The Crimson Magister Chapter 141: V3-Intermission: The Lord of Beginnings

Read chapter 141 of The Crimson Magister by Okram on NovelPedia.

Ilya was not one to take a loss lying down. The woman who had crushed her would pay. However, what mattered now was retrieving the artifact for her lady. She side-eyed Hikari, her sister in faith, yet there was something about her that disgusted her. She was far too soft. Is my lady certain that she will be helpful? She shook her head and led the way through the dense foliage. “Ilya, are you certain the temple is so close to Onost? The elves would have retrieved the artifact already.” Ilya scoffed. “Are you questioning my goddess?” Hikari sighed. “Not at all.” “Good,” Ilya said while clearing out the dense vegetation. Soon they arrived at a small clearing. Around them was a stone well, in which the circles concentrated toward a small pond. “My Lady said, we need to jump into that water,” Ilya confidently led the way. They stepped down onto the steps of stone toward the pond. Ilya knelt down and stared at it. “I am going first, do not dare run away.” Without a further word, Ilya dived into the water. The vision around her changed, and the connection to her lady cut. Her divinity faded. A quiet ticking of the clock echoed around her before her vision returned to normal. She clenched her fist. “I can’t use my power here?” If she had said that she was not worried about that fact, it would be a massive lie. Soon after, Hikari appeared behind her. Both girls were equally clueless about their current situation. “I cannot call upon my power here,” Hikari stated, trying to conjure her weapon. For the first time in their long lives, both girls were mere mortals. “It matters not, we need to retrieve the artifact and get out of this place.” Hikari shuddered. “I do not like this.” The tunnels were cold and dark, with only the sound of a ticking clock echoing around them. However, despite the darkness, their sight still pushed through as if it were the brightest daylight. “Stop whining, follow me,” Ilya said while gesturing Hikari to quicken her stride. Lady of dawn, guide me. She uttered a quick prayer in her mind and caught up to Ilya. The duo of girls approached a set of stairs that led deeper inside. As they descended, the tunnels became wider and taller, revealing a massive room surrounded by many white pillars. Large white banners, embroidered with the golden hourglass, hung from them, gently swaying with the wind that permeated the temple. A red carpet stretched before them, and a large pedestal welcomed them in the middle of it. At the end was a large throne, with what looked like a marble statue. Yet, the group wasn’t alone. Hikari pulled Ilya behind the pillar and observed. A group of beastmen and humans approached the pedestal. The artifact was welcoming anyone to take it, there were no defenses. It resembled a spear stuck in the belly of the beast. That is the white hand! Hikari’s eyes widened. Yet, the weapon of such power was completely in the open. “Let me go,” Ilya said, struggling to escape Hikari’s grasp. “No, we do not have our divine blessing right now, we need to be careful,” She whispered. The human who was leading the group reached forward and touched the white hand. Unworthy. A powerful voice erupted from each pillar. The ticking stopped, and the marble statue rose from the throne, revealing that it was not a statue, but instead a man of unknown race. His face was obscured, and a large golden clock floated behind him. “I am the daybreak of the dawn, a cry of a newborn babe, and the first scream of creation. One who knows what is, and what will be. The keeper of eternal beginning and the quiet ticking clock.” A whisper echoed through the halls. “The love of beginning now beckons you, for you have sinned. The broken clock is now stuck in perpetuity and eternal decay.” He spoke, voice echoing. “I state now, before the Truth of Time . Your existence never was and will never be again.” With a simple statement, the time itself forgot the invaders. They simply never were. The history erased them, and the memory faded. “The