A piercing screech from a raptor sliced through the sky. EeDechi glanced up, spotting a dragon-like creature with massive bat-like wings shredding clouds as it dove straight toward the three adventurers and the expedition team, trussed up like mummies.
Perched on the sleek dragon's back was a human cloaked in a gray robe. The robed figure guided the wyrm in a steep dive, descending rapidly.
"This wyrm and its master are coming for us," EeDechi muttered.
Barrett slipped several throwing axes from his spatial ring, gripping them tightly, ready to hurl at the first sign of trouble. Franco began chanting a spell under his breath.
"It's a Skyterror rider—and a sky mage to boot!" The four captives tied to a nearby tree erupted in glee.
The bearded man crowed, "Adventurers, you're screwed! Our army has you in their sights. You're not getting away! That mage will call in the rest of the cavalry and toss you three bandits in a prison!"
The sky mage atop the Skyterror soared over their heads, then banked sharply, circling around the adventurers before landing smoothly a short distance away. The gray-robed figure dismounted, cautiously approaching the trio.
The mage's face was shrouded by a dark gray cloth, hiding their features from view.
"Why isn't he calling for backup?" the bearded man grumbled, squirming against his bonds. "Does he seriously think he can take on these three adventurers alone?"
The robed figure drew closer and pulled off the mask, revealing an ancient face. White hair and beard framed a visage carved with deep, crisscrossing wrinkles etched into his forehead and cheeks. This was clearly a weathered old man, well over a century old.
Yet, astonishingly, the old man's eyes were large and vibrant, gleaming with a vitality that even a young person couldn't match.
From Barrett's seasoned judgment, an old codger with one foot in the grave having eyes that bright meant one thing: he likely burned with desires or ambitions as fierce as any youth's. Some lifelong goal was driving him forward, relentless and unyielding.
"It's the Scripture's leader! The Holy Arbiter of the Church, the master of elemental magic, Lord Alphonse Moreau!"
The four captives from the expedition team shouted in delight. The young cleric was so overcome she started crying. Barrett figured if they weren't tied to the tree, all four would be jumping for joy.
"You adventurers are fucked!" the bearded man cackled. He bellowed, "Do you even know who this is? He's the head of the Clearwater Scripture! One of the seven supreme rulers of the Slane Theocracy!"
The buzzcut woman, usually cool as ice, lost all composure. She couldn't contain her excitement, muttering like a giddy teenager, "I can't believe His Eminence, the Cardinal, came to rescue us himself! This is only the third time in my life I've seen him!"
The bearded man roared with laughter. "All His Eminence has to do is wave his staff, and you three losers are done for—poof, gone to dust! Get ready to meet your pathetic end!"
EeDechi's face grew grim. She stepped forward, taking point. "From the way these four are acting, this old man's got some serious juice. I'll go in first—you two back me up."
The gray-robed elder, the Divine Commandant of the Clearwater Scripture, approached with steady strides, drawing closer to the three adventurers. But his steps slowed the nearer he got. His gaze locked onto EeDechi's face, completely ignoring Barrett and Franco.
Feeling the Divine Commandant's intense stare, EeDechi couldn't help but wonder if she had spinach stuck in her teeth—or maybe she'd accidentally stiffed him for a few million gold coins in some past life.
Divine Commandant Alphonse Moreau's Justice Value sat at 87—neither sky-high nor dirt-low. Honestly, EeDechi had no desire to slug an old man like him. But if the Divine Commandant pulled some nasty trick, she wouldn't hold back.
A sudden burst of radiant light flared in Alphonse's eyes, and a single tear rolled down from those blazing orbs. He stopped a few steps from EeDechi, his hands weaving intricate gestures at his chest—maybe forming a magical sigil, maybe offering a prayer.
The old Divine Commandant halted. His body stiffened, then he dropped heavily to his knees, his straight back curving as his forehead touched the ground. In a voice brimming with reverence, as if addressing a deity, he declared, "Clearwater Scripture, Divine Commandant Alphonse Moreau, pays homage to the Divine Envoy!"
"What —?!"
EeDechi was just debating which fist to clock him with when this bombshell hit. She froze, staring dumbfounded at the gray-robed elder kneeling before her.
The four trussed-up members of the expedition team were equally gobsmacked. Their revered His Eminence, the Cardinal, had swooped in on a Skyterror like a god descending from the heavens. They'd been banking on the Divine Commandant unleashing hell, grinding these three adventurers into dust.
But instead, their most exalted His Eminence, the Cardinal, was kneeling before EeDechi, calling her "Divine Envoy." Wasn't that the prophesied being, second only to the Six Great Gods in power—a great, supreme, and holy existence?
