Chapter 333 — These Last Days of Winter
Blade of Dawn Page 2 of 2
Francis II managed a faint smile and broke the seal on the report.
Over the next half minute, the smile on his face slowly faded.
Verodai noticed the change in her father's expression. "Father, what is it..."
"See for yourself," Francis II said, handing the sealed letter to his daughter. "This is something you may look at, for I fear it will soon reach the Yaoxiao Cathedral as well."
Frowning with curiosity, Verodai took the letter, and its contents leaped into her eyes:
"...Tensions between the Church of the Holy Light and the followers of the Blood God in the Holy Spirit Plain grow ever more severe... On the day of the month, believers of both sides in Giantstone City broke into armed conflict; radical Blood God cultists smashed the idol before the Yaochen Cathedral... The next day, the Yaochen faithful retaliated, and the Blood God church was burned to the ground.
"Lord..." Verodai sighed in shock and sorrow, and traced the sign of the Holy Light over her breast. "Even to defend the faith, why must it come to this?"
Francis II glanced at his daughter and shook his head. "Read on."
Verodai turned to the latter half of the secret letter and could not help drawing a sharp breath.
"...The regional bishop of the Blood God sect led his followers in a counterattack. On the way to the Yaochen Church he was gravely wounded by a hidden arrow. On the verge of death he erupted... and mutated into a monster of interwoven flesh and blood. There were numerous witnesses on the scene...
"The lord of Giant Stone City and the regional bishop of the Yaochen Church slew the monster together... afterward they searched the Blood God Church and discovered a hidden chamber beneath it, along with abundant traces of bloody sacrifice... There were also the emblem of the All Things Perish Society and notebooks recording various blasphemous knowledge and evil utterances...
"...All Blood God Churches within Giant Stone City have been sealed off... Half of the followers have been expelled..."
"A man of regional-bishop rank, and a follower of the All Things Perish Society at that..." Verodai murmured, her face incredulous. "They have infiltrated to such a degree..."
"So you should understand now, my daughter," Francis II said, his complexion poor, "understand why I have kept saying that Ansu is in no way prepared for war with Tifon... especially this year."
Verodai fell silent for a moment, then handed the letter back to the old king. "Father, how do you intend to handle this matter?"
"Royal power does not meddle in divine power, and divine power does not interfere with royal power—that has always been the rule. But now people are bleeding for it, and the king must act," Francis II said in a low voice. "We have been searching for traces of the Embershadow cultists, even beginning to investigate every noble, beginning to investigate every transcendent registered with the royal house, yet we overlooked the Church... The Church, which we thought least likely to be corrupted by heretics, has also become a breeding ground for evil."
Francis II clenched his fist and could not help striking the table. "Verodai, the Church must be inspected, but... I cannot let this further affect the stability of the kingdom."
"Father, I can guarantee the cooperation of the Yaochen Church. Any rational follower of the Holy Light will understand this—rooting out the heretics hidden among us is good for everyone," Verodai said solemnly. The power of the Holy Light stirred around her, rippling outward in a halo of sacred radiance. "I believe the other sects will also cooperate actively once they learn what happened in Giant Stone City... No one wants heretics lurking in their own home."