Chapter 35 God of all gods!
The high-ranking priests who stood on the altar beside Lord Ezra stepped forward and forced Levi’s head down, preparing her for the blade so Ezra could make a clean cut. After all, sacrifices were usually carried out by beheading.
Levi trembled with fear as silent tears slipped down her face. As much as she loved and served Elyon, the all-powerful God, she did not want to die. There were still so many things she longed to do—places she had yet to see and mysteries she had not begun to uncover. In that desperate moment, she wished she could speak with Elyon and make a pact with Him—to trade her soul for the chance to live…to surrender her free will, her body, and her ambitions...to give up everything, if only the Almighty would spare her life and claim her as His forever.
She was already a priestess in the temple of Elyon—His devoted servant—but perhaps it was time to go beyond that. Today was not the day she would die! Elyon had to listen to her. After all, He was the God of all gods.
As Lord Ezra spoke the final line of his incantations and summoned the Spirit of Elyon to accept the blood sacrifice, he walked to Levi’s side and raised the golden sword to behead her.
Levi closed her eyes, and in that very moment the whole world seemed to stand still, as if time itself had paused. A wave of powerful energy flowed from her head to her toes, sinking deep into her soul.Then a violent surge coursed through her body, and she threw off the priests who held her down.
She rose to her knees and lifted her gaze to the night sky. In her heart, she knew who she was looking to—who she was petitioning. There was only one name on her lips.
“ELYON!!!!!”
She screamed loudly, her voice piercing through the atmosphere, unsettling both heaven and earth.
Lord Ezra slowly withdrew his sword,gazing at the sky. The girl had shaken the very foundations of heaven. Had he nearly committed a grave sin by blindly striking down one so dearly treasured by Elyon? The girl had been marked for sacrifice—of that he had been certain. He had made careful inquiries before coming to the temple.
But now it was clear to him that a human sacrifice to Elyon did not demand blood. It was a claim upon the soul itself—a life forever set apart for the Almighty.
The gates of heaven opened for everyone to see, and a large ray of light, in the form of lightning, descended and struck the dead beast. Before the eyes of everyone present, the beast rose from the ground, glowing in the light. Its antlers stood tall and magnificent, mesmerizing everyone who gazed upon a wonder they had never witnessed before. The light disappeared as suddenly as it came, and the gates of heaven closed. Yet the beast remained standing—well and healthy, its form whiter and more radiant than ever before.
Seeing the fear on the faces of the people, Lord Ezra raised the golden sword and pointed it toward them as he spoke loudly.
“Do not be frightened, servants of the temple. We serve a Mighty God whose power raises the dead—be it man or beast. Who is like Elyon? Who is mighty enough to challenge His will?
It is written in the sacred book of prophecy that from this very temple a high priestess shall arise—the first of her kind. Now we see her before us, and we witness the power that dwells within her. We, the servants of this holy temple, will guide her, guard her steps, and keep her from straying.
We ask only this of You, O Almighty—do not forsake us. Do not turn Your face away from Your servants.” he said, spreading his arms toward the heavens.
Overwhelmed by the presence of their God, the people bowed to the ground, their voices rising as one,
"Have mercy on us, Elyon! Have mercy, O Lord of all creation!"
Meanwhile, Levi stared at the people and the beast, utterly confused by what had just happened. Had Elyon truly brought a dead animal back to life—all because of her? She knew Elyon loved all His devoted priests, but she had never expected Him to cherish her so deeply that heaven and earth would stir at her cry for help.
She watched as the beast moved on its own, climbing the stairs to the altar. To Levi’s surprise, it approached her. She jerked back, expecting it to impale her with its antlers as it had tried before she had killed it. But the beast stopped before her, gazing calmly into her pale eyes.
Suddenly, she heard a voice in her mind, as gentle as the night breeze...
“Do not forget the pact you made with the Almighty. You must fulfill what you promised. The darkness will call out to you, but you must not heed it.”
The voice faded as quickly as it came. She wondered if what was happening was merely a long, vivid dream. But the priests loosened the ropes that held her, and the sudden wave of pain from her injured arm jolted her, proving that she was in reality and not dreaming. She cried out loudly—the first time anyone in the temple had ever heard her cry.
She did not cry solely from the pain, but from the overwhelming storm of emotions within her. She had always longed to be closer to Elyon, just as Ezra was; yet the more she yearned for it, the more impossible it seemed. Little did she know, He had always been with her.
She watched as the giant deer lowered itself to its knees. Lord Ezra swung his sword, bringing it down upon the beast’s neck, beheading it with a clean strike. Blood splattered across her face at the impact, and in that moment, she understood that the beast had died for her sake. Everything had been reversed, just as it was meant to be.
The blood of the beast ran down the altar, pooling into a ring that encircled it. As the liquid spread and formed a perfect circle, it marked the completion of the sacrifice. The people, who had been kneeling with bowed heads, rose to their feet and began chanting praises to the Elyon.
Lord Ezra wiped the blood from the sword with a clean white cloth and placed it back into its case. He left the remaining work to the priests at the altar, then bent down beside Levi and lifted her weak body into his arms.
He carried her down from the altar and through the midst of the people as they made way for him, chanting praises to Elyon.
As Ezra walked past Lord Tristan, who had been sitting blind and unable to witness the events unfolding, Tristan suddenly regained his sight, as though a dark veil covering his eyes had been lifted. He drew in a deep breath and lifted his gaze toward the sky. He had learned his lesson—and he had learned it the hard way.
“All hail Elyon, the God of all gods!” the people chanted.