Cassiel POV
Fitoria teleported us near one of the other Heroes with a new wagon before we left her. The Hero was at a check point waiting for us. Unfortunately the Hero was Motoyasu who is convinced Ren and Itsuki have been murdered by Naofumi who has also been framed for that monster being released. I let them fight it out, Motoyasu may not be a bad guy, but he is a complete idiot who's fighting to avenge his dead friends while Naofumi is simply keeping a promise and thinking ahead. As much as I wanted to kick Motoyasu's teeth in I knew now wouldn't be so satisfying so I just annoyed the mages, interrupting incantations is fun, especially when the victim is THE bitch. I didn't leave her friends out, no, they were also hit in the face with Blizzard...a lot, it's amazing they still have teeth because that's where I was aiming. After the fight was done I noticed something off, Filo and Raphtalia also did at the same time, where are all the knights? Filo grouped everyone together and told Naofumi to pull out the Rage Shield and put up more shields above us after using Shield Prison on all of us. I removed my mask and placed just as many Barriers above us as we braced for whatever was coming. Not long after we heard clapping above us and the Pope was there.
"Truly remarkable. You just took Judgement head on, an exceedingly powerful group ritual, yet you're still standing. I'd expect nothing less from the Shield Hero." He said.
"I know you, you're from the cathedral in the capital!" Naofumi said.
"Oh, so you remember who I am do you? Then surely you're aware of all your sins as well."
"My sins?"
"God bestowed holy water to you yet you refused to show him gratitude for that most righteous gift, you also deceived the people and lead them to turn against their own country. I shall purify you in the name of God! Your transgressions will plague this land no more!"
"How dare you! Do you realize what you've just done?" Bitch asked.
"You know besides give me reason to turn this place into a bloodbath?" I asked.
"You very nearly killed the next queen with that attack and the Spear Hero as well!" She said.
'Would losing you really have been a bad thing? Hell, I'd hold a celebration in his honor if you were to die, before killing him afterward.' I thought.
"The Spear Hero and the princess were both killed by the Devil of the Shield, at least that's the story the world will be told. As far as God is concerned you're all dead already." The Pope responded.
"What is this? Myne, can you explain what the Hell he's talking about?" Motoyasu asked.
"And if the lives of those who have been marked for death do finally come to an end, that means all is right with the world. Everything shall be exactly as God desires it to be." The Pope said. I will be using that later.
"This man's completely insane!" Raphtalia said.
"That logic's pretty twisted." Melty said. "Reminds me of someone." She said looking at the bitch.
"First off, Raphtalia, he's delusional and arrogant, not insane. Melty, trust me, his logic is tame compared to mine." I said to them.
"Oh but don't worry, we have plans for a new government to take the Royal Family's place." The Pope said.
"What are you- that's ridiculous! This country's always been ruled by royalty! Our family is the only one fit to-"
"You abuse your power and disrespect the Church, look down upon the apostles of God, not anymore! This country doesn't need such blasphemy! Royalty? You're a pestilence."
"THANK YOU! FINALLY SOMEONE ELSE SAID IT!" I shouted. "Not you Melty, you're probably the only royal I like enough to at least try to be nice." The Pope glanced at me and continued.
"The same applies to you Heroes, we worship those who save the world and it's people from the Waves, but this bunch has done more harm than good. For example the Spear Hero released a sealed monster upon the world, the Sword Hero caused an epidemic, and the Bow Hero ignored his duties choosing instead to serve himself. Heroes who bring such devastation to the country and damage the peoples beliefs are truly nothing more than imposters."
"But... I uh... I only did that because I wanted to help!" Motoyasu tried to defend. "Ren and Itsuki were trying to help too, and you think they were just imposters?"
"Your arrogance and foolishness speak volumes, just as theirs did when they decided to investigate matters far beyond their station."
"Investigating?"
"Therefore, they forced God's Judgement to fall upon them!"
"What are you talking about? Hey wait a second, it wasn't Naofumi?"
"No we've only been trying to tell you that for the past 12 minutes or so before he showed up." I answered.
