Chapter 1016: Act 187 – The Battle of the White Lion X
The Blade of Fire, Odrefice, hung high above the grand hall of the Fosha Temple. Among the faithful within the hall, including Jur福, some even perceived a faint apparition that emanated from the holy sword. This figure wielded the sacred blade, draped in a long cape of dragon flame, facing away from the congregation.
Suddenly, an overwhelming emotion surged uncontrollably within Jur福’s heart. It was as though he had been transported back to the grandiose era of yore, yet the sages and heroes had turned away from them, retreating further and further. His youthful beliefs, pursuits, admiration for heroes, and unwavering faith in the Temple of Fire were rekindled—like an inner voice that had flowed through his heart, fermented and preserved for decades, now bringing bitterness and regret. Jur福’s legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. Once he did, numerous junior monks kneeling behind him followed suit.
The two masters of the seminary also knelt down. Before Gilt, one of the Four Sages and also the king of the Crusians, they were drenched in cold sweat, unable to utter a word.
“We once formed a sacred pact. Do you remember how it was? Centuries ago, we defeated the Dragon of Darkness, freeing Vaunte from tyranny. We weren’t saviors, but we were seekers of freedom. However, after centuries, the Empire of the Minren is no longer, yet do we still have the right to claim ourselves as the descendants of glory?”
The ethereal image of King Gilte of the Flame said nothing in the air, yet a questioning resounded within the hearts of the devout believers of the Temple of Fire. Only those who truly abandoned their faith could remain indifferent.
From the majestic palace in Fanzen, a towering figure sighed deeply. Her emerald gaze seemed to pierce through infinite time, seeing all that was happening beneath the electrified skies—past, present, and future intertwined. She foresaw the rise and fall of the Minren, the breaking of the human-elf alliance, and their mutual conflict, as if following a millennium cycle. This time, however, the liberators became the oppressors.
Among the精灵 courts, Queen Saint Ausoor stood up from a rock in the forest, feeling it in her heart. The two hunter sisters and many knight spirits looked up at her. She frowned slightly as she gazed towards a certain direction in the west.
“Jilte, whether a thousand years ago or in the future, you remain unwavering in integrity, while everyone else changes—you, however, stay steadfast…”
In the Fosha Temple, everyone knelt down to a person. From the altar, Syndey looked high and down at these people—these people who were atoning for their souls had done no wrong, merely forgetting their vows. Turning around, she spoke to Miss Romaine: “Miss Romaine, you’ve done very well. Preventing the news from spreading before now has certainly saved us some trouble. Now, please help open the main gate. I must immediately announce to everyone that the undead army is approaching the Fatan Port. If we don’t act fast, the harbor will face annihilation.”
“The Undead Army?” Jur福 overheard these words from the crowd and looked up with astonishment. His face still bore two prominent tear marks. However, there was no time for the priest to feel embarrassed as he hurriedly asked Syndey: “Miss Syndey, what undead army? Shouldn’t the Fatan Port vicinity be free of such things?”
“You should know the history of East Mez,” Syndey glanced at him, speaking coldly: “This Undead Army has been gathering since the eclipse, and should now be at the eastern side of the Golden Needle Valley, not far from the Fatan Port. If you don’t want the Fatan Port to become a hellhole, quickly rally all the believers in the parish.”
Jur福’s complexion changed drastically as he replied, “How could this be! I understand, Miss Syndey. Please entrust this task to me. Miss, you seem unfamiliar here in the parish, I believe I would perform the task better!”
“I’m in too,” Alemodof stood up from the crowd. He first looked at Romaine, finding that she had no intention to rebuke him, then spoke loudly: “I’m a priest from the Third Street. My name is Alemodof, Alemodof Shador. Miss Syndey!”
Syndey looked them over and nodded. The two swiftly turned around and left to prepare arrangements.
