Grand Templar Micheal barged his way through the halls of the holy seat, with four others, surrounding Constance. Their presence made others duck out of the way in fright. Michael didn’t bother being polite arriving at the destination, and threw open the door, interrupting a group of clergymen.

"Everyone disperse. Cardinal Francis, stay seated." The clergymen looked up in annoyance but seeing the frosty atmosphere of the templars they didn’t fight against his order. They had all heard the order Constance gave for the high-ranking officials to meet him and whilst they had yet to reach a conclusion, the atmosphere afterward had become tense.

Cardinal Francis sat cooly, closing the book he was reading and staring at the arrivals. It irked Constance how relaxed he was but the man didn’t let it show, sitting before the old Cardinal. Micheal took a place behind Francis.

"Cardinal," Constance stared, looking deeply into the man’s eyes. "Is there anything you wish to confess?" Francis sighed, leaning back into his chair.

"The situation with the Blessed One is most unfortunate Your Holiness, but I wonder why you are seeking me out like this." Turning to face Micheal he smirked. "Your actions of recent remind me of His Holiness Samuel’s acts all those years ago."

"Fix your tone Cardinal," Micheal said sternly causing Francis to shrug and look back at Constance. The two stared at one another in silence neither one faltering under the pressure.

"I will offer you one chance due to your years of service. So I’ll ask again. Do you have anything to confess?" Constance asked once more. Francis smiled, itching his beard.

"May I ask in what regards Your Holiness?" Francis didn’t buckle, even when hearing the grip around Micheal’s sword tighten. His question didn’t get a reply as all pairs of eyes stared deep into him. "Is it in regards to the Ammary Empire?"

Seeing Constance’s eyes harden he smirked knowing he was found. "Your Holiness." Francis leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. "I did not mean to mock your authority. Any action I took was to help you and the Church."

"And you believed assassinating the Blessed One was my will, the will of the Church and Sol?" Constance’s voice was deep and cold. Despite that Franicis could only shake his head.

"I never gave such orders. Elements of the church went rogue and for it, we are all paying a hefty price."

Constance slammed his fist on the table. "Seven clergymen confirmed dead. Many more are presumed to follow. All forms of negotiation are impossible and most importantly you have given the Blessed One the excuse to leave the Church. We were walking a tightrope trying to keep him in line. He and his power would have been necessary for any large-scale campaign against the heathens, but because of your action, this is all gone."

Francis finally showed an ounce of shame on his face hearing that but taking a deep breath it vanished. "Your Holiness?" He spoke softly. "This is a chance. The Blessed One was always a rouge element. One we couldn’t control. He had shown numerous times that he did not respect your authority. Even if these tragic events had not transpired we would be facing this exact situation down the line."

Constance scoffed and shook his head. "You think I didn’t know that. I met the man Cardinal. Every Blessed One who didn’t join the Holy Seat eventually tried to lead a schism. But we needed to prepare for when that happened. And you have made it so we are on the back foot."

"I had no part in such a stupid plan." Francis snapped back getting Micheal to rest his hand on his shoulder.

"I will not warn you a third time." Micheal’s voice was cold as he gave the warning and Francis raised his hands understanding his error.

"You may had no part in it, but it was your actions that caused it. Sending over unauthorized personnel."

Francis looked down in understanding. "Your Holiness. The situation can be salvaged still." He knew it was a matter of life and death now. Whilst he acted for the betterment of the Church, Blackwood had foiled everything. "We have to call a crusade, contain the Blessed One whilst we still can. You have the authority to strip him of his title."

"You don’t understand." Constance stood up. "We’re already behind. The Blessed One had most likely begun his plans to break away the moment he got his title, he may have been a child but he was a cunning boy back then. I needed time. I needed Severia ready, I needed the Gotics ready. I needed the Lisaponics at war. The Ammerians dealt with."

"Instead, Severia and Ammeria are in a deadlock, the Lisponics at peace and the Gotics preparing for another worthless war. I only have one King who I can trust to be at my side for any crusade I wish to call. And now, the Blessed one has a legitimate reason to break away. I needed time, and you have taken that from me." Constance walked before the Cardinal.

"This farce, you were never going to have a trial, never a fair chance to defend yourself. I just needed you to know the cost of your actions." Constance stood back and looked down at Francis. The old man had an accepting look in his eyes as he nodded. "In light of your years of service, I will give you a quick death. I won’t imprison you, treat you less than your rank."

Francis closed his eyes and smiled. Pushing himself up, he sighed and walked to the window. "Thank you, Your Holiness. Just know, whatever I did, I did for the Church and yourself. Things just went wrong." Constance nodded towards Micheal, who drew his sword and plunged it into Francis’s back. Blood shot out his mouth as he fell, clutching the window ledge, never looking away from the Sun.

"Forgive me, Sol." He struggled to get the words out his mouth as those around watched with cold eyes, waiting for the man to drop. It didn’t take long, as the old man’s body fell, his blood puddling below him.

"Sort this out." Ordering the other Templars Constance walked off with Micheal. "Micheal. Begin a clean-up. At this time I can’t have the Holy seat split."

"What faction do you wish gone, Your Holiness?"

Constance smiled and looked out at the grand halls of his home. Leaning on the balcony he looked down at the marble floor, the tiny people walking past. "Remove those who moved independently in the last few years. Threaten the natural faction. They refuse to switch to my side, remove them." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Micheal bowed and walked off leaving Constance to look down. He felt strange. His mind felt the clearest it had been in years. He had wondered for so long why Samuel had done his own purge at the start of his reign despite preaching peace and unity but now he understood. It was only if he wished to have a united focus.

But it wasn’t only that. His thought of Alfred. The Empire and Holy Seat had walked hand in hand but it was always built on who would move first. Even though he didn’t like how it happened, it was freeing, knowing that he finally didn’t have to smile towards his enemy anymore.

"Sol. Forgive me for the action I must take against the Blessed One. But this is the only way forward." Despite what he felt, Constance still couldn’t help but feel guilty. For so long the world has waited for one to return and now it fell on him to remove them. He wished things were different. If only Alfred wasn’t an Emporer, but instead a forgotten prince or random noble.