In a rather remote spot in Pessote City, there was a building made of stone. It looked rough and was a cathedral that needed some construction work.
The most eye-catching and intricate part was the altar. Erected over it was a wooden cross and a tall figure carrying the cross.
Ascetic Snowman was sitting in the first pew, facing the divine statue, his head bowed and his eyes closed in focused supplication.
He was a middle-aged man who wasn't considered old but had some wrinkles. He was wearing a simple white robe that had been washed countless times. He had brown short hair, and on his exposed arms, shoulders, calves, and feet, there were all kinds of old scars and scabs.
At that moment, two men and a woman appeared at the cathedral entrance. The men were dressed in black robes that were completely different from the surroundings. One was wearing a vest and half top hat with a formal bow tie, and the other casually wore a white shirt. The former had a pronounced outline with a cold expression, while the latter had black hair and green eyes. He looked pretty good, exuding the romantic air of a poet.
The lady was wearing a long white dress that was tight at the waist with frilly designs at the sleeves. Lacy flowers were sewn in a meshed manner at her chest. She wore an intricate silver mask, revealing a pair of emerald-like eyes, her high nose, her lip glossed-lips, and lower half of her face. It prompted anyone who laid their eyes on her to imagine how beautiful her actual appearance was.
They were extremely attractive. It was the same regardless of the angle one took. However, the passers-by, and few members of the congregation, and the praying ascetic didn't even give them a look, completely ignoring them.
This was a combination of Hallucination and Psychological Invisibility.
Audrey was already in operation-mode, no longer showing any curiosity. She swept her gaze and said in a gentle voice, "What's most important now is to get Mr. Snowman to sleep; otherwise, we'll have to wait until tonight."
The night in this world.
"Relax. It's trivial," Leonard replied with a smile.
Compared to Miss Justice, who had only experienced a few supernatural incidents, as a Nighthawk, he was already too used to such things. He was very composed and even wanted to joke with Klein.
Of course, he didn't know that Miss Justice had recently hypnotized a demigod.
Klein glanced at his former teammate.
"Then let's begin."
He was "carrying" Unshadowed Crucifix on him, and in less than three hours, he would be dropped back to Sequence 5 and have his Bizarro Sorcerer Beyonder characteristic purged, so he naturally didn't want to waste any time.
He's back in his crazy adventurer state again. Tsk... Leonard didn't beat around the bush. He raised his hand to neaten up his hair as his green eyes suddenly turned deep.
Silently, the praying ascetic, Snowman, had fallen into a deep sleep.
This is the Beyonder power of a Nightmare... Looking at this scene with sparkling eyes, Audrey thoughtfully muttered to herself.
In fact, she was aware of the powers of a Nightmare, having seen them in action before—back when they were dealing with the Sanguine Viscount, Ernes Boyar. However, she was unable to grasp the full picture of it due to the urgency of the situation. It was only now that she made a complete observation of it.
Right on the heels of that, she raised both her hands and grabbed the arms of The World and The Star. Using her abilities of Dreamwalker, she led them into Snowman's dreamscape.
"I can do it myself..." Leonard mumbled the moment he entered the hazy world.
Klein and Audrey ignored him and quickly surveyed the area, taking in the entirety of Snowman's dreamscape.
They were also inside a cathedral, an unusually majestic cathedral.
Ancient stone pillars propped up a towering dome, but they didn't make the hall appear too segmented and cramped. It still remained extremely spacious.
The cathedral's door was wide and tall, even for giants. Lined on both sides were candles placed in silver cups that emitted a warm glow.
The altar right in front was grand and magnificent. Above them were grayish-white crosses and a sculpture of God bearing the cross.
The statue's face wasn't very clear, but it felt like it was showing pity towards all beings in the world.
Snowman was similarly sitting in the first pew facing the holy altar. His head was bowed and his eyes closed in focused supplication.
"This is similar to the Afternoon Town's abandoned cathedral that Little Sun showed to us. It should be a building from the same era," Audrey swept her gaze across the brick arches and whispered.
At the same time, she tried to suppress her curiosity and told herself to remain calm.
Little Sun? How is he "little"? That fellow is clearly taller and larger than me... Afternoon Town's abandoned cathedral...
Leonard thought in puzzlement as he lampooned.
When he joined the Tarot Club, The Sun Derrick had long returned to the City of Silver. Although he would occasionally mention the exploration of the Giant King's Court, he didn't conjure any of the corresponding images.
"Indeed." Klein retracted his gaze and agreed with Miss Justice. Then, he said to her, "Try to guide Snowman's dream and get him to reveal the important information in his subconscious. Focus it on the Kings of Angels."
This mission could be accomplished by both a Nightmare and Dreamwalker. The reason why he had Miss Justice do it was because he wanted to give her a chance to digest the Dream walker potion. After all, Leonard had already passed that stage. And no matter what, in matters that involved the subconscious, Beyonders of the Spectator pathway were definitely more professional. The way they carried it out would be more precise and effective.
