<h4>Chapter 507: The Branding Ritual</h4>


    Trantor: EndlessFantasy Trantion Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion


    The grim-faced, red robed cardinal, Orben led Hao Ren and the rest from the pce and through a secret passageway to a facility near the cathedral. Hao Ren looked about curiously at his surroundings and realised that the pce and the cathedral were rather close. In fact, the two buildings are twin structures and was only separated by wall. It was rare to see such an architectural design elsewhere where two powers co-exists side by side. The monarchy and divinity were almost inseparable, and each operated within their domain to rule the country. Holletta’s political system was indeed a rather unique one.


    Night had fallen by then, and the passageway a well hidden path, the silent atmosphere was almost palpable. The pathway was lit by intricate bronzemps with a gentle white glow. Themp too cast light upon the silhouettes of the nts alongside the path and from a distance, you could see the great castle walls standing tall against the falling light. Two moons had risen above the Royal Pce’s tallest towerplex, and the red rim of the moons made it looked like a giant was gazing down upon thend.


    Lily was excited under the moonlight. She softly nudged her eyes as she caught the raucous cacophony from the bazaar. The shadow of the moon reflected on her golden iris. She took a deep breath and wagged her tail. “Woaaahhh… fresh air. Like a gentle breeze upon a moonlit night, beckoning the wanderer in me home. I remember the house I had at Beiping, I have the best sights of the moon every middle of the month. Heh, but I left that ce after the war and never did I manage to see the moon so beautiful again… This world doesn’t seem all that bad, it at least has one extra moonpared to Earth.


    Everyone around Lily stared at her as if they saw a monster and scared thetter. “Whaa… What’s with the look?”


    “Did you eat something wrong earlier?” Vivian kept her distance from Lily, almost afraid if the husky would bite at any time. “Why did you turn into a poet all the sudden? And whose verse did you stole?”


    Lily bare her fangs and growled as she red at Vivian. “I am a practitioner of art and literature! Even if you have amnesia you can”t be forgetting that right? And stealing? I wrote that myself you know?


    Hao Ren too threw Lily a sideway nce. “I know that you are a practitioner of the arts, but your usual self just doesn’t reflect that…. Please warn us in advance before you change personality. Listening to a husky reciting a poem out of nowhere is rather spooky.”


    Lily rolled her eyes as she patted her tummy. “I’m stuffed, so I had some inspiration. Most of my works are creating during the after-meal yawns.”


    And thus the idle banter persisted throughout the journey. Amazingly, Cardinal Orben, who was leading the party could keep a straight face. The bald faced man’s expression was about as stiff as a wood, and not once did he show a shred of emotion towards the party. Until when the party had arrived at a small chapel-like structure beside the cathedral did he stop and spoke. “This is where the ritual branding and training of the acolytes take ce. There’s twenty-two of such facilities city-wide. It is a great honour to be able to undergo the branding in the Royal City.”


    Despite being grim-faced, Cardinal Orben was still a courteous host with his exnation.


    The cardinal then gently knocked on the door of the chapel and spoke a few words to the attending priests before heading in. “Come, there’s a new acolyte who is going through the branding. You can see how amoner receive the goddess’ blessing, and be the bearer of her words and wisdom.”


    The party went into the chapel, and the ce was brightly lit.


    The Disciples of Glory was a veryrge organised religion, and had countless members of the clergy. The branding was a process that even the lowliest of acolytes will need to go through. As such, the chapel had someone receiving the ‘blessing’ almost every hour. The prospective acolytes studied the scripture in this very chapel. Their studies includes the various schools of divinity, training and tests and after meeting a certain standard they will be chosen to undergo the branding in the chapel. Only after that they are given the permission and authority to meet the Pope and take on various holy duties.


    Within the brightly lit chapel, a holy yet bizarre ritual was ongoing. Hao Ren and the group was brought into the hall by a servant boy through a side door. Cardinal Orben signalled for them to stay silent, and to just watch.