"Uh, old man…" EeDechi thought, Did you get the wrong person? What's with the sudden kneeling?
She cleared her throat. "Get up, We never kneel to others."
The Divine Commandant rose respectfully, his head still slightly bowed.
The four tied-up members of the expedition team stared, their eyes brimming with confusion and shock. They stammered, "Your Eminence, Cardinal…"
"Divine Envoy, have my Scarab expedition team offended you?" the Divine Commandant asked. "I'll wipe them out immediately. Those who anger the divine must be punished!"
With that, he pulled a silver staff from his spatial foreseen ring, aiming it at the four captives, ready to cast a spell.
"Whoa, whoa, hold up!" EeDechi grabbed the Divine Commandant's staff, flashing a friendly smile. "First, explain this 'Divine Envoy' deal to me."
…
After some back-and-forth, EeDechi finally got the gist of what "Divine Envoy" meant.
Decades ago, the Divine Commandant of the Ashendust Scripture, on his deathbed, left a final prophecy: "The Six Great Gods shall send a messenger from their divine realm, guiding us with supreme power to find light in the eternal night."
This so-called Divine Envoy was a messenger dispatched by the Six Great Gods from their divine realm to help the Slane Theocracy defeat the demon gods.
EeDechi's origins were murky, her past a blank slate, much like the Six Great Gods or the Great Tomb of Nazarick—beings that seemed to just pop into existence from nowhere.
Plus, EeDechi was at odds with the Sorcerer Kingdom. When the demon gods of the Sorcerer Kingdom ganged up on her, the sheer force of her battle shook the heavens and earth. Yet she walked away unscathed, displaying unmatched power.
So, it was only natural that the Slane Theocracy pegged EeDechi as the Divine Envoy. They'd been hunting for her ever since, desperate for her help and guidance.
"Look, here's the thing…" EeDechi chose her words carefully. "Prophecies are mostly bunk. Nine out of ten are straight-up lies, and the last one's just a lucky guess, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat. So, don't put stock in them."
"Divine Envoy, I'm not exactly sold on prophecies either," Divine Commandant Alphonse Moreau admitted frankly. "But here's the kicker: aside from a golden halo over your head, a body glowing with golden light, a flawless white robe, a gentle, sweet smile, and soft, golden hair… you match the prophecy to a T."
You don't think that's a pretty big gap? EeDechi was speechless.
"As you said, prophecies can be unreliable," Alphonse pressed. "But what if this time, it's that one-in-a-million lucky guess? A blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat. Not that I'm calling you a dead mouse, of course."
"Divine Envoy this, Divine Envoy that—quit wasting my time. I'm in a hurry to get to the Eight Greed Kings' desert," EeDechi shot back, shutting Alphonse down cold.
"Please, will you come with me to the capital of the Slane Theocracy?" Alphonse bowed low, his tone deferential. "The children of the Six Great Gods yearn for the Divine Envoy's guidance. Right now, faith in the Slane Theocracy is shaky, and trouble's brewing beneath the surface. If you come to the capital, you'll be like a pillar holding up the clear sky."
EeDechi frowned at the old man. "I'm in a rush to get to the Eight Greed Kings' desert. See ya."
"Wait, please, Divine Envoy!" Alphonse begged desperately. "If you won't help us, even with all our divine artifacts and god-kin bloodlines, we can't hold off the Sorcerer Kingdom's attacks."
Divine artifacts. God-kin bloodlines. Those words perked EeDechi's ears.
She turned back. "Does the Slane Theocracy have magical gear left behind by the Six Great Gods?"
"Yes," Alphonse replied eagerly, though his eyes held a flicker of confusion. "Divine Envoy, you didn't know the Six Great Gods bestowed divine artifacts upon us?"
"Ahem. And you've got a girl named Antilene, right? Strongest human around?" EeDechi pressed.
"Correct," Alphonse nodded firmly, but quickly added, "For certain reasons, Antilene lives in seclusion deep within our capital. She's not easily accessible."
"I want to meet Antilene. No meeting, no trip to your capital," EeDechi said, dead serious.
"Absolutely no issue. Divine Envoy, in our capital, you'll definitely meet Antilene," Alphonse agreed instantly.
"Then let's roll," EeDechi said, a grin spreading across her face.
First stop: the Slane Theocracy's capital. As the Divine Envoy, she'd convince Antilene to join her crew. Then, she'd poke around for any World Items left by the Six Great Gods.
Score some loot and a new ally. The thought made EeDechi chuckle "heh heh" under her breath.
Alphonse's eyes brimmed with confusion. The Divine Envoy of prophecy, with her pure heart, seemed to be scheming something sneaky.