Chapter 55: Ultimate Belief

The day after Claudius left, Asa easily entered the cult of the God of Nature. After spending a day there, he had a pretty good understanding of the basic structure of this cult.

It was indeed a very strange cult. The most peculiar aspect was its loose structure; most of the followers were villagers from nearby towns, and nearly all the villagers from the surrounding area, as well as quite a few from the city of Airi, had become adherents. Those with more authority, like village heads, naturally became the informal leaders of the group.

The label of 'heretics' was somewhat inappropriate for them. Most of the time, the believers worked their fields or engaged in farming as usual, with no differences in their lifestyles compared to normal people. As long as local officials did not interfere with their behavior, they did not confront the authorities. Compared to other mysterious and strange heretical sects, they displayed no wariness towards anyone who came to participate; on the contrary, they welcomed and invited newcomers with great enthusiasm.

The only unusual aspect that indicated their heretical nature was that every day at noon, they would go to a sacred forest to sit in silence and worship, meditating under the blessings of the God of Nature. The method of meditation was simple and easy to learn, allowing even illiterate farmers to sit cross-legged and unify their minds, leaving them feeling refreshed afterward.

This simple and easy meditation technique was taught to the followers by the leader of the God of Nature, the Prophet.

The Prophet was the one who initiated the God of Nature cult. No one knew who he was or where he came from. When the last military forces came to drive away the followers of the God of Nature, the Prophet claimed he sensed a divine message from the God of Nature and foretold that a miracle would occur. Miraculously, those guardian statues really appeared, causing all who offended the God of Nature to disappear. After that, the rapid growth of the God of Nature cult was astonishing.

Today at noon, a new batch of adherents was to be brought to the sacred forest to experience the power of the God of Nature. Asa mixed in with the crowd. However, he wasn't there to experience any divine presence; he aimed to meet the Prophet and see those strange statues.

It was essential to resolve the situation quickly and then leave to pursue Rodhart. With around forty to fifty thousand followers, the small contingent of troops brought was indeed insignificant. Moreover, these followers were just ordinary civilians. The most effective strategy now was to find the leader of this cult and uncover the tricks behind their mystique.

The one leading the new followers to the worship site was a scholarly-looking man in his fifties, who was said to have previously been a teacher at a school in Airi. Within the God of Nature cult, these more educated individuals took it upon themselves to spread the faith to the followers.

"Great nature gives birth to all things to nourish us without seeking anything in return. How magnificent it is! In comparison, the gods fabricated by the religious elites to serve the ruling nobles and keep us obedient appear ugly and powerless," he explained as he walked.

"So, 'Follow the Nature!' is our motto. We will not restrict our followers like those man-made religions. You won't feel any awkwardness being among us," he continued.

"I need not elaborate further; you can see with your own eyes the greatness of the God of Nature's forest and feel with your heart and soul. That overwhelming power is something the wooden puppets in churches could never match. As long as you face the sacred forest daily and meditate sincerely, you will feel a connection with this great nature and ultimately reach a state of unity with the universe, transcending worldly troubles."

The new followers nodded together, expressing their admiration. It was indeed an appealing and easy bargain to simply sit and meditate daily to achieve unity with the universe.

Asa had a strange feeling about this cult's rapid growth within such a short time. Besides taking advantage of the Whispering Forest, the biggest characteristic was that it was too… how to say, Asa struggled to articulate this feeling, as he lacked the vocabulary, but he could only describe it as too… inexpensive and convenient.

No matter what kind of religion it was, it attracted followers through promises and demonstrated power. The church used heaven and hell to threaten and lure, showcasing the power of light mages and priests. Now, the God of Nature displayed a power that transcended normal understanding; not only did it indeed shock and resonate with people's souls, but there were also the suddenly appearing guardian statues. This was far more impressive than the prayers of the church, leaving one no choice but to believe.

It seemed odd that such an easy and appealing offer attracted so many people. Was it simply to sit quietly every day?

However, given the current situation, there was no time to ponder this deeply. Asa needed to identify the tricks behind these so-called guardian statues and meet the so-called Prophet. Those who needed to be captured should be caught, and those who needed to be killed should be dealt with accordingly. Once those matters were settled, everything else would fall into place.