    A two meter wide carpety in the centre of the room, on it were many mysterious runic symbols that were obscured by a faint gold dye. Amongst the runes were Letta Runes, while the others were Ancient Runes that were even older and more powerful. All these potent runes glowed faintly and projected blurry images of the runes in the air. A young acolyte dressed in hempen robey in the middle of a round mat. Around him where three aged priests, each holding a thick scripture in hand as they chanted the holiest of words from the book. The ones that sounded the most arcane to everyone.


    The start of the ritual seems to be when the three priests decided to gang up on the poor acolyte.


    The young acolyte noticed that there were unexpected strangers in entering the hall together with Cardinal Orben and was clearly nervous. The cardinal shook his head towards the youngd, and only then did he renewed his focus on the ritual.


    Afterpleting the chant of a few verses, one of the old priests ced the scripture on the acolyte’s chest. “ir Laymont, a servant in the goddess’ grace, do you have the strength of mind and body, to see through the veils of evil. Do you have the faith of steel, to serve the goddess with all of your being. Do you have the strongest of wills, to face any and every challenge thates you way?”


    “In her name I swear, with my life, that her will is mine to obey.”


    “Now you shall receive the gift of the sacred blood. It is the sweetest of wines the goddess had granted us. It shall cleanse your mortal soul, and allow you to hear her voice, to spread the greatest of truth throughout the world. It shall also test your soul, for should there be darkness within you, you shall be consumed by it. ir Laymont, now sing her name, for you have transcended.”


    Lily’s eyes were wide as she witnessed the ritual. She suddenly started mumbling. “Why does this look some some satanic ritual site….”


    Hao Ren immediately covered her mouth as he heard it. The whole shtick of being a practitioner of arts and literature is definitely an illusion. He can never lower his guard against this dumbass! She being able to live so long with that mouth of hers is surely down to pure luck no?


    Then again, it’s pot calling the kettle ck for Hao Ren. His mouth was no better , and what Lily verbalised was what that was swimming in his mind…


    But thankfully her voice was soft, and even Cardinal Orben did not hear it. While at the same time, the branding ritual had reached it’s finale.


    A serf boy carried a golden ‘alembic’ towards the old priest officiating the ritual. It was a weird looking container with a long neck, part of it was made out of gold while the other, transparent ss. From the ss you could see liquid, almost like blood swirling in it.


    The old priest pressed the pointed top of the alembic on the acolyte as he prepared to receive the brand. Pressing softly, “May she epts you into her service.”


    There was a hollow needle on the pointed top of the alembic and it punctured the acolyte’s skin. The blood-like liquid glowed so ever slightly as the liquid was being injected into the acolyte’s body.


    At the same time, the runic mat shone as well, the ancient runes of various magical effects activated and reinforced the ritual. The acolyte’s body tightened as lines of gold-red spread across the punctured point, as if his veins were expanding violently. The young acolyte let out a low growl as he shuddered, looking like someone who got electrocuted.


    Something was changing his body structure, especially his brain.


    The processsted a few minutes before everything calmed down. The young acolyte had sessfully received Her ‘blessing’. He sat up on the mat, his head soaked with sweat, as he opened his eyes again, a mysterious light shed from it.


    “Her voice is in my head…” The young acolyte spoke with awe and reverence.


    “This is the ritual branding.” Cardinal Orben’s voice broke Hao Ren out of his stupor. “The holy blood will give this young man extraordinary powers. He is now capable of wielding divine abilities only avable to those that had received her blessings. He can now hear her voice in his mind.”


    “What’s inside that alembic?” Vivian’s voice was unnaturally serious. “I feel that liquid is somewhat… familiar… Almost like the lifeblood of the First Born.”


    Cardinal Orben demurred for a moment, his voice soft. “The upper echelons who had just found out about the First Born too had spected this, and no small about of fear was raised. But we have received word from the second sacred cavern that it is not the lifeblood of the First Born…. it is the blood of origin, something that is more ancient, and more divine…


    Hao Ren suddenly knew what it was. “The sample of the Seed of Origins.”