Chapter 43: The Evil Descends (7)

A very long time ago, the great gods created humans. Humans were foolish and ignorant, acting purely on instinct without intelligence. They were no different from animals.

The gods did not intervene, allowing humans to live freely. However, entities from beyond this realm took an interest in the Mortal Realm. These beings crossed into the Mortal Realm, toying with humans as though they were mere playthings, slaughtering them for amusement.

The gods, unable to bear such sights, descended upon the world. They designated these beings as demons, declaring them as entities unfit to exist in this world. After countless clashes between the gods and the demons, they finally succeeded in banishing the demons from this realm.

The humans revered the great gods who had saved them. They remembered their names and began worshiping them. Communities of these worshipers eventually formed religious orders. Under the gods’ guidance, humanity achieved unprecedented progress.

After many centuries had passed, the story reached the present.

“I see.” Ketal stroked his chin as if he found the story intriguing. His reaction surprised Aquaz. The tale she had just shared was an ancient myth—one so tedious that children would often doze off during lessons in the church.

Yet, Ketal listened intently, his expression filled with curiosity. Touched by this unexpected reaction, Aquaz continued her explanation. “The demons were banished from the Mortal Realm. The great ones erected barriers to prevent the demons from residing here.”

However, the pathways from Hell had already opened. No matter how strong the barriers were, the demons could still interfere with the Mortal Realm.

Though divine aid was required, the gods could not continuously monitor the Mortal Realm. Therefore, they chose among their worshipers, granting them a portion of their divine power. These chosen humans wielded miracles from the gods. Through this, the Church gained even greater influence, eventually spreading its power across the entire continent.

“I think I understand,” Ketal murmured, summarizing the historical narrative told by the worshipers of this world. “Is it impossible to kill these beings because they originate from another dimension?”

“Yes,” Aquaz affirmed. “They do not belong in this world, and thus, the concepts of this realm cannot eliminate them. But through the divine miracles of the gods, such demons can be defeated.”

Aquaz’s eyes gleamed with fervent belief, her expression radiating unwavering faith.

“I see,” Ketal smiled. “In that case, I have a question. Divine miracles can overpower demons, yes? They also hold an elemental advantage over them.”

“Correct,” she said, nodding.

“Then do these divine miracles also hold superiority over Myst?”

Without hesitation, Aquaz nodded again. “The great gods’ miracles surpass all human capabilities. They are supreme over all forms of power humans wield.”

“Interesting.” Ketal’s interest visibly deepened.

“The Sun God, whom I serve, stands at the pinnacle among the many gods.”

Though not entirely true, it was a small, innocent exaggeration from a devoted believer. There were countless gods, some far stronger than the Sun God. Yet, the Sun God was indeed a powerful deity, one of the few that exerted significant influence over the Mortal Realm.

“I see.” Ketal’s face reflected fascination. His reaction sparked an idea in Aquaz’s mind.

Maybe... I can convert this barbarian into the Sun God’s faith,

Aquaz wondered. Unlike other barbarians, Ketal seemed to harbor no resistance toward gods. On the contrary, he appeared genuinely intrigued by even the dullest of historical stories.

For a devout follower of the Sun God like her, converting a barbarian would bring boundless joy. While she cared little for politics, the Sun God’s Church would also gain tremendous benefit. Having someone capable of single-handedly overwhelming demons join their ranks would strengthen the Church’s influence significantly.

“If you ever wish to join, please do not hesitate to let me know. I will personally guide you through the process,” Aquaz offered warmly.

“Hmm?” Ketal’s interest piqued further, though for a reason different from Aquaz’s hopes. “If I were to join, would I also be able to wield divine miracles?”

“Well, no...” Aquaz quickly shook her head. “Only those chosen by the Sun God can perform miracles. I cannot say more than that.”

“I see. I’ll think about it,” Ketal replied casually.

“Yes!” Aquaz beamed, nodding enthusiastically.

The mere thought that Ketal could seriously consider joining filled her with excitement. She sincerely wished to share the teachings of the Sun God with him.

Of course, Ketal’s thoughts were elsewhere. He didn’t believe Aquaz’s words. He assumed the part about gods creating humans was likely a fabrication meant to enhance the gods’ majesty.

However, he believed the conflict between gods and demons to be true. Demons had been defeated by the gods and banished.

Demons are beings from another dimension...

Ketal thought. They were entities that did not originally belong to this world. Because of that, if they were to fully manifest, the powers of this world would be unable to defeat them.

However, the power of the gods could. And divine power held an inherent superiority over the forces of this world.

If so, wouldn’t it be possible that the gods themselves shared the same origins as demons?

he thought. He didn’t voice such thoughts aloud. To deny the foundation of the gods would be blasphemy. Aquaz could very well take up her mace and strike him dead on the spot.

Instead, Ketal steered the conversation toward a different, less controversial topic of interest. “Divine power, you say, is the ability to wield the gods’ strength?”

“Yes, it is the manifestation of their great miracles,” Aquaz confirmed.

