by Michael Sisa
All of those were catastrophes that would warrant the attention of the Kingdom. The Commander of the Red Griffin felt a sense of pity for the kid. He was young, but he had gone through so much tragedies.
Rajak placed a hand on Jiablu’s head. “Be good, ‘kay? Cardinal Roschal is a good man. He’ll surely—”
“Don’t touch me, damn maggot,” spat Jiablu.
For a moment, Rajak felt a burning sensation in his hand. He quickly let go of his grip, and the pricking pain vanished at the same time.
Faith immediately reprimanded Jiablu: “Young man! What did I tell you?!” She said to Rajak, “I’m sorry.”
Jiablu seemed not pleased about the conversation. Rajak heartily laughed. “It’s fine, De Sagun.” He stared at Jiablu for a few seconds before giving out a smile.
“Well, then,” said Rajak. “This is where we part ways. I take it that you’ll be reporting directly to the Cardinal?”
“Yes,” said Faith.
As a High Priestess, she serves the Cardinal as her direct superior. The Kingdom was not in amicable terms with The Order of Aquina as of the moment, and being granted an audience with a Palace Official would prove difficult. She had no choice but convey her findings to the Cardinal himself. After all, even the King cannot refuse the Cardinal an audience.
Rajak closed his eyes then smiled. He fondly gazed at Faith. “I’ll come visit one of these days. Tell the old man.”
Faith smiled, revealing her left dimple. “I think he’ll be pissed. You ran away, after all.”
“Haha! That’s all in the past! Surely, he’d forgiven me by now?” said Rajak.
Faith shrugged. “You know how stubborn he can be. But please do visit us. Contrary to what the old man may say, I’m sure he’ll be delighted.”
“Got it.” Rajak pulled the reigns of his mount, making it loudly neigh in response. “Then, off we go!”
Faith and Jiablu watched as Rajak and his men disappeared from sight. According to the Commander, they were going to directly report to Prince Ibrahim. By estimate, it would take at least five days before they reached the Royal Capital.
Faith grabbed Jiablu’s hand. For a moment, she was afraid that he would brush it off and spit out curses, like he usually did. Thankfully, he did not seem to mind.
“What is it, Priest?” said Jiablu.
“Lankan is one of the numerous minor cities of the Kingdom. It’s a lot smaller than the Capital… but it’s still a city. You might get lost in this crowd. Better be sure,” said Faith.
Just like what Faith said, the city was bustling with life. Numerous stalls were seen everywhere, and residents and tourists alike roamed the streets. From a distance, they saw a group of slave traders moving their cargo. Inside the large cage was a silver fox with two tails.
At the other corner, a Pierrot was performing some unconventional swordplay and dance. Jiablu had been to larger cities before, but this was the first time he had come close to so many humans.
Peculiarly enough, Jiablu did not hate it at all. On the contrary, he felt even closer to his goal. So, this is what living as a human was like.
With Faith still holding his hand, Jiablu went through the bustling street, eventually arriving at the Central Plaza. From there, the Great Cathedral was a small distance away.
“Finally, I can meet this so called Cardinal,” he mumbled.
Faith clearly heard it, and she cannot help but giggle. Jiablu’s voice was filled with so much enthusiasm. If only he knew what kind of a grumpy old man Cardinal Roschal was. She couldn’t wait.
Suddenly, Jiablu stopped in his tracks. Faith turned around and asked, “What is it?”
Upon receiving no answer, she instead followed his line of sight. She saw numerous men flocking the center of the plaza. Cheers were heard as a bulky man tried to pull out a sword from the ground.
“Hahahaha! Another idiot! Go! Go! Go!”
“Mister, no matter how strong you are, it’s impossible to pull that sword out!”
Jiablu walked towards it, his eyes filled with curiosity.
“That sword,” he said.
Upon closer inspection, the sword was clearly not ordinary. The hilt alone was made entirely of gold, and the blade itself had runes and insignias carved on it.
