The Great Hero Chose To Die

HELL

Vega City, The Setareh Vespera Basilica

"The White Knight will be reborn into the world?" The Pope, the highest authority of the Holy Flame Theocracy, asked, a cold glint in his eyes. He was an old man, nearing his late fifties, but the years of stress managing the Theocracy made him look almost 70.

"Indeed. The Goddess Ardere revealed this to me mere moments ago." The woman wearing a blindfold responded. In a shockingly sharp contrast, his only peer looked to be in her mid-to-late 20s, still maintaining her beauty and seductive allure. "On the brightest night in the continent's history, walking out a landscape of hellfire and purgatory, the White Knight shall be born anew, washed in the flames of judgement."

This woman was the Oracle, or more infamously titled, the Infernal Maiden. She was a diviner – a being who could see the future. Calling her a diviner even, felt somewhat insulting. Amongst diviners, who were already a rarity, she was something more unique. A far more special being.

"Where are they?" He asked, his tone apathetic. It wasn't that he didn't care, but that a mundane task such as an extraction wouldn't even cause a strain on his resources. "We will have to fetch them quickly, before anything happens."

"In one of the victis villages, near the Bewildering Forests. A child, who recently awakened.", She abruptly said, a cunning smile on her face.

The pope grimaced, glaring at the oracle.

"You..." He held back his tongue. Allowing his annoyance to damn him here was not an option. "How exactly do you want me to do this, hm?"

"My, my, is the Great Pope scared of a sleeping dog?" She said, wearing a coy grin on her face.

"Ever heard the expression, leave sleeping dogs be?" He remarked. Quietly, he sighed and put his hand to his head, rubbing his temple.

The Bewildering Forests were located on the outskirts of the Dura Region of the Xander Kingdom. Meaning, it was safeguarded by the Bizelli Family, a ducal family famously known for their Hunting Hounds. No major power could step into their territory without being sniffed out.

Even then, considering it was a Victis village, located in the Neutral Ground, made it somewhat harder. If rumours were to spread of some of his men taking a child from the Neutral Ground, the Allied Northern Nations and Ozman Empire would start to investigate the theocracy.

A common solution would be to hire mercenaries from the Crimson Sea to handle it, but then again, trusting a mission as important as this to crass mercenaries who didn't even have a 70% chance of mission success was completely out of the option.

The only ones he could delegate this mission to were members of the Black Hand, but even then, it was quite the tedious choice. Any risky moves made now could easily result in an extremely difficult situation.

The pope could feel himself aging by the second.

"Certainly, but even you can't deny just how important the White Knight is to our cause." She said. "Even I, am not certain when another one will be born."

The Pope looked at the Infernal Maiden. Truly, the title of infernal would aptly describe what this woman had put him through in their years together.

"If you acquire the White Knight, I shall tell you how I retain my youthful form." The oracle added.

"Maybe it is worth looking into, after all." He gave in, a smirk now present on his face.

"I am pleased you are willing to look into it.", With that said, the oracle sat up and took her leave, accompanied by her twin acolytes.