Days had passed since the ascension of Apostle Otis. Al remained confined to the building that acted as his jail cell.

He was about to become the Church of New Light's first public execution.

The walls of his room vibrated and hummed from prayers that penetrated his walls. However, Al's focus turned to the stone ring around his ring finger without his etheric shell he could not manifest his Will. And as a Stubborn Will cultivator, he would sooner lose his stubbornness than let his body die.

"Worst case scenario... Elissa, Raging Stone, and maybe Red Queen we'll help and protect my ring. If they fail then so be it." Death was a word that had lost meaning to him long ago.

Al had once wielded Midnight Abyss. A mysterious indestructible blade that had fused with his Stubborn Will. Unfortunately, he had been separated from it. He and Elissa would later encounter him in the middle of a deadly fight against an Immortal cultivator named Rainbow Rift. Before they were wiped out by Midnight Abyss, Immortal Rainbow Rift opened a spatial rift and teleported Al and Elissa north of New Ark City.

In the years that Al had wielded Midnight Abyss, he could easily take down an Immortal cultivator in the physical domain as a Mortal cultivator. There was a chance that Rainbow Rift had been killed shortly after saving them.

After the two were separated Al gained a second etheric shell and Will- Heat Will. Having two Will's as a Mortal Cultivator was almost unheard of. Al had done it twice now.

Al gripped his right hand remembering the small twisted knife form of Midnight Abyss. He tried to use the technique Benjamin had taught him to recall one's etheric shell but nothing happened. All he saw was the etheric shell for his Heat Will a red leather band on his left wrist, "If I had Midnight Abyss I wouldn't have to rely on figures like Red Queen... And Elissa wouldn't have to keep risking her life for me...”

The door to Al's room was swung wide open as Elissa welcomed herself in. “Today is the day,” she shouted.

She was grinning ear to ear. "We'll finally put this little mistake of yours behind us." She teased Al before taking a seat in the only chair in the room. Al walked over to the window and quietly stared at the crowds that had gathered outside.

Elissa closed her eyes and softened her grin "We should visit the Evergreen Leaf. If Immortal Rainbow Rift wasn't able to finish that weapon of yours... then it's only fair we let his Immortal Seed know what we witnessed.”

Al listened and gently nodded. She was two centuries older than him but it was Al who looked to be her senior.

As the teacher and student meditated in the silence, the door was swung open again. Metallic steps on wooden floors echoed as Red Queen, Raging Stone, and Pink Bunny entered the room. “You're Execution is today…." Red Queen announced.

Al looked at Red Queen with a contemplative expression "Thanks for the heads up.”

Red Queen’s face was undiscernible behind her helmet. She walked over and stood next to Elissa. "You're welcome. The Temple of Ozeah would have killed you without hesitation if not for my words with his God." her monotone voice echoed in the room.

Al's gray eyebrows furrowed as he stroked his gray beard and changed the subject. "Their God is a single mind of many. It knows the death of its Exarch was in self-defense. If the Temple of Ozeah were to have killed me it would have been because their God allowed it."

Elissa raised an eyebrow followed by a faint smirk before saying. "He's saying we're here because the Light manipulated everything from the beginning including Al killing Exarch Stefanos."

Hearing Elissa explain the reality of the situation created an image of a fly landing in the web of a hidden spider. "I did suspect this was more about the people of the Church than it was about Al's transgressions." Raging Stone shared.

Recalling the tournament for apostlehood Red Queen added "The communication between the deity and their people is clear to everyone but the people. Al 'The Outsider' is being used to speak to the people."

Pink Bunny's eyes grew watery and she lowered her glance before letting out a whimper "Hero Misume... my teacher was mercilessly killed so a stupid God could get its people's attention?" She asked as her voice cracked.

Raging Stone placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Elissa looked at Pink Bunny sobbing and turned to Al. Al knew what his teacher was thinking. He once was in the same position as Pink Bunny however his response was anger and fury. In the end that anger and resentment would make history repeat itself.

“It hurts now but you'll learn how to live with the pain. You have to.” Al said thinking out loud.

Pink Bunny wiped her tears away but the sadness remained. "I'm trying... Being part of the H.E.R.O. program I knew death was a possibility, I just never expected..." She choked in her own words and shook her head recalling the body of Hero Misume torn to pieces.

