The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 479: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, - 14: Wind Blowing

Chapter 479: Volume 10: Thunderous Movements and Winds Rising, Chapter 14: Wind Blowing

Alya Fluenster, as the Archbishop of Pericles Cathedral, had held her position for only eight years, yet it was during this brief period that she had created an unprecedented glory in the history of Pericles.

She transformed Pericles Church from an ordinary parish church into one of the core cathedrals within the entire Church of Light, joining forces with Archbishop Vazinsky’s St. John’s Cathedral to push Sophia Cathedral and St. Paul’s Cathedral out of the Top Three, establishing itself as the undeniable elite of the Church of Light and solidifying the immortal status of Marco Holy City.

Everything seemed to indicate that Archbishop Fluenster’s future was limitless. However, the rise of the new Top Three also confronted Fluenster with another challenge—the St. John’s Cathedral, led by Archbishop Vazinsky, with whom she once fought side by side in the cause of propagating the Holy Teaching.

"Top Three, Top Three," aside from St. Mark’s Cathedral being the eternal core, the ever-changing other two rankings could almost be a history of the Church of Light’s ups and downs. Whoever entered the Top Three represented prosperity in ecclesiastical affairs and virtuous education in their region. Accordingly, its archbishop would possess the strength to compete for the next Pope. However, the second ranking’s aura in the Top Three had seldom stayed long upon any cathedral, and if that second spot could be firmly held, it would almost certainly predict that the new Pope would be its archbishop.

The Jade Ring hung suspended in midair, and Fluenster stared at it, transfixed. Even strangers could immediately confirm that this ring was no ordinary object; within it seemed to flow a liquid that constantly changed colors, and with every roll, the colors shifted, reminiscent of a writhing dragon, churning inside the ring. The color within the ring transitioned from its initial emerald green, gradually lightening until it settled on silvery white. When the pure silvery white transformed into a hint of pale milkiness, a flash of white light suddenly pierced through the Jade Ring and out the window, vanishing in an instant.

The Meditation Room fell into a quiet, luminous tranquility. Fluenster’s eyes remained locked on the ring, evidently waiting for something, while the man behind him appeared somewhat uneasy. He knew that the archbishop was using a special method to search for the missing Protector of the Sanctuary, but the situation seemed rather dire, as one could guess from the archbishop’s solemn expression.

After a while, a faint shadow quietly appeared on the now calm Jade Ring—a dark trace that seemed tiny at first, but stood out starkly within the transparent, semi-crystalline ring.

Archbishop Fluenster, usually unflappable, could not help but show a slight change in expression. He seemed to scarcely believe his eyes, blinking hard to see more clearly. Yet the shadow on the Jade Ring seemed indifferent to the archbishop’s feelings, still assertively proving its presence within the ring.

What did this dark trace signify? Others or even the First Archbishop of the Church standing behind him might not understand, but as the caster, Fluenster knew all too well. If Archbishop Vazinsky or His Holiness the Pope were present, they would undoubtedly be stunned by the sight.

Sacrilege! Defilement! Could it be that Galian had fallen? In just over a month, could she have become a follower of the God of Darkness? No, this was too horrendous; Fluenster almost cried out in shock. It was simply impossible; he refused to believe such a thing could happen!

In his eyes, Galian should be the most devout disciple of the Light. How could she possibly transform into a follower of the Dark? Could it be that there was a problem with his magic?

With a mix of doubt, tension, and slight fear, Fluenster carefully reviewed the magic he performed. He did not know whether to hope for a failure in his magic or for the reality to be true. However, after checking, Fluenster had to sadly accept the truth— Galian had truly fallen!

At this point, Fluenster had to settle his mind and seriously consider the issue. A Protector of the Faith turning into a follower of darkness—what did this imply? Was it a sign of the Dark Holy Church’s resurgence as His Holiness the Pope had predicted?

Yet, Fluenster could not comprehend how such a thing could happen to a Protector of the Sanctuary, whom he regarded as the most devout. These Protectors had been painstakingly selected by him from faithful monks and nuns in each church of his diocese—their faith and resolve having undergone the most rigorous scrutiny. To put it bluntly, the Protectors of the Sanctuary were one of his most core pillars of strength, their loyalty even surpassing that of the Thunderhorse Knights!

