The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 604 The Secret Pact of the Holy Tomb

Hill charged into battle, crushing enemy lines like a steel behemoth and clearing a path for his allies.

David stood near the Undying Flame Rune, his entire body surrounded by divine flames. He slowly raised his large hand, which was enveloped in chaotic energy, and a surge of power welled up from within him.

He concentrated all his will into a powerful shockwave, instantly shattering the core of the Eternal Night Council's power on the altar.

The massive, unbreakable magic array, formed from pure chaotic energy, cracked and scattered, with countless rune fragments exploding and falling like stars, causing a resonance between heaven and earth that shook the depths of the soul!
At that moment, the entire venue fell into a brief, deathly silence, as if time had frozen.

But what followed was a change that terrified all the fallen knights: the destruction of the altar exposed an important document containing the Pope's signature, which was the forbidden contract known as the "Shadow Pact"!

David picked up the yellowed parchment, its ink bold and vigorous, yet concealing a top-secret arcane seal.

This contract reveals how the Pope achieved his plan to gain complete control of the continent by manipulating the Eternal Night Council, the indulgence system, and various levels of power, and further points out that many political schemes were secretly planned and operated through this contract!
Lia took the document, her gaze growing even more determined: "This is the key to breaking free of these shackles!"
Once the truth is revealed to the world, even the darkest conspiracies will eventually be burned away by the sunlight!

Cynthia looked around at the wreckage and sighed softly, "However, this is only the first step. A more arduous and terrifying journey awaits us."

Hill withdrew his gaze and carefully sealed away the precious contract.

"It is our duty to safeguard the truth. We will do everything in our power to protect our homeland and the hope for the future!"

A rumbling sound came from afar, and an even more eerie and terrifying aura stirred, causing the earth to tremble with unease once again.

But at this moment, no matter how difficult the obstacles, nothing can stop these brave warriors from clenching their fists and burning with the determination to defend their dignity and freedom with their lives...

Inside the secluded room, the flickering candlelight illuminated the ancient reliefs on the walls and the worn-out sheepskin scrolls.

David and the others sat around the stone table, clutching the "Shadow Covenant" that they had just seized from the Holy Sepulchre of the Vatican.

This forbidden pact, bearing the Pope's signature, seemed to exude a cold and gloomy aura, like a serpent lurking in the dark, making everyone feel an unspeakable unease.

Lia frowned as she gently brushed her hand over the dense, shimmering coded runes on the paper.

Her eyes were fixed intently, as if trying to pierce through the layers of mist behind the words.

“These runes are not only ancient magic, but also contain profound codes,” she said softly. “If they cannot be fully deciphered, this contract will forever remain an abyss.”

Cynthia moved closer to the table, her icy blue runes shining even brighter, like cold stars guarding truth in the cold night.

“We need someone who can master both classical arcane arts and cryptography…Lucia, she might be able to crack these secrets.”

David nodded. “Summon her immediately. We can’t delay any longer. Every second could bring an even greater threat.”

Before long, a figure slowly entered. Lucia was wearing a silver-white robe, and the shimmering patterns on it seemed to be alive.

She appeared calm, but could not hide the deep worry in her eyes.

He took the "Shadow Covenant" with both hands, examined it carefully, and then his lips moved slightly, a series of whispered chants echoing slowly in the air.

Complex symbols and celestial patterns flashed in the air as she chanted, like a magical feast where time and space intertwined.

“This contract is not just a piece of paper.” Lucia’s voice was gentle yet firm. “It is a key, and at the same time, a seal and a puzzle.”

"The pope in the present world is merely a projection of one aspect of 'real' existence."

She explained clearly, word by word, "The true sovereign is hidden outside the cracks of time, a duality of darkness and light—the twin popes."

Everyone held their breath and stared intently, the unrevealed secrets lurking in their hearts like ferocious beasts in the dead of winter.

Lucia continued, “The contract contains the secret of the fusion of three hearts—the path to godhood created by the three primordial forces of ‘life, shadow, and light’.”

This is not just about power, but also about the fundamental nature of the cosmic cycle of destiny.

As the chanting quickened, the deep blue and silver-tinged patterns gradually unfolded, constructing a vast, complex, and interconnected magic circle totem in the air, like a microcosm of the universe's rhythm.

