The Cardinal of Sin

Alternate Zesshi/Aura Fight Scenario

Seraiah didn't like what the Theocracy was doing. He understood the reasons. For an action like this, the Cardinals had explained everything clearly but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were losing.

They were losing. The Shamanic Princesses had made it clear that the Theocracy had to lose here in order to survive. It was a bitter revelation. Each Princess wore a different Crown. They were controlled by them. They had no emotion but he thought even they were crying when they delivered the news.

There had been debate. It was not the ordered, considered debate of a civilised nation. It was more akin to a bar brawl in one of the poor quarters of Kami Miyako. No one, not even the Pontifex Maximus wanted to believe the Princesses but they had never misspoken. And their words were shockingly clear. Most future visions were filled with uncertainty and shadow. This one had been absolute. There was no ambiguity. It was as if one of the Gods had said the words himself.

The Theocracy had to give ground to the Undead Sorcerer King, or it would not exist come the Fire months.

There had been attempts to rationalise the words. Attempts to water them down. There had been screams that the Shamanic Princesses were being treasonous or had been corrupted but that was an impossibility. They were controlled by their Crowns. They could speak no falsehood. They could only speak what the Crowns wanted known. [The Crown of Wisdom] was gone but the Crowns of Prophecy, Fortitude and Accession remained.

In the wake of the Sorcerer King's declaration of war, they had been clear. If the Theocracy did not hand over those responsible, as the Declaration had screamed to the world, then the Theocracy would cease to exist.

It was a chilling thought. The Theocracy had to exist for the safety and continued existence of humanity! There was no choice. The Shamanic Princesses couldn't tell them what would happen after they gave the Sorcerer King those responsible but they were clear on what would happen if the Theocracy did not.

The Theocracy had agreed to hand over the disposables. It was only the accident of their birth making them human, that was keeping them alive. They were demihuman animals in a human shell. No one had objected to giving them up.

The Windflower Scripture was another matter, especially as a lot of effort had been put into resurrecting their members who had died on the mission. The Shamanic Princesses had been merciless. The vision they had shared with the Thousand League Astrologer was uncompromising. She had agreed there was no room for misinterpretation. Reluctantly it was agreed that the Scripture would also be sacrificed. For the good of the Theocracy.

That left two. The Cardinal of Wind and the Black Scripture's Extra Seat. Cardinal Dominic had screamed and objected. He had rallied all his support but the others were implacable, as was the Pontifex Maximus. Dominic had authorised the mission outside of the rules. He had brought this upon himself.

Of course the Theocracy could not admit to its citizens that it was simply handing over a Cardinal and a Scripture to an undead. If the exact details became public... Seraiah shuddered to think what would happen. Instead it was announced that Dominic was going into seclusion. The Scripture would accompany him.

It was an honourable ending. The Undead had agreed to the fiction. It had seemed amused. No doubt because it knew the truth and could blackmail the Theocracy later. The Shamanic Princesses had been consulted. They had said nothing. The detail was not one of importance.

That just left the Black Scripture's Extra Seat. The strongest Godkin of the Theocracy, Zesshi Zetsumei. It was a shock when the Undead King had included her in his list of demands. He shouldn't have known about her. The Theocracy refused.

The Sorcerer King insisted. The Theocracy wondered if he knew what the Shamanic Princesses had said. They could not lose Zetsumei. The Theocracy knew that. The Shamanic Princesses remained adamant. The Undead had to be satisfied.