Red Queen studied Pink Bunny but said very little to her. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Al opened the door to a gray-haired middle-aged man. “You! Let's go!” the stranger said.

Al turned to the small party that had gathered in his room and focused on Elissa before turning around and following the stranger. Outside the room, a group of Dawn Keepers filled the hallway.

Elissa, Red Queen, Raging Stone, and Pink Bunny closely observed the hosts of Dawn Keepers accompanying the gray-haired man and Al. The true power of the Church of New Light was found in the number of etheric beings called Dawn Keepers.

At the end of the hallway stood a young man. It was Alan.

“Apostle Dereck, are you sure I'm the only one who can do this?” Alan asked out loud to the stranger walking Al.

The gray-haired man nodded “This demonic cultivator killed Exarch Stefanos. The Light has asked for you to carry out this justice.” Apostle Dereck explained.

Alan sighed. He didn't dare look Al's way.

Al was handed off to Alan and the two exited the building. Outside a crowd of people too numerous for the eyes to count covered the expansive lands. They all watched Al being escorted out by the future prophet of their nation.

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Surprisingly their attention was on the two women following closely behind them. The red-armored figure of Red Queen and the lightly covered Elissa captivated their minds.

Red Queen sensed the eyes on her however she was unmoved. As one of the top Heroes in New Ark City, she garnered a similar reaction wherever she went.

Elissa also shrugged off the eyes on her with ease.

In front of them, Al's aged figure created sympathy within the crowd. His white hair and wrinkled skin made was a rarity among the people of the Church. The holy men and women rarely lived past 60 years old.

Al watched the sea of heads with pity in his eyes to him the Church was the ignorant remnants of old humanity.

Instead, his focus was on the Dawn keepers who flooded the sky. “Maybe if my Heat Will was in the Mental Domain.” Al thought to himself estimating how hard it would be to take out an entire army of Dawn Keepers around him.

“Even with two Common Wills, I'm nothing compared to when I had Midnight Abyss. And beyond this army of Dawn keepers, there's still the 9 Temples of the Church.” Al lamented.

A few steps away Elissa carefully watched Alan. “So the Church has chosen their prophet to kill Al. Maybe it's not about the people but solely about this kid. His God is testing him.” Elissa determined.

The people opened the path that led to the center pyramid.

On the bottom of the steps was a gathering of exarchs and priests. Alan had called many of them teachers and friends. Many were his fathers in the faith.

He was chosen as the future prophet to connect heaven and earth. Yet, he was also given a regular childhood.

His parents loved him. He had more friends than he could count.

When he was chosen as the first prophet of the Light his friends did not envy and his parents still called him their child. The entire Church rejoiced.

Under their God, they were all one. Now that Alan was to kill their enemy, they all watched in silence, they knew what Alan was about to do on their behalf.

A golden glimmer sparkled above the crowd. For a moment their mind became one. Man, Woman, or Child they all saw through the right eye of Alan.

As one man walked they all walked with him to take the life of another. The vision caused weeping children to break the silence. The sorrowful cries were dampened by the prayers of the women followed by the men.

When the sun kissed the top of the pyramid blood would stain stone. A red that would only wash away with more red.

Alan was the only one to notice the glittering sparks of gold emanating from the crowds. He could see the tears on his people's faces and hear their murmurs. "Our God has my people’s hearts and minds in its tight grip. What shall become of us.” Alan whispered to himself.

"Am I walking Al to his execution or my own..." Alan pondered as he walked Al up the pyramid's stairs to empty blue skies.

On the top were six of the 9 Apostles of the Church of New Light. Red Queen recognized two of the six Apostles. The first was apostle Ozeah who she had fought with a few weeks ago. The second was apostle Otis whose ascension she had witnessed a few days ago.

Al looked at the holy men comparable to the Immortal cultivators within the God Leafs. "I need to forget I ever wielded such indestructible power. What will get me to the Immortal Chasm is my Stubborn Will. And what will clear the path ahead is my Heat Will.”

Next to him, Alan stole his first glance at Al's white-haired and weathered face. "What kind of God would demand the blood of the old?" Alan questioned just as he had so many times before but there was no response.

