TFSAWE - Chapter 223: Irreplaceable Powers (Patreon)

In the place I beheld, there passed by at a pace slower than the walk of a splendid carriage.

Amidst the vibrant flowers and sparkling embellishments, freshly painted to exude grandeur, it was undoubtedly an originally humble cart. For without a doubt, there would not exist a carriage on which there was naught but a chair, fit for a solitary occupant, devoid of walls or roof. And upon that carriage's seat sat a young woman. A mere glance at her attire revealed the origin of her garments. Intricate embroidery, adorned with golden threads, embellished the pristine white fabric, free of even a speck of dust.

"The vestments of a saint."

The clothes she wore were fashioned after the very garments I wore daily. Murmurs could be heard from those beside her.

"Is that the newly emerged saint?"

"Seems so. They say she cured hundreds of people afflicted by the venom of the basilisks in Tryon!"

"Truly extraordinary! We must go and see for ourselves. It is not often that one has the chance to behold a genuine saint, is it?"

As they conversed, the woman suddenly rose from her seat and extended her hand toward the onlookers. It was then that a bluish aura gathered at her fingertips.

"It is a divine power!"

"She is the saint!"

Upon witnessing the divine power, the people knelt, doffed their hats, and lowered their heads in reverence. Some among them already shed tears.

Though I had witnessed the fanatical devotion of people at the temple, it appeared even stronger in this place.

"A more perilous realm."

Unlike the sacred temple, said to be the most stable ground, this place was frequented by marauding basilisks far more frequently. In this land, divine power served as an absolute and unparalleled force, protecting those who possessed it. Hence, their desperation was to be expected.

"That is why Evelina could remain as the saint all this time."

Even if she were to commit further misdeeds, the people would be powerless to act. The power she wielded was irreplaceable, and she was the existence that allowed humans to thrive in this land.

I gazed at the woman once again. The aura she displayed was not as overwhelming in quantity as the one I once possessed, but it seemed to possess an intermediate divine quality, akin to that of an advanced priest. Even though saints and high-ranking priests did not constantly harness their powers, to an outsider, the woman's strength would appear as formidable as those of the saints or high-ranking priests.

"Reveal yourself."

Though others seemed oblivious, I could perceive that the slender thread of divine power emanating from the woman's hand was subtly connected elsewhere. Following its course, my gaze shifted, and I beheld the cart's driver at its other end. The woman's divine power originated from him.

"Was he originally a priest?"

The circumstances became clear without difficulty. It was the false saint, who occasionally appeared far from the sacred temple. Now, with the newly emerged saint's identity not yet widely known, it was the optimal time for them to carry out their activities.

The driver, the source of the divine power, called out to the people.

"Those who seek safety from the basilisks, follow the saint!"

Upon hearing those words, the people began to walk alongside the carriage. I turned away, casting a final glance at the departing impostor saint. Aware that the love and affection directed toward her were originally meant for Evelina, I observed the hearts of those turning toward others and eventually toward Iris. Unable to dispel a profound sense of melancholy, I stood there, filled with a bittersweet sentiment.

***

"What is this?" Iris uttered, her voice trembling, as she swallowed a breath. The creature, disguised as a human, was terrifying enough, but it was a monstrous being with shredded wings, as if someone had pummelling it with fists and torn them apart. Initially, it had appeared as though it wanted to rescue her, embracing her and soaring into the air. But now its gaze seemed fixed upon a pebble on the roadside.

"Then why did you save me earlier?" Iris asked, unable to move. Aslan snickered, realizing why he had mistaken her for a saint. It was because this woman possessed powers akin to those of a saint. Without hesitation, he reached out, seizing Iris by the throat and lifting her up.

[Snap! Snap!] Aslan muttered, observing Iris' struggling form as if she were pleading to be spared. "If I kill her, will the power return to its rightful place?"

Upon hearing those words, Iris thrashed even more forcefully.

Aslan found himself caught in a quandary. He had expected the power to manifest in a physical form, but it had entered a new body. His thoughts became entangled. If killing her would restore the power, it would be a relief. But what if it didn't? What if her power faded away without returning to her?

"Well, now that I've found her, I should take her to the temple," Aslan pondered. However, his face contorted in a grimace. "That damn Heksa won't stay still."

Heksa, who had absorbed the magic I cast and grown stronger, was waiting for me even in traps. I couldn't simply let him be while I vanished.

"But it doesn't seem like I can kill him right away."

Although I retreated for now, Aslan knew it was only temporary. What should he do?

In the midst of his contemplation, something unexpected happened.

[Thwack!]

Aslan was suddenly jolted awake by a sharp pain in his arm. The woman I had been holding had somehow harnessed her power and struck my arm with force. For a moment, it felt as if stars were flashing before my eyes. Magical and divine powers were opposing forces. Even without that, my strength had been dwindling, and now that I had let my guard down, I was completely overwhelmed.

[Thud!]

The woman, who had fallen to the ground, held her throat, coughing as she gasped for air. Aslan paused, considering whether he should finish her off. After all, if something were to happen to the saint, it would be a problem. Until her powers returned, she needed to be handled with care.

In the meantime, the surviving villagers were approaching from all directions. The talismans they had brandished to fight off the creature emitted a brilliant light.

"It seems resting here is out of the question."

Well, anyway, since Heksa had wreaked havoc in this place, and he would undoubtedly return here soon.

[Eek!]

Aslan seized the woman with the power as if gripping a young animal, and without hesitation, he leaped up. What the villagers witnessed was Aslan's terrifying speed as he vanished from sight, still clutching the struggling Iris in his hands.

***