EPISODE 181: AGE’S DAWN 3

  — GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR 7291. SEASON: COLOR FADING.

  Archbishop Femi Zubair sighed deeply —his disappointment was… immeasurable , and his day was ruined . He had held high hopes of securing the position of [Prime Overseer], a title that would have given him not only the power to directly shape Edryan’s future, but also the leverage to spread his backers’ influence without much resistance. Now, with that chance gone, the weight of missed opportunity bore heavily on his spirit.

  “Keep your chin up, Femi. We still have a chance with the establishment of the Templum,” Tunde stated, his voice steady, offering a rare bit of comfort.

  “The Templum will be under the direct purview of us five Daughters and Son of Madris,” Amara chimed in, her calm confidence filling the room. “And His Highness Lawruthian will witness its formation, per our request.”

  Archbishop Femi could only nod in resignation. Change was coming to Edryan… but… the most significant part of it would not be under his guidance. “Perhaps I did not succeed in opening the upcoming [Golden Age], but I can still be a strong figure remembered throughout the ages as a proponent of the changes within the Templum.”

  The Church of Madris was governed by five peak positions, collectively known as the Children of Madris, who controlled all major functions of the faith and safeguarded its sanctity. At the top was Marna Gamal, the 1st Daughter of Madris. As the eldest daughter of the prestigious Gamal House, Marna had fought hard to secure her place in history and the church, outmaneuvering her sisters and rivals to claim the highest religious seat. Her youngest sister, Femi Gamal, earned the title of 2nd Daughter, while the position of 3rd Daughter went to their cousin, Lolla Gamal, representing the side branch of the house. The final two positions were occupied by [Inquisitor] Amara Chuka, a woman of few words to strangers but swift and ruthless against those who defied the will of the Goddess, and [Templar] Tunde Ojo, an aging warrior with a few final wishes before he would return to the Goddess’s embrace.

  Prince Lawruthian calmly observed the five figures seated around the stone table in the Grand Cathedral of War, the largest and most prominent church in the capital city. The cathedral’s interior was adorned with intricately carved statues and stained-glass murals, depicting the Goddess and key figures from Her origin story. This simple, round, well-polished table—central to the church’s leadership for millennia—now hosted the leaders of the Church of Madris.

  The three Gamals sat unified on one side, while Amara and Tunde occupied separate corners. To Lawruthian, the divide between the [Children of Madris] was evident—a schism that had persisted for centuries, as his reports had warned. For generations, the interpretation of the Nine Mandates had been filtered through the lens of the Gamal House, shaping the spiritual direction of Great Edryan. Though not all factions within the church embraced their view, the Gamals had maintained a steadfast grip on the Church of Madris. Outside the royal family, they were perhaps the most influential and indispensable house in Edryan.

  Tap.

  …

  Tap.

  …

  Tap.

  …

  Tap.

  Prince Lawruthian tapped his fingers against the table, breaking the ominous silence at the round table. The others endured the quiet but… Lawruthian refused to. The Prince did not possess the time nor patience for political games and elaborate ploys— no. Not… At… All.

  “One reason I established the Class-Based Constitutional Monarchy was for situations like this,” Lawruthian gestured to the five separate figures, his head shaking in disappointment. “There is a fissure in the Church of Madris, one that has existed for centuries— longer —of all forces in this Great Edryan, this is the one I expected to be the most unified.”

  His eyes swept the room. “Each of you will state one of the Nine Mandates. Lolla, start.”

  Lolla, fairer in complexion than her dark-skinned cousins, felt a slight blush creep into her cheeks at the direct order from the [Chosen]. Under his gaze, she felt as if she were in the presence of a disappointed elder, an emotion that filled her with a mix of anxiety and reverence. Taking a deep breath, Lolla steadied herself and recited the first of Goddess Madris’s Nine Mandates.

  “First Mandate: Promised Mandate — Honor thou call of thy Lady, for they who engage in Her name find their abode in the Land that is Promised. Whosoever doth offer unto Her cause shall live on eternally, their souls ever safeguarded, and their names inscribed upon the Foundation.”

  Lawruthian’s sharp gaze shifted to Amara, whose straight posture somehow grew tighter under his scrutiny. Her emotions were similar to Lolla’s, but her tight control kept it well hidden. Without missing a beat, Amara continued.

