Elendril entered the wall.

He immediately felt a small quiver from his pouch.

However, he quickly forgot after being greeted by a magnificent sight.

A massive hall unfolded beneath him.

It was almost 30 meters tall, extending downwards. Six massive pillars supported the massive hall, forming a massive hexagonal formation. The ceiling was a massive dome, tracing a massive orchid towards the surface, which spiral upwards until it reached the core of the flower. Massive murals were etched into the sides of the walls. Despite being only colored in dark colors like brown and blue, their grandeur was undiminished. Massive torches of blue fire lit the hall, both standing on the floor and hanging from the walls. Elendril could sense large amounts of mana gathering each one of them. The entire hall was covered in dust. 

In the center of everything, as if demanding worship, stood a massive altar, five meters tall.

Despite the dust that covered everything, the altar still gleamed faintly.

When Elendril glanced at it, he shivered.

He could sense no mana from it.

This meant only one thing.

It was using some method to conceal its mana from Elendril's mana senses.

All things in the world held mana.

Even the smallest grain of sand, or the very air in the world, held mana.

In order for something to be devoid of mana, something had to exist that prevented ambient mana from entering. 

This greatly alarmed Elendril.

Only immensely powerful beings could do such a thing!

Even most stealth skills only operated by blending the user's mana with the surroundings, or making their physical appearance invisible.

However, they would still be unable to stop mana from leaking from their bodies. 

Elendril heard a gasp of shock from Xinyan.

"It's... beautiful..."

She said.

Toya confidently began to move again, walking down the long flight of stairs that reached towards the ground.

As they walked down, Elendril looked at one of the walls. 

A massive being dominated the mural.

He could see the eye of the beast that was drawn into the mural.

It was fierce and unyielding. 

He felt a kingly aura bursting with power and disdain emanating from the eyes, even though they were only drawings. 

Elendril felt a twinge of fear from looking at it.

It stared down at a small figure that stood in front of it.

The figure held a massive great sword almost as big as it was. 

Behind it, a city was in ruins.

Looking at the figure, Elendril felt a sudden pang of loneliness.

"My lord, my lady. This is the great priest of Zephyrith I spoke of."

They had reached the end of the stairs.

Toya faced the altar, his arms in the sleeves of his robe.

Thud!

The arms clasped together, he had kneeled down and bowed his head. 

Elendril was confused.

"Where's the priest?"

He looked towards Xinyan.

Her eyes and mouth were wide open.

Noticing Elendril staring at her in curiosity, she pointed towards the altar.

"The altar-"

Boom!

Elendril was alarmed.

That had come from the altar!

Fwoosh!

As he turned around, he was greeted by a massive, floating blue flame.

"The newest chosen one of Zephyrith sure is interesting..."

Elendril's jaw dropped.

He stared at the giant flame incredulously.

It talks?? And what does it mean by chosen one?

He looked hard, but he couldn't see any features that the flame could talk from, let alone see from.

He did notice that the altar had begun to faintly glow, not illuminated by the flame, but rather glowing on its own.

"Yes, yes, I talk. Very shocking, right? Toya, you have done a good job. You may leave now."

Elendril recoiled in alarm.

It read my mind? How is that possible?

"And no, I didn't read your mind. Do you have any idea how predictable you young ones are? You're all the same, down to the very thoughts. "

The flame drawled. 

He realized after hearing it twice that the voice had a very distinct drag to it, as if it was a very old man. 

He began to back off, but he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. 

Looking to his left, Xinyan had placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

"There's no point in running. We wouldn't even be able to escape. Let's just hear it out."

She had a very serious face, staring at the giant flame with cautious eyes.

"Listen to that young lady, would you? Now, come and have a seat."

Elendril felt mana in the air coalesce and push him forward.

He stumbled forward. 

The mana coalesced again and pushed down on him, forcing him down onto his knees.

His eyes widened.

Such intricate mana manipulation, and so powerful too! 

Manipulating natural mana in its natural state was extremely difficult. 

Most people used skills and magic with mana that their body had refined.

"There, there! Now you're in a position to listen. Do you know why you were chosen, chosen one?"

Elendril was curious now.

Despite being such a powerful being, he had yet to do anything to him.

Yet, he was being very kind to him?

And why did he keep saying chosen one?

He turned to Xinyan.

She was looking at him and shaking her head in... exasperation? Pity?

He wasn't sure. 

"YOUNG MAN! IDIOT! FOOL! I MEANT YOU!"

A thundering voice startled Elendril.

He was shocked.

He pointed a finger at his chest.

"Yes, you! Now shut up!"

Elendril was dumbfounded.

"What's your name?"

Elendril began to speak, then hesitated.

"... Elendril."

