novelraw Chapter 269: Crimson Sin
Chapter 269: Crimson Sin
Chapter 269: Crimson Sin “You’re lying!”
Soren’s dumbfounded voice echoed into the distant scene. A howl stretching far across the blood crusade’s ruined lands. And yet…
Deep down, he couldn’t help but come to similar conclusions. Astrea—The Mother of Silver—was the goddess of Humanity, Justice, and Righteous Hierarchies. That was what Her Divine Authority symbolizes. Moreover, She was said to be the savior of humanity during the War of Swords—the biblical mythologies were describing the scenes he was witnessing all along…
The descriptions of Her truly did match that of the Goddess of Justice in Greek Mythology. Albeit, there were some minor differences, but that’s to be expected since Yarian was still its own world…
“Believe whatever you want to believe,” Merlin chuckled. “The truth is only for those who seek it.”
Soren clicked his tongue. “And yet your magecraft affinity hides the truth.”
“Wrong.” His smile grew even wider. “My magecraft affinity, Pathkeeper, allows me to steer the paths one takes with their mind. The truth isn’t hidden—you simply ignore it on a subconscious level. Moreover, the effect is largely subtle. Once the person notices the truth, I cannot make them forget it afterwards. That is why the poison of guidance must be a powerful one…”
A lot of words just to say the very same thing… Soren rolled his eyes.
However, despite all of this, his mind was still largely occupied by the new revelation. The Mother of Silver being a former Earthean like himself truly left him stunned.
This still doesn’t really add up… Wouldn’t this imply the Greek Gods of myth are all real? Or perhaps Astrea is unique in that aspect—Her mythology from what I remember was heavily contested, since other accounts of a Goddess of Justice exist…
And about the other pantheons? Are the Norse Gods real? The ancient Egyptians? The Japanese… The more his mind conjured thoughts, the more strange and bizarre Earth seemed.
How could he have lived twenty two years of his life there and never noticed these oddities? It was becoming harder and harder to recognize his own home world…
Glaring at the Whispering Dream’s distant figure, Soren decided it was best to obtain more information:
“Why did Astrea transmigrate to Yarian? Isn’t she the Goddess of Justice there? From the scenes we’ve seen, She was only a mortal at the beginning. No, not just a mortal—She was a human slave…”
“Good questions.” The Sleepless Guide clapped softly. “I’m unaware of the specifics—perhaps She was struck by a calamity there and perished. Her arrival to Yarian didn’t occur in the same way it did for you. Rather, She had simply reincarnated as a human child with some of Her past memories.
“As I said before, the pollution of foreign anima is best exemplified through Her birth. Somehow, the very authorities She represents managed to bypass the Cathedral of Aeons’ barrier, allowing some of the residual symbolisms tied to Her to mix with Yarian’s Collective Subconscious. The barrier’s weakening played a role in this development”
As he slowly listened to the lecture, the scenes below once again changed. Reflecting in his eyes were vast swaths of dark sand, forming colossal dunes stretching beyond the horizon. Millions of corpses were layered underneath the shifting earth—some slowly being excavated by the everlasting wind.
Standing on one side of the colossal battlefield were azure banners embroidered in golden silk. An emblem of a sheep and wolf sleeping beside each other in a circle was depicted. Armies of spirit wolves held proudly to their flags, casting an enormous shadow as the sun set behind them.
At the front, Soren noticed a familiar figure. Standing taller than His army was a white-furred Spirit Wolf with ocean blue eyes. Strangely, His facial features were far more human compared to the rest, reminding him of Joyce—Tina’s sister. His long silver hair cascaded down past His canine ears, waving with the flow of the wind.
A colossal dark-metal sword was strapped to His back as He strode on the back of a mighty steed. Strange blueish-white flames would spark from every step the armored Spirit Beast would take.
Hurion, Eternal Knight of the Slumbering Wolf.
Although He was no longer a skeleton like the last time he’d seen Him, the presence He exuded wasn’t hard to recognize.
On the other side of the battlefield, a radiant figure shined bright enough to eclipse the setting sun. She was Astrea, the Great Equalizer—the Angel of Balance. She held tightly to a colossal spear that burned with righteous indignation and pure white fury, its presence akin to a pillar of cleanliness.
Behind Her, thousands of crusaders marched in tandem. Bereft of any banners or insignias, all that remained was their yearning for freedom and dignity. Their hearts burned with the same pureness as their savior.
