She swallowed her words as the sight inside the cell left her petrified. There, in the left corner, sat Felix, with his eyes wide open and his body seemingly lifeless. Meanwhile, in the right corner, hung a human body from the ceiling, dead from the noose locked around its neck.
"M-Master Regulus?!" The servant woman exclaimed. "Open the gates! Soldiers!"
Bethany recognized the name. It was the eldest son and heir to the County. Felix's elder brother. She broke the lock on the gate with her palm and strode inside to wake Felix. "Felix! Wake up!"
Felix turned his face and gazed blankly at Bethany. "S-Sylvester…He's dead…My father killed him."
Bethany's heart sank. "What happened? Tell me everything."
Felix was still out of his mind, unfortunately. "He's dead…Sylvester is dead…What will I tell Mother Xavia? How could he die?"
It was hard for Bethany to believe it, but seeing Felix's condition, it was impossible not to consider the possibility that it was indeed reality.
"All of you, go and search for the Count. I want him in front of me at all costs!" she commanded her own army as well as the commanders of the Holy Land. "And interview other knights to discover what occurred on the battlefield. I cannot believe that a man like Sylvester could be killed so easily. He has defeated far stronger adversaries. A mere Count should not even be able to touch him."
Although her reasoning was sound, she could not imagine who Sylvester's true foe was, even in her wildest dreams.
…
Holy Land,
The dark clouds appeared in the sky, but they had yet to rain. With winter approaching, the air felt particularly chilly. Nonetheless, much work was to be done, and the clergymen labored as usual.
The Sanctum Council convened every day instead of every week. As it was a time of war, they had to closely manage the supply lines and storage to ensure that their prolonged battle would not face any setbacks. This was especially critical as they entered Beastaria, bringing the war to the enemy's lands, unlike before when the battle occurred on Sol.
In the white stone chamber, each member of the Council read their reports with serious expressions. Each had a stack of papers in front of them, and their faces appeared tired from overwork.
"Lord Inquisitor, how did the light beam cannons that Lord Bard invented perform? Did they work on the Bloodlings?" The Pope inquired.
Inquisitor High Lord took out multiple sheets of paper from his booklet and handed it to all the council members. "It was wrong to have doubted the bard in the first place. Everything he makes is god's grace. We successfully killed over a hundred bloodlings with the weapon, and the operating teams learned their training lessons. Once we receive the next batch of canons, we shall launch a continent-wide hunt."
The Pope applauded. "That's wonderful, Lord Inquisitor. We needed this victory to ensure that our backyard is safe. With this, I can rest easy. What is the report on the plague, Saint Medico? We cannot focus on the war until we are sure that our farmers can grow our food and fulfill the supply."
The man in question handed his reports to the Pope. "Your Holiness, the plague is under control. The number of deaths has decreased significantly, and nearly all the children have been immunized. Lord Bard's timely cure has allowed us to focus solely on the war now."
"Brilliant!" The Pope rejoiced. "Saint Wazir, what did the kings and lords reply with? I have invoked emergency powers over their armies. Did any of them exhibit hostility toward our cause?"
"All but two, Your Holiness." Saint Wazir reported. "Grand Wizard Lord Einarr has refused the call and claims that his duty is to the Sorrow Kingdom first. Therefore, he must focus on rebuilding the fallen Kingdom. However, he remains open to assisting us in case of an extreme emergency."
The Pope stroked his beard while contemplating the man. "The Sorrow Kingdom has suffered greatly. They require a strong leader. Let him be; we will do fine without him. Who is the second dissenter?"
"Newly elevated Viscount Kaecilius at Fort Sunflower. He is the man who initiated the Slave Rebellion against King Riveria. However, he claims that his soldiers are not his private army, but rather freed slaves who are mere vigilantes."
"Let them be." The Pope responded immediately. "As you all know, I abhor slavery. Kaecilius likely believes that Riveria will attack if we take his army, weakening him enough for our cause. I cannot allow this small step toward a better future to be quashed so soon."
Saint Wazir wrote down the orders."No one else dissented from the decree, Your Holiness. Even the mine owners have agreed to sell to us in sizable quantities, granting us priority."
"But the financial situation is dire." Saint Keymaster, the chief economist, spoke up. "We are spending more than we earn. This cannot continue, Your Holiness, or the church will face bankruptcy soon."
"Fret not." The Pope reassured them. "This is a war for our very existence. Let us not forget that they also enslave humans in Beastaria. If they prevail in this conflict, all of humanity will be enslaved. So we must focus on quality and expansion—"
BAM!
The chamber door suddenly burst open without prior notice. Gunther, the Pope's assistant, barged in. "Your Holiness! Urgent dispatch from Sandwall!"
The Pope rose from his seat and took the small parchment from Gunther. He read it and exclaimed, "Ah, what amazing news the young bard sends us no—"
In a moment, his hands shook, and the parchment fell from his hold. His body froze as if he just saw death facing him.
Saint Wazir quickly picked it up and read it to others. "I deeply regret it with wet eyes. Count Sandwall backstabbed Lord Bard during the battle against Cannibals. Lord Bard is believed to be…dead?!"
Thud!
Saint Wazir fell onto the ground. His eyes widened in horror, and his hands trembled.
"T-This can't be real…It's impossible!"
