"Hear me, Citizens of Valar!" Aurelia stood on the palace balcony, her hands adjusted a small blue crystal onto her dress.
Raguel stood next to her, ever vigilant as she stood attentively, her trio of Archangels was left behind inside the Palace.
The crowd was massive, and the streets were filled with people who came to hear her proclamation.
She leaned forward onto the railing, her gaze quickly finding her beloved near the back, something that gave her the push she needed to start speaking.
"You have witnessed the recent attack on our wonderful City!"
Her voice was amplified by a special tool attached to her dress, allowing a speaker to use air to relay their voice to everyone, despite a large area the voice needed to cover.
"Many of you may wonder who and why we were attacked!" She stopped for a moment, letting the information sink in.
The commoners liked her; it was the nobility that was so adamant about suppressing her. However, now she had an overwhelming force capable of making nobility insignificant, leaving her with immense influence over the entirety of Valar.
The Church of Chrunus had caused so much hardship for them that many would renounce Chrunus at the very moment when their safety was guaranteed.
"I can tell you one thing, my dear citizens!" She inhaled deeply, "The enemy that attacked us was one that played the role of a guide for humanity all these years!"
The confusion spread among the public.
"It was an entity pretending to be our friend, and yet it had made sure many citizens were prosecuted for merely believing in a wrong god."
The irony was not lost on her; Cedric would kill anyone who refused God, too. However, Cedric, in her eyes, had the right to do so, as the one who saved entire humanity.
"My dear Citizens, who do you think has the capacity to call upon the Chaos Elementals to destroy the city?"
The crowd finally quieted down. Raguel and Cedric had told her that she should exaggerate as much as possible, and that was what she planned to do.
"Why do you think the nobility was nowhere to be found during this unprecedented attack?!"
She raised her hand in the air, "They were evacuated by the Church of Chrunus! Leaving only you, my dear citizens, to die!"
The crowd erupted into a roar, their displeasure clear.
"It was due to a different church and God that we were able to repel the invasion!" She placed her hand on her chest.
"While the Church of Chrunus does not care for you, and even further would abandon you in favor of elites! Christianity instead wishes to provide even for the lowest of us!"
She stood silently once again, "Did you know how nobility treated me before? It was due to their false faith that they bullied and abused me!"
The angry roars reached her, and it seemed that she succeeded in moving their hearts.
"And thus I know well how the Church had treated some of you." Her gaze washed over the crowd, and some understood it well, especially those who worked as staff in the palace.
"Some of you might have been forced to abandon your old faiths, or risk being killed. But that is all over now!"
The crowd quieted down, with only occasional murmurs reaching her superior hearing.
While some members of the crowd walked away, not buying Aurelia's speech, the majority still stayed and listened.
"I, the First Queen of Valar, and The First Star declare The Church of Chrunus a Heresy, and an enemy of Valar!" She shouted, her voice making the very city tremble.
The statement made the audience drown in silence.
She turned to Raguel, "Send in the Archangels, it's time to show the allies."
Raguel bowed as she called for the Archangel Trio.
Soon after, the 4 Angels stepped out.
"While they may look like harpies, I assure you that these 4 are messengers of God! They are my protectors and the ones who protected this city when Chrunus betrayed us! If it were not for them, our dear city of Valar would have been reduced to dust!" The crowd's panic didn't even have a chance to brew as Aurelia spoke of their true nature.
"They are called Angels, and they are here to be true protectors of Humanity! Unlike the Church that betrayed us all!" She shouted, her voice shaking with fury.
She thought for a moment. Aurelia was unsure if she should mention Cedric, but considering he did not come to her meant that he did not wish to be involved just yet.
"From this day forward! Anyone publicly practicing heresy of Chrunus shall be fined, and if the terrorist behavior continues, they shall be put to the sword!" The moment she finished speaking, the cheers erupted, and some had a fearful look plastered on their face.
However, for most, it was a relief that the Church was getting its due; it was vengeance for everyone who was forced to convert.
'It seems the Church did not have as tight a grasp as I feared.' Aurelia smiled.
She had feared her citizens would revolt, but it seemed that they supported her.
"However, do not make a mistake about the Angels. If they do not have pristine White or Golden wings, they are merely demi-humans or, more accurately, demons, and so are our enemy!" The applause erupted soon after.
For a moment, she thought about announcing the war declaration she had received; however, it was too soon, and she and Cedric had to completely and utterly eradicate the Church of Chrunus.
Aurelia took a deep bow before turning around and entering the palace.
She made her way inside before sighing, "Ahhhh! Thank God that's over!"
"You performed most excellently, Aurelia," Raguel reassured her. "Father would be proud."
Aurelia squirmed, "Thanks, Mom. I can't wait to see Cedric."
She shook her head before walking towards her office. Even with the help of the angels, she would have her hands full with work.