Chapter 48 “Awareness”
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In the sanctified ambiance of the cathedral, under the vigilant watch of the revered statue of Storm Goddess Gomona, tranquil candles flickered. Their soft light mingled with the celestial glow descending from the dome overhead, creating a serene illumination that seemed to envelope the city-state’s bishop, who was dressed in a somber, pitch-black robe, in divine grace.
Within this consecrated atmosphere, Bishop Valentine raised his eyes to meet Vanna’s steady gray gaze. His voice, resonant with a mystical undertone, seemed to echo with the distant sound of gentle waves caressing the shore, which was quickly overshadowed by the thunderous roar of a storm. It was as though external forces were amplifying the presence of the deity, allowing it to pierce through her mental barriers and flood her consciousness.
Vanna gasped, snapping back to reality as if she had been drowning and just reached the surface for air. Her heart raced under the intense scrutiny of the deity’s gaze. In this half-awake state, she heard Bishop Valentine’s solemn declaration:
“The records of history confirm the existence of the Vanished, and your prophetic dreams validate their reality. It is crucial, therefore, that you recognize the threat they pose and seek ways to address it. Nevertheless, your recent skepticism about the Vanished suggests you are subconsciously trying to dismiss the implications of your visions.”
“Inquisitor, your denial of the Vanished’s existence only solidifies their reality—it’s as if their essence is creeping into our civilized realms.”
Perspiration dotted Vanna’s forehead as the metaphorical ‘veil’ that had obscured her connection to the Goddess began to lift, clarifying her thoughts. The bishop’s insights led her to an alarming realization: the Vanished had been influencing her without her knowledge!
This reaction was typical when faced with terrifying visions and anomalies: they trigger cognitive dissonance and subconscious denial, thereby increasing their influence.
While such denial is a natural defense mechanism against perceived dangers, it proves counterproductive when dealing with supernatural anomalies, leading to complacency and unintentional victimization.
As an inquisitor experienced in dealing with supernatural threats, Vanna understood these dynamics well, yet she had not anticipated falling into this psychological trap. Was her resolve not strong enough?
“I cannot determine exactly when their influence began,” she admitted openly to the bishop, not hiding her vulnerability. Concealing the psychological impact of these anomalies was pointless. “Since the prophetic dream, I came straight here. I’ve spoken to no one and had no contact with books or relics that could have been tainted.”
“The manner in which you avoided discussing your prophetic dream just now implies that their influence began earlier than you think,” observed Bishop Valentine, examining Vanna’s face intently, trying to read every minute shift in her expression and breathing. “Have you recently encountered anything unusual? Perhaps a remnant of the Vanished has embedded itself in your subconscious.”
Vanna pondered deeply, then suddenly remembered the strange “sacrifice” at the Black Sun cult’s ritual site, the unnatural green gleam in their eyes, and the loss of her own finger.
Her eyes widened as she turned to the bishop, “Recently, I led an operation to cleanse the Black Sun cult’s ritual site in the sewers. Were there any reports of unidentified contamination there? Was there mention of a tainted ‘sacrifice’?”
The bishop dismissed the notion with a shake of his head, “No, after your confrontation with those cultists, you returned directly to the church.”
A shiver ran down Vanna’s spine as she inquired further, “Has anyone else involved in that operation reported anything unusual?”
“No, there have been no such reports—all the records pertain solely to the Black Sun heresy.”
In the solemn atmosphere under the gaze of the Goddess, Vanna and the bishop shared a meaningful look.
“It appears we have identified the initial point of contamination,” the bishop sighed, his face serene but his eyes filled with deep emotion. “By the sacred name of our Goddess Gomona, Inquisitor, can you recount everything about that night?”
Taking a deep breath, Vanna affirmed, “By the sacred name of our Goddess Gomona, I recall every detail of that night.”
The bishop then lit a special incense and placed the brass incense burner at the feet of the deity’s statue, asking deliberately, “What happened then?”