  “Second Mandate: Valor Mandate — Embrace thou spirit of the Challenger within, for those who confront their fears and foes with courage shall be heralded in the annals of glory.”

  Tunde’s firm voice rose immediately after Amara concluded. Steady and measured, it carried the weight befitting such a sacred recital. “Third Mandate: Reverence Mandate — Worship none before Madris, for She is the guiding blade. Let no idol, deity, or false god claim thy devotion, for the Path to Glory is Her dominion alone.”

  Femi Gamal, who retained her position as Vice-Principal of the Imperius Academy and the Mother of Magi’s 2nd Daughter, spoke next with a clear and measured voice. “Fourth Mandate: Honor Mandate — Live by thy code of honor, for a warrior’s strength is measured not solely by triumphs, but by the integrity of thy words.”

  “Fifth Mandate: Union Mandate — Stand together and not against thy kin. Let not thy status retain superiority, for even the commonest of magi deserve thy grace,” Marna Gamal cooly recited, and the focus returned to the first speaker.

  “Sixth Mandate: Divergence Mandate — Though bonds of union bind thee, let not such ties restrain thy righteous path. For in the pursuit of honor, sometimes thy path to destiny requires the severing of chains.”

  The weight of the mandates hung heavily in the room as the recitation continued, each word echoing with historical significance. Lawruthian’s gaze constantly shifted from speaker to speaker, his expression impassive.

  “Seventh Mandate: Protection Mandate — Stand as a shield for the weak and a sword against injustice. In safeguarding the helpless, thou dost reflect the true strength of Madris.”

  “Eighth Mandate: Legacy Mandate — Strive to leave thy mark upon the world, for in every act of valor and virtue, thy deeds shall echo through the ages. Let thy life be a testament to the grace and might of Madris.”

  Marna Gamal led the Path of Might—a path that held no room for weakness. Its core concept emphasized strength without mercy, and it pulled its ideals from the second and sixth mandates. In contrast, Tunde Ojo led the Path of Mercy, which held true to its name. Tunde was a firm believer in the fifth and seventh mandates, a conviction formed by his life as a Templar of the church.

  “Ninth Mandate: Serenity Mandate — Let not thy heart be filled with hate nor any extreme emotion. Stay thy hand against those who have surrendered, for true strength lieth in mercy and not thy rash actions.”

  Silence enveloped the table as the echoes of the mandates lingered in the thoughts of those present. Lawruthian allowed the silence to extend. He carefully deliberated on his next words and actions, a hint of irritation well hidden in his eyes.

  “Look at how you’ve allowed the Gamals to dominate this church. Why have you not settled them down since you learned to walk? Already at three, I held the Church in my palm and was proceeding to control all levels of Edryan. And you… what have you done for sixteen, nearly seventeen years? Play with golems and pretend you are of them,” Carno Edryani sneered, gesturing at the magi. He paced around the table, his voice a constant grade on Lawruthian’s actions. “You are soft, far too soft to be a [Chosen of Madris]—far too soft to be a hero to the people of Edryan.”

  Lawruthian’s gaze kept to its impassive state, but his words expressed a passion and desire that stoked the flames in the hearts of the [Children of Madris]. “ To you , those words mean many things—they mean everything. Your life experiences, goals, and ambitions have shaped those words—those Mandates into a vision that suits your purposes. To the people of Edryan , they have placed their trust in you to guide them in following the Nine Mandates and ensure their integrity is kept.”

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  “Words are words—haven’t you grown tired of them? Enough words , Lawruthian —take— action —be decisive . Show the world what it means to be a [Chosen of Madris]. Who cares of their feelings, ambitions, goals ,” Carno mocked. “Your desire will become their desire —your ambitions their ambitions—take charge of Edryan not through the shadows but through the light!”

  “ To me , they are nothing but words,” Lawruthian watched them shift to an uncomfortable degree. Perhaps they wished to correct him, but he was the [Chosen of Madris]. There was no higher authority on the divine—on the Goddess Madris—than him. “They are words meant as guidelines left to each interpretation—not through a forceful conviction taught by one ideal over another.”

