Capítulo 30: The trial proceeds
Just as they were about to make a swift retreat, the sky suddenly shifted.
A massive white light descended from above, like a divine barrier, instantly enveloping the entire church area.
The radiant light shimmered with a soft glow, forming a colossal barrier that enclosed Eugene, his ten companions, and the ruins of the church within.
They abruptly halted, looking up in shock.
The barrier seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, exuding a sacred aura, as if summoned from some ancient power.
It was solid and powerful, sealing off the space around them, leaving no possible route of escape.
"W-what... what is this?"
one of the black-robed figures whispered fearfully, his eyes filled with unease and confusion.
Eugene furrowed his brow, a chill running down his spine.
He couldn't comprehend what he was witnessing, but instinctively, he knew this was no ordinary magic.
The sheer scale and force of this barrier were far beyond anything they could easily challenge.
"This... this can't be happening..."
Eugene growled, his voice a mixture of anger and terror.
He turned his gaze back to the ruins of the church, a creeping realization dawning on him that the barrier hadn't come from the outside—it had risen from within the rubble.
"It's Father Raphael!"
Eugene hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes now wide with both fear and frustration.
He finally understood: Father Raphael hadn't been defeated by their magic.
On the contrary.
The real power was only just beginning to reveal itself.
The black-robed figures stepped back in fear and unease.
Their magic had clearly not achieved the expected victory; instead, they were now trapped within this mysterious barrier.
The air inside the barrier grew heavier with each passing moment, the pressure mounting like an invisible hand tightening around their hearts.
Eugene's ten companions exchanged panicked glances, their faces betraying their rising terror.
The invisible pressure only grew stronger.
"We're trapped!"
one of the black-robed figures cried out, his voice trembling with fear that he could no longer suppress.
Eugene's face darkened, his fists clenched tight, and beads of cold sweat formed on his brow.
His gaze remained fixed on the ruins of the church, a deep sense of foreboding gnawing at him.
"We must find a way out! We can't stay trapped here!"
Eugene knew that hesitation would only lead them deeper into this nightmare.
The power within the barrier was far beyond their expectations.
If they didn't act quickly, they might never escape its clutches.
But just as they were about to make a move, a low rumbling sound came from the rubble of the church.
The debris began to tremble, and faint rays of light started seeping through the cracks between the stones—small, but impossibly bright.
"What... what is that?"
one of the black-robed figures whispered in terror, unable to tear his eyes away from the growing light.
The rumbling intensified, and the ground beneath them began to shake.
Eugene's eyes were locked on the glowing light in the ruins, his unease mounting by the second.
That faint light was slowly but surely spreading, expanding to cover the entire wreckage, growing brighter as it began to pierce through the encroaching darkness.
"Go! We need to get out of here!"
Eugene shouted, his voice filled with urgent fear.
He could sense that things were spiraling out of control.
But no matter how they tried, their magic was utterly useless against the overwhelming power of the barrier—it wouldn't budge.
The rumbling grew stronger, and the light from the ruins became so blinding it was impossible to look at directly.
The pressure in the air increased sharply, as if an invisible hand was gripping each of their chests, making it harder and harder to breathe.
Everyone could feel the looming threat in the air.
Suddenly, a brilliant white light burst from the ruins, flinging the stones and debris into the air, sending a cloud of dust into the sky.
The intense light tore through the air, shooting directly at Eugene and his companions, so blinding and powerful that they couldn't face it.
Their eyes stung as they squeezed them shut, raising their arms instinctively to shield themselves from the intense energy.
When the light finally began to fade, and the dust in the air settled down, Eugene and the others cautiously opened their eyes, trembling with fear.
What they saw left them utterly shocked.
Two figures emerged from the fading light.
It was Father Raphael and Borne!
Father Raphael stood there, calm as ever, his hands behind his back, as if the destructive magic had never touched him.
His robe gently swayed in the fading light, and a soft glow surrounded him, radiating holiness and dignity.
Borne stood beside him, looking slightly disheveled but completely unharmed.
Eugene's face turned pale as he stared at the two men, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
How could this be possible?
They had unleashed all their strongest magic, and yet Father Raphael remained unscathed!
