The council were split into two, one half advocated for disposing of the Holy Temple entirely. They wanted to get rid of these pests who dared to act so arrogantly.
While the other argued that their existence is vital. There was a reason why the Empire had come to an agreement with them. The monsters were destroying their borders, they needed the healers if they wanted to keep the territory safe!
Lord Kazamir led the former faction. He was trying his best to poach the people in the latter faction hoping to come to a decision using the majority vote. He wanted them gone. He wanted revenge.
Once the hall was empty, Edward stepped out from the shadows. His stormy grey eyes hid a tempest within them. The Head Priest turned to face him. His face quickly turned lifeless and dull. Edward’s control over him increased...
"You’ve done well," Edward said, his voice smooth and cold. "Now, get ready for war."
The Head Priest replied without emotion. "War? But what if they accept?"
"They were never meant to be accepted," Edward interrupted. "They were a distraction. The Empire would never agree to such terms, and I never intended for them to. This has been in motion for a long time."
"But..." the Head Priest protested. In reality, Edward was talking to himself. The words the Head Priest spoke were his thoughts. He silenced those thoughts and gave out orders.
Edward’s lips curved into a chilling smile. "We don’t need to win. We need to disrupt. The chaos will serve my purposes. And when the dust settles, the Holy Temple will be reborn—not as a pawn of the Empire, but as its equal, or perhaps its master."
He could feel a bit of resistance from the Head Priest that caused him pain, he stumbled a little but quickly recovered.
Edward stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "You’ll play your part, Head Priest. Or do you need a reminder of what happens to those who defy me?"
The priest shook his head vehemently. "No, master. I understand."
"Good," Edward said, his smile widening. "Now, let the games begin."
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The Emperor sat in his private study, a spacious chamber lined with books and maps, illuminated by the soft glow of candlelight.
He was already preparing for the imminent battle. Even if the Holy Temple accepted their conditions, he wasn’t going to let them off that easily. It was simply to get their guard down.
A trusted aide stood nearby, reading aloud the report from Lord Kazamir, the Empire’s representative who had returned from the failed negotiations with the Holy Temple. The Emperor listened intently, his expression unreadable, but the tension in the air was palpable.
When the aide finished, the Emperor leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled thoughtfully. "So, they rejected every demand and presented us with impossible conditions of their own," He said, his tone calm but sharp.
The aide who has reported all this felt nervous. He could almost feel the wrath of the Emperor. This was a man who killed his siblings to get to the throne. It was a bloody war. The Holy Temple was going to pay...
"And Kazamir’s report suggests this wasn’t a mere act of defiance but a calculated manoeuvre. They are preparing for war too..." His eyes gleamed. There was a hint of insanity in his eyes.
He hadn’t been challenged like this in a while. He was looking forward to removing this thorn personally.
The aide hesitated before responding. "Your Majesty, the representatives believe that the Empire’s military strength far surpasses that of the Holy Temple. They see no reason to fear a conflict."
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed. "Fools," He muttered. "This war is not merely a clash of armies; it is a test of resources, alliances, and resolve. While we may have the upper hand in military might, the Holy Temple wields influence over the hearts and minds of our people..."
His eyes darted around trying to think of ways to take them down, "Their healers are indispensable in maintaining morale and minimising casualties. Without them, even a decisive victory could come at a cost we cannot afford."
He rose from his chair, pacing the room as he spoke. "Edward is no ordinary opponent. He has managed to consolidate power within the Temple. We must not underestimate him."
The Emperor stopped abruptly, turning to his aide. "Send a summons to the Western Marquess. He is to meet with me at once. The West has always been our strongest military region, and its lord is both a brilliant strategist and a trusted ally. If we are to face this threat, his counsel will be invaluable."
Alastair Kendrick always has been a brilliant strategist. Top of the class in the academia. They have been competitors and friends back then. When it was time for him to fight for the throne, Alastair firmly decided to stay out of it.
He took it as a betrayal and they had a falling out. But once faced with a difficult situation, he went running to his ex-friend.
His older brother prepared a trap for him, and unfortunately, he fell for it. He was not sure how to get out of it. The only thing he knew at that point was to kill his way out of the situation.
But it was at this time his friend came to his aid. He was able to get him out of the situation and helped him turn the tables. He didn’t know what to think of this friend.
His intelligence would easily have been a threat to his throne, but this man has no intentions of using it for anything. How was he so fulfilled with that life of his? A wife? He had two of them. Children? He had them too.
He couldn’t understand Alastair’s behaviour. They were too different. Still, he had respect for the man. Maybe because of the Marquess’ attitude regarding power and status, he became the most trusted advisor.
The Emperor knew that he could trust him implicitly. He would never aim for his throne, he in fact wanted to stay away from it as much as possible. He didn’t even accept the position of the Arch Duke...
It would put him in a position where one day he could inherit the throne. The Emperor chuckled to himself. It would be nice to work alongside him. I would love to see what he does... This involves his daughter after all.
Sure, he was a good friend and a great strategist... But that wasn’t the only reason he called for him. A man who never wanted to get involved in conflicts... What would he do when his daughter’s life was on the line?
The Marquess confessed about his daughter which left him in shock. It made him wonder if this was why he was so eager to deal with the Holy Temple. Either that or he was a genius who was able to predict that there were deeper problems with the Temple.
If she had the powers that his friend confessed to him... No, he would never let him use his daughter. He would never allow her to replace the healers. He would never let her exhaust herself by continuously producing holy powers.