Headed by a Snake

Scared as she was, Croesa looked towards High Oracle Troia... her rock, her protector, the girl revered by all the Flame-fearing peoples of the Holy Country.

[Fear not,] Lady Troia signed, [Our Hero will protect us.]

"I'm... really sorry about this, guys," Pale smiled with chagrin, "But don't worry. I won't let either of you get hurt, for sure."

His words almost made Croesa cry again...

The legendary Hero of Tyrion swore an oath to protect the High Oracle with his life. But... the best thing about Pale is that he was... a good person.

He'd even promised to protect her-- and she was only a nameless acolyte, only good for translating sign language.

"Talk to me, Natalya," Decanus Tycon growled.

"Talk? You had your chance, Tycondrius," Lady Crucis sneered in disgust, "The time for talk is OVER!! Flame ETERNAL, may this ⌈Lance of Faith⌋ cut through the heart of this NONBELIEVER!!"

Croesa ducked down in fear, screaming at the top of her lungs. The divine spell Lady Crucis was casting was a blindingly bright holy lance capable of demolishing a building... and it was aimed a single Decanus.

Though it went against all reason, Tycon dashed and slid to the side, keeping his head just shy from being obliterated.

Pale hopped and skipped away, impossibly deflecting the bolt with his crimson spear. The redirected projectile shattered a window and part of the Basilica's walls.

"Um... I hope the window doesn't cost too much to replace?" He bared his teeth.

[Don't worry, Hero,] Lady Troia signed, [I only ask you to be safe.]

Croesa felt terrible-- the High Oracle was only being polite. The tall stained glass windows were hundreds of years old and it would cost thousands of silver to commission new ones.

It was certainly better than a full section of wall being destroyed, though...

Tycon dodged two more similarly sized ⌈Lances of Faith,⌋ closing the distance to Lady Crucis.

He snatched her wrist, "Natalya..."

"Don't. TOUCH ME!!!" Lady Crucis shouted, "⌈Aura of Heavenly Grace!⌋"

A thin film of radiant energy covered the Archbishop... but even though Tycon's hand seemed to sizzle and burn, he kept hold... his expression unchanging, "If you tell me what's wrong, I can apologize."

"You... should... KNOW!!!" Lady Crucis snarled back.

She pulled her arm away from his grip, then immediately began throwing a flurry of violent punches.

Croesa had never... ever seen Lady Crucis so upset... nor did she realize how good at hand-to-hand combat she was. But even with her mind-blowingly fast punches, the Decanus blocked and dodged EVERYTHING!

Finally, he caught her fist in his palm, then the other. It must have hurt, as he was gritting his teeth and the light on Lady Crucis' hands was burning even brighter-- "That is quite enough, Miss Crucis."

"I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE, SNAKE!!! AND THEN I'LL CRUCIFY YOUR BONES!!!"

"Listen to yourself, Natalya," Tycon chided. "That doesn't even make s--"

Lady Crucis spun, a heavy kick striking against Tycon's cross-arm block. Though the Decanus kept his feet on the floor, he was pushed back over ten feet!

Lady Troia turned to her, still extraordinarily calm, [Croesa... we need to make a barrier.]

Croesa gulped as she nodded and joined hands with her... and they quickly erected a ⌈Sanctified Barrier⌋ around the three of them. The bubble of hazy light would protect them-- or at least make it easier for Pale to.

"⌈GRASPING CHAINS OF THE JUSTICIAR!!!⌋ ⌈TRUMPETS OF CELESTIA!!!⌋ ⌈FIVEFOLD INVOCATION OF JUDGMENT!!!⌋"

Archbishop Crucis was firing off... impossibly high-tier spells, one after the other.

Croesa was shaking so hard she couldn't feel her feet or her hands... and the ground was shaking so much that she was pretty sure she peed a little.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN--"

Looking to the door, Croesa spotted the unmistakable blue armor of Lady Troia's elite guard. It was impossible to ignore the noise Tycon and Lady Crucis were causing. Surely, a team of Metal-Rank Champions and Clerics would be able to calm them both down!

"...Carry on," The head Centurion bowed her head as she shut the heavy door.

Then... the door began to glow, divine sigils appearing upon the wood. The group on the opposite side were reinforcing the door...

Croesa sobbed quietly, feeling sorry for herself.

As disappointing as it was... it made sense.

From how angry Lady Crucis was and how hard she was fighting... it was only a matter of time until she summoned Divine Armor Star-Fury. Once that happened, no one in the Basilica, save Lady Troia, would be able to stop her.

The Archbishop-Decanus rumors were going to get so much worse, too...