Each line contains extreme power, causing onlookers to feel their souls being pulled and trembled.

"Once this fusion ritual is completed, it will disrupt the balance of all realms, triggering an unprecedented catastrophe or the birth of a new era."

Lucia sighed softly, "But what's even more terrifying is that behind this lies the message of the Sea God's oracle descending once more..."

The hall fell into a deathly silence at these words. Everyone was shocked by the warning, and their hearts were filled with turbulent waves.

The high priest suddenly stood up, his pale face filled with awe and fear. He spoke in a trembling voice: "The sea god once prophesied that the game of chess among the gods would begin again..."

That means the wheel of fate has been turned once more, and we may be at the final juncture!

Hill clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fury: "We are facing an enemy more treacherous and unpredictable than ever before!"
But as long as our faith remains, we will surely protect our homeland!

Lia straightened her back, her voice firm and resolute: "No matter how much darkness tries to engulf us, we will uphold our free will! The truth will eventually illuminate the deepest night!"

Cynthia calmly surveyed the crowd: "Preparing for battle is of utmost urgency. We should immediately formulate a response strategy and strengthen our monitoring of the time rift anomaly!"

David closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with the vastness of the stars.

He muttered to himself, "Twin Popes... This is a huge trap, but also an opportunity to reshape the future."

I must delve into the essence of this game, otherwise all my efforts will be in vain.

He turned to the crowd, his voice firm and powerful:
"This is our era, and our only chance to break free from the shackles of fate with wisdom and ignite the dawn with faith!"
No matter how perilous the path ahead, we swear to defend free will to the death and dedicate ourselves entirely to the future!

As the words fell, applause echoed through the hall, and resolute vows swept through every corner like a storm. Against the backdrop of swirling snow, every face was etched with determination; they bore a burden comparable to the destiny of the gods…

Beside the long table, David frowned deeply. He felt the fluctuations of the chaotic core within his body growing more intense, as if an abyss of surging undercurrents was constantly tearing at his soul.

Each time he used the Bloodline Meditation Technique to harmonize the flow of time, he could feel a crack quietly forming in his core.

The air was heavy, as if it had been compressed. Everyone vaguely sensed that a more terrifying storm was approaching, but no one dared to speak out.

Lia's gaze was firm. She gently raised her hands, and pale golden life runes appeared in her palms.

She slowly chanted the ancient incantation, and the runes, like flowers blooming in the morning light, gradually spread out to form layers of protective shields, enveloping David within them.

The Life Rune Barrier emitted a warm and gentle light, like Mother Earth giving the most tender embrace, temporarily alleviating the impact of the cracks in the Chaos Core.

“This barrier can’t completely cure you, but it can at least buy you some breathing room.” Lia’s voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable power. “We must stabilize your condition, otherwise any subsequent actions will become precarious.”

Cynthia didn't speak. She drew her silver-white longsword from her waist, and ice crystals instantly formed on the blade, like a blade of winter cutting through the cold wind.

With a light touch of her toes, a heavy, icy aura instantly permeated the entire hall—an energy capable of freezing the temporal fabric and suppressing the spread of chaotic spacetime disorder.

Frost runes ignited with a ghostly blue light all over her body, freezing the surrounding air into a crystal-clear velvet blanket.

“This is the strongest defensive array I can cast,” Cynthia said calmly. “Only in this way can we protect this place from being swallowed up by the corrective shockwave.”

A few wisps of cold wind swept through the hall, forming a strange balance between the interplay of flames and frost. David felt the surging power within him somewhat gathering, yet he was still struggling on the verge of collapse. The backlash was as relentless as a landslide or tsunami, pressing down on his nerves and soul.

Just as everyone was trying their best to stabilize the situation, a blurry and urgent message broke the silence. An unusual light wave burst from the magic communication array in the distance. It was an emergency distress signal brought back by Aria from the Blood Prison World.

Arya—the witch queen who once fought against the dark abyss with endless resilience and wove a life-and-death pact with blood—is now trapped in an unprecedented crisis.

Her message was filled with despair yet also brimming with a will to survive: "...The enemy is too powerful...The corrupted darkness has spread to the frontiers of the mind...If we cannot provide aid, our people will surely perish..."