  Words are words, but the actions one took were what truly revealed their character to the world. He could feel Her agreement with him. She had been present, watching his actions throughout his life, but the bond had never been as strong as after Lawruthian received the second tier of his title, [Chosen of Madris]. Although she wasn’t speaking, Lawruthian could feel her agreement through their complex bond.

  Carno Edryani didn’t let up; his every word judged the actions of Lawruthian—a constant buzz in his ears. He was disgusted with what he’d seen of Edryan, ashamed that this once mighty nation was left in such a state.

  “After Alidra shattered Union, our magi were still a dominant force on the continent. We were feared—respected because of our magical prowess and might. The elves were our slaves, the goblins our pets, and the orcs our hounds of war,” he scoffed. The silent echo of his footsteps is known only to Lawruthian. “ Stand , Lawruthian —disregard this foolishness you call a plan and reclaim the glory of our magi.”

  “The church’s role from now on will not be to impose one school of thought over another, but to serve as a sanctuary where priests and priestesses gently inspire all who enter. They will open minds, allowing worshipers the freedom to choose their paths—the establishment of the Templum must follow this core principle,” Lawruthian stood and gestured to Kathrine, internally sneering at Carno.

  His personal maid strode over, she carried documents containing Lawruthian’s initial idea of the Templum branch. Five distinct folders were passed around, each to one of the [Children of Madris], while a sixth plain folder was presented to the prince.

  “Each of you is responsible for a new branch of the Templum—this is a more structured and concise branch of the Church of Madris that is directly responsible for government affairs. There will be protocols on what a branch can and cannot do—controlling the schools of thought one may have… is not one of them. ”

  Marna’s brows furrowed, a perplexed expression crossing her face. “Lawruthian… this…,” she stated, eyes narrowing as she read. “This is…”

  Marna’s voice trailed, her words faltering. The Prince made a few adjustments to the Templum branch. These tweaks weren’t something she was aware of until now, but as her eyes scanned the documents, they turned upward into crescents.

  “Prince this…,” Tunde began, partially distracted as he scanned his documents. “You are giving us complete control of these branches but…”

  “Fool,” Carno shook his head and walked away.

  “Each of you will oversee a branch of the Templum. The Templars Order will be under your purview, its responsibility is to serve as the military arm of the Templum,” Lawruthian stated, his posture lax as he stood. He looked at each of the Children as he next spoke. “There are five branches, each with a responsibility to the church—the Order of Wealth , the Order of Wisdom, Inquisitors Order, and the Sanctified Order.”

  “Your Holiness Lawruthian,” Lolla’s voice was soft as she spoke. “This system is a bit… rigid for members of the church. This… may interfere with the way our duties to the country and Goddess are performed.”

  “It will,” Lawruthian confirmed. “Tell me, what is the church… to each of you—what is it to you and how has it functioned?”

  Lolla’s response came immediately; the fair-skinned woman was direct with her words as she spoke. “The Church of Madris is the Goddess’s guiding hand to the magi. It ensures Her Nine Mandates are followed, and Her people are safeguarded from… threats of a spiritual nature—ghosts, wraiths, undead, and things that are unnatural . Necromancy and blasphemous acts that go against the order of life and death—the Path of War, are hearsay and a detriment to the world.”

  “A textbook standard answer,” Lawruthian’s response came quickly. “Who has outlawed necromancy? The Church of Madris or the Goddess? I’ll answer for you, In 3890, stated by [1st Son of Madris] Loric Aden—All acts of an unnatural order are to be outlawed—naturally, this included necromancy and a few other institutions of magic deemed unnatural by him and a few others under their interpretation of the Fifth Mandate. This was done to suppress a rising faction in the church who believed warriors could still serve even after their bodies perished on the Mortal Plane.”

  Lolla appeared perplexed, and Lawruthian waved his hand again. This time, Kathrine stepped forward and removed a brown, worn tome that had seen its fair share of usage over the years.

  “Open it to page seventy-nine and pass it around the table for our [Children of Madris] to see.”

  Kathrine followed his orders, and the [Children of Madris] each read the passage within. Lolla’s perplexed expression grew grim, while Inquisitor Amara’s eyes brightened. The book was an old tome of the church that kept one of its many historical records. The fact that Madris’s Chosen brought it today meant he came prepared to shake things up. Lawruthian recalled his first years in this new world he found himself in and how he spent his days reading as much as he could get his hands on. The history of the Genesis Realm was rich and it fasinated Lawruthian in a manner he couldn’t describe.

