Oryu's body trembled as he pressed down with all his might, his sword straining against Arthur's. But Arthur's arm didn't move—not even an inch. With a single, effortless motion, Arthur lifted his blade and pushed Oryu back, sending him hurtling dozens of meters through the air.
He glanced down at himself and gave a small nod. "Thanks to this power... my domain's strength has returned." He placed his fist over his chest. "Praise the Creator."
Oryu steadied himself in the air, fury flashing in his eyes. "I don't know who this 'Creator' is, but he won't save you. No one's left to save you now."
He raised his sword again—but Arthur had already vanished. In an instant, he reappeared right in front of Oryu, bringing his blade down in a crushing arc. Oryu barely had time to react before the impact sent him flying skyward. The Sword of Truth slipped from his grasp, falling and landing near Leo with a heavy, echoing thud.
"Leo," came Selvanna's voice inside his mind, clear and calm. "Take the sword. It's time for my final act."
Leo reached out and grasped the hilt. Silver light surged up through his arm and into the blade, humming with divine energy.
"Give the sword to Arthur," Selvanna continued. "With it, he can cut fate itself— the fate of the God of Light."
Leo walked toward Arthur, the sword gleaming in his hand. He held it out. "Use this."
Arthur took a moment, staring at the blade, and then nodded.
"With this," Leo said quietly, "we can stop the God of Light… for now."
Arthur grasped the Sword of Truth, and the weapon in his other hand dissolved into light, flowing into the new blade. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. For a few long moments, all was still. Then he opened his eyes, sharp and resolute, and looked to the sky where Oryu hovered.
With a burst of power, Arthur launched himself upward.
The God of Light—burning through Oryu's body—descended to meet him, divine fire ripping through his failing form. The vessel was breaking apart.
"Die like your father!" he roared.
Arthur met him midair—and swung.
The heavens split open as the Sword of Truth carved a radiant arc through the sky, slicing Oryu's body clean in two. Silver light burst from the center of the wound, growing and expanding until it exploded in a blinding shockwave that tore through the clouds.
When the light faded, Oryu's body was gone. Only a lingering orb of light remained, flickering gently in the sky.
Then it spoke.
"Struggle while you can. Soon… I shall shine my light across all lands."
And with that, the light vanished.
...
Within a few hours, the entire city was bustling with movement. Once hailed as the most beautiful city of the Three Kingdoms, it now lay in ruins. The Holy Cathedral, once the heart of faith and splendor, had been reduced to little more than a shattered husk.
Leo stood silently, taking in the devastation when a portal opened beside him. Timon stepped through, his body smeared with blood. Arthur approached him quickly.
"What happened to the Pope?" Timon asked, his voice tight.
"He's dead. The paladins moved his body into the church." Arthur replied, a trace of sorrow in his tone.
Timon's head lowered, grief flashing across his face. Then, suddenly, he looked up and turned toward the remnants of the Holy Cathedral.
"Why isn't the light still devouring the city?"
"The Creator stopped it," Arthur answered simply.
Timon's brow furrowed. "The Creator?"
"I'll explain later. The bishops are gathering for a meeting—I think you should be there too."
Timon nodded and began walking beside him. As they moved, Arthur glanced back toward Leo.
"You too. We need all the help we can get."
Leo gave a slight nod and followed behind. On his way, he paused where Briva and Elna were sitting amidst the rubble. He knelt beside them.
"Elna, are you okay?"
She nodded quietly, though exhaustion was written across her face.
"We're heading to the meeting. Do you want to come?"
"I'd rather find somewhere to rest," she said softly.
Leo nodded. "Then I'll see you later." He looked up at Briva. "Please stay with her."
As he stood to go, Briva raised an eyebrow. "Okay. And I'm doing fine too, by the way."
Leo gave her a faint smile before turning toward the cathedral's entrance.
As he approached the main hall, one of the B-rank paladins stepped in front of him.
"Hey—who are you? Stop right there."
Leo placed a hand on the paladin's shoulder. "I'm not in the mood right now."
A subtle pulse of illusion magic rippled out from his touch. The paladin's eyes went glassy, struggling to resist before finally dropping to his knees. The other nearby paladins immediately reached for their weapons, until a voice cut through the tension.
"Stand down. He's an ally," said the paladin commander firmly.
Inside the meeting chamber, nine bishops were seated—every bishop of the capital except Bishop Bethune, who was currently resting. Several A-rank and B-rank paladins stood in attendance. Arthur and Timon took their places, and to Leo's surprise, Edgarth stood quietly in a shadowed corner of the room.
Leo slowly approached the far corner of the room where Edgarth stood, half-shadowed beneath a cracked stained-glass window.
"Should I be surprised you're alive?" Edgarth asked, his voice quiet but steady.
Leo stopped beside him, his expression unreadable. "It was the Pope's order," he said softly. "I'd prefer it stayed that way for now—until I'm sure I can protect the people I care about."
Edgarth nodded once. "Not my secret to share."
A moment passed in silence.
"How have you been, Mr. Edgarth?" Leo asked.
"Tired." He let out a slow breath. "Tired of all the missions that old man kept sending me on." His words were sharp, but the sadness behind them was impossible to miss.
"Do you have any news about Ryan?"
"Last I saw him, he was preparing for a mission in the Northern Kingdom."
"When was that?"
"Three months ago."
Leo looked like he wanted to ask more, but the sound of a hand slamming the table snapped everyone's attention toward the center of the room.
A bishop stood at the head of the table, commanding the floor. "Everyone, please gather. We need to decide what happens next."
Slowly, the others in the chamber moved toward the center, forming a wide circle around the wooden table. Leo followed, taking a spot just behind Arthur. He kept his eyes on the bishops, memorizing their faces.
