"Not I—They want it."
Sylvester had heard it so many times already, from the ghost of the first Pope and now him. His patience wore thin; he wanted to get straight to the point, "Who? The beings whom you've sold your freedom to?"
"The gods who need no prayers." Saint Scepter replied, not offended by Sylvester's words in the slightest. "Have you not realized it yet? We are not born in this world out of nature—but because of their will."
'So reincarnations weren't random.' Sylvester finally found some answers.
"Who are they? What do they want from me? Why do they want my servitude?" Sylvester questioned him. He knew he wasn't going to be able to escape from that Supreme Void that easily, so he at least wanted to know all the terms beforehand.
Saint Scepter extended his staff toward Sylvester, and at the head of the staff, realistic imagery formed once more. In the images, various people appeared with the mitre of the Pope or in various armors, likely the Saint Scepters.
'All the reincarnated Popes and Saint Scepters?' Sylvester deduced from that. 'Isn't he revealing too much?'
"All those who arrived before, came because 'they' willed. Including myself, we worked for all their wishes to be fulfilled." Saint Scepter showed the faces of all the reincarnated in holographic magical imagery. "From the moment we took our first breath, every aspect of our lives was under their control. But then appeared an anomaly, beyond their control, with an unknown role."
'I'm the anomaly?' Sylvester finally understood the meaning. 'Buf, if it's not 'they' who brought me, then who? Solis?'
Bang!
Saint Scepter slammed the butt of his staff on the infinite void-like floor, creating ripples in the space itself, akin to waves in the water. "The anomaly must be restrained. It's an unbreakable law in this world ingrained—They are supreme, to oppose them is impossible, even in your dream."
'Why have they allowed me to live until now? Why did the Pope treat me with such kindness and sincerity? Everything that has happened in my life until now has pushed me to grow stronger—this couldn't be a coincidence.' Sylvester tried to reason within his mind.
Sylvester understood that nothing in life was plain and simple for a man of Saint Scepter's caliber. Behind his words lay meanings upon meanings, and actions hiding other true intentions.
"Your Holiness, don't accept the terms." Inquisitor High Lord sternly voiced, though he didn't fully grasp the entirety of the conversation between the two. He speculated on the talk about 'they,' but the words about their arrival in the world were mysterious. "Do not yield to the demands of these worms. They are the traitors of the Holy Land—devil's spawns; ignore their demands."
Sylvester appreciated the old man's concern for him. Truly, the Inquisitor High Lord had placed his heart, mind, soul, and hope in him. "You're right, Lord Inquisitor. Any god that forces two continents into war can be no god—just a Demon pretending to be one."
"You cannot oppose them; you cannot survive if they decide to condemn." Saint Scepter warned him sternly. "Struggle if that is your desire. But don't hope for victory, for you lack what it requires."
Sylvester tried to discern the meaning behind Saint Scepter's words. 'Is he scared of them?'
"Lord Inquisitor, Emperor Raz, if you wish to stand down, I'll honor your choices. But I wish to continue this fight—even here." Sylvester declared openly, almost lying to himself, to bolster his own confidence.
The Inquisitor High Lord stepped forward, standing beside Sylvester. His heavy metallic staff ignited, flames blazing a vivid red. His scarlet robes radiate with crimson, and his eyes behind the visor even brighter. "Let there be fire—let there be fury."
Clack!
Emperor Raz, who was now bare-chested, revealing his metallic black skeleton, stepped forward too. "I'm already dead—If I die again fighting these Demon spawns, it's worth it."
"Do you not wish to save your mother?" Saint Scepter asked, reminding Sylvester of the stakes.
Sylvester was extremely worried for her, but he didn't show it on his face. "If I accept this servitude, she'd kill herself in grief. Only in my victory can there be relief."
At that moment, Sylvester was playing the biggest gamble of his life. He knew that just fighting wouldn't give him a way out, but before he made a decision, he had to be sure of every doubt in his mind.
Woosh!
Sylvester kicked the ground and launched himself toward Saint Scepter. He gave no heed to what kind of power Saint Scepter had anymore. All he knew was that the spear in his hands could pierce the man's skin. But sadly, the Solarium depletion was an issue he couldn't solve in that void as he had done with Niel's—as this wasn't imperfect.
