Chapter 47: Ch 47: Sun God’s Shrine
The Sun God’s Shrine.
This place was the only clue to the mysteries surrounding his existence.
One soul, one body, but two different lives at the exact same time.
It was a mystery no one could explain.
Today, Raidan had decided to confront it.
The Sun God’s Shrine was nothing like the gloomy and dark Faceless God’s Shrine.
It was a singular, massive golden dome. It stretched across the Central District as far as his eyes could see.
If he had to guess, it spanned around 80 to 100 square km, making it almost like a tiny city existing inside this megacity.
Yes, there was no exaggeration.
The sheer grandeur of the place was even more astounding.
The very peak of the divine sanctuary was connected directly to the sun through a blinding beam of golden light, radiating endless warmth and prosperity.
The massive gates were forged from pure gold, and a constant stream of wealthy merchants and devoted nobles flowed inside.
The marble steps were warm to the touch, constantly heated by the divine light cascading from the peak of the dome. Compared to the lavishly dressed worshippers, Raidan looked entirely ordinary in his simple clothes.
Before he could even step foot onto the pristine marble stairs to uncover the mysteries of his two lives, a young man blocking his path caught his attention.
It was an Acolyte wearing a flowing white and gold ceremonial robe.
The young man crossed his arms, tilting his chin up with a haughty expression.
"Halt! This sanctuary is a sacred ground reserved for the truly devoted and the blessed. Vagrants and commoners are not permitted beyond the outer courtyard. State your business, or leave immediately."
Raidan remained perfectly calm. He did not let the insult bother him. He simply reached into his coat and pulled out a leather pouch.
Inside, there were gold coins.
"I am not here to beg. I am here to return the money I owe for a past blessing. I was told to bring this directly to the main offering hall."
The haughty look on the Acolyte’s face instantly vanished. Greed flashed within his pupils.
He quickly cleared his throat, suddenly adopting a warm and welcoming smile.
"Ah, I see! My deepest apologies, brother. We must be careful about who enters the inner sanctum. But your devotion is clearly genuine. Fortunately for you, I am one of the designated offering collectors. You do not need to walk all the way to the main hall. Hand the pouch to me, and I will ensure the Sun God receives your generous repayment."
Raidan narrowed his eyes. The lie was incredibly obvious. The Acolyte’s hands were trembling with anticipation, entirely betraying his crafty intentions.
"Apologies, but I would prefer to deliver it myself," Raidan replied, pulling the pouch back slightly.
The Acolyte frowned.
"Do not make things difficult, commoner. It is against the rules for an unpurified citizen to approach the central altar. Give me the coins now, or I will have the shrine guards throw you out for blasphemy!"
Just as the greedy Acolyte aggressively reached out to snatch the pouch, a booming voice echoed from the top of the marble stairs.
"Is that how we treat the devoted children of the Sun God, Acolyte Lin?"
The young Acolyte froze in pure terror. He rapidly pulled his hands back and spun around, dropping to his knees instantly.
An older man slowly descended the stairs.
He wore a much grander ceremonial robe, adorned with intricate sunburst patterns woven in crimson and gold. His face was stern, and his eyes radiated a powerful light.
He was clearly a Senior Priest of the shrine.
"Elder Toris! I was simply following protocol! This man was causing a disturbance!"
The Acolyte stammered nervously.
Elder Toris’s eyes were cold.
"Silence! I saw and heard everything. You dared to attempt theft right under the divine light of the Sun God. You brought shame to our sacred order. You will be punished."
The Senior Priest waved his hand, and two armored temple guards immediately appeared from the shadows of the massive golden pillars.
"Strip him of his ceremonial robes and throw him into the Hall of Penance. He will scrub the outer floors for three months without a single spiritual blessing."
"Nooooo!" The Acolyte screamed in despair as the guards dragged him away.
Raidan and the Senior Priest were left alone on the stairs.
Elder Toris turned to Raidan, looking apologetic.
"Please forgive my subordinate, young man. Greed is a mortal flaw that even our holy walls cannot always keep out. Come with me. I will personally escort you to the main offering hall."
Elder Toris led him through a set of towering golden doors.
Raidan stepped into the breathtaking main offering hall.
The ambiance was perfectly clean and pure; not a single speck of dust could be seen.
He then approached the sacred altar and placed the heavy pouch of gold coins upon the pristine white marble.
"I am paying this debt in the name of Velgiran Woodinson (Naida’s Grandfather). He was the one who originally owed this money for the blessings."
Elder Toris nodded, murmuring a quick prayer of purification.
"The debt is officially settled. The Sun God acknowledges his devotion and your honorable deed."
’What a load of bullshit,’ Raidan muttered inwardly.
The thing that disgusted him was how they acted like they were some kind of holy and benevolent beings, while in truth, they were just greedy bastards who wanted nothing but to leech off poor people’s money.
He wondered how they could earn true devotion like this.
Nevertheless, with the transaction complete, he took a step back. He finally allowed his gaze to drift upward, taking in the grand centerpiece of the sanctuary.
Towering above the altar was a colossal stone statue of the Sun God. It was sculpted from flawless white stone, depicting a divine figure looking down upon the world with absolute authority.
Suddenly, he froze.
As he stared up at the divine monument, a profound chill ran down his spine.
"Why does it look so similar to me?"
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