The Mechanical Era

Below the balcony in which two men in white holding large trumpets stood was the city square of Villina, where people gathered together to hear any important announcements from their queen. They were all chanting in support of their Queen.

The men started to blow their trumpets, silencing the crowd. Once they stopped, the large dual doors opened.

Rose in a red royal gown with a crown on her head looks over the city of Villina. The large city featured many stone buildings of white in the distance, with the skyline dominated by a single building. It was a giant cathedral with 2 large towers featuring the church's cross, being an X. Built around a classical architectural style, it appeared to look new.

Behind her was Nathan, in his red suit with golden linings. He had combed his short brown hair to the right, to make it look good before the people. He first coughed and came forward.

"All hail her highness Queen Rose Tipo Valline the first!" he walked back behind the queen and let her talk. Before she started her speech, she coughed twice.

"6 years ago, a great plague ravaged the entire continent, killing untold millions. The plague raged for 2 years, killing everyone it caught. Everyone here can relate to losing a loved one to the plague. Children, wives, husbands, fathers, and... mothers.

In response, everyone prayed, and pleaded for the lord, to the church to stop this great tragedy, to protect our loved ones from the beast. Yet, our prayers seem to have fallen on the deaf ears the lord.

The church rationalized it was our fault, that is a divine punishment by god because weren't faithful enough, and that it was retribution for sins against God such as greed, blasphemy, heresy, fornication, and worldliness.

But we knew better. We had realized that god, our once benevolent protector, has abandoned us, for the priests and the pope who claim weren't faithful were taken away by the very same plague that told was a punishment to non-believers.

Yet, even without the lord, we built back up. We healed our wounds, built back better without the pope, and found a bit of happiness one more. We had moved on from the tragedy to better ourselves.

My fellow subjects, I come here today with an announcement that I never wished to ever announce.

Over the following months, there had been a great rise in demonic presence over the entire realm attacking and killing our people. Yet, when I showed it to the pope, his 'holiness', he arrogantly scoffed at the truth, and instead focused on a shiny rock that only glows half the time.

As a result, my deepest fears have come to fruition.

A few days ago, I received a letter from the city of Albersterg informing me of a pierrevol, a powerful demon attacking their city. Though it claimed lives, they had managed to defend themselves against the threat.

But let me ask you all a question. Who was it that defend humanity from the demonic threat that has hunted us for millennia?

Who was it that protected your loved ones from imminent danger and gave you and your family a place to live?

Who was it that helped the people in need when the great plague hit?

It was the royal family, who for millennia had guarded its subjects with its magical power. Not the lord who hides behind the clouds, too afraid to confront us directly.

So why do we continue praying for a being who had deserted his loyal followers when they needed him the most?

Why should we give them credit for defending us against the demonic threat, not the hardworking knights?

Why should we allow the pope, the ambassador to god to exist?

Why should our greatest marvels continue to be reserved to some deity that disavows his children?"

The was silence. The mob processed the information with their collective brain, responding violently, slandering the church. Rose held her right hand up, silencing the people.

"My fellow subjects, I am here today not to just make an announcement, but a promise to you all. A promise to build a new world where humanity has ascended past the need for god! We will prove to him that he was never necessary for us, by pushing back the demons once more!

Just like our ancestors 400 years ago, when they all came together to form an alliance against the demons and usher in an era of peace! This new world starts today!"

The mod crowd started cheering violently at the end of her speech. Their collective voices travel far away so that nearly the entire city could hear them. Rose smiled at the reaction and went back inside smiling.

...

On top of one of the towers, the pope in his white silk cassock stood on the shiny tiled floor of the cathedral, looking onward to the palace in the distance behind the stained glass on top of one of the towers of the cathedral. He can see the mob of people cheering on the town square for their queen, who had by then finished giving her announcement. Behind him, were the priests and priestesses in their white cassocks made from wool.

He took a deep breath. He was waiting for someone to return, to inform him what she had spoken, although he could think of what she told. Down below, he saw a man in robes coming over to the cathedral on horseback.

After a few minutes, the man arrived at the top of the cathedral. The pope turned around to face the hooded man, who knelt in his presence.

"What was it about?" the pope asked. The man explained the entirety of the speech Rose gave to the people for the pope, who kept quiet all the way through. Once he finished, the pope dismissed him, giving him a bag of gold for his troubles.

"Your holiness, what shall we do now?" asked a priestess. The pope was silent at first. He thought for a little while about what they should do.

"I need time to think about that. Currently, with the city becoming ever more hostile to the church, it is best if we leave as soon as possible."

"But your holiness, won't that be dangerous? The queen will not allow for your escape."

"I know priestess. But our lives will be at greater risk if we continue to remain any longer. Who knows what the queen or an angry mob of people do to us? If they even dare hurt us, the lord will certainly not be kind to humanity afterward."

"Where shall we go to then your holiness?" asked a priest.

"We first send a letter to Nexert in secret. Tell them to construct a plan to get us out of here. We can get asylum in one of their cities." The pope replied.