"They’re signaling a parley, Excellence," a young deacon whispered.
Vaelen didn’t blink. "There is no parley for those who have rewritten the Holy Code."
"The Code says 'Life is the ultimate prayer,'" the navigator said softly. "We’re finally going to pray."
The climax didn't happen with a massive explosion, but with a transmission. Kael didn't beg for mercy; he broadcasted the seeds' true data across every Orthodoxy channel. He showed the soldiers that their "Holy War" was actually a resource grab—the High Priests weren't protecting the faith; they were hoarding the only technology capable of reversing the Great Decay.