Chapter 33: Saint fall (1/2)

It didn't take long for Sol to reach the innermost room of the church.

Even though he came regularly in the church, it was the first time he came to this zone. Along the way, they had met many patrols and inspections, showing just how important this place was.

”We are here.”

Sol marveled at the scene carved on the black and white gate. A woman with fourteen girls behind her, all of them wearing golden robes on the white side of the gate, facing them was another woman wearing a bright red robe on the black side of the gate. Every one of them had no face, giving the scene a strange, creepy atmosphere.

”Mother order and the fourteen goddesses against Chaos.”

Chloe's voice brought him back from his fascination. It wasn't the first time he saw such pictures and he also knew what they represented. But he wasn't particularly interested in talking about religion right now.

What bothered him right now was the enormous amount of mana he could feel from the other side. He nearly asked Chloe about it before remembering that people shouldn't know he had awakened. Chloe seemed trustworthy. But it didn't matter.

”Forget it, let's go.”

Chloe shook her head at Sol urging as she said, ”I can't enter here anymore. The ritual she prepared is already at its last step. Only you can enter.”

Sol nodded and began to walk slowly toward the door. But he was about to open it, ”Sol…”

”Hum?” He tilted his head at Chloe murmur from behind him.

”I hope that you will take care of her.” Her voice sounded low and threatening as she continued, ”What aunt Camelia is doing, is a supreme ritual and a form of cheating. What more it seems that she made an even more outrageous demand. Our world is regulated by contract and equivalent price. The price she has to pay for this ritual isn't something you can imagine.”

*Thump*

A bad feeling bloomed in his heart. He stopped paying attention to Chloe's words, instead, he opened the door and rushed in.

The door immediately closed behind him.

Chloe, now alone, looked sadly at the door before turning around and going away. Her presence was currently useless and whatever happened, she knew her aunt was ready for it.

----

The first thing that caught Sol's attention as he entered the circular room was a strong metallic scent.

'Blood.'

The second thing that caught his attention was the beautiful naked woman standing on a hexagram drawn on the ground with magical circles floating all around her.

'Camelia.'

He couldn't see her face, since she was showing her back to him, but he was sure that it was her.

He wanted to shout her name but he held back since he feared disturbing her ritual. Whatever she was doing, was truly a high level.

An overpowering and crushing pressure-filled the room. Each step was more difficult than the last, and even breathing was difficult. The otherwise short distance that should have been covered in a few seconds, took nearly one minute.

”Hello Sol, I was waiting for you.”

The weary voice of Camelia sounded in his ears once he was close to the circle.

”How are you?” It was truly a dumb question and Sol knew it, the chuckle that escaped Camelia told him she also knew it, but he didn't know what else to ask.

”I can't say that I am fine, but soon everything will be alright.”

Sol frowned, ”Turn and face me.” He asked with a rather harsh tone. A hunch filling him with dread.

”*Sigh*” Camelia shoulders slumped a little before she slowly turned to face him. At first view, everything was alright, but–

”Your eyes…” Sol's voice trembled as he said that. One of the usual blue eyes of Camelia, the right one, was now of a simple and common black.

Seeing the wry smile on her face Sol took another deeper look at her. His enhanced senses allowing him to spot other details.

”Y-your h-hair.”

This time it wasn't just a hunch anymore, her hair was still her usual golden, but the roots were… Black.

Golden hair and blue eyes.

It was the sign of an innate blessing of the goddesses.

This blessing was the most important criteria to become a Supreme daughter or a king.

Losing this blessing means losing the qualifications.

”Just. What are you? Doing?”

Camelia didn't lose her smile even in face of Sol's anger, she kept looking at him with the same look. One filled with love and longing, ”Just what I should do.”

-----

”Saint fall. This is the name of the ritual.”

”I don't care what the name of that ritual is. Stop it now.”

He wanted to rush and extract her out of the hexagram, but he feared making things worse by acting rashly.

Camelia on the other hand completely ignored him as she continued to stand her with a smile. The golden color of her hair slowly vanishing.

”Sol, the most fundamental law of this world is the principle of contract and every contract has a price. The most direct example is how witch who gets power from a contract with Asmodeus with their fertility and much more as the price.”