Chapter 113: The Priest and the Paladin

In the Dragon Spine Mountains, slivers of morning light pierced through the dense canopy, casting variously sized patches of light onto the forest floor, where dust motes danced in the serene and beautiful landscape.

At the same time, a series of steady, even footsteps resounded, treading across these patches of light.

The light filtering through the canopy highlighted the determined faces of those walking beneath.

"Light illuminates the earth, dispelling darkness, war, filth, and all impurities," murmured a figure shrouded in a pristine white robe, praying to his deity with fervent devotion.

A halo of sanctity, the glow of divine magic, seemed to radiate from him.

"Where there is light, we are invincible, we are unstoppable, we fight for God," he continued.

"We are devout, upright, protectors of justice, slayers of demons, bearers of God's doctrine, and His glory."

Beside the priest of the Church of Light, more than a dozen robust paladins clad in heavy armor and stern expressions also murmured prayers, reciting the creeds of the Temple Knights.

Their firm steps crossed mountains and valleys.

They had but one target.

An abomination that could bring endless darkness and taint the light—a statue of a dark god.

Following the Pope's commands, the paladins and priests of the Church of Light had left their temples to traverse the continent, searching and warning the populace of the threats from the dark.

Unfortunately, five months had passed since the order was given, and the Church had yet to achieve any results.

The Church of Light, with its vast following on the continent of Noah, faced the challenge of a vast land peppered with countless deities and religions. Their efforts, spread thin, were like dropping a fish into the ocean—creating barely a ripple, unable to make a significant impact.

They spread the warnings from the God of Light, hoping to gather information about the sculpture of the Black Sun.

However, apart from followers of the Light who took interest, others remained indifferent, treating the search with a casual attitude. Numerous false leads and fake sculptures had caused much frustration within the Church.

Moreover, the ongoing conflict in the southern human duchies was still unresolved, locked in a fierce and bloody stalemate.

Nations, blinded by the heat of battle, were unable to assist the Church, often complicating their mission instead.

Originally, a small team of thirty paladins and four priests was tasked with searching the Dragon Spine Mountains.

Having crossed chaotic battle zones and spent three months in the mountains, they cleared many dens of evil creatures—dark caves, deep forests, and abandoned ruins—but found no trace of the Black Sun sculpture.

Now, only one priest and twelve paladins remained in their team.

Ridding the world of evil and searching dark and dangerous places for clues was no easy task.

As time trickled by, the Church's squad, just emerging from a decayed spider's den, slowly approached a quietly flowing river.

They washed off the filth and blood from their bodies, rested briefly, and then continued their mission with steadfast devotion.

Before long, their orderly footsteps suddenly halted.

"Something is amiss here," the priest declared, his and the paladins' gazes stern as they peered ahead.

A dense fog unexpectedly appeared in the dense forest, enveloping hundreds of meters around, blocking the sunlight from above.

The breeze through the trees could not stir the fog, thick and cohesive, its elemental energy organized, clearly not a natural phenomenon.

Simultaneously, a feeling as if being targeted by a top predator arose, the air turning abruptly oppressive and heavy.

Battle-hardened, the experienced priest and paladins all tensed.

They felt an invisible pressure making the air thick and breathing difficult, their hearts as if gripped by an unseen hand slowly tightening.

The paladins simultaneously drew their greatswords, a milky glow swirling around the blades.

The priest, with a grave look, faced the fog and quickly cast a divine spell.

Detect Evil!

A flicker of light passed through the priest's eyes.

He subtly shook his head and whispered, "No evil presence, retreat."

Their primary mission was to find the Black Sun sculpture; unnecessary trouble was to be avoided.

However, as the fog suddenly stirred, a massive figure slowly rose, the oppressive aura of a gigantic creature intensifying dramatically.

Whoosh! The roaring wind spread as the dragon wings, covered in fine silver scales, stretched out, obediently dispersing the heavy fog, which vanished in an instant.

As the fog cleared, the overwhelming dragon presence altered the expressions of everyone present.

In the storm-like dragon might, the figures wobbled, trembling uncontrollably like small boats in a tempest.

The priest, with a serious look, barely managed to open his mouth and chant.

Shield of Faith!

A ring of pure light flashed, warming his comrades' bodies, strengthening

 their resolve and courage, and mitigating the effects of the dragon's presence.

The priest looked up to face the giant beast emerging from the mist.

A pair of dazzling platinum dragon eyes and an enormous silver-white body came into view, taking his breath away.

The massive dragon's body cast a shadow over the people in front of it as if eclipsing the sun.

However, as the priest saw the dragon's face clearly, he relaxed amidst his tension.

He bowed to the silver dragon before him, saying, "Noble Silver Dragon, we apologize for disturbing your rest and hope you can forgive our inadvertent intrusion."

The paladins exchanged looks and lowered their weapons, though their fingers remained on the hilts, adding, "We mean no offense, please forgive us."

They mistook Garon for a silver dragon.

Given the positive reputation of silver dragons in human societies, seeing Garon's form actually reassured them quite a bit.

Garon observed these humans, his expression thoughtful and silent.

The white-robed, aged priest and the heavily armored, towering paladins all wore faces of exhaustion, their clothing wrinkled and marked with battle scars, as if they had endured many fights without proper rest.

But in their tired eyes shone a steadfast, unyielding light—a testament to their firm belief.

"Where do you come from?" Garon asked in the common tongue, his dragon might receding.