Among the three pillars of Bellacian society, none stand as a greater bastion of faith and governance than the Pantheonic Church. It is both a spiritual foundation for the people and a political entity entwined with the noble courts and the Wardens alike. The Church's authority stems not only from its pious duty to the gods but from its role as mediator—an arbitrator in the ceaseless tensions that arise between the aristocracy and the militant orders sworn to protect the realm.
The Church is divided into seven sects, each devoted to a god of the pantheon. Ephydra, the Goddess of the Land, commanded the soil and the seasons. Vanir, the God of Mirth, brought laughter and joy. Toxose, God of the Brine, ruled the oceans and the tides. Imera, the Goddess of Day and Night, balanced light and darkness. Khodanor, the God of Conflict, guided warriors and strategists. Meris, Goddess of Wisdom, was the keeper of knowledge. And Genos, God of Peace, stood as the protector of harmony.
For the common folk, the Pantheonic Church serves as more than a distant power like the nobility. It is a refuge in times of strife, a guiding hand in uncertainty, and a source of solace in a world often dictated by forces beyond their control. Its clergy administer rites of passage, tend to the sick and the poor, and provide counsel to those in need. In villages where lords rarely tread and in townships where noble decrees do not reach, it is the Church that offers stability, ensuring that even those without title or wealth are not forgotten. Whether through acts of charity or the enforcement of moral doctrine, the Pantheonic Church remains deeply embedded in the daily lives of the people, shaping their faith, their traditions, and their understanding of the world itself.
The warmth of the sun roused him first. The steady heat seeped into his skin, drawing the ache from his bones. Then came the scent—dirt and grassy, mingled with something sharp and acrid.
Kai stirred.
The mud clung to him like a second skin, its cracks widening as he pushed himself upright. Each movement was slow, deliberate—his limbs stiff, muscles sluggish, as if sleep had restored only his breath, leaving the rest of him heavy and unyielding.
He blinked against the brightness. Golden fields stretched around him, rolling into the distance under a cloudless sky. A bird shrieked far overhead, and the wheat stalks bowed gently to a passing breeze. It might've been peaceful, if not for the weight in his chest.
The fancy tunic Oro had given him was in ruin—dirt-caked, wrinkled, torn at the sleeve. He brushed off what he could, mud falling off in clumps. His hands trembled faintly, an echo of yesterday's battle.
Brelith was behind him, still burning, perhaps. He didn't dare to look.
He drew a shaky breath, tasting smoke in the air. The events of last night's confrontation lingered in his mind. Branlen was alive, but wholly different. His essence, once radiant, now felt rotten, cracked. He couldn't help but think of Edyra suffering the same fate.
Kai checked his belt, letting out a relieved breath. The sword was his now, Branlen's blade having lost its meaning— and its owner. He would use it to set things right.
He forced himself to stand, his legs protesting in response. He trudged through the wheat, golden heads brushing his arms. Their rustle seemed loud in the quiet of the morning. His mind wandered—snatches of memory, faces blurred by adrenaline. The machine. Aiko. Branlen's voice, twisted and wrong.
He hadn't meant to pass out here. He'd simply kept moving after the fight, a primal urge to flee, step after step, until there was nothing left.
Then a voice called out—familiar.
"You're alive?!"
Kai turned, spotting Oro cresting the edge of the field. Panting, wild-eyed, hair tousled, his coat flapping like a cape in the wind. Relief struck Kai, but it was quickly followed by guilt. He hadn't even thought to wonder where Oro had gone after he left him at the party.
"Oro," Kai started, unsure what to say as the redhead drew closer.
Oro didn't notice his hesitation, or at least pretended not to. He reached Kai and threw his arms around him without warning, nearly knocking him off balance.
"I thought you were dead," Oro said, voice strained. "I lost you in the pandæmonium. I thought you'd escaped with the others, but I've been scouring the outskirts for hours—I couldn't find a trace of you."
Kai stood stiffly in the embrace, unsure where to put his arms. "S-sorry. I had something I needed to do. And once I got out of the city… I wasn't sure where to go."
"That much is obvious," Oro said, pulling back to look him over with a sharp breath. "Blood, mud, and soot. Gods, do you know how hard it is to get tailored linen in this color? You ruined those clothes."
"I did," Kai replied.
Oro grinned, brushing off the dirt that had clung to his clothes from the hug. "Don't worry about it. Come on—there's a caravan headed to Aldinia. It'll be just like our train ride… only bumpier, dustier, and tragically lacking in wine."
Kai looked down at the cracked mud beneath him. "No, I have to go north."
"North?" Oro asked.
Kai gave a faint nod. "There's something I need to do."
"Well, you're not getting rid of me that easily—I'm coming along."
Kai's head snapped up. "What? Why?"
"You think I searched all day just to bid you farewell in the middle of a wheat field?" Oro scoffed, crossing his arms. "Perish the thought. It's my noble duty, after all—to aid the helpless masses when they stumble into trouble."
"There's plenty of them that just had their city burned down," Kai grumbled. "They should take priority."