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Vanna began to recount the events at the ritual site in the sewer, the sanctifying incense enhancing her memory and focus. As she described the horrifying moment when the sacrifice’s eyes opened, revealing haunting green flames, she remembered how the flames had touched her finger, which she immediately purified. All the way back to the church, she continuously reassured herself, ‘The contamination has been completely removed.’
This mantra was echoed among all the guardians who accompanied her, none of whom suspected anything amiss.
Reflecting now, Vanna realized the experience had been deeply disturbing and ominous. Under the dark night sky, the church’s guardians moved silently through the empty streets, each repeating the mantra over and over until they reached the church, believing they were following standard procedure: securing the heretical prisoners, cleansing the corrupted site, and escorting the cultists back to the church.
“…When that spectral flame touched the soul, physically severing a limb for purification proved ineffective. What you experienced was a deceptive sense of security—the correct procedure would have involved immediately lighting incense, spreading holy oil to create a temporary sacred space, and conducting a prayer ritual to invoke the Goddess’s power for a ‘spiritual’ cleansing.”
“I am accountable,” Vanna stated gravely, “I should have been more vigilant, more observant.”
“It was a mistake, but not your fault,” the elder replied, shaking his head, “You possess great power, but as an inquisitor, your experience is still limited. Fortunately, you have now overcome the influence, indicating that the ‘contamination’ on the sacrifice was not overly potent. It mainly caused psychological disturbances… The recent ritual with incense helped me assess its severity.”
He paused, lost in thought or perhaps making a decision: “The guardians who were with you would have been less affected. They were only nearby, and any influence would have been diminished by the prayers at the church.
“In conclusion, the contamination you faced was perilous and unusual, but since its source has been cut off, its ongoing effects are not as concerning. Based on your actions and how the incense reacted, you would have realized something was wrong within a few days, even if you hadn’t come here today.”
“Our primary concern now is undoubtedly the future.”
“The future…” Vanna echoed the bishop’s words, her expression somber.
Indeed, the future was laden with uncertainties. This incident was far from resolved.
The visions from the prophetic dream were divine warnings from the Goddess—indicating that the current turmoil might be just the beginning of a much larger crisis.
“The Vanished has been absent from the civilized world for many years. Many believed it had retreated into subspace, becoming merely another shadow among the countless others lurking in the depths of our world. However, it now appears that Captain Duncan’s fixation with the real world persists.”
Bishop Valentine pondered deeply, his gaze drifting towards the statue of the Storm Goddess.
“A century ago, the Vanished slipped into the depths of subspace. While we lack concrete evidence, numerous witnesses at the time reported seeing a massive storm in the nearby seas. This storm seems to have been instrumental in the sinking of a ship…
“Storms are under the dominion of our Goddess,” Vanna noted, furrowing her brow. “Could it be that Captain Duncan is seeking… retribution against the gods?”
The notion was almost too bold to consider. Even for a specter that had returned from subspace, the idea of exacting revenge on a deity seemed nearly inconceivable. Gods dwell in celestial realms, far removed from our mundane reality. In the universal hierarchy, all beings descend from higher planes to lower ones. There has never been an instance of a being ascending to a ‘divine realm’ higher than our own…
“Nevertheless, if Captain Duncan’s goal is to exact revenge on the earthly representatives of our Goddess… that is entirely plausible.”
“The Grand Storm Cathedral operates globally, guided by the Goddess, navigating secret paths, its exact location unknown to most. In contrast, the city-state of Pland occupies a special position. It is the most significant center of worship for the Storm Goddess in the world, second only to the Grand Storm Cathedral. It is a sanctuary open to all.”
“Given these factors, it would be strategic for the vengeful spirit to choose Pland as the place to make its return.”
Meanwhile Duncan really be like *wow I’m really enjoying spending time with my human “niece”*
Wow, the mc is powerful
uh, they’re practically destined not to get along apparently