A Failed Hero's Voyage Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Mark of the Devil

Read chapter 12 of A Failed Hero's Voyage by churro on NovelPedia.

Pope Leonidas raised a brow, the gentle morning wind stirring his long beard as it lifted slightly around his face. Behind Atherius, Alice tilted her head in quiet confusion, clearly caught off guard by his refusal. The courtyard fell into a brief, contemplative silence, as though even the air itself hesitated to move. At last, Leonidas spoke. “If that is your wish… then very well,” he said, his tone measured, though a trace of curiosity lingered beneath it. “Come. I will hear your report personally and commit it to record myself.” Atherius inclined his head in a respectful bow. “Thank you, Your Grace.” Rising smoothly, he turned and followed the Pope toward the entrance of the Holy Temple. Just before stepping inside, he glanced back over his shoulder. His expression softened slightly as he offered Alice a small, almost casual wave. Alice frowned faintly, then lifted her hand in return, her gesture more restrained. A moment later, a bolt of lightning struck from above, engulfing her form in a flash of light. When it faded, she was gone. Atherius turned forward once more and entered the temple. The interior stretched vast and monumental before him, its scale rivaled only by the royal palace itself. Towering ivory walls rose on either side, adorned with intricate carvings, sacred symbols of the All-Father etched deep into the stone, each one a testament to what humanity believed to be their divine origin. As Atherius walked, the walls told their story. It began at the dawn of Velmoria, humans living in peace, their existence simple and untroubled. Then came the invasion. Non-human races descending upon them without warning, tearing through cities and settlements with merciless force, reducing entire civilizations to ruin. The carvings grew darker as the tale progressed. Humanity, driven to the brink of extinction, retreating to its final stronghold, and then, their salvation came. The All-Father descending from the heavens, bestowing blessings upon his chosen people. Power. Magic. Strength enough to rival those who sought their destruction. With these gifts, humanity rose once more, pushing back against their enemies, reclaiming what had been lost. Thus, the war began. Atherius his steps slowed slightly as he studied the carvings. The story was clear, simple and absolute. And yet… It was incomplete. There was no mention of the Devil of Velmoria, because at the time these walls had been carved, its existence had not yet been known. Only later had it been discovered, becoming the central focus of every hero that followed. Each one had sought it. Each one had failed. Until now, Atherius had never questioned the path laid before him. Every step, every battle, every life taken had followed a singular, unchallenged conclusion, humanity would prevail, and the non-human races would be erased. It had always been obvious, inevitable, even. Yet something had changed. A fracture, subtle but undeniable, had formed within that certainty. Because Atherius himself was different. He was not bound by the same limitations as those before him, nor the same doubts. He would succeed where others had failed. He would find the Devil, end the war, and bring finality to a conflict that had consumed the world for generations. That belief remained intact, unyielding and absolute. And yet, unbidden, another thought surfaced. 'What if there are more like him?' Mordor’s image rose in his mind with striking clarity, the dragon’s composure, the weight behind his words, the quiet dignity he had carried even as death claimed him. Every non-human Atherius had encountered before had been the same, savage, hostile, driven by blind hatred, their voices filled with nothing but venom and defiance. They had been easy to understand. Easy to destroy. But Mordor had not fit that pattern. And if Mordor existed… then perhaps he was not alone. The idea lingered longer than Atherius expected, unfolding into something far more unsettling. What if there were others like him, be