READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 2: Pillars (II)
Upon receiving his post as a planetary governor, Foidan was granted three signal gems of different color, each synchronized to their counterparts on TerraSol. Breaking one would instantly break the other, alerting the central government of whatever drama unfolding even on the other side of the galaxy.
They were beyond expensive and incredibly fragile, and the misuse of one would entail a death penalty, so he had them locked up inside the underground vault and guarded by trusted soldiers. When the Body Walker attacked, Amishar had informed them to break one, followed by another after meeting the babies.
On news of the daemonic incursion and the discovery of Archetypical Souls, the central government on Terrasol promptly dispatched to Jano a host of three Purifiers, all of whom were Third Sphere Seraphists,–
(which meant each of them was at least a hundred times as strong as Amishar, who was only a Second Sphere. As Manziholet's parents, who were brushing up on their knowledge of Seraphists, understood, that also did not take into consideration the Miracles capable by their legacy seraphs, selectively bred to output more power than a generic one such as hers. Their Circuit should have a better vaepor-to-draeg conversion rate as well, increasing the time before they had to release their Ruin Scars.)
–along with some one million mortal soldiers and twice as many scribes from the Civil Service, who broke through the immeasurably large void in the span of half a day via a sa-serpent. They would cordon off Jano from the rest of the Imperium until it was sure that no daemon was lurking among the population and that the incursion was pure bad luck rather than a poor deliberate life choice made by half-witted cultists.
"But above all," said captain Tamajiang, leader of the host, member of Order of Knight Purifiers, and Breaker Seraphist, "we are here to ensure Manziholet and Gothlow's safety until and during the trip back to TerraSol. You and your wife will be under our protection as well, though don't be disappointed when we have to abandon you in exchange for their life. You know how valuable an ArchSoul is to humanity. The fact that they are twins should be a Miracle in itself."
Foidan nodded. They were sitting around a table on the great porch to the north of the palace. Neither Foidan, whose grandmother had attempted to overthrow the government before he could arrive there, nor Arin, whose merchant family was wealthy but ultimately limited to an insignificant planet, had much experience dealing with TerraSol's inhabitants. Their lives were as foreign to him as the salt thralls on the other hemisphere of Jano, though he had had the servants prepare an assortment of expensive food on the table.
Even their appearance was beyond mortals as a result of their Form Miracles, available to only Third Sphere and above. Under <
In place of their skin was flowing molten bronze, from which bursted out loops of fire that distorted the surrounding air. The chairs of rare wood that Foidan provided them to sit in, as well as any mortals in their immediate vicinity, would have burned to fine artisanal ash had they not politely suppressed their power.
A halo made of sunsteel spikes spreading outward hovered just above their helmets (or bald head, in case of the Purifier to the left of Tamajiang), the slit of which revealed eyes that were entirely white. They had not even blinked so far, and the only leftover features from their lesser mortal forms were their overall physical shape and visage, making it very difficult for Arin not to stare. "When are we expected to depart for TerraSol?" she asked.
"Amenemopet?" Tamajiang addressed an old woman in an elaborate robe who was nibbling at a small cookie. She seemed mildly disappointed by the taste, only soldiering on so not to be rude.
"According to the schedule, our sa-serpent will arrive in a week," the High Scribe said. "Oh, before that, I'd like the governor to choose a successor for Jano as well, preferably from a list of suitable candidates vetted by me."
"It's my understanding that Jano will remain under my rule and a regency council will be formed. After all, we've sacrificed a lot for it."
"The Imperator is about to enforce a new policy." Amenemopet finished eating and wiped her hands. "Basically, there'll be much stricter guidelines for recipients of Imperial governorship. Who their grandmother is, for example." She paused deliberately. "It'd make my job a whole lot easier if you cooperate now."
"Frankly," Tamajiang added, "I don't see the worth in keeping it. The trip between TerraSol and here is fairly expensive, and your monthly benefits as guardians of two ArchSouls will put whatever the planet can produce to shame. Besides, with all the politics attached to the governorship, you'll have no time to enjoy what the center of humanity has to offer. Trust me."
The threats were clear. "Alright then," Arin replied. "I see no problem in it. Foidan?"
"Very well." He nodded. "But some of my retired soldiers have been guaranteed lands and tax exemption here. I want it upheld."
"Sure, we can do that," the High Scribe said to Tamajiang, who replied with a happy "Splendid", and the quarantine was officially in effect.
The bald Seraphist was temporarily left in charge of the babies and their parents' protection as the rest of the host worked. The other knight, whose ArchSoul was Porter, same as Manziholet, switched on his Miracle while touching Tamajiang. Both turned into pure sunlight and [Luminous Dash] away, their trajectory circling around the planet and their Circuit scanning for any daemonic presence.
Their soldiers along with the scribes had been distributed throughout Jano on the back of sa-ravens, four-legged gigantic birds covered in sleek black purple armor, capable of flying far and fast despite their bulk. The former efficiently brought any enclaves that Foidan had yet to pacify under control and discouraged resistance as the latter investigated for signs of cults such as material of Forbidden Script (Manziholet's parents had their books destroyed long before) or summoning items being purchased.