Under the guidance of the scholarly man, the new believers arrived at the sacred forest. This was actually the very clearing where Asa first encountered Vadenina.

The grassy area, once stained with blood and corpses, now radiated a serene and solemn atmosphere, with thousands of devoted followers sitting cross-legged, facing the forest in silence, meditating. Even the grandest ceremonies in the magic academy's cathedral did not compare to such a magnificent scene. These were merely a fraction of the thirty to forty thousand followers; reportedly, there were other similar sites around the periphery of the forest.

Asa mingled with the new believers, gazing at the Whispering Forest he hadn't seen in a long time.

Staring at the once terrifying and mysterious forest, Asa clearly sensed that the power that had once shocked the depths of the soul, instilling fear and dread, had almost dissipated. What remained was a hint of grandeur, akin to the dying breath of a giant echoing among the ancient trees, barely clinging to the dignity of this ancient sanctuary. Now, the multitude of followers added a somewhat absurd touch to this lingering authority.

The new believers, seeing the Whispering Forest for the first time, were completely captivated by its residual divine power. Their initial skepticism rapidly shifted towards deep devotion. The crowd gasped in unison, and some even knelt down. The old scholar wore a proud expression, leading them toward the forest's edge.

Asa followed the surrounding new followers but kept his focus on the dozens of stone statues standing on the grass. These were the so-called guardian statues that had reportedly appeared overnight, now worshipped by the followers of the God of Nature.

These strange statues all looked the same, standing five to six meters tall, with human-like bodies and limbs ending in claws. Their rat-like, narrow faces featured large mouths that stretched wide down to their chins, and on their heads were two ram-like horns, complemented by a pair of bat-like wings folded against their backs. The statues were all in a half-kneeling posture, spaced several dozen meters apart, forming an arc facing the Whispering Forest. It seemed, as the cultists claimed, that they were guarding this sacred forest. According to the believers, these statues silently appeared overnight at the forest's perimeter, arranged in a perfectly circular formation to protect the forest—a feat that could not possibly have been achieved by human hands; it had to be a miracle.

However, Asa was now certain that these strange statues had absolutely nothing to do with the Whispering Forest. He had never seen anything like this in the elven habitats, and their bizarre design was clearly contrary to the elves' rigid yet aesthetically pleasing style. Besides, the Wood Guardians were sufficient to protect them; there was no need for these strange and ugly statues.

Asa stepped forward to touch one of the statues. The material was indeed stone, and the lifelike design was clearly not something an ordinary craftsman could create in a few strokes. Asa scrutinized the somewhat eerie face of the statue when an ominous feeling suddenly bubbled up from his heart.

"Don't touch it with your filthy hands; this is a divine object of the God of Nature!" an old female follower rushed over and slapped his hand away.

"Are you sure?" Asa seemed to question the old woman while also murmuring to himself, his expression filled with shock and horror.

The old woman believed this audacious person had sensed the divine authority and walked away, satisfied, to continue her meditation.

Asa was now extremely astonished. When he placed his hand on these statues, he felt a faint magical fluctuation.

However, it wasn't merely the magical fluctuation that shocked him; he had anticipated that these mysteriously appearing objects must be some kind of magic. What shocked him was that the magical fluctuation felt very familiar, familiar enough that he could almost smell it—the stench of decay.

It was in this very meadow, when he encountered his senior classmate Vadenina, that the zombies she summoned emitted similar fluctuations. Later, when he extracted monsters from the magic academy, he had also detected this smell on those skeletons and zombies. And not long ago, when Sandru raised the members of the Knights Templar as undead, those living corpses also exhibited this same fluctuation.

Asa stared blankly at the dozens of statues on the grass. According to the old believers, this was only a portion of the total; there were reportedly over a hundred surrounding the Whispering Forest. Then, looking at the devout followers filling the meadow, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine under the broad daylight.

"Believers who worship the God of Nature, please gather; I have something to say," a loud, commanding voice suddenly rang out. Even on this vast expanse of grass, everyone could hear it clearly. The originally seated followers all moved towards the source of the voice.

