Sylvester’s heart beat fast and heavy as he walked closer to see the instrument. It looked like a crude telephone or something similar from the early era of the world he had almost come to consider a dream.

“They… They finally made it?” He exclaimed and took a closer look.

“A few top officers were given these prototypes to test, Your Holiness,” Captain Edward explained. “I used it to inform the port about our arrival so they can start taking all the necessary steps to accommodate us. This would lessen the time it would take for us to dock.”

Sylvester picked up the receiver and transmitter, “What’s the range?”

The old, bearded Captain Edward looked towards the sea from his cabin window. “They fitted a strange rod above the crow’s nest of the ship before I headed to Beastaria. I believe we’re still half a day away from the Holy Land… I believe that’s almost… two-hundred kilometres.”

Sylvester’s eyes looked at the instrument in his hand with excitement. The fact that they were at sea meant it was clearly wireless. At the same time, he noticed a few buttons, switches and dials on the black box with which the receiver and microphone were connected.

‘As great as this seems, it will also mean that soon someone will invent a way to tap into the communications to spy. And what about signal loss due to too many signals travelling in a single area?’

“This is a great first step,” Sylvester muttered and placed the magic communicator back. “What else have they done?”

Captain Edward rubbed his beard while remembering, “I didn’t see it personally, but I heard they attempted to move a ship without sails, using electric genders?”

“Generators,” Sylvester corrected him. “What’s the result?”

“It worked for a while, but then the generator caught fire, and the ship sank. I heard an admiral say the generator was in heat.”

“Overheating,” Sylvester again corrected him and understood what the issue likely was. A coolant was required to keep the machines from running too hot in cases of long throttles.

Silently, Sylvester sat with the Captain for the rest of the day until the ship began to approach the port of the Holy Land. He was surprised to learn that the Captain was also a Bishop of the Clergy and not a warrior. That meant the old man was celibate with no family, and his entire life was devoted to the faith.

That was just a little reminder to Sylvester that there were people who were doing their duty diligently, despite all the temptations. And he had no reason to relax and sit down. Hidden dangers were creeping closer towards the world. Aveda and Ashraska were names he still knew nothing about.

Koooo!

“What?” Just as Sylvester walked to disembark the ship, he heard a sharp and long whistle that made him almost feel nostalgic. But then he noticed it; at the port beside where the ships docked and their cargo loading gates were, a large machine rested, spewing steam from a chimney in front of it. Behind it, there were carriages attached.

“Steam train?” Sylvester exclaimed in shock, as he didn’t expect it to come into existence so soon. And by the looks of it, the machine was being used to move cargo from the ships to various massive sheds. However, it appeared to be the only steam train working in the entire port.

Right then, Captain Edward walked beside him and marvelled at the machine, “Ah, another addition to your great discoveries, Your Holiness. Cardinal Robert Maxim and Cardinal Jinn seem to be manning the research and development department quite well.”

‘My Oppenhimers?’ Sylvester thought and smiled, satisfied by the work.

“You’re correct, Edward. Folks like them, and you keep the Holy Land working and respected across the Sol. I’ll see you around, my brother, in faith,” Sylvester patted the old man’s shoulder and left for the Pope’s Palace.

“Soulbreaker, oversee the people being transported. They have already suffered enough, and I don’t want them to suffer more. I had ordered Wazir to organise good meals for them already, so feed them and start registering their names and issuing them identity papers. If they remember where they used to live in Sol, ask them if they wish to go back. If not, they are to be kept here until we rehabilitate them in new villages. Same for the Beastkins, as all of them are new here,” Sylvester sternly ordered his Guardian subordinate and continued to make his way to the Pope’s Palace.

Just as he exited the port area, he found his usual regal carriage waiting for him, with the Archbishop reinsman keenly watching Sylvester.

“Chonky, give it to me.”

“Uwaaaa!”

Thud!

Instantly, a magnificent modest bicycle appeared. Sylvester wasted no time and zoomed past his regal carriage, much to the annoyance of the poor reinsman who longed to have the Pope sit in his carriage.

‘I’m seeing more people using bicycles. Perhaps it’s time to introduce bicycle tracks.’ Sylvester noticed as soon as he began going through the administrative blocks of the Holy Land. The various Priests to Cardinals were riding the bicycles in groups of three or four, chatting with each other.

