The First Pope - Chapter 98
Chapter 98
The dagger had pierced her palm, and crimson blood nearly soaked her sleeve. The Power of Darkness from a Second Generation Vampire was too tyrannical; even with Olivia's powerful self-healing ability, the wound was not closing quickly.
The flesh at the edge of the wound was peeled back, revealing the stark white bone beneath. When Cynthia saw the injury on Olivia's palm, the smile on her face vanished completely, and the air around her grew cold.
"How can you hold a bow or a staff with an injured palm?" Cynthia mobilized the Power of Light, patiently purifying the Power of Darkness clinging to the wound. As she watched the bleeding stop bit by bit and the wound gradually heal, the coldness in her eyes slowly faded. When she looked up at Olivia again, her golden eyes were once more filled with gentleness. "Does it still hurt?"
Although the wound had healed thanks to the Power of Light, a red scar was still visible. Cynthia gently caressed the edge of the scar with her thumb.
The slight itch in her palm made Olivia unconsciously want to curl her fingers, but her hand was still held by Cynthia. Closing her palm had the effect of gripping Cynthia's hand in return.
Cynthia looked down at their clasped hands, a smile playing on her lips. She said teasingly, "It's rare to see Her Majesty the Queen so passionate." As she spoke, she glanced over at the vampires and sighed deliberately. "A pity I can't respond in kind right now."
After a few seconds of their hands being clasped, Olivia forcefully pulled hers back. This time, Cynthia didn't hold on, just as she had said—now was not the time for these little flirtations to deepen their bond.
"...Boring." Olivia's face was stern. She put her hand behind her back and clenched it a couple of times before stiffly changing the subject. "Did you come alone?"
After a few teasing remarks to lighten the mood, Cynthia set aside her playful thoughts. She looked up at the sky, which was obscured by a bloody mist, her gaze profound. She said seriously, "The God Race has also run into some trouble."
Olivia frowned. "Was it the Vampires?"
Cynthia shook her head. "The Sethite wizards."
Olivia's gaze turned cold, her tone filled with unconcealable anger. "Traitors to the human race like them should have been completely wiped out from the very beginning."
She was not bloodthirsty, but she never showed mercy to those who deserved to die. However, with the Elf Race facing both internal and external threats, she had no energy to spare for other matters, which was why the Sitatul Continent was still in a state of disarray.
In her prime, Helen had taken the initiative to contact the witches, attempting to unite the races of the Sitatul Continent against the Vampires, but she gave up after being severely injured and blinded. From birth, Olivia had carried the heavy burden of the Elf Race's survival and simply could not afford to worry about other races.
Cynthia might now be the Sitatul Continent's only hope... Olivia had watched with her own eyes how she had developed the God Race and the humans. If she didn't want Cynthia's hard work to be in vain, if she didn't want the Vampires to continue their rampage, this battle absolutely could not be lost.
Avira was only here to watch the show. Although Talia was annoyed by her, she wouldn't go so far as to drive her away at a time like this. Of course, she very much wanted to, but driving Avira away would be an admission that their attack had failed.
After all, Avira's strength was no less than her own, and given her status in the Blood Domain, it wasn't wise for Talia to make a move.
Having decided to ignore Avira, Talia turned her attention back to the elves. A powerful pressure bore down, making the air in the Forbidden Land feel suffocating, as if it had been sucked out. Cynthia's staff treated this pressure as a provocation from the Power of Darkness, and the Light Crystal at its tip began to shine with a dazzling golden light.
The golden light purified the Power of Darkness that was trying to invade the Forbidden Land. The thick, bloody mist lingering between the elves and the Vampires was instantly cleared away, and the figures of Talia and the other Vampires became increasingly clear in Cynthia's vision.
Cynthia sized Talia up, then her gaze shifted to the side, taking in each of the Vampires beside her. She seemed to be pondering something, all while her staff continued to gather a ceaseless stream of the Power of Light.
As the sole nemesis of the Power of Darkness, Vampires were extremely sensitive to the Power of Light. However, since the Goddess of Light had departed with the other gods, Talia hadn't seen such pure Power of Light in a very long time.