"It's the Prophet!" The followers appeared almost ecstatic, as if they had heard celestial music. "The Prophet must have important news to announce!"

Asa finally struggled through the crowd and moved closer to where he could see the Prophet.

This revered figure indeed looked deserving of such honor. If Asa had seen him elsewhere, he would have thought he was an otherworldly sage or recluse. Dressed in spotless white robes, with silver hair and a long beard blending together, he appeared both holy and extraordinary. His dignified face radiated authority, every wrinkle seemingly a mark of wisdom and understanding of the universe's mysteries. He sat beneath one of the statues, the one closest to the Whispering Forest, which was distinct from the others. The statue's wings were spread wide, cradling the Prophet beneath its feet. It was entirely reasonable that such a charismatic leader could attract so many followers to this cult.

The already densely packed followers gathered even closer, shoulder to shoulder, silently fixated on the smallest movements of the Prophet.

"Comrades who worship the God of Nature, I have good news for you," the Prophet announced in a booming voice, turning his back to the Whispering Forest. The remaining awe of the forest seemed to infuse his voice, lending it an indescribable mysterious charm. He raised his hand and pointed toward the statues, saying, "According to what I have learned through meditation and communication with the God of Nature, tomorrow at noon, the God of Nature will descend upon each person who sincerely prays and meditates beside the guardian statues. That miracle will allow us to achieve unity with the universe and reach the highest state our lives have always pursued."

A wave of suppressed yet excited gasps rippled through the followers, sweeping across the meadow.

As the Prophet's voice echoed again, everyone instantly quieted, fearful of missing even the smallest sound from his lips. His voice was powerful enough to ensure that everyone could hear clearly. "Since tomorrow's prayer and meditation are of utmost importance, everyone should rest well tonight and recharge their energy. I will also be here for my final communication with the divine."

Asa suddenly recalled something he had heard before and asked a nearby follower, "I've heard that since these statues appeared, the Prophet has never left this place, is that true?"

The follower nodded affirmatively. "Yes. The Prophet spends all his time communicating with the God of Nature. Whether day or night, rain or shine, he meditates here. He never leaves. You don't know this? Are you new here?"

"He never leaves, day or night? Doesn't he need to eat, relieve himself, or bathe?" Asa scrutinized the perfect religious leader closely. He suddenly realized one thing: this person, or if one could still call him a person, was definitely not a necromancer.

"That is the Prophet, a saint who has a spiritual connection with the God of Nature. Please do not use such filthy, worldly terms," the follower expressed dissatisfaction with this newcomer. "Do you know? Your luck is incredibly good. You've just joined and already encountered such a blessing."

Asa sighed in agreement. "I also think my luck is quite good."

Night fell.

Rather than saying the Whispering Forest was eerily silent at night, it was more accurate to say it was utterly lifeless.

According to the Prophet's instructions, all the thousands of followers who had sat here during the day had returned home to rest and prepare for the miracle expected tomorrow at noon. Now, there was no sound of any living creature. A faint light from the crescent moon and stars hung dully over the ancient trees and statues, the ancient trees still exuding a residual authority that intimidated any beasts or birds, making them too afraid to approach. There was not even a breeze; only the statues remained in their grotesque forms, half-kneeling toward the forest, silently confronting the ancient trees' divine might.

Beneath the statue closest to the forest sat a figure, seamlessly blending into the surrounding eerie silence, seated there without a sound. His silver hair and beard, along with his pure white robe, appeared all the more holy and radiant under the limited moonlight and starlight. Even in this somewhat terrifyingly quiet environment, the Prophet exuded an ethereal presence. To communicate with the God of Nature, he remained here alone each night for meditation, a behavior that required tranquility, and he had previously instructed that no one was to disturb him at night.

In the distant darkness, two footsteps suddenly broke the deathly silence. Two figures slowly emerged from the shadows and approached.

The Prophet showed no reaction to the sudden appearance of these two figures, still seated there in a holy, solemn, and majestic manner.

