blogombal Chapter 194, Section 193: The so-called gods, the gods exploded.
Chapter 194, Section 193: The so-called gods, the gods exploded.
Chapter 194, Section 193: The so-called gods, the gods exploded.
An ancient and mysterious temple stands silently in the heart of the ancient city. The stone building is weathered and mottled by time, and Ian, standing among it, has no idea what era he has been transported to.
He looked up and saw the dim, yellowish light, as if sealed by the dust of time, slowly seeping in through the gaps of the dome, like a snail crawling.
Dust swirled wildly in the dim light, shrouding the ancient stone structure in a mysterious and heavy veil. The firelight flickered incessantly atop the altar.
"There are traces of magic here." Ian looked around. Strange totems were carved on the ancient stone pillars, and every stroke revealed the splendor and antiquity of this civilization.
Every stone in sight bears the marks of time; its rough surface and mottled texture seem to whisper that it has existed for a very long time. On the walls, twisted and eerie patterns intertwine, resembling ancient writing or some kind of mysterious totem.
It seemed to conceal a power capable of overturning the world's understanding. Moreover, surrounding the altar stood seven colossal statues, their faces blurred by the erosion of time, yet still exuding an aura of majesty and mystery. Scattered on the ground were broken stone slabs, as if recording past historical events.
"It's not runes..." Ian tried to decipher the runes on the temple, but just like when he couldn't understand the runes in the Mysterious Tower, he once again fell into a blind spot in his knowledge.
The runes here are somewhat similar to those inside the tower, but they are completely different systems. A preliminary estimate suggests that this is at least two thousand years away from the 20th century.
after all.
The last time this type of rune structure appeared was during the reign of King Arthur, so since Ian was able to see similar runes, his era must not be later than that of King Arthur.
While Ian was still observing...
outside.
The commotion grew closer and closer, and footsteps gradually appeared at the gate. The little girl who had fled in fear was now being dragged back by a group of people dressed in strange clothes with solemn expressions. Her face was full of terror, and her hands and mouth were controlled by those around her, so she could only make weak sobs.
"For the sake of all of us, this is the mission you have been born with. You must sing for the gods to keep them asleep, or we will all be punished by them."
The leader was tall and imposing, like a small mountain. His face was covered with strange totems, he held a jewel-encrusted scepter in his hand, and he wore a long robe embroidered with strange symbols that rustled as he moved, giving him the air of an ancient wizard.
at this time.
The leading wizard was visibly furious, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. He was reprimanding the little girl in a stern tone, tilting his head to the side, "Don't try to fool us with nonsense. There's no one else here, only us, only the priests. No one can break into our temple!"
"Not even a fly could get in..." Before the high priest could finish speaking, his subordinate raised his hand and poked his arm. He impatiently shook off his subordinate's hand.
however.
That hand poked him again.
"This is such a sacred place. I am correcting the thoughts of our Dream-Guarding Queen. Do not interrupt me..." The high priest's words were interrupted once again.
They were the other priests who followed him.
"Oh my God! There! There are people there!" The people were all shocked, raising their hands to point to the top of the altar, that forbidden zone that should not be touched by anyone.
"No!"
The old, senile high priest finally straightened his head and was horrified to see the young wizard standing on the high platform. At this moment, Ian was also curiously observing this group of ancient people.
"What a heinous crime! Damn child!" The high priest's face was deathly pale, his whole body trembling. He raised his scepter to cast a spell but was afraid of desecrating the temple altar.
"The gods...the gods have truly awakened!?" A priest with runes engraved on his skin exclaimed in disbelief, his voice devoid of any excitement or joy.
It was all fear and dread.
The other priests, like him, all had roughly the same expression.
"He is not a god! Don't panic!" The high priest quickly reassured the other priests, his tone very firm, though there was also a hint of underlying unease.
"How could He not be! The altar was glowing just now! And then He spoke to me!" The richly dressed little girl immediately questioned as a priest released her.
"You've just been fooled!"
The high priest glared sternly at the little girl, then turned angrily to Ian, "Who are you! How dare you trespass into the temple at this time!"
The man's voice was deep and cold, his gaze like a knife piercing Ian on the altar. Faced with his questioning, the young wizard raised an eyebrow without changing his expression.