"Yes, that may be true," Oro said with a casual shrug. "But you're marching off alone into the wilds. What happens when a monster jumps out of the trees? Or bandits decide you look worth the trouble?"
Kai opened his mouth, then closed it. There wasn't a clean way out of this. And a part of him—small, traitorous—was grateful for the company.
He looked toward the northern horizon.
A single crow perched on a nearby fence post, head tilted, its beady black eyes fixed on him. Watching. Waiting.
Kai stared back at it. Could it be the same crow from before? Was this yet another sign? He couldn't be certain—but something about its presence steadied him.
"Fine," he said quietly. "But don't slow me down."
Oro smiled, brushing some dust from his sleeve. "Perish the thought."
"Hold on, Kai," Oro panted, hauling himself over a fallen log. "Can we slow down for a bit? I'm not exactly built for this wilderness sprint."
Kai sighed as he turned to face his companion. The two had made decent progress, but he could've gone much further if he didn't have a nobleman in tow. They had made it past the wheat plains and were heading through a forested area with increasingly difficult terrain. He vaguely remembered seeing it from the train, it was an incredibly vast forest that stretched far to the north. As long as he didn't get turned completely around and stayed within the forest, he could be reasonably sure of his position.
Oro leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. "You've got the stride of a damn deer," he wheezed, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. "I, on the other hand, am wearing shoes made for ballrooms, not brambles and roots."
Kai didn't smile. He watched as the man struggled to catch up, apathetic to his plight.
"Sorry, but I have somewhere I need to be as soon as possible," Kai said.
"What could be so urgent?" Oro straightened with a groan.
Kai shook his head. He didn't know how to explain it, without inviting further questioning.
Oro opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of it. He adjusted his coat and started walking again, slower now. Kai turned away, forging ahead between the towering pines.
The forest was thick here—light speared down through the canopy in narrow shafts, and every footstep sank into soft, moss-covered ground. Birds chirped high above, but the underbrush was muted, as though the forest itself was listening.
Kai slowed to a stop, causing Oro to stumble into him.
"I thought we were rushing," he huffed.
They weren't alone. Kai could feel it—the hair on his arms prickling.
Then—A faint creak came from the forest. The unmistakable sound of a bowstring drawn tight.
Kai moved, flaring his spira to steady himself as he sprinted over bramble and roots.
He surged toward the source. The brush parted just as a glint of movement caught his eye—an arrow loosed from the shadows.
His sword was faster than his thoughts. The black blade screamed against the air as it met the shaft mid-flight, splitting it with a snap that sent splinters scattering across the forest floor.
A figure rose from the underbrush—tall, lean, wrapped in a mottled cloak that had blended perfectly with the forest floor. A second arrow was already drawn, the string taut and aimed at Kai's chest.
"Move again and I won't miss," the woman warned.
Kai froze, weapon at the ready. Oro scrambled to his side, nearly slipping on a patch of moss.
"You tried to kill him!" Oro snapped, his voice laced with panic. "You shot at him!"
"You startled me," the woman replied coolly. "You charged at me like a wild dog. What'd ya think would happen?"
Kai slowly lowered his sword. "You've been following us."
"Of course I was. Two nobles veerin' off the main road just days after Brelith goes up in smoke? Hard not to notice. Where are the two of ya headed?"
"Kai's not a noble!" Oro blurted out, his tone incredulous.
"We had nothing to do with the fires," Kai said.
She didn't lower the bow.
"Then what'd ya do?"
Oro threw up his hands. "We didn't do anything! You're the one acting suspicious! How do we know you didn't do something?"
Her eyes narrowed. "And I should trust yer word because?"
Kai stepped forward slightly, keeping his voice steady. "You don't have to trust us. Just don't try to kill us and we can talk this out."
A tense beat passed. Then—finally—She eased the tension on the string and let the arrow slide back into her quiver.
"Fine. You've got five minutes to explain yerselves. Make 'em count."
Kai notices them first—a flicker of movement through the trees. His head tilts. The woman caught the subtle shift in his posture and followed his gaze.
Ten figures.
Scattered in formation but unmistakably part of a group. Each bore some scrap of green cloth—tied to their arms, necks, legs, even braided into hair. The glint of steel caught the filtering daylight in more than one hand.
"Maybe you should be questioning them," Kai noted.
"They're armed," She replied. Her voice was low, cautious. But something else tugged at her face—recognition.
The man at the front stepped into clearer view. The lanky youth had a freckled face with patches of scruffy facial hair—scalp clean-shaven.
"...Mick?"
"R-rell?" Mick replied blinking in surprise, he and the other strangers stopping a few paces away. "You're alive?"
Rell nocked an arrow, her attention completely shifting away from Kai and Oro.
"What happened back at the slums?" Rell demanded, fire in her eyes.
"W-what do ya remember?" Mick stammered. "This is just a misunderstanding, come back with us and reverend Kempford can—."
"Kempford is dead!" Rell shouted. "I know Declan's behind this, what'd he do!"
"What?" Mick laughed. "Kempford ain't dead, what are ya talkin' about?"
Rell's arrow loosed, embedding itself into Mick's shoulder.
