687 Miracle (1/2)

”Sancta Sedes?” The misty, spirit-like old man sat by the broken flower bed, looking at her with a self-deprecating smile on his blurry face. ”I'm not meeting you in my capacity as pope. I saw you when you came to the Sacred City sixteen years ago. I never thought I'd have the chance to see you again.”

”This is God's gift to me,” the old nun whispered.

The illusion of the King of Red shook his head, ”God never cared about you, and He would never claim credit for this. This is a gift from the Grand Inquisitor, sister.”

”Ah.” The old nun looked up at the distant fire. She slowly nodded and looked back at the old man beside her, her eyes lingering on his face. ”How are the children you've been looking after?”

”I've been keeping an eye on them, just like I promised you.” The King of Red was silent for moment, then he seemed to remember something, and said, ”Sixteen years have passed, and so much has happened. Hamilton left the orphanage two years after you did. He used his upright character to get a businessman to fund him, just like you taught him. He's married to the businessman's daughter now. The business is boring, so I can't really say he's doing well. Windsor and Tami got married and had three kids. They fought all the time. After Tami died of cholera, Windsor re-married to a blacksmith. The blacksmith isn't good to the kids, but he taught them his skills...Iger became a thief with Winston. They were hanged six years ago because they stole from a nobleman. Metz gathered a few companions, changed his name and went to the borderlands where he ran a smuggling operation. After he made enough money he came back home...”

For a while the King of Red told the old nun about the children's fates and experiences, or everything that he knew about them at least.

The old nun listened silently with eyes closed, recalling those children's faces, their smiles, and the warmth of their hands. It seemed to her that she was no longer alone in the cold Ultimate. Here in the farthest corner of the world it seemed like she still had their companionship.

”...Theresa, the children all lived their own lives in their own ways, just like you wanted.” The King of Red looked at her and whispered, ”Some of them were happy, some unhappy. Some had regrets in the end, some had hearts full of hate. But for you their hearts were filled with the purest gratitude and love. Their lives began with you, so your life was not meaningless.”

”I see.” The old nun bowed her head, took a deep breath, and awkwardly covered her face as she tried to wipe away the emotion she was showing. ”Good...that's really good...” she couldn't help but choke out.

”Thank you, Sancta Sedes.” She looked up at the pope in front of her, and her simple, old eyes were full of tears of joy.

”Theresa, I feel guilty about this.” The King of Red shook his head. He reached out and stroked her long hair. ”Are you still willing to fulfill our original agreement,” he whispered. ”Are you still willing to sacrifice yourself for this merciless world, even though it was never once kind to you?”

”It would be my honor,” the old nun responded softly. She nodded at the illusion. ”Farewell, Sancta Sedes.”

”Farewell, Theresa.” The King of Red lowered his eyes and whispered, ”May we meet again in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

A divine glow rose up in the sky.

The old nun smiled amidst the flames that burnt her body. A cold melody rang out from her frail body and echoed between the heavens and the earth.

Just listen.

The whole world was silent.

Everything cowered in submission.

Only this merciful melody flowed between heaven and earth.

Amidst the glow, Theresa seemed to melt into the light. Light burst forth from her body, gently and compassionately falling upon all the darkness like a hug, enveloping all within its embrace.

A trio in E major descended.

It was inscribed with the core music theory and movements of Schubert's Scepter. After giving up attachment, it seemed to embrace everything and sublimate into the cold, lonely melody.

Sing the praises of everything in the world, and embrace the wonders created by God.

There was no more self.

No one could resist the almost redeeming embrace. The melody was like a gentle rain. It quietly followed behind everyone like a shadow, but no one could refuse the passionate love within.

In but an instant the gentle melody had wrapped itself around everyone and seeped into every corner of the Ultimate.

Amidst the pain of burning the old nun looked up at the sky, as if she was staring at the stars.

Her line of sight fell on the other side of the stars.

In the distance she caught a glimpse of the past and the future.

She had truly become an incarnation of everything.

In the next instant the coldy melody softly sank into silence as it reached the end. It was followed by thrilling piano music. She opened her arms wide to the tremors of the stars as they rose and fell like piano keys and the final salvation rained down from them.

This was Schubert's final performance.

She had sacrificed herself, embraced the flames, and brought the movement of light and salvation to the world.

Ever since it had been made, there had never been a time when someone had used Schubert's Sacrifice Movement. But now it was completed by a frail old nun who was not even a musician.

She used her own soul to imbue the movement with spirituality, completing the Sacrifice Movement, awakening it, turning herself into part of its music theory, and playing her final elegy together with it.

”Prometheus”!

In that moment, Ye Qingxuan finally understood, and his face went pale.

-

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”Make her stop! D*mn it, make her stop!” The withered skull finally lost its temper. ”Is it true? It's true! How could they have accomplished this d*mn thing! What has the Church done?”

Even when facing the punishment of dies irae he had never felt such fear and anger.

”Dies Irae” would only destroy catastrophes and heretics, but ”Prometheus” brought absolute salvation and change. Even catastrophes could be completely transformed.

Once the movement finished, the entire Ultimate would be transformed into a branch of the Holy Cauldron, becoming a heavenly fire that would bring humanity into a new era.

And everything that the Abyss had done would become a stepping stone for the Holy Cauldron, and this battle upon which rested the fate of the Abyss would be nothing but a joke!

But who could master such a miracle? And who could feel enough compassion to bring salvation to catastrophes?

After the sacred name of Schubert had been passed down for more than ten generations it had finally been cut off and sealed up in an expendable body. It was on its last legs.

For hundreds of years there had been no one who could master this power, or even awaken it.

No one could truly understand the path of compassion. No one could even touch the edges of it.

But now, this fairy tale as silly as the tooth fairy was completed by such expendable hands? An old woman who was little more than a puppet had been able to feel compassion for demons and catastrophes?

This was the greatest irony of all!

”Strike the bell! Prepare the vessel! Completely awaken the Black Knight!” The broken skull quickly made a decision. It had a savage look on its face. ”Kill everything! Destroy everything! The future of the Abyss cannot be ended like this!”

Abandon everything, turn the existing Ultimate into nourishment for the Black Knight, and let him sweep away and destroy everything.

All that the Abyss had prepared for hundreds of years would be completely turned into nothing. But at least they could save its essence, and would not lose its plans and completely fall apart.

This was a sacrifice after all. The broken skull would take responsibility for it afterwards. The Abyss Sages might not be able to bring the scattered pieces of the Abyss back together like before.

This was the last resort, but it had to be this way.

But soon everyone else was swallowed up by the chaos.