The world was undergoing many upheavals.
Soon, kings would clash, and all cards would be revealed.
The war that pitted humans against humans had, ironically, drawn the attention of all powers. And now, at this very moment...
It had become impossible to predict what might happen in this war that had yet to truly begin.
The Holy Island — Sicily —
A paradise for the church’s followers, blinded by their faith for far too long...
It truly was a heaven on earth, a miracle where a waterfall descended straight from the sky, nourishing its land and people with divine grace.
Since the return of Ser Alonne and his surprise assault on the central cathedral, the Church’s activity had diminished drastically .. to the point where it now seemed entirely subordinate to the Empire.
The capture of both High Bishop Michael Platini and Ramiel Calestis inside Beatrice’s prison cube had only worsened the situation.
Church followers were everywhere ..in noble houses, in major guilds.
It was an entity with roots so deeply embedded that it had long been considered the cornerstone of the Empire’s very foundation.
Their complete submission to the returned Emperor from beyond the grave—Ser Alone—was something few had foreseen.
And now, with the War of Shadows begun, the Church had dispatched its most powerful asset: Saint Eurasha, marching to battle alongside their chosen Hero.
One could say the faction loyal to the Lord of Light had shown their true allegiance to the Empire they belonged to.
Especially against their one sworn enemy—the Ultras.
The Church’s desire to annihilate the filthy demon-worshippers surpassed all else. Cleansing the world of their schemes had become their holy mission.
That much was undeniably true, but...
Were the Ultras truly the only enemy?
The truth ran far deeper than most imagined.
On the sacred grounds of Sicily,
a group of men carved their way across the holy land, heading toward a place that few had ever dared to approach.
Led by the Three High Bishops, they moved swiftly, accompanied by a select unit of elite ranks from within the Church.
Their destination was the base of that magnificent waterfall descending from the sky.
At the head of the group walked High Bishop Blatter, the aged man who had guided the Church for decades.
"Any news from the war?"
he asked, his face void of emotion. The man to his right responded:
It was Ramiel KmCalestis, the youngest and only black-haired High Bishop among the three.
"According to the reports, the first clash occurred today. Although the main armies have yet to mobilize, the vanguard fought a difficult battle. One could say the current situation favors the Empire."
Hearing this, Blatter gave a silent nod.
"The Hero is among the vanguard. There’s no room for defeat .. The Lord of Light would never allow His chosen to die on this earth."
Besides that, Saint Eurasha was with him. And in this world, very few could hope to kill her.
"We’ve sent many forces alongside the Hero and the Saint. Things remain stable for now, and the Royal Family hasn’t requested further reinforcements—but the likelihood of them summoning us personally in the future is high..."
This time it was the man on the left who spoke ..High Bishop Michael Platini, also known as the Church’s Executioner.
His harsh expression and severe gaze had long made him the least liked among the Bishops.
Staring at Blatter, he brought up a critical point.
"The Royal Family believes they have us under control. And that’s fine—this situation works in our favor."
As he said this, Blatter came to a halt, having finally reached their destination...
The base of the miraculous waterfall that split the skies.
"The Iron Emperor is extremely dangerous. I never expected him to attack us alone upon his return. That old man places absolute faith in his strength..."
Ser Alone was but a single man, yet his power and experience were vast ..enough that even Platyr hadn’t dared to oppose him openly.
"But even he... failed to discover this place, despite standing so very close."
With a sinister smile that didn’t match his noble aura, Blatter and his team advanced toward the waterfall.
As they stepped forward with unwavering confidence, their bodies glowed with the brilliance of Holy Aura ..light so bright it illuminated the path ahead.
Then, without warning, something inexplicable occurred.
Blatter and those with him had entered the waterfall from one side...
But they never emerged from the other.
It was as if the waterfall had swallowed them whole.
Yet the truth was far more bizarre.
The land their feet touched was still—undeniably—part of Holy Sicily.
And yet, at the same time...
Beyond the waterfall, the island’s terrain remained the same .. but the atmosphere was completely different.
The sky in that place was pitch-black, adorned with stars that shone like lanterns overhead.
Even though, moments ago, it had been bright daylight on the other side...
This hidden realm was blessed in ways the outer world was not.
The greenery and nature asserted their dominance in breathtaking beauty.
The earth itself pulsed with aura,
and the very air they breathed made everyone who set foot there feel...
As if they had been reborn.
On this forsaken side of the world, there wasn’t much to speak of...
Only lush greenery and a few scattered structures ..temples erected in honor of the so-called gods worshipped by the Church’s devout.
Before Blatter and his entourage, another group appeared, every one of them clad in pure white from head to toe...
Elderly men, women, and old priests ..their eyes brimming with unwavering faith.
All of them bowed respectfully before Platyr and his companions.
"We welcome the High Bishop to the Land of Eternal Night... Noctherra."
The sealed land that only a chosen few had ever been allowed to enter.
The secret the Church had hidden for centuries.
Blatter gave a nod as his deep eyes examined the sacred grounds.
"Is the angel ready?"
He asked the question that truly mattered—the reason he had taken the risk of entering this place.
The old man standing at the front of the welcoming crowd smiled deeply, eyes still shut, and nodded.
"Give the order, Blatter... and our greatest weapon will march at your command."
Platyr replied as he ventured deeper into the Land of Eternal Night alongside those white-robed strangers.
"The War of Darkness has begun. The Ultras and the Empire will destroy each other."
In a war of this magnitude, both sides would reveal their full arsenal. No one would hold back their trump cards.
They would clash with everything they had, and though there would surely be a victor, that was of little concern.
"The Starlight family has sent its most elite forces to the front lines, with that monster Frey Starlight at their helm. The Imperial family is conserving its strength for the Masters of the Ultras. Sooner or later, both will suffer devastating losses."
As all eyes turned toward the continent of the Ultras, and the war reached its boiling point, no one could imagine what was quietly unfolding on the other side of the world.