Chapter 370: Truth or Stability

"Michael. How did you find this?" Elijah said in disbelief, looking at a large scroll from the Archive. Next to him were two plain books, left open. Elijah leaned back and sighed. Staring at the ceiling, he wondered what to do next.

"Elijah." Gabriel’s cold voice called out from behind. Elijah leaned further back, his head leaning over the back of the chair.

"Gabriel. Why are you here?"

"I came to see you." Gabriel walked over and took a seat opposite him. Looking down at the scroll and book Elijah had out, he frowned. "The documents of Karl Schulz. When did you take an interest in the Blessed One’s?" Gabriel’s voice went colder, and Elijah shrugged.

"Know your enemy." Picking up the book on Alfred Lindonfall that was being filled, he slid it over to Gabriel, "I already read this one. The boy is quite scary."

Gabriel took it and flicked through. "He will be dealt with."

"Of course. The church always survives after all." Elijah smirked, making Gabriel nod.

"His Holiness wishes to see you later. Be in his office at sunset." Gabriel got up and handed the book over. "Focus on your mission."

Elijah took it happily and smiled at him. Walking off, Gabriel’s eyes hardened. It wasn’t like with Michael. He couldn’t tell yet if Elijah was a threat. Despite his unccertinty the plans to have someone watch him were already forming in his mind.

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"You’ve arrived." Constance turned around nd looked at Elijah, "Have a seat." Pointing to the set of sofas, Constace sat down and poured the two a small drink. Eljah watched him carefully but did as told. Picking up the tea, he had a sip and savoured its taste."

"This is quite nice."

"Bactria, despite being a bunch of heathens, does make tea the best." Cosnatcne took a sip and smiled, "I called you for a reason."

"Michael," Elijah answered for him, and Constance nodded.

"Even if I tried to hide it, the real reason for losing his position would eventually reach yours and Rameil’s ears." Constacne sighed in regret and took another sip, "Whilst I feel bad for what I have had to do, Michael has slowly forgotten his duty. I take him with ruining Alfred’s reputation, and a year later, he has nothing. Instead he has locked himself awyai n his office, reading through old records."

"I was under the impression he did so because of his task." Elijah countered, making Constance smirk.

"At one point, he did. But now I don’t think it’s the truth." Constance stared into Elijah’s eyes," He spoke to you, didn’t he?" Elijah slightly stiffened up, not realising it himself. "There’s no need to be worried, Elijah. Talking isn’t a crime."

"He brought forward some very real worries, Your Holiness. I confirmed them." Elijah put the tea down and leaned back into his chair. "My loyalties are to the church, but it is not blind like Gabriel’s." His eyes darkened, "Tell me. Why has the Holy Text been tampered with?" Constance didn’t drop his gentle smile.

"To protect the faithful." He knew there was no point in denying. If Elijah had already brought it forward, it meant Michael definitely knew. But he could tell Elijah wasn’t on a side yet. He still had a chance to keep him. "Why do you think the church exists?"

"To pass on Sol’s teaching." Elijha awnsered quick.

"Yes and no." Constance’s smile grew wider. "We are guides. The spiritual teachers of man and the ones who will lead them to Sol’s Kingdom, but that’s not all we are. We are also the ones who keep the world stable. Sol chooses the Blessed One, but in the end, they are still human. The problem is that when a man who has been graced with Sol’s divine wisdom disrupts the world order. Look at our current situation."

Constance paused and leaned forward, "Alfred Lindonfall. A child who was meant to die at the age of twelve was to be replaced by his uncle. This was the natural order of things, but he resurrected. A miracle is performed. The world was meant to be a stalemate. Instead, the Commonwealth is no more, the Safrid Sultanate is no more, the Silesian Empire has been reformed, and the Ammary Empire has been created. All of this can be traced to one miracle performed by Sol."

Constance hardened his eyes. "If you think about Elijah, his very existence contradicts the creation story. Sol isolated himself from the realm of man as self-punishment, and then he resurrects a boy in a far-off Kingdom, who forges an Empire. Either Sol never left Gaia, or the Blessed Ones aren’t chosen by Sol."