She grew this powerful already?... Soren was certain Astrea was likely an Ascended Grade Phantasm by now. And to think the enemy She now faces was none other than Hurion Himself. The lingering memories of the Castle of Devastation caused his frown to deepen.
Watching the two sides slowly prepare for battle, Merlin continued. “Through Her Abstract Runes finally proliferating across the Beyond, a strange miracle managed to occur. Astrea was somehow born as a Phantasm with some of Her former abilities intact.”
Soren’s eyes widened. “How is that even possible…” That would imply She obtained a Soul Weapon without ever needing to do a Soul Alchemy Ritual.
“Is it perhaps due to Abstract Rune Synchronization?” He wondered. “The Abstract Runes that once belonged to the Star Maiden passed through the Astral River and willingly decided to submit to Her reincarnation?”
“That is one theory,” The Whispering Dream nodded. “But there are others too—perhaps She possessed some higher-level inheritance. A fragment of a Forgotten Rune like you, for example… Or it could be the result of one of Her abilities—some Abstract Runes govern over the concepts of rebirth or renewal. The possibilities are endless…
“As for why the Flower Maiden and the Slumbering One coveted Her…” Merlin chuckled then smiled. “The reason actually had nothing to do with Her origins. No, their desire was much more primal than that.
“It was mostly related to Her symbolisms being tied to humanity.”
“Humanity?” His brows furrowed as he glanced once more at army of knights standing behind Her.
Merlin’s grin widened. “Don’t you find it strange how in the beginning of the Third Age of Fantasia, humanity was treated far better than it is now, during the War of Swords?”
The question made Soren pause. Now that he thought about it a bit more, it was indeed strange… Humanity had no deities of its own by the end of the Age of Heresy. Only the elves, dragons, and spirit wolves emerged victorious. Not to mention, it was heavily implied that the humans of the Avalon Empire in the First Age heavily persecuted many smaller races… Surely there would be many who would hold a grudge?
And yet, as Myrin had explained it, humanity didn’t suffer at all during this period. In fact, many opted to worship these newly ascended gods side by side with the other races…
It was only in the later periods of the Third Age that slavery became more common.
The Sleepless Guide chuckled. “You can thank Astrea for that. As I said before, the false gods were driven into madness from their overreliance on the Astral River. With desperation growing during the Age of Heresy, the race to divinity became fraught with endless dangers. And so, obtaining the ‘alternate futures’ of the Side Branches became the only choice. A choice… that demanded a heavy sacrifice.
“Because the anima that had been filtered through those Side Branches came from other realms, the authorities the false gods obtained were also corrupted with these influences. And as I stated before, your realm—Earth—was one of our main suppliers!”
Hearing this, a sudden realization dawned over Soren. His eyes widened, “You don’t mean…” Earth… it was known for only having humans…
“Exactly,” he chuckled, confirming his theory. “The Gods’ good treatment of humanity… All of it can be attributed to this foreign influence! It was demanded of them, after all—going against it would be akin to denying the alternate future you accepted. Humanity became integral to their existence as deities, despite it not being the race they originated from!
“The elves adapted to live with the humans. Same with the Spirit Wolves who would later subjugate the Cat-sith race. It was so comedic to witness—the beings known for their conquests and desiring honor in death, had to live with a different species and treat them as kin… All while they were busy genociding other races that held more similarities to them than the humans!”
“.....” Soren could only watch the unfolding battle in silence.
“But that is why Astrea became so important to them. Her governing principles as the Star Maiden holds significant weight over the concept of human existence itself. Controlling Astrea meant obtaining an even higher authority over the humans under their orbits which in turn meant gaining even more control over the alternate futures they consumed….
“Before the discovery of the Spirit Blossom Seed, The Flower Maiden and the Slumbering One signed a mutually agreed upon pact that allowed both deities to possess human believers. That way, conflicts would not arise between them.
“And this was further showcased with Astrea’s birth. As a miraculous child, She was given as a tribute to the Gods, who both agreed to nurture Her together. That way, they could both equally share in the fractured authorities She once possessed back in your world. The plan was utterly perfect…
“If not for the start of the War of Swords, that is.”
