I Became The Pope, Now What?

When you don't have an answer, you live in hope.

But when you get those answers, what is one left with?

Sylvester knew the answer. It was sorrow, anger, and a thirst for vengeance. And one thing the heavens had already witnessed was his persistence in enacting that vengeance. No matter how long it may take, no matter who the enemy was, in the end, he will have the cure for his burning heart.

"This is no place for you to remain buried." He fondly looked at the body. "I'll be back to take you, Diana. Once all this is over, I'll return… dead or alive."

With a heavy heart, he headed off towards the gates, holding himself as composed as possible.

But for once, he looked behind at the distance, her face illuminated under the light. How could the sorrow just vanish after their lives were played with?

"When will this misery end?"

Sadly, no voice replied. Nor could he find an answer within.

…

Sylvester came out of the cathedral and found Empress Zenith waiting for him there. Now that he looked at her, she seemed more like a young woman who had found herself in a position with unbearable burden.

Like a little kid sitting silently against the wall, the Empress also sat there while shaking her head to keep herself occupied.

'I was too harsh on her.' Sylvester felt after realizing she was unofficially family. 'But she's too weak to be involved in my affairs.'

"Let's return outside," he voiced.

"You're done?" She jumped to her feet. "How did it go? I mean, I heard some voices from inside. Did my sister wake up? What happened?"

"No, it was a message she left behind for me." Sylvester had to douse her hopes. "She did her part and… passed on when her time came. Let's go now, Empress. We must do our part now."

She locked the cathedral's door and paced behind him in a rush. "Where are we going? What's the plan? And how did you know my sister so closely? I don't think she's ever been to your world before."

"Our bond goes beyond life and death, space and time, Empress. In simple words, it's beyond your understanding. Just know that we were very close."

"Are you the reason why she never married?" She inquired.

"Maybe," Sylvester responded and arrived at the main floor of the Palace. "I'm going to Mount Doomsday to find some clues. If you wish to, you can join me."

His voice, as if it had lost any semblance of emotions, sounded very stale and constant. It was somewhat unsettling for the Empress, even more so after knowing the extent of Sylvester's abilities. She wanted to go with him but found herself second-guessing it.

'The scent of fear.' Sylvester noticed it and took a softer tone. Others didn't need to suffer because he was suffering inside.

"Diana gave me a few hints. Perhaps you might find something in Mount Doomsday about her, and I might possibly need your help in case I need to decipher something." He worded his offer in a way that gave her a motive to join.

She looked at his face intently. "What's the plan?"

"We don't know enough to make one yet," he said. "That's why I'm going to Mount Doomsday."

Zenith strode away ahead of him. "Let's hurry then."

…

Outside the Palace,

"So, how does your Oracle thing work?" Bored, Dalgan tried to talk to the old woman beside him.

The old Oracle scoffed as if Dalgan was some lowly peasant. "It's no use telling you. You can't do it."

"You will never know unless you try."

"Many have said that to me before."

"I'm—"

She interrupted. "I'm better, I'm this, I'm blessed, or I'm that. I'm ancient, General Dalgan. I've seen everything that's there to see."

Dalgan scoffed and folded his arms. "Well, I've seen the other world. Have you seen that too, you arrogant old hag?"

"What did you say? If I'm an old hag, what are you? Even your wife forgot you so easily."

"..."

"Perhaps I should commit the Sellaka."

Oracle immediately felt remorseful for her little outburst. The wounds were still too fresh, after all. "Death by self-starvation is a coward's path. If you think the Lord will embrace you with respect, you are mistaken."

"What should I do then, Oracle?"

"Go and bring me a glass of cold milk."

"..."

"Old hag." Dalgan cursed after a brief moment of speechlessness.

"Says the traitor who chose to serve the treasonous Grand Prince," she barked back.

"What's going on here?" Sylvester arrived just then. The Empress was beside him in her completely armored form. The armor belonged to the previous Empress, of course, but she had to keep the charade going.

"Your esteemed Majesty!" Dalgan took to his knee for the Empress.

Sylvester didn't force them to stop their greetings. "Dalgan, I'm going to Mount Doomsday. You can either come or remain here in the capital. You are pardoned, so you need not fear being arrested."

