The First Pope - Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Helen brought over a thousand members of the Wolf Race this time. The forest where the elves lived was vast, so Olivia had initially planned to let the wolves rest there. However, remembering that the full moon was approaching, she changed her mind and led them to the God Race's city to settle in.
Manden City was quite large, with many uninhabited areas perfect for accommodating the Wolf Race.
But after entering Manden City, Olivia remembered that many witches were also staying here.
Seeing the witches' faces immediately darken upon the arrival of the Wolf Race party, Olivia frowned slightly and slowed her pace. Just as she was considering taking the wolves to a different place, a hand gently squeezed her shoulder.
She turned her head slightly to look at the hand's owner. Cynthia smiled at her and said softly, "It's fine. Settling them here will be okay."
Although Helen could not see, she could still feel the hostile gazes the witches were directing at them. Hearing Cynthia's words, she sensed something was amiss and asked with a frown, "Is something wrong?"
The witches' hostile and disgusted stares were so obvious that some of the younger wolves in the group, as if provoked, couldn't help but bare their teeth and let out threatening low growls. Not to be outdone, the witches all took out their staves.
The smell of gunpowder hung thick in the air. Helen turned to face those behind her, her gentle tone tinged with displeasure. "What are you doing?"
The scolded young wolves whimpered pitifully before obediently lying down.
The witches were displeased with the Wolf Race, but they held great respect for the God Race. Seeing that the wolves had been led in by Cynthia, they said nothing despite their dislike, put away their staves, and turned to leave.
Cynthia watched the witches' retreating backs and said softly, "Clan Leader Helen, do you remember Elder Hettie of the Morgan Family?"
Helen was taken aback, then slowly nodded. "Of course, I remember. She was an old friend of mine." Her tone was filled with regret for her friend's passing. "She was a very talented and wise witch. It's just a pity that the lifespan of the witch race is too short."
"Some time ago, the witch race suffered large-scale captures by the Vampires, resulting in heavy casualties. Elder Hettie's descendants led the three witch families to the ice field, seeking the Wolf Race's help, but they were ignored." As Cynthia spoke, she observed Helen's expression. Seeing that she looked as if she was hearing this for the first time, Cynthia raised an eyebrow. "Did the clan leader not know about this?"
Helen shook her head. "I wasn't in our territory during that time." She paused, then turned toward Joanna and asked, "Why didn't you tell me that the witches came to us for help?"
Just as Olivia had said, Helen's character was not one to look down on the witches for their weakness. The Wolf Race valued friendship deeply. If Hettie's descendants had come to her for help, she would certainly have assisted them.
The reason Helen hadn't responded to the witches' plea for help was simply that she knew nothing about it.
Cynthia's and Olivia's gazes simultaneously shifted to Joanna. Under their scrutiny, Joanna also looked bewildered. "This... I didn't know either." She frowned, puzzled. "When did the witches come to the ice field?"
Cynthia gave a date. Joanna thought back carefully and said with some guilt, "I wasn't on the ice field during that time." She explained, "Vampires were frequently spotted near our territory back then, so I took the elders to investigate the situation."
Helen's brow remained tightly furrowed. "Even if you weren't there at the time, did no one from the clan mention the witches to you after you returned?"
Joanna shook her head. "No." Seeing a hint of anger on Helen's face, she immediately softened her voice to soothe her. "Clan Leader, don't be angry. I'll discipline them properly when I get back."
"The Wolf Race would never look down on other races just because they are weak." Joanna looked at Cynthia and said sincerely, "I would like to go explain to the witches and apologize to them. The witch race and the Wolf Race share a deep friendship, and I don't want this misunderstanding to affect our relationship."
Before Cynthia could speak, Helen raised a hand to her brow and sighed. "I'll go myself."
Joanna's brow furrowed for a moment before smoothing out. She tried to persuade her, "It's better if I go. Clan Leader, don't you still need to discuss the matter of the Vampires with Her Majesty Queen Olivia?" After speaking, she took two steps toward Cynthia and said with a smile, "I'll have to trouble Excellency Cynthia to show me the way."
Cynthia stared at her for a moment, then her lips curved slightly. "Alright."
She stepped aside to let her pass. When Joanna came over, she walked shoulder-to-shoulder with her toward the area where the witches lived.
While Darcy was entirely focused on rapidly expanding their power, Chloe's heart was set on teaching her people to practice Light Magic. Open squares could be seen everywhere in Manden City, where groups of three to five God Race members gathered to practice Light Magic, their golden light even more dazzling than the sun.
Joanna observed the God Race in the squares on both sides as she walked, saying with interest, "So this is Light Magic? I haven't seen you for a while, and to think the God Race has become so powerful."
Cynthia replied modestly, "We've only learned a few Light Magic spells for self-defense. We're still far from being comparable to the Wolf Race. After all, the Wolf Race has always been so powerful. We weaker races can't compare."
The silver-haired God Race member's tone was very humble, but her words made Joanna narrow her eyes. She glanced at Cynthia and said softly, "Excellency Cynthia, you're too polite."