Frowning, Soren turned to watch the clash between Hurion and Astrea. Hurricanes of pure silver light mixed with raging azure flames that burned the minds of any person that looked into it, making them enter an eternal slumber. Even the black sands of the Eclipse Moor were slowly turning into obsidian glass.
Overhead, the spectral banners of a distant Daemon legion fought against an equally devastating Fairy army, who seemed to be trying to utilize the chaos Astrea was instigating for their own benefit.
This… this was the result of their madness. Their obsession with controlling humanity backfired…
“The War of Swords… I finally understand the significance behind its name.”
This wasn’t a war fought with swords. This was a war where the oppressed finally raised their swords…
Astrea’s blood crusades were something neither deity expected. The authorities they obtained forced them to take in humanity—it discouraged them from ever attempting to get rid of this otherwise useless race. And the same applied to their symbol—the Flower Maiden and the Slumbering One could not force Astrea to join them. Nor could they kill Her to avoid the problem of Her rebellion…
No, perhaps their greed compelled them to continue pursuing Her submission… regardless of whether or not success was possible.
Merin laughed. “Their desperation to ascend had weakened the barrier and unknowingly invited a great poison.”
A poison that could kill even the Gods…
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After Hurion and Astrea’s battle, the proud Spirit Wolf Knight was forced into a standstill—neither side could defeat the other. This became the Angel of Balance’s first failed crusade. The scenes shifted numerous times, depicting more battles between them. Soren became certain that Hurion was likely being tasked with stopping Her, but with each new scene, both of them still continued to grow stronger, yet neither side defeated the other.
In fact, he sensed some form of rivalry or friendship developing between each skirmish. The Sleepless Guide called these historic battles the ‘Clash of Lambs and Wolves.’
Is this why Hurion immediately knew I was a Foolish One? Because of His former relationship with Astrea?...
Eventually, however, the battles seemed to shift elsewhere. The environment for the battles were utterly different from before, with the sky resembling the pastel colors one would see throughout the Beyond.
Merlin explained that this was due to the creation of the Jewel of Silmar. This was a relic created through alchemy and the sacrifice of all the Fairy Dragons. Because of how ravaged the continent became, the elven Eldersmiths found it necessary to create it. Using it, they were able to manifest entire subspace worlds big enough for citadels and legions to be formed and organized inside it…
These ‘gap dimensions’ as he called them, were prone to invasions from both Daemons and the Spirit Wolf armies. The later clashes during the War of Swords were all said to have happened within their isolated spaces.
And Astrea was no stranger to it either.
In one of the scenes, Soren witnessed Her personally submerging an entire gap dimension in silver before shattering it completely. He was certain She
had already reached Monarch or Empyrean status by now…I wonder if this all happened before or after the events of the Mirror Game? Soren couldn’t exactly tell the passage of time between the shifting of the scenes. All he knew was that time had progressed significantly. No doubt, more than a hundred years had passed since his introduction to Her.
He watched as the battles grew more and more insane. They were becoming far too chaotic for his eyes to track. The Blossom Sword Flower, the Demon of Whispers, Demon of Knowledge, Demon of Ignorance, the Vineless Saint, Ulster the Greedy, Jasmine of Eternal Fragrance, Holy Knight of Sleep’s Embrace, the Hidden Rose, Eternal Knight of the Slumbering Wolf, and many many more… Merlin was mentioning more names than he could count.
And embroiled in conflict with all of them was the Great Equalizer Herself.
Astrea’s soldiers made up of human rebels had by now ballooned to a whopping one million strong…
It was utterly unbelievable to him. This mere mortal had somehow risen higher than anyone could have imagined. All while being a prize both deities coveted. Truly, a lamb who fought against Her own would-be butchers…
But then something happened.
A scene unlike any before it. One that filled Soren with utter horror.
The Final Crusade.
A march so massive, the earth itself shook. Astrea led Her believers toward a distant mythical mountain. Its snowy peak beyond the glimpse of even the clouds.
“Mount Tolarion…” He whispered as the vision continued to play out before him.
From a distance, Merlin watched his reactions in amusement. As if full of anticipation. At first Soren didn’t know what he was awaiting. It was only after the next scene was shown that everything began to click.
In the Upper Winds, Hurion and his armies fought bravely to keep the humans at bay, but they continued to concede ground to the incursion. Eventually, however, a weakness in their ranks was found, allowing the human crusaders to push through.