Mick staggered back, staring at the arrow lodged in his shoulder. Blood seeped through the green scrap tied to his bicep. Behind him, the others were already moving—readying for the inevitable fight.
"You—you shot me," he breathed, stunned.
His gaze hardened, voice rising with fury. "Kill the nobles! Bring her down alive!"
The group erupted.
Steel flashed, boots thundered over pine needles, and the clearing exploded into chaos. Kai's blade slipped free once more—a familiar weight in his hand, but something felt wrong. He tried to call on his spira like before, willing the weapon to dance with him—but nothing happened. The edge didn't shimmer, didn't hum. Just a smooth-stone sword in his grip.
One of the green-clad men charged at him, axe raised high.
Kai sidestepped, let the blade swing past, and struck the man's wrist. A clean disarm. He swept the attacker's legs out from under him with a quick spin, landing a blow to the side that left him groaning on the ground.
They weren't using artes, Kai realized, pivoting as another lunged toward him with a dagger. He ducked, drove the pommel into the attacker's gut, then slashed low—slamming across the thigh making the man buckle from the force.
They weren't trained or experienced—just ordinary people with weapons. Their numbers were the only advantage they had, and that swiftly dwindled as the battle wore on.
He moved swifter, weaving between them. His spira surged through his limbs—not the blade—but his own body. The blade remained unresponsive, but that was something to deal with another day. In the shafts of daylight, he became a blur—dodging, striking, never slowing between actions.
From the edge of the clearing, arrows flew. One struck a woman's calf, sending her tumbling with a cry. Rell was gone from sight—hidden in the underbrush, stalking them from the shadows. The next shot dropped a man mid-charge.
Kai glanced toward Oro. The redhead hadn't moved. He stood with one hand on a tree, watching, but not participating.
Another attacker ran at Kai with a broken spear. He parried, twisted around, and slammed his knee into their stomach.
Kai disarmed the last of them with a clean strike across the knuckles and a swift kick sending them tumbling back.
And then, silence. Just panting, wounded grunts, and the rustle of leaves.
Rell emerged from the brush, bow still drawn, gaze locked on Mick who was cowering behind a tree.
"Talk fast," she growled, "Before I start aimmin' higher."
"You would kill me?" Mick asked with a look of fear on his face. "Y-you wouldn't do that. We grew up together, we're basically family."
"Family?" Rell scoffed. "One of ya knocked me unconscious and left me for dead. I may not have a livin' family anymore, but I'm confident family don't do that."
"T-that wasn't us!" Mick exclaimed. "That was all Declan, he used an illusion to catch ya off guard and took ya down in one blow… we thought ya had died right then and there, I swear!"
Rell glared at him, "What 'bout the other two? Pierce and Simon, what'd they do in the keep while we swapped the contract?"
"They…" Mick stopped talking as he tried to figure out what to say.
"Speak!" Rell took a menacing step forward.
"T-they killed the Léveques!" Mick eked out. "It was all D-Declan's fault, he made 'em do it."
Kai watched the ensuing interrogation unfold.
"They're talking about the recent assassination," Oro remarked, his tone laced with curiosity. "I wonder why. What could these commoners have gained from such a stunt?"
Rell didn't speak immediately, rage apparent on her face. Kai tightened his grip on his sword, he was worried about what she might do.
"Where's Declan now?" Rell spoke calmly, but it was through grit teeth.
"He's dead." Mick states matter of factly. "He didn't make it out of Brelith when we made our escape. Kempford led us further north. We have a settlement now, built on faith and newfound ideals."
Rell's arms shook, bow still drawn. "Lies."
She loosed her arrow, it flew through the air toward Mick's head. Kai stepped in just in time to deflect the arrow. Mick took that opportunity to run off into the brush. She tried to pursue, but Kai stood in her way with a resolute expression.
Rell glared at him, he couldn't tell if she was going to try and attack him next. But in the end, she didn't.
"Go on, get outta here." She hollered at the wounded. They crawled to their feet, some of them grabbed their weapons, but most of them just left as swiftly as they could.
Rell turned her attention back to Kai. "Why'd ya stop me? Why would a noble care 'bout the life of a single commoner?"
"I told you! Kai isn't a noble," Oro blurted out, his voice rising. "And I take offense to that! Nobles are supposed to care for the common people!"
"What?" Rell scoffed with a curious look. "Since when?"
Kai spoke up, interrupting whatever Oro was about to respond with. "He was scared and you would've killed him. Stopping you was the right thing to do."
"He—" Rell started, but then fell silent, looking away in shame. After a moment, she sighed and relaxed her grip on the bow. "Sorry... How 'bout we move away from here? They might come back."
Kai nodded. He looked around to confirm which direction he was headed in originally and started moving again.
"We're heading north," he said. "Is that okay?"
"Yeah, I'll tag along for a while." Rell replied.
"Don't slow us down," Oro declared as he fell into step.
Kai laughed, "I should be saying that to you, Oro."
"Don't you worry about me!" Oro responded cheerfully. "I didn't join the fight, that way I could conserve my energy and avoid getting sick! I'll need all the strength I can muster to keep up with your beastly pace!" he said matter of factly.