Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 738: Deep in the Mausoleum
This doesn't seem to be any different from the original "disaster" spell. The pirates who fled are still alive, and the surrounding ships have not been affected... Angel looked at the spirit wind below and thought of a possibility:
This spell can cause damage to the spirit world that overlaps with the target at the same time. It may affect enemies hidden in the spirit world or even in the "mirror".

For example, the "Queen Anne's Revenge" is a ghost ship that can hide in the spirit world at any time, some high-ranking witches, or powerful spirit world creatures...

Angel's mind was filled with the images of Anne, a girl with black hair and golden eyes, Katharina, the "ageless" witch who emerged from the mirror with an elegant temperament and a hint of liveliness, and Reinette Tinicole, who was holding her four heads.

The latter's cold eyes made her stop fantasizing immediately and look at Azik, who was pulling her and Klein and traveling through the spirit world with two secret dolls.

The latter's expression became somewhat serious ever since he "encouraged" Angel to blow up the ship for some strange reason. Especially after entering the spirit world, Angel could feel that several people were constantly moving forward, but seemed to be going in circles and not going too far.

"Mr. Azik, are we going back to Gulain now?"

she asked tentatively.

"No, we should go deeper into the Raging Sea." Azik shook his head and looked at Klein. "Give me the copper whistle. I have a feeling that with the ring, the copper whistle, and my own efforts, I should be able to find the location where the God of Death fell in the Raging Sea."

So fast?
Angel's heart tightened for some reason. She thought that after getting this black ring that might be related to the god of death, Azik would first recall more of the past, and then, as before, look around for bits and pieces of memory, combine the information, and then find the real answer.

Why so fast...

She looked at Klein and saw the same worry in his eyes.

But after a moment, the secret doll Enzo reached into his pocket and took out the copper whistle that was sealed in a cigarette box to prevent it from causing turbulence in the violent sea. He handed it to Azik. The copper whistle floated up on its own, as if supported by an invisible spirit, and stayed beside Azik.

At the same time, Klein also persuaded:

"Mr. Azik, how about... we go back to the southern continent first. Bayam can do that, too. My dream tells me that this journey is very dangerous. Maybe we should first look for other members of the Spiritual Cult and learn about the 'Artificial Death God' before heading to the depths of the Raging Sea."

"After I put on the ring, there was a voice calling me, right there..."

He held one person in each hand and could only use his eyes to look in the direction of the raging sea to indicate something. The spiritual world in the distance gradually became dark. It was the raging sea that sensed the power of the bronze whistle and started a new round of storm.

After that, he quickly moved forward with the two men and two secret dolls, entering a dangerous area where storms were sweeping and lightning was raging.

……

Backlund, deep inside Saint Samuel Church.

Archbishop Anthony Stevenson, dressed in a robe, walked quickly into the Chanis Gate, had a brief conversation with the guard, and after verifying his identity according to the procedure, he walked past the wooden shelves, passed between various material containers, documents, and potion formulas, and went down the stairs to the second floor.

Various "3" level and "2" level sealed objects are sealed here. Only team leaders, deacons or bishops are allowed to enter, and more than two people must go together to avoid accidents and not being able to call for help in time.

In a hidden corner, the archbishop opened the road to the third floor and entered the lowest floor which was not very large.

He glanced over and confirmed that the seals "1-29" and "1-80" had not changed. They were still influencing each other as designed, offsetting the negative effects, and sealing the most important seal of the Backlund Diocese.

"0-17".

Anthony recalled the emergency communication he had just received from the temple. The content was simple: activate the seal immediately.

Due to the principle of confidentiality, even the emergency communication did not specify which seal Anthony should activate, but he knew that this was the only seal he needed to activate personally.

After removing the outer seal, Anthony took a deep breath and carefully observed the situation inside "1-29" through "1-80".

Then, he exhaled suddenly.

“0-17” is gone!

What happened? "0-17" does occasionally break the seal and release its power to the outside world, but this situation will be quickly controlled by "1-80". There has never been a situation in the past where the seal has not been lifted and the internal seal disappeared.

