High in the azure sky, England's Fire Dragon Legion and the griffin guards raised by the Church circled back and forth, keeping watch on each other.
In St. Peter's Square, the black-and-purple ranks of the Wizarding Army faced over a thousand Church Guards in gold-and-white robes, looking for all the world like two ancient armies poised for battle.
Before the doors of the Church, countless believers knelt in prayer, begging God to send down divine punishment and destroy the heretics outside.
Above them, "Shawn Black," who was actually Tom Gaunt in disguise, stood against the wind, his purple-and-black robes radiating unrivaled dominance.
On the spire of the Cathedral opposite him, Pope Edward's face had lost all its holy benevolence. His expression was so dark it looked ready to drip water.
Neither leader spoke. A murderous chill hung over the scene.
Higher still, two seas of flame, one black and one blue, roiled and surged like clouds at sunset. Their searing heat had melted the snow clouds for miles around.
Two legendary wizards were fighting among the clouds.
Tom had come here disguised as Shawn today to divert the enemy's attention. He had no intention of fighting the Church to the death.
That would only get ordinary wizards killed in droves.
Edward, meanwhile, also hesitated to act. If he exhausted all his resources, Soya would be the only one to benefit.
Hadn't Soya still failed to bring anyone to reinforce him? Only Hephis, a legendary fire-wielding elder, had rushed over, and he was currently fighting Grindelwald in the sky.
Grindelwald really had embraced his role as a hired hand now. The moment he heard they were going to provoke his old enemy, the Church, he had eagerly come running.
At present, he was toying with his opponent.
"Hephis, I hear you