  “Quickly, following the same order as before. Tell me what the Church of Madris is to each of you and how has it functioned,” the Prince questioned, his gaze settled on Templar Tunde.

  “The Church is meant to be the shield and sword that protects our faith and banishes those who wish to challenge the might of our Goddess,” Tunde’s strong voice uttered. His sentence was short, but it truly encompassed what his heart felt.

  “That is partially true, partially false,” Lawruthian responded. Tunde appeared confused at his words and after a moment of deliberation, he posed a question.

  “What is false?”

  “Everything… just as everything is true. The Church of Madris is meant to be a sword and shield—one that protects our magi from the hostile forces of the world—the Sins, the Virtues, the Gods who wish to harm the magi, and so much more. It is NOT a force that is to hide secrets such as the Ruined Temple of Elrunian and perhaps more I’ve yet to uncover. The Church of Madris has lost sight of its responsibilities. I have even abused its power, not out of misguided use of my power as the [Chosen of Madris], but a misunderstanding of how vast I can affect Great Edryan with a simple sentence.”

  Lawruthian’s words came as a storm—one meant to sweep up any opposition before it could form. His words did not call for blame on any member of the church, but they continuously called out the hidden underside that served only itself and the higher members within.

  “ In Edryan Under the Prime Sun, All Men Are Free. ”

  Lawruthian paused and thought back to the moment he discovered slavery. He’d been outraged at its usage and immediately called for the destruction of its market and the freeing of all slaves. And the church…? The Church of Madris acted, swiftly and decisively, to execute his orders. It was not just the church, but his royal family and their vassals.

  Did he regret his actions?

  No.

  Yet Lawruthian knew that he still must acknowledge just the amount of power his words held on the church and the society of magic itself. He continued to speak, no one here, no matter how close, would escape his passive criticism—not even himself.

  “When I was a youth—barely in the stages where I could be called a boy. I called for the freedom of all men in Edryan—I do not regret that action, but I do regret the swiftness and decisiveness of my words without my proper understanding of just how powerful they are. Any of you here would not resist an order should I give it—should my words be false, then speak now.”

  Lawruthian waited. First, a few seconds passed as he calmly stared at them, his expression growing stern. The [Children of Madris] remained silent. Lawruthian continued to wait, and he let the silence drag for nearly five minutes. The silent gold-red eyes of Carno Edryani watching as a disproving judge. Lawruthian attempted to employ the [1st Daughter of Magi] in ridding himself of the echo—a remnant of Carno—unfortunately, their actions proved futile. Marna Gamal was unable to remove Carno, let alone detect his attachment to Lawruthian.

  “That is the effect my words have on nearly all the magi. Should I give an order, then they will strive to follow. My words are not infallible. I firmly believe I can be wrong,” Lawruthian sternly gazed around. His expression softened as he repeated himself. “My words are not infallible—I can make mistakes, but the mistakes I make will be overlooked, covered up, or explained as an action of the Goddess.”

  Lawruthian’s stern expression returned stronger; his eyebrows arched in certainty. “Since that is the case, then a more rigid, streamlined order must be put in place. I must take a step back, away from a place where my every word and action will affect the movements Edryan makes. These… Orders of the Templum ensure that the church does its duty— guiding the people as they explore their faith —not the tasks it has previously done. We are entering a new world—a new age—and we must have the necessary hierarchy in place to ensure the transition is smooth and malleable—Edryan will not always remain secular to a single uniformed species and the Class-Based Constitutional Monarchy prepares for that future.” Lawruthian locked eyes with all present—Amara, Marna, Lolla, Tunde, and Femi. Each of them would be responsible for a new branch of this Templum, while together they ruled as equal parts of a greater whole.

  “Establish your Orders, work with one another as always intended, and do not shape the faith of others, instead be the guiding figure that they were meant to always have when uncertainty is in place. And, should you waver and need that same guiding hand, then rely on each other or speak to me. There is no right school of thought in the Church of Madris—only a right mindset to walk the path set out before you.”

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  AN: There are a few titles that have interchanging names. Hence, 1st Daughter of Madris—Mother of Magi’s 1st Daughter, etc. Mortal Realm/Mortal Plane.