The top of the pyramid was flat and a young middle-aged man awaited them both. The man handed an Ivory blade to Alan. Alan's sweaty hands almost dropped the blade.

Al dissociated and stood next to Alan.

The man who had handed the blade to Alan turned to the people. Before opening his mouth a giant worm made of light materialized above him in the sky.

Red Queen's eyes focused on the radiant massive writhing earthworm. "Interesting his Light Acolyte is a worm..."

The apostle's voice echoed through the expansive lands thanks to the power of his Light Acolyte. "Brothers and Sisters as the head within the apostlehood I Maurizio Bianchi have gathered you here. We mourn for Exarch Stefanous who was violently taken away from us by this follower of Evil." Apostle Maurizio gestured at Al who showed no regret or remorse.

This moment had already happened countless times in Al's mind. His body had suffered and regenerated more times than he could count.

His life was the complete opposite of the people in front of him.

The sun was like a giant eyeball witnessing what was about to happen "On this Day we welcome our prophet who is to come. Our God will be silent no more for a mouthpiece has been given unto us."

Apostle Maurizio gestured for Alan to slice Al's throat. Alan's face fell pale and he almost stumbled on his robe. "Even if our God is a lie it's the only lie I've known, but your wisdom has made me an accomplice to a bloody war with no end," Alan whispered to Al before turning to look at his people.

The majority were in prayer with their eyes closed. "It's okay you're not the first to kill me and you won't be the last either. Just get it over with." Al's voice mumbled behind him.

"I thought our people would be demanding Al's life but they seem horrified by what I am about to do..." Alan jokingly whispered to himself, that he was in a hazy dream-like state.

Alan turned to Al and looked him in the eyes for the first time since walking him out. "I will make this as quick as I can."

The two stood on the final step of the pyramid so the people could see. Alan brought the ivory blade to Al's neck. As the edge sliced the skin of Al's neck a high-pitched voice shouted "Please stop, we forgive him".

The voice made Alan hesitate for a second but as soon as one voice slipped into the silence a cascade of shouts and screams reached the top of the pyramid. Some cried for Alan's sake, some for Al, but all cried out to their God.

An Alan's hesitation the earth began to shake violently. The sun in the sky vibrated as a thundering trumpet silenced the entire land.

A brilliant light appeared over the pyramid in front of the vibrating sun. It was so bright everyone present had to avert their eyes.

Al and Elissa were forced to lower their gaze. Red Queens whose armor had withstood a direct attack from the Temple of Ozeah seemed powerless against the strange light, she was also forced to lower her head.

An authoritative voice like a celestial king came out of the Light. "I AM PLEASED WITH MY CHURCH. LOVE AND FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER" The interaction was over in two seconds.

As quick as it had come the Light disappeared and the Sun returned to normal. Everyone was completely shaken to their core. Some prayed more fervently some cowarded and some even fainted.

No one noticed Alan had begun vibrating until his stomach started emitting a soft golden glow that spread throughout his body. He dropped the ceremonial knife leaving Al's neck with a small wound.

A golden light exited the top of Alan's skull and shot toward the sun in the sky. Its Light blended with the Sun's and a massive young Lion took form growing almost as big as the earthworm of Apostle Maurizio.

The Lion then transfigured back into a light that entered back into the skull of Alan causing him to fall unconscious.

Apostle Maurizio quickly caught Alan and turned toward the stunned crowds. "Our God has heard the cry of our people and has delivered unto us not only a prophet but also a sinner!" He shouted causing a collective uproarious cheering.

Meanwhile, Al grasped his neck and turned toward Elissa and Red Queen. "There God was never going to let me die!?" Al asked as he looked at the passed-out Alan.

Red Queen was also looking closely at Alan. "This was a display of dominance. Whatever this God is, it sees us as things to manipulate and use."

Elissa disagreed. "Their God knew Alan was uncertain and shaky in his faith. All this was to honor the Will of its future prophet." Elissa's words caused a feeling of awe and uncertainty among the group.

On the other hand, Apostle Maurizio and the other prophets had their thoughts and ideas but the faith had always remained unshaken. But Elissa's words caused an enlightenment followed by a deep reverence for their God.