The statue of the maidens in the Lion Palace redirected her gaze to the two trembling seminary masters who were on their knees. Although Jur福 and others could plead ignorance about the entire plan, these two definitely knew all the details of today’s happenings, including the collusion between the Silver Queen and the Undead. However, Syndey merely glanced at the trembling pair for a moment before dispassionately shifting her gaze elsewhere. To be honest, if it weren’t for the pressing situation, she would have no interest in the internal politics of the temple.
“Miss Syndey…?” It was only now that Romaine found the chance to interrupt. She’d been curious since the start. “Is this the Blade of Fire Odrefice?” Her eyes fixated on the Blade of Fire Odrefice hovering in midair.
“This is the Blade of Fire Odrefice.”
“But I heard it was damaged. Have you fixed it?”
Fixed? Syndey shook her head; the Blade of Fire Odrefice was no ordinary blade to repair. The soul of the sacred sword acknowledged Brendel, melding with him. Only when he fully embraced the sword and the tenets of King Gilte would there be any chance of restoration. For now, the sword was merely temporarily activated.
She couldn’t help but recall what had happened several hours ago.
“Miss Syndey, since we are now allies, I am about to go to war with Queen. As an ally, I might have to trouble you with some matters.” In the imperial camp, Brendel knocked out a Cruz officer using the hilt of his sword, then turned to her and said this.
Syndey nodded, “Please tell me.”
“You should already know that the Silver Queen has conspired with Madara. There is currently an undead army making its way towards the Fatan Port. I need your help to eliminate this undead army.”
“Do you want me to go to the Fatan Port and gather the mid-to-junior priests of the Temple of Fire to form a group to resist the undead?”
Brendel nodded: “The holy techniques of the Temple of Fire and the magic of Fanzen are the nemesis of the undead. This undead army is large in number, but they are mostly low-level undead. As long as the mid-to-junior priests of the Fatan Port parish can unite and avoid being defeated one by one, dealing with them should be quite simple.”
Syndey thought for a moment, “Even though that’s true, if the undead army is too large, only when the golden flames are at their strongest during daylight will there be any chance of victory. But the undead won’t fight us during the day.”
“That’s not necessarily true.” Brendel waved a jewel-like ruby in front of her: “They will definitely attack the Fatan Port during the day, I guarantee it.”
Syndey frowned and nodded silently.
“Miss Syndey, there’s also another matter.”
“What is it?”
“This matter concerns you—does Queen Majesty know that you took the fragments of the Holy Sword Odrefice?” Brendel asked.
“She wants to keep me here precisely because of that,” Syndey replied calmly, as if she were discussing something that did not concern her. “I know what you’re going to say, you’re asking whether she would send someone to intercept me at the Fatan Port?”
“Exactly, because the Temple of Fire still holds the secret of the Flame Door, right?” Brendel nodded.
“I think she will send somebody.”
“Who do you think it would be? In the Temple of Fire, the number of people who can suppress you wouldn’t exceed ten, right? We need to exclude High Saint Seat Varla and Caesar since he’s on our side. Among the remaining individuals, if the Flame Attendant Knights aren’t involved, then there probably aren’t more than two or three options.” Brendel quickly analyzed the situation.
Syndey gave him a slightly surprised look, “I didn’t expect you to know so much about us. It seems Queen Majesty underestimated you significantly.”
“Miss Syndey, we both aren’t the types to beat around the bush,” Brendel interrupted her, “who do you think it will be?”
“Rodrick, Rodrick Barbarossa.” Syndey replied firmly.
Brendel was slightly startled; the person he had originally suspected was also Rodrick, and another option was ‘The Holiest’ Mad, but he wasn’t as certain as Syndey. Curious, he looked at the statue of the Maiden in the Lion Palace. She seemed to have seen through his thoughts and explained: “Among the people close to Queen Majesty, the one she trusts the most is Rodrick. This matter is of great importance, so she will definitely let Rodrick handle it. Besides, Rodrick is skilled in hymns, a type of sacred magic that is highly suppressive to me.”
Brendel nodded; Syndey inherited the Blood of the Angel, excelling in close combat, and hymnic magic that has more control abilities is indeed very suppressive to her.
“How do you intend to deal with him?” He asked again.
