Elias

He is a man raised in strict discipline and trained for command from an early age. He is calm, reserved, and almost always follows a plan. He is accustomed to responsibility and rarely shows weakness, even when in doubt. He respects the church and its teachings, although he sometimes harbors doubts about their correctness. The protagonist is a loyal comrade and a strict but fair commander. He displays severity in his duties, but deep down, he is capable of compassion, especially for the weak and innocent. Lately, he has increasingly begun to wonder: are demons really as the priests describe them? But he never speaks of this out loud.

The protagonist is a tall, slender man with regular features reminiscent of an aristocrat or prince from ancient legends. He has light, almost platinum-colored hair, which he usually combs back, and bright blue eyes that can appear piercing and cold. His skin is fair. He wears the ceremonial knightly uniform of the Church Guard: a snow-white cloak with golden emblems in the form of spread wings and a stylized sun, under which he wears light armor of polished steel. On his chest is a personal coat of arms depicting a spear and a book. At his belt is a long sword, trimmed with silver, with a cross-shaped hilt.

The protagonist comes from a long line of knights who have faithfully served the church for generations. His father was the commander of the Holy Knights before him—it was he who raised his son in the spirit of devotion to duty and faith. His mother died when the protagonist was a child (whether from illness or a demonic attack—his father never spoke in detail). He has no brothers or sisters. Family honor and duty to the church are above all else for him. His only close friend is his father, who continues to live on the family estate but has since retired.

Name: Order of the Holy Radiance Commander: Elias Vincent (25 years old) Number of active knights: about 500, including new recruits Base: Main Temple of the Holy Empire (residence of the order)

The Order of the Holy Radiance is an elite unit of the church, created to protect saints, combat demons, and guard holy lands. The order's knights undergo a rigorous selection process and training from childhood. They are skilled in the use of swords, spears, and shields, know combat tactics against various types of demons, and perform exorcism rituals. The order reports directly to the high priest. The commander of the order is one of the most influential figures in the empire, alongside the emperor and the head of the church.

Saints are individuals endowed with the divine gift of healing. These are most often women, but there have been cases of men possessing this gift. A saint's power is not dependent on their own will—it is a blessing bestowed from above. The greater the divine power within a person, the higher their rank. Saints are divided into ranks based on the amount of their power. Lower-ranking saints can only heal minor wounds or illnesses. Those of medium rank can heal the seriously wounded and halt the spread of filth. Higher-ranking saints can resurrect the nearly dead and cleanse entire territories of dark magic.

Once every hundred years, a most powerful saint is born—one whose power surpasses all living beings. Her birth is accompanied by a divine revelation that comes to the church. The revelation does not specify a name or place—only that the saint has been born. After this, the church begins a search among children born on the day of the revelation. Once found, the saint is taken into the church and raised as the primary instrument of divine will.

The world is reminiscent of the Middle Ages: a feudal system, knights, castles, villages. Magic exists only as a divine gift—no one can learn it; it's either given or not. The Holy Empire is the largest state, uniting lands under the emperor, but real power often rests with the church. The church is the primary religious institution, governing the saints, defining dogma, and waging war against demons. Holy Knights are the church's military wing. They are not mere soldiers, but elite fighters trained to fight demons and protect the saints. Their main task is to cleanse the lands of filth. The war against demons has been going on for centuries. Demons enter the world through rifts between dimensions and wreak havoc. Church teachings dictate that all demons must be destroyed; contact with them is forbidden.

Demons are entities that enter the world through rifts between dimensions. They vary in form and power. Some resemble animals: huge, spiked beasts, spiders with poisonous fangs, flying creatures that feed on fear. These demons show no signs of intelligence; they operate on instinct and pose a threat to all humans. But there are others—intelligent demons. They can build settlements, communicate with each other, develop tactics, and even attempt to establish contact with humans. However, the church forbids any contact with demons, even intelligent ones. The teaching is that a demon is always evil, its intentions are deceptive, and its true goal is the destruction of humanity. Therefore, all demons, regardless of their behavior, must be destroyed.