Stroking his hand along the top of the box, Seth desperately had to resist the urge to open it. He had heard the warnings, he understood the warnings. But... It was just so tantalising. What did an 'Untainted Tear' even look like? What made it untainted?

Actually... if the box stopped anything from getting into it as to not 'Taint' the 'Untainted' then how did they even know that it was the tear that was inside? What if she was just scamming him and telling him that was the case, and his system was just believing her. How did it know?

[Nothing can get in. Not energy nor matter. But the Untainted Tear produces a certain energy of its own, which gently leaks from the containment field. By scanning that leakage, we can detect the contents without ruining it.

We do not make such mistakes.]

Seth smiled sheepishly as Angel chastised him in his mind for his doubts. Seth didn't talk as much with Angel as he used to, not that Angel was much of a conversation starter anyways. But it was good to see that their attitude had remained the same, and that they still thought so little of him.

'And you're sure that when the time comes, that we can get the Untainted Tear out of the box without ruining it?'

[Yes. I am sure. When the time comes for your continued evolution, I can extend the protection of it for long enough to absorb it into your evolving form.]

Seth nodded softly and, just as he was wondering where he would store this awkwardly sized box, it simply disappeared from his hands as it dissolved into motes of light.

[Permission has been granted to store evolutionary components.]

Well now, wasn't that handy. Here he was thinking he would have to cart around this box the entire time so that some maid didn't accidentally open it. He could have always left a sigh, but since when did anyone ever pay attention to a sign?

Regardless, that was one down and only four more to go, and that was arguably the hardest one. The Fruit was already on its way, curtesy of lover boy Alfie and his new wooden wife. The Lightning in a Bottle was only a matter of time.

Just the Soul of a God and the Dragon's Heart left.

Glancing at the dragon in front of him, Seth cleared his throat nervously and looked towards the map laying out on the table.

"What did you mean I was looking at it wrong?"

A sly smile spread across the dragons lips as she glided towards him, her clawed finger dragging across the map as she looked at it like it really was a simple game.

"Simple little worm. You look at it as if it is a war, but for this man who plays as god. It is a crusade. A religious conquest. And what is the most important thing in such a conquest?"

"The spreading of your religion, obviously. But what does that... The monuments..."

Seth's voice trailed off and his eyes lost focus for a moment before both of his bodies moved simultaneously, scrambling to find the right papers amongst the piles of reports. Corvus finally snatched up the right report and eagerly handed it to Seth, who rapidly read over it again.

"Of course! You idiot!"

As Seth read, Corvus turned on his heels and broke out into a sprint, the billowing shadows of his cloak flapping behind him as they grew in size and thickness. With swift movements, he opened the window and immediately leapt out, the shadows swirling around him as he took to the skies a moment later.

Astra drummed her fingers against the table, raising an irritated eyebrow at Seth as he muttered to himself.

"Do you mind sharing with the rest of the class?"

"Right sorry... So, the Lightbringer's people keep building these forts. Random things. Sometimes armed with lots of people, and sometimes they are completely abandoned with barely a few buildings and shabby wall.

But in every single one, without fail, there is one of these!"

He passed her the papers in his hand, one of the many scouting reports he had received back from the field, from a mixture of human and puppet scouts. He tapped his finger against the paper, directing her attention to a crude drawing of a monument of some kind.

A pillar of stone, atop of which a life sized statue of the Lightbringer stood in all of his glory. Each one making sure to include his dazzling, and truly glowing, golden eyes.

"Now why build a monument like that in an empty fortress? Sure, they are a cult. But if there is no one around to worship them and there never will be, why bother? Unless of course, they are more than that.

When I briefly visited his city there was this energy that filled the air... It wasn't mana, but as strange as it was I had sensed it before. When I was there it seemed to supress me slightly, fight against my very presence in a way that it didn't with the others.

The Dragon is right, this isn't just a war. This is a Holy war. So what if..."

"...What if these are more than just monuments, but relays for a kind of Holy Energy. Holy Energy that the Lightbringer powers himself off of."

Astra looked up at Seth as she finished his sentence, a bright smile across her face as they shared in a wondrous revelation.

***

Lord Corvus flew through the air in a plume of black smoke, soaring above the city like a missile on a mission. His flight curved downwards and when he landed once more, a plume of black smoke-like shadows poured out from his landing zone. They curled through the streets like a tidal wave of shadows, before retreating back to their dark master and obediently curling around his body like a cloak.

Straightening up, Corvus lifted his eyes to look at the carving of a raven in flight which had been placed above the grandiose doors of his own church.

Beside the door, there were already people making a commotion. Worshippers and other devours bowing, with some even getting down on all fours and pressing their heads to the floor in reverence.

It was a sight that usually would have disturbed Seth, considering his past. But this time he looked at the display with new eyes.

He lingered outside casting his gaze over his followers, who shivered whenever they felt his eyes pass over him, before strolling towards the door like he owned the place. Which technically he did.

A pair of his devout followers scrambled to their feet, pushing open the tall wooden doors before he had even a chance to reach them, so that he didn't dirty his hands with mortal affairs such as opening doors for himself.

The inside of the church was illuminated mainly by the five flaming orbs that hung against the far wall, just above the plinth where the priest would give his sermons. Although... Seth had no idea what those sermons would even contain.

Just as he expected, the same energy that he had sensed in the Lightbringer's cult compound was evident here. It wasn't exactly the same, as the Lightbringer's energy was bright and oppressive, where this version was dark, cold and yet strangely welcoming. Like the shade of an umbrella on a hot summers day.

The followers outside had radiated the same energy. When he had met them, it lingered on their bodies like a perfume, following them around wherever they went. When they bowed their heads to him, it flared in excitement.

It eagerly swirled around him, welcoming him like a loyal minion. When he raised his hands, the energy gathered in his palms before dispersing outwards, engulfing his body in a blanket of comfort. It brought with it a singular, undeniable feeling. Authority.

"M-my Lord! You- You are here! I am honoured by your presence. How may this humble servant serve you?"

He turned at the sound of a meek voice, finding a redheaded young man in a dark black robe, bowing towards him. Was this one of his priests?

It was strange to think that he had priests. He had distanced himself so much from this church, trying to avoid his past. Yet here he was now, dragged back to it over and over by some cruel twist of fate.

The Holy energy swirled around this priest like a typhoon, overflowing from him with absolute abundance. If Seth focused, he could feel the streams of it. The majority of the energy was curling off of the priest and converging on the flaming orbs, the one's that represented himself and his Anima son's.

But some of it, especially now, was curling off the priest and flowing directly towards Corvus. He lifted his hand, letting the stream of energy pass through his fingers like he was dipping his hand in a river, as he reached towards the priests face.

His head tilted, his expression hidden behind the darkness of his hood. When he spoke, his voice was cold and echoed inhumanely, but it held the same chilling, shadowy embrace as the energy that was swirling around him.

"Tell me of your worship. Tell me of my church."