...The Chief Priest's aged eyes glead with a knowing smile, as if silently whispering—I got you.
Rihanna's heart pounded.
She had miscalculated.
Of course, she had been right about the statue's range, but she had never considered—what if there was more than one?
And now she knew.
Her sharp gaze finally caught sothing she had overlooked—a chain around the Chief Priest's neck, hidden beneath the thick mass of his white beard. Its surface was etched with glowing runes, subtle yet unmistakably ancient.
It had been concealed on purpose, ant to deceive.
And she had walked straight into his trap.
The realization hit her like a crashing wave—the statue was not the treasure.
The necklace was.
The Chief Priest had been channeling power from the artifact into his Elental Energy, manifesting the statues and their terrifying effects.
And now, surrounded by dozens of them—she was within range.
A cold sensation crept up her body.
Rihanna gasped as she looked down, only to see her feet hardening into stone.
It was too late.
Her legs turned gray, stiffening against her will. The petrification crawled upward, the sensation akin to thousands of needles stabbing into her skin. The pain was not just physical—it felt like sothing was ripping away her very essence, as if the statues were erasing her from existence.
Her fingers trembled violently as she struggled to move, to breathe, to fight.
But she couldn't.
Her own body—her own flesh and blood—was betraying her.
The pain worsened, her nerves screaming as the stone ate away at her flesh, consuming her inch by inch.
She had conquered the seas, she had crushed n beneath her heel, she had carved a path through storms and war—
Yet now…
She was about to die like this?
Her jaw clenched as the petrification climbed higher—her torso, her arms—her chest burned from the lack of air.
Her mind roared in defiance, but her body refused to obey.
Her vision darkened.
The Chief Priest watched calmly, his victorious smile widening.
And then—
BOOM!
A thunderous roar shattered the mont.
One of the statues exploded into dust, a whip of water bursting through it with a force like lightning striking the sea—
Aid directly at the Chief Priest.
His eyes widened, but he reacted instantly, raising another statue just in ti to absorb the hit.
CRACK!
Even so, the sheer impact sent him flying, his body slamming into another statue with a bone-jarring crash.
The force was so strong that blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, staining his once-pristine beard.
And at that mont—
The stone on Rihanna's body began to crack.
Piece by piece, the petrification unraveled.
She collapsed forward, her body heaving as she gasped for air, sweat rolling down her forehead.
Her arms trembled as she pushed herself up, eyes wild with disbelief.
Soone had saved her.
Her gaze snapped toward the figure standing just ahead.
Brandon.
He was alive.
The attack from the Chief Priest hadn't killed him.
But he looked nothing like the proud spoilt warrior of the Temperance family he once was.
Blood stread from a deep gash on his forehead, matting his hair, drenching his once-white robes in crimson. His form was battered, his posture shaky—
Yet his eyes…
His eyes still burned with defiance.
And at that mont, Rihanna understood.
This was why the Holy Church valued him.
Because Brandon was relentless.
Although Brandon was of the Temperance family, regardless of the deviation of energy to that of elental. He still carried the gift that the rest of his noble virtues family carried.
The opposite of Temperance as a virtue was gluttony. Those that had this sin craved food or at least feeding their hunger more than anything I the world.
But Temperance was sustainability of mind and body.
While the Diligent family had the gift of having their prowess multiply in battle as a result of continuous practice, the Temperance family had their power tampered by the hunger of it.
The more dangerous it was, the stronger they beca.
The Diligent family beca stronger by practice.
But the Temperance family beca stronger by the edge of life and death.
Their bodies and energy were molded not by the hunger of Gluttony, but the satisfaction of danger.
This was why the Temperance family really looked down on the Diligent family.
It was because they felt that the Diligent family were nothing compared to them that got the thrill and reward for it at the edge of the battle's blade.
It was for this reason that the Temperance family were the forward n for any battle and any assault.
Even now, the Temperance family led at almost all war fronts.
Even if they were given a lesser position, they would most likely get angry at it, as they thought it was beneath their station to get anything other than the front lines.
Battle was their ga, and their opportunity to grow. It was sothing that passed them off when taken from them.
Right now, even though Brandon had been given an incredible attack that might have killed many in his shoes, he had persisted, and even now, this genius of the family could feel his energy climb high.
He was actually increasing in power, even in such a disadvantaged position.
He had lost a significant amount of blood, but the elental energy surrounding him from nature had never been purer, yet more chaotic than it was at this mont.
His tattered robes revealed his well battle toned muscles underneath.
Scars upon scars revealed themselves. Many of which could have been properly healed by the clerics and priests of the family.
However, why would one do such a thing.
Battle scars in the Temperance family were evidence of their strength, and a reminder of their way.
Brandon took a step forward. Beneath his feet, water seed to splash out and the earth break beneath his weight.
That step ensured that his shaky muscles all aligned with his will.
"Hey... Old man, thanks for the warm up. Now, let's try that again..."
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