HE-ST-1: Crown Offering

HE-ST-1 Crown Offering	Hortus de Escapismo: Sanctilaminium Ambrosii Next HE-TR-1
The Holy City bestows a radiant crown.

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Characters
Arturia Federico Richele Serpilia Apostolic Knight Bulky Youth (Raimund) Gaunt Man (Clément) Gaunt Old Man (Abbot) Gentle Priest Sankta Girl (Fortuna) Weathered Hunter (Gerald) Yvangelista XI Cleric Cleric Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant Joyous Lateran Legatus Solemn Girl (Delfina) Spirited Lateran
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

“

A ceremony comes to a close. Federico accepts his mission from the Pope, and heads to the hidden abbey out in the wilderness.

”

<Background black>
They say Laterano is Paradise. A land of freedom, happiness and order, one of the few left in this chaotic world. Have you ever known doubt, my child? How was our city built, how did it grow, and how did it prosper? Why is there only one Laterano? Why is it called the eternal paradise? If the fires of war burn once more, and peace falls into ruin before our eyes– Will the world continue to tolerate Paradise?
[A beeping sound is heard.]
Danger. Repeat. Danger.
...Danger level... Analyzing... Maximum. Deploying simulation sequence. Simulation failed. Activating emergency response mechanism. Outputting suitable personnel list... ......
<Background 1>
[An Apostolic Knight reports to Pope Yvangelista XI of Laterano.]
Apostolic Knight	They are here, Your Holiness.
Yvangelista XI	Very well.
Apostolic Knight	Are you sure about this? There is no precedent for it, aside from the canonization of the popes. It's risky.
Yvangelista XI	You are correct. I could find no such record in our millennium of history. But that is of no concern. What is of concern is the warning I received.
Apostolic Knight	What is it about, specifically?
Yvangelista XI	I would answer your question honestly, if I could. Our glowing faith has warned us that danger is near. But no one knows what it is, or how it will arrive. I only see a list of names. First on the list is the main character of today's performance.
Apostolic Knight	That's why you proposed canonizing him? Still the title of "Saint" is special, reserved for the holy ones who built Laterano.
Yvangelista XI	I hold the same title.
Apostolic Knight	Th-That's different! You're the Pope, sir. You're conceding a significant amount of power. He will have the right to participate in a multitude of matters, even policy-making... this is no small thing!
Yvangelista XI	Easy, Giovanni. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And, as I said, there is more than one name on the list.
Apostolic Knight	What? Are you proposing that all of them be canonized?! That's absu–I mean, against the rules!
Yvangelista XI	Don't be so quick to judge, Giovanni. We need to find them first. I saw some familiar names. Do you know who's on it?
Apostolic Knight	No idea.
Yvangelista XI	In that case, I'll let it remain a secret for a little longer. Giovanni. I think I'll visit these friends after the ceremony.
<Background 2>
[A joyous Lateran Liberi lady noticed many balloons.]
Joyous Lateran	Why are there so many balloons? There's even a pie throwing competition on that street up ahead. I had to take a detour because of all the pies on the ground... is there some sort of festival on?
Spirited Lateran	No idea. Heard it's a ceremony or something, but I don't know the specifics. Who cares, at the end of the day? Let's just enjoy the occasion, like we always do. Say, do you think I could fly if I tied myself to these balloons?
Joyous Lateran	You don't have a prayer, even if you lost twenty pounds.
Spirited Lateran	Don't say that! Maybe I could take off my jacket. It's a pretty warm day... Hey, look, new balloons! Here, hold my jacket, I've got to try this!
[The spirited Lateran Sankta gave her jacket to the joyous Lateran Liberi...]
Joyous Lateran	Hey! Be careful!
[...and goes to pick a balloon as it flies along with him.]
Spirited Lateran	Whoooooooa! I'm flying! Hey, how do I stop climbing? Oh no! I forgot I'm scared of heights!
???	Pardon.
