Chapter Twenty-Nine
_ The Temple is the one who started all of this
* * *
Good events were happening rapidly; before even a full month had passed since the Emperor's birthday banquet, the news of the official engagement ceremony of the Emperor was the biggest news that ignited all social circles. There was no longer any talk occupying the people except for the date of the official engagement ceremony, which was decided to be on the first of May in the largest church in the Empire, which is under the presidency of the Great Patriarch Steve Rocshan. Everyone was puzzled; the Emperor had shown his lack of desire to engage with the Temple, and at the same time, the official engagement ceremony would be in the largest church. The nobles were excited and the commoners were happy for their Emperor...
Today is the day of the official engagement ceremony. They decided to perform the rituals in the Temple, which was painted in pearly white and decorated with bright silver ornaments and sparkled even more. It was decorated with thousands of white flowers and many colored flowers. The sight was majestic and beautiful. Although it was just an engagement, Ariana would officially be part of the Imperial Family. In the bride's waiting room, Ariana was sitting on the chair in a light silver dress and pure white jewelry. A transparent veil sprinkled with diamonds and pearls was placed on her head, covering her face. Marian was adjusting her makeup and adornments. Ariana felt that her heart was about to explode. It was a play they were performing, but she knew that she and Raphael were sincere in their feelings. She did not know if they had not thought of this plan, would they be in this place now? It was a positive thing, but she was very nervous, fearing that things would go awry, for the enemy is not easy...
A maid belonging to the Imperial Palace entered and bowed to Ariana.
"Your Majesty, the time has come."
Ariana nodded in understanding and stood up with Marian's help. It was not a heavy dress, but everyone knows that Ariana is sick, so she must act accordingly. ...
Ariana moved, followed by the maid and Marian, until she reached the entrance where Elliot was standing in his luxurious and elegant clothes. He smiled at his sister with a feeling of warmth and emotion. Ariana took her brother's arm with a warm smile, and they began moving toward the platform.
"My sister is beautiful; I cannot believe this day has come."
"My brother sounds like an old man when he talks like this."
Ariana spoke with a joyful laugh. Elliot sighed with a complex feeling and said:
"If my uncle and his wife were still alive, they would certainly be happy for this day. Even my mother used to paint many dreams for my sister. Surely they all see you and are happy for their beautiful child."
Ariana felt suffocated and tears almost shed, but she smiled at Elliot and said:
"It is my brother who takes care of me instead of them; my brother has conveyed everyone's feelings to me with sincerity as usual..."
'Why do I feel nostalgic for them? I feel that I miss them dearly. They are the people of Ariana, the owner of this body, and perhaps because I possess her memories. Why do I often feel nostalgia and loneliness? I want to meet my parents so badly.'
Elliot smiled at his sister, and they finally reached Raphael, who was excited while waiting for his bride, who was almost dazed. Elliot placed his sister's hand in Raphael's arm, and Ariana regained her senses, and the tension returned to her. She looked at Elliot, who spoke while handing her over to Raphael:
"I hope I don't regret this."
"You won't, trust that."
Elliot had the courage to challenge Raphael, yet Raphael was not annoyed by that; perhaps if he were in his place, he would have done the same. Raphael smiled and held Ariana's hand with extreme care, placed it on his arm, and then ascended with her to the altar. ..
On the altar, which featured a large statue of a silver dragon, the symbol of Cassian the Protector, stood Patriarch Steve Rocshan, the Archbishop and the highest rank in the Temple. Rocshan stood before Raphael and Ariana while holding the Holy Book. He looked at the Emperor with a forced smile and then looked at Ariana, whose eyes were glistening with anticipation..
'It seems everything is going according to plan.'
The religious ceremony was a sacred thing for the Imperial Family; all ceremonies of connection, marriage, births, and others must be something officially supervised by the Temple. Despite Ariana's previous engagement, during which she did not even have to step out of her room door, she was forced upon her engagement to the Imperial Family to hold a full ceremony under the supervision of the Temple. The Patriarch began reciting the usual vows and covenants:
"I declare your union; now His Majesty may lift the veil and place the rings."
After the pledge from Ariana and Raphael, Rocshan announced the completion of the engagement. Raphael smiled and lifted Ariana's veil and felt his heart would stop. He knows that Ariana is beautiful, but today she was breathtakingly incredible. Afterward, the servant stepped forward with a velvet pillow in his hand, upon which were two rings. It was a royal heirloom, and it was perfectly clear how determined Raphael was to prove his feelings to Ariana in a non-verbal way...
Raphael placed the silver ring with the white, transparent diamond on Ariana's ring finger, and with a seductive smile, he kissed the ring on her hand. Ariana's face turned red with shyness, and with hesitation, she placed the silver ring carved with a beautiful and intricate decoration on his finger and withdrew her hand nervously. The audience applauded enthusiastically, and Raphael and Ariana turned to the crowd and waved to them. ..