Pa!

Pa!

Eeeek!

Sylvester pulled the brakes hard, making the bicycle skid. He looked towards the sky, where the loud sound came from. It came from behind him, at the Port, and left him frowning with a little bit of embarrassment, “Aren’t they a little bit too late?”

In the sky, cannonballs exploded like fireworks and created words in sparkling lights. ‘Welcome back, Pope Sylvester,’ the words read.

“Maxy, are they dumb?” Miraj asked cutely while staring at the sky.

Sylvester shrugged and peddled once again, “Perhaps they are, Chonky—you never know.”

Boom!

Boom!

But then the explosions resounded again, this time right on top of their heads. Right away, a lot of flower petals began raining down on them, spreading soothing scents.

“Ah!” Sylvester realised something and facepalmed himself, “I ruined their planned welcome ceremony by not using the carriage.”

“We go back now?” Miraj asked.

“It’s already ruined—no need to go back and make them feel embarrassed. Let’s just get to the office and start working. Being the boss doesn’t mean I can slack off—you need to continue your training as well. We need to know why your back still itches.” Sylvester continued moving and finally arrived at the Pope’s Palace.

Thud!

The Soldiers guarding the place quickly went down on their knees. The Clergymen and Bright Mothers walking about, doing their work, also took to their knees and saluted them in the way of the church, arms crossed on their chests.

“Your Holiness—Your light reigned supreme, as we all believed,” Gabriel came to welcome Sylvester just as he entered the main gates. “Welcome back from your successful voyage—the elves know their place at last, and the dragons sit in their homes in fear.”

“You accomplished what all those before you failed at. You did it all in a single combat,” the Inquisitor High Lord arrived, proudly looking at Sylvester. “If any had doubts in your blessing before. This they can never ignore.”

Sylvester raised his hands and made them shine to acknowledge everyone’s salutes. However, he didn’t stop in one place as more and more Clergymen and Bright mothers kept gathering.

He continued to make his way and soon arrived at his modest office. In no time, the entire Sanctum Council stood in front of him. They didn’t sit as all the chairs were moved to the side, and even Sylvester remained standing while looking at the map on the table.

“What’s the status of the war between Marcia and Sorland?” Sylvester questioned them right away.

“Ongoing,” Gabriel notified. “They’ve had small skirmishes before, but now the two sides have fortified their borders with wooden walls and outposts. Their armies gather every few days and clash with each other.”

Cardinal Lazark stepped forward and placed a box on the table, “The gold is merely a guise. This is what they’re actually fighting over.”

As the spymaster opened the box, a rock became visible. Dark black with blue veins all over it, the sign of something far more precious than mere gold.

“Skygem?” Sylvester questioned.

“I sent some of my undead to check it. They discovered a massive chunk of Skygem under the ground, right in the middle of the two kingdoms’ boundaries. It appears the massive piece fell from the sky thousands and thousands of years ago and eventually got covered by the elements. There must be a few thousand tonnes of it, enough to equip all armies of Sol with a full body of Skygem armour.” Cardinal Lazark briefed Sylvester on the situation.

Sylvester rubbed his chin and thought about how to take the skygem lawfully. “What about the mediators?”

“Ignored. The two kings didn’t meet with them.” Gabriel answered.

“Casualties?”

“More than ten thousand each on both sides—less than half of them were civilians killed in small raids by each side.”

Sylvester sighed and looked at the map. “Tell me, has any clergyman died in this skirmish yet?”

“Fifteen in total. Two were archpriests, and the rest were normal priests. We have strongly warned them to control their war, or we will get involved.” Gabriel said since he was denied by Sylvester before from meddling in it.

“The army is ready for your command. Your orders we shall swiftly amend, your holiness.” The Inquisitor High Lord offered.

But Sylvester shook his head with something else in his head. “Law of non-interference can only go so far. All of you are to address one of the two archpriests who died there as one of our mediators who was wrongfully murdered by their war. This means I have enough grounds to be personally involved and punish both sides.”

With that, Sylvester picked up his spear again. “I will head to the West alone and bring them to justice.”

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