Joyous Lateran	Hey! Don't go! Help!
???	Hm?
Spirited Lateran	Help! Let me down!
[Executor Federico Giallo, now in a different attire, noticed the spirited Lateran in trouble...]
Federico	Alright.
[...and shoots down the balloons holding the Sankta, causing him to fall to the ground.]
Spirited Lateran	Ouch! Man, that hurt... but thanks. My balloons... You popped them all? Did you really have to be so cruel?
Federico	It was the logical solution, given the circumstances.
Spirited Lateran	I guess... but couldn't you have left me a couple?
Joyous Lateran	He got you down, stop whining. Don't mind this idiot, sir. Where did you get that outfit? It looks cool.
Federico	I can't say.
Joyous Lateran	What do you mean? Was it a gift?
Spirited Lateran	Looks like a work uniform. There's something familiar about it...
Joyous Lateran	Where do you get a uniform like that? I'm applying!
Federico	...I'm not sure it's a standard uniform. You can submit your curriculum vitae to the Curia.
<Background 3>
Yvangelista XI	"....They led the Sankta. They built a city and named it Laterano." "And when disaster looms once more, a new revelation shall dawn upon the Sankta, and a new guide shall lead forth..." "The Paradise of the Sankta shall remain eternal, as witnessed by the world."
Legatus	We bear witness.
Apostolic Knight	We bear witness.
Cleric	We bear witness.
Yvangelista XI	Ite, missa est. You can raise your head now, my child. No... a different name is appropriate here. Raise your head and stand by my side, Saint Federico Giallo, the first Chosen of Laterano who does not come from the ranks of the popes.
[Federico walks toward the Pope.]
Federico	......
Yvangelista XI	A measured reaction. Not a fan of the balloons?
Federico	I don't understand.
Yvangelista XI	Hm?
Federico	What is the duty of a Saint? What is the disaster that looms? Does it call for immediate action? I need to know the details in order to formulate a plan.
Yvangelista XI	An appropriate question, but not one I am able to answer. The warning I received was as cryptic as it was direct. It does not provide for a specific answer. Each era has its own trials and tribulations, for which we can only prepare to the best of our ability. It is certain, however, that you have been chosen because It believes that you have the ability to respond to the unknown.
Federico	...I don't understand.
Yvangelista XI	There is no hurry. We have time. Right now, there are other things we can talk about... this garb suits you, Federico. Makes all the cardinals' bickering over the cut and color worthwhile.
Federico	I didn't think that was a cardinal's duty.
Yvangelista XI	Let's not be so strict. People can't help but focus on that which draws their interest. I've seen your resume, Federico. I can tell that you are an outstanding executor. The Commandments do not bind your thoughts as they do others, eh?
Federico	Rules can be broken, if necessary.
Yvangelista XI	Of course. I can't bring myself to disagree. You judge matters by your own standards. That is why you always carry out your missions effectively, if somewhat unorthodoxly. I have a mission for you. I had intended on going myself, but there are other matters that require my attention... now, I've found someone who can go in my stead. It will not be an easy task. Expect unexpected complications, the likes of which you have never seen. But I believe you are up to it. I want to see why He chose you. Will you go, Federico?
Federico	Executor Federico, ready for assignment. What is your command?
<Background black>
Gaunt Old Man	What are you looking at, Arturia?
Arturia	The flowers, Excellency. This is the only place in the monastery where they grow. I'm glad I made it in time for bloom season. It's a view worth savoring.
Gaunt Old Man	Clément would be happy to hear it.
<Background 4>
[The black-winged/haloed Sankta first seen in Lingering Echoes, who turned out to be Arturia Giallo – the renegade Lateran Sankta and Federico's cousin whom he is pursuing, is enjoying the chapel's scenery with a gaunt old Sankta.]
Gaunt Old Man	It has been a long time since anyone came to see the flowers that he cared for. They used to grow all around the abbey. This is all that is left.
