High Priest

As they reached the public space, a lot more people were waiting around while facing the balcony.

From adventurers to civilians- even merchants had temporarily closed their shops to attend.

The small group headed toward the back of the crowd, as they waited for the announcement.

"Does this happen often?" asked Levi.

"Not really," replied Thunder.

"Barely ever," agreed Aya. "But a speech with that many high inquisitors around? Concerning."

"High inquisitors?"

"They're elite within the church," explained Thunder. "They're stronger than the typical 'soldier', they could sometimes match my strength. A few of them could maybe match Grant, even."

Levi quickly glanced at Grant, but he surprisingly did not react. 

"Well, whatever they announce shouldn't be our problem. Hopefully it's a quick one."

Levi nodded, as he also wanted to head inside the tower as soon as possible. They had finally gotten so close.

As they watched the balcony, two figures wearing white robes appeared on each side.

The bright grey sky slowly darkened, as someone walked toward the center of the balcony. 

As he did, clapping and cheering thundered through the public space. Everyone, from any background, shouted and applauded as the High Priest appeared.

The man's head appeared like a hologram made of mist in the sky, Levi could see it right above them, and further around the city as well.

As he started talking, Levi heard the echoes reaching them.

"Am I a monster?

People dying, children crying yet my heart remains cold and distant.

Parents mourning and kids grieving yet my soul remains unmoving.

Only through pain and suffering can we grow. 

Only through agony and despair could we ever soar.

But haven't we grown tall enough? Haven't we soared high enough?

How many around you can you see fall before your heart grows cold too?

How much more can we handle before our souls darken?

I am a monster.

I cannot grieve no more.

I cannot feel pain no more.

I cannot let this agony go on.

And I sure cannot let this suffering carry on.

I turn to you, the faithful whose heart has also been tainted.

The devout whose loyalty has been tested. 

They made us monsters, this kingdom and the unfaithful leading it.

The Gods have spoken. 

Over is the time of us becoming monsters.

We'll use what they turned us into to fight back.

Glory and grace will shower those who, like me, decided to stop being monsters.

Sharpen your blades, they walk among us. 

Apostates pretending to be humans, nobles pretending to have a soul; the guards helping them and the others who support them.

Join me in this fight, for we shall meet again showered in the glory of the Seven.

See you all on the other side."

The crowd cheered, the adventurers raising their weapons toward the sky as they chanted.

Some hit their weapons on the ground, while others simply struck their metal armor. A ruckus was seeping in slowly, as the crowd grew chaotic.

The sound of explosions further in the city resonated all the way there.

Levi quickly turned to Thunder, "What's this? What's happening?"

Thunder wasn't smiling.

"He just declared a holy war."

Some people started turning around, looking at them. Lydia quickly placed herself before Levi, a knife out in each hand.

Some people took a step forward, but none more than that. 

"That's Thunder..." "And Grant..."

The crowd while in high spirits whispered among themselves.

"Huh? These guys are frauds. Urban legends to scare the kids!" yelled an adventurer breaking the crowd. 

He took a few steps, approaching the group. He wore bronze-colored armor while wielding a massive two-handed sword.

As he swung the sword around a bit, he finished by pointing it straight at them.

From his confidence, a few more walked up, joining him.

Levi felt a hand on his shoulder, noticing Grant passing by them.

Walking in front of the group, he exhaled loudly.

"Won't you need your weapon?" asked Levi noticing he didn't have it.

"You're right, I'd need to give them my weapon to have a bit of fun but I might need it later..." replied Grant.

Not what I meant.

Grant's body became tense, his usual nonchalant posture gone.

He raised his right leg, and with gradual speed struck the ground before him.

It crumbled, like an inverted triangle starting from his foot.

A loud rumble reverberated through the floor, as dust and stone debris were projected upward. 

The adventurers and anyone near them were thrown backward, violently hitting the ground.

Some groans and screams echoed through.

Grant lifted his leg again, ready to hit the ground again.