"Sigh... I thought it was better when you weren't so hotheaded, but to be stupid instead... Anyways! Do you know why you were chosen?"

Elendril tilted his head.

"I wasn't chosen for anything, though?"

The voice began to grow impatient. 

"Did your awakening not get interrupted by a being? By the goddess Zephyrith herself?"

Elendril suddenly remembered.

There had been something that had intercepted his awakening. 

It was likely why he had gotten a choice to become a priest of Zephyrith.

"Ah, I remember now! I did see a message saying my awakening was intercepted. It gave me the choice to become a priest, but I refused. Is that what you mean by being chosen?"

"Did you not get a quest too? To go to Falstein?"

Elendril nodded.

"I did, yes."

"You have been chosen to help my goddess regain her glory from the past. Even though my goddess has not told me why, it must be because of that dead soul you carry around."

"Why should I help you? And what dead soul?"

He suddenly felt mana pouring into his pouch.

When he saw the mana, he gasped.

A whirlpool of mana had formed around his pouch.

Whoosh!

Sylvanax burst out of his pouch, forcing open the drawstrings. 

"Sylvanax?"

Chirp!

She landed on Elendril's shoulder and stared intensely at the flame.

"What an old soul... To be a dragon soul, nonetheless. Have you not formed a contract with him yet?"

Chirp!

"I see. I will respect your wishes, ancient one. Then, Elendril, let me ask you something."

The flame's voice paused.

"Who was at your awakening?"

"I awakened in a church with my dad and brother."

"Was there a priest there?"

"Yes, Priest Robin was the one who awakened me. So?"

"Your family will be in danger if you don't follow my goddess's orders."

Elendril's heart caught in his throat.

Dad and Ezekriel would be in trouble.

He grew furious.

He was already separated from them, and now he was being threatened by this priest?

"Think about it, little Elendril. You may not know, but anyone associated with Zephyrith is culled by the church."

Elendril began to panic.

"But wait! All that interception happened inside that space, it wasn't visible to the outside! So how would they know?!"

"Instead of being golden, your awakening will be a gleaming red orchid. And naturally, every church will have a messenger shadow, who will let the church know early on of any important news. It's impossible for the messenger shadow to not recognize you the moment they see."

Elendril understood.

So that was why he was chased out so quickly.

"Okay, but I didn't stay with them after awakening, I was chased out right away! How would they be associated with Zephyrith?"

"As your family, they will be associated. They might have a chance if you weren't with them after awakening. But think about this. If you return to them, the church will have no choice but to believe they are also followers of Zephyrith and kill them, right?"

"I'll just become someone else! I don't care what happens, as long as they're safe!"

Elendril said in a determined voice.

The flame chuckled.

"Do you really think they'll be free? No, they'll be under heavy surveillance at the least, even if you didn't contact them after being awakened. How would you rescue them, let alone live with them?"

Elendril was at a loss of words. 

What could he really do?

He was only a Rank F.

According to the flame, his family were going to be in danger as long as he contacted them in some way. 

His eyes widened and look at the blue stone around his neck.

If the call earlier with his dad was considered contact, then they would be in serious trouble now!

His father had probably paid a severe price for contacting him!

It crushed his soul to think that his father paid so much just to try and keep him safe.

His mind began to spiral into despair.

What could he do?

"If you really want to keep them from being hurt anymore, you have no choice but to grow strong."

Elendril lifted his head.

"Follow my goddess, and restore her glory. In the process, you will grow so strong that you can shake the heavens alone. Then, the church will have no choice but to leave you be."

Elendril grit his teeth.

He didn't like it, but the flame presented his best option right now.

If he was to grow alone, even with Xinyan and Yang Mi, it would still take a very long time. 

But a goddess, even one that was despised as Zephyrith, still had connections.

He would use those connections and grow strong enough to protect his family!

If he had to become a demon in the process, he did not care!

He suddenly felt his name being called.

"Elendril, Elendril! Bad news!"

He turned around. 

Xinyan's face was extremely concerned.

"Yang Mi's been captured by the church! I've just been in contact with her!"

Elendril was alarmed. 

"But what about the monster wave? Shouldn't the church be handling that?"

"They were probably looking for you, Elendril. What should we do?"

Elendril clutched his head.

He didn't know anymore.

He had only awakened a week ago!

Yet, the church was already after him.

The flame chuckled once more.

"The church regards Zephyrith more seriously than any monster. Unless you grow strong, they will eventually whittle you down and destroy you. So will you accept my offer? As a bonus, I'll rescue your friend!"

Elendril turned around and faced the flame again.

He glared at it with a serious expression.

"Fine! I'll help you! Tell me what I have to do first!"

"First, you need a more... specialized class."

Flames engulfed Elendril's view, then consumed him.