Astrea had finally reached Her destination. The place She wanted to reach from the very beginning of Her rebellion.
The Side Branch that housed the rest of Her Divine Authority!
Entering through the cave led Her to find what She had been missing all along. By this point, Soren could no longer even glance in Her direction—She had truly ascended into the status of a God. A strange fervor filled his heart, compelling him to seek the warmth of purity and grace. For the first time in a long time, Soren yearned to be human again.
The Mother of Silver… was born.
But that was not where the Second Scroll’s visions ended. The horror was only beginning.
Afterwards, the next scene depicted the very same place he had been in earlier—the Cathedral of Aeons. Except, it looked nothing like the pristine setting he had grown familiar with. The glass-like infinite floor was shattered in countless places—even the Astral River’s cosmos seemed to have been stirred by a great force.
Azure flames that numbed his mind if he looked at them grew wildly in some areas, while others seemed to be teaming with life and nature itself. And in between it all, fields of swords, spears, knives, axes, hammers, and countless other weapons spread indiscriminately—a graveyard of purity and justice.
Soren refused to witness what was happening in fear of his head exploding, but he was still able to come up with a theory. Astrea was likely battling against the Slumbering One and the Flower Maiden! A three-way battle between the Gods had begun!
And then it happened.
The unspeakable occurred.
While the Gods continued their battle, the humans—now newly energized by the ascension of their savior—fought with even more courage against the spirit wolves. And behind them, the elves were attempting to block their path of retreat. They had to fight on two fronts simultaneously, but not even that managed to stop them.
At the head of their armies was a handsome young man decked in plated armor, wielding a glowing silver bow. Fighting against him was someone Soren was familiar with—Hegir of the Bloodpine Tribe. His ‘X’ shaped scar was recognizable even in the fog of war. Behind their legions, Hurion was present as well, but He was more preoccupied with climbing the mountain. His goal was to reach Astrea Herself.
But just as he finally entered the cave, the frigid life-like storm ceased momentarily. It was so strange, both sides had to stop fighting just to process what had occurred.
It didn’t take them long to realize the danger.
One by one, humans, elves, and spirit wolves alike were all consumed in radiant white flames that melted their skin. It was a searing fire that cooked slowly, but the pain it caused was maddening… No one was spared its wrath. Even Hurion couldn’t shake it off.
The soldiers began to desperately roll on the ground, hoping for the ancient snow and ice to cool them. But there was no hope… The more they reacted, the stronger the flames became. It was impossible to resist. And most terrifying of all was just its sheer scale…
The white flames didn’t just burn the soldiers on the battlefield.
It burned everyone involved.
EVERYONE.
Every medic, every logistical worker, every strategist, chef, sanitation worker, prostitute… Millions were burned. It didn’t matter what it was or where you were on the continent. If you were involved in the War of Swords in any way, agonizing white flames would erupt from within to annihilate you.
The entire continent burned… No one involved in the conflict was spared, except for Hurion who shielded himself within the Side Branch and the Spirits who hid in places Her flames couldn’t reach.
This… This was blind justice.
The humans who had followed Her all the way to the base of the mountain looked up into the heavens and asked, “Why?”
“Why are we burning? What sin have we committed?”
Their pleas died on deaf ears. But if She were to hear them, Astrea would answer back with only one word:
“Balance.”
Disgust, horror, and fear mixed in Soren’s heart as he watched it all unfold. There wasn’t a single reaction he could make. Not a single expression could fully describe his emotions at that moment.
But just like the human soldiers, he too found himself asking, “Why?”
This time, it was Merlin who answered. “To defeat the false gods. She had to erase everything they stood for. A god without believers, is no god at all.”
“But… This is excessive.”
“Excessive, but effective.”
“.....”
The immolating flames grew brighter and brighter, and yet, the screams of anguish and despair couldn’t be masked. Only the children who had never had the chance to partake in the conflict were spared. But why would it matter if said children could only watch helplessly as their parents melted into ashes before their very eyes?
It was only then that Soren was reminded of something. A place he had visited once in the past, during his Astral Projection journey across the Beyond…
The Crimson Eye.
That sin Hurion spoke of, it was this very act he was currently witnessing. The howls of the damned were unmistakable. It was as if he was once again hearing their voices fill his mind…
And with that, the scenes completely ended. Soren remained still, trying to comprehend everything he had witnessed. This prompted the Whispering Dream to chuckle.