"Hm?" Cynthia looked at her with a smile and said in a joking tone, "Doesn't Vice Clan Leader Joanna think so?"
"How could I think that?" Joanna's face was frank. "The God Race, just like the witch race, are all friends of our Wolf Race."
Friends of the Wolf Race, just like the witches... Cynthia let out a soft laugh. She still remembered the scene when Chelsea and the others first encountered the wolves in Nobi City. Their attitude hadn't shown her any deep friendship between the Wolf Race and the witches.
Besides, Joanna's explanations didn't hold water in Cynthia's view. According to Betty, they had waited on the ice field for three days and three nights. The Wolf Race could detect Vampires lurking at the edge of their territory, yet they failed to notice witches within their territory.
However, given the power of the Wolf Race, it was normal for them to pay little attention to these relatively weaker races.
But the fact that Joanna would hide her true attitude toward other races in front of Helen was what interested Cynthia.
She glanced at Joanna, then inconspicuously moved a little closer to her, her hand extending naturally. "Speaking of which, is Clan Leader Helen's body too weak? If needed, the God Race's Healing Spell could try to help her recuperate."
As she spoke, she reached out, but just as her hand neared Joanna's arm, Joanna deftly raised her own arm to avoid it. Cynthia paused, then looked up to meet Joanna's gaze, blinking as she said, "I just wanted to show you the Healing Spell."
Joanna raised a hand to rub her wrist, a faint smile on her face. "I've heard the God Race has a talent for prying into people's minds. Forgive me for overreacting."
Cynthia withdrew her hand and said softly, "No, it was I who was rude."
"The clan leader's body is weak because of a severe injury that hasn't healed. If the God Race can truly help her recover, I will thank you properly."
Cynthia responded with Joanna's own words, "The Wolf Race, just like the witch race, are friends of the God Race. It's a small matter."
Joanna turned her head to look at Cynthia, the warmth in her sky-blue eyes cooling slightly. Cynthia let her scrutinize her, even offering a friendly smile.
Cynthia and Joanna only started talking after walking some distance. Moreover, people of Joanna's status were accustomed to putting up a barrier when speaking to prevent others from eavesdropping. Olivia couldn't hear their conversation; she could only see them walking closer and closer together.
How can this God Race member chat so happily with someone she's just met? Olivia's brow furrowed unconsciously.
Helen sensed the change in the aura around Olivia and asked, "What's wrong?"
Olivia withdrew her gaze and slowly shook her head. "It's nothing. Let's go too."
After composing herself, Olivia asked about the Vampires. "The Vampires destroyed the Fire God Temple. Where will their next target be?"
Seeing Olivia turn to serious matters, Helen also set aside her curiosity and said grimly, "East of the Fire God Temple is Pegel, where the Giant God's Temple is located. I suspect that will be the Vampires' next target."
Olivia lowered her eyes in thought. "I remember the Mentos Desert is also nearby?"
The Mentos Desert was the location of the Earth Mother's temple. Of the three Main Gods, only the location of her temple was known to the public. The temples of the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness were still lost somewhere.
Helen nodded, her tone grave. "That could also become a target for the Vampires."
As the guardian deity of the Sitatul Continent, if the Earth Mother's temple were to be destroyed, it was unknown whether it would bring even more disasters to the continent. After all, the destruction of the Fire God's Temple had caused scorching magma to flood nearly ten thousand miles of land, and the God of the Ocean's temple had triggered a tsunami. As a Main God, the disaster would surely be greater if the Earth Mother's temple was destroyed.
"The God of the Ocean's temple was the first to be destroyed, and during my time here, I've discovered something," Olivia said, looking up at the gloomy sky, her voice cool. "Darkness has begun to breed in the Slade Sea Region."
"Oh?"
"The dark aura here is growing. Although it's slow, I can still feel it."
After the gods left the Sitatul Continent, the uncontrolled elements began to run rampant. But over time, the various elements had found a point of balance. Though still unstable, it gave the weakest race, humans, a space to survive.
The elements counterbalanced each other; only external intervention could affect them.
The temples were formed from the divine power of the gods, and their collapse would disturb the hard-won balance among the elements.
The breeding of a dark aura was by no means normal. Olivia had already guessed the Vampires' true purpose. "The Vampires want to completely occupy this continent. They want to exterminate all other races."
And then turn this place into a Blood Domain, a territory suitable only for Vampires.
"But turning the Sitatul Continent into a Blood Domain isn't that easy," Helen said with a frown. "It would require the domain of a First Generation Vampire."
The Vampires' current territory was formed by the domain unfolded by a First Generation Vampire of their clan.
No matter how much the dark aura grew, it would only make survival more difficult for humans. It would affect the Elves and the Wolf Race, but not to the point of extinction.
Olivia was silent for a moment. She didn't know what other tricks the Vampires had up their sleeves, so she could only shake her head slightly. "In any case, we must protect the remaining temples."
They also needed to figure out what the Vampires were up to as soon as possible. The sudden appearance of so many Third Generation Vampires at the Ice Lake was highly unusual. It was just a pity that the Ice Lake had been so thoroughly destroyed that they couldn't find any clues.