"Where am I?"
Ian did not answer the other person's question.
He was more concerned with the era and place he lived in.
"This is a forbidden place. Your actions have seriously disturbed the peace of the gods. You must come down immediately and accept the punishment you deserve for your sins!" The high priest didn't care whether Ian was a child or not. His voice was angry, yet there was a sense that he was afraid to speak too loudly.
"The peace of the gods...slumber?" Ian initially thought the little girl had misunderstood him, but the more he listened, the more uneasy he felt, and he began to examine the high platform he was on again.
There were many bronze artifacts on display, but they did not contain any offerings. After Ian turned around, he finally understood why the priests were so nervous.
All I saw was...
Previously, the area shrouded in the time tunnel and occupied by light actually contained a hidden space, with a few wisps of thin gauze concealing a cube-shaped bronze room.
It's called a room.
Perhaps describing it as a box several meters long and wide would be more accurate. A sheer veil, not appearing worn, hung down from above, obscuring the faintly visible black figure within.
"Damn it! Come back! Get down here right now! Don't go in!" The high priest panicked as he saw Ian turn and walk into the altar, and he didn't bother to lower his voice anymore.
"Stop your blasphemous acts! If the gods awaken, you will kill everyone!"
The high priest began to roar hysterically, his eyes revealing deep anger and panic, as if Ian were a demon who could bring about annihilation at any moment.
"Relax, I'm just taking a look... Maybe the guy I'm hunting is hiding here. If he escapes, that's when he'll bring you real disaster and suffering."
It wasn't that Ian disrespected the beliefs of the ancients; he was just worried that "Malfoy" was hiding here. The idea of waking up a sleeping god was utter nonsense to him.
This is blatant feudal superstition.
This is true even in a world with magic.
No one understands the gods better than him.
After all, he was only raising a skeleton deity.
Sure enough, Ian lifted the veil, revealing a bronze room filled with an old and decaying smell. The scene that came into view almost made him vomit up his dinner.
All I saw was...
A faint musty smell permeated the air.
In the very center of the room, a hideous humanoid creature sat silently on a dilapidated stone throne. Its skin was a sickly grayish-green, covered in festering sores, and its limbs were twisted out of proportion, as if pieced together from countless broken limbs. Its face was even more grotesque, with sunken eyes that resembled two black holes, and cracked lips that revealed a row of yellowed and incomplete teeth.
"This deity is truly...unique." Ian didn't cover his nose because he couldn't smell any stench from the body that resembled a rotting corpse. Perhaps it was because the skin was shriveled, not only was the flesh gone, but even the rotting wounds were devoid of moisture.
The ancient body's skin was shrunken and wrinkled, as if time had mercilessly drained all moisture from it. The skin and veins clung tightly to the bones, giving it a shriveled appearance. Where there should have been muscle, only deep grooves remained, as if slashed by a sharp blade.
The outline of each bone is clearly visible, as if it would break like a withered branch with the slightest touch.
Despite the creature's repulsive appearance, Ian quickly adapted to his surroundings. He approached with great interest, trying to observe whether the creature still showed any signs of life.
"A body that has remained intact for many years?" The young wizard gently touched the creature's arm; the bones beneath its skin were clearly visible and felt cold and hard to the touch.
"Tsk tsk, I see." Ian seemed to have figured something out, and suddenly lost interest. He turned around and walked back to the outer area of the altar.
at this time.
Upon seeing his reappearance, the high priest and a group of priests breathed a sigh of relief, while the ornately dressed little girl hid behind a group of priests and curiously looked up at Ian on the high platform.
"You have committed the heinous crime of blasphemy, and you have no idea what you are doing! Get down here!" The high priest, having reached his limit, was about to climb up the platform.
The other priests did not have the courage of this high priest.
"In your time and place, is there no one who knows alchemy? You worship obviously bio-alchemical creations as if they were gods?"
"That's just a broken alchemical artifact. Seriously, if I couldn't sense the magic within you, I would have doubted whether you were wizards at all."
Ian had no intention of lecturing the ancients; he simply felt that these wizards were the ones who truly blasphemed the name of wizards, having worshipped an alchemical creation for who knows how many years.
