Chapter 372: Blessed One’s

The two stared at one another coldly. Michael braced himself for the truth, while Constance wondered if he should even say it. The stalemate lasted for minutes, the silence making both of them tense.

"You know if I tell you, you will be excommunicated. There is no going back, Michael. Right now, I am willing to let you stay if you swear on your honour to never divulge what you read here." Constacne knew that for a normal man, swearing on something like honour would be pointless, but Michael was different. He valued things like that more than his own life.

Michael thought deeply about it and closed his eyes. The silence lasted for another thirty seconds, but seeing his eyes open, Constance knew he wanted the truth before he said a word. "Tell me? You’ve already crushed everything I once believed in, Constance. I could have never gone back."

Constance sighed and looked at the sword at his waist. "Can you promise not to kill me at least once I’ve said?" Michael nodded, and only then did he feel safe. Walking over to another book, he pulled it out. Its empty cover showed no indication of its content, but Constance knew it was the most valuable thing in the room.

"The Blessed Ones are those with knowledge that far surpasses our own." Constance opened the book and started to read, "They know things that are foreign to our world. Knowledge and skills that would have taken an untold number of years for us to figure out on our own. Some of it for the best, some of it for the worst. Quite literally, the knowledge of Sol. They are dangerous because they know what we don’t. They can bring about things we didn’t know existed."

Michael looked at him in confusion, "This was the dark secret. The thing you feared?" It was too simple, and Michael scoffed, shaking his head.

"No. All of them were insane." Constance sighed and opened the book on a certain page near the end. "It gets louder." He started to read the contents of the page, "The voice. It was once unclear. At first, it helped, told me things. But now. It wants me to do things. The divine Knowledge of Sol that was once a blessing has become a curse. Whatever this is, it’s eating away at me. Fighting for control."

Constance closed the book and returned it. "That is just one of many examples. Not all of them were so extreme." Constance turned around, "Each generation of Pope’s tried to understand what it was, and we all came to the same conclusion. The Blessed ones are possessed. They house another in their body. Can you imagine what it would mean to tell the world that the Blessed Ones, those chosen by Sol, are crazy."

Michael looked at Constance and opened his mouth. "You’re a fool." Constance raised his eyebrow in surprise. He didn’t expect that would be the first thing Michael would say.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I wanted something to destroy Alfred’s reputation, and you just told me that he is possessed. If this were known, we could have destroyed him. Instead..." Michael paused, pacing back and forth, "Instead, you destroyed my faith in the church, destroyed everything I held dear just because you were scared of losing power."

"That’s not why I did this, Michael," Constance said angrily, his beautiful face slowly warping. Clicking his tongue, he scoffed, "Fine. Leave here and tell everyone that Alfred and the Blessed Ones before him were possessed. Do you know what he will say? He and those before him shared a body with Sol’s divine spirit. You wouldn’t destroy him, you would give him more religious justification than we could ever imagine."

Michael wanted to argue, but couldn’t. Looking at Constance, he knew he had a point. Constance sighed and claimed down, "You know that in the past, a Blessed One tried and failed to lead a schism against the church."

"Of course. Damon ’The Traitor.’" Michael said quickly.

"That was his writing, transcribed into the book. It’s truly a pitiful tale. A man who loved Sol more than his own life led a brutal schism and was eventually killed by the institution he once held dear. The story we tell is that he believed he knew better than the church, but the reality is that we don’t know why he did it. Soon after, he stops writing."

Michael lowered his head, but suddenly realised something, "Alfred." Looking at Constance, his eyes opened wide in shock. "The information we have of him as a child isn’t a lot, but enough. A cruel boy who tortured animals and was hidden away as a kid. That’s not who he is anymore."

"You jest. He’s a tyrant."

"I know that much, but he isn’t a sadist like he was as a child." Michael took a deep breath. He didn’t know if his thinking was right, but it felt like he realised something. "The boy was an incredibly competent ruler for someone who was hidden away his whole life. What if the man we have been fighting all this time isn’t Alfred Lindonfall but the thing that is housed in his body? What if, like Damon, the young Prince lost control after his father’s death and it took over?"

Constance froze, having never thought of it like that before. "Then we have been fighting Sol’s will, Michael." Constance bitterly said with a smile of self-mockery. "We are betraying our lord."

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"Where is His Holiness?" Gabriel asked Elijah coldly.

"I don’t know. People saw Michael storm into his office, and the two walked off." It was obvious to Gabriel that Elijah lacked some of the warmth he had previously, like something was missing or taken from him.

"Get Ramiel. His Holiness may be in danger."

"Why? Why do you assume that?" Elijah stood up and stopped Gabriel from walking off. "Do you honestly believe Michael would harm his Holiness?"

"Michael isn’t Sol’s Sword anymore, Elijah. The man is an empty husk looking into things that don’t concern him." The two stared at one another for a minute. "Move." Gabriel broke the tense silence. Elijah looked at him distainfully but complied, stepping aside. Running down the halls, he had a bad feeling and ran for the Silver Throne room.

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"What are you going to do?" Constance asked quietly. Looking at the books surrounding him, Michael smiled.

"Read. I won’t rush a decision, but I hope you will honour me like I did you, Constance."

"You don’t call me, Your Holiness anymore. I think we both know what you will do." Constance said softly. "I will let you read the truths hidden here. But don’t blame me for what I do afterwards."

"Like you, I will do what I feel is right." Constance nodded and finally left the room. Walking out, he saw Gabriel running down the long hall in a panic.

"Your Holiness." Bowing, he looked behind him at the silver throne. "Is Michael inside?" His voice was murderous, but Constance stopped him, putting a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Relay my words. Entry into the Silver Throne room is forbidden until further notice, and Grand Templar Michael is excommunicated from the Church and is to be treated as an enemy of Sol." COnstacne looked back with regret, "Leave him here for now. He deserves that much at least."

Gabriel wanted to counter and say it was dangerous, but stopped himself and lowered his head, "If that is your wish, Your Holiness."

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The news travelled around the Holy Seat quickly. Many couldn’t believe such an order was passed down. Gabriel and Ramiel ran around the Holy Seat preparing all the Templars they could gather and had them ready outside the Door to the Silver Throne Room.

Watching from a balcony above, Constacne looked round and chuckled. It felt like the entire clergy had come to watch the events about to take place. Constance looked back down at the double doors and frowned. He expected something like this to happen, but many of the Templars blocked the door, making their alliance with Michael clear.

It was only to be expected. Michael wasn’t just a Grand Templar. He was a living legend of the Church, one of the greatest warriors to live. He had fought and bled alongside many of the Templars. Looking at his own men, Gabriel stood with a cold face whilst Rameil quietly prayed, a deep, sad frown on his face.

Hours passed, but no one left. Even as they got hungry, no one wanted to miss the moment when Michael left the room. Constance wondered if he would even leave, or get lost in the knowledge, but the door opened and standing calmly, Michael held a book, his face dark.

"Michael. Don’t make this harder than it has to be." Gabriel spoke, only getting a glance from the old man. His eyes darted to Ramiel, who lowered his head in regret, and then Elijah, who was fighting a conflict within himself.

Looking up at the balcony, he saw Constance watching with a blank expression. With a deep breath, he looked around, "The Church has lied to us for generations. And I have proof."