"Lies are weapons, and shields as well," the Faceless Chaos whispered, kneeling in front of the ritual array.
In front of him, the blood, as if alive, slowly and steadfastly became part of the summoning array.
"Deception is an art, just like a tapestry," the Faceless Chaos continued his murmurs.
The manipulated innocents, full of confusion, were suspended upside-down from the ceiling, their flawless bodies oozing blood that dripped to the ground.
Explosions echoed from the far end of the underground passage, and as the Faceless Chaos listened, he carried on whispering, "Stratagems are traps, and legions too."
With his words, the fluctuations of spiritual energy began to rise uncontrollably.
"Spiritual energy detected! In the eastern district of the city!" Mages of the Mage Tower confirmed the location at once, but by that time, it was already like hell, with Chaos followers turning the entire eastern district into a land of death.
Messengers were sent forth to notify all major churches.
A team of Mages, along with Apprentices, began to ascend and leave the city. The remaining Mages then activated the Ancient Defense Array—the city would be enveloped by a shield, becoming a fortress in isolation.
Either wait for the grand army to shatter the shield, to fight a decisive battle against the Chaos within.
Or wait for the living inside to annihilate the Chaos, using their heads as offerings to deactivate the array.
"I can’t move forward," Casaman stopped in his tracks.
"Why, the Church is just ahead," Malin asked curiously.
"Because I can’t prove my identity; I am now a lone soul, a wandering spirit. If I enter the Church, I will be locked away... I don’t want to wait for death. If the Chaos cannot be eliminated, I would rather die in battle in this city than helplessly in prison," Casaman finished saying and then turned to look at Malin: "If you disagree with me, you can shoot."
Malin, holding the gun, eventually lowered the muzzle: "You may go."
"Thank you," said Casaman, turning to leave.
As Malin rushed back to the Church, he met Bishop Constance and only then learned that his mentor had already led a team into the underground passage.
"Old Hoffman said, ’Follow me; we must go to the eastern district now.’" The old man spoke while looking at Malin, "Where is the half-human Liu Jin’s team?"
"They stayed in the toxin outbreak area, saying they wanted to save people. Your Excellency, the Fortune Church has completely fallen, and it is all Chaos there," Malin said.
Constance was stunned for a moment: "The Fortune Church?"
"Yes, you see." Malin took out an emblem from his pocket, which Casaman had torn from a Gnome’s neck and handed to him.
"...the emblem of the Church of Justice, what in the world is happening!"
"The situation is..."
Malin relayed all that had happened, and Bishop Constance took a deep breath: "Very well, let’s head to the Church of the God of Wealth first."
With the decision made, the Church’s troops immediately sprang into action. Leaving behind a force to guard the Holy Hall, Constance led his people towards the Church of the God of Wealth.
Malin followed the troop.
"You didn’t have to come, kid," Constance said.
"But sir, where on earth is not purgatory? To survive, one must learn to kill a little something," Malin replied as he moved to the front of the group, "I’ll lead the way."
"Sir..." As the pathfinder, the half-human glanced at Constance and, upon receiving a confirming look, silently followed Malin.
Traveling from the Church of the Goddess of Harvest to the Church of the God of Wealth would only require passing through a few alleys and main streets, Malin chose the main streets, and the group was split into two, progressing on either side of the street.
Along the way were civilians fleeing, Constance directed them to seek refuge at the Church.
Malin supported this, not out of a sudden burst of kindness, but because the Church had an adept method of identifying Chaos, and any Chaos trying to infiltrate would only be killed at the Church’s entrance.
"The Holy Hall of the Church of the God of Wealth is up ahead, I can already feel the energy of Chaos," the half-human said after lowering the goggles on his forehead, and then advised Malin, "I personally suggest you take some protective measures for yourself."
So, Malin pulled down his goggles and covered his face with a breathing filter.
The team began to engage with Chaos.
These Chaotic beings had completely lost their human forms, moving like wild beasts. Saddening as it was, their shells were unexpectedly tough; Malin even needed to fire two size eight hollow-point bullets to blow open their skulls and utterly annihilate them—Chaos do not die on the main plane, killing them on the main plane only drives them back to the Subspace.
"It’s Nagoth’s doing," the half-human pulled over a corpse to check its mouth and cried out, "Nagoth!" He then turned and shouted, "Watch for infection!"
As Malin advanced, he and Church members shot at Chaos, with the teams on either side of the street able to shoot at the Chaos approaching from the other side, making the push forward quick.
At the entrance of the Church, Malin saw a Church member standing there, looking at him with lifeless eyes, "Would you like to come in for a rest?"
"He’s done for. Infection by Chaos has turned him into an idiot, though it’s a blessing he’s just that," the half-human came over to check the member’s condition and then raised his gun to shoot him.
Malin kicked open the door, and the tall figure behind him immediately dragged away the body, while Church members at the sides of the doors entered with their guns drawn.
Malin followed suit, the place was strewn with corpses and severed limbs. Constance entered and after surveying the scene, he identified the dead, "These are the innocents who haven’t been fully transformed." He then kicked at a small head at his feet. A child brought to the Church for sanctuary by his father would never understand that his parents’ decision had completely destroyed both their lives.
Malin looked at the head, "Sir."
"If you were to pick up that head, you’d see its mutated teeth. Children have very low resistance to Chaos, they are consumed because the Chaotic beings like tender flesh, but there is no friendship among Chaos. To them, anything that moves is a natural enemy, even their own kind," Bishop Constance said, then stood in front of the inner hall’s door. He kicked it open and then stood there, "Cohen! Look at your pitiful state!"
Malin moved behind him and saw a huge mass of flesh in the center of the Church’s chapel.
It was wailing, utterly bereft of reason.
"Do you see, Malin? This is what the loving father calls eternal life. My old friend here has received the eternal life he so coveted—the price being no sanity, unable to move... After witnessing such eternal life, would you still want it?" Bishop Constance said sadly, then turned around. Before doing so, he ignited a Molotov cocktail in his hand, throwing it at the mass of flesh.
The sacred fuel set the giant mass of flesh ablaze.
Malin shook his head, "Such eternal life, I’d rather be dead and done with it, sir."
"Right, often death is a great terror, but sometimes it’s a way to seek relief," Bishop Constance said, sighing.
Malin knew what he meant and understood his sentiment.
"Everyone has to pay the price for their own choices," Malin whispered in response as he followed the old man out of the Church of the God of Wealth.
"Yes, in pursuit of eternal life, they gave up everything... as the price," Bishop Constance murmured with a smile, "Looking at the outcome, they have nothing and yet everything."