As the two figures drew near, they directly approached the Prophet. He still did not react, not even shifting a muscle, remaining deeply immersed in his meditation. However, the two visitors showed no respect for this pious concentration; one of them even reached out and placed a hand on the Prophet's silver-haired head.

The Prophet remained silent, embodying a sense of tolerance as he sat still, not even flinching. The impolite visitor, seemingly unappreciative of this, pressed down on the Prophet's head, twisted his wrist, then seized the silver hair and yanked upward.

Yet, the Prophet did not move. His face remained tranquil and dignified, but his silver hair was completely lifted as if his scalp were a lid being pulled off.

The originally silent and lifeless environment suddenly became much more active. Once the Prophet's head was revealed, it exposed a swarm of insects—some looked like maggots, others like earthworms, and some even had wings. This group of small creatures seemed to have been oppressed by the solemn and dignified residence, and now that they were suddenly exposed to the air, they appeared overly excited, wriggling and making strange noises. The person who had lifted the Prophet's head waved his other hand at the active little insects, muttering a few incantations, and the insects quickly quieted down, retreating back into the depths of the Prophet's skull. He nodded and said, "This insect puppet will probably only be used until tomorrow. But it should be fine; it just needs to hold up until noon to summon the followers."

His companion beside him spoke in an aged voice, "This insect puppet is indeed worth it; it easily deceived so many people into coming."

"He was originally a respected pastor from a small town, but behind the scenes, he often drugged little girls under ten. When I casually exposed him, no one in the town believed me; instead, they thought I was the real criminal. That was when I realized how useful being hypocritical can be. Coincidentally, I had to return home to deal with some matters recently, so I captured him and turned him into this insect puppet to rally the followers. You see, the effect of this imposing exterior is quite impressive. Now we have about forty to fifty thousand people at our disposal. During this time, we've kept them sitting quietly in meditation; tonight I told them to go home and get a good night's sleep to recharge their energy. Tomorrow they will be full of vigor, exactly meeting our requirements."

The voices of these two sounded strange, as if something was stuck in their throats, making it hard to hear clearly.

"At most, we'll only need four to five thousand. These stone golems can't consume more than that," his companion said, his aged voice carrying a sense of bleak indifference, as if discussing a tasteless meal. "The reasons you've concocted for these fools really work; they buy into this talk of unity between heaven and man and the highest state of life pursuits. I never expected you could deceive forty to fifty thousand people into joining a group that you just thought up on a whim."

"To be precise, I didn't really deceive them," the man said, savoring his words. "I truly help them reach the highest state of life they pursue: death. Isn't death the ultimate goal of life? Everyone who lives does so with this ultimate purpose in mind, right? Most pitiful creatures in this world are always chasing some vague, elusive, mysterious goal to transcend their unsatisfactory reality. Isn't it quite merciful and poetic to help them end their lives in a beautiful fantasy?" He looked up at the starry sky and sighed. "Tomorrow will surely be a beautiful day. With your one hundred and eight stone golems and so many enthusiastic citizens' support, by noon, this ancient sacred forest and all the elves within will be reduced to ashes. This grand feat, which no one has ever accomplished in over ten thousand years, will soon be realized by us, and even I feel a long-lost excitement."

"The leaves of the World Tree will belong to us. Let's see if that Sun Well can be used; if not, we'll find a way to destroy it." Even as he spoke of such grand plans, his companion's voice remained desolate and indifferent, devoid of any passion. "Hmph, wasn't there an opportunity for that woman, Vadenina, last time? I don't know how she managed it; after much effort, she only took a leaf from the World Tree and wasted it for some unknown reason. Women are so extravagant."

"Let's be understanding. Being capricious is a privilege of girls; it's part of what makes them charming. This time, we'll just take matters into our own hands," the man said, carefully placing the Prophet's head back on, making the disgusting puppet appear dignified and worthy of worship again. "It's best to do everything ourselves."

"I heard that Old Ronis sent someone to quell the heretical riots. We must ensure they don't interfere tomorrow. Do you know who he sent?"

"I'm not quite sure. I've been busy with other matters lately, so I haven't paid attention to these things. But since this Prophet has already made his proclamation, those enthusiastic and devout citizens will surely show up as promised. No one can stop that."