While Sylvester launched himself forward, Lord Inquisitor also moved, drifting on the ground with flames under his feet. His staff had turned into an enormous fire sword, more than ten meters in length, and a meter in width. The main body of the staff was merely the handle of the blade.
At the same time, Emperor Raz flew since he was a Supreme Wizard. His eye sockets shined green at that moment, and he opened his jaw to release some green gas. Roars of unknown beasts echoed from that dense mist—what it was; none had any idea.
All three went all out with their attacks but remained close enough to work together in the attacks.
Slash—Sylvester was the first to reach the man and swung the bone spear. Inquisitor High Lord wasn't far behind and leaped from down below, thrusting his spear upward with precision.
Clack!
"Where did he go?" Sylvester exclaimed as Saint Scepter suddenly vanished. Sylvester and the Inquisitor High Lord's spears collided instead.
"Below us!" Emperor Raz shouted.
Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor looked down. But as soon as they did, their perception of land changed, and they began an endless descent. The invisible floor that was supposed to be there was now absent, as Saint Scepter stood below it.
"This is my Supreme Void—Of your common senses of time and space; this place is devoid." Saint Scepter muttered and vanished again.
Sylvester and the Inquisitor High Lord experienced yet another change in the direction of their fall, and now went sideways as the sense of gravity shifted once again. It continued to happen, and they couldn't find ground for themselves.
Sylvester immediately tried to stop their fall and build cages of Light Tiles around them, in all six directions. As they remained suspended, no matter which sides the gravity changed to, they finally stabilized.
"His abilities are related to the mind, so this Void has to be related to that." Sylvester tried to find some way to gain a hand in the battle. "Do you have any ideas, Lord Inquisitor?"
"None, but I have questions." Lord Inquisitor replied. "What are his true intentions? He hasn't killed us when he could without batting an eye. It seems his desperation to have you enslaved is high."
Sylvester agreed and decided to follow the rest of the conversation with the man mentally. "Lord Inquisitor, do you remember the meeting when the Shadow Knight was being discussed? Saint Scepter was ordered to ensure my safety—yet I was attacked by Shadow Knight, almost died, and nobody came to help."
Inquisitor High Lord remembered that day as if it was yesterday. It was the moment when his faith in the Pope began to waver. "I remember the day. Such incompetence is not Saint Scepter's way."
Sylvester nodded silently and stopped talking. There was more to Saint Scepter than what meets the eye, but to find out, he didn't know how high the cost would be.
Without hesitation, Sylvester dispersed the Light Tiles. Inquisitor High Lord used fire to propel himself through the air, and Sylvester used the tiles again. They directed their gaze to the left, where Emperor Raz was battling Saint Scepter.
Green mist covered Emperor Raz's mouth, but from that mist came massive tentacles adorned with sharp spikes. They attacked Saint Scepter, even causing him to dodge.
"I'm glad he's on our side," Sylvester muttered, seeing the horrors Emperor Raz unleashed. What kind of existence was that man? What would he evolve into if he were to surpass the Supreme Wizard rank? A dark god? They could only wonder.
Sylvester went ahead to support the undead lich. Utilizing his light magic, he propelled himself toward Saint Scepter. But knowing that only his Platinum Knight-level strength could help him fight, he avoided using too much magic.
He jumped onto one of the tentacles coming out of Emperor Raz's mouth and followed the Saint Scepter's movements. Sylvester was faster than the tentacles and Saint Scepter, as the latter was not a knight.
BOOM!
Sylvester threw his spear instead of approaching the man himself. The shockwave generated by his throw even pushed the tentacles away, and the spear itself caught fire due to the friction with the air. It zoomed past faster than one could blink.
But Saint Scepter didn't budge from his place and looked at the spear instead. He allowed it to reach him, but the moment it was about to impale him, he caught the spear with his hand as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
Sylvester cursed under his breath and pressed forward, forming a spear of light magic in his hands instead. 'How strong is he?'
Slash—Just then, Lord Inquisitor swung his humongous fire sword at Saint Scepter, as fast as he could. It was gigantic enough to cover his enemy whole.
Clasp!
However, Saint Scepter stopped the blade of fire with his bare hand instead. With no emotions in his eyes, he also anticipated Sylvester's arrival and used his other hand to catch the spear of light before it stabbed his head.