On the third day, after a quick but alone interview by the old High Scribe, Amishar was relieved of responsibility and free to leave. She was not allowed to join in Tamajiang's operation, however, despite being the only one capable of instantaneous communication on the planet. Independent Seraphists were not to be trusted, Amenemopet claimed.
Arin stepped into Amishar's room and closed the door. "How is it?"
"Nothing unexpected. It's not my first time dealing with the Civil Service," she replied then continued via her Miracle, [I did not tell them about your crime, obviously, but don't be too careless. It looks like they are very interested to know if you have any secrets.]
"I would like to thank you again," Arin said and slipped a piece of paper into Amishar's hand, which detailed what they had figured out about her uncle. "Had you failed to kill the Body Walker before it could see us…," she added, in case someone was listening in to their conversation.
"I was just doing my job." Amish smiled. [Now that the deal is done, can you leave, please? I know you like to take risks, but I really don't need the attention.]
On the sixth day, during a fine morning, a black dot materialized high above the governor's palace and quickly enlarged. If one owned a telescope, they would make out the black scales and fleshy slash wounds on its body, all while experiencing an intense headache witnessing Miracles belonging to the Fourth Sphere contested with reality.
The space surrounding it distorted, cracked, and struggled to heal as the sa-serpent expanded to the point even bare eyes could see it for what it really was – a massive serpent that had swallowed its own tail, so deep in that it appeared to be a singular mass of black. At its true size, reaching past the size of the peninsula in which the palace was located, its tail left its mouth while covered in cloudy white saliva.
Then the Miracles died down and the creature drifted freely in the sky, returning peace to the atmosphere and whoever was stubborn enough to watch the process. There would be many of such people, since the Guild of Caelivagantes only allocated to the planet of Jano a stop every one or two years for trade and passengers. The latest non-regular visit had been the host's, and was now the sa-serpent that the twins and their parents would depart on, albeit a little ahead of schedule.
"No, you won't," Tamajiang said, "because it's not ours." Arin sensed an annoyance in his tone.
On its body, a wound opened out widely, revealing inside a blue sky full of floating structures. It was a demiplane anchored to the creature, used for storage of goods and passengers. During their trip to Jano, Foidan and Arin had lived in such a space, which was hundreds of times bigger than the sa-serpent's biological body and hosted an ecosystem and civilizations of its own.
From the demiplane flew out a line of sa-ravens, though these were armored in bright silver with golden rim. The Guild of Caelivagantes considered the minorest modifications of their products an act of heinous vandalism. The people on those sa-ravens must therefore be either individuals of wealth, fellow guilders, or Invincible Light's clergy.
They turned out to be the last group, as the cabins carried by the sa-ravens' four legs came into closer view, all decorated with golden carvings in the motif of their religion. The Icon of Invincible Light shone up on each side of the cabins' pyramid-shaped forward tip, designed to efficiently part the air as the line glided down in a spiral to the palace's main courtyard.
"Stay here. Let me talk with them first." Tamajiang jumped out of the balcony, leaving the other knights with Foidan and Arin. The baby Manziholet was sleeping in her hold, while his brother was lying in the crib and playing with Foidan.
The Seraphist landed with force onto the paved courtyard as the sa-raven gently laid the cabins down, from which the clergy marched out. Their sacred vestments and silver luminalite jewelry matched his sunsteel armor in both intricacy and sanctity.
Leading them was a Viceroy of Invincible Light, who stood out with his gleaming scepter and tall crown. In the Church's rather complicated hierarchy, he would hold the same rank as the planetary Patriarch, who was sadly among the Body Walker's list of casualties.
However, the Viceroy's glowing attire, coupled with the two Redeemers armored in holy luminalite who flanked him, made the Patriarch (known for his collection of rare wine and pastime of building churches) look like a beggar.
While the Purifier and the Viceroy exchanged words, above them, the sa-serpent swallowed its tail again as space fractured. At the limit, when it tightened into a block, the creature rapidly shrank until its size was exactly zero. It left as it came, having a schedule as strict as any other sa-serpents of the Guild.
"The Viceroy. He came here for the Patriarch, yes?" Foidan asked. "I remembered him telling me about a relative of his serving as one."
The two knights looked at each other. "They will know about it eventually," the helmetless one said with a shrug.
"Know what?" Arin frowned. It reminded her of a bad memory, when her parents were about to divorce and she was the last one to be informed.
The other one turned to face her. "There is going to be a war between the government and the Church," he admitted. "It may start next week or twenty years from now, but you can bet on your life that it will definitely happen. Minor skirmishes and assassinations have already happened. Important people are angry. Both sides are amassing Archetypical Souls, hence the Viceroy being here. He wants your twins."
"That's the reason for the Imperator's new policy as well," his fellow knight said. "The last thing he needs is some zealot-in-disguise governors who will side with the Church because Invincible Light tells them to."
"Why a war?" Foidan asked.
"Better minds than us have debated over that." He shrugged again. "Because the Imperator and the Holy Solongo can't even sit in a room without a shouting match? Because the government is corrupted and Invincible Light is a daemon? Because we simply can't help ourselves? Noone's really sure, but I, for one, think it'd be better if we draw the first blood rather than them."