Ochester was vast. Completely occupying it would require time and manpower. After discussing it with Cynthia, Darcy decided to start by clearing out the Vampires here.
City after city was cleared, leaving only a Teleportation Array behind before being temporarily abandoned. Within the cities, apart from the scorch marks left by the Power of Light, not even a single vampire corpse remained.
A city that Cynthia, Betty, and Chelsea had cleared together welcomed a new batch of guests after being deserted for some time.
Iman appeared in the city with other Vampires. A huge, deep pit in the center of the city silently accused the God Race of their atrocities. The pure white castle was no longer magnificent; instead, it looked somewhat desolate under the night sky.
A Fourth Generation Vampire flashed away to check if there were any living Vampires left in the city, while Iman stood by the edge of the pit, her expression profound.
As far as she knew, there had been nine Fourth Generation Vampires in this city. To think they had been dealt with so quietly by the God Race, without a single one escaping to call for help.
It was unbelievable.
"It seems the God Race is a bit more troublesome than imagined," Avira said, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. But she quickly composed herself when Iman looked over. She feigned distress and sighed, "Another race as difficult to deal with as the Elves and the Wolf Race has appeared. The elders' plans will be even harder to implement."
As she spoke, her gaze swept around. Suddenly, she noticed faint markings on the ground not far away. She walked over, glanced down, and raised an eyebrow. Is this... a witch's array?
Iman saw her staring at the ground and didn't know what she was doing, so she asked, "What is it?"
"Nothing." Avira's fingers twitched, erasing the markings on the ground. Then she said, "Elder Iman, when are we going to deal with these God Race members?"
She was already eager to see how much the God Race had grown.
Iman was not arrogant like Andre. She appeared laid-back, but in reality, she was extremely cautious. "No rush. The Elf Queen is still with the God Race. Elder Talia said she has sent people to assist us. We'll make plans after they rendezvous with us."
The people sent by Talia... Avira thought of that non-human who was desperate to become a vampire. A flash of disgust crossed her eyes. To achieve her goals, Talia would truly use anyone.
The certain non-human disdained by Avira had now also arrived in Ochester. Because they had come from a different direction, the first city the Sethite wizards encountered was the one that had been taken by the Anderson witches.
Unlike the cities conquered by the God Race, which were devoid of corpses, this city, nestled in the center of the mountains, was littered with the bodies of Vampires. They were mangled and dismembered, their deaths horrific. Some even showed signs of having been gnawed on.
When Maia and a male wizard walked into the city and saw this scene, their steps immediately froze. They stared at the corpses on the ground in astonishment, their eyes wide. "This..."
Was this the work of the God Race? It doesn't seem like it. The God Race isn't this brutal, are they?
Besides, after being burned by the Power of Light, corpses usually didn't remain. Remains like these looked more like the work of the Wolf Race.
Maia walked to a corpse, bent down to examine it carefully, and a look of confusion crossed her eyes. She said with uncertainty, "...The aura remaining on the wounds doesn't seem to belong to the Wolf Race."
It felt a bit like the Power of Darkness that they, the wizards, cultivated.
She pondered for a moment, then took out a bone staff from her Space Gem and began to chant a spell in a low voice. A faint dark aura started to gather in front of her staff, then gradually spread outwards.
Maia waited patiently for a while. Watching the dark aura slowly gather in a certain direction, she narrowed her eyes and said to the male wizard, Ryan, beside her, "Let's go up and take a look."
Ryan looked up, chanted a short spell, and a black whirlwind swept them up to the mountaintop.
The night wind on the mountaintop was cold and biting. A thick dark aura swirled around Maia and Ryan. They scanned their surroundings and soon discovered a dried-up mud pit. The soil there was dark red.
Ryan walked over and squatted down, touching the soil. He said thoughtfully, "This is a blood pool for summoning monsters."
This was a type of Dark Magic, and one of the most common and popular ones at that. It was the first Dark Magic spell every wizard in their Sethite clan learned.
The system of Dark Magic had not actually been fully established yet. There were only a few successfully researched Dark Magic spells that had any offensive power.
Maia stood behind Ryan, gazing at the dark red soil, her expression shifting. "Could it be the witches who did this?"
They knew that the three witch families were currently with the God Race.
The witch race was once a branch of the Tremere Family. They also possessed the Power of Darkness within them, so it was normal for them to be able to practice Dark Magic.
However, weren't the three witch families always forbidden from coming into contact with the Power of Darkness?
Ryan's guess was the same as Maia's. He stood up, a slight curve to his lips, his eyes deep. "If it was the witches, it must have been the Anderson Family."
Although the restraints from the Morgan and Garcia families made the Anderson Family seem merely eccentric, Ryan had dealt with them before and knew they were not as pure and kind as the Morgan and Garcia families.
This time, the witch race had been pushed so far by the Vampires that they didn't even dare to return to their own territory. The Morgan and Garcia families, in particular, had suffered heavy casualties. They probably couldn't control that group of Anderson lunatics anymore.
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