Chapter 106
Translator: uly
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: The Final Trial
"This is my plan."
Before night fell, the Hero's party had heard the full explanation of the plan from the Archangel of Judgment, Zeker. They fell into contemplation as they gazed at the boy dwarf, who was taking shallow breaths. The rippling blue light filtering in from the ceiling of the underground passage swept across each of their faces, mirroring their tangled emotions. The blue glow touched Bulki's face and flickered, soon shadowed in darkness.
"You're saying... Dopbagnal has to use the Kin of Sin?"
No one answered Bulki's question.
His expression was hidden in the shadows, but it must have been as heavy and still as the damp wind filling the cavern. A faint prayer slipped from the witch's lips, like an ancient hymn. Lilitt stroked Dopbagnal's cheek.
It'seemed to ease his intense fear a little, but maintaining even this state was too much for the child's body. Bulki knew that whatever the Kin of Sin was, it could bring pain worse than death to this boy.
The only sound filling the silence was the flow of Orr's sacred blood.
"It is you who must use the Kin of Sin, Hero."
The one who broke the silence was Archangel Zeker. He had little time left. The second trial was to test if the Hero was prepared to act like a demon for the sake of good-and they couldn't miss this night when the Maamark would surge forth to confirm it.
Bulki didn't respond. Instead, he went to Dopbagnal's side. He removed his gleaming golden gauntlet and placed his hand over the boy's covered eyes. If he peeled away that thin cloth, terror would burst forth immediately. He, as the Hero, had to do it himself. Only then could he earn trust by forcing the archangel to kneel in the gap of that night, as Zeker had said.
"We share thoughts and emotions through 'massah,' not words. So, you must show them me suffering in fear through the angel's telescope, not massah."
"And by awakening the Kin of Sin that way-tormenting this child-we gain the power to defeat the archangel once we reach Mir? Then subdue Tehila and head to Orr's will?"
This time, Zeker didn't answer. Acting for good was easy, but upholding the path of good was profoundly difficult. In a web of causes and stories, constantly deliberating right from wrong, judging without losing the way-that noble resolve was what the Hero must possess. So Bulki thought: To save everyone, it was unavoidable.
No, don't dismiss it as unavoidable. Acknowledge the sin. Only by recognizing wrong could repentance begin. He had to bear this sin. But first...
"When all this is over, you will give a full accounting, Archangel."
It was killing intent like that of a Demon King.
Knowing he couldn't kill, aware of the vast power gap, yet never submitting-it erupted from the Hero's eyes. Now the cavern was filled not with sounds or thoughts, but the Hero's rage. The other two in the Hero's party felt an inexplicable dread from it, perhaps influenced by Saar, but Archangel Zeker of Judgment and the witch Lilitt watched with satisfaction.
For it was not mere rage, but the courage to never yield.
"I promise. When this situation ends, you'll know everything: the Kin of Sin, the angels' sacrifices, the oaths of all races a thousand years ago, and the truth stretching back to the era of Mir and the gods."
Truth. With it within reach, Zeker rose, sincerely blessing the one stepping toward the final trial. Shainelius and Rondnel followed Lilitt to the left hand holding Hoshekh Hatar, while Bulki picked up Dopbagnal. Night had finally come.
***
"I won't forgive you."
After it was all over, Bulki stared at Orr's chest area before slumping to the ground. He hurriedly covered the little boy's eyes again-the boy who had accepted the terror and now held no thoughts. Amid this, Zeker, sinking into a black swamp of fear, spoke.
"It might be a bit far for one without wings. More fear..."
With those words, Zeker was swallowed by the black and turned to stone like a statue. Bulki looked up at Orr's right arm, which had approached his waist to fend off the night.
It was as high as sheer cliffs-perhaps even higher than the Granblad Great Canyon. The height was one thing, but the time to climb there couldn't be ignored. If they were even a moment late, the top would swarm with heavenly folk ready to tear him apart under Tehila's massah. As Zeker had said, using fear to ascend seemed the fastest, easiest, and right choice.
