Chapter 29: Joining The Convoy Plans For The Future

‘Now you understand? Ascended Elite grants you the surest path to becoming an Immortal. At which point, if you won’t recognize the generosity The Almighty has bestowed on you, then maybe His Holiness will exile you on his own accord’.

‘So I might or mightn’t be permitted to leave the Holy Palace... ‘ Zax got the answer he sought and the moment his mind conjured the scenarios of his future as a member of the church, before he reached a conclusion toward any of them, his heart felt the morsel of reservation he had from the beginning inflating a bit. ‘I cannot make the decision now, even if it means suffering through whatever reprisal The Almighty will punish me with’.

‘I need time to think about it’. He sent back to Archbishop Silternja.

‘ ... You don’t care for The Almighty’s Godly retribution?’ Archbishop Silternja sounded mildly surprised. He did not expect an immediate positive or negative response to begin with.

‘When I’ll decide, I’ll personally let you know. I gather it won’t be a big deal if I’ll then show up in the Grand Abode’.

‘It won’t be a problem, but till then let’s make a deal. I can give you ten years to decide. Until then we will publically sustain our present inimical association, but beneath the surface, you will not do something that would really endanger the church in Ercas Mir, and I and my Bishops will not peruse life and death confrontation with you’.

‘What about Cardinal Northstar? Will you be able to keep him at bay, too?’

‘He ... is an exception, as well as the orders given to all priest and sisters of the church by him or His young Eminence’.

‘If they ... sisters, priests or even Stelero Mars will covet my life and put me in a position I won’t like, what do you expect me to do?’ Zax did not intend to hide or disguise himself for ten years.

After a prolong silence. ‘Do what must be done to protect yourself, however, should you kill His Young Eminence, you’ll either do it in the purpose of replacing him, or dissolving all intentions of ever having amiable involvement with Luminous Church and the Holy Palace. Acceptable?’

‘Yes’.

‘Good. I truly hope that we reached an understanding. Farewell’.

‘Why?’ Zax pressingly sent before Archbishop Silternja will be out of the communicator range.

‘Why what?’ Archbishop Silternja’s voice was there, but gave the impression of someone who said his piece and now wanted solitude from the subject.

‘Why are you willing to forget my transgressions?’

‘If you’ll join the Holy Palace I’ll tell you’.

...

Flying back to the Western Continent, despite knowing that the convoy of his family and friends is safe, at least from the church, Zax felt only slightly relived while mostly lamenting.

‘The might say otherwise, excuse it as an approach that only some, a small part believe in, but I very much doubt that it is truly so’. Zax was thinking on one of the biggest reasons that held him from joining the Holy Palace, his disagreement with the way the church handled and handling those who do not share its faith in The Almighty. ‘That alone is enough to prevent me from signing in. The Almighty is a God, but it’s not like he or she is the only one. If I ever decide to worship a God, it must be someone who corresponds to my Martial path and not by compulsion’.

From his short time in Ercas Mir he witnessed the deeds of three Gods. First, during the funeral service in Vergil’s Pasture. Second, in Demirva Ridge. Third, the mannerism of Luminous Church’s members, most significant to the impression he had to them is from Sister Beatriz conduct in their initial meeting. From these three perspectives, the least appealing was the one he get related to The Almighty.

‘I have ten years to make up my mind, which are not the issue ... say that I’ll manage to survive the Godly retribution, what of His Holiness?’ Just thinking about the topmost expert of the church made him feel a huge, cold lump weighing on his heart. ‘Senior Gid led me to believe that all it would take to confront the Immortals behind the five powers is for an expert from New Earth to accomplish Evolutionary Ascension and reach the realm of Immortality. Our adversaries aren’t at the Heavenly rank, but possibly three Mythical ranked Immortals with Heavenly and Sacred Immortals underneath them.’

The face such an ordeal a thousand, perhaps ten thousand and a hundred thousand years, will not suffice for him, or any other qualified indigenous expert, to cultivate to a good enough level of strength.

‘Senior Gid’s plan must be revised and I ... if not for dealing with His Holiness and the other two, then to with survive The Almighty’s Godly retribution, should it come before them, can only rely on myself, commencing the preparations by obtaining the remaining two Black Cores!’

...

The pathway to New Earth.

‘There are traces of battle but no bodies nor trails that could be followed’. Zax assessed from his survey of the surrounding.

Except of Luminous Church, the other four powers currently assumed that the pathway is guarded by a Bishop of the church. General Logan was patiently waiting for a report from the subordinates he sent, word that they apprehended the family members of “Zax Walaow”.

‘Kloky? Bonjier? Linor? Rockwell... ‘ Zax tried to contact the members of the church sent by Gid Chu to transport his family and friends, but to no avail. ‘They cannot have reached too far. If they are alive, which they should be, the only reason they don’t respond is because something interfering with frequency’. A glint appeared in his eyes. ‘Is the bewildering formation shortening the range of the frequency?’

He got off the ground in flight, high above the formation laid by Bishop Nunsup.

‘Kloky!’ He called with extreme expectation. Should he receive a reply, he will finally get to meet every one of his friends and family, whom he owed much apologies and explanations.