“And the scripture you wield—does it also fall under that category?”

“That is correct.” Aquaz nodded.

The scripture was a holy text—an account of the Sun God’s deeds as witnessed by those who had directly observed his descent to the Mortal Realm. It was a sacred relic, so valuable that only a select few within the Church were permitted to read it.

“Had it not been for the scripture, I would not have been able to stand against the demon as I did,” Aquaz admitted.

In truth, she had been on the defensive against Ashetiaar at the beginning of the battle. It was only after she invoked the scripture that she began to gain the upper hand.

“The scripture recounts the journeys of the Sun God. By reciting it, I can channel his miracles directly. Being granted permission to read the scripture is a testament to the Sun God’s acknowledgment of my faith. It was an immense blessing,” she added,

Of course, it came with risks. Receiving divine power directly placed great strain on both body and mind. Even Aquaz, hailed as a prodigy, struggled to recite more than five passages at a time.

“A book chronicling a journey, huh,” Ketal murmured, intrigued. He had read all the scriptures from his own world. “I’d like to read it for myself.”

“Haha... That would be difficult,” Aquaz replied with a sheepish laugh. “Even within the Church, only a handful are granted access. I was only allowed because the Saintess took a liking to me.”

“I understand. It’s merely a curiosity,” Ketal said with a wave of his hand. “That being said, I’m also curious about the demon. Her name was Ashetiaar, right? Is she the strongest of her kind?”

“She is not,” Aquaz shook her head.

A demon with a name was a being that had reached a certain level of power. However, there were countless demons far stronger than those who bore names.

“Ashetiaar is among the weakest of the named demons,” she clarified.

“Oh?” Ketal’s interest deepened. “So, there are demons even stronger than her?”

“Yes. Demons also have ranks and hierarchies. Ashetiaar holds no official rank—she is merely an ordinary demon.”

Even so, a named demon was no small threat. Only a Transcendent, someone capable of wielding Aura, could face such an entity. In other words, if such a warrior wasn’t present, there would be no way to deal with a named demon.

“For such a powerful being to appear in these remote regions... This world is quite dangerous,” Ketal remarked.

“Well, not really,” Aquaz countered. “Under normal circumstances, a named demon shouldn’t be able to manifest so easily. Their summoning requires immense sacrifices and time. Moreover, the Church is usually forewarned through divine oracles. Most dark mages who attempt to summon demons are caught and fail under the scrutiny of the gods’ gaze.”

Named demons appearing was an event so rare it occurred perhaps once every decade, and each instance mobilized entire continents. If such beings could manifest this easily, the world would already belong to demons.

“But this time was different,” Aquaz said grimly. Even though the gods issued an oracle, it arrived late. By the time Aquaz arrived, the demon had already descended. And there was no sign of the dark mage who had summoned her.

It was as though the demon had manifested by her own power. To make matters worse, she was capable of creating her own domain so quickly, which was considered impossible.

“Something is happening to this world,” Aquaz said, biting her lip.

This wasn’t the first anomaly. Strange disturbances had begun occurring across the world, all to humanity’s detriment.

“Realms that should have remained sealed are starting to affect the world. Dungeons are forming at an abnormal rate, and countless malicious entities are creeping into the open,” she continued.

The changes had begun a year ago.

“A year ago?” Ketal tilted his head.

A year ago marked the time he was completing his final quest, but that had been in the White Snowfield, a place entirely separate from this fantasy world.

“The conversation has veered in another direction,” Aquaz said, bowing her head respectfully. “First and foremost, thank you again.”

She straightened, her voice sincere. “Without you, I would have become a mere pawn of darkness. I will not forget this grace. Should you ever visit the Sun God’s Church, we will welcome you warmly.”

“That sounds good,” Ketal said with a broad grin.

***

Several hours later, Aquaz found herself seated in a carriage. Her entire body still ached and creaked from exhaustion, but she couldn’t afford to delay any longer. She needed to return to the holy sanctuary as quickly as possible.

She had already informed Lord Barcan about what had occurred. It was now his responsibility to address the matter. Her priority was to relay this critical information to the sanctuary without delay.

I must report this to the Saintess,

Aquaz thought.

The Saintess of the Sun God was the mortal closest to the divine being. She wondered how the Saintess might perceive this situation. A faint, bitter smile crossed her lips.

Still...

A single, nagging question lingered in her mind. The divine gaze of the Sun God was said to observe this world with clarity. It was through this omniscience that evil could be detected before it descended, allowing action to be taken in advance. This time, the Sun God’s oracle had arrived accurately. The fault lay in her inability to act swiftly, not in the oracle itself.

Usually, such oracles also included information about potential allies. They often spoke of someone who could be found—someone who would pave the way to defeating the forces of evil.

In this recent battle, Ketal had played an irreplaceable role in defeating the demon. Without him, she doubted she would have succeeded.

This left Aquaz puzzled.

Why, then, did the Sun God not deliver a prophecy about that barbarian?