Arturia	A shame. I understand there is a beautiful story behind them.
Gaunt Old Man	There was.
Arturia	What about now?
Gaunt Old Man	Perhaps there still is. But my eyes have grown weak. Flowers are no longer pure enjoyment for me. I've grown too old, spent too much time here. Flowers cannot fill an empty stomach, just as your music can soothe pain but not avert aging. I know things don't always go according to plan. Perhaps this was inevitable the moment our call for help reached Laterano. Now... Only the bitter fruit remains.
Arturia	Bitter fruit. Even the name itself leaves a bitterness on the tip of the tongue that does not go away. I rather like it, actually. Poor soil does not bear sweet fruit.
Gaunt Old Man	Poor soil. Yes, poor soil. But it's home for people like us. I thought we would find a better, more peaceful life. We had walls that protected us from wind and rain, we had faith unwavering. Our longing for a peaceful life won out over our longing for home. All that was left was to find a quiet corner of the world where we could live in peace. But now...
The old man's emaciated face twitches slightly. It is as though he is mustering the strength to tear apart that which threatens to crush him beneath his loose skin. His words are replaced by a string of coughs and gasps.
Gaunt Old Man	How many years has it been? Fifty? Sixty? More? When disaster came from the sea, when we rejected the Inquisition's demands and left Iberia to settle here... I've seen children born, and then buried those same children. Life has become hard.
Arturia	Life is always hard.
Gaunt Old Man	Yes, you're right... Look at the living. To where do they belong? I can't tell. Are they of Iberia, or of Laterano? We've come too far in too long... ...... Arturia. Am I still a Lateran, after all these years?
Arturia	Only you know the answer, Abbot Stefano Torregrossa.
Abbot	I hope I still am.
Arturia	Then you are.
Abbot	You spoke the truth, Arturia. There's no need to test me anymore.
Arturia	A misunderstanding. I never intended to probe your secrets.
Abbot	I permitted you to stay because these doors are open to all who bear no ill intentions. But I still don't know what you are seeking, Arturia.
Arturia	What if I said I seek nothing?
Abbot	......
Arturia	I take it you don't believe it. Then let me put it this way. Pay no heed to me. I promise I will not interfere with anything here, nor with your decisions. I'm simply a traveler, drawn to this place by the stories here, praying that the ending is a good one. Should I swear in the name of my halo?
Abbot	You're a cunning one, Arturia. But I believe your words.
The old man falls silent again. Do all who grow old grow dry and stiff? The lines on his face, once so beloved, now cast only lethargy. The eyes have become clouded by the decades that they have seen. The face should have been warmer, gentler, more Lateran.
Abbot	The Holy City never answered, all these years, but I never stopped praying. My faith taught me to love, to be kind. It did not teach me to abandon our brothers and sisters, our loyal friends. To abandon the few for the happiness of the many...
Arturia	The devoted would call it a shameful betrayal. Do you?
Abbot	I don't have that answer, Arturia. Where does the believer go, if faith has betrayed itself?
<Background 5>
[A weathered Sarkaz hunter returns with his quarry.]
Weathered Hunter	Here's the stuff. Get it salted and dried quickly. It should last the winter.
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	I'll get someone on it! Gratias. This meat will buy us some time...
Weathered Hunter	...I'm sorry. Finding game was harder than I thought, with the weather is getting colder.
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	Don't say that! Thanks to you, there will be meat on the table for the children tonight... don't apologize.
Weathered Hunter	Ha. Okay, forget what I said. Make them something good for dinner.
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	I would love to, but we've got to ration. Where's Hyman? She didn't get hurt, did she?
Weathered Hunter	Don't worry, she's fine.
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	Really? Don't hide anything, okay? An injury is no small thing.
Weathered Hunter	No problem, we'll come back if we do need anything. It's getting late. I should go.
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	Hey, Gerald!
Gerald	Hm?
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	Everyone's been talking about Laterano. They mean no harm; they're just a little anxious. Please, don't mind it if someone lets something slip.