"Hahahahahahaha, this farce has been entertaining, but that's enough." Someone handed him a sword that looked like a recolored version of Ren's original Sword. "The False Spear Hero and the Devil of the Shield who cling so desperately to life as if he were a cockroach shall be purified with holy Judgement! And this country shall finally be given righteous order!"
"Be careful Naofumi, that sword is bad news!" Melty warned. The Pope pointed it at us and Naofumi blocked it, though I can tell Glass was easier to defend against so I'm inclined to believe Melty.
"I must say, even for a Devil, you are pretty tough. But the time of testing has come to an end. I look forward to exacting God's Judgement."
"You know if they survived the first two I would think God might want them alive, just saying." I said to the Pope. He ignored what I said and turned his sword into a spear. Melty went on to explain it's a replica of the Cardinal Weapons and how it was supposedly lost, she also explained it needed a tremendous amount of mana for anyone to use it, so much so that dozens of their mages must be drained already. After the Pope gave a short speech Motoyasu did as well before attacking him with less than successful results.
"We can't even scratch him through that force field, we've gotta find a way to bring it down." Melty said.
"Hehehehehahahahaha I have an idea, question is, do you want the skies to rain blood?" I asked darkly.
"Hundred Swords!"
"Meteor Shot!" Oh so they are alive, and their attack broke through the barrier.
"Looks like we got here at just the right time." Itsuki said. Turns out they were saved by the queen's Shadows and the Church was stealing their rewards. The queen is also on her way, not that she'll be needed if I have my way. As the other Three banned together Naofumi chose to do his own thing, when Motoyasu argued about his choice he criticized the other Three for many their fuck ups and how they're the reason we're in this mess. When the Pope tried to attack again Naofumi blocked it again.
"You're all the same. As far as I can see, you Three and the Pope are no different. You use people and walk all over them for your own benefit. You talk about justice while using your own power with no concern for consequences, and you see nothing wrong with that! But more than anything, you keep trying to take from me the things I hold dear. You people are disgusting!" He was silent for a moment. "Fine, I'll work with you long enough to take him out and get us out of here alive." Naofumi said.
"Naofumi..." Ren said.
"Don't get the wrong idea, I haven't forgiven you. I just... I made a promise to Fitoria."
"The Four Cardinal Heroes finally stand together." Itsuki said.
"Uh huh." Ren said.
"Just try not to get in my way, alright guys." Motoyasu said.
"Don't get in mine." Ren said to him. Raphtalia moved closer to Naofumi.
"It's only until this battle's done." He said to her.
"I know, it's a great idea by the way." Raphtalia said.
"Let's do something about the Pope so we can live long enough to support mother when she gets here." Melty said.
"Okay! I'll do my best!" Filo said.
The others basically went through the same thing. I summoned Dawn and Nightfall as scythes and got ready to join the fun.
"Fighting with the Devil of the Shield? A foolish decision befitting False Heroes such as yourselves. The only fate you deserve is to be purged completely and no trace of any of you shall remain!" The Pope said.
"In grace of our God, the source of all power. Decipher the laws of nature, bring about a miracle and protect the blessed ones!" His disciples chanted.
"And now for group defense magic of the highest level. Cathedral!" We heard a bell and we were all trapped inside this Cathedral with him. "Welcome to my Cathedral Sanctuary! Time to make your peace as it will be your final resting place!" After a few minutes of fighting, even my attacks weren't doing anything, Naofumi drew more power from the Rage Shield, but it's different this time. Not too much though, we still were barely able to break through his guard and he even countered Motoyasu with his own skill. The Pope fired an arrow at the top of the Cathedral and blinded us, afterward it was as if he was in the walls and launching arrows at us, I had nothing to worry about because of the SR, the others weren't so lucky.
'This would be very annoying if I were there instead of in here.' I thought.
"You will be annihilated, not a spec of ash will remain! There will be no evidence of your existence when this is over!" The Pope said.
"'If the lives of those who have been marked for death do finally come to an end, that means all is right with the world. Everything shall be exactly as God desires it to be.' That is what you said right?" I asked stepping out of the SR.