In a stalemate, with both hands occupied, it gave Emperor Raz the opportunity he was waiting for. No words had to be spoken. They had planned it on the go. Wasting no time, Emperor Raz swung all the sharp tentacles toward Saint Scepter's body. Its sharp blades were covered in black poison—just one small scratch was all they needed to win.
"The Void is supreme." Saint Scepter abruptly muttered, and his eyes started to shine too much. A massive amount of intense heat radiated from him, which Sylvester and Lord Inquisitor could clearly feel. "I knew before you even started your scheme."
Saint Scepter's eyes kept shining as the tentacles inched closer to him. The man stood with no worry, like a god toying with children. There was no sense of worry, no sense of hurry.
"Raz! Get back!" Sylvester roared, sensing the impending doom.
"Too late." Saint Scepter muttered.
Shwoo—beams of white light shot out from Saint Scepter's eyes. Their heat was so intense that Sylvester felt his skin burn just by being in the vicinity, even though he was immune to fire.
The twin white beams traveled at the speed of light, and as Saint Scepter moved his head, the beams started to slice the tentacles like hot knives through butter. Emperor Raz's pained grunts came not long after as the rays reached him and struck his body.
Sylvester dispelled his light spear and freed himself. He kicked Saint Scepter below the waist, where the man was most vulnerable. He punched him at the same time, right below his jaw.
Boom!
The impact threw Saint Scepter back a few meters. His laser eyes lost their focus. He couldn't see his surroundings when shooting the beams, Sylvester deduced.
However, while Sylvester freed himself and saved Emperor Raz, Saint Scepter still caught Lord Inquisitor's staff. Using his supreme strength, he grabbed Lord Inquisitor's hands and squeezed them, crushing them into a paste of bones and meat, merging it with the deformed metal staff.
But without even a grunt, Lord Inquisitor's body erupted in flames, fully crimson in color. Fearless, he released the spear and used the very crushed hands to grab Saint Scepter's skull, igniting raging flames, covering the entire head.
"I am… ashamed to have given you… my loyalty!" Lord Inquisitor roared, sounding truly disappointed and enraged. His heavy voice caused the very air to vibrate with intensity. "When to this world, you've only gifted cruelty!"
Saint Scepter, whose deadly hands were on their way to grab the Lord Inquisitor's head, stopped and fell back—allowing Lord Inquisitor to unleash more fury on him. But it didn't seem like he was affected by it in the slightest—a Grand Wizard's magic wasn't enough to strike deeper than his skin.
"Sometimes..." Saint Scepter replied, sounding different for the first time, showing emotions. But his hands began to move again. "...we don't have a say in situations—Despite repulsion, we have to fulfill certain obligations."
'Sadness!' Sylvester exclaimed from a distance.
"Let him go!" Sylvester shouted. He used every ounce of strength in his legs to reach Saint Scepter and save Lord Inquisitor, since he had no idea where those 'obligations' ended.
Time seemed to move too slowly at that instant, despite everything happening so fast. Already having achieved great speed, Sylvester reached for Lord Inquisitor to push him away. But before he could do that, Saint Scepter chose to release the man on his own, stretching his arms to embrace Sylvester instead.
It happened right before his gaze. Sylvester saw Saint Scepter's eyes shining bright white again, and a beam shot toward him. He tried his best to dodge using air elemental, but he wasn't faster than the speed of light.
BAM!
The next thing he knew, he was in Saint Scepter's tight embrace, locked between his immovable arms. But there was blood spraying everywhere, drenching both men in crimson.
Sylvester didn't feel it but saw it—his right arm flying past Saint Scepter and falling behind him, destroyed, crushed, and burned, with almost nothing left of it.
The pain was something he was used to, but this time it felt different. The wounds refused to heal, oozing blood efferent.
"Do you accept the Blood Contract?" Murmured Saint Scepter into his ear.
Sylvester looked around himself, at the infinite void. Lord Inquisitor stood aside, worried, his hands crushed. Behind, Emperor Raz sat on the floor, a chunk of his ribcage and shoulder missing.
At last, glancing at his own right shoulder and then at Saint Scepter—the man looked unharmed, except for some torn, dirtied clothes, and burn marks.
"What are the terms?" He asked in a low voice.
Saint Scepter didn't speak verbally but sent the words right into Sylvester's mind.
'With the key, follow me into the hidden tomb's center—Open the door, and be the first to enter.'
_________________
[A/N: Just this long one today. Don't want to rush the second chapter. Too many big things are going on.]
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