Cathedral of Harmony, Jamtara, Kingdom of Divinium, Eastern region of Rohana Federation, 2046 S.C. 152nd day, Season of Nadia
The great door groaned as it swung open. Beyond it lay a vast cathedral-like hall. Slender stone columns rose like sentinels, their surfaces etched with runes and symbols that seemed to shift in the flickering candlelight. Above, a glass ceiling revealed the sky, and light from the crosses and the stars projected silvery patterns onto the floor below. Rows of candles lined the hall, their flames dancing in unison, illuminating the path to a throne at the far end.
The throne was a monolith of shadow and stone, flanked by statues of figures frozen in acts of devotion, their hands clutching objects of worship such as chalices, scrolls, and blades. Atop the throne sat a figure shrouded in darkness. Behind him, the faint glow of candles revealed the intricate workings of a massive machine, its gears turning with a slow synchronous rhythm.
Two figures approached down the length of the hall. The first wore the robes of a high-ranking bishop and the second was a nobleman in a rich attire but still not too flamboyant.
"Your Eminence," the bishop intoned, his voice echoing in the vast space, "I present Arthur Pridens, Regent of Divinium. You have granted his request for an audience."
The figure on the throne stirred, his voice emerging from the shadows. "Welcome, Regent Pridens. I must ask why have you requested this meeting? As I recall, our technicians have installed a voicebox in the Divinium palace for faster correspondence."
Pridens bowed slightly. "Your Eminence, forgive me." He said with respectful tone, though there was still some unease in his voice. "Perhaps it is my age, but such technology remains foreign to me. And the intermediaries required to facilitate such a call do not inspire confidence in the privacy of the matter I wish to discuss."
The shadowed figure leaned forward slightly, the faint light catching the edge of a pale, gaunt face. "Very well, Regent Pridens. Speak your piece."
Pridens took a deep breath while calculating his following words. "Your Eminence, I come to report on recent events within Divinium. I am certain you have been briefed on the attacks on our villages. Those were acts of brutality attributed to local bandits. However, certain details were omitted from those reports."
"Go on."
"Our intelligence operatives have uncovered evidence suggesting that these attacks were not the work of mere bandits. There are strong indications that individuals of noble lineage are involved."
The figure on the throne remained silent for a moment, the only sound the rhythmic turning of the gears behind him. "That is a grave accusation, Regent. What evidence do you have to support it?"
"To begin, some of the victims we managed to recover from grave sites, were slain by blades of fine craftsmanship, weapons far beyond the reach of common bandits. The precision of the wounds suggests training by the finest swordsmanship instructors. These were not the crude strikes of outlaws but the calculated cuts of a skilled duelist."
"Even among the dregs of society, there can be unexpected talent," the shadowed figure replied, with tone sounding at first sounding dismissive. "Do you have more?"
"Yes, Your Eminence. Two lower nobles have gone missing. They were under suspicion of smuggling a soul crystal, so we been looking into their activities. They officially announced their intentions to arrive to the city with central administration, but they never did. Then we had reports of small party of men with leather jackets with hoods covering their heads. We gave chase and they split up, and by the time they were all caught, they all were dead. Killing themselves and using some technology to burn off their faces under their veils."
"And how does this connect to the nobles?"
"Two of the bodies had emblems with family crests. There were also some physical traits on the body them selves. We later had their kin gave us confirmation of their identities. We told the families the nobles had been attacked and their faces mutilated by sadistic bandits. But the truth is, these individuals were among the bandits. The evidence is damning."
The figure on the throne leaned back, his fingers steeped in thought. "Or perhaps we are dealing with a cunning adversary who planted these nobles to sow discord among us. Did you find them alive or dead?"
"Dead, Your Eminence. But there were no signs of torture beyond the mutilation of their faces. I believe they took their own lives to conceal their involvement."
"Or they were killed to frame them," the shadowed figure countered. "And you mentioned soul crystal. Did you manage to find it?"
"No, but one of the bodies we found later in the forest had been attacked by wild life and his belongings taken. Though we believe it was Haran Baratti, one of our church liaisons that stole it, during the patrol."
"And did you question the man?"
"No, the last known location was the village of Haugstad, which got burned to the ground during one of these attacks. The only thing found was his motorcycle hidden near the outskirts of the forest."
"How convenient that the key actor is gone. Regent Pridens, regarding the nobles, your evidence is circumstantial. To accuse the nobility without irrefutable proof would be unwise. You could lose your regency if right families were to raise their voices. Remember, the position you hold was only by my grace. And it is until the prince comes of age."
Pridens' jaw tightened, but he nodded. "This is why I have come to you, Your Eminence. As the holy leader of the Divinum branch, you have the influence to issue a decree authorizing a military investigation. Such a decree would prevent the nobility from objecting."
The figure on the throne shook his head slowly. "No. Without more substantial evidence, I will not issue such a decree. You seek to avoid the ire of the nobility, Regent Pridens, but the clergy must also tread carefully. Our standing with the noble houses is delicate. To act on mere suspicion would be to invite chaos. Bring me more tangible evidence, something they won't be able to deny. Then, the clergy will have no choice but to intervene."
Pridens exhaled sharply, trying to contain his frustration. "What would you have me do, Your Eminence?"
"Be more competent. Employ spies to gather intelligence and infiltrate these bandits if possible, and let them have find a list of names of nobles that participate, if there are any."
The man then sighed. "One more thing, Regent Pridens. Find time in using the voicebox. The fact we can transmit our voice through pipes is a modern miracle, and will be a critical tool in subjugating these heathens. Still, your discretion in omitting these details from the reports was prudent. We would have faced unnecessary fallout had such accusations been made public."
Pridens bowed deeply, his voice tight. "I understand, Your Eminence. I will have my nephew tutor me."
The shadowed figure then gestured to the bishop. "Bishop Stefan, escort our guest. The audience is concluded."
As the two figures retreated down the long hall, the man on the throne remained motionless, his mind churning like the gears behind him. This is troubling indeed, he thought. First, there was disturbing evidence of monster domestication blocking trading routes, now implications that some of nobility is involved. It also matches some of the reports from nations of Valaria and Tuska. These groups operate on a far broader scale than we imagined?