“After committing this atrocity, the Flower Maiden was forced to rely on the Spirit Blossom seed that She held in Her possession, unaware that it was a trap Astrea set for Her. The Spirit Blossom Willow that grew from Her blood and nourishmentsought to replace Her entirely, forcing Yasini to split Her own Divine Authority at the last minute, which created what you now know as the Greenfather. I suppose this was destined to happen, considering that Her authorities were never Hers to begin with…
“As for the Slumbering One, the Mother of Silver killed Him personally in the Cathedral of Aeons. Though, His Divine Authority itself persisted, causing reincarnations of Him to emerge every few decades. The H’aavast Tribes would search all over the continent whenever a new incarnation was divined. But He completely lost His divine status. He is now more akin to an Ascended Grade Spirit with an undeserved venerated status.
“As for the Great Equalizer Herself, She utilized the nine Hollowed Star Fragments She had been collecting all this time to bring about an age of Her own choosing.
“Except… true to Her name, Astrea’sdecision deviated from Her predecessors.
“Rather than shaping an era with Herself at its center, She convened the surviving gods instead.
“Among them were the remnant Divine Authority of the Slumbering One; the newly risen Spirit Blossom Willow—now bearing the mantle of the Flower Maiden; the Beast of Knowledge, who had abstained from the war; and the Greenfather, whose dominion clung only to nature’s symbols and no longer the Spirits themselves…
“Lastly, there was the Gold Giver—a dwarf by the name of Ulster who had secretly clawed His way to divinity by funneling vast wealth—earned unethically through arms deals he had brokered to aid in both side’s war efforts. One truly cannot comprehend the conspiracies that rest beneath Darkshrine Castle…
“Together, Astrea bound them all beneath a single Divine Accord. To freeze this world’s fate and with it, any remnant of the past Age. The Demons were sealed, the noble elven families were replaced, the Greenfather became the Nurturer of Nature, helping to restore the fractured continent to its former glory. Even the Crimson Sin She manifested was hidden entirely. So many other promises too—they were all truly difficult to break…” Merlin sighed.
Hearing all of this, Soren’s expression remained empty.
“You’re probably asking yourself, why would she do that? Why not rule this world indefinitely?” The Sleepless Guide shook his head and smiled. “It’s because Astrea understood something no other person did. A concept so fundamental, many would likely end their lives on the spot the moment they learned of it.
“I like to call, Convergence.”
Convergence… The word lingered in his mind.
“It is something that this world is fated to suffer from. A fate Astrea tried to resist. Her solution, honestly, was pretty naive. All She did was delay the inevitable. I, for one, seek the total destruction of this world. That is the only way to avoid this mess. And it is the solution that the Orbits of Fate itself approves of.”
“Fate…” Soren grit his teeth. No wonder they called both of us Foolish Ones for trying to resist…
“Indeed,” The Whispering Dream nodded with a melancholic smile. “Do you understand now? Nothing you do will ever allow you to escape. Submit to the shackles—their weight will loosen if you do so.
“And fate… Fate is telling you to aid me. Slay your teacher, and free this world from its misery.”
“I refuse.” Soren closed his eyes as he said the words. “I don’t care whether this world perishes or continues to exist in stagnation. My role is absolute—I am a witness. A scribe who records but never interferes.”
“Never interfere?” The Whispering Dream scoffed. “You’ve already interfered plenty of times. Tell me, Soren, do you see yourself as a reader of a book, or a character within a story?”
“.....”
“Truly the height of pity,” Merlin shook his head. “And to think you’re mistaken about your role as a scribe, too.”
“Mistaken?” Soren lifted his brow.
“I will show you just how mistaken you are.” He snapped his fingers, changing the world around him. The scene now depicted a strangely ancient castle chamber made of dark stones and etched in gold. Countless decorations and armor stands lined every corner. At the center, a colossal round table made of dark mahogany wood stood proudly—thirteen ethereal swords lining its circumference.
At the center of the table, a large map was spread for all to see. It depicted a colossal supercontinent surrounded by ocean on all sides. Next to it was another smaller map that featured several continents divided by massive oceans. All of them were extremely familiar…
It was only then that he was struck by a sudden realization.
Merlin, the Sleepless Guide grinned. “Say hello to your second ancestor—the First Foolish One of History!”