novelhk Chapter 525 Holy Domain Trial (Page 12)
Chapter 525 Holy Domain Trial (Page 12)
“Lord Alpha,” Fanxing looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.
She didn't know what the adults had gone through in that secret room, but she could sense it.
That spirited, seemingly omnipotent Alpha.
It seemed that in that afternoon, she had aged considerably and become much more tired.
"No matter what happens, the stars will always be by your side, never to be separated."
These simple yet sincere words, like a ray of light, pierced through the gloom in Alpha's heart.
Looking at the girl who trusted him wholeheartedly, Alpha felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.
Yes, Alpha is not alone.
If Alpha is given a second chance at life and then gives up because of this setback, what is the point of its rebirth?
"Yes, I know." Alpha grasped Star's hand in return, his voice hoarse but carrying a renewed determination.
"I shouldn't be so despondent. Perhaps all of this... was planned by someone from the very beginning. Since fate wants to crush me, then I'll fight my way out of this predicament!"
Alpha took a deep breath, the confusion in his eyes replaced by determination.
Since he cannot escape the fate of being a chess piece, he will become the most restless piece, the one most capable of disrupting the game!
"Fanxing, go and call Murat, Peter, and Bedor over." Alpha released Fanxing's hand and strode towards the study.
In that familiar world full of intrigue and scheming, Alpha's only reliance at this moment is himself.
Before long, the three rushed over. Seeing Alpha's solemn and murderous appearance, they all felt a chill in their hearts.
The room was filled with a sense of impending doom.
Alpha made no further attempt to conceal his intentions. Standing before his desk, his gaze sharp as lightning swept over everyone present: "I have reached an agreement with the Pope. This year's Holy Knight is none other than me! From this moment on, the formation of the Holy Flame Knights must be accelerated. I don't need a few hundred or a few thousand people, but a preliminary scale of ten thousand!"
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the ears of the three of them.
Bedor's eyes widened; he clearly hadn't expected Alpha to receive such a clear promise from the Pope—it was simply unbelievable!
“Alright! Leave this to me!” Bedor said, though he was filled with doubt and uncertainty.
But seeing the unwavering look in Alpha's eyes, he immediately straightened his back and agreed.
For the sake of his family's future, Bedor had no choice but to take this gamble.
“Murat,” Alfa turned to the taciturn, burly man, “you go back immediately. You will switch positions with Best, you will go to the east to team up with Zahir, and Old John will team up with Best. One in the east and one in the west, supporting each other, and waiting for my orders at any time.”
Murat didn't ask any further questions, but simply nodded emphatically: "Yes!"
For him, Alpha's orders were everything.
Even if it were a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, he would jump down without hesitation.
"Go back and prepare. If there's nothing else, train them hard!" Alpha shouted in a deep voice. "What I want is an iron army, a fierce and powerful force that can break through the encirclement in this chaotic world!"
After seeing Murat off, Alfa turned around and stared intently at Bedor.
Alfa's tone turned unusually serious: "Bedo, listen carefully. If internal strife breaks out in the Holy City, or if the situation gets out of control, you must leave here immediately and seek refuge outside the city with the Holy Flame Legion! Don't delay for a moment!"
Bedo was startled by his sudden warning and said incredulously, "Ray, is it really that serious? The election hasn't even started yet. Although there are undercurrents between the Papacy and the Empire, they're doing a pretty good job of maintaining appearances. How could there suddenly be internal strife?"
Alpha sneered, a chilling glint in his eyes: "If you don't leave, I'll have my men evacuate alone. I will never sacrifice my brothers' lives for anyone. Why do you think the Pope agreed so easily? This Holy City is about to become a giant meat grinder!"
Seeing Alpha's serious expression, which he was not joking about, Bedor finally realized the gravity of the situation. His face turned deathly pale, and he hurriedly nodded, "I'll go! Of course I'll go! As long as I can live, I'll go anywhere!"
"We haven't reached that point yet, but we must plan ahead." Alpha rubbed his temples, his tone softening slightly.
"As long as the Pope has not officially announced the ownership of the Holy Ring, we are safe for the time being. But this safety could be shattered at any moment."
With everything arranged, the biggest weight still hadn't been lifted from Alpha's heart.
Alpha waved for everyone to leave and walked out of the room alone.
The moonlight tonight is cold and clear, shining on his lonely figure.
If there's anything left for Alpha to cherish in this treacherous and scheming Church of Light, it's probably just that one person.
Alpha unknowingly walked to Athena's door.
Everything here seemed so peaceful, a stark contrast to the turbulent inner world of the Alpha.
"Come in." Athena's calm voice came from inside the room, as if she had already anticipated his arrival.
Pushing open the door, I saw Athena sitting by the window, wiping her sacred sword in the moonlight.
The two sat facing each other, and a long silence fell over the room, with only their breathing mingling in the air.
In the end, it was Alpha that broke the silence.
Alpha looked at Athena's stunningly beautiful yet icy face and asked in a low voice, "Athena, I want to know... do you know all this? Do you know that we are nothing more than pawns in someone else's game?"