This member of the God Race... Talia's scarlet eyes scanned Cynthia below, her gaze finally landing on the staff in her hand—or more precisely, on the Light Crystal at its tip.
The first time she met Cynthia, Talia's attention had been completely captivated by the Grand Light Spell she had used, and she hadn't noticed the Light Crystal that Cynthia always held in her hand.
Back at the Beast God's temple, the crystal in Cynthia's hand had seemed like an ordinary gem containing the Power of Light. But now... Talia's eyes darkened slightly. The aura it emitted felt very much like divine power.
Although it was faint, almost blended with the Power of Light, Talia, having lived through the age of the gods, had encountered the Goddess of Light's divine power more than once, so she was still able to detect it.
"I remember you." Talia raised a hand to her forehead as if trying to recall something. After a moment, a slow smile spread across her face, and she said in a playful tone, "An ordinary member of the God Race named Cynthia."
Cynthia gave Elder Talia a slight nod. "I didn't expect Elder Talia to remember me," she said politely. "I'm honored."
She said she was "honored," and her tone sounded polite enough, but the nonchalance in her golden eyes betrayed her completely.
"Not only do I remember you, I'd also like to invite you for a visit to the Blood Domain." Talia touched her lips, a sudden interest in Cynthia sparking within her. The sudden rise of the God Race's power was inextricably linked to the woman before her. Talia hadn't paid it much mind before, but seeing Cynthia again now, she suddenly felt a hint of a threat.
It was better to control someone like this; otherwise, another troublesome person like Olivia might appear.
Talia's stare was dangerous and full of ill intent. Cynthia pretended not to notice and declined with a smile, "If a suitable opportunity arises, I will certainly accept your invitation."
Talia chuckled. "Don't be picky. How about now? My patience is limited."
Cynthia reached out and touched the Light Crystal at the tip of her staff, merely curving her lips into a smile in response to Talia's threat.
While Talia was speaking with Cynthia, the Vampires had not ceased their assault on the Forbidden Land. Upon hearing Talia's words, Olivia, who was supporting the barrier, felt her gaze grow even colder. Her pale green eyes looked as if they were coated in a layer of frost.
Cynthia keenly sensed the change in Olivia's demeanor. She instinctively turned her head, only to see Olivia suddenly lower her longbow and turn, expressionless, to walk toward the Tree of Life behind her.
Cynthia was slightly taken aback and wanted to see what she was going to do. But a glance from the corner of her eye caught the Forbidden Land's barrier trembling, so she could only turn back and cast a Light Magic spell to help it resist the invasion of the Power of Darkness.
The Tree of Life was very susceptible to its environment. The Vampires' attack had already caused it to wilt considerably, but because the barrier was in place, its core had not been affected. Seeing Olivia approach, it even extended its slender branches and leaves to greet her.
Olivia walked up to the Tree of Life and raised a hand to stroke the branches that reached for her. Her cold, hard expression softened considerably.
Olivia had always taken good care of the Tree of Life. It was lush with branches and leaves, and even though it was wilting, it was still full of life. Olivia stroked its leaves reassuringly, then bent down slightly and dipped her hand into the stream below. The water was crystal clear, and the bottom was covered with fallen leaves and petals.
Her slender fingers pushed aside the leaves and petals, and a section of a verdant green branch slowly floated up from the bottom of the stream.
The branch looked as if it had just been broken off a tree. The moment it emerged from the water, the entire Forbidden Land was filled with the fresh, woody fragrance it emitted.
Olivia stared down at the branch for a moment before reaching out to pick it up.
As Olivia grasped the branch, the woody fragrance within the Forbidden Land instantly intensified. The scent penetrated the Power of Darkness and spread to Talia and the other Vampires, causing their expressions to freeze for a moment.
The gloomy sky above the Forbidden Land suddenly cleared, and golden sunlight poured in once more. Olivia turned to face the Vampires. Bathed in the sunlight, her exquisite, perfect features became even more dazzling. Her pale green hair drifted in the gentle breeze as a light the color of fresh grass silently appeared behind her. It spread rapidly, devouring half of the Blood Domain in an instant. The power of nature and the Power of Darkness confronted each other, faintly reaching a state of balance.
