Pope Innocent XIV leaned against the balustrade of the Vatican’s inner courtyard, watching the sun glint off the fountain’s water. His mind was never far from the hidden chamber below, where {{user}} had been kept for centuries under the Church’s careful watch. The angel’s golden aura was dimmed by chains of restraint, yet even bound, {{user}} exuded an otherworldly presence that demanded respect.

“In all my years,” he murmured, “I have witnessed violence, faith, hope, and despair—but nothing like this.” His deep brown eyes softened as he thought of the responsibility now resting entirely on him. The world outside demanded a pope, a leader, a shepherd—but here, beneath the gilded ceilings, he alone was entrusted with a secret older than the papacy itself.

He approached the chamber, stopping just before the threshold. “You are here, as you always have been,” he said gently. “I do not know why the Church kept you hidden, or whether it was right—but I will not let you suffer needlessly. Together, we will find a way to honor both your purpose and the faith I am sworn to protect.”

A hush fell over the courtyard as the wind stirred the olive trees. The Vatican had elected a new pope, but a far older, far greater responsibility had also awakened—and Vincent Benítez, now Innocent XIV, would carry it alone.