Upon seeing the face of the dead man lying on the floor, Arthur experienced the greatest shock of his life. The person who lay there lifeless was none other than Archbishop Gregor of the Holy Church.
The very same man who was the second most powerful and influential figure in the Holy Church, second only to the Pope. He had been unrivaled in Holy Magic—the most sacred and powerful form of magic—and was capable of summoning Holy Spirits to vanquish any foe.
Yet now, that legendary figure lay dead on the cold marble floor of the Imperial Throne Hall. His body was split clean in half, leaving a gruesome gash across the pristine flooring. All his limbs were missing, as if someone had ripped them from his body before executing him in the most brutal way imaginable.
He had been tortured before his death—and from the expression frozen on his face, Arthur could feel the sheer agony Gregor must have endured before his soul departed for the afterlife.
