"Using the Divine Heart as a key and energy source, we forcibly awaken an unknown 'Master' on the foundation of the Divine Kingdom, the nascent 'Divine Realm' that is about to take shape."
"This will cause the foundation of the divine kingdom to completely twist and collapse! The overflowing chaotic divine energy is enough to..."
"Enough to drag the entire Holy Dragon Continent into a purgatory more terrifying than the abyss!" Ellen's voice was icy cold, and her eyes flashed intensely with starlight.
"Just imagine, when the rules of the continent collapse, the demonic energy of the abyss and the twisted divine power run rampant, all things wither, and all living beings will become the servants of the awakened 'master'! Mortals will have nowhere to stand!"
Anna remained silent, her cool profile appearing exceptionally fair under the starlight and moonlight.
When Ellen mentioned "the Elven Heart of the Elven Court," her fingertips unconsciously tightened, gripping the Shadow Bow that seemed to be an extension of her own flesh and blood.
The Elven Royal Court... a place that already considers her a heretic of impure blood, and has sent Royal Guards to execute her.
Is she going back?
Complex emotions surged deep within her piercing, shadowy eyes: there was alienation, there was resistance, but deeper still, there was an unbreakable bond of blood and a worry for that verdant homeland.
“We’re already too far away to reach the dragons,” Eileen’s sharp gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Anna. “Now, another team of ‘wise men’ from the Enlightenment Society is heading straight for the Elf Forest! The Heart of the Elves is in imminent danger! We must set off immediately!”
There was no time to hesitate, and no way to turn back.
Although Mark's squad was considered heretical in terms of their profession, they never equated heresy with betraying their entire community.
Heresy is merely a means for those in power to divide factions!
None of the people they met in Osborne, the far north, or even on their journey ever considered them heretics!
Stopping the Enlightenment Society is not only about saving the Elf race, but also about securing the future of the entire continent.
Anna suddenly raised her head, and the confusion in her eyes was instantly replaced by determination.
She didn't need to make a verbal decision; she simply met Ellen's gaze and nodded vigorously.
"Come with me." Anna's voice remained cold, yet carried an undeniable determination.
She said to Ellen, "Sister Ellen, the spatial passage can be located outside the ruins of 'Thorn Outpost,' which is the oldest hub of the Elf Forest's defensive magic array. There is a slight delay in the flow of magic, and the spatial fluctuations are not easily detected by the royal guards."
A hint of approval flashed in Ellen's eyes. Without asking any further questions, she quickly formed hand seals.
The Star Moon Black Gold burst forth with intense light, and a spatial rift with distorted starry sky patterns silently tore open.
“Let’s go!” Eileen stepped in first.
...
Holy City of the Church of Holy Light - Cardinal Temple.
Beneath the towering dome, twelve beams of pure holy light shone down, illuminating the faces in the circular council hall—faces that were solemn, anxious, or deep in thought.
The air was thick with the heavy scent of incense and power, and every breath seemed to carry the weight of a judgment.
"The Dragon Clan's sacred ground has been stolen! The Heart of the Holy Dragon has fallen into the hands of the Enlightenment Society—this is a desecration of the entire Holy Dragon Continent's order!" A middle-aged man dressed in knight's casual attire spoke in a booming voice, echoing through the silent hall.
"The Elf Forest is now in imminent danger! I propose that I personally lead the Ninth and Eleventh Knight Orders to the aid of the Elf Royal Court immediately! Let us annihilate the traitors of the Enlightenment Society and reclaim the sacred relic!"
His proposal was like a stone thrown into stagnant water, creating ripples but failing to stir up a giant wave.
"No!"
An elderly man, dressed in an elaborate silver-threaded robe and with a withered face—Elliot, the "Guardian of Light" in charge of the Holy City's defense—slowly shook his head, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority.
"Commander Roel, you are only the acting commander of the Ninth Regiment. How can you lead two major knightly orders?"
"Moreover, Raymond of the Eleventh Knights betrayed us, and his remnants have not yet been purged, so it is impossible for them to be mobilized at will!"
"The main forces of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Twelfth Knight Orders are far away in the Misty Forest reinforcing the defenses of the Demon Realm Rift."
"The Holy City's standing forces consist only of the Ninth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Knight Orders, as well as the Holy Judgment Guard! If we were to divide our forces and send more troops to the Elf Forest now, the Holy City's defenses would be rendered useless!"
"If the Enlightenment Society could steal the Heart of the Holy Dragon, how can we be sure they won't target the Heart of the Holy Light?"
His sharp gaze swept over Roel, carrying a warning in it.
Therefore, he hated the young generals of the Holy Knights the most. Once they became commanders, they held their heads high and refused to obey orders!
“Cardinal Elliott is right.” Eckelmore, the chief grey-robed envoy of the Inquisition, stroked his ebony staff, his voice soft yet cold. “The Elven Royal Court has a long and rich heritage, with its own profound foundation.”
"They live in harmony with the forest, and their defensive array is as solid as a rock. How could it be easily broken? On the contrary, the Holy City is the foundation of the Church, the heartland of the people, and the core of the plan for a divine kingdom on earth!"
"If the Heart of the Holy Light is lost, we will all be sinners for all time! When it comes to providing aid, the safety of the Holy City should be the priority, and we need to plan this carefully."
"Absurd!" A cardinal belonging to the friendly faction of the elves couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and stand up. "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold! If the Enlightenment Society gathers the five divine hearts and does something against the heavens on the foundation of the divine kingdom, then the rules will collapse, the demonic realm will flood in, and how can the Holy City survive alone?"
"The elves have stood by and helped our human race for generations, yet now they stand by and watch us die. Where is the doctrine of the Holy Light? Where is the face of the Church?"
"Doctrine? Face?" Another conservative cardinal sneered. "The first priority of doctrine is to protect the core of faith! Can face be more important than the foundation of holy light?"
"The Elven race has long held fast to the forest and been exclusive to outsiders. We have yet to unravel their internal strife. If we rashly rush to their aid, we risk getting caught in their infighting or falling into the Enlightenment Society's trap of besieging and attacking reinforcements. Who will be responsible for the losses we suffer?"
"If the defenses of the Misty Forest are weakened as a result, and the Abyss Demons seize the opportunity to invade, that would be a true catastrophe!"
The council chamber immediately erupted into a cacophony of noise.
Some people echoed Elliott's sentiments, emphasizing that the Holy City could not be lost.
Some people supported Roel, condemning his inaction as a violation of the Holy Light.
Some were more ambiguous, suggesting strengthening the Holy City's defenses first, while sending a small number of elite scouts to infiltrate the Elf Forest to gather intelligence before making a final decision...
Various voices intertwined and clashed, with the core issue repeatedly tug-of-war between "to save or not to save," "to protect the holy city," and "to consider the overall situation."
Under the guise of sacred glory, undercurrents of balancing interests, factional infighting, and shirking responsibility surged.
The Pope, seated on the highest throne, remained silent, his face shrouded in a soft, yet all-encompassing aura.
Only when the clamor of the debate subsided and countless eyes focused on him did he slowly speak, his voice calm yet carrying the authority of a final verdict:
“The words of the cardinals, the leaders, and the special envoys are all reasonable. The safety of the Holy City is the foundation of the Church and cannot be taken lightly; the troubles of the Elven race are also related to the balance of the continent and cannot be ignored. However, the situation is chaotic, with the enemy in the dark and us in the light, so we must be cautious.”
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