Chapter 64: War Council
The next day, I was summoned to appear in the Chapel of Councils, the general meeting room of the church. I was slightly nervous, as the only reason I had ever been regarded my slave crest, but refusing was impossible. Fortunately, by the time I climbed my way up from the slave quarters, I found the other nine heroes already assembled.
The gathering within the chapel was small, consisting of the heroes, the Pope, and a few Fathers. All of the clergy were unfamiliar, and their garb and accents differed greatly from the Fathers I knew who lived at the Divine Throne. Were we gathered for some sort of worldwide council?
"Welcome, Xiviyah," the Pope said, gesturing to the only empty seat in their circle.
I nodded, cheeks reddening slightly as everyone’s eyes focused on me. "I apologize for my late arrival," I said, giving a slight curtsy. "But I came as soon as I was summoned."
"I didn’t ask for you to speak," the pope said indifferently. The lack of apathy in his voice was intriguing, but I quickly sat down before studying him any further.
The Pope’s eyes were dim, and deep furrows etched themselves along his brow. When he spoke, he ended every sentence with a sigh, passing the baton over to a Father as soon as he could.
"Heroes, I thank you for taking the time to leave the festival and attend this meeting. This world lies in shadow, an encroaching evil that moves boldly even under the holy sun of the divine. Until this point, you’ve been scattered across the world, separately preparing for what is to come. I ask again that you leave this place. Not as students, but as heroes."
At this point, the Pope nodded to a Father, who took over. "Over the past year, monsters and cult activity have increased to the point local forces are being overwhelmed. Even with the additional support of the adventuring guild and mercenaries, humanity is being stretched thin. Soon, Demon Gates will appear, and the threat will truly begin."
Alex raised his hand, brow scrunched in confusion. "What exactly’s a demon gate?" he asked, wording the question most of us held.
The Father’s eyes widened slightly, and he glanced at the Pope. "Surely you’ve been informed!"
"Well," Alex said, glancing at the other heroes before shrugging. "Surely we haven’t?"