Chapter Five: We all wear masks. (Part three.)
"Claudia? Claudia?" Celestine spoke, uttering the name of her loyal bodyguard who seemed to be currently trapped in a stupor of shock and rage. The goddess hated seeing her friend like this. Normally her faithful guardian was calm and level-headed but now… it seemed like she was on the verge of having some sort of breakdown.
She cupped the brown haired woman's cheeks in her hands, which seemed to pull the Valkyrie back to reality. The Valkyrie's anger slowly melted away as she muttered "I am sorry Celestine-sama. I lost myself to my anger. It feels like… like everything is starting to fall apart."
"I understand. You are frustrated and angry, but we must not lose ourselves to rage and hatred. We are protectors after all." Celestine replied and gave a gentle and chaste kiss atop her loyal bodyguard's forehead, which seemed to help lift the brunette's spirits as she gave a soft smile of gratitude.
The goddess then set herself down on the side of her bed, her hands folded across her lap as she spoke in a soft voice "We must break the news of this. We cannot hide that I have lost my ability of clairvoyance."
Hearing this, the Valkyrie almost panicked yet again and quickly spoke "No! We must not tell anyone! If we reveal this, the people's faith will be shaken to the core! There could be mass panic, riots, we could lose support amongst the people, it could embolden the Legion to attack us more aggressively!"
Celestine simply closed her eyes, while she was still afraid that she had lost her powers of foresight… there were far greater concerns at hand. She then spoke in a patient voice "Yes. It could shake the people's faith. However, if we hide the truth, then we could lose something more important… their trust. The people trust us, they trust me, to guide them and protect them towards an Era of peace. How can I do this if they do not trust me?"
Claudia frowned as she ran a gloved hand through her hair and then spoke "At the very least, let's not say anything right away. Please. Give me some time. I'll find a way to break this curse that Olga and her Forgemaster placed upon you. Maybe Kaguya can help? She saved you before from the poison, maybe she can help restore your foresight as well."
"You think that the Dark Queen and her general are behind this? Why?" The High Elf questioned, earning a confused look from her guardian.
"Why not them? Who else could or would do this to you?" The Valkyrie asked, just what was Celestine getting at?
"First Olga-san loses her magical abilities, which I saw in my visions. Then I was poisoned and lost my own abilities. Additionally, the people came to us for help so that we may address these robberies. Claudia… something is wrong. Something is very wrong here. Even without my clairvoyance, I can sense it." The goddess spoke as she stared at her lap.
"Sense what?" Her guardian asked, but instead of verbally answering, the High elf only shook her head sadly.
"Go home tonight Claudia. Be with your husband. I must meditate on these events." The elf spoke dismissively, which confused her bodyguard.
"Celestine-sama?" Claudia asked, wondering what was going through the goddess mind. Meditate on what? Her lack of visions? The war? Something else?
"In the morning, I want you to continue investigating these robberies. The people must be protected. They are counting on us to keep them safe." The buxom goddess ordered, earning a slow nod from the Valkyrie. Taking her leave, Claudia decided to head home for the night as her charge had ordered her to do. Perhaps a good night's sleep will bring some clarity.
Meanwhile. First Fortress.
The masquerade ball was back in full swing as music played and the guests seemed to be enjoying themselves once more. Almost as if they had magically forgotten the events that happened not-so-long ago. Perhaps they felt that so long as they weren't in danger, they had nothing to worry about?
Naruto smirked as he lifted his mask up to sip some punch and noted that both Alicia and Prim seemed to be… distracted. The former still seemed rattled by what had transpired earlier and discovering that slavery was happening within the walls of her Fortress, while the latter seemed to be in a dreamy daze while tracing a finger along her lips.
He pulled his mask back down into place and made his way towards them with a small swagger. As he approached, he heard the blonde princess speak to her cousin "Prim-chan? What are you doing?"
"Naruto's lips were…" the pinkette muttered to herself in a distracted manner, making her blonde cousin blink a few times. Was she still thinking about that kiss from earlier? Was he really that good a kisser? Alicia couldn't help but feel curious, but then had to mentally slap herself, reminding herself that it is unwise to get too comfortable with the enemy.
"Evening ladies. Anything I can do for you? You don't seem like you're enjoying the party right now." Naruto spoke in a concerned manner, swirling the liquid in his glass as he smiled beneath his mask.
The Princess Knight frowned a bit as conflicting emotions flooded her. On the one hand, she was grateful to him for rooting out the corruption that had festered in her Fortress, but on the other, he was still a threat to Eos and would march on the next Fortress at any time.
"We're just… tired… from what has transpired." Alicia spoke hesitantly, having little to no experience in the art of lying due to her code of chivalry. Fortunately, her words weren't necessarily a lie.
