Academic gathering with a lich

"Bishop Kamphusser won’t attack us," he simply gnaws at that chunk of flesh day after day, tirelessly, but such behavior has no end. At least in the five years of my existence here, nothing has changed. That lump of flesh, not the slightest bit altered."

Lyle soothed the Nia that manifested behind him, her tentacles clinging closely to Lyle’s head, conveying the thought of snatching food from the jaws of danger with telepathy.

Raymond watched the towering shadow outlined with brilliance, his frame so tall and majestic. Well, Raymond was assessing if physically eliminating him would expose himself, how much effort it would take.

"Loveday, have you never thought of ending all of this? Ending Kamphusser’s curse-like plight, the relentless torment."

Loveday lowered his head, looking elsewhere. "I can’t do it. Bishop Kamphusser is my mentor. I can end the suffering of my people, but I cannot bring myself to harm him. I am not even sure if my attack would bring him relief, as his power surpasses mine." It was as if he was comforting Raymond, or perhaps himself. "That flesh orb remains unchanged, but Bishop Kamphusser has changed; his radiance is waning, and the Shadow is fading. In fact, without Lord Raymond’s intervention, he too will meet his end one day."

"My thought, what I aim to do, is to watch him at the moment of his destruction, let him live on in my memory."

Mr. Raymond said, with irrevocable certainty, looking at the figure gnawing at the flesh.

"No, this is not where the Holy Light should end up."

"Even in dazzling light, there comes a day it will extinguish. In the cosmos, only darkness is immortal." Loveday closed his eyes, "Lord Raymond, we Star Spirits are cosmic wanderers. We have visited many planets, witnessed many magnificent forms of life, but they all eventually perish. Splendor and beauty count for naught against time and darkness. Whether it’s you, me, or this planet, this world, we are all too insignificant in front of darkness. Our glory is inconsequential, our will like grains of sand in the desert. Darkness is the destination of all Holy Light. One day, Lord Raymond, your radiance too will dim."

Loveday looked at the faint light seeping through Bishop Kamphusser’s silhouette.

"Much like my mentor, it’s the sanctity of light we chase after, for it is in its brevity that its holiness is elevated."

Loveday looked at the silent Raymond, closing his eyes, as he paid homage to his mentor’s remains. I am sorry, Lord Raymond, I have committed the sin of denigrating the Holy Light, but such is the sinful nature of reality.

Just when he thought Mr. Raymond had conceded, Raymond took a step forward.

"Loveday, although I haven’t traveled to the Star Domains you have seen, haven’t marveled at the splendor of life, there is one thing I know. Holy Light exists to bring brightness to others. As long as there is someone in my sight who needs light, I will bring it to them."

Mr. Raymond moved towards the towering Kamphusser.

"A disciple of the Holy Light should not lose themselves in the shadow," I say.

Loveday watched the devastating radiance bloom from Raymond, so bright he couldn’t open his eyes. He looked angrily at the Raymond whose sight did not pierce the truth, angrily at his futile efforts.

"Don’t you understand yet! Lord Raymond! The Holy Light will eventually extinguish, we are all the same, Holy Light is but a moment, while darkness is eternal. You can’t make the Holy Light the everlasting of the universe! Even star dust will end, gods will fall! You! What can you do!"

In the face of Loveday’s sudden roar, Raymond looked at the massive silhouette before him.

"I can grant him liberation."

Light burst forth from the body of the man of light, warm and intense. Toward the huge silhouette, Raymond extended his palm. The surging shadows spontaneously made contact with the holy light, mutually eroding and annihilating each other.

"Is this your method? To extinguish another’s shadow with your own holy light, what does this bring! Your holy light will deplete! And the others will die! Are you an idiot! Why not properly preserve the status quo! Why not cherish your own holy light! Do you think you are great! Consuming your own greatness is merely wasting others’ sacrifices! You self-righteous fool!"

Loveday was emotional as he watched Raymond use the holy light he treasured on a dying man, on his own mentor. A feeling of sorrow and anger enveloped his heart.

Raymond’s holy light was powerful, but that strength soon weakened, just as Loveday had thought. However, Raymond’s demeanor didn’t change; the giant silhouette was already halfway saturated with his holy light. Its movements stopped, its hollow eyes lifelessly gazed down at the person beneath it, watching him change his own body.

The radiance, more intense than Loveday had anticipated, was born within Raymond’s body. Amidst the light, Raymond was like an angel of light. He was dyed in gold by the radiance, looking down at Loveday from on high.

"I don’t need to become the eternity of the universe; I just need to be your eternity. The holy light will blossom for those who need it, and I, will also heed your pleas, offering my help. The universe may indeed be vast, and we may indeed be insignificant, but I just need to be the greatness of the insignificant, to be the eternity of the insignificant. According to your words, this is easy, isn’t it?"

The angel spread its wings, and the huge silhouette was completely enveloped by the holy light, just like a Star Spirit.

He put down the chunk of flesh in his hand, transforming back into the form Loveday was familiar with. Before Kamphusser’s body dissolved into particles of light, his eyes carried peace as he looked at the angel in front of him.

A badge shimmering with light was passed into Raymond’s hands.

"I entrust this to you, the guardian of the Sea of Light."

Loveday knelt to the ground as if his spine had been extracted, helplessly watching the specks of light fade from his vision. Kamphusser still maintained his self, even as he walked towards destruction. And he, as his disciple, had not understood his will. Loveday’s prior anger, was it really mocking Raymond’s foolishness? Perhaps it was the subconscious laughing at his own incompetence, bound hand and foot by the shadows of reality.

Looking at the badge floating in Raymond’s hands, it was passed on, from a despondent elder to a hopeful one.

Perhaps he really didn’t deserve the pity of the holy light, Loveday propped up his drained body with his arms, struggling to kneel at Raymond’s feet.

"Dark Warrior, Loveday, I express my penitence to you, Bishop Raymond."

"...You are not at fault, Loveday, all the principles you stood by brought you to my presence," Raymond shook his head, firmly suppressing the badge in his palm that stubbornly sought to affix itself to his forehead as if yearning to etch itself there.

"You upheld your principles, and I have fulfilled my vow."

"I vow to reach out to the unfortunate."

Raymond raised his palm, and radiance alighted upon Loveday’s head, merging with the shadows within him.

"And so are you, my friend." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Praise the holy light."