The purpose of the temple is to let me observe whether this "0" level seal is still there, rather than to actually let me activate it?
Anthony thought about it, but quickly shook his head.

The complete data of "0-17" emerged in his mind. That was information that only the Pope, certain researchers, and the Archbishop of the Backlund Diocese knew. Moreover, every Archbishop had to use a seal to clear this part of his memory before being transferred.

"Number: 17; Danger Level: '0'; Name: Hidden Angel.

"Secrecy level...

"The sealing method...

“Description: This is not an item and cannot be exploited.

“Appendix 1: This sealed object first appeared in the Pale Age of the Fourth Epoch, and the rest of the information is unknown.

"Appendix 2: Data shows that He has been awakened seven times.

"Appendix 3: There are certain conditions under which it cannot be used. It has been confirmed that he can be used as a vessel for the goddess to descend."

Anthony suddenly opened his eyes and thought of a possibility, but he didn't dare to think about it too much. Even during the "Backlund Fog", "0-17" had to be awakened according to the procedure. What incident caused him to leave Chanis Gate on his own this time?
With a crimson moon painted on his chest, Archbishop Anthony restored the three-layer seal to its original state and left quietly.

----

After a dizzy spell, Angel opened his eyes again and found himself in a dark and cold mausoleum. Under his feet was a floor made of hard stones. Beside him were open coffins with rotting corpses covered with white feathers inside.

Deep inside the mausoleum surrounded by coffins, there is a stone staircase leading down. There is a black air in the air, like a heavy haze gathered together. The dark vision is blocked by it, and it is impossible to see through the situation inside.

The mausoleum looked like the one in Klein's dream... Her scalp tingled and she quickly looked around. She soon saw Azik standing next to the coffin, staring into the depths of the black fog, and Klein slowly standing up beside him. The two secret dolls seemed unaffected by the dizziness and stood by, lifeless.

"This is the mausoleum where the artificial god of death is located?"

She asked cautiously, but she already had the answer in her heart. Azik turned around, and Angel saw a less serious expression on his face, and a slightly raised corner of his mouth.

Here, he has returned to his previous state, the humorous Loen gentleman who likes to leave and then secretly come back to laugh at us... Angel thought with some disappointment.

"Just now, the pirate general called me 'Death Archon'. I didn't resist this title at all, because, in the memories that gradually came back, I saw myself leading countless armies of undead creatures, sitting high on the skull throne. I saw the extraordinary people and ordinary people who died around me. I saw them reborn as undead spirits loyal to me, rushing to the next town and village, and I was indifferent and watched coldly."

Azik's eyes fell on Ludwell's mask, but he quickly looked away and looked at Klein and Angel. With an inexplicable emotion in his tone, he explained why he was so eager to regain his memory.

In the cold and damp tomb, Angel learned about the countless life experiences of this "Archon of Death" who died and resurrected at the end of the Pale Age.

The first time, he crawled out of the pile of corpses and was taken in by a noble girl. After rescuing her, he secretly fell in love with her, but they could not be together because of the difference in their status. Of course, Azik eventually joined the army and became a knight. During the chaotic period at the junction of the Fourth and Fifth Ages, he established his own title and fiefdom, married the noble girl, and had a child.

"That was the first Baron Ramde, whose fiefdom was in the small town of Ramde near Tingen. Do you remember the time I went there to purify the undead?"

Klein whispered to Angel.

Angel nodded, recalling the town that had existed since the beginning of the Fifth Epoch, even earlier than Tingen City.

It turned out that was the fief of Mr. Azik's son... Thinking of this, she laughed and looked at Azik, and found that the corner of his mouth also showed a smile.

"He was a brave child who took me as his role model and wanted to follow the path I had taken, becoming a noble on his own, rather than relying on the protection of his ancestors... Whenever I think of what he said, I feel satisfied and proud. He is completely different from the bloodline that I remember leaving in Balam to divide up Beyonder characteristics or control the army... Haha, I was born in the same way, how could I not know that feeling, the feeling of having no connection except blood?"