"But we can't do that."
Yet pursuing only speed and ease wasn't truly right.
He had to find a way. Bulki drew his sword. None of the Hero's sword omens allowed flight, but if he could create 'wings' as Zeker suggested. No-if he could create them. He must create them.
Like Tehila praying, Bulki formed long rods of light over his cloak, splitting them into several strands.
Then he extended them to the ground, unfurled them, held Dopbagnal in his left hand, raised his sword in his right, and struck the floor.
Formation - Angel's Wings.
Boom!
In an instant, the limp light rods adhered to the ground, stretched long, expanded and swelled, burst at once, and propelled Bulki into the air at terrifying speed.
It was like the Glory Mir Cheret streaking through light, trailing a long tail of brilliance-a sign his omen wasn't over. The elongated light tail expanded, swelled, and burst again.
Boom! Boom! Boomboom!
Like fireworks, the chain of light explosions in the air shot Bulki straight to Orr's right arm.
"Got it!"
Bulki gripped and swung his sword again. The light rods connected to the ground severed, and the remnants clung to his mantle like fan ribs, spreading out. His cloak unfurled like bat wings, scattering light to control his descent speed and direction.
Thud!
Thus, Bulki landed safely as he slammed his sword into the ground. He saw the crude remnants of Hoshekh Hatar's camp, and far off, the masses of angels perched on Orr's arm, praying. But not before or behind-beside Yam's seal, Bulki rushed forward holding Dopbagnal.
Bulki bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Mir! Yam! Cheret!"
His armor clanked and rattled, but his cry-like a scream of desperation-was louder. Yet it wasn't the helpless wail of losing comrades as before.
Not the sob-like shout against the overwhelming power gap with the Great Demon King, forcing comrades into peril. Not the cry while swinging his sword toward the abyss, failing to save this small life.
It was the resolute shout advancing forward, even having stained this small life with sin before facing the archangel with his unreasonable power gap, separated from comrades. But even that noble cry couldn't stir the sealed sphere swimming with constellations like a shrunken universe.
No answer from Mir.
No response until Bulki reached it. Yam was silent, as if gone elsewhere again. Then was it Cheret inside, speechless from forging great sin?
"Cheret!"
No-whatever was before him now, god's seal or not, didn't matter. Resolved to shatter it, Bulki kicked off the ground powerfully and thrust his sword again.
[Judgment of Glory].
Boom!
The seal didn't break, but golden light from the Hero enveloped it, and the stars swam once more. Emerging from the seal amid that desperate cry was not Yam, but Cheret.
"Cheret!"
Cheret nuzzled Bulki happily. Where's Yam? Could Cheret explain? Or had Yam imprisoned Cheret?
"Huh?"
Now that Mir and Hero reunited, as if continuing worries was pointless, Cheret headbutted Bulki lightly, took Dopbagnal from his arms in its mouth, and placed him before the seal.
Unlike Cheret bursting forth in light, something black like water enveloped Dopbagnal and sank into the seal.
"You want me to trust you?"
Cheret bowed its head instead of answering.
Yes, Cheret alone could be fully trusted. Even speechless amid strange events, paradoxically, Bulki trusted it. Bulki mounted Cheret again. Yam would heal Dopbagnal. Trustworthy comrades would save the others. So he just had to charge straight ahead, sword steady. The Hero drew his blade and spurred forward.
"Let's go!"
Boom!
In a flash of light explosion, Cheret bolted along Orr's arm. In this windless place, something cool wiped Bulki's sweat and wounds.
Was that all?
"Hah!"
[Judgment of Glory].
Boom!
Glory lit the Hero's path. Bulki swept away the heavenly folk charging late, quite literally with light. Was it Cheret's added power? Heavenly folk couldn't withstand the Hero riding Mir like a mounted knight.
[Judgment of Glory].
Boom!
Following the stream of Orr's blood, Bulki reached the temple at the chest.
"You've come, Hero."
"Tehila."
The Archangel of Faith, bestowing the final trial, stood blocking the Hero's path once more, halo aglow.