Chapter 3: Sacred Object
Aina had been kneeling on the ground for a long time. She did not dare to raise her head, but her petite body was no longer trembling.
Ever since childhood, she had heard a lot about the Lord of Ashes. He was said to be the source of Infinite Disasters; a god that was difficult to confront and understand for humans. And once he arrives, he will bring disaster to the entire world.
Not only children but also the adults were terrified of the Lord of Ashes whom they were serving. But what she did not understand was why people kept trying to summon the Lord of Ashes if they were so scared and afraid?
Perhaps, the Lord of Ashes was not as evil and horrifying as she and everyone imagined. Although she was ready to die, she certainly was not willing at all. She also wanted to live and grow up. When you grow up, you can learn more and become beautiful. Once you grow up, you can see the outside world, and you can become a mother.
Once again, the gray mist filled the surroundings, and the pulling force behind Shen Yi started becoming stronger and stronger. He, having a clear understanding in his heart, no longer resisted and reentered the gray mist.
'It seems that once the summoning time is up, I have to go back, even if I do not want to go back.'
He forgot one thing, a half cup of coffee he had brought from the cafe and had not finished at the end, which remained in the church.
The temperature in the church gradually dropped. Aina, who had been keeping her head down, was taken aback for a moment.
'Is the Lord of Ashes leaving?'
"Are you leaving, my lord?" Raising her head slowly, she looked nervously towards the direction of the Lord of Ashes. The indescribable aura was gradually disappearing. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her mind became hazy as she sat down on the floor.
"The Lord of Ashes left?"
She let out a sigh of joy. But she soon noticed the thing left behind by the god and stared blankly at it. Shen Yi could never have imagined what the coffee and the cup would look like to others.
Surrounded by gray mist, the air quivered, and the dark container carried blood-colored lava. A steady stream gushed out from it, which contained enough power to boil everything.
Aina felt dizzy and did not dare to approach the dark container. She felt the blood-colored lava squirming, boiling, distorting the things around her, and her hands and feet retreat subconsciously.
"The Lord of Ashes...why did he leave it here? Is this a reward for Aina?"
The Chaos Ember Regiment has always advocated the service and summoning of the Lord of Ashes, and they have acquired wisdom and power from the god. But even they received only a handful of gifts over thousands of years.
The wisdom and power of gods are incomparable. And the Burning Blood was definitely a blessing of the god, naturally something the world would covet.
"It is really a reward."
But Aina did not understand one thing, why did the great Lord of Ashes pay special attention to her?
"He not only allowed her to live but also bestowed her a sacred object."
As she sat on the floor, her little head could not comprehend why the idea behind their cult's summoning ritual was wrong?
Compared to the lost treasures, the rare demons, and the fallen gods... The Great Lord of the Ashes prefers little girls?
"..."
She suddenly figured it out. She was just a mortal, and it is normal for her not to understand the thoughts of the gods. After all, the greatness of the gods was not something that human beings could predict.
'What should I do next?'
Aina was a little confused. She was the only person left in the church. She went over and tried to pick up the Burning Blood but soon began to feel dizzy again.
"Woo."
She closed her eyes, and opened them after a while, and closed them again just like before repeatedly, adjusting to the dizzying effect. After feeling dizzy for a while, she quickly adapted to this strange state.
"It worked."
Taking a deep breath, she carefully lifted the container with both hands. The red-hot glow of the Burning Blood illuminated the half-gloomy church. She was a little pleased. If she returned to the church with the gift of the god, she was sure everyone would be greatly surprised. The senior priest would definitely look at her differently. Maybe he would jump up in excitement.
Aina went to the church door with the container, but the rain showed no sign of stopping. Lightning pierced the night sky, and the sky and the earth became white.
"The rain is so heavy."
After a moment of hesitation, she decided to go through the heavy rain. When she left the church, all the rain around her was gone. The rain evaporated beside her, and the wind disappeared.
The wind and the rain rolled like a series of whips, showing no signs of stopping, and nearby trees were constantly shaking. But nature could not do anything to this strange Burning Blood.
Aina felt this magical power as several meters around the Burning blood was dry, and the spirit of worship rose from her heart. The strength of the Lord of Ashes was indeed so powerful that even the terrifying nature was not his opponent.
Holding the container of Burning Blood, Aina moved cautiously in the rainless night. The streets of Beland were pitch-black under the torrential rain. No one had ventured out into the dark night of heavy rain. Only the little girl was looking for the adults of the church.
Watching the empty street, the tension in Aina's heart gradually eased. She grew up in an orphanage on the outskirts and had no right to go out. This was the first time she walked alone in a big city.
In the rain, the Burning Blood illuminated the little girl holding the sacred object. She looked curiously at the surrounding buildings, street lamps, and trees.
"This is the capital of Nolan, one of the world's largest cities, Beland."
She had a distinct sense of excitement now, a sense of happiness, and felt that she was different from the past. She even thought about remaining in her current situation.
The thunder stopped ringing, and only the monotonous sound of rain remained. The surrounding was covered by endless darkness. The little girl holding the sacred object was the only source of light.
Amid the rain, a coffee shop suddenly caught her eyes, and she felt strangely attracted to it. Her steps stalled at the door of the cafe, and she stared inside for a while.
The cafe was closed, the lights were turned off. The tables and chairs inside were neatly arranged; nothing strange could be seen from the outside.
"What is this place?"
Aina did not know the reason, but she felt a strong attraction here. After standing for a while, she shrugged and again started looking for the senior members of the cult. That was the most important thing in her mind at the moment.
Shortly after she left, there was a tremendous vibration in the cafe, and it lasted for a long time. A gray mist started spreading inside the shop, and Shen Yi emerged from it.
Confirming that this was his cafe with all the familiar furnishings, a sense of security immediately rebounded, and Shen Yi let out a long sigh.
"Successfully back."
Outside the cafe, the torrential rain continuously kept falling down like a waterfall. Only after returning to the cafe, Shen Yi could feel at ease. In any case, the experience just now was too unbelievable, and there was a strong sense of unreality.
Shen Yi thought of the little girl left in the church, and his hands clenched subconsciously, but he knew in his heart that there was no better way to save her. As the summoning lasted only ten minutes, he did not have enough time to think of a better solution.
"I hope she will be safe."
Shen Yi could only pray for her, and then he had to think about his own problems first.