She couldn't tell whether her fellow blonde believed her or not but he still spoke in a kind manner "Is that so? Would you like me to escort you to your rooms ladies?"
"What?! You're saying I can't keep Prim safe?" Alicia snapped out without warning, which made both Prim and Naruto stare at her in surprise. Just where did that come from? If the Hannya was angry or offended, he did not show it as he simply stared at the blonde knight.
He laughed off her outburst and replied soothingly "Of course not. I'm more than certain you could protect her just fine. I was simply offering to escort you lovely ladies to your rooms as a gentleman should. Though, I don't think you're angry at me, are you? I think you're angry at yourself for not realizing that slavery was happening within your very home. Well, don't be angry. These sorts of people have become quite skilled at hiding such things… fortunately I had access to two individuals who knew the Slave trade quite intimately."
He then gestured to the forms of the Half-Elves, Chloe and Luca. The former standing next to her queen with her hands clasped behind her back, and the latter was watching her master from afar, a strange little smile on her face that reminded the princesses of a cat about to pounce on its prey.
Alicia licked her lips nervously and stammered, her voice dying in her throat before she turned on her heel and marched off without a word further, not even realizing that she had left her cousin with the Forgemaster.
They watched her retreating form in silence, knowing that seeing slavery happening within her home must have really rattled her. Naruto set aside his beverage and then offered his hand to Prim as he asked respectfully "Would you like me to escort you to your room, Prim-hime?"
The pinkette shook her head and replied "Thank you for the offer, but I will be fine. Please excuse me." Prim then gave a swift curtsy and rushed off after her cousin, her heels clicking against the floor as she sped off.
"Hmph. Humans are such rude creatures. I would never show such disrespect." Luca spoke from behind her master, causing him to slowly shake his head negatively.
"Don't be so quick to judge. Alicia is still processing the cold and hard truth and Prim is simply worried about her cousin. They just need a little time." He spoke in an understanding tone… he kind of understood how Alicia felt. Reality can be a cruel thing.
"Make sure Prim safely arrives at her quarters." He ordered, earning a nod from his retainer before she vanished from sight in a blur of motion. While Prim had declined his offer to escort her, that didn't mean he wasn't going to let her go unguarded. Better safe than sorry after all.
Sensing a new but familiar presence behind him he smirked as he spoke "I think you enjoyed watching those Nobles being taken to their doom." He turned around and, as he expected, was met by the form of Chloe who had a little smile on her face as she nodded in satisfaction.
"Was your former master amongst them?" Naruto asked out of curiosity. At his inquiry, the blonde Half-elf shook her head 'No' in disappointment.
"No. He wasn't here. A shame, I was looking forward to paying him back for all the time he tormented me. No matter, we'll find him at some point." She spoke with confidence, bloodlust cleary visible in her crimson eyes as she clenched a fist, imagining all of the wonderfully grotesque and horrific punishments and torture she could deliver upon her former master. Castration was currently at the top of the list that formed in her mind.
"I'm surprised you're not by mother's side at the moment." The whiskered teen joked since Chloe was almost always at her Queen's side and he possessed very few memories of them ever being apart for longer than necessary.
The blonde retainer pointed towards Olga's throne which was currently being guarded by more of Naruto's demonic soldiers. The Queen herself was surrounded by many Nobles and aristocrats who were eagerly kissing up to her, showering her with praises and gifts. Complimenting her power, grace, beauty and aura of authority while denouncing their now deceased colleagues for owning slaves.
Needless to say, the Queen was enjoying the attention immensely as the Nobles were basically worshiping the very ground she walked on and the air she breathed. "I'd say she'll be fine for a while without me." Chloe spoke with a soft chuckle, then she blushed as she took on a more shy disposition and continued to speak "Be-besides… I wanted to ask if… if you would dance with me. Naruto-sama."
The Uzumaki quickly embraced his fellow blonde and whispered in her ear "Ask and ye shall receive. I'm all yours Chloe." Her face flushed red beneath her mask as they joined the dance floor, a classical song playing as they began their dancing session while many Nobles observed them.
"They're… they're all watching us." Chloe muttered, remembering her time spent in a cage as humans leered at her. She could remember those beady, lustful eyes and those disgusting and ugly depraved smiles with clear vividness.
"Don't focus on them. Focus on me. Remember, you are not the scared little girl you were then. You're now Queen Olga's loyal aide and a knight of the Garan kingdom. You are much stronger now. However, If anyone so much as touches you, I'll flay them alive." The whiskered teen promised her with a grin, ready to protect her honor and maidenhood.
She giggled at this and replied in both a nostalgic and joking manner "Such a gentleman. I remember when you were a loud and obnoxious little thing with some moth-eaten rags for clothes. You were so skinny then too."
