Chapter 20: Reporting in
It was five days after everything had happened inside the Sanctuary. Alexia and her sister were having breakfast together. She'd arrived early evening the previous day and had gotten an immediate meeting with Iris and her two companions. Afterwards Alexia had gotten some pen and paper and actually written a report. It would put everything she saw into chronological order and hopefully have it make more sense. Her sister was looking it over as she sipped her tea and nibbled on a croissant.
"I know that look," Alexia sighed. "You don't believe any of it do you?"
"I never said that," Iris sounded defensive.
"Great! So, you do believe it!"
"Uhm…"
"I don't have a head wound this time, and there were two other witnesses to corroborate everything I saw. A princess and a porn writer."
"W… What?"
"A princess and an acclaimed author."
Alexia had forced the meeting with her sister to happen as soon as she arrived so she could get the hell away from that damned rude, judgmental, insulting, prudish, arrogant, stupid, big boobed elf. The four-day trip with her and Rose had been torturous, and she'd just barely resisted the urge to strangle that insolent tramp! The girl had stared at her with rude eyes the entire time while talking about her plans for her next book. It was going to be a romance centered on a sweet and innocent silver haired maiden who rescues the boy she loves from an immoral and shameless noble woman who seduces him with her body. The noblewoman's name was going to be Alice Middleguard.
Somehow Rose being a fan had left her completely blind to that elf's rude behavior. The two of them had actually become friends. And the big titty elf was even offering to use her many connections in the literary world to gather information on the Cult of Diablos. Alexia couldn't imagine anything someone like her could learn being of actual value. But she'd agreed to at least listen to any info that was acquired.
So long as it was passed on by Rose and not the rude pornographer.
Rose had even suggested the three of them be friends and work as a unit. When Alexia and the titty monster both shouted 'NEVER' it was the one and only time the two of them agreed on something.
"Can you at least understand why so much of this is hard for me to accept?" Iris groaned. "Some of the things you've revealed shake the very foundations of the beliefs most people have! Diablos is real. Olivier was a woman. Orphan children were used as test subjects. There is a drug that can not only grant enhanced magical power but make you immortal. Not to mention you're implying the Holy Church is riddled with corruption! Do you not see how explosive some of this information is?"
Alexia gave an indifferent shrug. "I thought the whole reason you sent me there in the first place was to find out the truth. Would you rather still be ignorant?"
Iris let out a grunt and sipped her tea.
Alexia eyed her sister and felt real sympathy for her. Iris was a warrior at heart with all of a warrior's virtues. She was brave, determined, and strong. She would never run away from an enemy and if she fought, she would fight with every ounce of strength to win. Alexia loved her sister and admired her qualities.
But…
Unlike herself, Iris had never learned to read people or see through their masks to their true intentions. She was much too willing to assume the best. Iris had been completely fooled by Zenon and likely wouldn't have suspected Archbishop Nelson of anything. She liked to view the world as white and black and tried her best not to be suspicious. That was a dangerous flaw when your enemy was a secret cult whose members could be anyone.
"I got some interesting news from Lindwurm that supports some of what you told me," Iris said.
"Do tell."
"The Holy Grounds have collapsed, they have literally disappeared and become a pit. There is also a rumor that the doors to the Sanctuary have vanished without a trace. It's unconfirmed, but the cathedral has been closed to the public. It normally offers mass daily, so people are all taking that as a sign that the doors are gone. Also, no one has seen the archbishop since that night, everyone believes he was kidnapped and killed by Shadow Garden."
Alexia recalled Delta drenched in blood and laughing while standing atop a pile of dismembered Nelson clones.
She shuddered. "Okay, that's one death I think it's fair to blame on them. Though since the man was high up in the Cult of Diablos, I'd say he got what he deserved. I didn't see the Holy Grounds again before I left, and I didn't visit the cathedral, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Sanctuary really is gone."
"If it is, there'll never be another Goddess' Trial."
"Yeah, that's a shame I'd have loved to try and fight a heroic spirit once I was stronger."
"This'll also cause a huge rift with the faithful. A lot of them might even abandon the church all together."
"Good."
Iris frowned. "How can you say that?"
"I'm sorry, did you miss the part where an archbishop was a member of the cult? If the Holy Church loses some of its influence and authority, I think that helps us."
"You can't assume the entire church is corrupt! It was only one man after all."
