340 Reincarnation
Now that she thought about it, other than the reasons he claimed, Nehe’s actions back then also included another selfish motive.
Back then, the atmosphere between the countries on the Vic Continent was already tense. As the Doomsday Watchers were gradually infiltrated by secular regimes, the armed forces established to resist doomsday were actually controlled by the various kingdoms.
Coupled with the fact that the five-member Judgment, which originally maintained the continent’s balance, had completely fallen out because of the assassination of its second lord, almost the entire Vic Continent was secretly preparing for a huge war that was destined to happen.
Ravenwood was the exception. Back then, it was difficult for the Holy Tree Kingdom to be called a country in terms of organizational structure. Due to the Forest Elves’ policy of seclusion, not only did they not absorb the Doomsday Watchers’ military strength, but the Oak Council even rejected Nehe’s request to return.
This was the fatal weakness of the former Holy Spirits Era-style political and religious unity regime. Their power came from faith. If not for the fact that the enemy had reached their doorstep and was about to set fire to the forest, they wouldn’t have compromised at all.
What was worse was that the two ancient gods the Forest Elves believed in back then died in the Moon Realm crisis. If a war really broke out in the future, the rich Holy Tree Kingdom would be vulnerable.
“Nehe is such a… kind and stubborn person. If it weren’t for an enemy he acknowledges, he would rather hurt himself than others.”
As Remides spoke, her eyes flickered as if she was going against the river of time.
Memories were like this. If one didn’t recall them, it was as if they didn’t exist. However, as long as one lifted the lid, many things one thought they had forgotten would become clear.
Nehe wasn’t willing to fight his former companions, nor was he willing to watch the Holy Tree Kingdom be reduced to ashes in the flames of war. Therefore, he planned on sacrificing himself to leave some bargaining chips for the Forest Elves in the future.
Regardless of whether he could obtain a new life or not, as long as he awakened Earth Mother and allowed that ancient goddess to protect the Forest Elves again, in an era with the Presiding Judge gone, even if the other Judges wanted to invade Ravenwood, they had to consider the losses they would suffer.
Back then, she didn’t think of this reason… She didn’t know if Sibylla had thought of it back then.
She had probably thought of it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have done her best to help Nehe. Even during the seizure of power, she did two assassinations that greatly reduced the resistance without Nehe’s knowledge.
Using illusions to control wild beasts to kill the Father of the Wild and swapping the Holy Tree Matriarch’s Listener’s medicine with poison, they created a power vacuum in the Holy Tree Kingdom and helped Nehe secretly control the situation.
“We spent about half a year helping Nehe clear all the obstacles and make him the shadow ruler of the Holy Tree Kingdom…”
Remides suddenly had the urge to laugh. She tried to smile but failed.
Discipline Macas from Judgment had made a similar request to her back then. The elder hoped that Remides could help him use the Church’s factions to secretly control the leaders of the various kingdoms and establish a shadow regime that balanced the situation on the continent.
Back then, she rejected this request, but not long after, she helped another Judge do something similar.
She could convince herself that Nehe was different from Cass. He didn’t crave power at all. Despite being a lich, he was an existence in Judgment whose rules he swore by were closer to that of a saint.
However, it couldn’t be denied that what she did was no different from Macas’s request. It also violated the guidelines drawn up by the Presiding Judge.
What was even more ironic was that for the next few centuries, her title in the eyes of outsiders was the Shadow Queen.
Remides shook her head slightly to stop herself from immersing herself in those emotions and continued, “Therefore, on a day when the constellations were aligned and all kinds of conditions were met, Nehe used the resources he had to begin the reincarnation ritual.”
Upon hearing the ensuing climax, Nizemar couldn’t help but tighten her grip on the crossbow in her hand. She asked anxiously, “Then? Did Mr. Nehe succeed in the end?”
According to her understanding, it would be fine if Nehe’s ritual back then ultimately failed, but if he had really succeeded, it would be a huge problem.
According to Remides, if Nehe’s soul sealed in the soul box was Camilla’s child’s soul back then, the ritual designed based on myths and legends wasn’t a mirror ritual that resonated with myths at all. Instead, it was a complete reproduction of the unfinished myths of the past!
If the Mage Guild blurred the concept of the Holy Spirits and used personal logic and will as the foundation to change Currere, creating a new Transcendent system, then the Holy Spirits Church, which integrated countless faiths, was the successor of classical sorcery like witchcraft, blood sacrifice, curses, and blessings. The religious rituals taught to consecrate, descend, oracles were essentially a modern system of ceremonial magic.
Therefore, although Remides’s knowledge of ceremonial magic was only half-baked, she—who had once been a holy relic hunter in the Eighth Order—knew some basic common sense. Even during the Church’s most radical Holy Spirit decent rituals, the Church had to prioritize ensuring that the host of the ritual could maintain a clear self-awareness.
This was the greatest lesson the popes had learned after the most tragic disaster of the Seven Calamities in the millennium since the Holy Spirits Church was established. The source of the disaster that almost destroyed the Vic Continent was the result of a vain attempt to control the Holy Spirits’ mighty power in a personalized manner which ultimately lost control.
From then on, even the most fanatical prophet and living saint in the Holy Spirits Church wouldn’t attempt to completely restore the legendary scene and let the power of the gods devour their existence as humans.
“If he really awakened Earth Mother and made Her devour Nehe’s soul, the best outcome will be…”
Nizemar didn’t dare to continue thinking about it.
“It triggered a miniature version of the Mother calamity,” Remides replied calmly.
At this moment, they had already walked into the inner hall of the underground root system. In the previous capture operation, the Light Bugs used for illumination in the hall had been cleaned up, so this place looked deep and dark. Coupled with the damp moldy smell and the faint rustic smell of soil, one couldn’t help but feel as if they were walking on a primitive altar with reproduction as the totem.
With a swish, the darkness in the hall was illuminated.
A scorching fireball lit up in Remides’s palm, and a series of shining runes spun around the fireball like a vortex. As she lifted it, the fireball gradually floated and flew to the main root near the top of the hall.
It was the Forest Elf’s law not to allow flames in Holy Tree City, but Remides clearly didn’t plan on abiding by it.
“So it happened?” Nizemar probed with caution.
“Back then, we didn’t know about Nehe’s background,” the other party replied. As she spoke, she spread her palm and ignited a second runic fireball.
A miniaturized calamity happened, but why are there no relevant records in the Holy Spirits Church…
Nizemar thought, but before she could ask, Remides, who seemed to have read her mind, replied,
“You have to know that we had three Judges here back then. Therefore, the swaddling calamity back then was quickly controlled by us. Then, Nehe miraculously… reincarnated.”
Fireballs flew into the air one after another.
Remides pointed not far away and said, “The ritual back then happened around that spot.”
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