The Mechanical Era

In the cold, dark, gloomy dungeon, two old men, in prison clothes made of a single brown hemp piece, were present in their rather large cell. Their hands were held behind their back, wrapped around with chains, and forced to kneel due to cuffs on the floor. On the pope's cuffs, was a jet-black stone, preventing him from using any magic.

The cold stone floor made the elderly men shiver, while the pain of kneeling for so long made their legs burn in pain. The room itself was dead silent, with the only sound they could hear are the deep breaths they took to love.

Then, there was a knock on the metal door. The men turned their heads to see what it was. The door then opened afterward, revealing a knight bringing in more men involved in the rescue operations. Their hands were also covered in chains, wearing the same prisoner rag.

The pope was flabbergasted at the sight of it all... Many more questions raced through his mind, none of which he had the answer to. They were locked in place, a bit further away and to the side of the room, distancing them from the pope.

With his weak voice, the pope asked the men.

"What happened?"

"We don't know, your holiness. We were just getting ready, but then, we got jumped. Someone has leaked information beforehand."

"But how?" he asked. Just then, their ears pick up the noise of steps. Steps made from a pair of leather shoes, expensive shoes. The door unlocks, revealing a tall feminine figure; Rose Valline. She was wearing a white gown, with many floral patterns and details embedded into it.

The woman glared at the two old men; the pope and the decoy. she raised her hand and cast a spell, forming a large ball of light to form. Using her mind, he controlled it to move to the center of the room, clearing away the darkness.

Her eyes moved slowly as she examined the two old men. A few moments of silence went by before Rose commented.

"You two look very similar, your holiness. They appeared to be lucky with this one..." she commented. The pope felt a shiver in his spine as she continued to glare at him. Yet, he picked up the courage to plead with the queen, to spare her life.

"Your majesty. You are making a grave mistake! If you continue on this path, so much bloodshed will be spil..."

Rose glared at him with vicious eyes. The pope's mouth immediately shuts down on its own.

"You have no right to speak of bloodshed, after all the atrocious crimes and decisions the church made that had ruined the lives of millions, myself included. The church has failed to commit to its duties, therefore I am here to inflict righteous punishment on it, as one should."

"What nonsense are you..." Rose held out her hand and cast a magical spell. For a split second, the pope felt his face burn with fire. He stops talking again, not wanting to get hurt.

"The church's duties are simple. Give people hope in a time of trouble, to be the unbiased mediator during a conflict between two kingdoms, and to be the interpreter of god. Those are the three simple duties, yet you failed to perform all of them!

The first duty. During the Succession Crisis of 4,990 I.C. When wars erupted all over the continent, my parents had to fight to establish peace, while the church had to keep the people calm.

Yet, when the church saw it could expand more of its power, it spread fear and panic among the people, leading to hundreds of thousands of people dying and suffering, all because of its greed.

The church got its wish. It established a network of allies in the north, all at the expense of my family. My father was killed, leaving my mother a widow. She was never the same afterward."

"I..."

"Silence. Next, was the marriage. To allow a peaceful coexistence with this new elite, my parents wanted to marry my siblings and me off to the leaders in the north. I was willing to leave everything behind.

My lover... my family... everything.

But did know what happens next, your holiness?

My siblings suddenly die, my lover vanishes, and I succumb to the disease, forcing my mother to cancel the wedding," she said in a cold voice, with a hint of anger present.

"It went all according to plan, except for one part of it; I managed to survive. I had a suspicion it was you all, but I could never prove it. At least, until I got some help."

"Help?"

"I got connections to many people, your holiness. People you do not want to mess with. I learned why you helped her. She bribed him with endless riches she would get from the rich trading kingdom, and she gave him the idea to kill off my family, all because of her desire to be with her 'lover.'

And you knew about it. You were there. You knew what was going on, and yet you did nothing..." A little moment of silence appears, allowing the pope to process what he heard.

"The third duty. An interpreter to god. You want to know what the previous pope was like, your holiness?" he stayed silent.

"A disgusting vermin, without a drain of empathy inside him. A conman who stole thousands' livelihoods to make himself rich. A total humiliation to the church. You expected me to believe that god himself chose him? That the sacred crystal chose him? No.

I know what happened. I know why our prayers weren't heard. I know why that man-child became the pope. God didn't choose him, but the corrupt cardinals. Because god is dead, and he has perished."

"No, NO! That is not the truth..." before the prisoners start to scream in anger, she used a magic spell that inflicted unbearable pain upon them. Their voices, which they used to speak, refused to open.

"Ever since then, I planned, I schemed, I learned, and I patiently waited for the right moment to strike, gaining many allies along the way, including the ones who helped me capture you."

Rose kneeled to get closer to the pope, who was now visibly shivering.

"Do you know who they are, your holiness?"

"What?"

"The allies that helped me capture you?"

"How should I..."

"Their own children, your holiness. I filled their heads with everything I needed. So when the time comes, they will willingly betray their own. Rest assured your holiness, by the time the demonic wave approaches, I will have already exterminated the church.

When that time comes, your holiness, I would make sure that you and your lackeys all suffer for the sins you have committed." Total silence, as their fears consumed them from speaking up. Rose stands up once again, and leaves the jail cell, but not before turning off her magical light, leaving them in nothing, but darkness.

...

On a bright morning, a day after meeting up with the pope who is locked away in the dungeon, Rose, wearing a shiny new suit of armor, with runes attached all over, came out to the balcony. Below, she saw thousands of men, either wearing a suit of armor like hers or wearing a blue uniform, holding their matchlock muskets.

Gathered around in the streets, were the people themselves, who all cheered on as their queen made their way. They all seem to be excited about what she has to say. Rose, after raising her hand, got the crowd to remain silent.

"My fellow citizens, about 2 months ago, I made a great promise! The promise of freedom from the tyranny of the church! Now, fellow citizens. The time has come!

Yesterday, the fraud who claims to be a 'representative of god', tried to escape with the help of his allies. However, we managed to catch on beforehand to their misdeeds. Their attempt at escape, however, means that are preparing for war!"

Many great battles are ahead of us. Everyone here, including myself. There may be food shortages. There may be more demonic attacks.

However, remember fellow citizens! We are fighting for freedom and liberation! Freedom from the tyranny of the church. With our superior army, we shall reach the other end of the continent, and claim humanity's soul once again!"

With that, thundering applause went up in the air, with the chant "Long Live The Queen!" shouted by every man, woman, and child in the city. Of course, the children didn't know what was going on and just imitating their parents. The adults on the other hand, couldn't comprehend what was to come.