Chapter 82: Revealed
Deep inside the cathedral, the old man rose from among the sheltered residents and began walking toward the altar.
Most of the people around him were children, very old residents, or those whose disabilities prevented them from joining the defence. They remained gathered between the rows of crystal coffins while the morning bell continued tolling above the fortress.
The old man passed through them without looking at anyone and climbed the first step leading toward the empty throne.
An elderly resident sitting nearby noticed him and slowly pushed himself upright with the help of a wooden cane. "Sir, you should not go there."
The old man continued walking.
"That is the god’s sanctum." The elderly man followed as quickly as his weakened legs allowed. "Please return before the Saintess sees you."
When the old man ignored him again, the resident reached forward and caught the edge of his cloak. He lowered one hand toward the man’s ankle, trying to stop him from climbing farther.
The old man kicked him across the chest and te elderly resident flew backwards and struck the stone floor between two crystal coffins. His cane broke beside him as several children screamed and moved away.
The noise spread through the cathedral, the older residents turned toward the altar, while those capable of moving hurried to help the man lying on the floor.
Several disabled residents pulled the children behind them despite being unable to offer any real protection.
The Saintess heard the disturbance from the cathedral steps, she turned away from the open doors and saw the old man standing halfway toward the empty throne. "Why did you attack him?"
The Saintess entered the prayer hall with her white staff in one hand. "Who are you?"
The old man reached toward his face and pressed his fingers beneath the wrinkled skin near his jaw and pulled.
The elderly face tore away like a thin covering, revealing a smooth mask beneath it. White metal covered most of the surface, while golden markings spread from the eyes and curved along its edges.
The discarded disguise fell onto the altar steps, several children cried out as the people around them retreated farther between the coffins.
The Saintess tightened both hands around her staff. "Step away from the sanctum."
A low laugh escaped from behind the gold-and-white mask. "You still call it a sanctum after the one who occupied it abandoned you?"
The Saintess’s expression hardened. "Take another step and you will die here."
The masked man glanced toward the empty throne. "The bells continue to ring, the old continue to pray, and the children are taught to bow before a seat that has remained empty for years."
Pale light gathered around the Saintess’s staff, though it remained much weaker than the power she had released while blessing the fortress.
The masked man looked across the residents hiding behind the crystal coffins. "You have gathered everything I need in one place."
Fear spread through the prayer hall as several residents began moving toward the open doors.
Dark lines appeared beneath the floor before the first of them could leave. The markings spread between the crystal coffins, climbed the pillars, and connected with the hidden formation surrounding the cathedral district.
An invisible force struck the residents approaching the exit and threw them back into the hall, the Saintess drove the base of her staff against the floor.
White light spread through the cathedral and collided with the dark lines, several sections faded, but the formation surrounding the doors remained active.
The masked man watched her effort with amusement. "You spent nearly everything strengthening the walls and blessing those outside."
The Saintess raised her staff toward him. "I still have enough left for you."
A pale beam crossed the prayer hall, the masked man shifted one step and the attack passed beside his shoulder before striking the altar behind him. Stone broke away and scattered across the steps.
The Saintess turned her staff and released another wave without allowing him to advance. White chains formed from the light and wrapped around his arms, chest, and legs.
For a moment, his movement stopped and the golden markings across his mask brightened.
Dark mana erupted from his body and tore through the chains, the force travelled back through the Saintess’s power, cracked the light around her staff and drove her several steps backwards.
She steadied herself before falling, but blood had already appeared at the corner of her mouth. The god who once answered the cathedral had remained silent for years.
Most of the remaining divine power had been consumed by the blessing placed upon the fortress, leaving the Saintess to rely upon her own weakened strength.
The masked man continued climbing. "You cannot stop me."
The Saintess wiped the blood from her mouth and raised the staff again. "You will touch nothing inside this cathedral."
He laughed and disappeared from the steps, the Saintess turned toward the movement behind her, but his palm had already struck the centre of her chest.
The remaining light around her body shattered, she flew across the prayer hall and struck the floor beside the crystal coffins. The impact drove the air from her lungs and sent her staff sliding several metres away.
Several children tried to run toward her, but the older residents pulled them back before they crossed the open space.
The masked man looked down at the Saintess before returning his attention to the empty throne.
"Remain there, once I retrieve what lies beneath the sanctum, all of you can complete the sacrifice together."
Outside the cathedral district, the four black-masked Church members remained surrounded inside the narrow courtyard.
Han Zhen stood near one entrance with his weapon drawn, while Miao Tianhe blocked the opposite road. Xingluo and the remaining participants occupied the courtyard between them as Wuxia’s shadows watched from the rooftops.
None of the Church members attempted to escape.
Han Zhen stepped forward. "Where is the Holy Son?"
One of the masked men laughed. "You are too late, he has already gone to complete his work."
Wuxia’s Soul Perception spread beneath the courtyard and followed the unfamiliar formation running through the city.
Each pulse moved away from them, the hidden nodes beneath the roads and buildings were carrying power toward the centre of the cathedral district. The four masked men were not guarding the formation or waiting for an escape route.
"He is inside the cathedral," Wuxia said.
Xingluo looked toward him, then sensed another pulse passing beneath her feet. "He is at the cathedral."
Han Zhen turned toward the distant bell tower at almost the same moment. "The sheltered residents."
Several participants still appeared confused, but Miao Tianhe understood immediately. "The Church gathered everyone who cannot defend themselves inside one place."
Han Zhen pulled the communicator from his belt.
"All squads near the cathedral, enter the prayer hall immediately, the Lesser Holy Son is among the sheltered residents move now and do not wait for further confirmation."
His order passed through the shared channel.
The five participants stationed closest to the cathedral heard him, Su Lan and Ruan Mei were among them, along with three others who had remained behind to guard the inner roads.
They abandoned their position and began running toward the cathedral doors. Inside the courtyard, one of the masked men drew two short blades from beneath his cloak.
"You should have remained here and died quietly."
All four attacked together, the nearest rushed toward Han Zhen, forcing him to raise his weapon as the first blade struck.
A second masked man threw several black needles toward Miao Tianhe, while the remaining two moved toward Xingluo and the participants behind her.
Xingluo blocked a descending sword, but dark fire spread across its edge and burst against her armor.
Wuxia’s shadows dropped from the rooftops.
Two surrounded the man attacking Xingluo, while the others blocked the roads leading toward the cathedral. More shadows began forming near her as Wuxia prepared for the fight to spread beyond the courtyard.
Han Zhen forced his attacker backwards and shouted into the communicator again. "Do not stop for anything, reach the cathedral."
The masked man in front of him laughed behind his mask. "They will arrive in time to become part of the sacrifice."
Beyond the courtyard Su Lan, Ruan Mei and the other three participants ran through the deserted streets.