The light flickered as the dark aura of 12 extremely powerful individuals threatened to snuff out the very concept of light.
Around an ornate Table sat 12 individuals, each adorned in robes representing the colors of Chrunus.
Their forms were shrouded by unnatural mist produced by Chrunus, a mist so thick that it made it impossible to see their faces or the floor itself.
"The Bishop is dead..." A form spoke, its voice quivering.
An unnatural wind passed through the room, "Impossible..."
"Inconceivable, nobody other than demi-human champions would be capable of such a feat..."
A deafening silence reigned between 12 shrouded figures.
How could they speak?
One of the most powerful individuals in the employ of Chrunus had been killed.
They felt their connection to The Bishop suddenly cut, and yet they could not discern why and how.
"We must get to the bottom of this... The loss of the Bishop is not something we can ignore." Another shrouded figure spoke, its voice echoing through the hall.
The dark mist swirled, obscuring the 12 individuals.
"It must be the fault of the new heresy the Bishop spoke about."
One of the form shuddered, "The Heresy of the Cross? Was it not dealt with by the Bishop long before his death?"
The dark mist grew thicker, "No... On the contrary, it had grown stronger as a queen who supported it was elected."
"The senate voted for a female ruler? Impossible."
"It is, unfortunately, correct. It is a woman going by the name Aurelia with the nickname 'The Princess of Fools'."
"We have heard of her... She was not considered the threat..."
"We were tricked... She created a powerful heresy right under our nose..."
"Chrunus will not be pleased." The dark mist swirled, crashing against the shrouded forms like a tide of darkness.
"We must commune with our god."
"This is an emergency."
The atmosphere shifted.
The table disappeared in the dark mist, leaving the 12 figures to approach each other.
They linked their hands.
[Dark Communion], 12 Individuals activated the skill, making direct connection to Chrunus himself.
The mist dispersed, revealing 12 individuals; however, that lasted for a moment as the mist gushed from their very skin, thick enough to cut with a knife.
Roiling and gushing, it slammed against the walls, filling the room with complete darkness.
In the next moment, a dim spark of light appeared between the circle of 12 Cardinals.
"Chrunus, Lord of Chaos, Ruler of Chalk, dominator of all gods. We beseech you once again." Their forms shuddered, as if they were made of the very mist that now filled the room.
If someone not affiliated with Chrunus stepped into such an environment, they would have suffocated.
But the Cardinals were conduits of the will of Chrunus.
They thrived in darkness.
"Lord of soothing darkness." One of 12 spoke.
"12 Cardinals gathered once more." The cardinals spoke simultaneously.
"To commune with you once again." The first cardinal whispered.
"To usher your will unto those foolish to stand before you."
"Grant us your wisdom once more."
"So that we may guide those who strayed."
"So that we may crush those who dare worship false gods."
The darkness swirled; instead of filling the entire room, it coalesced between the Cardinals.
A small jolt of electricity passed through the linked Cardinals before rushing towards the coalesced darkness.
<<[Dark Communion] successful, you may now commune with your patron.>>
This was the messenger of Chrunus that they had heard many times before.
It represented success when the will of their god was done.
"Cardinals... You requested an audience, Speak." The dark presence of Chrunus demanded, its presence almost suffocating even the Cardinals.
"Lord Chrunus!" The 12 Cardinals distanced themselves before kneeling.
The presence rumbled, the lightning inside the cloud of darkness intensifying.
"Speak."
"Yes, Lord Chrunus. The Bishop is dead, it is a deed of Aurelia we suspect."
"I am aware of heretics... and yet they dare hide from my sight."
The presence calmed down, the darkness thinning for a moment before intensifying.
"The Bishop, I have not received his soul..." Chrunus grumbled, his anger rising with each moment that passed.
The cardinals reeled back in fear as the darkness surged forth.
"We wish to ask for your glorious guidance. Mighty Lord of Chalk. New heresy led by her must be handled carefully." One of the cardinals spoke, his voice cracking.
The presence faded for what seemed to be infinity before returning.
"Bring Aurelia before me, she was the reason my apostle had fallen. 12 of you are stronger than Avaros. Do not disappoint me!" With those words, the presence faded, letting the dark mist spread over the room like a tidal wave.
The words of Chrunus shocked them to their very cores.
The apostle blessed by Chrunus himself had also been killed.
The princess of fools had killed someone who could have become the 13th Cardinal.
She could not be underestimated.
Lord Chrunus had made his decree.
"We must prepare." One of the shrouded Cardinals spoke.
Aurelia would fall, and then heresy would fall shortly after.
"We shall prepare a squad of Chaos constructs for this mission. May Darkness of Chrunus forever shroud us!" Cardinal spoke with fervor befitting his position as darkness swirled around him, making his form melt into it shortly after.
"Do not underestimate Aurelia. Lord Chrunus must not be failed, for he is god of gods." Another Cardinal disappeared.
The Cardinals' forms melted one by one, leaving only 1 behind.
He was the first Cardinal and by far the most powerful of them all.
He had a duty to fulfil.
If he were to fulfill the mission of Chrunus, he needed to prepare Chaos constructs.
Darkness swirled around the room as he activated [Create Chaos Construct].
It was a blessed ability granted by Chrunus himself, allowing him to create Level 75 Chaos constructs who were immune to all Magical and Physical attacks.
The darkness churned again, but this time it shaped itself into a being of mist and lightning, the darkness given form.
These elementals were incredibly powerful and a true asset.
Soon, he would create a squad of these beings that would hunt down the princess of fools.