Athena paused slightly in her movements, but did not look up. She simply said calmly, "Some things are better left unknown than known. Knowing them will only disturb your mind and dull your sword."
Alpha's heart sank.
As expected, Athena knew, or rather, the Church of Light to which she served knew far more than he had imagined.
"This mission," Alpha took a deep breath and asked the question he feared most, "will you and I both die?"
Athena finally raised her head, her clear eyes looking directly at Alpha. There was no fear in them, only a calmness akin to that of a martyr: "In this mission, you are more important than any of us. When the problem is finally solved, whether it's the paladins or us knights of light, we will fight to the last breath to get you out safely. This is our mission."
"What exactly is the final plan?" Alpha pressed, needing to know the details to find a glimmer of hope in that seemingly hopeless situation.
"Our mission truly began the moment you put on the Holy Ring," Athena said slowly, her tone carrying a hint of worry that she herself was unaware of.
"When the paladin's activation ritual begins, the Holy Ring will generate powerful energy fluctuations. At that time, all the paladins of light will help us hold off the enemy. As for us, we will stay behind to take you away from this dangerous place."
Alpha was horrified. He asked incredulously, "To obtain a holy ring, or rather, to send me out, you're willing to sacrifice so many paladins and knights of light? Is it worth it?"
“The Holy Ring has already been tampered with.” A complex light flashed in Athena’s eyes.
“Once the initiation ceremony begins, it will become a bridge. As for whether it’s worth it… that’s the Vatican’s decision; we are only responsible for carrying it out.”
"Will we die?" Alpha asked one last question.
His gaze was fixed on Athena, as if he wanted to etch her image into his soul.
Athena was silent for a moment, then said softly, "The Pope once prophesied that the trajectory of fate has changed. You will become the driving force behind the overthrow of the empire, and the Holy See of Light will be reborn from the flames of war and ashes. This is the will of God."
"God's will?" Alpha scoffed, but a rebellious flame burned in his eyes. "I don't care about God's will! I only believe in myself!"
"I'll say it again, no matter what fate has in store for me, I will never let you die before me!" This was Athena's final promise.
"Forget it," Alpha seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic any longer.
Alpha stood up, his voice tinged with weariness and determination, "As long as we're alive, there's still hope. The best outcome is for everyone to survive."
Looking at the stubborn and beautiful woman in front of him, Alpha knew that he could not see through her heart, nor could he extract any useful information from her.
Alpha suddenly stood up, took a few steps to her, and roughly pushed her down onto the bed.
“Alpha…” Athena exclaimed, but did not struggle.
But a layer of misty fog had also appeared in those blue eyes.
On this night destined to be filled with killing and betrayal, they needed not words.
It is the most primal and direct fusion, to confirm each other's existence, and to resist the fear of the unknown.
Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating the intertwined figures and revealing a surging, passionate entanglement.
It wasn't until late at night, when all was quiet, that Alfon got up from Athena's bed.
Alpha looked at the woman sleeping soundly beside him, her face serene, and he didn't know whether he should trust her.
Under the blazing sun, the training ground in the center of the Trial Valley was scorching hot, and the air was filled with a tense and anxious atmosphere.
On the seventh day of the Holy Ring Ceremony, the brutal selection was nearing its end, and the remaining twenty-odd knights were all elites who had fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
It is obvious that these survivors are basically divided into three distinct factions: the Imperial Templar Knights, representing imperial power and orthodoxy; the noble knights, representing local tyrants and vested interests; and the commoner Holy Flame Knights, created by Alpha and full of wildness and the unknown.
The situation had already become clear through the covert standoff.
Outside the north gate of the city, three thousand Imperial Templar Knights, clad in heavy armor, stood like an iron tower.
That was the Duke of Orlando's confidence; his cold armor reflected a chilling light in the sunlight.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the north gate, a coalition of five thousand fully armed nobles was stationed.
Although their military bearing was slightly inferior to the Empire's elite troops, their superior standard equipment and high morale were not to be underestimated.
The east and west city gates were firmly controlled by Zahir's Knights of Suppression and Alpha's Holy Flame Legion, respectively.
At this moment, the fate of Alpha's commoner knights has been decided.
Once the ceremony concludes, Alpha and Zahir will lead their troops to the northern Greek city and the eastern Georgia, becoming "guardians" of the empire's frontier.
The final competition came down to three exceptional individuals.
The Duke of Orlando, from the Empire's side, is arrogant and disdainful of all, with his sword aimed at the Holy Ring;
The knights of Athos from the noble faction are calm, experienced, and determined to succeed.
Alpha is the most unpredictable variable in this grand scheme.
At 2 PM, the bell rang, and the six-person brawl was temporarily stopped.
The high priests announced a shocking decision: the remaining six would retain their qualifications and proceed directly to the final Holy Ring Sensing Ceremony.
But this is not a blessing, but a more severe test.
Before receiving the Holy Ring, each candidate must undergo a solo test by a current paladin, known as the "Solo Challenge".