Chapter 376: Lost in the Holy City

"..."

"..."

"...May you find Him in death, Matt."

Angela's somber and melancholic whispers floated in the air. In just a single day, she had lost two of her comrades. Whether or not they gave their lives through sacrifice didn't really matter — Angela wants to believe they both died trying to fulfill their duties.

The Gold Paladin... may not have died a peaceful death, but the only thing Angela could really do was hope that he wasn't able to feel being ripped apart... not knowing that the Gold Paladin did in fact return to his own body at the last minute.

"..." She closed the Gold Paladin's eyes, before burying his pieces under all the rubble of what was left of the once glorious Vatican City. She then turned her head towards the corpses surrounding them — they were no longer floating in the air and were instead once again staked to the ruined ground.

"Don't bury them," she muttered as her eyebrows furrowed, "This is retribution for their sins."

"I was not planning to, Angela," Riley just shrugged his shoulders, before approaching the Pope who seemed to be offering up a prayer for all the souls that have been lost today,

"You really are growing older, Louise."

"Riley. You need to address the Pope with—"

"It is alright, child," the Pope raised his hand before Angela could finish her words, "There is not much to respect in my current state."

"But—"

"Riley Ross is a friend," the Pope shook his head; his exasperated and tired sighs, barely whispering in the air as he looked at Riley, "There is no need for such formalities between us. And you are right, I might be nearing the end of my years...

...especially since Angela dragged me around on her shoulder, not caring if my old ribs could take it."

"P... please forgive me, your Holiness!"

The Pope burst out in laughter as he patted Angela's arms, "I was only joking, child."

"..." The Pope... was making jokes? Angela could really only take a step back; her eyebrow, raising a little as she heard the Pope.

The Pope was always stern with them, and now he's making jokes?

Angela knew of Darkday and the Pope's meetings, she and the other Paladins were always there, after all. But when did the two ever really develop such a weird friendship?

...And for Riley to even have his personal number? Even she didn't have that and she was supposed to be his daughter. Did the two actually meet behind the Paladins' backs?

The Pope usually asks them to leave, but that was when he and Megawoman were talking about something. Could it be... there were times that he was actually meeting with Darkday?

"Let us stop putting our minds elsewhere," the Pope then raised his hand as he stopped laughing; his eyes, once again becoming tired as he looked at the rubble where the Gold Paladin was buried,

"How... do you think this Soul Conqueror was able to possess Matthew's body? If he was able to do that, then why not possess mine instead?"

And as soon as Angela heard his words, her mouth started to widen as she looked at Riley, "Maybe... he's only able to possess the bodies of supers? But then... why didn't he take my body instead? Why not Riley's?"

"Maybe he's not just strong enough," the Pope muttered weakly.

"Either way, we need to get you to safe— What's that sound?"

And before Angela could once again carry the Pope, a ring started to whisper in the air. She quickly turned to where the noise was coming from, only to see Riley holding his phone and once again calling someone.

"...What are you doing now?"

Riley did not answer, however, and just let the phone continue to ring. Seconds passed and numerous rings toned in the air, and yet the one being called did not seem to be interested in answering.

But finally, before the call could cut off — a voice answered.

[...Riley.]

"Hello, sister," Riley's eyes slightly brightened as a subtle smile crawled on his face.

[Don't call me that. Why... did you call me?]

[Ask him what he's doing with the Pope! Ask him how he's still alive!]

And suddenly, Riley could hear different voices speaking from the speakers.

[I thought the reception in—]

[Shh, Gary! Let them talk!]

[Can you guys shut the fuck up!?]

"..." Riley could really only wait until the other voices faded away — which probably took almost an entire minute as he could hear the speakers scratching and seemingly being passed around. As for Angela, the only thing she could really do was once again look at Riley, completely confused as to what he was doing now.

[Why... why did you call me?] Hannah repeated her words; the tone of her voice, as deep as it could get — her breaths, however, were heavy enough that it could almost be felt from the speakers of Riley's phone.

"I need you, Hannah."

[!!!]

Several gasps could be heard emitting from the speakers. With other people, obviously the other members of the Baby Crew, seemingly trying to talk over each other. Hannah, however, could once again be heard trying to push the others away — her breaths, heavier than they were before.

[...What? What do you mean—]

"I need your unclouded expertise of deduction," Riley let out a small sigh as he looked at Angela, "We need to find out—"

[Are you fucking kidding me? Don't ever fucking show yourself to me again!]

And with that, Hannah hung up the phone.

"..."

"..."

"...Why did you even call her—"

Angela was about to say something, but before she could do so, the phone rang.

[Is this regarding Soul Conqueror?] Hannah's voice then once again quickly whispered from the speakers; completely pretending that she didn't just hang up the phone moments ago.

"Yes. Were you watching the stream? Did you hear what I said about your weight?"

[Crimson Paladin, tell me all the details prior to the Soul Conqueror possessing the Gold Paladin's body,] Hannah, however, just completely ignored Riley's questions.

"..." Angela was still a bit confused as to what was happening, but still, she recollected all the things she remembered.

It didn't really take that long, since only a few things happened before the Gold Paladin suddenly became different.

[...]

[...]

[He didn't possess you even though you were in the same room... maybe he could only possess supers of the same sex? The super he possessed in the shelter was also a man.]

"..."

[No, that can't be it...

...You said he approached the Silver Paladin's corpse?]

"Yes... he offered a prayer to him."

[Did... he touch him directly?]

"If I remember... yes," Angela nodded, "He touched George's hands."

[How sure are you that the corpse really is the Silver Paladin? Last I remember, you guys wear those wonky helmets, right?]

"Well, he was wearing— !!!" Angela slightly gasped as she remembered the Gold Paladin couldn't remove George's helmet as it was completely caved in,

"We... didn't see his face."

[...Then there might be a chance that he's your Soul Conq—]

And before Hannah could finish her words, Riley suddenly hang up the phone and once again started streaming,

"You hung up the phone on us earlier. So...

...let's just say this makes it even, Hannah."