Ch.56 Peridasa, Village of the Saints. Part 1

Ba'pu stared at the disheveled priest in glee, it was about time those bastards got there comeuppance. Sadly, only two out of the three died while the paladins of the Heavenshield Household only lost a few limbs, a testament to their defensive training. After enjoying their angry faces for a bit longer, he turned his attention to what remained of the golden monster.

A four-sided star made out of white interlocking pieces was laying on the floor, as it shimmered in different colors from time to time. He could sense it absorbing golden mana at a steady pace, the Dungeon allowing it to happen. He and his group started to walk to the star, while the paladins regroup to protect their charge.

They weren't going to let the Beastmen and Elfs near the priest until they are fully healed. Ba'pu scoffed at their actions, only humans would be shameless enough to attack their teammates while they're down. Reaching the star, he was surprised to find the same aura of harmony 'looking' at them peacefully as if nothing had just happened.

"Little ones, you're back so soon? Have you gathered the roses? Forgive me but I'm unable to reward you at this time, please return in thirty minutes or so! Of course, if you can carry me to my house and drop me inside the well I'll recover much faster." The group was stun for a bit, as they realized that all this time they'd been talking to a spirit!

The elf's were especially shock, as they talk to spirits of plants and the land constantly and yet couldn't find the power of nature inside this star. Both elf's thought about many things in a few seconds but didn't understand what was happening. Although there's another kind of spiritual creature, the demons of the Abyss, this one was so far detached from their violent and bloody aura that they didn't even humer the thought it was one of them.

Both elf's got excited after their shock and tried to communicate using their spiritual songs, sadly, they only got the same 'sorry, I don't understand', response as before. Sha'la noticed that no one paid attention to what the monster requested, as she when and picked it up, ignoring A'ums meaningful stares. The group didn't mind her actions, the only reason they ignored the spirit was do to their shock.

While Sha'la carried the star to its house Sundrop chased after her, requesting to help. She didn't mind who helped it so she passed it to her and continued forward. Now inside the spirits house, she saw a few simple decorations with a small pool of golden waters similar to those inside the temple. It didn't take long to look around as she heard heavy footsteps coming from the entrance.

The sound confused her as she turned its way, A'um was walking inside trying not to laugh at something, the star on his hands. She then finally noticed the female elf gasping for air. Although an airhead, Sha'la understood that the star must've weight alot more than that elf could handle. After a few embarrassing coughs, she grabbed the star and dropped it inside the pool.

With a splash, the star dissappear into the hole with a contend sigh. In but a few moments the water level inside the pool increased rapidly, inflating into a water bubble first then a humanoid shape after. The Crystal Angel was now restored, the whole process taking little more then five minutes. After expressing its gratitude, it return to its unresponsive state to the disappointment of the Elfs.

By this time the priest had already healed everyone and were eyeing the angel that had returned to it's original spot. Seeing this Ba'pu didn't bother with them this time and headed out to the place were they'd found crystal roses before. Now alone, the priest confronted the monster in fury.

"Evil creature! Reveal your true form, we the shepherds of the lord will not tolerate your existence any longer!" The old priest shouted with righteous indignation, however, the Crystal Angel ignored them like rocks on the sidewalk. The total disregard for his existence made the prideful priest nearly burst a vein, sense when have the church's word's ever been treated like air?

A repeat of the fight from before happened, the explosions, fireworks and pillar of golden light only made the Dungeon look more mysterious. After five hours of non stop searching, Ba'pu and his group finally collected ten crystal roses after using almost all there element mana. The first few roses were wasted as they originally split up thinking it would be faster that way.

They didn't think that plucking them without using the gloves would have them disintegrate into golden mana. However, there was a reason why they refused to use the gloves after the first time. Sha'la had charged the gloves with the same amount of element mana a rank one mage or warrior would normally have, this meant she used half her resources on one flower.

In the end, they ended up sharing the burden, with his beastmen taking most of the work. His rank three guards could pick two flowers each at the cost of three-fourths of there element mana. After distributing the work, the female elf collected three, Sha'la and A'um gathered one each, and his guards took care of the rest.

With everything they needed in hand, they headed back to the crystal angels house, worried all over their faces. This was the first time these Beastmen ever felt fatigue in a Dungeon. Although absorbing the thick mana around the dungeon was possible do to their ranks, they were far too used to absorbing the residue left behind by conflicting elements to strengthen and replenish their bodies.

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This Dungeon force them to distilled their mana into random elements to maintain the process, something that takes alot of skill to do. Ba'pu could tell what his guards thought by looking at their faces, a small smile appearing on his canine face. Looks like this Dungeon is already valuable enough as a training ground, let's see how those lazy nobles would get the cheek to claim it for there use now.

Reaching the landmass where the angel resides, they waited for Sundrop to restore her mana as she was the only one carrying the group this time. While doing so, Ba'pu stared at the house in the distance that was now the site of several pit holes and bloody limbs. The church's forces haven't lost any this time, there's only so much a single rank three creature can do to a group.

Now that they took the thread seriously they're ought to be no way to bypass the Heavenshields turtle shell. Although he's ashamed to admit it, he wouldn't be able to even kill one of them instantly, even if he oppress them with his rank four life aura. It doesn't help that the paladins are always covered in gear enchanted by the priest from head to toe, fighting them is the same as going against two people at the same time.