"This... this can't be happening!"
Eugene's voice shook with disbelief, fear and fury intertwining in his heart as his hands trembled uncontrollably.
They had given it everything they had, so how was Father Raphael still standing there, so calm and composed?
"Attack! Keep attacking!"
Eugene shouted in a panic, his voice filled with desperation.
He frantically waved his hand, urging the black-robed figures behind him to continue their assault.
The black-robed figures were equally shocked.
Yet under Eugene's command, they quickly prepared to cast their spells again.
Their palms began to gather magical elements once more, and the energy in the air rapidly converged.
The power of their magic formed once again, ready to launch a final strike at Father Raphael and Borne.
Father Raphael remained calm, standing with his hands behind his back, seemingly unconcerned about the magical storm that was about to erupt in front of him.
These terrifying spells hurtled toward Father Raphael and Borne with no mercy.
The fierce fluctuations of magic in the air seemed capable of tearing everything apart, and the black-robed figures' eyes were filled with madness.
Just as the magic was about to reach Father Raphael, a brilliant light suddenly rose before him, forming a radiant barrier.
The wall of light was holy and translucent, radiating an unshakable, divine presence.
Boom!
All the spells crashed into the light wall with a deafening roar.
Yet, despite the immense power of the magic, not a single attack was able to breach the barrier.
The wall of light remained as solid as a rock, and its sacred glow instantly repelled all the magical forces.
Father Raphael stood behind the light wall, still surrounded by that faint halo of light, his expression calm and serene.
It was as if these terrifying spells were nothing more than a gentle breeze, unable to harm him in the slightest.
The black-robed figures recoiled in horror, their faces filled with disbelief and terror.
Their most powerful magic had been completely blocked.
The light wall hadn't even been shaken in the slightest.
Eugene's eyes widened, a sense of helplessness and fury swelling within him, his fists clenched tightly.
Despite having used all their strength, they couldn't even touch Father Raphael.
"This... this is impossible!"
one of the black-robed figures whispered in terror, his fingers trembling.
Father Raphael's calm eyes gazed upon them, as if their powerful magic was nothing more than insignificant dust.
"If you hadn't come tonight, I would have still forgiven you," Father Raphael's voice echoed within the barrier, carrying no anger, but instead a deep, profound strength.
"But since you came tonight, you won't be leaving."
His words sounded like the judgment of death itself, and the pressure within the barrier suddenly intensified.
It felt as though the space within the barrier became narrower in an instant.
Each person felt as though a massive weight had been placed upon their chest, suffocating them.
Within the confines of the barrier, their fate was no longer in their hands.
Eugene felt a tsunami of fear and despair crash over him, nearly causing his legs to buckle under the weight.
He realized he had underestimated Father Raphael's power, and more importantly, he had miscalculated the consequences of this confrontation.
Behind him was death, and before him was an immovable, holy presence. There was no way out.
"What should we do…"
A black-robed figure beside him trembled as he spoke, his eyes filled with fear and desperation.
Eugene's heart raced violently, his face pale, and his legs trembled from the immense pressure.
He knew, no matter how hard they tried, they could never break this barrier, nor could they stand against Father Raphael's divine power.
But he didn't want to die—he still wanted to live.
His ambition and fear intertwined, and under the crushing weight of the situation, he made a decision.
In front of everyone, Eugene suddenly dropped to his knees with a loud thud.
He kowtow repeatedly, his forehead striking the cold ground with each motion, the sound of his head hitting the floor echoing through the oppressive silence.
Each kowtow was harder than the last, and soon his forehead was bleeding.
Blood trickled down his face, mixing with his tears and snot, as he sobbed in fear and regret.
"I was wrong, Father!"
His voice was hoarse, trembling with the depth of his fear and remorse.
His face was a mess of blood, tears, and mucus.
"Please, forgive me! I never should have defied you! From now on, I will serve you faithfully with all my heart! Please, spare my life!"
Eugene's voice cracked with desperation.
His forehead was already bloody, but he didn't dare stop bowing, believing it was the only way to save his life.
The black-robed figures around him, who had been hesitating, were further consumed by their own fear as they listened to Eugene's desperate pleas.
They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with terror and hopelessness.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder