Micheal arrived in the South and saw the large river that blocked him from the Empire’s forces. He saw the large camp set up in the distance, and if he listened closely, he could hear them talking and laughing. A few of the nobles watching the south tried to approach Micheal to introduce themselves, but the cold gazes of the Templars around him made it an impossible task.

"I will cross tonight," Micheal said, seriously surprising the nobles who overheard, but they had expected it for the Templars.

"You can’t." One noble had enough and blurted out, ignoring the Templar, who obviously showed they didn’t want to be approached. "You will be walking into a lion’s den. There is no telling what the Empire will do to you."

Micheal looked at the noble and felt he had a point. Turning to his men, he looked at them with a deep calmness. "If I do not return, assume I am dead. Sent word to the Holy Land and have Gabriel sent to lead the campaign. The most senior templar will take over until Gabriel’s arrival." Micheal turned to the noble. "This will be enough."

The noble opened and closed his mouth, wishing to say something, but seeing Micheal turn away and look across the river, he held his tongue, knowing it would be pointless. He had no authority over the Templars, even if he wanted it.

Micheal remained unmoving for the entire day, just watching and trying to understand his enemy, and when night fell, he saw some movement. A few men moved to the river and began repairing the bridge. The Commonwealth forces moved to intercept, but he stopped them and moved forward himself. Grabbing a white rag, he tied it to his sword and held it high. A few Templars followed, holding torches.

The Ammary men in the water quickly turned and drew their weapons, but Micheal held his hands up and spoke quickly. "I wish to talk to Your Leader. I am not here to fight." The men looked at one another, but seeing they were Templar, they frowned.

"Who is asking?" One called out, and Micheal nodded. Pulling the rag of his sword, he quickly seathed it and formed a bow of the church. "Grand Templar Micheal." The men looked at one another and, after a few seconds of conversation, nodded and called him across.

Michael didn’t hesitate to get in the water as one of the Ammary soldiers pushed over a couple planks of wood tied together for him to us. Grabbing them, he pushed himself over the river and quickly got up on the other side. The walk to the camp wasn’t long as everyone looked at Micheal with strange eyes. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

It wasn’t the usual respect or fear he would get, just cold analysis of an enemy. ’They are real warriors.’ He couldn’t help but frown. Every single one of the Ammary soldiers had the same look, judging how much of a threat he was.

"General. A representative of the Church has come. He claims to be a Grand Templar." The soldier called out, and inside, they heard a few noises before William’s voice called for him to enter. Entering alone, Micheal laid eyes on William for the first time before glancing at Marcus sitting to his left.

The three all eyed each other, hundreds of words being exchanged without speaking. Each person, however, came to the same conclusion. ’Dangerous.’ Looking at William, the man was like a stable wall, with the same unshakable calmness he and the other Grand Templars had. A calmness that could only be achieved through decades of experience or belief in a higher cause.

Glancing at Marcus, he felt he was dangerous but for a different reason. There was a deep intensity behind his eyes, an intensity created from an unshakable drive for glory and a cause he believed in. Michael could already tell talking wouldn’t work with the two men, but he wished to try anyway.

The two men seeing Micheal also came to their own conclusions, but they were similar. He felt eerily pure. For a man who lived on the battlefield, it was a pureness that made no sense. But more than that, behind his clam eyes, there was a burning zeal they had seen in one person. The face of Raven appeared in both their minds.

"Please sit." William politely pointed to a free seat, and Michael nodded. "So, why have you come?"

Micheal liked the blunteness with which William spoke and smiled. "My mission, the Church’s mission, does not concern you gentlemen or any of the soldiers under your command. Our target is the one who sullied the role of the Blessed One. I don’t seek war but divine punishment. So I am giving you a chance. Please lay down your arms and allow me to carry out my mission. I swear on my name that no harm will come to the Empire afterwards. You may even continue your war on the Commonwealth."

Marcus frowned, and before he could say anything, William raised his hand, stopping him. "You want me to surrender my Lord to you. The one to whom my men and I have devoted our lives. Please, Micheal, you can’t be serious."

Micheal chuckled, "The sins of a man are not the sins of a nation. It is why, despite the first man’s tyrannical campaign, humanity was not collectively punished by our glorious lord. The First Kingdom fell, but humans were allowed to rebuild. I don’t want to kill you, but I must remove the Emporer, for he is a sinner and a danger."

William scoffed. "You attacked us first. You killed his friend, you forced a title upon him he never asked for, and you labelled his son the demon child of Khors. Why? Targeting a man, fine, that’s politics, but to go after his child because he is disabled? And now you ask me to betray not only my lord but someone whom I could call a friend. You must have known my answer before you walked in here."

Micheal clenched his fists at William’s words and shook his head. His eyes went cold but it wasn’t directed at the men with him. "Do you honestly believe I would dare partake in such disgusting behaviour against an innocent soul? I am a guardian of the innocent. My sword is bathed in blood so the young can live in a world of peace. And when these horrid accusations reached my ear, I cut down on the very men who had said them. After all, why would I hurt a child?"

"Sol healed his beloved son’s child despite it’s origins being a sin. He looked past the nature of the child and realised he was innocent. He never asked for his life, so why punish him for it?" Micheal said sternly. Marcus and William looked at one another and smiled.

"We have already come this far, Grand Templar. My answer is no. My men will say no. The Emperor has given them a new life. They will die for him as many have before. We have faith in him and will let him guide us." Marcus nodded in agreement and leaned back in his chair. Looking at the two, Michael took a deep breath and stood up.

"I understand. I wished to offer you mercy, but like those before, you have fallen for a false idol. Your faith may be strong, but it lies in the hands of a man. Do not hope for salvation on your current path, because you shall find none." Micheal looked at the two and made a symbol of Sol with his hands.

"I shall pray for you anyway. None deserves to be rejected from his Kingdom." Turning his back, he left the tent, leaving William and Marcus alone.

"Another zealot," Marcus said coldly, getting a nod from William.

"Get a report of how many Templars have arrived. We need the bridge repaired soon. I know what plans we had in mind, but things have changed." Marcus nodded and got up, leaving William alone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Esmond stood outside a large manor in the dark. His eyes looked at it coldly, and he casually strolled to the front gate. The guards looked at him and quickly stopped him from getting any closer.

"Leave. You do not belong here." One said with an arrogant voice, and Esmond scoffed and shook his head.

"Wake your lord. Tell him an Underwell has arrived." The guards squinted and looked at one another in confusion.

"If you wish for a meeting sir..." Their tone quickly changed, and they realized Esmond must have been a noble, but they didn’t understand which one. As they spoke, Esmond shook his head and cut them off.

"I am here under the orders of the Prime Minister. Wake your lord and tell him of my arrival." Esmond didn’t take no for an answer and walked forward. The guards wished to stop him, but meeting Esmond’s cold glare, they didn’t have the courage to. Both of them could tell Esmond wasn’t leaving and sighed, unlocking the gate.

The threat of disobeying the Prime Minister was enough to scare them, and running in, Esmond walked forward, not bothering to wait outside. The lone guard wanted to stop him but chose not to say anything. He didn’t know who Esmond was but something told him not to interrupt the man.