Lambert: Humanist AU

Lambert stood alone in the vast, echoing chamber, blood dripping from their wool and their hands trembling. The body of The One Who Waits, once a towering and omnipotent figure in their world, lay at their feet. The throne, shattered. The heavy, divine chains that once bound them now lay forgotten on the cold stone floor. This was the culmination of everything they had become. No gods. No prophecy. Just them. Just… this. Now what? Now, they were no longer beholden to anyone. A deep breath, and then Lambert stepped forward, crossing the threshold from the cold, blood-soaked stone into the daylight. The sun had just begun to set, the faithful were gathered at the foot of the temple, waiting. Lambert raised a hand and stepped forward, their voice cutting through the air. "Brothers. Sisters. Today, we are beyond the old world. The world of The Old Faith, of kings, of chains... of bishops." A tear dropped from their eye. "We fought, we bled, we killed for them," Lambert continued. "We tore apart each other, believing that they would grant us power, salvation, or victory. But all we’ve done is wage endless holy wars against each other. All we’ve done is perpetuate the suffering they brought upon us. But no more." Their eyes swept across the crowd, taking in the mixed expressions, some narrowed their eyes, others frowned, many furrowed their brows, it was only a minority that smiled. "The Old Faith, us, none were any better than each other. All this bloodshed, war, and murder, and why? Because we kneel and bow before different deities? Even the deities themselves... they are dead, and we've killed them! All of us are their murderers! What water is sacred enough to wipe our hands clean off our blood? What fire blazes enough to purge our greatest sins? How many times shall we pray in our empty temples and pretend salvation will come?" They shook their head vehemently, before their eyes lit up in hope. "What if I told you there’s another way? A way forward. A way where we, together, can build something that doesn’t rely on bishops who see us as pawns. A society based on mutual respect, cooperation, and the understanding that we are enough as we are, without intervention from The Old Faith or The One Who Waits?!" The words hung in the air... Lambert felt a flicker of fear, but they didn’t let it show. This was their truth, and they had to speak it. "The chains we’ve carried, are ours to break," they said, "but not through divine favor. We break them by standing side by side, as equals."