It was morning, and the entire group was gathered in the kitchen, enjoying breakfast. The atmosphere was calm, but the weight of their recent battles lingered in the air. Hageo broke the silence, his voice cutting through the clatter of plates and utensils.
"So, what''s the first thing we''re going to do now?" he asked, looking around at the group. Tara glanced up from her meal. "Wait, do you have something in mind already?" Hageo nodded. "Yes, actually. Before you two arrived, we were planning to investigate what''s beneath the chapel. After our battle with Ishtar, I sensed something coming from below it. It''s been on my mind ever since."
Beneto leaned forward, his expression curious. "So, what''s the plan? What do we do first?" Celine, her voice calm but firm, added, "My gut tells me that whatever is inside or underneath the chapel is important—important enough to warrant an investigation."
Samuel turned to Hageo, his brow furrowed. "But we can''t ignore the looming threat of the Chaos Stone. Brother, what''s our priority here?" Before Hageo could respond, Father Cedric interjected. "I think checking the chapel first would be the wisest choice. Whatever lies beneath could hold answers—or dangers—we need to address."
Hageo nodded decisively. "The chapel it is, then." Cedric added, "I think it''s a good decision. I haven''t reported anything about the chapel to the diocese, so we won''t have to worry about the Church interfering with our investigation." After finishing their meal, the group made their way to the chapel. The air inside was heavy, almost expectant, as if the building itself was holding its breath. Hageo''s eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of a hidden entrance. "Where would the secret door be?" he muttered, looking up and down the walls.
Cedric pointed toward the altar. "Someone should check there. It''s the most likely place for something hidden."
Elena stepped forward and approached the altar. She examined the pulpit carefully before her gaze fell on the heavy table beside it. "This table is unusually heavy," she remarked, running her fingers along its surface. "It feels like it''s made of marble or something equally dense." Samuel stepped up to the table and tried to lift it, but it barely budged. Tara leaned in for a closer look. "There are seals on the table," she observed. "Maybe a little boost of divine strength could move it."
Beneto offered his assistance. "How about the two of us try lifting it together?" Samuel nodded, grunting as he gripped the edge of the table. "Alright, let''s give it a shot." The two strained against the weight, but even their combined strength wasn''t enough to move the massive table. Samuel glanced at Beneto, his expression determined. "How about we use some divine strength? Maybe that''ll do the trick."
With a shared nod, they channeled their divine powers. Markings began to glow on their bodies, resonating with the table. To their surprise, similar markings appeared on the table itself, glowing faintly in response.
The table has been move and a secret door has been found beneath it. Samuel opens the secret door. " I found stares i think it leads to something" Samuel calls the attention of everyone.
They all stepped through the secret door, descending the narrow staircase that led into the depths beneath the chapel. Tara summoned a glowing "Light Orb" to illuminate their path, its soft radiance casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Tara spotted a switch on the wall. "This might be a power source," she said, flipping it. Instantly, the room beneath the chapel was bathed in light, revealing its vast expanse. "Woah, it''s huge!" Samuel exclaimed, his voice echoing as he took in the sheer size of the hidden chamber.
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The room was filled with relics and artifacts, but one item in particular caught Hageo''s attention: a weathered notebook resting on a dusty table. "It looks like it''s been ages since anyone was here," he remarked, picking up the notebook and flipping through its pages. "Oh, it''s a diary," he said, his curiosity piqued.
Cedric stepped closer. "Why don''t you read it aloud so everyone can hear what it says?" Hageo nodded and began to read the diary aloud:
"To whoever finds this message, we suspect that by now, you have destroyed the evil that was sealed within the statue of the Virgin Mary. We are Juaqin and Juancho, the two witch doctors who aided the three priests in sealing Samantha. In this room, you will find relics we left behind, as foretold by the Oracle. On the wall, you will see our two weapons: the Sacraments of Sun and Moon. These hilts summon divine blades capable of vanquishing evil. The Oracle has decreed that they be given to the current representative of the Guardian of the Abyss (that''s me, Hageo chuckled). On the table, you will find a compass. This compass can detect emotions and the spiritual condition of a human being. There is also a sealed door in this room. Behind it, you will find a vast collection of dolls. These are no ordinary dolls—they are the remains of the children sacrificed by Samantha during her ascension to becoming a succubus. We used them as talismans to protect the foundation of the convent and this chapel. The largest doll is Emilia, Samantha''s own daughter, whom she also sacrificed. We urge whoever finds these dolls to ritually burn them using holy flames, so their souls may be freed from this mortal plane. We hope that the Oracle''s prophecy has come to pass. Truly yours, Juanito and Juancho."
Hageo looked up from the diary and his gaze fell on the wall, where the Sacraments of Sun and Moon hung. He walked over and took them in his hands. The hilts glowed with a dark green light as he whispered, "Summon Abyssal Blades." Instantly, two shimmering blades materialized from the hilts. "These are perfect," Hageo said, marveling at their balance and power. "The energy consumption is much better than the scepter."
The rest of the group watched in awe as Hageo wielded the newfound weapons, their divine energy radiating through the room.
Meanwhile, Cedric approached the sealed door mentioned in the diary. With a deep breath, he opened it, revealing the haunting collection of dolls inside. "So, here you are, my children," he said softly, his voice tinged with sorrow as he remembered how these very souls had aided him in the battle against Samantha. "This place could serve as a headquarters," he told the group, "but first, we must give these children a proper send-off. Let''s gather them and take them outside for the burning ritual."
Everyone worked together to carefully collect the dolls and carry them out into the chapel''s garden. Tara explained the ritual: "For this to work, we need three girls to dance in unison to summon the divine flames." Celine nodded and added, "I think Elena should join us." Elena hesitated. "But I don''t know how to perform the ritual dance." Tara reassured her, "Don''t worry. Once we start chanting, we''ll all be in sync. Just follow our lead."
The dolls were placed in the center of the garden, and Elena, Celine, and Tara began to dance gracefully around them, their movements fluid and harmonious. As they chanted, holy flames erupted from the ground, engulfing the dolls in a radiant blaze. One by one, the spirits of the sacrificed children began to manifest, their faces filled with joy and relief as they prepared to leave the mortal plane.
"Thank you so much," the children said in unison, bowing deeply to express their gratitude. Then, as the flames subsided, their spirits faded away, finally free. Hageo and his team stood in silence, tears streaming down their faces as they witnessed the liberation of the children''s souls. It was a bittersweet moment—a reminder of the horrors they had faced, but also a testament to the hope and redemption they had brought.