“The Infernal Sword,” said Faith. Jiablu’s stare intensified upon the mention of the name. “It’s the reason why the City of Lankan is so famous in the Kingdom. Long ago, that sword was used by the Hero to defeat a legendary monster. After he died, the sword lodged itself into the ground, and no one was able to pull it out ever since then.”
Faith touched the top of Jiablu’s head. “Amazing, isn’t it? The stories passed down to generations say that one day, a hero will come and pull out that sword. He will then use it to slay the darkness of the world, thus bringing peace to the Human Race.”
By now, the bulky man’s veins were close to popping out. He kept trying will all his might, but the sword did not even budge a single inch.
Jiablu intently stared at the sword. It was familiar. So oddly familiar that he felt a great sense of nostalgia. After a few more moments, he remembered.
‘Ah, the sword I threw away centuries ago,’ he thought.
Almost three centuries ago, Jiablu began to greatly expand his army in accordance to his master’s wish. It was the very same moment he had decided to create his own dungeon and minions, eventually becoming the absolute ruler of Qavan.
He also created items and weapons, which then unknowingly became legendary artifacts, despite being defects, after he threw them away. And this famous sword was undoubtedly one of them.
Jiablu chuckled, “Kukuku! A hero actually used it?”
Faith did not know what was so funny, but she replied with a ‘Yes’, regardless.
Jiablu slowly approached the sword. The bulky man that kept trying to pull it out stopped and stared at him.
“Eh, kid? Wanna have a go at the Infernal Sword?” he asked. Beads of sweat flowed down his body like a river.
Jiablu ignored him. Instead, he used Soul Perception. As he had expected. There was indeed a Sealed Creature here. A humanoid with the tail of a snake. His body was covered with carapace, giving him great semblance to Dragoneuts.
“A Slitheran,” mumbled Jiablu. He had not expected to encounter one here. Much more so, in such a place where numerous humans resided.
If this one was not sealed, it would have long massacred everyone in the city.
The Slitheran’s eyes widened when he heard the words uttered by the kid. He said, “Who are you, human? How come you are able to see me?”
Jiablu found it amusing. If the humans knew that the sword was actually sealing away this monster, would they still attempt to pull it out of the ground? As time went by, the foolishness of the Human Race was becoming more evident.
“Judging by the lack of horns, I clearly did not create you,” said Jiablu. “Then, who is it? Bur’Karis? Loevar?”
The Slitheran was clearly flustered after the utterance of the names. He tried to stand up, but the seal from the sword rendered him unable to do so.
“How did you know that I was created by the Muhar’Tava? By one of the Guardians?” said the Slitheran. “Who are you?”
Jiablu grinned upon hearing this. He clapped his hands once. “Then, it is true then. Tell me, who among them created you?”
Though hestitant, considering the fact that he was conversing with a mere human, the Slitheran answered, “Lord Loevar created me.”
“I see. That explains it,” said Jiablu. If the Arch Demon, one of the Guardians, created him, then it would explain the lack of horns. Loevar held great pride in his horns, and he would never create a creature with one.
Jiablu felt a tap on his shoulder. Upon looking, he saw Faith staring at him. Her eyes were filled with worry. And he realized that the spectators had turned their attention to him. Indeed, to mere humans, it would have looked like as though he was speaking to himself.
“Ar
e you okay?” said Faith. She made an apologetic bow to the man trying to pull out the sword.
Jiablu gazed at the Slitheran, then to Faith. He said, “I was curious. But I’ve found my answers. Let’s go, Priest.”
Faith smiled. “Yes, let’s go.”
The Slitheran, invisible to other humans, shouted, “Wait! Who are you? Soul Perception can never be used by the Human Race! Tell me! What are you?!”
Jiablu did not bother turning around. Along with Faith, he disappeared through the crowd.
Chapter 22: Hymn of Worship
After leaving the Central Plaza, Jiablu and Faith went towards the Grand Cathedral. It was a mere five-minute walk away from the where the Legendary Sword was located. Even from a distance, they could hear the sound of the choir singing, accompanied by the occasional clanking of bells.
“We’re here!” exclaimed Faith, not bothering to hide her excitement.
Jiablu nodded, his eyes surveying the Cathedral’s tidy exterior. It was made of bricks and stones, with four large pillars providing support. At the very top was a small tower, and Jiablu was sure that it was where the sound of bells was coming from.
The Cathedral was nothing noteworthy, but it could be considered a passing mark in Jiablu’s standard. Just good enough for a city where puny humans resided.
“It’s just started,” said Faith, “Let’s go inside.”
With great curiosity, Jiablu followed Faith as she entered the Cathedral. As expected, swarms of insects gathered there, their voices singing hymns of praise.
They found empty seats after looking around, and they immediately sat down as they listened to the choir.
At the pedestal, right at the altar, the statue of God Aquina loomed over everyone. It was large, probably larger than the statue of Jiablu’s Master, back in the Bandit’s Mansion. This single fact greatly displeased him.
He heavily breathed in as he tried to remain clam, but his displeasure continued to boil inside. Acting on impulse right now would benefit him the least, he reminded himself.
The choir stopped their hymns of praise, and the priest, who was previously sitting silently before, stood up and walked towards the lectern. He opened the book he held in his hands, flipped through pages, then read the gospel out loud.
“—And God Aquina descended from the Heavens. Darkness faded, and the sun shone once again. The people of Malusk rejoiced and sang hymns of worship, for the Demon Lemeshtuon had disappeared.”
Judging by the reaction of those inside the Cathedral, this particular gospel seemed well-known by those that worship the puny Queen Fairy. The acolytes beside the priest moved in well-practiced synchrony as they lit the incenses, and rang their hand-held bells.
The sound of a violin flowed through the air. To Faith and everyone else, those melodies were music to the ears. So mellifluous and soothing that they could listen to it all day. But to Jiablu, it was nothing but cacophony.
“After banishing the Demon Lemeshtuon, God Aquina touched the land of Malusk. Crops grew and prospered as the barren ground rose back from the dead” said the priest, “Upon seeing this, the people of Malusk knelt down in worship. Their pagan hearts melted by the Merciful God.”
Jiablu clearly remembered the Demon called Lemeshtuon. Indeed, that one was worth mentioning, probably powerful enough to wipe away a small city or two. As far as he knew and remembered, Lemeshtuon suddenly disappeared after attacking a city in the Northern Plains.
“So, that sproutling died after encountering the so called God Aquina, huh?” thought Jiablu. “I ordered Rigar to subdue him and make him kneel before my throne, but he suddenly disappeared. That explains it. He would have been a fine specimen. Such a pity.”
Still, despite the pricking bitterness within his heart, especially after finding out that he was beaten to the chase by a Queen Fairy, Jiablu inwardly smiled. This so called gospel reading was amusing. It was like reading a history book. The only difference was that the former was filled with pretenses and facades, while the latter stated nothing but facts and realities.
At the corner of his eyes, he noticed that Faith was so absorbed in the gospel that she noticed nothing else. And it was not just her. Everyone else was intently listening.
The Priest raised the Holy Book. Suddenly, a loud, almost ear-wrecking sound from the choir reverberated. Jiablu spout curses upon hearing such cacophony, but his voice was immediately muffled by the sound of the choir singing, and the bells loudly clanking.
Those that were inside the cathedral stood up shortly after. And they waved their hands up in unison as a display of reverence. Even Faith was doing it, and Jiablu could not help but cringe in total disgust.
What the hell were these humans doing? It was revolting.
Jiablu watched, his mouth partly opened, as those inside the Cathedral danced and clapped their hands, their voices echoing amidst the sounds of the instruments.
His veins popped as his insides roared in fury.
Unable to take it any longer, Jiablu hurriedly went out of the abhorrent place. He thought he heard Faith say something to stop him, but he did not care. He needed to get out. Otherwise, he might annihilate everyone in that Cathedral.
“Can’t let my efforts be wasted. I can’t. I can’t,” he mumbled like a mantra as soon as he got out.
He had this boiling urge to obliterate everything within the vicinity, but every time he remembered how much time and effort it took to get this far, he tried to control himself. It was not easy starting from scratch, especially in the body of a puny human.
