"We haven't lost."
Standing on the platform and looking out over the vast crowd below, that was the first thing Benjamin said.
The soldiers' eyes lit up at that moment.
Over the past few days, they had been mired in confusion and unease. It was not only because their former comrades had died in the collapse, but because they had lost their direction—what were they supposed to do now? Could they still defeat the Church? After suffering such a devastating blow, should they... still carry on?
As members of the Black Nightmare Army, hatred for the Church was something they all shared. But without Benjamin, without the powers above them, they could never have gathered together in the first place. Thus, even if they wished to persist, if the people above changed their stance, this army would stand on the brink of falling apart.
They needed a declaration, and Benjamin had laid out his entire stance in that first sentence.
Yes, they had not lost yet.
"Because of my negligence, we have suffered these terrible losses. That is a responsibility I cannot shirk. But... we cannot let the Church have its way." Benjamin looked over the crowd once more before continuing. "We came from obscurity to where we are today, and far too many people have already given their lives for this. The soldiers who fell in battle, the brothers buried deep underground... every one of them died holding fast to their beliefs. They believed we could bring down the Church. They believed their sacrifices had value. And we, standing on this high platform raised by their corpses, must make their deaths worth something."
"The Church is a festering disease buried deep within this country. To remove it, we must pay a price. After this setback, you may doubt, you