The messenger knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with fear.
"Countless Mechanical Constructs! They're headed straight for us!"
The air that had just gone still inside the church ignited at his words.
"Mechanical Constructs? The Easterners! They're attacking!"
"Already? We haven't even had time to..."
"We're finished! We're all going to die!"
The Western European leaders who had just knelt and sworn allegiance lost the fervor they had barely managed to summon. A deeper fear took its place.
They had only just betrayed the Old Gods. Before they could enjoy the New God's power, the executioner's blade was already hanging over their heads.
Panic spread like a plague.
Atop the altar, Richard showed no alarm.
He did not even turn around. He simply sensed the anger and despair inside everyone in the church, growing stronger once more under the weight of their fear.
Through some unseen channel, those emotions streamed toward the newborn altar outside the city.
The altar hungered for more sacrifices.
"This is not judgment."
Richard's voice rose above the clamor and wailing.
He turned and looked down at the terrified faces below.
"This is the first gift our lord has bestowed upon us."
"They have brought us the finest fuel to light the first beacon fire of our vengeance!"
Richard spread his arms. An invisible current whipped his military uniform around him.
"Their Steel Bodies shall forge our lord's Divine Throne!"
"Their screams shall become the sweetest hymns in our lord's praise!"
"Now, follow me to the walls! Let us welcome our sacrifices!"
His voice held a power that bewitched the mind. Bolstered by the altar's Divine Might, it reached directly into every soul.
The fear did not vanish, but a far more violent emotion swept over it.
Anger.
"For our lord!"
Gregory was the first