* * *
Imperial custom dictated an engagement ceremony in the Great Church followed by a procession to the Imperial Palace on horseback. Because Ariana was not good at horse riding, Raphael thought of carrying her on his horse, but he was met with rejection from Marshall and Ivan. Ivan's answer was not to exaggerate the matter, but Marshall said that the Lady's health should not be affected, and the suggestion of an open carriage to pass through the capital arrived..
"It seems everyone is excited."
"Perhaps I am the most excited of them."
Her ears burned with embarrassment, and she looked at him trying to suppress the surge of emotions and said:
"You are mean; don't you notice that we are in front of your people?"
They were waving to the enthusiastic crowds. He looked at her with a playful smile:
"Shouldn't they see that their Emperor is a romantic and friendly man?"
His style was mischievous but endearing to her as usual. She shook her head helplessly and sighed:
"It is good, but I am worried; I have a bad feeling."
"Everything will be al..."
He did not finish his words before the carriage shook and the enthusiastic atmosphere began to turn into screams of terror. The bright sky began to turn into a dark crimson color and began to look as if it were being torn apart, as if a monstrous entity were tearing it to reveal its excessive appetite for blood. Monsters with terrifying and giant shapes emerged from the tears; their sizes and speeds varied. Terror began to creep into the hearts of the crowd, who tried to flee, but from the middle of the crowd, many people emerged and revealed themselves. They were the Ghost Knights led by Brian, and a large part of the Imperial Knights led by Kayn, and the Silvano Knights led by Elena and the Duke himself. Everyone was in a state of awe; how did this large number move in the blink of an eye...
Raphael assessed the situation, and with a booming voice and powerful momentum, amidst the deafening screams of the monsters, Raphael spoke:
"Everyone, move calmly; recklessness and disobedience will turn things for the worse... Casper, lead your group and help with the evacuation."
Casper was the only one standing behind Raphael; he bowed and moved with a large group of knights and began to move and help people evacuate. The situation was catastrophic, but Raphael, who was expecting an ambush from the Temple, did not expect it to reach this level. ..
He grabbed Ariana, who indicated that she would not leave him. He sighed and held her:
"Do not move away from me no matter what happens."
She nodded in agreement and moved behind him. Kayn approached Raphael, panting:
"Your Majesty. ..."
"Citizens first, I will take care of protecting myself and Ariana, I trust you... Do not allow any monster to approach the people here. ."
Kayn felt hesitant but stopped straight and bowed in a disciplined manner:
"Your command, Your Majesty."
Kayn went to clear the monsters, and Raphael began to move among the crowds to help here and there, for evacuation at times and to support his soldiers at other times. He was tearing the fierce monsters apart with a deadly strike. Ariana, whose dress had turned black and purple from the blood of the monsters and the rising dust, Raphael looked at Ariana with concern:
"The monsters are flowing continuously; we are controlling the situation now, but if the situation continues like this, it will not be in our favor.."
"This never happened in any part I read. The Temple has reached this far... Wait, it is impossible for it to be something ordinary that happened; perhaps magic or a tool. .. we must search for it."
Raphael was discussing with Ariana while killing the monsters that approached them. As for Ariana, she was looking around and noticed that the rifts were concentrated here and scattered further from this place, which means they are targeted only around the square.
"The center, we must find the center of the rift; perhaps we will find a way."
"You search, and I will cover your back."
When she started running, she found that the long dress was hindering her, so she tore the lower part of it and began searching every corner of that square while Raphael kept the monsters away from around her. It seems the monsters that have strong instincts found that Raphael is the leader and they must get rid of him. Ariana saw him and felt helpless for a moment, but he nodded to her meaning I am fine...
'I should not back down now... I must hurry.'
Ariana continued to move hastily and search here and there, and then she found herself beside the carriage that was carrying her and Raphael. When she was about to approach, she felt an entity grabbing her hair strongly. She swallowed her saliva in fear and looked at the monster with long fangs, sharp claws, and an ugly shape. Everything was as if it were passing in slow motion. She tried to retreat with all her strength, but the monster pulled her by her hair and threw her until her back hit the carriage, so hard that the carriage shook violently from the force of the collision. Ariana felt the taste of blood in her mouth from the intensity of the pain, but she breathed and looked at the monster. She was not wearing the special protection necklace that Raphael had gifted her to avoid the Temple's suspicion. She tried to find something to stop the monster and give her a chance to escape, but the monster approached her aiming to tear her apart. Ariana tried to get up, but her shattered body refused ... She closed her eyes in the face of death, but the monster's claws did not reach her, and the foul smell of blood spread before her nose. She opened her eyes, and the platinum hair appeared before her, and the purple eyes sparkled, and with a worried voice:
"Your Majesty!"
