Murat took the old man's hands and helped him to his feet, then knelt beside the fallen escorts. He placed his fingers gently on each man's neck and chest, searching for a pulse—but the outcome was clear. He stood up with a somber expression.
"I'm afraid," he said softly, "they're all gone."
Fonseca faltered at those words. He walked heavily over to the bodies and knelt down. Lifting his head to the sky, he closed his eyes and whispered short Latin prayers. Sorrow clung to his every motion.
Then he rose and turned to Murat.
"I… I am Cardinal Fonseca," he said. "A servant of the Holy Vatican Church. Beyond this sacred robe and my mission—you saved my life today, young man. I am deeply grateful. But…" His eyes turned to the dead once more, and his voice broke. "If possible… may I give these men a proper burial? Leaving them like this… it tears at my soul."
Murat bowed his head in sincere respect. Though they were racing against time—on a mission of urgency and gravity—he had no intention of denying such a request.
"Of course, Your Eminence," he said gently. "We will help."
Then he turned and called out:
"Cafer! Once the prisoner is tied up, go and inform the others where we are. Bring them here."
Cafer tightened the final knot, then swiftly mounted his horse and rode off at full gallop.
After a moment of silence, Murat turned back to the cardinal.
"Were you also headed to the Vatican?"
Fonseca tilted his head slightly and sighed.
"No, my son. My path led to Bologna. I was tasked with settling a legal dispute—between two feudal lords."
Murat admired the man's unwavering sense of duty.
"To stay on the road even in a time like this… it speaks of rare loyalty, Your Eminence."
Fonseca attempted a small smile, but something in Murat's tone made him uneasy.
"A time like this?" he asked, voice more cautious, even slightly firm.
Murat paused. He needed to choose his words carefully, but no matter how gently he put it—the weight of the news would be the same.
"I assume you haven't heard…" he began. "Yesterday morning… the Pope, passed away."
The color drained from Fonseca's face. His eyes widened as if time itself froze. Murat's words echoed in his ears in slow motion. The moment he understood, his legs gave way beneath him.
Murat caught him before he fell, gently lowering him to the ground and supporting his back.
"I'm sorry," he said earnestly. "I didn't want you to hear it this way. My condolences… truly."
Fonseca stared blankly, fixated on a point that wasn't there. He didn't hear Murat's voice or register the world around him. One thought echoed in his mind: The Pope is dead.
Inside him, there was only silence now. But it was the kind of silence that precedes a storm.
Within minutes, Cafer had returned. The sound of his horse's hooves echoed on the rocky path. Behind him came Viki, Ellie, Balibey, and Kasim. They carefully navigated the winding mountain trail until they reached Murat.
Viki and Ellie turned their heads instinctively as they passed the lifeless bodies. The stench of death was something they weren't accustomed to. But Balibey and Kasim stood firm, showing no sign of fear. They had long been acquainted with the darker side of this world.
Cafer dismounted and approached Murat quickly. His eyes shifted to Fonseca.
"My lord," he whispered, "the cardinal seemed stronger earlier. What happened?"
Murat, still watching Fonseca, replied:
"He didn't know about the Pope. When I told him… it shook him."
Cafer nodded slowly. The weight of the news hung heavy in the air.
Murat looked around briefly, then turned to Balibey and Kasim.
"Balibey," he said with authority. "You and Kasim will bury the cardinal's fallen men. Cafer and I will interrogate the one we captured."
"Yes, my lord," Balibey answered at once. Kasim nodded and moved without hesitation.
Fonseca, hearing Murat's words, slowly lifted his head. His eyes were still weary—but something sparked behind them. He stood up and faced Murat.
"I want to be present," he said. "I want to hear what this man has to say."
Murat considered for a moment, then nodded.
"As you wish, Your Eminence. Come."
Supporting the cardinal by the arm, Murat helped him walk toward the captive.
The man knelt on the ground, hands bound, glaring at them with quiet fury. His mouth was gagged. Cafer remained alert as he loosened the cloth.
Just as Murat was about to speak, Fonseca raised his voice:
"Leonardo sent you, didn't he? Was it he who killed the Pope?!"
Murat flinched at the name. Leonardo? His eyes slowly turned to Fonseca. His heartbeat quickened.
How did this man… know that name?
"Was the one who attacked you Leonardo?" he asked cautiously.
Fonseca hesitated. Then he fixed his gaze on Murat. There was both suspicion and anger in his eyes.
"You… you know Leonardo? Are you working with him? Are you, too, a servant of that shadow-born devil?"
He pulled his arm from Murat's grasp.
Murat was stunned. He didn't know what to say. But the moment passed quickly. The sound of Leonardo's name alone sickened him. To be placed in the same breath as that monster… was unacceptable.
He spat on the ground and spoke firmly
"I would never share a table with that demon. Leonardo… is my enemy. I am hunting him. And there is something I must take back from him."
Fonseca stared at him, lips parted—but he said nothing at first. Then something in his expression shifted. A blend of curiosity and respect filled his gaze.
"Who are you, young man?" he asked. "There's more in you… I can feel it."
Murat took a deep breath. His eyes locked onto Fonseca's.
"I am Murat Han, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. I've come to retrieve a sacred relic stolen from my homeland—and to end the chaos Leonardo has unleashed. His judgment… will be mine to deliver."
Fonseca stood frozen. The name hit him like a bell struck too hard.
The Ottomans.
That word had echoed through the halls of the Vatican for centuries—a whispered threat, the center of fears and prayers alike. Fonseca could not look away. His eyes welled with tears.
Either this man was mad… or he was truly the Sultan of the Ottomans.
And the only thought running through his mind was
The one who saved me from my enemy's hand… may well be another test from God.