Grimsby Manor sounded impressive. In reality, it was a haunted-looking pile of dark stone on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the sea.
"Quaint," Ravi remarked, staring up at the gothic spires covered in ivy that looked suspiciously sentient.
"It has... character," Lyanna offered, standing beside him with her arms crossed. "And defensive potential. The walls are thick."
"And the previous owner disappeared under mysterious circumstances," Celeste added cheerfully from behind a stack of floating books. "Reportedly eaten by his own basement."
"Perfect," Ravi sighed. "It's free. Let's move in."
The move took exactly two hours. Mostly because Ravi could carry a wardrobe in each hand and simply kick open stuck doors with gentle precision. By noon, he was the lord of a very dusty, very empty manor.
He was unpacking his meager belongings in the master bedroom—which had a view of the crashing ocean—when a bell rang through the halls. Not a doorbell. A deep, resonant gong.
"The gate!" Lyanna's voice echoed up the stairs.
Ravi went down to the main hall. The massive double doors were already open.
Standing on the threshold was a delegation from the Church. Twelve armored Templars stood in formation. And at their head, Aurelia Lightbringer.
She wasn't glowing today, but her presence was just as bright. She wore practical travel leathers of white and gold, and carried a staff tipped with a sunburst symbol.
"Lady Stormforge," Aurelia greeted Lyanna with a polite nod. "I see you have wasted no time securing the 'Royal Shield'."
"Someone has to keep him from accidentally tearing the building down," Lyanna replied dryly. "What brings the Church to this cursed rock?"
"A housewarming," Aurelia smiled sweetly. She gestured, and two Templars brought forward a heavy wooden chest. "Blessed wine from the Pontiff's own vineyards. And wards against the... restless spirits said to inhabit this place."
She stepped into the hall. The air seemed to get lighter around her. "And, of course, a proposal."
Ravi walked down the stairs, wiping dust from his hands. "A proposal? Am I getting married?"
"To the Cause, perhaps," Aurelia said, her eyes lighting up when she saw him. "Ravi. We need to talk. Privately."
"We don't keep secrets here," Lyanna interjected, stepping beside Ravi. "We are a team."
"This concerns his... unique nature," Aurelia said, dropping her voice. "And the heresy that hunts him."
"We know about Malachai," Ravi said. "We know he wants me as a vessel. Is there something else?"
Aurelia paused. Her perfect mask of serenity slipped for a fraction of a second, revealing surprise. "You know? Remarkable. Most men would go mad with that knowledge."
"I'm too busy cleaning cobwebs to go mad," Ravi said. "Come on in. We have chairs now. I think."
They gathered in the library, which smelled of old paper and ozone (Celeste was already reorganizing the shelves).
"The Church has known of the Vessel Prophecy for centuries," Aurelia began, accepting a cup of tea Celeste brewed (using magic to heat the water). "The scriptures say: When the Void wakes, it shall seek the Chalice that cannot crack."
She looked at Ravi. "We assumed the Chalice was an artifact. Or a god-forged golem. We never imagined it would be a man."
"Technically, I'm just very dense," Ravi said.
"Semantics," Aurelia waved a hand. "The point is, Malachai cannot manifest fully without you. His soul is too immense; it shatters mortal bodies upon possession. He needs something indestructible to contain his essence. To walk this world in flesh."
"So if I stay alive and un-possessed, he stays a ghost?"
"Exactly," Aurelia nodded. "Which makes you the most important strategic asset in the world. The Church wants to offer you Sanctuary. Within the Holy City of Orium. Protected by legions of Templars and the strongest divine wards known to man."
"A gilded cage," Lyanna spat. "He'd be a prisoner."
"He would be safe," Aurelia countered, her voice hardening. "And the world would be safe from Malachai. If the demon takes him, Lyanna... it is the end of days. An indestructible Demon Lord? Nothing could stop him."
Silence. She was right. A possessed Ravi would be a nightmare scenario. An unkillable body with god-like magic? Game over.
"I appreciate the offer," Ravi said slowly. "But I don't do cages. Holy or otherwise."
"It is not a request, Ravi," Aurelia said softly. "The Council of Cardinals has authorized... extreme measures to secure the Vessel. For the greater good."
The Templars outside shifted. Their hands rested on their sword hilts.
"Are you threatening me in my own house?" Ravi asked. His voice dropped an octave. The playfulness vanished.
"I am stating facts," Aurelia said, though she looked pained. "I do not wish to use force. But I cannot let you walk free, vulnerable to capture. If Malachai gets you..."
"He won't," Ravi stood up.
He didn't grab a weapon. He didn't need one.
"Listen to me, Aurelia. You detected no evil in me. That's true. But you detected no threat either. That was a mistake."
He walked over to the heavy oak table in the center of the library. It was solid wood, six inches thick.
He placed one finger on the surface.
"I am not vulnerable," he whispered.
He pushed.
CRACK.
The table didn't just break; it detonated. Splinters exploded outward. The table split straight down the middle, collapsing into firewood.
Aurelia flinched. The Templars at the door drew their swords.
"Tell your Council," Ravi said, stepping over the wreckage, "that I am not a Chalice. I am a Shield. I protect my own. And if the Church tries to lock me up, I will break your holy city just like I broke this table. Accidentally."
The threat hung in the air. A collision of divine authority and immovable object.
Aurelia stared at him. She saw the raw power he was hinting at. The power that killed a Void Hound. The power that snapped a minotaur.
She raised a hand, signaling the Templars to stand down.
"I see," she murmured. A new light entered her eyes. Respect? Or perhaps excitement. "You are truly a creature of faith, Ravi. You believe in yourself more than any god."
She stood up. "Very well. I will tell the Council you refused Sanctuary. But I will remain in Aethelgard. I will observe. And if I judge you cannot protect yourself..."
"Then bring your army," Ravi finished. "I'll make tea."
Aurelia smiled. A real one this time. "I look forward to it."
She swept out of the room, her Templars following.
As the door closed, Celeste let out a breath. "That was incredibly reckless. Threatening the High Paladin? Are you insane?"
"I established boundaries," Ravi said, sitting on the remaining chair. "Relationships are all about boundaries."
Lyanna was looking at him with shining eyes. "You protected your freedom. Good."
"I just didn't want to live in a church," Ravi shrugged. "Drafty. Too much chanting."
"But she's right about one thing," Celeste warned. "Malachai will send more than golems next time. He will send his generals. The Dread Lords."
"Then we'll need to upgrade the house defenses," Ravi said, looking around. "And buy a new table."
That night, as the moons rose over the ocean, a shadow watched Grimsby Manor from the cliffs.
A figure wrapped in bandages and chains stood motionless. Its eyes burned with purple fire.
"The Vessel is... resistant," a rasping voice whispered to the wind. "Interesting. The Hunt begins."
Ravi, inside, felt a chill run up his spine. His "Survival Streak" was reset to zero.