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became heavy, and beads of sweat slid down everyone's foreheads, like cold water droplets soaking their battle robes.

They knew that this was not only a crisis on a distant battlefield, but also a thunderclap that would affect the fate of the entire continent!
Hill said in a deep voice, "We can no longer handle any more threats alone... We must quickly develop a contingency plan and at the same time call in reinforcements to support Arya."

Lucia walked slowly from the corner, her silver hair slightly disheveled, yet her eyes shone with wisdom like stars. "Right now, we must integrate all arcane resources, not only to protect ourselves, but also to ensure that the flow of time is not completely torn apart, otherwise all our efforts will be in vain..."

The high priest closed his eyes in prayer, his pale face appearing exceptionally solemn due to his focused concentration. "The path of the gods is fraught with thorns, and we are all ascetics... Only by steadfast faith can we withstand the backlash of the laws!"

David slowly stood up, clenched his fist in front of his chest, and the blue and white holy flames reignited and surrounded his entire body.

He waved his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow and said to the crowd:
"This is our test, and our mission! No matter how harsh it is, no matter the cost, I will stick to this path! Because only by standing on the edge of destruction can we make the world whole again!"

He strode forward, each step firm and steady, as if he were using the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth as the foundation beneath his feet.

Although his body was exhausted, his spirit was as indestructible as steel. He focused intently on grasping the vein of power that originated from the depths of chaos but was full of hope, hoping to guide the torrent of fate to reverse the future!

Ever since David shattered the core altar of the Council of Eternal Night and seized the "Shadow Pact," this ancient elven sundial has miraculously begun to repair itself.

The originally damaged and mottled runes slowly regained their luster, and the connection points were activated one by one.

As the last crack was stitched up, a three-dimensional projection quietly appeared on the star dial. It was a deep spatial structure pattern filled with eerie fluctuations, with the concrete coordinates of the "Anchor of the World" marked at its center—the seventh layer of the abyss.

David stared silently at the projection, his brow furrowing slightly before relaxing.

He felt an indescribable resonance, a faint connection between the core of chaos and the "anchor of the world".

That connection is like the oldest and most mysterious vein in the universe, shimmering with a dim yet resilient light in the web of time and space.

“This is more than just a spatial coordinate,” David murmured, his eyes gleaming as if he could see through everything. “The ‘Anchor of the World’ is of the same origin as the chaotic core within me…”

This means it is highly likely that it was created by an ancient god in legend, and is an important cornerstone of the laws of the universe.

Lia leaned closer, her clear eyes filled with awe and a hint of worry: "If that's the case, then getting close to the 'Anchor of the World' might mean touching a power that transcends the realm of conventional magic and physics. If it gets out of control... the consequences are unpredictable."

Cynthia gripped her longsword tightly, the frost runes on its blade shining even colder: "We must be fully armed and invincible in the face of the challenges ahead."

No matter how treacherous the enemy, we must not allow the 'anchor of the world' to fall into the hands of evil.

Hill said in a deep voice, "The current situation is complex and volatile, and we must develop a clear strategy."

The first step is to wipe out the remaining forces of the Eternal Night Council, who are still hiding in the shadows, ready to make a move;
The second step was to send an expedition to the seventh level of the abyss to investigate the 'World Anchor' and find a way to stabilize the spacetime distortion.

The high priest nodded slightly. His pale face was covered with wrinkles, but his gaze was firm and unwavering: "Do not be rash. This journey is extremely dangerous."

The Abyss level is no small matter; every step is fraught with heavy taboos and unknown dangers, requiring precise coordination and meticulous preparation.

A brief silence fell over the room as everyone silently processed this important information.

The heavy stone walls reflected their solemn and resolute faces. They were a group of people who shouldered the fate of countless people. They knew that at this moment, they were carrying the great responsibility of the survival of the free will of the entire continent and whether the future order could be continued.

David slowly walked to the sundial and reached out to touch the three-dimensional totem reflected on it. A delicate, silk-like vibration spread from his fingertips to his whole body.

He closed his eyes and felt the echoes from the ancient universe. The existence of the "Anchor of the World" not only stabilized the spacetime structure, but was also like a huge life heart, beating and controlling the rhythm of destiny amidst the undercurrents.

(End of this chapter)