Alaric’s smile vanished instantly, his shoulders tensing as the heavy, protective aura returned to his frame.
He rose from the edge of the mattress, his blue eyes shifting toward the door with a cold, sharp focus.
Julian gently patted Lucius’s back, letting the boy slide off his lap so he could stand up.
"Who is it?" Alaric called out, his deep voice carrying a rough, commanding edge that brooked no nonsense.
"Your Grace, it’s Kaelen," a firm voice answered through the thick wood. "Pope Clement and the rest of the Elders are waiting in the Inner Sanctum’s main hall. It’s reported that the divine frequency that shook the sanctuary yesterday morning just flared up again, and the priests are practically scrambling outside the door. They believe that Master Julian has awakened."
Julian let out a quiet, tired sigh. It seemed like he could not retain this peace for a moment longer. But he still had no intention of letting the Holy Empire turn him into a political relic or putting him on a display shelf.
Even if he was half a god, he was still a tutor and a scholar at his core, and he just wanted to protect his family and return to the North. But to do that, he had to handle the church first and all the crises that came with Norx’s interference.
"Let them wait for five minutes," Alaric growled back through the door.
"Understood, Your Grace. My knights are holding the perimeter of the hallway," Kaelen responded, his boots clicking slightly as he stepped back to maintain the guard line.
The church had been against the Duke’s knights coming into the Spire, but after Julian had been asleep for so long without waking up, no matter the nudge, Alaric knew that he had to secure the perimeter.
The Pope raised his argument that the Holy Knights could protect the Saint and the one who heard the voice from their god, but one cold glare from Alaric made him flinch.
"I do not trust the church. And I do not trust you. I will take care of my lover myself, so do not get in my way unless you want to see how far I can go when I get serious."
It was a threat. A bloody, dangerous threat.
And it was one the Pope did not attempt to test.
So, he sealed his lips and gave in. This time.
And that was how Alaric got his men to watch the perimeters. They were tired from the long journey with no proper rest, but their shoulders were squared, and their eyes were fierce and sharp on their job.
Not even exhaustion could make them falter in enemy territory.
Alaric turned back to Julian, his jaw set into that familiar, stubborn line.
"They are going to try to keep you here, Julian. The moment you step out with those blue eyes and that amount of holy power, the Pope will try to lock you inside a sanctuary as a living Saint."
"He cannot," Julian said flatly, a calm but absolute finality in his tone. "Pope Clement won’t even be able to meet my gaze without cowering now. I am not a puppet for their altars. It was hard for them to try such a thing when I was just Julian, but with this power resonating through me, there is no way they can attempt anything against me now."
He reached out, grabbing Alaric’s hand again, his voice dropping into a serious, tactical register.
"But forget the Church’s ideals. We have a bigger problem. The demons at the southern pass are spawning because of Norx. They aren’t normal monsters, Lucien." He searched Alaric’s gaze, worriedly. "They have been fashioned from a thousand years’ worth of human resentment, agony, and hatred. If your knights fight them with standard steel, the demons will use that hatred and fear to grow stronger, and the iron will just melt."
Alaric’s eyes narrowed. "Then how do we cut them down?" He asked. "How do we protect you, Julian?"
Julian smiled faintly. Even now, Alaric’s main priority was keeping him safe. He was going to protect him with his own life, if he had to. That was the kind of man Alaric was, and that was why... the smile slowly faltered... he had died in several other circles.
Those circles were not allowed to repeat themselves. They could not. He would not let them.
𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
"Your weapons and the armor of your entire knight order must be baptized and coated in pure holy power—just like the weapons of the knights of the Holy Empire," Julian explained, his gaze turning to steel. "The light acts as a shield. It will dissolve the void upon contact and prevent the demons from using your emotions against you. I will oversee the baptism myself to anchor the light properly. When you enter the battlefield to protect what’s ours, I need to know your steel is insulated. I need to know... that you hold a weapon that will not fail you."
Alaric looked at Julian, the corners of his mouth twitching into a grim, dangerous smirk.
"A holy baptism for Northern Iron. The priests waiting for you are going to lose their minds."
"That would be a sight worth watching," Julian muttered, walking towards where his blue robes were, washed and ironed.
Alaric walked closer to lend a hand, helping him fasten the latches, and then dropped his hand on Julian’s shoulders, smoothing down his clothes and adjusting his collar.
Julian smiled softly at him, then turned to Lucius, who was watching them with wide, clear eyes.
"Lucius, stay right next to your father when we walk out. I have some obstacles to clear out of the way."
Lucius gave a fierce, determined little nod, holding onto his father’s side.
With Alaric standing securely by his side as the ultimate weapon, Julian walked toward the door.
He placed his hand on the handle, letting his pure, radiant aura settle into a cold, heavy pressure that filled the room. He turned the latch and threw the door open, ready to face the Pope and all the council members.