As the descent started, the wind from the shock of his foot blasted through the surroundings.

Levi raised his arm to protect his eyes. 

After lowering it, he noticed the large guy they had encountered on the path to the tower.

He was holding a spear, its tip touching the ground while the staff held Grant's foot off the ground.

Around them, in a semi-circle, stood more of them wearing white robes.

"High Inquisitors," whispered Thunder. 

Levi could feel Helian's tight grip on his shirt, and Syllia who was holding his arm.

"Grant, you can go all out if you want. The situation warrants it," yelled Aya who was still composed.

Levi saw Grant turn around, with the most terrifying smile. 

He was ecstatic.

His halberd appeared in his right hand.

He did a horizontal swipe, using both hands.

As it was about to reach the large man, four more like him appeared and helped him block the blow, completely stopping it.

The halberd hit their weapons and came to a full stop, but a shockwave emanated from the tip of the halberd.

It looked like visible energy mixed with wind, projected toward buildings the halberd was pointing at.

A loud detonation followed a flash. 

The sound of glass breaking mixed with the wooden structures crumbling.

It wasn't only a single building, but multiple were falling down from this single hit, raising a cloud of dust.

Grant kept his halberd horizontal and did a 360-degree turn on himself.

Barely in time, the four large inquisitors tried to block it again.

This time, the tip of the halberd pointed toward inquisitors.

The blast blew apart half of them, with another loud detonation creating a shockwave.

Body parts flew in all directions. 

The smell of death and destruction filled the air.

As Grant turned his head sideways, Levi could see it.

His evil smile showed pleasure and enjoyment.

Levi looked up to the balcony, the High Priest was still up there, looking down.

He lifted his hand, and a golden book appeared above it. 

After chanting, a massive golden magic circle appeared floating before him. 

Its glow grew brighter, directly pointed toward them. 

Grant laughed loudly, in a way that resembled a battle cry.

The other inquisitors had moved out of the way.

Grants moved a few steps back in front of the group, his usual halberd in his right hand, and another one which had appeared in his left.

They both rested on the ground, but the one on his left was a foot deep. The surrounding floor crumbled under its weight.

Thunder positioned himself between Grant and the others, raising both arms sideways.

"Stay behind me."

The golden magic circle suddenly stopped glowing.

After a second of darkness, a ray of light abruptly appeared, creating a loud high-pitched noise as it made its way toward them.

Grant brought both weapons forward, directly facing the light, and made them collide as the massive ray reached him.

The shockwave Grant created barely pushed back the ray.

As it touched his weapons, his left halberd brightened in a red hue that became more and more vibrant as the ray persisted.

The heat was unbearable, they could see space distort around the ray.

As it started to dissipate, the High priest had already completed chanting the next one.

They looked around, unable to find the magic circle.

Grant jumped back, colliding his weapon straight above.

Levi looked up, another ray was already coming down.

As he absorbed it right next to them, Levi could hear Grant maniacally laughing.

Helian's grip was sinking in Levi's skin.

Aya was the only one composed, as Lydia had a concerned look.

"The High Priest chanting again!" yelled Levi at Thunder who was looking up.

"Oh, no you don't!" He yelled.

Thunder resounded, momentarily warping space around them and lifting dust off the ground.

Everyone beside Grant was holding onto their ears tightly.

The booming echo threw Levi in a world of pain, as he could hear a high-pitched ringing that paired with a migraine.

Thunder instantly reappeared next to the High Priest, but a white energy shield enclosed the High Priest.

The moment Thunder rammed into it sent him flying sideways.

"Thunder!" Yelled out Levi as he saw him propelled into a tall building.

"Levi!" Cried out Syllia as she pulled Levi's arm.

Levi quickly turned, wondering what it was about.

Following her eyes, he could see it.

Two new golden circles had appeared, floating on each side. 

The ground became dark, and the atmosphere heavier.

As they looked around, ember floated. 

Lydia turned around to look at Levi.

His eyes had become an abyssal void.