"That we know of," Alexia pointed out. "What about the priest who was running that orphanage and Archbishop Drake? Do you really think they were murdered because they didn't know anything? How many more like them are there all throughout the clergy?"
"I'm sure that the vast majority are good and pious men and women."
"Which does us exactly zero good if the ones in charge are working for the cult."
Iris sighed again and looked exhausted despite the day just beginning. "For the time being we need to keep all of this a secret. Letting this news out would not only hurt society in general it could make us targets of the cult."
"No argument here, but knowledge is power, especially in this sort of fight. I'm going to keep trying to uncover the truth about both the Cult of Diablos and Shadow Garden."
Iris gave a dispirited nod. "Just please be careful."
XXX
As she'd done more than a week before Alexia visited the boys' dorm and asked the front desk to send a message up to Cid to come meet her in the lobby. Wonder of wonders the man working there went to fetch him and about fifteen minutes later he came shambling out, his school uniform looking crumpled, his shirt not tucked in, and his hair uncombed like always.
"Well, it looks like you made it out of there safe and sound. Glad you're okay."
"Thanks, things got kind of crazy right when my name was called. I at least got to see that fight between Shadow and Violet. He really is as amazing as you said."
"Violet?"
"The woman ghost he fought. I didn't know her name, but I noticed she had violet eyes so that's what I called her."
"Brilliant naming scheme, if you didn't know who I was I assume you'd just call me Red."
"Well, that or Evil Witch."
Alexia grinned. SLAP! "I missed you too, Poochie."
He was rubbing the back of his head. "You've got a weird way of showing it."
"Yeah? Well count your blessings. Believe it or not you're only the second most annoying person I've been with over the last few days."
"Really? What did Iris do this time?"
SLAP!
XXX
"Wow, this Delta sounds terrifying," Poochie said.
"She is! I swear, if all beastkin are like her we're doomed."
"Yeah, it's just lucky they don't have any common sense."
"What?"
"Nothing, so it's amazing what you went through. You were in the Sanctuary, found out ancient secrets involving Diablos and Olivier, and discovered a church archbishop was a cultist."
"Yes, it certainly was quite an adventure."
"But I'm sure everything will calm down now."
"Don't be too sure," Alexia said with a grin. "I plan to keep investigating the cult and Shadow Garden."
"That so? Well, I'll miss you while you're off doing that."
"What?" Alexia gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "You're going to let your beloved girlfriend run around on her own and be in danger? How cruel!"
"Don't even try, you don't have enough gold."
She chuckled. "You can say that, but we both know I'll get you to do what I want."
"You're really bound and determined to work me to death, aren't you?"
"Oh, come on, you get the joy and pleasure of my company. What could be better?"
"A root canal with no anesthetic? A six-hour history class? Going shopping with you again?"
"How about a beating with the flat of my sword?"
"Or as I call it, Tuesday."
"Why do you have to be so difficult? If you would just work hard and do as I tell you, you'd definitely achieve great things! I wouldn't have to threaten you all the time if you'd just motivate yourself and actually work."
Poochie turned to stare at her. "Okay, are you sure you're not my sister in disguise?"
"I see someone needs a little reminder of that happens to doggies who are disobedient."
The two of them were approaching the academy dojo. After their long break Alexia was eager to get back to improving Poochie's skills. The God of War Tournament was less than a month away. That meant the capital would soon be flooded with skilled fighters looking to make names for themselves. While it was probably hoping too much, it would be nice of Poochie could take some inspiration from them and work a little harder on self-improvement. She was even thinking of letting him watch from the VIP section with her.
She and Poochie both came to a sudden stop. Alexia looked over at him.
"You feel it too?"
He nodded. "Someone who can use mana is inside."
"It could be someone wanting to train," she put a hand on the hilt of her sword but didn't pull it out. Then again, it might not be. Since her kidnapping she was much more aware of her surroundings. "Just in case, stay behind me."
Pooch nodded. They both knew which of them was the better fighter and he was not one to worry about appearances. Most of the time.
Alexia walked up to the door. With one swift sure motion she threw it open. There in the middle of the dojo floor was a blonde princess with a black sports uniform and a wooden sword.
"Hello Alexia," Rose said with a smile. "I decided to take you up on your invitation." Her cheeks blushed. "Hello, Cid."
Alexia stifled a groan and forced a smile to her face.