"What can I say? Didn't have parents to teach me how to behave. Looking back on it, you were pretty cold to me for a while." Naruto fired back good-naturedly with a chuckle.
His words earned an apologetic and guilty smile from the blonde Half-elf as they continued their dance. "I was. Wasn't I? For a while, I thought Olga-sama had lost her senses when she adopted you. It made me jealous seeing her being so attentive to you and your needs. Teaching you manners, magic, calligraphy, and so much more."
"You never told me you were jealous of me. What changed your mind?" The whiskered teen asked since it was the first time he had heard of this, but then, he supposed that he shouldn't be surprised. After all, Olga was the most important person in Chloe's life and the Queen meant everything to her.
"When I saw how happy she was with you. Whenever she was with you, her eyes lit up as I had never seen before and her smile was so warm and happy. For so long she has been seeking revenge against the humans who stole her homelands and ruined her people, our people, that she closed off her heart and turned it to ice so that none would hurt her again. Then you just appeared and… everything changed. Without meaning to, you changed her and me." Chloe confessed as she tenderly caressed his cheek, her fingers running across his mask.
"I'm not so sure if I changed you two. I think it'd be more accurate to say that I helped bring out the better parts of yourselves that you had locked away." The Forgemaster spoke thoughtfully, prompting the former slave to smile all the brighter at him.
"Maybe. Still… I am so happy to know you and can safely say that you're the only human, the only man that I truly love with all of my heart. You bring happiness to Olga-sama and to me. For what it's worth… I am sorry for being so mean to you when we first met." She apologized at the end, remembering that her grudge against humans had initially made her resentful against the poor boy. That is… until she came to know him for what he was. A kind and pure soul that did not see others for their appearances or their race, but for their character and actions.
They danced quietly together for a few moments, staring into each other's eyes. Chloe's crimson orbs turned a little misty as she gazed into Naruto's sapphire eyes until she gently lifted his mask up just enough to kiss him on his lips. She then pulled back and replaced his mask, which prompted the Uzumaki to say "You have nothing to be sorry for. I wasn't very pleasant then myself. We are the same in many ways. The both of us, carrying childhoods of pain, loneliness and resentment. Together, you, me, Luca, mother, we'll make a world where children or anyone for that matter are never made into slaves, whether their shackles be material or immaterial."
"That sounds wonderful." Chloe replied as she rested her head against his shoulder, the two blondes falling into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed the tender moment between them. The music soon came to a halt, and their dance came to an end. She looked over his shoulder and a sly grin slowly formed on her face as the Uzumaki felt yet another familiar presence behind him.
"One more dance for the evening?" The voice of his mother spoke from behind him, prompting him to turn towards her. Chloe gave a bow of respect with one hand on her chest before making her way towards the sidelines, leaving the mother and son duo together.
"I was wondering when you would ask." The Uzumaki spoke as he extended his hand to the Queen who accepted it and the two danced together to the mellow music. "You made me wait a while." He humorously added, making his mother give an amused smile.
"My apologies my dear. The sycophants just wouldn't leave me alone long enough to slip away. Besides, you didn't seem to have a shortage of dance partners tonight." She quipped with a soft giggle, her son giving a smirk since he couldn't refute that.
"Indeed. Luca almost desperately wants to be my lover, Chloe and I reminisced a bit, I 'claimed' Prim to discourage potential suitors and admirers from pestering her, and I think I may have a potential sparring partner in Alicia. Now here I am, dancing with my beautiful queen and mother, the woman who lifted me up and saved me from perdition." He spoke casually, earning a thoughtful 'hmm' from his mother.
"Interesting." Was all she said, her eyes listless and unreadable, but one could see the wheels turning in her mind but made no further comment. Whatever her son was up to, she was content to let things play out so long as they did not interfere with her plans for her future empire.
"I'm curious, once we conquer Eos and have full control of the lands and its people… what will we do next?" The whiskered teen asked out of curiosity, his mother closing her eyes as she thought on his question.
"I'm not certain. I've spent so much time seeking revenge against the Church for what happened to my people, I never thought of what may come after. Were it not for you, both myself and Chloe would have been reduced to slaves and breeding sows. One thing I do know, with your skills, your mind, your charisma, and your limitless potential, the world could be your oyster. Once Eos is ours, I think I'll let you plan what comes next." Olga stated with a barely noticeable smirk.
The Forgemaster pursed his lips at the thought. So many possibilities to consider and potentially exploit. There was also a matter of some unfinished business being left unresolved. "Sounds like fun." He replied with an almost sadistic grin being hidden beneath his mask. The mother and son duo continued their dance in a loving embrace, the both of them eager for tomorrow's events and what will come in the future.
The next morning.