Croesa had heard a little bit about Lady Crucis' relationship with Decanus Tycon... and from the fact that the Archbishop never chose to address it made everyone believe it was true.

They were... supposed to be close? But... they seemed to have gotten into a fight? And that fight was destroying Lady Troia's office?

AND WHO WAS THIS SUPER-STRONG DECANUS, ANYROAD?!??!

"Lady Troia, please..." Croesa cried, "tell me what's going on..."

[This much is to be expected,] Troia signed calmly.

Croesa's tears only flowed more freely.

'High Oracle, please open your eyes to the truth,' She begged in her heart. 'This is not normal!'

"Isn't... this how adults take care of arguments?" Pale asked, wearing an expression of honest worry...

"No! No, it is not!" Croesa bowed her head, "That's not true, at all, Hero Pale... Someone's going to die!!!"

"Nah," Pale grinned. "Boss might get beat up a little bit, but he won't die."

"Then-- then, Lady Crucis?!?"

"It's not a real fight, though?" The young boy tilted his head cutely, "Boss hasn't hit Miss Natalya even once."

Nodding his head, he looked back to his superior in awe... "Whatever he did must've made her really mad..."

[He's gotten so much stronger,] Lady Troia grinned.

"Yeah," Pale nodded happily, "Boss has been practicing. I still can't beat him, even when he spar!"

The High Oracle placed a hand to her collar and sighed dreamily... [If Tycon does not wish to accept my quest, I'll need to send you, my Hero.]

"No, it's better this way," Pale bit his lip... "You and I have to go to the Sleeping Country after this, right? Boss hates the cold-- like, really hates it."

Croesa frowned. They were 'talking' as if it was certain the Decanus was going to accept a quest, one way or the other.

"Stop running, Natalya," Tycon said in a firm voice, "⌈Legionbreaker.⌋"

While Croesa wasn't looking, somehow the Decanus had taken out a curved blade. He used some kind of divine skill on it that made it glow a radiant white... and he stabbed at the Archbishop.

The tip of the blade cut into her ⌈Aura of Heavenly Grace⌋... stopping just short of her throat. The magic dissipated with a loud crack and a bright flash... leaving her undefended.

Lady Crucis was still gnashing her teeth in anger, though her breathing had become labored, and perspiration streamed down her face.

"How.... dare... you... attack me within Basilica grounds," She growled.

Tycon shook his head and sighed, "If this is the only way I can get you to listen, I'll do it again... Are we done? Can we converse now?"

A loud PAP sound reverberated throughout the room... the Centurion-Paladin and her Munifices outside the door could probably hear it too.

The movement was so quick, Croesa didn't see it... but it seemed that Lady Crucis had slapped Tycon across the face.

And... and he'd let her do it.

The Decanus slowly turned his head back to face her... wearing the red handprint on his cheek, "Natalya Crucis... why are you avoiding me?"

"Do the quest," Lady Crucis turned her nose up, "Just as Lady Troia asks."

Tycon's gaze suddenly hardened, "I asked you a question."

Even at the distance, and even though she wasn't Decanus Tycon's focus... Croesa's blood ran cold seeing those golden eyes.

"Do the quest, you useless snake," Lady Crucis seethed... "Or... or I'll convince Lady Troia to allow my boyfriend to do it, instead."

Croesa's eyes suddenly widened.

What?

That was impossible.

Everyone in the Basilica knew that Lady Crucis didn't have any male suitors-- not beside the Decanus, anyroad. What was going on?

"Your... what?" Tycon was caught by surprise, but narrowed his eyes in displeasure.

"I know you have exceptional hearing, Tycondrius... so get it through your thick skull and into your pathetic lizard brain... I. have. a boyfriend."

Tycon stood and stared for several moments... but still Lady Crucis didn't take back her obvious lie.

He spun on his heel.

He marched over to the lockbox on the side of the room... where the Swords of the Forgotten King were sealed.

He flung the chest lid open with so much force, the hinges broke off.

"...I apologize," The Decanus muttered. "Please bill my mercenary company for the damage to your wooden chest."

Lady Troia sighed and dispelled their ⌈Sanctified Barrier.⌋

[Don't worry about it, Prince,] She signed. [Please take care of yourself.]

"And you, as well," Tycon nodded as he grabbed the long wooden box and walked to the room's exit.

...whereupon he broke the protective enchantments on it with a swipe of a single finger.

Croesa furrowed her brows. Wait... Prince? Prince of what?!

...And the Decanus could understand the High Oracle's sign language?! WHY WAS SHE EVEN HERE?!??!