Chapter 172 “Vanna’s Discovery”
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Vanna stood silently, gazing intently at the black door at the base of the stairs that led to the underground sanctuary. This very door had just mysteriously repaired itself before their eyes despite its destruction.
Going back to an earlier point in the day, three hours to be exact, Vanna had been guiding her team to an abandoned chapel. As they stepped inside, everything seemed ordinary: the comforting warmth from lights that bathed the interior in a golden glow, the silent figure of a nun deep in prayer, and a meticulously maintained podium.
However, things took a dark turn two hours later when Vanna discerned something off about the praying nun they found inside. Trusting her instincts, she left the nun alone, revealing her true abnormality. Then with the guardians accompanying her, Vanna delved deeper, reaching the underground sanctuary by prying open the once-sealed black door. What they discovered was unsettling. A vast underground chamber unveiled another nun, sword in hand, who appeared to have perished in a recent skirmish. Evidence of a fierce battle scarred the walls and floors. Furthermore, there were no signs of the intruders who had seemingly gone missing.
Then just a mere two minutes ago, Vanna and her team had conducted a comprehensive exploration of this underground sanctuary. They had moved the fallen sword-wielding nun, intending to transport her remains for post-mortem analysis and subsequent burial at the primary cathedral. Yet, in a disturbing turn of events, as soon as they had taken the body beyond the confines of the chapel grounds, it disintegrated into ash. Moreover, the previously shattered door mended itself, standing untouched, almost scoffing at the bewildered group at its threshold outside.
“Inquisitor…” a bearded guardian, concern evident in his voice, sidled up to Vanna, “It appears we’re dealing with a space-time anomaly, a loop perhaps…”
She merely nodded, lost in thought.
As she pondered the day’s events, Vanna’s mind raced back to the chilling dream she had the previous night. The ghostly figure of “Captain Duncan” had invaded her slumber, his haunting words echoing, “If you genuinely value your city’s safety, journey to the Sixth District and investigate the chapel… I eagerly await your discoveries…”
Was this enigmatic chapel and its puzzling occurrences what Captain Duncan intended for her to uncover? A chapel tainted and secluded by some inexplicable force, a valiant nun’s last stand against an unidentified foe— what significance did it all hold?
The weight of uncertainty bore down on Vanna, her brows furrowing deeply in contemplation. When she embarked on this mission, her focus was solely on unraveling the mystery of the Vanished and its spectral captain. But the day’s events made her question her initial assumptions.
Was it conceivable that this ghostly captain, rather than being a threat, was merely pointing her in the right direction? She had once jokingly speculated with Bishop Valentine that perhaps Captain Duncan was akin to an eager bystander, spotlighting heresy wherever it lurked. Now, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a grain of truth to that jest.
In the fleeting moment that followed, a chill coursed through the young inquisitor’s spine, causing her to stiffen in sheer terror. She grappled with the realization of how preposterous her initial idea had been. For a devout priestess of the Storm Church, the mere consideration of such a thought was almost blasphemous. It was entirely out of character for someone of her standing and conviction.
“Inquisitor?” The concerned voice of her subordinate broke into her troubled thoughts, drawing her attention back to the present. “Is everything alright? Did you notice or hear something amiss?”
Shaking off her temporary disorientation, Vanna replied, “No, rest assured, my mind is clear.” She gazed at her subordinate, recognizing his loyalty and concern. She was aware that he had liaised with Bishop Valentine prior to their expedition and was most likely tasked with overseeing her well-being amidst the challenges they faced. Vanna harbored no resentment for such precautions. In her eyes, even if she were to be under watchful supervision throughout the mission, it was a reasonable protocol given the circumstances.
Noting the seriousness of their surroundings, the subordinate probed further, “Given the peculiar shifts in time and space here, should we attempt another exploration below?”
Vanna let out a soft sigh and countered, “What’s the status of the imposter nun within the main hall?”
A guardian who had recently returned from the main hall replied, “She remains immersed in prayer, seemingly oblivious to our presence and actions outside.”
Vanna’s eyes shifted once more to the daunting black door that shielded the underground sanctuary. With a determined nod, she declared, “Then let’s take another look.”
Leading the group back to the sanctuary, Vanna approached the door. She recalled the resistance they had encountered previously— the body of the fallen nun obstructing their path from the other side. During their first attempt, her team had forcibly pried the door open with tools.
However, this time, Vanna had a different strategy in mind. Gently placing her hand on the door’s surface, she drew a calming breath. She then began knocking on the door in rapid succession.
In an almost imperceptible fraction of time, the door began to resonate at a frequency beyond human perception. Moments later, what seemed like an insurmountable barrier had disintegrated into fine dust as if dissolved by some arcane magic. This technique ensured the nun’s body on the other side remained unharmed, causing her to collapse due to the sudden loss of support.
