Chapter 273 Chapter271-God of Sea
"God of Sea?"
A jolt passed through Ethan at the mention, bringing to mind the Crystal of Aquaman he had acquired.
It was a token from the trial of the god.
In the trial of the god left by the Original Elf King Sovok, Ethan had once retrieved the Crystal of Aquaman, seemingly invoking the wrath of the God of Sea.
If he were to bring it out now...
The thought flitted across Ethan's mind, but he held back.
After her declaration, Lana Mokos fell silent, allowing the primitively dressed group to carry both her and Ethan into the city.
It wasn't expansive, ruins strewn everywhere, overtaken by seaweeds and corals.
The palace that stood before Ethan and Lana Mokos, too, was dilapidated. Walls were cracked and overgrown with marine plants.
Yet, a barrier encircled the palace's exterior, preventing the intrusion of seawater.
Shortly after, they were brought into the palace.
Once inside, they were set down.
The leader, with a devout demeanor, knelt before a trident chiseled from stone within the palace.
He fervently beseeched, "Ruler of the vast oceans, the tempestuous sovereign of the seas, we implore your presence!"
With the leader's invocation, an ethereal figure materialized upon the trident.
Garbed in a long robe, holding a staff in hand, the figure bore an aged visage.
Casting a gaze upon the kneeling leader, he queried rather brusquely, "Rod, what is it?"
Rod hurriedly responded, "Great Priest, we have brought two humans as an offering to the magnificent Lord of Sea. We hope the Lord of Sea can awaken soon and lead his people to conquer the oceans."
"Humans?"
The High Priest's gaze shifted to Ethan and Lana Mokos.
His eyes gleamed as if he had discerned something vital about them in a mere moment.
A look of immense joy overtook him as he excitedly pronounced, "Rod, you've done well. Once the Lord of Sea awakens, I will beseech him to grant you unparalleled power!"
"Thank you, Great Priest!"
Rod, overwhelmed with emotion, prostrated once more.
Ethan, having been set on the ground, surveyed the High Priest, a hint of doubt flickering in his eyes.
Turning to Lana Mokos, he murmured, "Something's off about him."
Lana Mokos shot Ethan a glance, retorting, "Isn't that painfully obvious?"
"Right... Indeed, it is," Ethan conceded reluctantly.
Communicating with Lana Mokos was an exasperating affair. She was just too astute.
Sharing his observations or knowledge only seemed to invite her disdain, making him feel profoundly foolish.
The High Priest, oblivious to the subtle exchange between Ethan and Lana Mokos, began to chant in a cryptic language.
Soon, a Magic Circle emerged beneath the stone trident.
Subsequently, the High Priest addressed Rod, "Place the two of them atop the Magic Circle. Once you've done that, lead your people out. No matter what transpires within the palace or what noises emanate, do not enter. Understand?"
"This is a crucial ceremony dedicated to the Lord of Sea. It mustn't be disturbed!" he pronounced gravely.
Rod, taking his instructions to heart, assured his compliance.
After positioning Ethan and Lana Mokos on the Magic Circle, Rod and his retinue made their exit from the palace.
The moment Rod stepped out, the barrier outside the palace contracted, sealing the edifice in its entirety.
Within the palace, the demeanor of the High Priest shifted dramatically.
His ethereal form grew imposing, eyeing Ethan and Lana Mokos as if admiring masterpieces.
"Such perfect vessels, pushing the boundaries of ordinary humans, and bearing potent bloodlines at that. The mutated Golden Divine Dragon Bloodline, the exceedingly rare Angel Bloodline... Hahaha! It must be the will of the deities that you both stand before me!" His laughter echoed, solidifying his spectral presence.
"So, there's no Lord of Sea. It's just you deceiving them," Lana Mokos unflinchingly unveiled the truth.
The High Priest's face darkened momentarily before he mused, "Such a brilliant and beautiful woman. Alas, your life is nearing its end."
"You aim to possess our bodies?" Ethan ventured, his voice tinged with anticipation.
By this point, Ethan had regained some strength, ready to break free from the binding vines at any moment.
Thus, there wasn't a trace of panic within him. However, at his words, the High Priest let out a cold chuckle.
"Your bodies?"