He breathed in, then breathed out. Even from the outside, he could hear the ruckus and noise made by the stupid fanatics. Well, at the very least, he could no longer see those weird dances of praise. He consoled himself with that single fact.
After a few more minutes, which felt like eternity to Jiablu, the mass ended. He breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the senseless fanatics coming out of the Cathedral one after another.
“Here you are,” said Faith upon seeing him. “Are you feeling well? Why did you go out of the Cathedral?”
“It was revolting,” said Jiablu, “So, this is what happens when insects flock together.”
Faith was taken aback by his statement. Unable to find the proper words to respond with, she felt relieved when a voice interrupted.
“Ah, High Priestess,” said a male voice. Jiablu immediately recognized the disgusting human. It was the priest that presided the mass just now. “I knew it’s you. I couldn’t approach before since the mass is on-going. Pardon my late greetings, High Priestess.”
The priest bowed his head. Upon seeing this, Jiablu could not help but voice his thoughts out loud.
“I thought you’re a bottom feeder, Priest,” he said to Faith. He saw the priest from before raise a brow upon hearing it. “Impressive. It seems you have a bit of authority, after all?”
“And this young man is?” inquired the male priest.
Faith’s pair of jewels swiveled from the priest to Jiablu then back. “He’s Jiablu, Priest Rolgar. We’ve picked him up along the way. He’s got nowhere to go right now, so I’ll be taking him to the Cardinal.”
“I see,” the Priest nodded in understanding. “The orphanage, then?”
“Yes, said Faith. For a moment, she felt uneasy discussing such private things with another person, but thankfully, Jiablu did not seem to mind.
“Hmmm…,” the priest said in self-thought, “The Cardinal is here, but I’m not sure if he’ll accept visitors, with the current state of his body... But since it’s the High Priestess, there may be exemptions.”
Faith furrowed her brows upon hearing this. “He’s still sick? I mean… I’ve expected it… but hearing it again…”
“I know, I know,” the Priest nodded in agreement. “Actually, we’ve received a message that the Court Magicians are trying to create a new form of Healing Magic. We’ll just have to hope it’s completed soon… and that it’ll be enough to cure the Cardinal.”
A small voice from the Cathedral was heard. “Priest Rolgar! The Cardinal wishes to see you!”
Rolgar scratched his bald head. “That acolyte… I told her not to shout!”
He said to Faith, “You heard that, right? Want to come along?”
“Of course,” said Faith. She ushered Jiablu to come with her.
Together with the acolyte, the three of them went inside the Cathedral. The statue of God Aquina loomed closer as they approached the altar. Jiablu did not fail to notice that it was finely made, and the eyes were made of an exquisite gemstone.
“Humans are really good in the most useless things,” he thought. Still, he firmly believed that the statue of God Thanatos was the best. No competition.
After passing by the statue, they turned left. The acolyte opened a small wooden door, revealing a flight of steps. Judging by the amount of time it took to get to the top, there must have been three floors in total. From the windows, they could see the large bell that kept clanking during the previous mass.
They stopped right in front of a room.
“Cardinal, I’ve brought Priest Rolgar with me,” said the acolyte after she knocked on the door. “Also, the High Priestess, De Sagun, is here.”
Behind the door, a coughing sound was heard, which was quickly followed by deep, heavy breaths.
“Enter,” replied the Cardinal.
The acolyte twisted the knob, and the door creaked open.
“Finally!” thought Jiablu. But his excitement quickly faded away.
The room of the so called Cardinal was dull, with a single bed and a worn-out chair inside. The curtains were moth-eaten, and their color clearly stated that it had been a long time since it the last time it had been washed.
The scent of death was really strong inside this room, and Jiablu realized the reason why.
The Cardinal, who was supposed to be Jiablu’s first lead towards his goal, was a dead man walking. An Undead like him could clearly see the overflowing amount of miasma in the air. Slowly but continuously, the Life Force of this human before him was vanishing.
His ashen hair was crisp, and numerous wrinkles adorned his skin. His purple chasuble covered the body, but it failed to hide his twig-like arms.