Gerald	...... I understand.
Gaunt Monastery Inhabitant	I-I see, that's good... yes...
<Background fades out and in>
Bulky Youth	......
Gerald	Thanks for coming, Raimund. Let's go. We're not needed here. Is Hyman back yet?
Raimund	Haven't seen her all day. Davy led a group out to look for her. I'll join them later. We have a scout team ready. We'll have concrete intel when they get back tonight.
Gerald	Good. Carry on.
Raimund	Brother Gerald... Are we really going to accept things as they are right now?
Gerald	Calm down, Raimund. You know we never had of a choice.
Raimund	So we're compromising? What are we? What have all these years been for? What's the difference between us and them? We're just–
Gerald	Raimund! That's enough.
Raimund	But–
Gerald	No buts. I know you don't like it, Raimund. There's still time. If there's someone you want to see, go and see them.
<Background black>
Eating. Ingestion of food for the organism's survival. It is the basis of life, and the fundamental instinct of all animals. Eat. Digest. Metabolize. Activities for the sake of survival. The most legitimate desire there is.
<Background 6>
Gentle Priest	I wanted to try to persuade you, but now is not really the time. You're weak. Too many things interfere with our thoughts, warp our judgment, preventing us from following the guidance of our faith. ...... You can no longer hear me, can you?
There is no answer. The priest's voice mixes with a strange sound, echoing through the underground space. The sound of eating. The sound of ripping food apart and swallowing it. Life that has lost its original form grows in the shadows.
Gentle Priest	It's almost winter. The sun has become a rare sight. This building is like a remote island. It has held out long enough. It can no longer hold out. See the gaps in the walls, where the draught comes through. There is little fuel left. Many will suffer in the cold without winter supplies. Of course, we're not entirely helpless. There are a couple of small Originium veins nearby, aren't there? Originium can be mined there for energy generation, as you have done for many years. But it's dangerous. Everyone knows the risk of Oripathy infection. Who would take such a risk if they had a choice? Oripathy is a death sentence on an island like this. You left your homes and came here. You accepted the most dangerous jobs in order to find a place to call your new home. You're an indispensable part of this abbey. ...... You still can't hear me, can you?
"Devouring Shadow"	......
Gentle Priest	I must admit... I feel a little sad.
<Background 7>
[A Sankta girl walks into the prayer hall.]
Sankta Girl	Hello? Anyone? Any– Whoa! What's with all the broken glass?
[A gaunt Elafian man noticed the Sankta girl.]
Gaunt Man	Fortuna? Good timing. Give me a hand with this window frame, will you? The wind broke the window. I'm trying to plug it up.
Fortuna	No problem! Didn't we fix this a couple of days ago? I remember my teeth chattering in the cold while listening to Father Stefano's sermon. Should I get some tape?
Gaunt Man	I'm afraid tape won't do. The pieces are all over the place, and I don't think I can put it back. Sorry...
Fortuna	Why apologize to me, Patruus Clément? It's not your fault. What should we do? Find something to block it up. The wind's rather cold... should I find some unused fabric?
Clément	Don't waste it, save it for clothes. It's getting cold. There should be some planks left from when Gerald took those old houses apart. I'll go look for them.
[The girl, now known as Fortuna, helped the Elafia, now known as Clément, patching up the hall's windows.]
Clément	That will do it for the frame. Thanks, Fortuna. What were you here for anyway?
Fortuna	Oh! I wanted to see if there's anything to eat because I missed lunch. It's all Fina's fault...
Solemn Girl	What's my fault?
Fortuna	Fina!
Fortuna	What are you doing here?
Delfina	Listening to you talk behind my back.
Fortuna	I'm just telling it like it is! That wouldn't have taken so long if you didn't keep going on and on about it.
Delfina	It's because you were dumb enough to get scammed! I told you to be careful of Lemuen! She's been talking to everyone, pretending to care. Who knows what she's really after? You've been absent-minded lately. Did she say something to you?