“Actually, if Lord tells his subordinates now to keep the Fosha Temple under strict surveillance and prevent them from opening the Flame Door, that will be enough.” Syndey responded: “If I’m not wrong, Gray Saint Mephistopheles should also be in the Fatan Port, right?”
Brendel shook his head: “No, Miss Syndey, Master is no longer in the Fatan Port. Moreover, this option isn’t the best. If you trust me, I suggest that you should allow Rodrick to travel to the Fatan Port, then eliminate him. I can provide evidence that he conspired with the Everything Returns Society.”
Brendel remembered that historically, Rodrick was found guilty of colluding with the Everything Returns Society after the Wolf Disaster. Although Rodrick himself wasn’t a member of the Society, he had leveraged his cooperation with them to clean dissenters within the Temple of Fire. He believed that this collaboration must have started long before the Wolf Disaster, and some traces could be found in this era.
But Syndey interrupted him: “It’s unnecessary. Do you intend to kill Rodrick?”
Brendel was slightly startled and looked at her with surprise, “Did you know this beforehand?”
In response to this question, Syndey chose not to answer but said calmly, “It won’t be difficult for me to deal with Rodrick, but it will be hard to kill him. Moreover, it’s impossible he’ll come alone. The lowest level Flame Door of the Temple of Fire can send two people with the same prowess as Rodrick. He might possibly bring two high-ranking priests from the Academy.”
“Killing him won’t be easy—”
“But it’s not impossible, right?” Brendel detected some implication in her words.
Syndey nodded slightly, “I need your help.”
“Me?”
“I need you to give me a part of the Sacred Sword’s soul.”
“The Sacred Sword’s soul?” Brendel understood: “You want to repair Odrefice?”
“Not really,” Syndey shook her head, “but with some part of the Sacred Sword’s soul, I can temporarily activate it. The Sacred Sword Odrefice and King Gilleth are the source of faith for the Temple of Fire, the supreme existence. In their blessing, no sacred technique of the Temple of Fire can defeat me.”
Brendel was silent for a moment before softly asking, “I have never sensed the existence of Odrefice’s soul. Can I accomplish this?”
“You can.”
“In that case, I understand—”
……
The creaking sound of Fosha Temple’s main door being pushed open from outside snapped Syndey out of her reverie. Then she heard a chirpy voice from Romaine: “Marjory, you came too?”
“Miss Romaine, how are you here? What’s going on?” Striding through the main door was none other than Officer Marjory. Syndey had seen this young man for the first time but quickly spotted Jurofu and Alemodof outside the door. Many believers gathered behind them, indicating the efficiency of these two who had promptly passed on the orders.
“Marjory, this is Miss Syndey,” Romaine paused, pondering how best to introduce the saintly image of the Lion Palace: “—She’s very capable!”
But Marjory had learned about this senior divinity from Charles and Brendel. In fact, he knew far more about this lady than the merchant woman. He nodded to the latter, glanced around, and seeing that the situation within the temple seemed under control, he sighed in relief: “Miss Syndey, was it you who gathered these believers?”
Although the circumstances differed slightly from his expectations, Syndey did not refute but simply nodded: “Yes, I believe you already know the current situation. I need to take these believers away immediately. Is that alright?”
Marjory shook his head: “There’s no problem. The Lord has already instructed us. But do you need any assistance, Miss?”
“No,” Syndey replied, “you just need to make sure you all do your jobs properly, guarding the city gates well to prevent any undead creatures from entering.”
“I understand.”
Romaine found their conversation rather boring and glanced to the side, only to joyfully notice that Fosha Temple’s activated gate was troubling the young prince of Erlun.
“Hey, young man, have you figured out the answer to the question? It seems you aren’t that foolish, are you filled with moldy flour?”
“No,” Haruz frowned with his lips pouty, “Gate sir, your question is too unreasonable. How can I guess what you’re thinking?”
“Alright then, let’s change the question.”
“Then please ask, Gate sir—”
“Guess what my name is?”
“…”
…