Ba'pu could hear the remaining priest cast cleansing and purifying spells, while telling the spirit to repent for it's sins. He almost laughed as he saw the priest constipated face, as all it's spells did nothing. Sensing his mockery, the priest turned his bloodshot eyes to Ba'pu, "you heretics! How dare you associate with this demon, we will report this to his Holiness!!"

Ba'pu walked past the priest while ignoring it's rambling, did it think this was the outside world? He could sense just how weak they were right now, reaffirming one of the things he was send here to verify. The power of 'faith' truly was nothing more then another type of element mana, and this Dungeons worth doubled once more in his eyes. If all else fails, we will go against the church and destroy the Shackles, opening up miles of fertile land to feed our people.

Using his aura he pinpointed the location of the spirit, the rest of his group walking past the priest with barely conceal laughter. The star body of the spirit was covered in blade marks and chipped parts, but was otherwise intact. "Little ones, you're back so soon? Have you gathered the roses? Forgive me but I'm unable to reward you at this time, please return in eight minutes or so! Of course, if you can carry me to my house and drop me inside the well I'll recover much faster."

Hearing the spirits stiff but friendly voice reassure the group it was fine. Ba'pu didn't waste any time on formalities and carried the spirit himself, to the mild discomfort of his guards. After locating the well and waiting a few seconds the spirit returned back to its initial state, star and all. "Thank you so much for the roses dear, you're truly Saints, unlike those demons who have forsaken lord Holy's grace."

The church forces had followed them and could hear everything that demon said. The priest wanted to retort but was more focused on the roses handed to the demon. Unlike these heretics, he could feel the large amount of the lords power inside them. He, and his now dead colleagues, tried to gatherd the large crystals and those shaped like different plants to no avail.

Any attempts to collect the crystals ended in failure, as they broke and scattered into golden dust. The lord's power would also ignore their call no matter what they did or how they prayed. However, he could sense the lord's power inside those flowers had solidified, in a similar manner than mana stones. The amount of power stored inside one flower was enough for a talented worshiper to become a full-fledged rank one priest.

Before he had the chance to think of a way to force the heretics to hand them over, he saw the demon tossing them into a hole with a splash of holy water. The stun priest stared blankly as the waters in the hole began to bubble and overflow, taking the shape of a water sphere with something black in the middle. The demon pierced the water bubble and grabbed the item inside, offering it to one of the beastmen females.

"Here you go dear! Use this to enter Peridasa! Incase you don't know it's location," the spirit pointed towards the top of the temple. "You can reach it by using the large stairs on both sides of Lord Holy's temple." Sha'la grabbed the smooth black slate handed to her, the words, 'QUEST COMPLETE', were written in the common language with large golden letters. The spirit returned to its original position once more, anymore attempts to communicate with it lead to nothing but small talk or its 'sorry, I don't understand' reply.

With nothing else to gain here, the Beastmen and Elf group started to head to this Peridasa. Before they could walk far, they were confronted rather aggressively by the priest, demanding to explain how they managed to obtain those roses. Ba'pu wanted to just ignore them but that would be throwing all pretense, however, he also couldn't give in to their demands. Thankfully, the little kid from the bear tribe was astute and explained how they'd manage to collect them.

The priest immediately demanded for them to handover the gloves, shamelessly preaching about how the lord would repay them for their services. Ignoring the self-righteous human, the group continued on to their destination. The furious priest couldn't but watch them leave, as they'd already told him how to obtain the roses and had no obligations to help with the process.

Sha'la was paying attention to the humans while she walked, the priest was continuously trying to talk to the spirit, while it completely ignored him. She couldn't help but laugh a bit at there predicament, her canine features looking cute and adorable. The three male beastmen guards admire her beauty for a bit before getting slapped across the head by their two female colleagues.

They grunted and waited for the elf to finish casting the (Mass Levitation) spell. It didn't take long for them to reach the clearing on top of the temple. In it's middle, laid a large blackstone slate about the size of a nobles manner. The structure had no windows or entrances, looking like a large smooth rock in the middle of nowhere. Sha'la decided to try and use the small slate she was given, pressing it against the structure.

Suddenly, large ripples began to appear around her slate, as she easily walked thru the wall like water. The rest of her group started to call out to her in worry, but she reassured them by exiting the wall without any problems. Ba'pu ask how she managed to get inside, Sha'la passing the slate to him. However, he couldn't go in no matter what he did while his guards fared no better. With little choice left, the group allowed her to go by herself with the caveat that she must return at the slightest danger.

Nodding, she entered once more with her guard up. After passing thru the thick tar like wall, she arrived in a large empty space who's ceiling looked like a sea of stars. Looking around, she noticed she was standing on top of a golden sky full of clouds. "HAAAaaa.....ah!?" Sha'la jumped in fright, thinking she was falling, however, after testing the floor a few times she gradually calmed down.

In that moment, the sound of opening doors could be heard as she turned her attention to its source. There in the middle of the golden sky floor, she saw a dome like building with a slick black-gold appearance. From its doors, a strangely dress person who's appearance was distinctly female walked unhurriedly to Sha'la.

Now closer to her, she noticed the woman was a human with golden eyes and hair, her skin as white as snow. However, the aura given out by it was similar to the spirit's, and she had tiny golden wings with a golden-brown branch sticking from one side of her head. The more she looked, the less human this creature seemed, as it stopped a few feet away from her.

With a bow, it said, "welcome to Peridasa, Village of the Saints." Her words seem to be a Switch, as the clouds under her feet dispersed, revealing a city underneath with numerous angels looking up at her as they wave their hand in greetings.

The stun Sha'la, could not but reflexively wave back at them.