CHAPTER 40: THE TEMPLE

Seraphina’s gaze kept looking at Thane as she kept praying.

The healing magic continued to give a golden glow.

For Seraphina, she felt a sense of peace and calmness. She knew from the start to the end that it was this boy who saved them all. There was a deep sense of gratitude, and even at that moment, Seraphina already made a vow she was definitely embarrassed to admit.

Vayne and Sayla both saw the Princess and could only chuckle.

Both gave meaningful looks at each other and immediately approved of this developing love team.

Thane was still panting and didn’t know how to smile back at the tearful smile of Seraphina.

In Thane’s head, he was already singing ’God gave me you’.

"...to show me what’s real. There’s more to life than just how I feel... And all that I’m worth is right before my eyes..." Thane sang in his head, but felt that he should be doing something or saying something to Seraphina.

Meanwhile, someone else was not impressed or touched by the endearing look of new love.

"..." Stratus looked back at Libra’s corpse, her expression conflicted.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

"That’s it?! Why were we brought here? Just to kill that thing?!" Stratus cursed.

Everyone jolted at her cry.

"Stratus! Calm down!" Vayne complained.

"I’m sorry! It’s just... It’s sad! We fought so hard, we lost three allies... and yet, it feels like we gained nothing."

Vayne and Sayla rolled their eyes as he saw that she broke the moment between Thane and the Princess.

"I mean... we fought an Angel! It summoned a Cyclops! And we had more gains fighting the real cyclops!" Stratus complained as she stood up.

"Hmm? You have the bells, don’t you? The Temple still works!" Thane explained, his tone calm but tired. He began to sit up.

"The seal may have broken, but this Temple resonates with holy energy. It’s alive."

"Alive?!" Stratus and Seraphina both exclaimed.

"A structure, yes, but also a sanctuary. This wasn’t just a prison. It was USED as a prison. But its purpose was far from that. Remember when we were ringing the bell? The Temple was fighting to gain control over this place! Magic was moving! I’m sure that isn’t normal. Right? Or... is it normal? I’m not really skilled in magic." Thane asked.

"No. It isn’t. I can see what you mean." Stratus nodded.

Seraphina’s expression turned strange. Her prayers and chants were growing faster."

"Our rewards are far more than we can imagine," Thane added.

"Also, look, there are parts on the body of that Angel that remain. It did not bend or break from our attack. In fact, they resound with a powerful, majestic energy."

"That’s right! That skeleton." Sayla turned to the bones that resisted the apocalyptic attack.

"It resisted... Holy somehow?"

"Those bones are probably the core parts where the Angel resided. Remember, angels are still angels. They have been corrupted, but they were among the first beings created outside of this realm. We are all from dust, they are from the light itself..." Stratus approached the bones.

"Those bones... even shattered, there’s something about them. They feel... beyond us. They feel..."

"Eternal," Thane and Seraphina answered at once, their eyes meeting briefly.

Seraphina had finished her prayers.

"I have so much to say... But first..."

Seraphina’s lips curved into a soft smile.

"Young Master Expert, Great Hero... you saved us."

"Saved you?" Thane laughed weakly, clutching his scorched hands.

"You saved me. I’d be dead if you hadn’t made the Cyclops punch through that portal!"

"But only because you distracted Libra!" Seraphina insisted.

"We could see Libra’s shadow from our side. He was about to kill Sayla, but you moved. Vayne drew the Cyclops to strike, but you gave us the chance."

"We saw it! He heard Libra curse and cry in anger. You were battling against it in that strange place. It was about to kill me, and with the Cylcops, I would not be here if not for your brave actions." Sayla added.

"We were on the verge of death. Wounded, without mana, and without hope. Somehow, you brought it to this place again and allowed us to kill both the Cyclops and the Angel!"

"Well then..." Thane exhaled, smiling faintly,

"Let’s just say we saved each other. I couldn’t have done it without your help."

"No," Vayne grunted, forcing himself to his feet, though his body was shaking.

"Master Thane, I saw you drive the arrow into that angel’s heart. Princess and Stratus may have struck the final blow, but Libra was already dying before then. You wounded him beyond recovery. You’re the reason he fell here."

Thane said nothing. He knew Libra had not been controlling the dimension at all, merely hiding in it. But keeping silent was the wiser choice. Some secrets could not yet be shared.

"Indeed," Stratus said softly, bowing her head.

"Master Expert Thane... no! Princess is right in calling you Hero Thane. You are a marvel. A paragon of our generation! You have no idea what situation we are in right now! At least, now, we are alive. And we have a small ray of hope."

"It’s not a small ray... It’s a new dawn!" Seraphina explained.

"A new dawn? Princess, the dangers outside are still great. We can’t be so lucky."

"There was a plot to kill the Princess, right?" Thane asked.

Seraphina nodded with a solemn expression.

"My brothers betrayed me."

"No way!" Thane gave a visibly fake reaction.

"Please don’t tease me, Hero Thane. You seemed to have guessed this already."

"Who else would betray you? Or was it that hateful playboy?" Thane chuckled.

"Hateful... playboy?" Sayla questioned.

"You know, that famous guy in the kingdom. Ebenzer Glashold!" Thane answered.

"What? That guy? No. Hero Thane, I don’t know what impression that man has on you, but Ebenzer-"

"Vayne. I didn’t tell you, as you have vowed the same vows as he did. But I’m sure he is the one who caused my brothers to plot against me. I told no one, but he proposed to marry me. I refused."

There was silence.

"What...?! Ebenzer did...!"

"I knew there was something fishy about that guy!" Thane seconded.

"Then... this is bad! I cannot trust my own Order!" Vayne was dismayed.

"Not so. Stratus, I wanted to already interrupt you, but as I was praying, I already knew that this Temple was a great reward, Stratus. That is why... I am very thankful for Hero Thane!" Seraphina explained.

"What do you mean, Princess?"

"This Temple glows and receives power from God directly! Can’t you see that? Don’t you know what that means?" Seraphina asked everyone.

The three were confused.

Seraphina raised her hand and prayed as a golden light appeared.

"Don’t you see it?"

The three tilted their head, still unable to grasp what the Princess was trying to tell them.

Meanwhile, Thane’s innocent Christian heart was melting at her beauty.

"Lord, Is she the one?" Thane prayed the same prayers that he heard from his hormonally affected disciples back when he was alive.

Seraphina gathered and gathered Holy. And to everyone’s surprise, the Temple added Holy to her spell!

"Do you get it now?!" Seraphina asked.