It was only then that Leonard realized a problem:
Miss Justice's abilities involve the domain of dreams...
This meant that she had already advanced to Sequence 5 Dreamwalker!
Isn't that too fast? Leonard was secretly surprised and in disbelief.
He remembered that Miss Justice had mentioned it during their exchange when he joined the Tarot club. It hadn't even been a month since she became a Hypnotist, and now, only three months had passed.
She had indeed tried to purchase the ingredients needed for her advancement at the Tarot Gathering, but to completely digest the Hypnotist potion in four months is shocking enough... Leonard's mind raced as he had a baffling feeling that the pride of becoming a Red Gloves captain, a quasi-high-ranking member of the Church, a Sequence 5 Spirit Warlock was gone.
While his thoughts were running wild, Audrey tersely acknowledged the request and took a few steps forward to stand beside Snowman.
Illusory ripples suddenly appeared in her jewel-like eyes. Those ripples constantly sank deep into the depths, returning to the darkness and tranquility.
Invisible ripples emanated out as the altar in front of the cathedral suddenly turned blurry.
These magnificent objects, along with the cross and the divine statue, warped and suddenly unfurled, emitting lights and shadows that weren't considered too intense.
The light and shadows intertwined into a three-dimensional portrait of a towering mountain range. The main peak reached high into the clouds, but the white cloud didn't dare to conceal the main peak as it automatically separated around the peak's two sides.
On the peak of the mountain stood a huge cross that was even taller than the mountain. In front of it stood a majestic figure that was covered in layers of stacked halos.
Two-winged, four-winged, and six-winged angels were either holding bugles, playing the harp, or playing flutes, dancing around the majestic figure as they sang and extolled.
Eight blurry figures with twelve pairs of wings surrounded the majestic deity. Some fell to the ground beside "His" feet, leaning against "Him" as if completely relying on "Him." Others floated on both sides, awaiting "His" orders.
This was a scene that Klein had seen before. He knew that the deity was the ancient sun god, and he knew that the figures with twelve pairs of wings on their backs were the Kings of Angels.
At that moment, Snowman opened his eyes and looked at Justice Audrey. As if teaching his student, he solemnly said, "Only the Holy Spirit can truly serve the Lord. This is the goal I've been chasing my entire life...
"I see the Lord standing above the infinite radiance, benevolence scattering over 'His' kingdom and the land. Around him are eight 'Kings.'
"The Dark Angel was the first angel created by the Lord. 'He' is 'His' left hand, 'His' proxy and the deputy of Heaven;
"The Angel of Imagination is the Lord's eldest son. The Lord said that in a distant future, you will become the savior of all life;
"The Angel of Time is the Lord's second son. The Lord said that you are a God of Trickery and a God of Mischief, the light at the dawn of the apocalypse;
"The White Angel, Wind Angel, and Angel of Fate are loyal followers of the Lord—firm, brave, honest, having been that way from the time when 'They' were weak till 'They' became strong.
The Wisdom Angel was sanctified due to 'His' redemption from being penitent and contrite, completely opposite from the ones who fell after eating the fruit of sin;
The War Angel is the Lord's rage, the Lord's punishment. 'His' appearance over the land means war is at hand..."
From the looks of it, this ascetic has never been to the ancient sun god's divine kingdom, nor has he ever seen a King of Angel. What he's describing is probably from religious canon... In other words, what he says is what the official text says... From the looks of it, Dark Angel Sasrir was really the leader of the Kings of Angels. "He" was most trusted by the ancient sun god and was called the deputy of Heaven. Yet, such an existence was—hmm, bewitched... I wonder what "His" outcome was in the end, and why there aren't any traces of "Him" to date... Klein seriously listened to Snowman's description and had a clearer understanding of the Kings of Angels.
He never expected that the ancient sun god would predict that Adam would be the savior. This left him somewhat puzzled.
So these are all the eight Kings of Angels... Leonard listened attentively as well. This was something that Old Man Pallez hadn't told him in detail before. It was a real secret from ancient times, something that happened before the Cataclysm.
Audrey had seen the mural of the three Kings of Angels eating the City of Silver Creator. Through the corresponding images, she had matched them to the Eternal Blazing Sun, the Lord of Storms, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, so she wasn't too surprised. She turned her head and looked at The World and The Star, calmly interpreting the hidden meaning behind those sentences.
"According to what Mr. Snowman said, the Dark Angel was created. The three Kings of Angels—White, Wind, and Fate- had followed the ancient sun god from a weak stage until they slowly empowered themselves. Hmm, the weak stage here probably refers to Sequence 4... The Wisdom Angel should be an outsider who joined later, and 'He' might've been from an opposing faction in the beginning..."
When he heard Miss Justice's words, Klein suddenly remembered a name. It was the Dragon of Wisdom as mentioned in the City of Silver's myths—Herabergen.
He then nodded, indicating for Miss Justice to continue.
After Snowman recited some related scriptures, he suddenly solemnly said, "Our diocese has cultists who believe in the Evernight hiding within it!
These are the orders from the Kings."