"Correct." He responded.
"If someone kills another on the battlefield they are heroes, off the battlefield they are murderers, would you call this a battlefield?"
"Of course! A holy battle between the Devil and the False Heroes!"
"Good, then that means as of right now all your disciples are marked for death."
"That is no-"
"Prayers on the lips of liars that speak empty words and offer hollow promises of salvation to gullible fools, all of whom think they're above consequences, so much so that they think they can go against the word of God and say it is His will, dragging others into sin with them. You speak of sin yet you yourself are thriving off of yours, and others are paying the price for it. You don't seem to be putting any mana into that weapon and I'm sure by now plenty of those people behind you are dropping like flies. This is why I despise religion, because all it takes is one hypocrit in a position of power to screw everyone over, and it happens so often that at this point there is no 'right religion', only who has fewer idiots." I interrupted.
"I will not a-"
"Let me give you an ultimatum. Who's lives are worth more? Yours, or your disciples?" I interrupted again.
"We are all God's-" He tried to respond angrily.
"That doesn't answer my question! If you cannot face judgement for your sins, then perhaps they will, willingly if they are as 'good' as they think they are."
"This is the impenetrable Cathedral of God! They are safe and so am I, you? Not so much." He said confidently.
"Cassiel, what are you going on about?" Motoyasu asked.
"Whatever he's thinking it won't work." The bitch said.
"Surrender or all of God's 'chosen' will die. If we can't break through your defense then I'll kill off the source of that defensive magic, and I will kill as many as I have to as long as you are one of them. You want a Devil? Naofumi has NOTHING on me old man! Your answer will determine if I become a hero."
"Is he serious?" I heard Ren ask.
"He can't be." Itsuki said.
"Perhaps I should deal with you first." He unleashed an arrow at me and I dodged into the SR. I walked through the 'impenetrable' Cathedral and trapped everyone behind a wall of Dark Fira.
"I gave him a chance to spare all your lives, now you must pay the price for his sins!" A few tried to run, but were stopped by the flames. I casted Aerora on several large groups and launched them high into the air, I changed Nightfall into wingblades and soared through the air cutting everyone to pieces as blood rained down on them. A few tried to shoot me with their own magic, but all I did was fly down and cut them in half. Many were still holding fast, I'd say I only killed a few dozen of them, the Pope has to be feeling the power shortage by now. I casted Gravira on the ones who attacked me and watched their bodies become paste on the ground, truly pathetic.
"Your Holiness!"
"Save us!"
"We can't assist you and fight him at once!" I heard many shout and beg for salvation, too bad he won't answer their prayers.
"We both know he can't save you, not that he has a right to anyway." I flew past several more and killed them before casting Aerora on more groups and doing the same to them as earlier. This was causing fear to increase every time, they had nowhere to run and they can't hit me. The Cathedral was flickering now and eventually it faded completely. The Pope turned around in and looked upon what I was doing with absolute disbelief.
"You- but- how- why? How dare you! Devil spawn! You will face God's wrath!" He said.
"Oh yeah? With what power source are you going to smite me with?" I asked before flying down, knocking the weapon out of his hands, and holding several wingblades to his throat as I pointed to all the bodies and the handful of survivors. "It is as you said, all is now right with the world. They were God's chosen right? Where was their God, where were you when they needed you most??!! You caused this, you gave rise to an Angel of Death, you could have prevented this." I punched him in the gut with an Aero powered fist and launched him to the others below and knocking him out cold.
"Um... Cassiel... What did you do?" Filo asked.
"You're too young to see this, the same goes to you Melty. Naofumi, trap them in your Shield Prison if you have too. Unless the rest of you want a glimpse of how far I'm willing to go to do what must be done given enough reason, unless you want a glimpse of what future Waves might have to offer, I'd recommend not looking over there." I warned.
"Did you- no, you didn't?" Itsuki asked.
"I made the skies rain blood as promised." Ren jumped up to see with his own eyes, horror on his face, the other Heroes looked upon the destruction and Motoyasu had a look of disbelief then rage was on his face. He jumped down and tried to punch me in the face, but I caught his fist.
