The grand war chamber was quiet, the air still with calculation. Flickering hologlyphs of star systems hovered above the central table, planets marked in gold (safe), blue (in dispute), and red (fallen). Through the use of their spies, they knew that there was a home planet, Noxis, for the Midnight Covenant, but it remained a mystery to them. Once the declaration was made, the enemy made their move.
The red spread had been alarming. Reports of world after world being claimed by the Midnight Covenant at an insane speed. But then came relief.
A Deacon knelt before the dais, head bowed. "Our agents have returned from deep cover, Your Eminence."
High Archbishop Iscariot nodded. "Speak."
The Deacon's voice was swift. "The Midnight Covenant has seized ten planets, primarily outer-tier, low population, minimal infrastructure. All suspected to be mana-harvest or intimidation-based strikes."
Another Bishop raised an eyebrow. "Only ten? After such a bold retreat?"
"Yes, Your Grace," the Deacon affirmed. "The spies reported resistance diminishing shortly after the Elaris engagement. Most recent attacks appeared performative. No signs of leyline rerouting detected."
Archbishop Virell, now partially recovered and draped in ritual garments, watched silently, her hand clenching her robes. Something felt… wrong. But she had no proof.
Iscariot stood, casting a shadow across the chamber floor. He motioned towards Virell.
"Since you're the recent to be promoted to the title ArchBishop, you are henceforth ordered to take over. This shouldn't be an issue to handle and give you a chance to redeem yourself."
Virell stares at the map for a moment, considering her options. Then she pointed toward a neighboring planet named Drosven, a well-fortified Church settlement in proximity to one of the ten claimed planets: Yselmar.
"We'll cut off their advance. Contain them before they corrupt anymore."
She looked to Iscariot who gave a slight approving nod, then continued.
"Prepare a forward army. Thirty thousand strong. Armored Legions, Lightbinders, Sainted Engineers. They'll regroup on Drosven, and from there, launch a coordinated purification sweep of Yselmar."
"Don't fail us again." He says as he turns to her.
She inclined her head. "It will be done."
Meanwhile – Planet Noxis
Within the temple of Nidhogg, the Fullbrings watched this discussion through Odin's rune. Much like the church, they too had spies within the enemy. But they only served to plant his runes for him to spy. There wasn't a need for them to infiltrate the church... yet.
Odin leaned over the spy interface, lenses of his glasses glowing as he recited the words from the Church's latest communication network.
"They believe we hold ten."
Gerald chuckled, leaning back against the table. "That only means they're going to try to stop our advance."
Montgomery smiled. "And they're housing them on Drosven."
Phoenix appeared in the doorway, arms folded, light flickering beneath her eyes. "Should I begin cleansing the valley?"
Nidhogg's voice echoed from behind them all.
"No."
They turned as he stepped into the light, his form commanding their respect as he did so.
"Drosven is ours."
There was silence. And then Gerald grinned like a wolf.
Planet Drosven – Outer Barracks Complex Three Days Later
The Church soldiers were settling in.
Tents rose across the verdant hills of the forward encampment. Supply depots hummed with purified mana. The outer perimeter had been established. Holy wards marked every kilometer. Faith was high. They believed they had caught the heretics off-guard.
That belief died at sunset. It began with silence. No birds. No wind. No mana.
Then a scream.
And then, the shadows erupted.
The first Church column was hit by a wave of illusions, phantoms of their own soldiers turning against them. Light spells misfired, wards shattered, and by the time they realized the attack was real, Achlys had already carved through the command tents, poison blades dripping with golden blood.
The second wave never even activated their barrier as Montgomery's call had drawn their minds into a daze, forcing them to walk into pits with bombs laced with mana set to detonate whenever some unfortunate soul stepped on them that were laid out like minefields.
In the east, Phoenix danced through the barracks, killing priests and absorbing their lives mid-sentence, her body flaring with stolen vitality. She ignited their sacred scripts just to watch them burn.
The western front? Gerald.
He didn't hide. He marched through the ranks shouting, "Nidhogg believes in me!" Every time he did, another miracle occurred. One moment, he tore a Lightbinder in half with his bare hands. The next, he took on an entire Church infantry by himself Their weapons bounced harmless off of him as he massacred them. The soldiers began to think him invincible.
They were right.
Church Command Tent
Virell, watching from the central sanctum, listened as screaming filled the comm-beads.
"They're everywhere," one general cried. "We've been surrounded!"
She questioned everything. She was there when he had used that space magic, so she brought detection scrolls for that reason. Not a single person used the leyline in the past two days. Where had they come from.
It hit her then. The information they've been given was wrong. Drosven was theirs. And if that was the case, then it called into question how many planets they really had under their control. They could be knee deep in enemy territory right now and they wouldn't know until it's too late. As much as she hated it, there was only one real option she had.
"Call for a full retreat. Leave no one."
Above the Battlefield – Cliffside Overhang
Odin stood with Tempo beside him, watching the chaos unfold as the Church's supposedly "secured" staging ground collapsed into ash.
Tempo flipped his pocket watch, calm as ever. "And now?"
Odin adjusted his glasses.
"Now," he said, "we let them run. And when they do…"
He smiled thinly.
"They'll carry the truth back for us."
Final Casualty Report – Drosven Ambush
Church troops deployed: 31,800
Survivors: ~4,000
Leyline secured by: Midnight Covenant
Remaining Church escapees: allowed to flee
Strategic outcome: Catastrophic defeat for the Church
The report trembled in Virell's hands as her rage grew with every line. She was currently on the planet Vasskara, an A- tier planet nearest to the Drosven's leylines. She couldn't return to the High ArchBishop with this failure. For now, she would continue the fight here. In this safe haven. There was no way the Midnight Covenant could take an A-tier planet.