The bishop at the head cleared his throat. "To those unfamiliar with me, I am Bishop Andreas Weis."
Leo figured he was likely the only one in the room who hadn't already known that.
"Tragically," Andreas continued, "Pope Alister Caelum—the fourth ruler of the Kingdom of Light—gave his life defending this city. We now face a choice. We must act before our enemies do."
A pause followed, measured and heavy. "Our first task is to appoint a temporary leader."
Andreas looked to his left. "I nominate Sir Timon Warns. At present, he's the only S-rank remaining in the Kingdom."
"I nominate Arthur," said another voice—gravelly, low. It came from a dwarf bishop standing across the table. "He's Alister's son."
"So what?" snapped a younger man. "The Pope isn't royalty."
Voices clashed. The room quickly descended into noise, overlapping arguments growing sharper by the second.
Andreas slammed his hand on the table again. "The ruler—even a temporary one—has always been an S-rank," he reminded them.
A few nodded. Others crossed their arms, frowning in thought.
"But what happens if we're attacked again?" asked the oldest bishop, his beard nearly touching the table. "Especially by another S-rank? We can't appoint a new Pope and then expect him to lead troops into battle."
Murmurs followed. Heads bowed. The room fell into quiet contemplation.
Then a calm voice broke through. "Why not form a council of representatives?"
Every face turned toward Leo. "Who are you, and what do you mean by that?" one of the bishops asked, brow raised.
"He helped save this city," Andreas said before Leo could answer. "I heard the account from Sir Nicole Alban. Go ahead. Explain."
Leo stepped forward, his tone level but clear.
"A council of representatives—ten, perhaps. They vote. They share the burden of leadership. And they act quickly when needed."
"Like the ten bishops?" someone asked.
Leo nodded. "Exactly. You already have the structure. This just formalizes it."
"And what happens when there's disagreement?" another bishop asked.
"They vote," Leo repeated, simply.
Silence fell. Then one by one, heads began to nod.
"It's simple," Andreas said. "And it might actually work." He scanned the room. "Anyone object?"
No one spoke.
"Then we'll proceed with this structure," Andreas said. "We'll choose the representatives later."
He turned to a nearby paladin. "Mr. Gaines, the report?"
The paladin stepped forward, unrolling a sheet of parchment.
"According to our findings," he began, "casualties total approximately 400. Of those, 232 were soldiers or cathedral paladins. All homes within the radius of the Holy Cathedral were destroyed. We estimate over 600 homes lost."
He paused.
"As for the cathedral itself—it's inaccessible. The God of Light's mana still lingers. Anyone who enters is corrupted within seconds."
A younger bishop with jet-black hair looked up. "Then why did the God of Light's power stop?"
Arthur stepped forward. "I received the power of another god. With his help, I sealed the God of Light away."
That drew immediate murmurs around the room.
"Another god?" the younger bishop asked. "Who?"
Arthur opened his mouth to answer, but Leo gently placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. He looked around the room, meeting each gaze without flinching.
"It's not time for you to know that. But if there's anything you do need to know in the future, I'll make sure it reaches you."
"Are you a worshiper of this other god?" Andreas asked, watching him closely.
Leo met his gaze without flinching.
"No. I was saved by him. I'm his vessel."
The room fell silent. Dozens of eyes stared at him. Even Edgarth looked stunned.
Andreas sighed. His voice was calm but heavy. "Do you have any more suggestions?"
Leo stepped forward slightly. "The spell you used back then to seal a portion of the God of Light's power... I suggest we find a way to make it permanent. Another conflict between the gods is inevitable, and when it happens, spells like that could be a small hope in an ocean of despair."
Andreas gave a slow nod. "We'll begin the research. For now, though—everyone here is exhausted. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we begin again."
The room began to empty. Heavy footsteps echoed across the marble floor as paladins and bishops filed out, their armor clinking softly, faces drawn and pale with fatigue. Outside, the church's outer hall was bathed in moonlight, and the air was colder now, as if the light that once warmed this city had truly vanished.
Arthur turned toward Timon, his arms crossed. "What will you do now?"
Timon gave a tired sigh. "First, help rebuild what we can. The city needs stability. After that, I'll put together a team to investigate the other kingdoms. We have to be prepared for an invasion—or worse."
He gave Arthur a look. "You're welcome to join us."
Arthur looked over at Leo, thoughtful, then turned back. "Thanks... but I have my own group now."
Timon gave a short nod. "Do what you will," he said, before disappearing down a nearby alley and into the darkness, his cape catching the wind like a shadow.
Arthur turned to Leo. "So? What's our plan?"
Leo stared up at the stars for a moment, the wind brushing his hair back. "We need to gather strength. And information."
Arthur gave a small smirk. "Do you have somewhere in mind?"
Leo nodded, eyes narrowing slightly. "Niver. It's southwest of here. I have a feeling we'll find clues about the vampires there—and we'll need the artifacts of the Goddess of Nature."
Arthur's brow lifted. "Another artifact? Like the orb Briva's village protected? What for?"
Leo shrugged, His voice dropped slightly. "The Creator gave the order."
With a ghost of a smile he added, "Oh, and don't forget—we've gatherings on Wednesday."
At that moment, Edgarth stepped out of the church and approached. "You two want to grab something to eat?" His tone was casual, but his eyes were tired.
Leo looked at him, caught a little off guard. Edgarth had never been one for small talk. It was the first time he sounded... almost like a friend.
"Sorry," Leo said quietly. "There's someone I need to be with right now."
He turned and started walking into the night.
"You know where they are?" Arthur called after him.
Leo didn't stop. "I left a drop of my blood with them," he said over his shoulder. "I can track my blood."