-primarch-

[https://i.imgur.com/LoYByv0.png]

A small mass of flames stirred to life, spilling light into my chambers as if dawn had broken. The light pierced through the heavy blackened curtains covering Igni’s makeshift nesting spot atop my shelves.

“I have informed you many a time, do not refer to me in such a mannerless way, young Primarch! Even in your idle morning thoughts.”

“Typically, humans wake just before first light or shortly after.” I scolded the diminutive phoenix as she emerged from behind the cloth, “But since you’ve managed to ruin your sleeping cycle beyond repair, I now get up when you get up—as you emit a light as bright as the morning sun as you wake.”

I raised a hand and reached for Igni’s head, gently petting her fiery feathers back along her neck. Flames licked at my fingers but did not burn; the heat was barely hotter than a warming stone.

“You’re endearing in appearance, so you must have an endearing nickname to pair. Otherwise, it is just a waste.” I cooed as a puff of light smoke and flames filled the air above her head as Igni turned away in a huff.

“You’re just like the little princess, if not worse. I lament this fate. Abandoned and left for dead, stuck within the confines of this suffocatingly small excuse for a bastion.”

“You are neither abandoned nor stuck. The High-Commander and Empress went so far as to bow their heads asking that I watch over you for a few weeks while they made preparations for the war. You also know that today is the day you’ll be reunited, so I don’t understand all the dramatics.”

The scene replayed in my mind.

Both Her Majesty and Hailey had entered the basilica late at night with the divine phoenix a few days after the formation of the Crimson Seekers. They pleaded that I take care of Igni for a short time while they were bogged down with work.

Having our people’s leaders bowing their heads to me was the single worst day I’ve experienced—well, bar the exodus from Axio perhaps.

Her Majesty is both the daughter of the Goddess of Humanity and the disciple of the Goddess of Aether. Lowering her head to someone like me, a simple attendant to the Celestial Goddesses and the Crown, was too much for my heart to handle.

I accepted in an instant, of course.

“We’ll be departing the city in a few hours,” I called out to Igni. “I have to prepare for the service that the Empress requested. You’re free to roam the church, as always, but please come back here once the citizens begin to arrive.”

After opening the door to my quarters, Igni flew off without a word into the church proper. The darkness of early morning settled back in and I cast a simple LIGHT spell to brighten the room again.

A silvery ball of pure brilliant light hung above my head and I willed it to stay stationary just below an iron-wrought candle beam that hung from the rafters.

I sat at my desk and began to sort through the stray papers I’d been drafting a sermon with.

Crossed-out lines with verses recounted from scripture filled the pages. Nothing seemed to fit quite well enough to bring to bear against a crowd of young people being marched off to war.

The founding tenets of the Church were for a people with a storied history of victories and justice.

But the peoples of this reignited empire were far from those of old.

Justice didn’t have the same meaning anymore. Not after the betrayal we’ve recently faced.

Victory was a thing of the past. A relic found in the stories of valor passed on from survivors who had no choice but to throw away honor to live.

When Her Majesty approached me about the founding of the Seekers, she had appealed to a sense of justice that the Church hadn’t encompassed—but one that I found my heart leaning to support.

To begin a crusade against the immoral and injustices committed by the Renaultians.

I stared silently at the pages on the table and lost myself to the heavy thoughts that gnawed at my mind these past few days.

These hallowed words felt naught but hollow in their meaning.

Something was missing from our beliefs.

Where was the purpose of it all?

Our scripture prepared a sturdy foundation, sure. A fortress made of thick walls and massive pillars in which to hold up our tenets.

But beyond that lay a crumbling roof, one that had been exposed for years, and the elements had been seeping in and ravaging us at the core.

By the grace of the Goddess and her Brilliant Sun, I’ve been elevated beyond my station. One of the very few who could see the decay from the heights I’d been raised to.

And it made me so very angry.

A blaze had taken root in my heart and it flared at every injustice our people have faced. And contrary to the Church’s doctrine which preached tolerance and cautiousness—that acting out of impulse is a sin—I wanted so desperately to fuel that fire now.

Two nights ago I dreamt a strange vision.

Of a white raven that descended from a break in the sky. Golden pillars of light and the blaring call of horns filled the air as translucent feathers fell from the heavens.

The raven flew straight towards me.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Eyes of rich amethyst pierced my soul and I felt a calming in my heart I’ve never experienced.

And I saw Her.

As the raven touched me, I was graced by my Goddess Virgo.

Just as Her Majesty had described.

Great angelic wings of white that emitted wisps of aetherial smoke.

The features of a beautiful predator. Looks that both bewitched and intimidated. Seductive and terrifying in a way that seized my whole body stiff.

My Goddess was clothed in a raiment of elegance. Golden trim and intricate weaving adorned Her flawless body. The otherworldly cloth clung tight against Her skin, drawing out every perfect curve in Her human-like appearance.

