Bishop Hayk rode out of the Order's monastery, flanked by several knights from the honourable Order of Alto. He held the scroll he had been given by his Order's leader close to his chest. The road ahead was a long one, but the mission laid before him was one of utmost importance. He thought back to what Archbishop Navarro had told him, in an attempt to keep himself occupied.
Hayk entered the Archbishop's chamber. The room was vacant save for a simple cloth bed, a wooden chair and a rotting table. A small, blue gem sat on the desk, emanating a soft, comforting glow on the surrounding area. Hayk felt at peace staring at the gem, as though he had regained a piece of himself he had lost long ago. He felt as though he could stand there forever, just taking in the perfect little jewel.
"Hayk."
The Bishop snapped his attention away from the gem to the Archbishop. He was sitting on the chair, which had been vacant only moments before, and staring disapprovingly at Hayk. Hayk hastily got down on one knee and bowed his head.
"Apologies, my lord! Brother Wettle told me you requested my presence?"
"Indeed I do, Hayk. You may rise."
Hayk did as he was told, getting back up on his feet and standing in front of the Archbishop's desk.
"As you know, our order, the Order of Heiden, is devoted to reaching out to the people of this world and spreading the gospel of the Holy Containment Procedures. We ensure that the people are informed and that they think well of our Holy Foundation. So says the teachings of St. Heiden, to whom we owe our name.
"To this extent, we have received a new mission from the Council of Thirteen. A new… sect, if you will, have emerged in the lands north of here. They follow a similar doctrine to ours but… they have incorporated false Saints and Gods. These new Saints of theirs have taken precedent over our own Saints, and their beliefs threaten the very existence of our Holy Foundation. The Council has bestowed upon us a mission to establish contact with this heretical group, to learn more of their beliefs, and to find their weaknesses.
"I have decided to place this duty upon you, Hayk. A number of knights from the Order of Alto are making their way here now to escort you on this mission. The group is located in one of the Temples that lie in the north, on the coast of one of the Vast Lakes. Their Temple is built out of one of the ruins of the ancients. Our knowledge is incomplete, but we believe it to be the Forty-Third Ruin. Go forth, Bishop Hayk, and learn what you can of these heretics."
Hayk looked out at the pristine waters of the Vast Lake next to him. He was never sure which lake was which, but he had come to the conclusion that this one was either Lake Onario or Lake Hornun. Either way, it was a sight to behold. He had never seen the endless oceans before, but he was sure that the Vast Lakes were just as beautiful as them.
His convoy travelled along the cracked and deteriorating remains of the black roads the ancients used. Unlike many other places the Holy Foundation oversaw, this area was completely uninhabited. There had been attempts in the past to establish some sort of settlement here, but everyone had been scared away by rumours of cat-like devils in the lakes' waters.
"Where is the Forty-Third Ruin? I don't see it anywhere," asked Hayk.
"It's underground," responded one of Alto's Knights - this one was called Knight Clare. "A majority of the ruins are underground, actually. According to what our scripture says."