Alicia yawned tiredly as she rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes. After last night's events, she had leapt straight into her bed upon entering her quarters, unfortunately for the Princess Knight, she could not find sleep, nor would sleep claim her. She remembered tossing and turning and rolling around on the mattress, at some points she believed that she was teetering on the edge of sleep, but her mind was a chaotic whirlwind that prevented her from claiming a peaceful slumber.
She glanced at her cousin who seemed to be lost in her own world, tracing her fingers around her lips in a rather odd fashion. Alicia paid no mind to this and instead turned her attention to the sight of a gigantic black cauldron being prepared in the Fortress square, it was perhaps the largest cauldron she had ever seen, big enough for three, maybe four men to sit in there rather comfortably. It was currently sitting on a large bed of logs and timber, filled to the brim with oil to the point of almost overflowing and hanging several feet above the cauldron was her former Prime Minister.
Beardsley was currently being hanged by his wrists via a length of chains that was connected to a crank that would lower him as it was turned. The old man was staring down at the body of oil beneath him, his eyes wide in terror as he knew what fate awaited him. For a while, he begged and pleaded for his life, eventually people became fed up with his constant screaming and bleating, so they requested that the old man be gagged to silence him. A request that the Queen and her son happily granted.
Speaking of the mother and son duo, the Princess Knight looked in the direction of the Queen's private box and saw a large line of people forming in front of them both. More specifically, the line was made up of the former slaves that they had freed the night before, who were currently stained with the blood of their former masters that they had tortured long into the night until they were satisfied and ended the lives of their tormentors at long last.
Now the Queen was giving them a choice. The now freed slaves could choose to go their own way and seek their fortunes in the world as they like, or they can choose to bend the knee to her, pledge themselves to her and serve her of their own volition where they will be taught various skills and paid and rewarded appropriately for their hard work. For many of them, it was an extremely easy choice. Almost all of them decided to swear fealty to their new Queen.
Alicia couldn't really blame them for this. The Queen appeared to have a soft spot for slaves, and was promising them hot meals, warm beds, and fair pay. That was far more than their now-dead masters had ever given them. Honestly speaking… she should have been the one to free the slaves. This was her fortress, her responsibility, and she failed. She had been previously satisfied with allowing her Prime Minister the daily duties of running the Fortress as she saw to the defenses and repelling the invading Legion. A costly mistake which almost ruined her and caused corruption to fester in her own home.
Her musing was broken when a soft hand took her own, prompting her to look and see her beloved cousin was softly smiling at her and spoke "Please Alicia-chan… stop tormenting yourself over this. It was not your fault."
"But it is! If I had been more dutiful, more attentive, maybe I…" The blonde knight argued, but was cut off by the sounds of trumpets which immediately caught the attention of everyone present, Nobility and Commoners alike who all turned towards the Queen's private box.
"Today, we are here to execute a detestable waste of life. Your former Prime Minister. Found guilty and sentenced for his crimes by your Princess Knight Alicia. Princess Alicia, as the one who passed the sentence, are you willing to execute it?" The Queen asked at the end, her eyes seemingly piercing through the blonde knight.
Alicia swallowed and stood tall, her fists clenching as she glared at the pathetic form of Beardsley who was still letting out muffled pleas for mercy, tears and snot flowing like a waterfall down his face. What a pathetic human being. To think there was a time she considered him a dependable ally and confidant. How wrong she was.
"I am." Alicia stated, eager to have this business over and done with and erase this piece of human filth from existence. Pretty soon, Beardsley would be nothing more than a bad memory, and eventually a forgotten one.
In the background, Prim pursed her lips slightly, her eyes tearing up a bit. Being burned alive in oil? What a cruel, painful and awful way to die. Normally, Alicia would have sentenced a criminal to death by beheading… but this was different, because this time… it was personal for her. While Prim hated violence and death, she still wanted to be here to support poor Alicia. Goddess knows how much she was hurting right now, how much pain she was now in. She doubted that killing Beardsley would heal Alicia's heart, but it might bring her some peace of mind.
Naruto descended from the Queen's box, his young retainer in tow as they and Alicia approached the crank that would inevitably lower the squealing pig of a man into the oil. He held out his hand expectantly, prompting Luca to hand him a wineskin, which he then in turn presented to the Princess Knight herself. "Some liquid courage?" He asked while offering the alcoholic beverage.
The blonde princess had to prevent herself from snatching it from his hands as she accepted it, and then began to eagerly gulp down the liquid contents. "You ever kill before?" Naruto asked with a blank expression, prompting Alicia to briefly nod as she continued guzzling down the wine greedily.
"Ever kill another human before?" He asked further, this time the blonde knight took one last long gulp of wine before letting out a satisfied sigh and replied to him sadly "No. Never a human before. Always monsters."
