***

Sylia, still using the Persona of Syl Celia, smiled as she observed her many guests. She had merged, for the day, with one of Syl Celia's Divisions, while the real Syl Celia was off handling urgent matters.

They certainly had a lot to deal with, as of late.

It had still been a productive week, one she largely owed to Leharyel's unwavering and remarkable support. Things had not been so easy for the last few weeks, but now the pieces were falling into place. All she needed to do now was wait…and collect.

Sylia had found it rather amusing to see how many corrupted Gods and Celestials had so eagerly walked into her…so obvious yet so effective traps. Malevolence must have played its part. The corrupted usually fell more quickly to that ancient Evil. It was an undeniable fact. One she had observed herself so many times before.

Malevolence had always lurked in every world the High Lords and their subordinates had built. It was a very old form of deep corruption with a will of its own. No one knew when it had first emerged.

Sylia knew, however, that it was even older than her Source. Their Great Father, the Dark Lord, understood it better than anyone. He had faced it over and over again and always prevailed. For one who wielded the full power of the Void, dealing with such a force came naturally.

What set Malevolence apart? The answer was simple. It was intent!

Corruption could infect a world and linger, but Malevolence actively sought annihilation of everything. It was the highest form of decay, directly tied to one of the most fundamental of all Primary Elements: Darkness. And yet, ironically, it always began its infestation with anything related to the Light Element. That was its usual pattern. Once rooted in the Light Element, it spread, expanding exponentially, growing immensely stronger, until it reached the Pure Darkness. By then, it was almost always too late. They could no longer save those it had infected.

There was a time when the Lords would destroy entire Worlds to contain it. But things had changed. Since Sylia's Source and the Dark Lord decided to directly intervene, there were much better options.

Indeed, all the old ones who had never abandoned the Pure Darkness Element and who had, sometimes, even improved it, had developed effective methods to combat corruption and Malevolence alike over time. Those who could use the Void's powers held an even greater advantage. And among them, Sylia's Source and the Dark Lord stood unrivaled, having not only mastered the Void but created many of them.

Sylia's smile deepened as she spotted Kirsten's group trailing after the Priest she had sent them earlier. She owed Kirsten a favor, since he had brought her most valuable prey. That man had an uncanny ability to draw in the worst kind of allies.

Now she only had to move with care. If she pushed too hard, those Gods' Flocks might catch on. It was best to pull back for the moment.

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Kirsten had been instrumental in her plans. He had neatly tied a bow around several members of the Royal Family and lured many Celestials and Gods into her spiders' meticulously crafted web. The trap was in place, and those corrupted flies and butterflies were about to be caught. The flies would be crushed first. The butterflies, traitors to her Source and her Flock, would be made to suffer for a very long time.

So was Sylia's mission. She needed to purge the traitors hiding in plain sight. Those deceitful, slick beings who feigned loyalty even after joining the ranks of the Fallen Lords so long ago.

For now, though, Saint Sylia had to keep playing her role to perfection. She had to pretend and smile sweetly, even at those who had betrayed her time and again. She was too close to her goal to risk failure. So she just waited, patiently, for the moment to strike.

Unfortunately, the spread of corruption and Malevolence had reached an all-time high. Normally, this would call for a full eradication of their Sub-Realm. But she couldn't allow that. Not yet. There were still assets to salvage. Still Souls worth saving. At least, partially.

She knew, of course, that a large-scale purge would be inevitable if the corruption and Malevolence were to be brought under control. Even Mathias had begun relocating his key assets and creating new ones, better suited to this decaying environment. It was an immense effort to make such powerful and solid Souls, one that had likely required outside help, but it was working. Sylia would soon start doing the same.

That was why she needed Kirsten and his new allies. They would serve as fitting sacrifices to the corruption and Malevolence. They would absorb most the lingering corruption to prevent contamination of the good Souls. It was an old method, one her Flock had employed since time immemorial and it remained brutally effective.

Sylia had still been forced to make many adjustments to her plans. The scale of betrayal they had uncovered had been worse than any of them had ever anticipated. The Flock responsible for such betrayal was predictable given the context, but Sylia had not expected them to be so… stupid.

Did they truly believe they would be spared once their Master fell?

Perhaps they were confused. Or desperate. With their anchor gone, they had lost their way. Sylia sighed. It was always disheartening to see once-great Lords and their Guardians sink into such depths of corruption that they could no longer think beyond the level of Mortals. There would be no saving them now. They had made their choice.

Before she sent Syl Celia away for good on another mission, Sylia had one last message to send to the Nagasmar Kingdom. People needed to understand what they were about to lose. For years now, ever since Syl Celia had settled in the City, she had earned a reputation as a Sainted Priestess or as a Sainted One Candidate. Sylia found the whole thing laughable, how easily people believed in such stories. But that wasn't the point. What mattered was perception. In just a few days, she had made sure that the name Syl Celia now carried the weight of Sainthood.

Sylia had, indeed, used a few well-placed Spells and strategic whispers. Word of mouth had done the rest. The City dwellers, especially the Slums' residents, now believed Syl Celia to be far more significant in her Churches' hierarchy than they had ever imagined. And while attention had been directed toward Syl Celia, Sylia had quietly cast herself in the background to appear less important. Less dangerous. Exactly what she needed to carry out her plans.

Now she simply had to wait. The rats and crows would come after her. The ones who had once cowered in fear of her status and power would show their true faces. That was the nature of corruption and of life. A truth as old as time. But just as some would be drawn by weakness to strike, others, rare good Souls who cherished humility and despised power, might come forward as well. They were the ones who mattered. The ones worth fighting for. Until the end. Until even hope itself was gone from this broken world.

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