310 Sakan's Acolytes (Part 1)
The columns of the wide chamber that the half-wolf pack was in began to shake fiercely, as if an intense earthquake was ravaging the place. Soon, parts of the ceiling began to crumble and fall, causing crashes with each impact.
Luckily, Hazor was able to act in time to create a magical defense around everyone and this was able to hold back the Altar Room debris that fell on their heads. Seconds later, as the heavy stones piled up on top of the magic shield, the increased gravity effect finally stopped.
Under the rubble of that room, Meredith, Luke, Hazor, Norgold, and Everton squeezed themselves inside the shield. After some time the shaking finally stopped too, but they couldn’t get out right away because there was a big heavy rock on top of the shield, and if the shield was deactivated, the rock would crush them.
Luke Lange thought calmly and rationally, and had an idea. He opened the <Normal Inventory> and took out a bag of bread that was taking up its last slot. Then he nodded to Hazor who, although he didn’t understand what the half-wolf’s plan was, I trust his plan and deactivated the shield.
When the shield was undone, the shadow of the stone haunted the group, but the yellowish square of the <Normal Inventory> grew to over three meters in height and engulfed the stone.
“Everyone is well?” Luke asked, sweating heavily. Using his inventory to store something this big was definitely not something he would normally try.
“Yea.” Reported Commander Hazor.
Nargold was busy checking that Everton was okay, and from the way Everton was smiling in relief he was definitely okay.
The half-fox didn’t move away from Luke Lange at all, so she was very close. “Are you okay? Not hurt?”
Luke Lange put his right arm behind him. “Yes, I’m fine, don’t worry. Most importantly, we managed to get together again.”
Meredith stared blankly for a moment, unsure whether to scold Luke for his recklessness or his affection.
“By the way, can you take your shirt off for a second? I’m cold.” Luke teased her with a teasing smile.
With her right fist, the half-fox delivered a good blow to Luke’s stomach. “Oh, you son of a bitch! Asking me to take my shirt off in the middle of this situation?! You do not have shame?!
Even though the punch hurt a lot, Luke felt it was worth it. It had been a long time since Meredith had treated him harshly, perhaps because she was wondering about the change in Luke, the evolution of his abilities, or because she was confused. In any case, Luke felt that they were closer after their night at the Hotel, in fact, closer than ever.
However, the group hadn’t even had to discuss what they would do next, because the sound of dozens of footsteps came from the hallway parallel to the Sacrifice Room.
“Get ready, people! We have company!” Luke Lange warned and summoned the Axe Behemoth.
Norgold, Everton, and Hazor drew their swords from the ground, and Meredith summoned the Bow of Panspermia, which the half-wolf had given her as a gift a few months ago.
Dozens of people in white robes entered the chamber, finding the place utterly destroyed, beyond recognition. There were also five knights in black steel armor like Norgold and Everton.
There weren’t many strategic options to get around the situation other than direct confrontation. The stones from the ceiling had collapsed onto the altar and into the tunnel through which the Bishop had escaped, so the main door was the only way the half-wolf pack could get out of that place.
The half-wolf didn’t curl up too much and ran towards the dozens of Sakan’s faithful, at the same time, the others looked for strategic positions because they understood that Luke Lange would play the role of decoy of the crowd’s attacks.
Amidst Luke Lange’s run, his wolf ears slowly began to lose invisibility, as did his tail, which surprised all the religious.
“If the Bishop had warned us that the invader is a half-beast, I would have brought some instruments of torture!”
“Ughh! He has four ears, how do these things still want to be considered like us?”
“He’s fast and strong because he’s a descendant of monsters, don’t underestimate him!”
“Being disgusting! You will be punished by Sakan’s will!”
“The God Sakan must be watching us right now. Allow me to fulfill your wish, sir!”
The white-robed people launched a whirlwind of offense at Luke Lange, only it only made him go even faster than before. No matter how much bullshit these people said, Luke would never again hesitate in front of an enemy.
During a burst of speed, Luke used one of the fallen rocks from the ceiling to propel himself upward. In midair, he hurled the Behemoth Ax toward the crowd, and the ax spun with such force that he applied it. At first, some people managed to dodge the axe, but soon it tore more than five people in half and left other acolytes injured.
Luke felt nothing in killing these people, neither satisfaction nor pity. He didn’t believe these people were horrible, bad-hearted. Of course, the practice of human sacrifice was disgusting and the prejudice against half-beasts was quite disgusting, but growing up on the street, Luke learned that prejudice is more of a cultural issue than a personal one, so he didn’t necessarily hate it. these people, he just couldn’t let the hatred for half-beasts spread any further.
After the Ax Behemoth fell to the ground, covered in blood, one of the knights tried to catch it. This person was a ruffled-haired woman of enormous stature.
She had an excited smile plastered on her face, but that expression changed as soon as she noticed the weight of the axe.
‘What? Why can’t I lift this thing?’ As she listened to the acolytes scream on the front lines of battle, she wondered.
The screams of the people quickly got closer and, desperate, she tried to grab the black ax with both hands, and even that wasn’t enough for her to lift it.
‘I am the strongest here. I’m sure about that. So why can’t I lift this thing?’
What she didn’t know was that the Behemoth Ax had a crucial hidden effect. This weapon was a direct descendant of a powerful one named Beherith, and the more strength the person who tried to wield it had, the heavier it became. To wield such an axe, an almost perfect balance between speed and physical strength was needed.