It was only after the dust had settled that the guardians could discern the faint humming of the vibration, a sonic signature that resonated briefly before fading away. Witnessing such a display of prowess evoked a mixture of awe and respect from the guardians. Achieving such a feat, both intricate and powerful, was no easy task.
Ignoring the admiring glances directed at her, Vanna swiftly drew the greatsword strapped to her back. Balancing the blade in one hand and a lantern in the other, she ventured forth. As the lantern’s light pierced the gloom, it revealed a scene all too familiar to them. The underground chamber seemed untouched, with everything in its place, confirming their suspicions that time and space had seemingly looped back to a previous state.
Upon concluding another thorough sweep of the area, the group’s attention once again settled on the lifeless nun near the doorway.
Earlier, Vanna had attempted to move the nun’s body from this eerie underground. Yet now, after observing the unusual phenomena of the sanctuary, she surmised that the nun’s remains were perhaps intricately bound to this temporal loop. It seemed she was fated to remain trapped here indefinitely.
Staring deeply into the nun’s pallid, blood-smeared visage, Vanna lost track of time, her thoughts swirling like a maelstrom. She finally whispered, her voice laced with a mix of sorrow and admiration, “Are you eternally battling within this relentless loop…”
Her words hung heavily in the air, casting a profound silence over the sanctuary. This poignant moment was eventually shattered by the inquisitive voice of a guardian: “Inquisitor, against whom do you believe… she was waging this endless battle?”
With a contemplative expression, Vanna began piecing together the puzzle. After what felt like an eternity, she began to lay out her deductions:
“The subterranean sanctuary, with its sealed entrance, acts as an impregnable fortress. Once the door is shut, it transforms into an unyielding prison.”
“Though the church’s guardians have vanished without a trace, there’s no indication they were involved in any skirmish that transpired here.”
“The fact that the nun armed herself and isolated herself within suggests she anticipated confrontation before entering.”
“No remnants of potential adversaries are evident. Given the cyclical nature of time and space here, any invaders would be trapped in the same loop as the nun. Hence, no matter how swift or stealthy, they should have been present when we first entered the sanctuary…”
Listening intently to Vanna’s systematic analysis, a realization dawned on one of the guardians. He voiced it aloud, “The clergy would only ever resort to such self-imposed confinement and brace for a ‘final stand’ under a specific scenario…”
Vanna nodded, her voice carrying an undertone of gravity, “Yes, only one dire circumstance can justify such extreme measures.” Rising to her full height, her demeanor exuding an ominous intensity, she revealed, “That is when they detect the imminent emergence of a subspatial gateway within their very soul.”
The stark implication was not lost on the guardians. One exclaimed, aghast, “A subspace incursion! She sacrificed herself… to combat the insidious shadows from within her very being? But how can this occur within holy grounds? This is a church, after all, and…”
Another guardian chimed in, “Indeed, Inquisitor, this is an established branch of the Storm Church. It’s grounded on sacred land, fortified by spiritual barriers and divine enchantments. Even if a priestess were vulnerable to subspace corruption, the protective measures should have mitigated the extent of the infection, allowing ample time to sound an alarm.”
Vanna nodded in agreement, “Yes, for a sanctuary like this to be compromised so swiftly and thoroughly, it’s almost unthinkable. These sacred grounds have stood firm against dark forces for generations. The church’s very essence and foundation are rooted in protection and purity.”
She continued, her voice laden with both curiosity and determination, “It’s almost as if an overwhelming force, one that is potent enough to bypass the church’s defenses, swept through this place. Perhaps something or someone accelerated the corruption, propelling the unfortunate nun into a rapid downward spiral before she even had the chance to understand what was happening or call for aid.”
A guardian, his face etched with concern, added, “And to think of it, Inquisitor, if the alarm had indeed been sounded, yet somehow thwarted or intercepted by subspace interference, then we’re dealing with an enemy that not only understands our defenses but can also manipulate the very fabric of space-time itself.”
Another voiced the chilling thought that was hanging over the group, “Could it be that what we’re dealing with isn’t just a random subspace incursion but a premeditated attack, carefully orchestrated to cripple one of our church branches?”
Vanna tightened her grip on the lantern, casting its light deeper into the room as if hoping to unveil answers from the looming shadows. The walls, with their ancient carvings and inscriptions, seemed to whisper of age-old secrets and battles fought.
“If the corruption did consume this place, then what became of it? And more importantly, what were its intentions?” She whispered, her voice echoing softly.
Evidently, this was not just a quest for answers but a race against time to prevent a potential catastrophe.