The Meditation Room was exceedingly simple; the saying "simplicity is beauty" was profoundly exemplified here. A wooden statue of the holy angel, embedded in the wall, seemed to be an ancient relic by its appearance; an old wooden chair was squarely placed in the center of the room, and perhaps the only lavish item was the colorful stained glass fixed on the side of the ceiling, allowing for full sunlight, which the archbishop might require for his arrangements.

Silently retracting the Jade Ring, it slid lightly in Frenster’s hands. He took a deep breath, thinking perhaps it was time to acknowledge this cruel reality, but how should he confront it?

Should he ignore it and let Galian sink into the dark abyss? No, that didn’t seem to align with his own style. This incident, occurring to a Protector of the Sanctuary under Pericles Cathedral, was clearly the greatest challenge to his authority. He had to retaliate!

But what consequences would retaliation bring about? It could expose the whole affair, and no matter what measures he took to salvage the situation, even if he could restore Galian’s devout faith in the Holy Teaching, the incident would still cause irreparable damage to the reputation of both Pericles and himself, and might even affect his next grand plan, which was more than he could tolerate.

Frenster was in a dilemma. By all accounts, he should first report such an incident to the Court, which would be responsible for the investigation and handling of this matter. But how could he bear the thought of letting those madmen from Noyola trample upon his dignity by intervening in an incident at Pericles Church?

Was it possible that he, Frenster, lacked the ability to resolve this matter? No, Frenster refused to believe there was any problem on the Continent he couldn’t solve.

The First Archbishop of the Church, who had been silent all this while, watched the changing expressions of the Archbishop before him with unease; surely, it wasn’t good news. Torres could be sure of that. The somber look on the Archbishop’s face was clear evidence, and the problem seemed quite severe. Was it death? Or had there been some other mishap, such as being trapped or taken hostage by heretics?

Torres couldn’t imagine what sort of mishaps could befall a Protector of the Faith under the Church of Light, nor who would dare to challenge the Church’s authority on the Continent.

Even in the Southern Continent, followers of darkness wouldn’t easily provoke trouble. And with Galian’s wisdom, he believed she wouldn’t recklessly go to the Southern Continent—nor had he ever assigned such a mission to her. Could it be those people from the Court...?

A thought so startling it shocked Torres himself suddenly leapt into his mind, and he stealthily glanced at the Archbishop, who seemed calm and contemplative.

Indeed, Frenster was troubled. While the Jade Ring had shown that Galian’s faith had been desecrated, it couldn’t provide more details. But relying on his own intuition and the Pope’s prophecy, Frenster believed this dangerous signal originated from the South, a vast area too broad to search for any clue amidst a sea of people.

Those people from the Court seemed to be getting active these past few days, The Pope’s lifted ban finally empowered them, and Frenster felt some worry deep inside. Could the Pope’s arrangement possibly backfire?

Seeing the Archbishop seemed distracted, Torres couldn’t help but cough lightly and said in a deep voice, "Archbishop, may I know how is Protector Galian currently?"

"Not too good, there’s no danger to her life, but it appears she is imprisoned somewhere," Frenster replied to Torres, not needing to hide anything, but he had to choose his words carefully to make them acceptable, "It seems she has been subjected to a powerful Dark Magic spell that has limited her power and movements. I’m afraid she won’t be able to break free from these dark magic binds any time soon."

The word "Dark" alone sent a shiver through Torres’s body and mind, his gaze lifting in shock and uncertainty, "But where in the Northern Continent would there be such a powerful Dark Mage? Galian wouldn’t go to the South; she’s a very disciplined person, I can assure you that."

"Torres, don’t be too sure. Malone’s cause of death remains a mystery even now, happening under the watchful eyes of numerous Mage Knights in Versailles. We do not know to what extent the power of the Dark branch has developed. The Church might have indeed relaxed its guard in these years. Perhaps his Holiness the Pope’s decision to release Noyola’s people was truly the right choice," Frenster mused, his gaze becoming unfocused as if pondering something.