"We found this when we were investigating the camp." Verrol saw the shock and confusion on Hao Ren and the rest, so he took out a tattered black book and handed it to them. "It unlocked the secrets of the army."
Hao Ren took the tattered book. "This is …"
"This is an ancient notebook. It was originally a powerful holy relic that belonged to a high-ranking bishop or monk. It should be a prayer book. The scripture recorded in it allowed it to survive the corrosion of time in the Nightmare World. It was probably because of this that its original owner chose to record some important things in it … Don't look at the scripture at the front, those are basically unrecognizable. There's still a third of the notebook that can be read."
Hao Ren carefully flipped open the prayer book and found the second half of the book.
"… The power of the is leaving. That storm at dusk … has cut off the connection with … the situation is worsening. Bishop Aaron tried to call (unrecognizable place or person name), but there was no response. We might already … I'm worried that the supplies in the secular world will soon be contaminated by … the power of the. Anything valuable that happens in the future will be recorded in this prayer book …
"… The 76th day. We've been trapped here for more than two months. Only two scouts have returned. They said … it's confirmed that the Warden's army has been destroyed. Those powerful war colossi and magical weapons seem to have gone out of control. At the place where they were destroyed, we can see … the Twilight Fortress and the Mithril Fortress are in darkness, without the light of God's grace. At this point, it's almost certain that something has happened to the Warden, or …
"… All kinds of supplies are running out, but there's still no hope of the situation turning for the better … The passage to the real world is locked. The Heroic Soul Army does not need food or water, but the consumption of holy water and incense cannot be replenished. Without these things, even the Heroic Souls … will be corrupted and distorted. During the bishops' meeting, we discussed the possibility of finding replacements, but in this Nightmare World, I'm afraid there's nothing that can stop Lockmarton …
"The flow of time is becoming strange. We can't seem to feel the alternation of day and night anymore, but it could also be that the alternation of day and night in this world has really stopped after the Warden left … but the camp is still there, we should be able to hold it. But how long do we have to hold it? The demigod guards have already left, and the demigod guards have also retreated. Only the Heroic Soul Army of mortals like us are left. Continuing to hold this empty Nightmare Realm seems to be meaningless …
"… There was a fierce battle, and many died. But in the end, we managed to defeat Lockmarton's minions, and the camp is still firmly under the control of the knights. Perhaps our defense is indeed meaningless to Lockmarton, but so what? At least it is meaningful to us. In addition, I was injured in the battle, but the effect of healing magic on the wound is unusually weak. This situation is very unusual, we need to … "
"… After two months, the wound finally started to heal, but it looked a little strange. There seemed to be some growth around the wound … We found the other wounded soldiers and found that half of them had similar symptoms. There was growth around the wound. Later, the bishops conducted an investigation and found that … there were more abnormal changes. Some of the soldiers' limbs had shrunk or deformed. Although it was very slight, it did not seem to be a good sign …
"… More and more mutations are occurring, and the situation is becoming more and more strange. After the last battle, we found that all healing magic no longer worked, but everyone's self-healing ability has become unprecedentedly strong. This can almost make up for the lost effects of healing magic, but after healing the wounds, all kinds of inexplicable growths will appear, and cutting them off will only cause more …
"I'm in low spirits and a little absent-minded. I vaguely remember what I've forgotten, but life is still busy. Today is the day to pray?
"… From the reflective shield, I saw my own appearance. I don't know when I grew a new tentacle … Bishop Aaron has completely changed into a face I don't recognize, but the smell is still his … My two attendants have also become very strange. I can't tell who is who, because they are so similar now, I have to put different colored sashes on them …
"Writing has become very difficult … I don't know what to write. I feel my thoughts are becoming more and more chaotic, and I can't remember much … The bishops seem to have long forgotten an important ritual. I vaguely remember the ritual, but what is it again …
"… The battle has ended. Many are injured, and are waiting to heal. I vaguely remember that there was a method to speed up the healing of the wounds … What was it again?
"Writing these things … Records … I can't understand it anymore … I am …"
The rest of the records had all become unrecognizable symbols and abstract graffiti, and could no longer be read.
"He should be the one who lasted the longest," Verrol said slowly. "The diary he left behind gave us valuable information, allowing us to roughly guess what happened after the wardens left this place. Lockmarton's power will continue to corrupt the living beings that enter the Nightmare Realm. Be it a normal person, a powerful priest, or a holy spirit, as long as they lose the support of holy relics, they will gradually become a part of the Nightmare. "
Hao Ren returned the precious diary to Verrol. "They don't seem to have completely transformed."