"What the Hell is wrong with you? Those were people you just murdered! How ca-" Motoyasu started.
"Very easily! I told you all I am much worse than you thought Naofumi was. I told you I was no hero, though according to the Pope's answer I am a hero." I interrupted.
"This is nothing like how a hero should act!"
"Like you of all people have any room to talk. Tell me, did you learn how a hero should act before or after your sins?"
"What are you getting at?"
"Let's look back for a moment shall we? You and the others abandoned Lut Village during the first Wave, you forced Naofumi into a duel that was interrupted by Myne and you were declared the winner even though she cheated which resulted in Naofumi having an emotional breakdown and denied all Demi Humans in Melromarc their freedom. Next you and Myne tried to place that bullshit toll of 50 silver to enter and 50 silver to exit Lut Village, you did nothing when she was about to order the knights to hurt them, and cheated again during the race. Remember that cursed seed? How many do you think lived in that village, or rather, died? Naofumi not only cleaned up your mess, but purified the seed. Redeem yourself in the eyes of Demi Humans, get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness from all you've wronged, and wipe all that blood off your hands, then lecture me about how a hero should act!" He backed off and stuttered trying to form a response.
"We're discussing you actions he-" Itsuki started.
"You want some too? Visit that village we told you about. Have you ever seen someone suffering from starvation so much that they'd trade the most worthless objects they own and beg for something as insignificant and unfilling as bread crumbs? Try an entire village, or what was left of it anyway. You helped then left without concerning yourself with the aftermath, you abandoned them when they needed you most because you thought they could handle it. A hero who isn't around when he's needed is not a hero, plain and simple!" I interrupted. He had a look of shame as he contemplated my words.
"I'm in agreement with them, you didn't ne-" Ren started.
"I lied to you before. It wasn't the undead dragon that cursed Raphtalia, it was Naofumi's Rage Shield while he was berserk. We thought Filo was eaten after a single bite, we all thought it was blood we saw. He snapped after having another he cared deeply for taken from him and let's just say I didn't know the dead could actually suffer until then. You caused that epidemic and almost got everyone killed!" He looked away, unable to keep eye contact.
"We may not be any better, but you had no right to make this call much less carry it out!" Itsuki said.
"Legally speaking I did. I saved the Heroes and by extension the world, the princesses, and stopped a coup. For multiple charges of attempted murder, theft, at least two attempts at regicide, treason, identity theft, arson, and framing an innocent man to name all the ones I can think of, the best they could hope for is execution even with an unconditional surrender. You heard the Pope say it himself, I'm a hero now according to him." I saw Raphtalia, Filo, and Melty climbing up so I casted Barrier on each of them causing them to fall.
"Hey! What was that for?" Filo asked.
"Ow, that hurt!" Melty complained.
"A little warning please next time?" Raphtalia asked.
"That's not a darkness I'm letting you see, not today at least." I told them.
"I don't like it, but he's got a point." Naofumi said in my defense.
"You can't be taking his side on this??!!" Motoyasu shouted.
"It is as the Pope said, all is now right with the world, according to his logic." I said.
"He's been on my side since day one! Not to mention there's nothing any of us can do about it anyway, what's done is done. I may not agree with his methods, but I won't condemn him for this either! He gave plenty of chances for the Pope to back down and still the Pope refused!"
"They had no future Motoyasu. Can you honestly say they deserved to live? I've been in this situation before actually, a mother did the literal equivalent of throwing her own daughter and her daughter's friend to the wolves. Her daughter died and the other one barely survived. They tried to kill Naofumi for bullshit reasons and tried to kill everyone else for reasons that aren't much better on top of trying to spill innocent blood for power. That mother killed her own daughter because she was a 'failure and a leech'. Whether or not I killed her to avenge her daughter who to be honest I didn't even like is debatable, I killed them for revenge and other more justifiable reasons. One of which was to protect the first friends I've had in the past 7 years!" I paused for a moment after realizing what I said. I needed time to think alone so I entered the SR before anyone could say anything and flew on top of the check point wall.
Do I really think of them as friends?