Fortuna	No! No one said anything to me! I'm not being absent-minded!
Delfina	Yes, you are. We're all Sankta, Tuna. You can't fool me.
Fortuna	...... So is Lemuen. You know she has no ill intentions. Why won't you trust her? Why do you hate people from Laterano so much? We were Laterans too, weren't we? Father Stefano says we can go back soon. Why did we lock up the Lateran emissaries? Why don't we go back?
Delfina	Because Raimund and the others can't go with us! Isn't that reason enough? You want to leave them behind? Well, I don't!
Fortuna	That's not what I mean!
Delfina	Then what do you mean?!
Clément	Enough! The Abbot has his reasons. Say no more.
Delfina	......
Fortuna	......
Clément	I'll find some planks to board up the window... you two calm down.
[Clément leaves.]
Fortuna	Can't you sense my thoughts, Fina?
Delfina	I can, Tuna. But I... Never mind. I lost my cool. I know that wasn't what you meant.
Fortuna	I was wrong too.
Delfina	You always have that gun with you. You got it from your dad, right? I thought it didn't work anymore.
Fortuna	It doesn't. Maybe it's a parts problem. And I don't know how to use a gun myself... But I'm not carrying it to use it anyway.
Delfina	I always thought it was a decorative accessory.
Fortuna	Partly. Holding the gun like this is like praying. That's what Dad said when he gave it to me. He said it was a Sankta practice.
Delfina	I don't know about any practices like that. My grandma's gun is in a canyon.
Fortuna	We can share, Fina. I'll try to get it fixed, then we can use it together. Now, let us pray.
<Background 6>
[Clément looks around for the planks.]
Clément	The planks should be here somewhere... Aha. There. That should be enough. I could fix the outside windows too, if there are any leftover. And fuel... Not much fuel left. *sigh*
[The sound of a wooden object falling is heard...]
Clément	Hm?
[...as the shadows of a grotesque individual passes by Clément.]
Clément	Who goes there?! ...... ...No one? Am I seeing things?
<Background black>
[Federico alongside the Notarial Hall staff Richele Colombo and Serpilia stops their vehicle and disembarks.]
Richele	The terrain is so strange. Do you still call this a desert? There's a canyon below? Mind your step.
Serpilia	I never knew you were such a gentleman, Richele.
Richele	Nothing good ever happens comes from you complimenting me...
Serpilia	Don't be so uptight. Your bank account is safe this time. Is that the nomadic abbey we're looking for?
Richele	I think so.
Serpilia	What do we do? Knock on the front door? You think someone will answer?
Federico	Approach.
Richele	Roger. Er, should we do a quick briefing first?
Federico	Target building has been identified. It is a large mobile complex built jointly by Iberia and Laterano in 1011, official name Sanctilaminium Ambrosii. Originally controlled by Iberia, it disappeared after straying from its route 61 years ago. Laterano received a request for help from the abbey one month ago and sent two nuncios to investigate.
Serpilia	Straightforward enough up to this point. So how did we end up losing contact with our nuncios and bringing in big guns like you two?
Federico	My mission is to discover the whereabouts of Cardinal Aide Lemuen and Legatus Oren Argiolas, and to guarantee their safety. I am also to ensure that the abbey is able to function normally and avoid casualties.
Richele	So His Holiness wants you take it easy?
Federico	...... Well, I signed up for Lemuen. I couldn't care less what happens to Oren.
Federico	Your personal feelings are irrelevant. Target status is unclear, and we are unable to determine if the inhabitants of the building are hostile.
Richele	What do we do, then? Infiltrate and investigate?
Federico	No. I suggest we take the most direct path and finish this quickly. If they are deceased, I will return their bones to Laterano.

Trivia

• The interlude's title references Thomas Kelly's "Look, Ye Saints! The Sight Is Glorious" which was inspired by Revelation 11:15 (KJV) "...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord,..."