652 Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dus (2/2)

”Which would you choose?”

The old bishop did not answer, and they dropped the topic.

The two of them did not speak. There was a long silence.

After a while, the old bishop raised his head from his meditation and said softly, ”Let Chopin send out a signal before it's too late. A long delay means trouble.”

Albert wasn't smiling anymore. ”Are you sure?”

”Sometimes waiting is no use. It will only bring pain to both parties.” The old bishop's eyes were peaceful. ”It's always best to be decisive.”

A letter of attorney signed by the Sancta Seda was placed in front of Albert. His eyes twitched slightly. He sighed and waved his hand. The sound of a mighty organ rang out from above the Central Holy Cathedral, echoing throughout the steel city. Thousands of clock towers began to chime, and the echoes spread out in all directions.

As he listened to the bells, Albert seemed to be exhausted, and he slumped down in his chair, shaking his head. ”Sometimes I really envy you people who can make up your mind.”

There was a hint of irony in his tone. The old bishop shook his head and smiled bitterly. ”Do you know how I used to solve the problem of difficult births?” The old man mimed administering an injection. ”A shot of oxytocin would make everything alright.”

Albert was shocked.

”Albert, I was never the one who made the decision. Who could be so brave?” The old bishop patted his shoulder and turned to leave.

”Whether the mother or child would survive, that was up to God.”

Amid the silence, there was only the sound of his retreating footsteps.

Albert said nothing. He closed his eyes again.

…

Ye Qingxuan awoke from a dream.

He had not dreamed in a long time, but he had just had a nightmare. He had dreamed of being buried in an ocean of music theory. But when he awoke, he saw thick stacks of books and papers all covered in his handwriting. He didn't know many how many times he had edited them or how many movements he had added.

And in the corner sat a trembling old nun.

He heard the sound of bells ringing in the distance.

As if there was some secret signal or command in those bells, the old nun began shivering harder. She fell on the floor and looked up, with her eyes rolling back in her head. It seemed like she was having a seizure, but epileptics did not have such a strong fire in their body.

It was like a furnace had been ignited.

The flame lit up the whole dark temple. Waves of aether as powerful as a hurricane swept out from her body, emanating in all directions.

The Masters all woke up and looked at the old nun in shock. Even though they had already experienced the full power of the Saint, at that moment, with Schubert in full force, they felt a crushing pain.

At that moment, they finally realized the gap between them and the Saint.

A gap like the distance between heaven and earth.

Schubert's music theory crashed around in the body of the old nun, with almost enough power to destroy herself. She cared for nothing, not even herself.

In that roaring song of self-destruction, Ye Qingxuan heard the nun's last prayer: ”Dust to dust, mud to mud, ashes to ashes...”

May God have mercy on my soul.