"Hahahaha…" The old voice seemed to be spurred by the impending success, bursting into a strange laugh. "It's been a long time since we collaborated like this. Strength in numbers really makes a difference; a single person, even that Nopolinot fellow, probably wouldn't have enough resources to create so many stone golems. Thanks to your suggestion, we were able to come up with such a plan to deal with the barrier of the Sun Well."

"This idea wasn't my original; we must thank…" The man's voice suddenly paused as he scrutinized the insect puppet, an oddly intricate device.

"What's wrong?" his companion asked.

The man remained silent for a moment and then said quietly, "Nothing, just a mouse." Then he turned and waved his hand abruptly.

Like a black flash of lightning in the darkness, a blurred figure suddenly shot out from the shadows of the nearby trees. Even mid-air, his figure was illuminated by flames. The spot where he had just stood turned into a sea of fire, a tall ancient tree instantly ignited into a fierce blaze. Had he been just a moment slower, he would have been consumed and reduced to ashes by the magical flames.

This was an intensely nearly perfect Wall of Fire spell; from the release of magical power to the full blaze of dazzling flames, it took less than a blink of an eye. The burning flames were so fierce that they illuminated the entire previously dark and lifeless forest and grassland, revealing the figures of the two men.

From their silhouettes, it seemed to be an old man and a middle-aged man. Both wore ordinary gray robes and silver skull masks.

No one's eyes could withstand such a stark contrast of light, and at that moment, both the attacker and the attacked were blinded by the intense light. They barely had time to glimpse each other's appearance. The figure in the air and the two on the ground instinctively shielded their eyes.

The slightly older man, struggling to cover his eyes, also waved towards the statue where the Prophet was located, whispering a call.

What was originally just a stone statue suddenly came to life with that magical call and gesture. The muscles carved from stone erupted with real, powerful force. It leaped up, spreading its enormous wings and lunging towards the man still airborne. The statue's razor-sharp claws, as large as a person's body, opened wide, revealing a gaping mouth full of jagged teeth.

The airborne man still shielded his eyes, but just as the statue's massive claws were about to grasp him, he executed a mid-air flip, and the claws barely missed him. He pushed off the statue's hand, using it as leverage to propel himself deeper into the forest.

The attacker on the ground, who had cast the Wall of Fire, regained his sight first. He looked up and immediately saw the airborne target angling towards the Whispering Forest. He raised his hand, and a silver ball of light rolled forward, rushing toward the sky amidst the crackling sparks of electricity.

Just as the light ball was about to collide with its target, the man in the air seemed to finally notice. A gigantic fireball was launched from his hand, crashing into the spherical lightning with a deafening explosion, scattering sparks and flashes across the sky. The entire forest was illuminated by this brilliant collision, and the airborne statue let out a bizarre scream like a hundred pigs wailing in unison, being pushed back by the violent explosion. In the blinding light, the airborne man was engulfed in flames, propelled by the shockwave deep into the Whispering Forest.

The old man beside him waved his hand, and the stone golem flapped its wings, pursuing the direction in which the man had flown. However, after flying forward for a short distance, the enormous wings suddenly became sluggish, and the previously agile movements stiffened, as if it had fallen into water. It struggled a few more times before completely stopping, seemingly reverting to a lifeless pile of stone, crashing to the ground in the forest with a dull thud.

"This won't do; the barrier of the Sun Well is still effective. The magical driving force of the golem won't work inside the forest," the elder controlling the golem shook his head. "What should we do? It seems that person isn't an elf but a human. Without my command, the stone golems can only move at predetermined times. What if he comes to disrupt things beforehand?"

The man pondered for a moment and said calmly, "Let him be. We have over a hundred stone golems; what can one person do? Plus, once dawn breaks, our enthusiastic followers will come as they hear the call; they will protect these sacred statues." He waved to his companion. "Alright, let's go. The situation has reached this stage. We just need to wait for tomorrow's good weather."

The two figures gradually faded away, completely disappearing into the darkness. The area returned to its dead silence, with only the unpleasant smell of burnt wood lingering in the air.