Chapter 2999: Wearer of the Golden Crown (1/2)

When Daphania sat atop her throne of bone that provided her with a commanding view over the bottom of the high temple compartment, her eyes turned grim as she was reminded how far the cult she led had fallen.

Daphania was one of the most eminent existences of the Five Scrolls Compact. She was the latest in a long line of chosen men and women to ascend to the top of one of the most powerful organizations of human civilization.

Words could never describe the sheer amount of power, influence and authority she wielded.

Despite the fallen and diminished state of the Five Scrolls Compact, it was still one of the oldest and most far-reaching influences in human society.

Its tentacles stretched everywhere. Its cultists were legion and its vassal organizations spread through every part of human space and beyond.

Whether the Five Scrolls Compact possessed the might to contend against either one or both of the Big Two was still in question.

Yet there was no doubt that in the minds of those who occupied positions at the top of human society that no third organization ever came close to keeping up with the MTA and CFA!

The three organizations shared a common root. The Mech Trade Association and the Common Fleet Alliance may be the current dominators of human civilization, but the shadow of the Five Scrolls Compact was still present in places where few people looked.

It was not an exaggeration to say that Daphania was one of the most powerful humans in human space and the rest of the galaxy.

In fact, her actual power exceeded that of an MTA Galactic Mech Councilor or a CFA Grand Admiral!

This was because each of the Big Two was led by a hundred of their highest-ranking officials.

The MTA presided over pivotal, galaxy-changing affairs whenever they convened their Galactic Mech Council. Every Galactic Mech Councilor was an absolute elite in the galaxy, and not all of them consisted of mech designers. Yet this diversity also bred an alarming lack of common ground, causing this supreme governing body to be rife with factions that sought to pursue their own interests.

Each CFA Grand Admiral enjoyed a considerable amount of autonomy, so they did not convene as often as their mecher counterparts. Yet when they did, they rarely came to a consensus because of the considerable differences between each individual Grand Admiral, who each stood at the head of a separate faction within the warship-oriented organization.

The Five Scrolls Compact was different. Its highest leaders weren't chosen by a huge population of members. Its supreme authority figures did not have to pander to their supporters or earn the appreciation of any human within the ranks in order to remain in power.

The only demand that Holy Sons and Daughters had to meet in order to stay in power was to retain the approval of the Sacred Scrolls. As long as these exalted artifacts maintained the blessings on their chosen heralds, the Holy Sons and Daughters wielded absolute power over the entire Compact.

Since Daphania only had a single peer within the Compact, she effectively ruled half of arguably the third-most powerful organization in human space!

This means that she was effectively the closest thing to a human empress in this day and age. Though few inhabitants of human space ever learned of her existence, her decisions and her direction had the potential to alter the course of human history.

With a single command, she could plunge every star sector into chaos!

With a single sentence, she could end the lives of several Galactic Mech Councilors or Grand Admirals!

With a single thought, she could compel trillions of cultists to commit suicide!

The reason why she was able to wield so much power without ever encountering any opposition from the lower ranks was due to the golden laurel wreath crown that rested above her head.

It was her chosen symbol of authority and the most visible proof of the Water Scroll's favor.

This was because it was not made of regular gold or other exotic substances.

If anyone looked closely enough at the crown, they would notice that it was actually liquid. Near-invisible flows of gold swirled while simultaneously maintaining the shape of a perfect laurel wreath.

This was the blood of an immortal god!

When Daphania ascended to her supreme calling a few years ago, the Sacred Scroll bestowed the holy blood to her in the most central hall of the Ruined Temple!

It was a tradition for each Holy Son or Daughter selected by the Water Scroll to shape the large drops of sacred blood in whatever form they wished.

Daphania chose to wear it as her crown, because she was one the youngest and also the most abrupt to assume her current position.

It did not matter what identity she possessed in the past. Yet the past chosen of the Water Scroll was still in her prime and could have reigned over the Five Scrolls Compact for at least several centuries!

Yet the Water Scroll withdrew its blessing a few years ago, causing Daphania's predecessor to fall from grace.

Though she was still an honored figure within the Compact, the Scroll had removed her right to assume leadership.

These days, Holy Mother Alesia entered the deepest halls of the Ruined Temple and lived in seclusion, cutting herself off from all of her former subordinates, allies and power base.

Daphania's mood grew grimmer, though her stony expression did not reveal a glimpse of her fluctuations. Her soft blue corona made it even more difficult for the grey-robed dignitaries standing before her throne to notice her very human-like concerns.

The blessings of the Sacred Scrolls came and went without warning. They could vault even the most humblest of cultists without warning, yet withdraw the holy blood that signified their authority a few months later!

Fortunately, the Sacred Scrolls were not that erratic in the long span of history of the Compact. As long as the Holy Son or Daughter acted in accordance with the intentions of the Sacred Scrolls, they were able to retain their eminent positions for at least a century.

Daphania had no intention of becoming the youngest 'Holy Mother' in the history of the Compact.

To that end, she needed to show her initiative, brilliance and competence like any new CEO that just took over a company.

Yet in a relatively calm and stable galaxy where the light of the Big Two shone across all of human space, how could she make her mark and stabilize her position without risking a backlash?

Her attention turned to one of the most important goals of the Compact in this day and age.

The loss of multiple Sacred Scrolls wounded the foundation of the cult and directly caused it to relinquish its throne to the upstart MTA and CFA.

Returning just one of the Sacred Scrolls would strengthen the Compact by 50 percent, and would definitely earn her the approval of not just the Water Scroll, but the other ones as well!

This was the reason why she quickly honed in on the news surrounding the missing Metal Scroll!

She had made its retrieval her sacred purpose. Her future within the organization rested upon the success of her current endeavor. Her bet was so big in fact that she did not feel assured in dispatching her minions to complete this incredibly pivotal task.

Only she could ensure that the retrieval happened smoothly and without any chance of failure! She did not hesitate to enter the sphere of influence of the Big Two and risk running into their warfleets in order to personally handle the most important undertaking of the Five Scrolls Compact in the Age of Mechs!

”Temple Protector Kravitz.” She spoke, her voice thrumming with soul-shaking authority.

A ripple spread through the bodies of the grey-robed high officials. They all lowered their heads aside from one of them. The man who answered by this name and title stepped forward and slammed his fist against his chest.