Leo I
What? Again?
A successful strike to the head should have caused a temporary blackout or some other form of truma. Yet, this man was able to cushion his fall to the ground, in a split second no less. Just like before, it was as if what he was striking was not an actual body, but some sort of hollow shell.
There was no time to think. The spear struck him with an unholy level of skill. While the pope was able to move his body slightly, as he was on top, the blade struck him in the stomach. Blood seeped from his body as he slowly slid down the weapon's shaft. Master, my stratagy has failed.... I am sorry... he sent to Anastaisa.
As he stared down the devil's guard, his cold glare finally softened. His body which had been forged by his own will weakened, submitting to death at last. It was inevidable really. This was an uphill battle, one that he knew he might not have a chance of winning. What was a mere priest to the forces of the devil? Yes, this was the natural conclusion to a predictable battle.
In the end, it seems I have grown arrogant. It seems my faith has amounted to nothing more than a flashy circus act.
My faith?
A young Leo clasped his hands together in prayer in front of a large painting. It was the one that depicted Micheal casting Lucifer into the depths of hell. A radiant light flowed into the cathedral, filtered by the decorative glass paintings. That mosaic of color struck the painting with a holy grace, giving each figure its own color. By gods grace, Micheal's figure still shone with different shades of orange.
What does one do when surrounded by the shadows created by gods light? In the real world, angels do not descend from the heavens to vanquish our evils. Oh how I wish it were so. If god could dispatch Micheal himself to vanquish Rome's evil, then perhaps the people wouldn't suffer so.
Then he heard a voice, a whisper perhaps. Your words are heavy with kindness, but void of any wisdom. Angels do need not exist in the world of man as it is today. Evil no longer exists in an external form, but rather the weakness of the human spirit. Only through faith is the evil of the heart clensed.
A bolt of energy shot into Leo's body, as if he was revived by god himself. The man gripped the blade with both hands and grimiced with all of his might. The pain welling up through the shock in his belly was unimaginable. "AND I TOLD YOU, GOD ALONE IS THE GUARDIAN OF LIFE AND DEATH! YOU SHALL PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"
Friends, family, master, servant, wealth, fame, power. All of these things are eroded to nothing eventually. In the end, there was no true threat besides the evil of the heart. In that moment, it had been vanquished.
He inched himself closer, putting one hand over the other as he pulled himself closer. "My faith shall overcome!"
There is one more, he sent to his master. There is one more thing I have yet to reveal to you.