I had followed a pulsing light that caught my eye down Her legs—unknowable runic symbols glowed underneath the Goddess’ skin—and my breath caught as I witnessed an atypical second knee-like bend in Her legs, a long heel and foot like that of a raptor or predatory bird.

I recalled the Empress’ words and stole a glance at the Goddess’ hands, and beheld Her deadly, talon-like, fingers.

And at that moment I knew two things.

That our Goddess was not one of tolerance and caution. She was a predator. A hunter. A killer. An apex far beyond humanity, so high above us that no matter what weapon of war we perfect it could never come close to Her true nature.

And that we were created in Her image. There was nothing sinful about arming ourselves and slaying our enemies. It was in our nature to kill and take from those below us.

Our Empress was right.

A crusade against those who wronged us cannot be against the tenets of our Church. This anger I feel is justified a thousand times over under the ever-watchful eyes of our Goddess.

In my dream, the Goddess made a declaration just before I was forced from my sleep.

“Be angry. Use that anger to scour this earth and wipe away those who sin against you. Take that indignation and fuel it with righteous flames.”

And as thoughts settled down, I wrote. I filled my words with the emotions I knew were validated by my Goddess.

I wrote the absolute truth of the Church.

A new primary tenet. One to surpass all previous tenets in dominance; Righteous Indignation.

----------------------------------------

A knock at the doorway pulled me from my zealous scribbling. I looked up from the desk to see a brown-haired man with a blurry face and the robes of a priest looked back at me.

I blinked and the features of his face cleared up.

“Oh. Anathalo, good morning.”

“A good morning to you, Primarch. We have an hour before the service begins. The princess and a warder of the Astral Knights have arrived to… set something up.”

I stood from the desk and stretched.

“Allow them to do what they came to do. No need for anyone to escort them. Princess Rias has been to the church enough times to know her way around.”

“As you will it, Primarch.” Anathalo bowed. He glanced at the papers on my desk before continuing, “Have you finished preparing your sermon? I’m available to assist if you need me.”

I took the papers in my hand and bundled them together under a leather folder.

“I may make a few edits or two as I replay it in my head for the next hour But yes, I believe it is finished. It is written in accordance with the Goddess’ will, and I am sure that Her Majesty will like it as well.”

Anathalo and I left my quarters to prepare the church for service.

Princess Rias and Lira, the tech-minded artificer from the elven city who shadows her, finished setting up some sort of projection aethernet device that would allow us to broadcast today’s service to not only those within the church but to all the imperial forces set to depart this morning.

The basilica was only so big, and there was no way we’d be able to house the current population of Tolin plus the thousands of soldiers who followed on from the elven city.

I spotted the Empress and her retinue crowded around the altar. Specifically, the statue of the Goddess Virgo that had turned out to be a part of a mechanism to reveal the hidden catacombs of the church.

Dismissing Anathalo, I approached the large group.

Empress Airis looked worn out already. Her expression was grim, but when her eyes met mine her face softened.

“Your Majesty, I pray you’ve had a pleasant morning and that you find our preparations acceptable.”

“Karina. I’m very glad to see you. I’ve just finished sending off prayers to the Goddesses to keep watch over our forces as we make our way to war. Would you happen to have a moment to discuss a personal matter? If you could make a private space available I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. Please, follow me to my quarters.”

The Empress bid her attendants to wait among the forward aisles despite several cries of protests, but she waved them off and followed after me hurriedly.

I closed the door once the Empress entered and heard a deep and drawn-out sigh as she flopped down on my bedding.

“Is everything alright?” I asked

“By the Goddesses, Karina, No. I am not alright. You saw them, didn’t you?”

“Saw… who?”

The Empress raised a brow at me from her position lying atop my bed, “My attendants. Julius’ spies and my unofficial babysitters.”

I blinked. “Oh.”

“They won’t leave me alone for a single minute unless I lock myself up in my bedroom or office.”

“That sounds—”

“They’re the worst! All they do is nag the Empress all day and night. ‘Speak this way.’ ‘Dress that way.’ ‘Don’t eat food like that.’ I can’t stand them. I haven’t missed them while I’ve been here.”

A flash of light from atop my shelves and the fast-paced chatter of Igni in my head interrupted me.

The ball of fire and feather flew down and perched upon the Empress’ shoulderplate, whose hand reached to gently caress the phoenix’s neck.

“Oh heya, Igni!”

The Empress’ face lit up with happiness as she stroked the flaming feathers.

“Don’t think I’ve forgiven you and my priestess so quickly after abandoning me!” Igni huffed with feigned anger.

I could tell just from a glance that she wasn’t mad or anything of the sort. The brilliant warm and golden glow of the phoenix’s feathers gave it all away.

“You can hide away in here with me while I prepare the last of my sermon—oh, would you like to read through it beforehand at all?”

The Empress nodded and took the handful of papers I’d stashed within my robe. Her grin widened with every page she read until it looked as eerily haunting as the Goddess’ from my dreams.

Through the wicked smile, her raspy voice tickled my ears like a silvery melody, “This is perfect.”