At her admission, the Uzumaki slowly nodded and stated "I see. Well, one thing I have to say about the Monsters of the Legion, prior to me destroying their minds… they never bothered hiding their nature, however loathsome and disgusting they were. Humans though? Different story. Humans always hide their true selves, hiding darkness and vileness that is more corrupt and twisted than even the most depraved of beasts and devils…" Naruto paused for a brief moment as he summoned his signature Hannya mask in his hand, staring at it thoughtfully.
"Your Hannya Mask… what does it mean to you?" Alicia asked, wondering why he wore it both to battle and at the ball the previous night. He seemed quite fond of the Hannya motif.
"We all wear masks, Alicia-hime. Sometimes to hide things, or to protect things. Me? In my case? This mask is a representation of my inner nature. Of my grudge. Something that I do not wish to hide, but to show to the world. Unlike most… I have nothing to hide." He responded proudly, his mask disappearing in a black wisp of smoke while his loyal retainer gave a knowing smirk behind him.
"What grudge? Against who?" Alicia asked while tilting her head to the side. The whiskered teen stared at her for a few long moments, then snapped his fingers, setting the logs beneath the large cauldron on fire. Black smoke billowed out, rising up in the air, some of it being inhaled by Beardsley, making him cough and sputter, his body starting to sweat as he saw little bubbles already beginning to form in the oil below him.
"Whenever you're ready." Naruto stated as he returned towards the Queen's box and sat at her side with his retainer staying beside him the whole time and filled a goblet of wine for him, which he took a long sip from as he and the Dark Elves all watched the Princess Knight expectantly.
Alicia swallowed a thick lump in her throat, her face flushed from the alcohol and the burning heat from the blazing logs. She placed her hands on the crank and clenched her eyes shut… as she had stated before, she had never killed another human before… but this was different. She had a duty to perform. She had to punish Beardsley for his crimes. She had to set an example. She had to show that there were consequences for one's crimes. This wasn't just about her or Beardsley's betrayal. There is no point to laws if they cannot or will not be enforced. This had to be done.
She slowly turned towards the black cauldron, seeing the oil boiling as bubbles rapidly formed and popped along the oil's surface. She then grit her teeth and began slowly turning the crank. Little by little, inch by inch, her former Minister slowly descended down towards what would be his doom. As he got closer and closer to the bubbling oil, Beardsley's cries became louder and more desperate and more shrill to the point that it sounded like a banshee was wailing and weeping. It seemed almost a miracle that his screams hadn't torn his vocal chords apart, or he hadn't accidentally swallowed and suffocated on the gag in his mouth.
Beardsley lifted his legs up, as high as they would go, which wasn't very high given his age and lack of agility. Alicia glared at her former minister one last time, taking note that his toes were now but a few inches away from the boiling surface, she then hocked back a huge glob of saliva and spat at him with enough force that it successfully landed on the side of his face. She then began turning the crank more aggressively, which almost dropped the old man into the oil as he rapidly descended inside the cauldron.
If Beardsley was screaming loudly before, he managed to reach a new level of volume as his screams of pain echoed across the square and throughout the fortress. Even the birds perched on the ramparts flew off in a panic upon hearing the noises of his blood curdling cries. Many people were forced to cover their ears in an attempt to preserve their hearing, collectively thinking that it didn't seem possible for an old man to scream so loudly.
In the Queen's private box, the Dark Elves watched impassively, with the exclusion of Luca who seemed to have a sadistic smile of satisfaction on her face at seeing a human being boiled alive, more specifically a human that wanted to rape a female. Chloe seemed to share in this sense of relief, though she schooled her features and retained an aloof facade, though if one looked close enough, one could see a ghost of a smile that made her lips twitch slightly. Naruto for his part was thinking about a certain howler monkey he encountered years ago in Konoha due to Beardsley's screeching.
The similarity of that screaming almost perturbed him. Almost. He shoved those thoughts aside and watched the execution continue. It wasn't long before Beardsley's flesh began to redden and blister, his body writhing and contorting in pain as he thrashed around in the cauldron, trying to escape his own execution. However, his feet weren't touching the bottom, nor could he find any purchase to help him get out of the cauldron. All he really succeeded in doing was making some oil splash against the sides of the cauldron and on the ground.
The smell of burning flesh filled the air, making a number of observers feel sick and cover their mouths. Even Prim covered her mouth in horror as she bore witness to her first execution. She had always been sheltered by her father and lived in a tiny little world of parties, balls, and the occasional courting, never before had she seen a man be put to death before, much less by means of boiling, yet here she was. She focused her eyes on her cousin who was staring at the former minister with a cold and grim expression.