Elijah took a sharp, cold breath. It was such an obvious thing, but no one had ever thought of it like that. The Blessed Ones had existed throughout history. Whilst it wasn’t normal for them to come about, there had been enough for no one to question it anymore. "But only Sol is capable of returning the dead back to life. Only he can give such divine knowledge."

"So Sol never left Elijah." Constance smiled, "Is that what you believe?" Elijah opened his mouth but stopped. It should have been amazing to hear that, but then it meant the entire story of creation was wrong. Sol’s self-inflicted punishment to never be with humanity again was a lie. Constance saw this and suppressed his growing smile. "Do you understand why I am stopping Michael? The truth is sometimes terrible. Either the entire foundation of the Church’s faith is wrong, or the Blessed Ones are not Sol’s chosen."

"One destroys the faith of millions, the other has consequences I can not foresee."

"It’s..." Elijah swallowed the saliva in his mouth. "This is dangerous." Constance stood up and walked by his window. He knew he couldn’t sit in front of Elijah or his smile would be too noticeable. Looking at his own reflection, he saw his beautiful face wearing a wide grin. Lowering his head and clearing his throat, it vanished.

"Exactly. I don’t hate Michael. I don’t even hate Alfred. But both men threaten to destroy the perfectly balanced world we have created. Alfred has already broken it, much like the Divine King of Prodora. A wall has been created in the West, and a new faith has been formed because of his legitimacy as a Blessed One. He has to be purged and his legacy destroyed. Sol distanced himself from Gaia and humanity for a reason. He realised his presence amongst us is dangerous. Alfred proves it."

Constacne looked deep into Elijah’s eyes. "And Michael. He could be the final straw. If he reveals the knowledge that I and those before me have hidden, he could weaken the final bastion that protects against the Khorish faithful and the new Pantheon. I can’t let that happen."

Elijah looked at Constance for a few seconds before looking away. It was obvious to anyone who looked at him how conflicted he was. On one hand, he had seen the truth that Michael found for himself, but on the other hand, he saw Constance’s reasoning. Constance knew he was close to making him loyal. "Elijah." Calling out to the Templar, he saw the hesitation in the man’s eyes, "Why did you become a Templar?" Constance already knew, but saw his chance.

Elijah froze, not expecting the question, "Because of my father. Not my real father, but a priest who raised me and a few other children in his church."

"If that is the case, why not a priest, why a Templar?" Elijah sat, deadly still, remembering his past. The joyful smile his father always wore. He always helped others deal with their sorrows and pain.

"Because I wanted to protect his faith, not spread it," Elijah said slowly, realising what he had to do.

"So will you risk the faith of those like your father. Maybe you reveal the truth, and nothing happens. The world remains faithful. Or maybe it comes out and plunges it into Chaos. The people lose their belief, the Followers of Khors have their fears confirmed that Sol is a puppet master, and Alfred Lindonfall become a beacon that will guide those betrayed by their Church." Constance walked over and rested his hand on Elijah’s shoulder. "Make a choice, but don’t regret it."

Elijah sat still. Even hearing Constanc leave, he didn’t move, his mind a mess. He knew that Michael was right. That people deserve to know they had been lied to. That the Holy Book shouldn’t be tampered with. However, on the other hand, the grim reality Constance presented was equally horrifying.

He wished he had stayed neutral and didn’t have to deal with this. He wished he had never indulged Michael’s thoughts and had seen the truth himself. Elijah knew he had to make a choice, and he had no way to avoid it anymore. He did not doubt that both men would kill him if he chose the other.

’The truth or the people.’It came down to this decision. He wasn’t like Michael. His faith didn’t shatter because it wasn’t his sole purpose in life. He still could live knowing that he suppressed the truth. But part of him didn’t want to. People like his father deserve to know the truth. Elijah leaned back into the chair and sighed.