473 Fate (2/2)
When Charles snapped out of his reverie, he gazed around in confusion and saw the shocked pale faces. He followed their gazes and looked to the podium. Then, he saw the shadow fallen from the podium.
It was a patch of red that had darkened.
It was dried blood.
The fall had been so short but the heavy thud had been so terrifying. The crowd retreated instinctively and shrieked in panic.
Stunned, Charles seemed to understand something and rushed forward like crazy. And so he saw the blood.
Amongst the blood was dyed red clothing. The awe-inspiring crown was on the ground. Warped, it tumbled and stopped beside his feet with a sharp yet heavy echo. It was like the echoes of a tragedy.
In the puddle of blood, the thing that had once been a human was now a distorted mess of blood and flesh. Obviously, anyone who turned into that would have no chance of surviving.
It was a corpse.
And on the corpse's back was a black dagger.
No miracle happened; no resurrections happened. None of the precautions had been used. It was just a simple stab to the back—a simple death.
It was so simple that no one could refute it. There was no possibility of luck.
He was dead.
Using all his strength, Charles tremblingly walked over. He reached out to test for the dead's breath but only felt coldness. He still could not dare to believe that…
The majestic pope, the controller of all souls, the sole agent of God, the King of Red had died so easily?
As if struck by lightning, he stumbled back and raised his head with difficulty…he looked up at the old man who looked down from the podium. He was still bathed in the glorious light like a man of justice from the Bible.
”Why?” he murmured. He could not believe what he saw. He yelled with all his might, ”Mr. Constantine, why?!”
Why…why did you…do this?!
Gaius looked away. He stared at the sky and made the sign of the holy emblem before his chest.
”I shall replenish this river of souls so that it flows for eternity,” he murmured with his eyes closed. ”For you, my Lord, for you.”
-
”Capture him!” The first to react was a cardinal. He glared at Wolf Flute. ”What are you doing! Capture him!”
Instantly, dozens of black shadows rushed out from the chaotic crowd and pounced onto the podium. A heart-shaking music score rose from thin air. Countless different melodies shot out at once.
Handel was furious and his eyes reddened. The cane in his hands cracked apart. A blazing glow emerged from it. This was the true nature of the cane. It was a weapon created with the music score Messiah and given a saint's title.
No one had ever seen its true appearance through the glow nor could they describe what it was like. When it appeared in Handel's hands, it thudded on the ground.
A terrifying tremor spread.
The city that had been melded into a piece of metal also started shaking under this indescribable quake. It whirred and clanged. The cold and powerful boom swept across, piercing everyone's ears. It attacked their minds, causing the panicking pilgrims to fall to the ground, shaking.
Unless allowed, all music scores were defeated now. Perhaps the savior of the world promised by God was in this boom and had descended upon Earth.
And who is bearing the day of his coming? And who is standing in his appearing?
For he is as fire of a refiner, and as soap of a fuller.
In the Sacred City, the thousands of towers responded at once. The echoes converged and exploded in the aether sea, instantly transforming into a terrifying whirlpool. It went through the aether and material world, creating a tunnel. The majestic city deep in the aether world shone and its light fell onto Earth.
Inside the archive of sacred objects, the dull gold sword quivered and keened. Heaven's Door appeared!
There was boundless brilliance.
At this moment, everything in and under the sky was covered by the pure light. Layers of restrictions went toward the podium, sealing it off. The furious power cast punishment immense enough to destroy the world.
However, Wolf Flute was faster than him. He had started acting the moment Ye Qingxuan roared. Beastly nature broke from his consciousness instantly, transforming into a solid wolf pack. After integrating the element, the wolf pack's magnitude was unbelievable. There were hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands…
Wolf Flute's body disintegrated and moved thousands of steps in a blink. He flashed and acted without hesitation!
Behind him, the wolf-head deity appeared. He slammed his golden cane down and destroyed countless barriers instantly, digging a hole in the enemy's body.
Blood spurted out, splashing onto the faces of the archbishops and nobles. They gaped at the cold-eyed Wolf Flute and the one with a gaping hole in his chest…Handel!
No one had expected that the core member of the Silent Authority, Wolf Flute, would kill Saint Handel now. Thousands of wolves emerged from thin air and blocked the attacks flying toward the podium. In the last moment, they destroyed the dozens of bodies leaping up.
Blood rained down from the air, dying the silver wolves red.
Heaven's Door disappeared. The weapon Messiah faded and fell from Handel's hands, clattering. Handel looked down dumbly at the hand poking out of his chest.
The hand clenched, shattering the heart. Blood dripped down.
Thus, he finally accepted reality. He looked back at Wolf Flute.
”Why?” he asked, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
”Isn't this obvious?” Wolf Flute sighed. ”I'm the spy.”
Handel smiled with difficulty. It was bitter and full of self-mockery. He looked at Wolf Flute's face and the deity behind him.
”You've hid it from me for so long…”
The power that Wolf Flute demonstrated now was far beyond that of a typical Scepter. No one expected that the supposed 'weakest scepter' had kept so much hidden. Everyone thought that he was a slacker and had used the lowest level beastly element. However, this was not the element of some wild beast. It was something way beyond the upper-level elements and was practically something legendary. He had combined the jackal, death, and Hades into a new scepter…Anubis!
”I cannot believe I died in the hands of my successor.” Handel finally managed a smile and closed his eyes.
He collapsed.
He was dead.
In the chaotic square, the sprinting Ye Qingxuan stopped with fatigue.
Too late.
He was still too late.
The moment Hermes revealed Gaius's true nature, the first thing he thought of was not what Gaius wanted, but Wolf Flute…