"But they have lost their human minds," the old bishop sighed. "They still retain the instinct to fight against the Chaos Daemons, and they seem to be resisting Lockmarton's corruption. However, they can no longer communicate or think. After coming into contact with them, we have tried many methods of negotiation, but to no avail. The only result so far is that … they will not attack us."
Geddon, the Lord of the Mountains, lowered his head and did not speak for a long time. No one knew what he was thinking.
"We can take our time to think about this." Hao Ren still remembered his purpose in coming to this dimension. The appearance of the "Armageddon Army" was just an accident. While they needed to be concerned about it, they had to first get rid of the root of all this — Lockmarton. "I want to know, how did you move the entire Fidelinopolis here? What happened back then? What happened in Fidelinopolis? Those popes … "
"We have many questions as well." Verrol glanced at Hao Ren and the rock giants behind Hao Ren. "I think we need to have an in-depth discussion. Follow us back to Fidelinopolis. His Holiness the Pope will tell you everything. "
"The Pope?!" Hao Ren was stunned. "You mean Auguste the Seventh? Hasn't he already … "
"Please remember this — the people of Sanctum will never yield, not even to Lockmarton," the old bishop said. "I know your doubts. Come, in Fidelinopolis, you will get all the answers."
Fidelinopolis on the Scorched Plains — even though it had fallen into Lockmarton's Nightmare Realm, it still stood proudly. Its battered walls and scorched towers seemed to tell of the price it had to pay to enter this battlefield, and it also symbolized the indomitable spirit of the people of Sanctum. After entering the city, there were all kinds of seriously damaged buildings and streets that were almost out of shape. Many tall churches and towers were actually on the verge of collapse. Due to the loss of their foundations, they were now completely relying on magical power to support themselves. A faint halo flowed between the cracked slabs and metal, keeping them from disintegrating immediately.
Many workers were busy among the damaged buildings, trying to repair the less damaged buildings that could last longer. They also demolished the temples and towers that were completely supported by magic. In the completely collapsed ruins, many metal golems with magic runes carved all over their bodies were busy. They seemed to be collecting useful resources from the ruins.
The entire city looked severely damaged, but everything was in order. The first thought that came to Hao Ren's mind when he saw this was that the teleportation to Fidelinopolis was not an accident. There were all kinds of plans!
There was only one person who had the ability to arrange this, and that was the pope who controlled everything in the Sacred City, Auguste the Seventh.
Then in the real world, who was the pope who had been corrupted by the Worldbreaker and stopped them?!
With such questions in mind, Hao Ren and his entourage walked through the run-down streets of the Holy City. Under the guidance of Cardinal Verrol, they passed through the Circle of Mortals and the Path of Sages. Finally, they arrived at the heart of the Holy City, the circular street known as the Divine Will.
This used to be the center of the Cult of the Goddess. All the Great Basilica and the Privy Archives were concentrated in the smallest circular block, and the largest building was the Basilica Icon where the pope resided. The "human symbols" of the 21 wardens were also located there. But now, the damage suffered by the Side of God was far greater than that of the other two rings. Eighty percent of its buildings were destroyed, and the area where the Basilica Icon was located was empty. Obviously, the palace was left in the real world outside.
Looking at the city where he had lived for most of his life, Calaxus could not help but feel emotional. In the first half of his life, he had never thought that his hometown, the sacred city, would one day be baptized by the flames of war. But in just a few months, Asurmen was extinguished, Sanctum fell, and the sacred city was attacked. The glorious city had become like this. When he left, it was still bright, but on the day of his return …
In the realm of nightmares, he saw the broken sacred city that had survived the disaster.
Since the Basilica Icon had been left in the real world, the temporary center of the sacred city was a cathedral located in the Divine's Side. In fact, it was the only intact building in the Divine's Side. In the cathedral, which was shone with a faint holy light, Hao Ren and his entourage saw the "Pope" that Verrol had mentioned.
An old man sat on a chair. His feet were bare, and he wore a thick robe whose color could no longer be seen. He held a simple walking stick made of twisted thorny wood in his hand. The old man was extremely thin, almost skin and bones. His limbs could even be said to be as thin as firewood. He sat there like a hard, rugged thorn, and his messy white hair draped behind his head.
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