Ariana took a deep breath of relief and looked at Kayn and said:
"Thank you, I must hurry."
Kayn wanted to reach out his hand to help her, but the monsters approached them, so he tried to keep them away from Ariana. Ariana supported her body and tried to stand, but she found a strange object under the carriage, and it was clear that it was stuck to its bottom, and upon impact, it fell from it. Ariana pulled it and looked at it; it looked like an old box with many strange drawings. Ariana felt a chill running down her spine. ..
"Your Majesty, is this the Abyss Box?!"
Kayn, who turned to Ariana, opened his eyes in shock; it sounded more like a confirmation than just a question. ..
"I don't know, I found it here."
Kayn thought with a deep feeling of concern:
'This box is directly under the protection of the Temple.'
"It might be the cause of the rifts."
"Hah. .. I think we must destroy it."
Ariana looked with tearful eyes at the source of the voice; Raphael was panting and approached Ariana smoothly and examined her with worried eyes..
"Aya, your body has been damaged a lot."
"It's okay, we found the solution anyway."
Raphael exhaled in frustration, placed his hand on Ariana's wounded cheek, and passed his magic over her. Her body, which welcomed Raphael's magic with ease, recovered quickly as if the wounds had never existed. Kayn was struck with shock; although he knows a lot about his master, this was a shock. There is no magician capable of healing with magic; perhaps they developed their abilities to make healing potions with magic, but this was impressive no matter how he tried to look at it otherwise. Kayn swallowed his shock and looked at his master:
"Your Majesty, what are the procedures?!"
"We must destroy it, but ordinary magic and strength will not work with it."
"How will it be destroyed?!"
Ariana was frustrated while holding that box. Kayn contemplated it for a bit then said from memory:
"I heard about it once; the Abyss Box connects the underworld to this world. It is said that holy power is capable of shattering it."
Ariana looked around, not knowing anyone who possesses holy power near here, then she remembered:
"Kayn, summon Baroness Brion now, immediately."
Kayn nodded and moved quickly. Raphael helped Ariana stand, and she indicated to him that they must wait here... and it seems luck was on their side. Kayn and Elena arrived quickly. Elena approached Ariana:
"Are you alright, Your Highness?"
Ariana nodded in agreement and said calmly:
"Miss Brion, I need your help in destroying this thing."
Ariana extended her hands with the box, and when Elena touched it, she recoiled in shock from the rising sparks. She looked at Ariana in confusion, but Ariana placed the box on the ground and said:
"Destroy it with your holy power; you are good at using your energy, right?!"
She nodded yes and mustered her strength in her sword. The monsters were fighting the soldiers here and there, and it seems they realized the imminent danger, so the monsters moved toward Ariana and the others..
"Miss Brion, destroy the box. Kayn, help me provide time for them... Aya, be safe."
Ariana smiled warmly, then looked at Elena with serious eyes..
"Try to hit it with all your strength; we don't know what the failure of the attempt will cause."
Elena took a deep breath and released all her physical and holy strength in this strike...
Kkkkkkkrrrrrrkkk!!!
As if the strike shattered the ground with its power, but it barely penetrated the box. Elena hesitated and looked at Ariana, who looked at her with confidence. Elena took a stronger breath and raised the sword that penetrated the box and brought it back down with force...
Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkksh!!
And it seems she succeeded; the box shattered into two halves, and the sky roared with a loud sound, and the sky returned to its clear sky-blue color. The soldiers looked at the source of that, but they were still fighting the monsters, which perhaps became weaker, or the resolve of the knights became stronger. Raphael spoke with the firmness of a leader:
"Clear the entire area and make sure to clean every spot. .."
Everyone moved in harmony, and despite the resulting fatigue, they were keen to implement the Emperor's orders to protect the people. Raphael looked at Elena, who was supporting Ariana, and Philip, who finally reached them with a feeling of concern and anticipation...
"Let us head to the palace now. Kayn, after finishing the cleanup, take Brian and Casper, come."
"I follow Your Majesty's orders."
Kayn bowed, and before he even turned around, the four bodies disappeared from before him. Kayn moved and resumed his cleanup work, and all the knights moved smoothly with him. He looked around and found that despite the scale of the battle, the losses were not great...
'The Temple is the one who started all of this.'
Looking at all this, he found that the Temple was involved in the matter. The Abyss Box was something he learned about when he was learning religious matters with his mother when he was a child—a box in which a gate from the gates of hell or the underworld, as it is called, was sealed. Because they did not realize the best way to destroy it, since magic and absolute power have not the slightest effect on it, the Temple was entrusted with the task of protecting it decades ago. Kayn felt as if his brain was about to explode...
["You must choose the right side. I don't know what secret you are hiding, but I am fully convinced that you are in the wrong... Kayn."]
...... To be continued ......