"Hmph, ignorance! Your powers have reached the pinnacle achievable by mortals. Your souls and flesh have already deeply intertwined. Even if I were to occupy your bodies, my spirit couldn't adapt. However, should offspring arise between the two of you, that's an entirely different matter."
At this, the High Priest couldn't suppress his laughter.
He continued, "An infant's soul is the purest, yet also the most vulnerable. Offspring from the union of the two of you would carry your innate talents. There's a high likelihood of giving birth to the legendary Angel Dragon, a bloodline so mighty that even deities might envy!"
The High Priest grew increasingly impassioned as he spoke.
Ethan and Lana Mokos sensed imminent danger, swiftly freeing themselves from their bonds.
They jumped away from the confines of the Magic Circle and simultaneously fixed their gaze on the ethereal form of the High Priest.
"Cunning trickster, but it's too late now."
"From the moment you entered this palace, your fate was sealed, immutable," the High Priest taunted with a cold chuckle, having anticipated their actions.
Then, he began to chant in that arcane tongue once again, grasping the trident with one hand and wrenching it free with sudden force.
In an instant, Ethan and Lana Mokos were engulfed by an overwhelming surge of power.
This energy, vast and potent, spread out like a boundless ocean.
Even at full strength, Ethan and Lana Mokos would have felt its irrepressible might, and given their present injuries, they felt even more powerless.
Under the immense pressure, the duo was forced to the ground.
"The power of the sea, truly enviable," the High Priest mused, gazing at the trident in his hand with deep appreciation.
Then, he turned his gaze to Ethan and Lana Mokos, sprawled on the floor, and began tracing a magic rune in mid-air with the trident.
"The life magic Circle... It's been so long since I last used it, I've grown a bit rusty," he remarked offhandedly.
Lana Mokos's expression darkened.
"Life magic? Who exactly are you?" she demanded.
"An astute observation," the High Priest acknowledged with a hint of praise.
It seemed Lana Mokos's words stirred something within the High Priest, causing him to slow his tracing.
"My name..." he began, his voice distant, "It's been so long that I've forgotten it. All I remember is that I once took part in the trial of the god and failed. Afterwards, I was reduced to this state."
"But now," his tone shifted, "I have a better option."
"All that you are will serve as the steps upon which I ascend to deity status. So, before your demise, please permit me to express my sincere gratitude."
"And now —"
"Nurturing of the life magic Circle, activate!"
The High Priest touched the life magic Circle with his trident, channeling a surge of immense mana into it.
A brilliant green light emerged, morphing into two verdant tendrils that shot towards Ethan and Lana Mokos.
As they made contact, the tendrils grew thorns that embedded themselves into their skin.
The process wasn't painful; in fact, it felt almost pleasurable.
"Propagation is the innate drive of any species," the High Priest mused. "I've made a slight modification to this life magic Circle. Even without physical touch, you can feel the sensation of intimacy, perhaps even more intensely, as it acts on a spiritual level."
"So, relax and indulge," he said with a smile.
His gaze, now soft and anticipatory, remained fixated on the center of the life magic Circle, awaiting the emergence of a new life.
However, the experience for Ethan and Lana Mokos was far from pleasurable.
A burning desire threatened to consume them, tearing at their very being.
They could keenly sense their power draining away, their Bloodline weakening.
This wasn't an ordinary sapping of strength; it directly diminished their potential.
If all their power was drained, even if they survived, Ethan and Lana Mokos would be as ordinary humans, or perhaps even lesser.
This decline was irreversible.
Ethan and Lana Mokos exchanged a glance, understanding that this time, they needed to collaborate wholeheartedly.
The ones who know you best are often your enemies.
This saying held profound truth for both Ethan and Lana Mokos.
Mustering all his strength, Ethan drew forth the Blasphemous Spear, aiming it at the hovering life magic Circle.
"Futile effort," the High Priest scoffed, not believing Ethan's defiance would pose any threat.
Yet, in the next moment, the High Priest froze.
"No, this can't be!"
The Blasphemous Spear, endowed with the Unerring Rule, struck directly at the life magic Circle and the trident, activating the spear's inherent characteristics.
To the High Priest's astonishment, the life magic Circle shattered instantly, and even the tip of the trident bore a slight fracture.
Follow curr𝒆nt nov𝒆ls on freew(𝒆)bnov𝒆l.(c)om