Eventually, Beardsley's cries died in his throat and his struggles soon ceased as his insides were roasted and scalded by the boiling oil, until eventually all he could do was twitch uncontrollably, blood began pouring from his eyes, his nostrils, his ears and mouth until finally he stopped moving entirely. Once he had expired, Alicia turned the crank a few more times, allowing his body to sink into the boiling cauldron once and for all.
It was done now. It was finally over. The man who had attempted to betray and enslave her was gone now. A mixture of feelings and emotions filled her. On the one hand, she was glad that the traitor was gone and had been appropriately punished for his crimes. She was free of him now. On the other hand… she had just taken the life of another human. A horrible one, but still a human, in what can only be described as a painful and cruel method of execution. She didn't know what she felt now at this moment.
It didn't feel like guilt, no, definitely not guilt. It was a more complex feeling that she couldn't put a name to. Perhaps it was… what was the word? Understanding? Was that it? For so long, she had been fighting the monsters of the Legion. Everything was cut into black and white then. Fight the monsters, protect the people. Simple.
Now? Things were getting more complex and far more gray. Honestly… she didn't really know what to do with what could be called gray areas. She slowly turned towards her captor, noticing that he was staring at her, almost as if he could read her mind, or at least her face as easily as one would read a book. He then mouthed one word 'Later' promising to speak with her at a later time.
Honestly speaking… she would actually welcome it. She had a lot of things on her mind recently, though there was perhaps one thought more than any other that had plagued her mind throughout the long night. If Slavery was happening within her own Fortress, unseen and unchecked… where else could it be practiced? It could be happening everywhere in Eos then. Was the Church truly complicit by turning a blind eye to these heathen practices? If so… what was she even fighting for then?
She inhaled deeply and remembered that she didn't take up the sword for the Church. It was for the sake of the people, for the sake of her cousin, and her friends that she became a Knight. Her duty had never changed. Her duty was to fight evil, no matter the guise it took. If Slavery was still alive in Eos… then duty and honor demanded that she fight and root out this evil wherever it may be. Human, non-human, all life was sacred and worth protecting.
To shackle others for coin was sacrilege and evil. Perhaps… she should consider forming a new alliance with the Dark Queen and her son? She glanced back towards Prim and saw that her cousin seemed to be deep in thought as well as their gazes met, even without words, they could tell what the other was thinking…
They had not been stripped of their titles after being held captive, they had not been treated as trophies or toys by their captors. Their captors behaved with honor, integrity, and kindness. They had been treated with respect and care. They both nodded at each other in agreement… if the Church was truly corrupt and allowing slavery in Eos… then that was something they wouldn't and couldn't tolerate.
The two princesses then stared up at the sky, hoping that their friends could see the truth as well. However, they also were deeply concerned for their friend Celestine, the current Icon and Goddess of the Church… what would happen to her if she found out the truth? Would the Church turn on her? Take her as a hostage? That was… a very disturbing thought.
Celestine was a pure and good person. She never saw herself as above others because of her High Elf or Goddess status, and she always fostered and cared for lost, abandoned or orphaned children. If she knew the truth, there was no doubt she would be appalled and would see the cruel practices of slavery ended.
For now though… it was time to talk of the prospect of an alliance. Later, just as Naruto promised. Yes… Later.
Meanwhile. White Citadel.
Celestine sat in her meditation chambers, sitting in a lotus position on a large, plush and comfy cushion. Her face was calm and serene as she slowly opened her eyes. "Something has changed." She muttered quietly, she wasn't sure what… but she was certain that the threads of fate had been plucked somehow or other.
Even without her visions, she still possessed strong magic and could still sense things. Something was happening in the First Fortress, she wasn't sure what, but something of great significance had happened, though she wasn't sure what. Whatever it was, she was certain that either the Dark Queen or her mysterious Forgemaster was a part of it.
She closed her eyes to resume her meditation, trying to get a feel of what may be occurring in Eos. She sensed a sweeping darkness, a corruption throughout the realm, there was great evil afoot… and it seemed to be coming from everywhere, from all around, though she could not pinpoint the origin. Still, this was perturbing. The strength of evil was growing, there was no doubt of this, and worse… the people would undoubtedly suffer for it.
She heard the doors of her meditation chambers opening, breaking her from her musings as she opened her eyes and turned to see Klaus, Claudia's husband enter inside, his arms filled with a large number of books and tomes that he seemed to be struggling a little with. "Celestine-sama! Apologies for interrupting, but I believe this may be urgent." He called out as he rushed towards the goddess herself, which caused him to stumble and fall to the floor, causing his books to hit the marble with a loud thud and slide across the room.
Celestine rose to her feet and helped collect the fallen books as she asked him "What is it Klaus? What's wrong?"
The scholar got up from the floor and adjusted his glasses and then used his forearm to wipe some of the sweat off his head as he breathed heavily. Evidently he had been running for some time now. After catching his breath, Klaus began to speak "I have been helping Claudia with her investigation and noticed some strange things. We first did an inventory of the Church armory to see if any equipment had been stolen by the imposters posing as Church soldiers. All armor, gear and weapons were accounted for and no reports of stolen items had ever been made."
At this news, the goddess let out a soft gasp as she muttered "If nothing is stolen… then that strongly implies that… Church soldiers are indeed extorting and robbing people."
Klaus nodded his head and then produced another book, one that was used to keep a record of the Church finances. Why would he have that? "After finding out that Church Soldiers may be stealing coin, I began checking through Church finances to see how far this corruption went and see what else had been potentially stolen. I then found evidence of certain… discrepancies. Records of tithes and large sums of coin being given to the Church, all by unnamed donors. What's even stranger is that these donations are all being handled by a select group of bishops, and these 'donations' have been going on for years." Klaus explained, pointing to a series of names that repeatedly appeared in the ledger.
"Bribery, maybe? But for what?" Celestine muttered thoughtfully, recognizing the names of the Bishops. All of them being quite influential and have been in power within the Church for many, many years. Something wasn't right.
"I'm not sure. I need to dig deeper." Klaus muttered as he adjusted his glasses, rapidly flipping through the pages. Celestine pursed her lips, knowing that greed was almost always the root cause of corruption, and where corruption festered, bad things always followed. If the upper echelons of the Church were indeed corrupt and also allowing their soldiers to rob the people… then… wait…..
"This… this can't be a coincidence." Celestine muttered, her blood running cold upon coming to a sudden realization. Her bishops, her advisors, had pushed for her to send Vult and his Kuroinu to capture the Dark Queen upon learning that Olga would lose her powers. Now she has lost her own powers of clairvoyance as well. This proves that these events are connected. Had… Had the Church planned for this? Planned for Olga's downfall followed by her own? Why? What would they have to gain from betraying her? Their own goddess?
"What? What did you say, Celestine-sama?" Klaus asked, not hearing the High Elf who was currently biting her lip.
"Continue your investigations. We need to look deeper into this. I do not wish to jump to false conclusions or arrest the wrong people… but be wary Klaus-san. Tell no one and be wary of who you trust. I fear that the Legion are now the least of our concerns." She ordered, causing the scholar to bow deeply and nod in understanding before departing as he collected the remaining books and ran off with all haste… however he forgot the book that had the records and inventory of the Church armory.
He burst through the doors and a pair of loud yelps came from behind them, one Celestine recognized as Klaus' voice, the other sounding feminine. She heard Klaus shout some sort of apology before continuing on, and then a new figure entered the goddess' chambers. The Bishop Eleonora Bern, or Bishop El for short.
"Bishop El… what a surprise. How long were you there?" Celestine asked in suspicion, what a strange coincidence that a Bishop so happened to be just outside while Klaus was giving his report.
"Not long, I had just arrived. Poor Klaus almost tripped over me, gave me quite a fright." Eleonora replied with a soft giggle while brushing aside a lock of hair. The female Bishop then glanced down at the tome the goddess was currently holding and asked "What's that?"
The High Elf glanced at the armory's ledger, and decided to test and see what the Bishop had heard. She didn't like lying or deceiving others… but right now, the people she could trust seemed to be growing exponentially shorter by the day, if not by the hour. "A ledger for the Church armory. It would seem that several sets of armor and weapons were stolen." Celestine lied, her words making the Bishop's eyes flash with anger.
"So it is true, just as I suspected. It is truly reprehensible for bandits to impersonate Church soldiers and steal coin from the people. I hope these criminals are found and lashed for this." The Female Bishop spoke venomously. Huh… interesting reaction. There was no surprise or deception in her voice, she truly believed that this was the work of bandits and thieves, not legitimate Church Soldiers.
"Bishop El… if I may ask… what does the Church mean to you?" Celestine questioned, earning a raised eyebrow from the clergywoman.
"Pardon? What a strange question." The clergywoman muttered and could only stare in confusion at the High Elf. There was a long and tense silence, sensing the dissatisfaction of the goddess Eleonora then spoke "I have always believed the Church to be a symbol of peace and equality. Our duty is to protect and care for others, especially the less fortunate and to defeat the Legion, lest the pillage, burn and violate their way across Eos."
"But what if the Legion isn't the real problem? What if evil already exists within our very own borders? In our homes? Amongst us?" Celestine asked, though it seemed she was directing the questions to herself as she closed her eyes in deep contemplation.
"Celestine-sama? What are you saying? You're… you're scaring me." The clergywoman muttered, never having seen the elven goddess act or speak in this manner. It was almost like some kind of ill omen.
"Imagine how I must feel now…" Celestine muttered, feeling blind and lost. For so long, thanks to her clairvoyance she could always peer into the future, see disasters coming and plan ahead for them, or share good tidings with the people to lift their spirits. Now? Everything seemed so uncertain.
"Never mind. What did you need of me?" Celestine asked, wondering why the female bishop had sought her out.
Eleonora gave a quick bow and then replied "Yes. We have received word that the Legion armies are beginning to form up and will soon be on the march to the Second Fortress. The people are getting scared and wish to know what to expect." At this, Celestine felt her heart sink… the people were expecting her to have a vision. Of hope or victory, something, anything, so that they at least know what was going on.
The High elf slowly nodded, and followed the Clergywoman out of her chambers, after making their way through a series of halls and rounding a few corners, Celestine found herself standing on a terrace overlooking the large square in front of her Cathedral. She saw hundreds, maybe thousands of people in the square, looking up at her expectantly, waiting anxiously for her to speak.
The female Bishop handed a scroll to the High Elf, who accepted it with brief hesitation. She unfurled it and began reading its contents. She then cleared her throat and began to speak down towards the people "My friends, my neighbors, my people, I have just received word that the Legion army will soon be on the march towards the Second Fortress. Before her capture, the Princess Prim hired The Hakuro mercenaries, headed by Leona to reinforce her Fortress. Currently, a force of 1,000 Church soldiers are on a forced march to further reinforce them! Graves Levantine is on his way now with his own forces, to beat back the Legion army and halt their advance."
Her words earned a wave of relieved sighs from many of the Civilians, who accepted this news with gladdened smiles. Then from somewhere in the crowd shouted up at her, asking "Celestine-sama! What news about the Dark Queen? What have your visions revealed to you?" All at once, many people began shouting these same questions.
Ah… that is what she feared. The people wanted to know if she had any visions. Right now, she had three options before her. First, she could lie and tell the people what she believed that they wanted to hear to appease them, at the risk of losing their trust. Second, she could say that she hadn't yet had any visions, which would not be a lie per se, but it would leave the people dissatisfied and wouldn't stop them from asking again later. Third… she could tell them the whole truth, and place her faith and trust in them.
"Everyone… I have a confession to make." She spoke, tears brimming in her eyes, but despite her fears, she remained resolute as the people looked up at her, wondering what she was about to say. "I was told not to reveal this to you, for fear that you may panic or lose hope… however, I cannot and will not bring myself to betray the trust and faith you have in me. The truth is, I have recently lost my powers of foresight by unknown means."
At her confession, a series of shocked gasps echoed throughout the square as people stared up at the High Elf with wide eyes, even Bishop Eleonora couldn't suppress an audible gasp as she covered her mouth in shock. Of all the things that the goddess could have said, that was something they never could have or would have expected to hear in their entire lives.
"Yes. You all heard me correctly… I cannot peer into the future. I know you are scared, I know you are afraid, but I also know that all of you are stronger than this. I know that together, we can overcome these trials we face! Please! I beg of you! Do not give into your fears or despair! Have faith in each other, protect each other, be good to each other!
Together, you can be stronger than any army, and have the power to dispel the darkness of evil! Together, the love, faith and trust you all share can be a wall that no army can smash down! Please! Save each other! You must protect each other! For whatever it is worth… I am sorry that I failed you. However! With or without my powers of clairvoyance, I will fight for you all unto my dying breath and dispel the evils that plague us… no matter what form they may take!" The Goddess shouted down to her people, pouring her very heart and soul into her words as tears freely flowed down her cheeks.
Once she was done speaking, her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her heart thundered in her chest as she awaited the people's reactions. There was silence for a few long moments… then suddenly, someone in the crowd began to cheer, then this was followed by more cheers, and more and more until everyone began cheering at the top of their lungs for their goddess until their cries echoed throughout the White Citadel.
"Celestine-sama! Celestine-sama!" The people chanted loudly, showing their support for the benevolent High Elf. Young, old, rich, poor, all of the people cheered her name, moved to tears by her unwavering compassion and loyalty, and by her trust in them. All they could do in turn was repay that trust and loyalty in kind and show her their support.
"Claudia-san… you gave the people too little credit. Hope is still alive! So long as we keep fighting for all that is good in the world… the people won't lose themselves to the darkness." Celestine spoke to herself, then out of the corner of her eye, on the edges of the crowd she saw a small group of Bishops conversing with each other and glaring at her… it would seem her words had somehow angered others.
This clenched it for her… it would seem that the invading Legion, was perhaps NOT the most dire threat they faced. One thing she had forgotten during her time amongst humans, living as their goddess and living a life of comfort and ease… was that countless humans wore masks, each concealing their own sins… and their own demons.
End Chapter Five.