"Get down here!!!"
The high priest had no intention of arguing with Ian. The presence of the altar prevented him from casting spells, but his powerful physique allowed him to climb all the way up the altar in an attempt to capture the young wizard.
"Don't rush, don't rush, I know how to leave on my own." Ian saw the high priest getting closer and closer, and was about to cast a spell to leave when he noticed that the high priest's gaze as he looked up at him was changing from anger to fear.
"She's awake! This time she's really awake!"
"My God! That is... that is the god who killed countless people!"
"He is absolutely terrifying!"
……
The priests on the ground cried out in fear and turned to run away. The high priest, who had climbed halfway up, let go and fell back to the ground.
"Splat~"
That must have hurt terribly.
The sound was very crisp.
He probably broke several bones.
"Don't run! Don't run! Let me run first!" The high priest, his face contorted in pain, ignored his injuries and, despite the excruciating pain, still scrambled toward the gate, fueled by adrenaline.
"Forehead?"
Ian was taken aback.
As if realizing something, he turned his head—and sure enough, the decaying body that had been sitting on the throne was now standing behind him, its withered head tilted as it stared at him.
This humanoid alchemical monster stood there, its body twisted in extreme contortions, as if it had been kneaded by an invisible hand. Its eyes were empty and lifeless, yet they exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.
"Hello there."
Ian nodded politely.
The wand that had been held in his hand suddenly emitted a dazzling light.
"Bang!"
Magic hits.
With a deafening roar, the humanoid monster's body shattered into countless fragments, which were then reduced to ashes in the ensuing raging flames.
It had absolutely no ability to resist.
Just as Ian had judged, this was merely a corrupted alchemical creation. Perhaps it once possessed immense power, but now it was less than a walking corpse.
Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!
"It's not as scary as you think."
When Ian turned around, there was no one else in the temple, only the little girl still kneeling on the ground staring at him with her big, bright eyes.
The little girl's eyes were filled with surprise, doubt, and horror.
"I think everyone here is a reasonable person. You saw it, right? He was the one who showed his health bar first... Um, I mean he was the one who started by trying to launch a sneak attack without any sportsmanship."
"Believe me, this really is just a broken alchemical artifact."
Ian and the little girl known as the Dream Keeper looked at each other. The empty temple was now deserted, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Faced with Ian's explanation.
The little girl simply remained kneeling there, staring at Ian with her large, bright eyes, without responding, her expression one of utter disbelief and shock.
The silence continues.
Ian wasn't one to enjoy silence. Of course, he was also a little embarrassed by his conditioned reflex, mainly because the little girl's gaze was genuinely unsettling. He figured the little girl didn't understand his wording, so he changed his approach to something she might understand.
"Sorry, I blew up your god... Can this be put to rest if I pay compensation?" The little wizard's way of thinking was always so peculiar and different from others.
He wasn't mocking them; he had simply noticed long ago that these strange priests were different from normal priests. These priests weren't the kind of clergy who believed in the existence they served.
They seemed more afraid of what slumbered within the temple. Ian wanted to try and help these people understand the nature of that thing, but it was clear that this group had probably never actually encountered bioalchemy before.
no way.
Ian could only use the name the other person used for that alchemical creation.
"Or I could build you a new one of those... I've done some research on it, but it lacks intelligence. However, we could catch a Dementor and stuff it inside."
"Oh, right, you probably don't have any Dementors here yet, that's a bit troublesome." Ian transformed from the altar into a wisp of white mist and drifted down to the ground of the temple.
He transformed back into human form in front of the little girl.
"This is magic."
To avoid frightening the little girl, Ian offered a brief explanation. Although he sensed magic emanating from her, he still didn't really understand much about wizards in this era.
"I know."
Fortunately, the little girl didn't make a fuss. She just stared at Ian in front of her with a look of astonishment, her gaze fixed on Ian's face without ever looking away.
Ian moved.
The little girl's gaze followed him for a moment. Her gaze made Ian somewhat uncomfortable; it was a look Ian had never seen before, devoid of hatred and hostility, but instead filled with adoration.
Just when Ian was having some trouble adjusting.