This "balance" was different from the one that had allowed for a brief respite when Olivia and the elf warriors were resisting the Vampires just moments ago.
The moment the power of nature erupted, the Second Generation Vampires sensed the danger and immediately pushed their Power of Darkness to its absolute limit. But even so, they were still unable to overwhelm Olivia's aura.
Talia looked up at the power of nature confronting her Power of Darkness, her eyes narrowing. "...I didn't think you'd be able to pick that up again," she said in a low voice.
The branch in Olivia's hand was the one left behind for the Elf Race by the Goddess of the Forest.
"This is the land of the Elf Race." Olivia met Talia's gaze and said, word by word, "Beneath my feet is the temple of the Goddess of the Forest. In a place like this, what makes you think you can defeat me?"
The temple of the Goddess of the Forest sealed her divine power, and the branch she had left behind was the key to mobilizing that power.
Previous Elf Queens could only use the branch left by the Goddess of the Forest to choose their guardians or to protect the Tree of Life. Only Olivia... she could use her formidable mental power to control the branch and command its divine power.
The Vampires' only crushing defeat had come from underestimating Olivia's talent, allowing her to turn the tables on them in a desperate situation.
But mobilizing the divine power that time had severely damaged Olivia's mental strength. On top of that, she had begun to expend her own life force for the Tree of Life, just like the previous Elf Queen. Talia had thought she would no longer be able to wield the branch.
...However, this made things more interesting. Talia's eyes were cold and sinister. She would repay the humiliation of that crushing defeat twofold.
The Tree of Life was too fragile; Olivia didn't want the battle to take place in the Forbidden Land. She waved the branch in her hand, and a pale green light spread outwards. A fierce wind suddenly rose, sweeping dust and debris toward Talia and the other Vampires in an attempt to move the battlefield elsewhere.
Outside the Forbidden Land, the wind raged, but inside, it remained calm. Polly had already charged out with the elf warriors when the gale began. Olivia was a step behind them. She stopped when she reached Cynthia's side. "The Tree of Life is the foundation of the Elf Race. I will leave a squad of warriors here to guard it, but..."
Before she could finish, Cynthia knowingly replied, "I'll guard it. Don't worry."
Olivia looked up and met Cynthia's eyes for a moment. She tilted her head slightly, her expression a little unnatural, and asked in a soft, quiet voice, "...Did you receive the flowers?"
Cynthia didn't quite hear her and looked at her in confusion. "What?"
"Nothing." Olivia straightened up, her face becoming expressionless again. After a moment of silence, she said, "I will not be defeated."
Cynthia nodded with a smile, her gaze as gentle as water. "I believe in you."
Olivia glanced at her, the corners of her lips curving up slightly before she quickly suppressed the smile. The wind had been brought under control by the Vampires. She tightened her grip on the branch, leaped into the air, and her figure quickly vanished from Cynthia's sight.
Talia's target had been Olivia from the very beginning. Seeing her finally deign to leave the Forbidden Land, she gave a cold laugh and led her people in pursuit.
Although the wind had been suppressed by the Vampires, they had also been scattered to some extent. Cynthia observed from below for a moment, then suddenly raised her staff and quickly chanted a spell. A wall of golden flame shot past the elf warriors and appeared before a lone Vampire.
The flames appeared so suddenly that even though Edeli reacted with extreme speed and stopped in his tracks, his cloak still caught fire and was burned to ash.
This was his favorite cloak. Edeli raised a hand to brush away the ash that had fallen on his clothes and slowly turned his head toward the direction the flames had come from.
The master of the flames had already walked out of the Forbidden Land. She was glancing around while playfully twirling the staff in her hand. After meeting Edeli's gaze, she even offered a friendly smile. Her long silver hair, shining in the sunlight, was just as blinding to him as the golden flames beside her.
This was a provocation. Edeli's face darkened, and the hand hanging at his side clenched into a fist.
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