At this moment, ten fully-fledged Holy Knights are stationed around the foundations of these thirteen pyramids.
The flags of each regiment fluttered in the wind, which was filled with the smell of sulfur and a twisted magic.
The knights, clad in gleaming heavy armor, stood solemnly like cold sculptures guarding their assigned pyramids.
The air was thick with a chilling, murderous aura, which intertwined with the chaos of the abyss and the sacredness of the divine kingdom's foundation, creating an eerie and oppressive atmosphere.
In front of the base of each pyramid are magnificent cages.
These cages are made of metal strips that shimmer with the luster of mithril, and their surfaces are inlaid with blood crystal gemstones containing holy light energy. Complex binding arrays flow continuously across the cages, radiating powerful sealing power.
Inside the cage, figures were imprisoned.
Most of them were young, dressed in various styles, but all possessed a certain extraordinary quality.
There was a girl wearing a tattered, light blue robe, her eyes vacant, as if her soul had been ripped away.
A boy dressed in simple animal skins, with strange markings on his forehead, was futilely ramming his body against an invisible barrier.
There was also a woman with a pure and holy aura, like a white lotus, kneeling on the ground, softly praying for the name of a god who did not belong to the holy light...
They were the holy sons and daughters of other small churches who had been forcibly abducted from all over the continent by the mysterious legion of the Holy Light Church!
They are the chosen ones of various churches.
Cedric the Hawkeye, the Grand Master of the Third Holy Knights, is clad in silver and blue heavy armor.
A sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, swept across this "miracle" composed of the foundations of a divine kingdom, an iron legion, and a sacred prison.
A surge of almost fanatical passion welled up within him, as if he could already see the magnificent blueprint of the Holy Kingdom of Light transcending the abyss and illuminating all ages.
However, when his gaze fell on the three still empty positions in the circular array, his pride was instantly replaced by a strong sense of dissatisfaction.
The three empty spaces where pyramids should have stood were particularly jarring, and the ornate cages in front of them were empty, like missing fangs, ruining the overall perfection.
Cedric frowned and strode toward the center of the camp.
There, the First Holy Knights Commander, "Iron Wall" Astrion, stood like an ancient rock, his heavy black armor radiating an imposing aura.
Beside him, Isabel, the "Sword of Judgment" and Grand Master of the Second Holy Knights, was like a drawn sword. Her silver-white light armor outlined her agile figure, her face was cold and stern, and her eyes held a sharp edge that judged everything.
"Commander Isabel! Commander Asterion!" Cedric's voice, filled with undisguised anxiety, sounded particularly jarring in the oppressive air. "Tell me, how much longer? When will the last three Chosen Ones finally arrive?"
He pointed to the three glaring gaps, his tone growing increasingly vehement:
"Look at these empty cages! Look at those empty foundation pits! Thirteen foundations of a divine kingdom, thirteen chosen ones as fuel—this is a sacred plan that has been set long ago!"
"Now that the ten are in place, the resonance of the foundation of the divine kingdom has begun to appear. It is the crucial moment for the power to converge and sublimate!"
"Should this great project be brought to a standstill just because of the lack of a mere three offerings?"
Cedric's burning gaze swept over Isabel and Asterion, his voice rising:
“If the foundation of God’s Kingdom cannot be fully completed in time, and the cycle of power cannot be perfected, when will we be able to set foot in the true Kingdom of God? When will we be able to bask in the supreme glory of our Lord and become the creators of a new world? Every moment of this delay is a desecration of the great work of the Holy Light!”
Astrid was as silent as a mountain.
Isabel gave Cedric a cold glance.
Cedric has been acting a bit wildly lately.
As the leaders of the First and Second Holy Knights, Astrid and Isabel knew far more than Cedric!
They certainly understood why there were still three empty cages.
Because they know that place can only be empty now!
People can only live inside when necessary!
...
The inner city of the holy city of Jelamia was shrouded in a strange atmosphere.
On the surface, the streets adorned with holy light remained solemn, believers moved about in an orderly fashion, and the patrolling guards in white robes marched in perfect unison.
However, in the very center of this place, bathed in the glow of faith, there is an indescribable stillness, like invisible mold, quietly eroding the solemn appearance.
Near the edge of the sacred area shrouded by an invisible force field, close to the Cathedral of Radiance.
Three figures clad in wide white priest robes, like shadows blending into the light, stood silently at the intersection of shadows in a secluded stone alley.
It was Rita, the Holy Son of the Abyss Church and the Time Witch, and Balg, the Fallen Knight.
During the day, the three of them had already swaggered into the Radiant Cathedral and taken a stroll around.
Their presence here at this moment speaks volumes about their purpose.
The Holy Son's deep eyes were slightly closed, as if listening to a silent message carried on the wind.
In his palm, a strange rune carved from a fragment of the Star Soul Heart was emitting a faint light that resonated with the space around it.
Rita, a strand of silver hair twirling between her fingers, idly glanced at the holy light flowing from the church spire in the distance, a faint hint of mockery playing on her lips.
Balg remained as silent as a rock, the shadow under his hood obscuring most of his face.
Only those sharp eyes, which had experienced betrayal and the baptism of the abyss, warily pierced through the concealment of the priest's robe, scanning the seemingly calm but actually flawed environment around them.
The Holy Light Barrier Perception Network of the Radiant Cathedral, which should have been impenetrable, now has large blind spots, much like a sieve, thanks to the Holy Son's daytime arrangements.
This situation would never have happened back when he was still at the Church of Holy Light.
If the Holy Light Barrier Perception Network has any gaps, someone should arrive and repair it immediately.
“Heh, look at these guards…” Rita’s whisper carried a contemptuous laugh, like a viper’s hiss, “Their eyes are as empty as a puppet whose soul has been taken away, their senses so dull that they can’t even detect the abyss’s breath dancing on their noses.”
"That old fox Omadi is just like what the Holy Son said; all that's missing is a 'Welcome' sign hanging at the church entrance."
Balg's deep voice rang out, carrying the insight of someone who had once been a high-ranking member of the Holy Light, along with a hint of barely perceptible chill:
"Hmph! Whether they welcome us or not, I don't know. But I'm certain that the upper echelons of the Holy Light Church are currently engaged in fierce infighting, and we're nothing more than pawns in their power struggle!"
Just then, the runes in the Holy Son's palm suddenly trembled!
The ghostly light instantly solidified, and an invisible yet powerful spatial fluctuation, which only the three of them could clearly perceive, suddenly emanated from the distant Elf Forest, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake!
The fluctuations contained the auras of several legendary powerhouses!
The Holy Son suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming brightly, and a satisfied smile curved his lips.
The signal has arrived!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com