"I've been singing for you," the little girl suddenly said, her voice as clear as a mountain stream, her bright eyes sparkling.
"It's been like this every day since I can remember." The little girl stood up, her movements as light as a feather, and began to curiously circle around Ian.
"Every morning, I have to stand under the altar and sing. They say it's a hymn to the gods. In those songs, I see a different world."
"A world completely different from ours." The little girl suddenly stopped circling around, raised her hand, and carefully touched the little wizard in front of her.
"It's you, I know it's you... not that ugly monster from before." The little girl seemed happy to have touched Ian, her whole face filled with excitement.
"I think everyone is wrong. You didn't come to destroy us; you came to save us." The little girl suddenly hugged Ian, making Ian raise his hands in bewilderment.
"I've only come here in search of an evil wizard...you know what a wizard is, right?" Ian tried to break free, but the little girl held on very tightly.
It took him a lot of effort to pry the little girl off him.
"The people in the temple are all wizards, and only wizards can join the temple." The little girl did not show any confusion, but gave a definite answer.
"A group of wizards, yet they fear an alchemical creation, that's really strange..." Ian had already noticed this, but he still couldn't help but sigh after hearing the little girl's answer.
"That's because of an ancient legend, a true legend. Every time you awaken, a disaster will occur, a disaster that even wizards united cannot withstand." A hint of fear appeared on the little girl's face, and her voice trembled, just as uneasy as when she first saw Ian.
"First of all, I am not a god. Secondly, the power of wizards should not be underestimated. Every wizard has great power. The key is how you can discover your own power."
"Fear cannot help you overcome difficulties, but the magic you possess can. Do not worship others, but worship yourselves, and regard yourselves as gods." Ian did not know whether his words could enlighten these ancient people from thousands of years ago; he simply felt that the little girl's kindness was worthy of his guidance.
Ian's patient guidance.
The little girl remained noncommittal.
She saw Ian walking towards the gate and immediately followed him.
"Everyone thinks that the disaster was a punishment you brought down, but I now understand that it wasn't like that. The disaster came first, and then your awakening and salvation of us."
"You are the savior of the world! Not the destroyer! I remember all the history of the past! I firmly believe that I understand this!" The little girl's voice was filled with excitement.
"Um... I've been awake the whole time. I'm really not some kind of sleeping god... Of course, if I hadn't found the wizard I was looking for, there might have been some real disaster here."
Ian walked out of the temple.
The glaring sunlight made him squint instinctively.
"The weather is nice." The young wizard raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun. Before him was a wide, open platform. The platform was paved with huge stone slabs, bearing the deep and shallow marks of time.
"To be honest, I still want to know where I am." Ian shielded his eyes from the sunlight and looked ahead, where a magnificent ancient city unfolded before him.
The city is built against the mountain, surrounded by towering city walls, with towering spires pointing straight to the sky. The stone houses, arched bridges, and winding streets all exude a sense of antiquity and solemnity.
This is clearly a city with a high level of civilization.
"We are the city protected by Venus."
The little girl answered Ian's question.
"Is that smoke coming from there? Is there a fire?" Ian saw the towering mountain next to the city, and he could clearly see wisps of black smoke rising from it.
In this regard.
The little girl, however, was not surprised at all.
"That's a volcano. It's always like this, it's just a bit more active this year." The little girl also looked at the mountain, her tone filled with gratitude.
"Every winter, our cities rely on its geothermal heat for warmth, and it has helped many people." The little girl turned to look at the "deity" beside her, only to find that the "deity" was pale, had a blank look in his eyes, and stiffly turned his head to look at her as well.
"What did you just say?"
Ian asked in a terrified voice.
"That's a volcano."
The little girl repeated what she had already said, confused.
"Not that sentence, it's the one before that, where are we?" Ian's voice was already trembling, and he could feel his hand holding the wand shaking.
"This is Pompeii Cornelia, protected by Venus." Perhaps thinking Ian hadn't understood, the little girl explained the city's official name in the outside world.
"..."
Ian heard this.
My whole body was completely stiff.
"Tom... what are you doing...?"
In his several encounters with Voldemort.
For the first time, the young wizard felt a chill run down his spine, along with... unease.
(End of this chapter)