"I am?" Dalgan looked at the Empress. "I am grateful for this graciousness, Your Majesty. But I would like to go with the Pope. I have decided to follow him and find my answers."

"You may proceed as you desire, General Dalgan; For I shall be joining him too," she proclaimed. "Oracle, you'll remain behind and oversee any issues."

"The only issue is the Supreme Commanders," the Oracle replied. "They might feel confident again to come after me."

"They won't," Sylvester interrupted them. "When I left them on the tarmac, I broke not only their bones but also their will. Once a man experiences absolute strength that they can't even respond against, they easily submit."

How could he forget the sense of helplessness whenever facing Nehilius?

"In that case, we have nothing to worry about. Strictly stay inside my palace," the Empress ordered Oracle. "Contact me if anything suspicious occurs."

With the matters at the capital dealt with, Sylvester exited the royal palace with the Empress. They went to a different tarmac this time, where the Empress' personal flying machine was parked. Much faster, a little smaller and compact.

"I'm sure you and I can fly, Sylvester. But Dalgan will hinder us. Let's proceed in my airship. It will give us some time to discuss a few matters."

'I smell lies.' Sylvester noticed something and saw the little aversion in her gaze. 'Ah, she can't fly either.'

Shrugging, he followed her into the airship, and soon, the journey began. This time, there was no need to stop and refuel anywhere, and the destination was directly set as the distant southern mountains.

The entire time, however, the Empress kept staring at him with her radiant yellow eyes. In her armor, they looked far more overbearing and clear. She tried to talk to him at every chance but only received rejection from Sylvester.

In the end, Sylvester got up and went to stand on the open deck to look outside from the high altitude. Being reminded of Diana, he began to remember the finer memories he thought he had forgotten.

"Maxy, don't be sad." Miraj chirped while sitting in front of him on the wooden frame of the glass window.

"I'm not sad, Chonky," he replied and sighed. "I'm just thinking, remembering a few things. It's not always easy to accept the circumstances. Even less so when you have someone to blame, and you can't do anything about it."

Miraj bobbed his head sideways a few times, contemplating. "So you're angry?"

"That I am. How can I not be? Wouldn't you be angry if you thought your old caretaker might be alive, only to find you were mistaken?"

"I'd be furious!" Miraj meowed, baring his fangs. "But… What can I do? She's still gone even if I'm angry."

Sometimes, somehow, Miraj would hit the nail on the head. Sylvester didn't know how, but he appreciated it since there was no way to refute or argue against it.

"You're right, Chonky. What's done is done. We can only continue forward," he muttered and leaned over to the window. "Amidst the chaos, time never stops; life goes on."

"Hmm…" Miraj agreed and looked outside with Sylvester. What was going on in his little fluffy head was unknown, but matching Sylvester, he breathed heavily every few instances, deeply pondering while his eyes shined.

Behind them, a distance away, Empress Zenith silently gazed at his back, slouched towards the edge. She felt like going and striking up a conversation, but she suddenly felt a deep sense of melancholy and tiredness in the air.

The more she watched him silently stare at the passing scenes, the more she felt lost in her thoughts. It reminded her of someone else, someone with the same empty, lonesome aura.

'Sister, why didn't you tell me more about yourself? About him?' She questioned herself. 'Why does he remind me of you?'

The more she pondered, the more she felt lost. But then her curiousness was piqued as she noticed Sylvester was writing something on a piece of paper with a face full of warm smiles. She waited until he was done to approach.

"What were you writing?"

"What I was born to," he replied. "Just a little hymn, a poem to remember someone when the light may seem very dim."

"You write songs?"

He almost chuckled. "Something of the sorts."

[Our Unyielding Fate]

Twice it has been, our hopes shattered,

Our sanguine future ruined & scattered.

I awaited words on your lips that mattered,

They never came—its absence left me tattered. Diana, into this painful, dark hell they've sent us,

Given tasks of implications that are momentous.

When will this end? This chase so tremendous,

Endless, this weight is growing horrendous.

Sometimes, I feel I've arrived at the end's gate,

I know, you expect me to be nothing but great.

But I won't stop unless perfection, I can create,

I vow to you, I will change this unyielding fate.

Please don't forget me, these are mere short delays,

Once again, in another life, let's cross each other's ways.