At this point, Azik shook his head, sighed, and continued:

"Unfortunately, that most beautiful memory in my heart did not last long. Soon, I recovered most of my memories and gradually became gloomy, making my family feel unfamiliar. Although I tried my best to remedy this, I could only die in the castle after arranging my 'next life'..."

He then recounted his second life, his third life, and countless resurrection experiences not long ago.

Sometimes he is a hard-working businessman, building happiness for his family with his own hands; sometimes he is a smart scholar, harvesting beautiful love while studying; sometimes he replaces someone else's identity and occupies the other person's life, but feels regret after recovering his memory...

In his life after life, Azik would always recall those memories of the Fourth Epoch that made him feel terrified and that made him feel like he had become another person. The contrast with his current happiness made him feel out of harmony and that he was split into two different identities: "Archon of Death" and "Man who keeps resurrecting in search of happiness."

"Remember the cemetery I took you to?"

Azik looked at Angel again, his eyes filled with endless sadness.

“That was the home of my daughter from one life, and in another time, I became a soldier who invaded her home, killed the residents, demolished the houses, and destroyed all the beauty…

"It's like some kind of destined ending. The beauty and happiness I have gained will always be destroyed by my own hands the next time I am resurrected. This makes me wonder if my essence is the 'Death Archon' who destroyed the Northern Continent and caused the Pale Disaster..."

"No, Mr. Azik!" While Angel was still considering how to answer this sharp question, Klein quickly spoke up, "I think that the 'Archon of Death' and 'Azik Eggers' are the same person, but the former is a Beyonder who has lost control due to the influence of Beyonder characteristics, while the latter is you who has lost your memory and started a new life. You are kind, enthusiastic, and full of emotions. This is also your most essential self."

Although Klein's words lacked evidence, they did fit in with Azik's thoughts. He nodded thoughtfully, his expression softening.

Angel also thought of an important concept and said hesitantly:

"Perhaps, these repetitive lives are the 'anchor' for the 'God of Death' path to fight against the madness and out-of-control tendencies in the Extraordinary characteristics?
"So, you shouldn't regard them as some kind of burden, but as a part of your life, or even a large part... In fact, this journey has been going on for more than a thousand years, right? I'm afraid that the time you have experienced in the Fourth Epoch is not as long as this stage."

Angel was not actually sure when Azik was born in the Fourth Age, but even though she did not have extensive knowledge of history, she could confirm that the entire Fourth Age added together was not as long as the time from the Fifth Age to the present.

The two people's persuasion made Azik silent. He thought about it with a confused expression, and soon he let out a long sigh and said:

"Perhaps this is not the reason why I, in the Fourth Epoch, fell into the cycle of death and rebirth... But now I do think so."

After that, his expression became firm, and so was his tone:

"I know your concerns, and I don't want this to come true either. But in my past memories, every time I gradually touched the truth, I would fall into a new round of sleep. This time is undoubtedly the closest to the answer... It's been more than a thousand years, and no matter what, I want to hold it."

As he spoke, he looked towards the black fog that was constantly wriggling deep in the mausoleum.

"Remember to close your eyes and wait for me to come back."

After saying this, he held down the silk hat on his head, walked step by step along the gaps between the coffins, walked up the stone stairs, and walked into the dark depths of the mausoleum.

Angel and Klein looked at each other and saw helplessness in each other's eyes, but as Azik approached the black fog, and as the black fog dissipated on its own as if it had life, revealing the illusory things hovering at the bottom of the mausoleum, both of them felt the rising breath of death.

Following the instructions, they quickly hid behind the tall coffin, closed their eyes, and listened carefully to the noise coming from behind.

……

East Balam, on the streets of the city of Gulain, which is built on the mountain and rises step by step.

A team of people wearing different clothes but all wearing bright red gloves was walking forward. It was already dawn, but these people who had obviously worked all night did not look tired. Instead, they were full of energy.

Daly Simone followed this group of night owls, yawning continuously. Suddenly, she stopped, shook her hand and pressed it to her forehead. This made the "Red Gloves" captain Soster, who had been secretly watching her, approached her in confusion and asked:
"what happened?"

Daly's tone was somewhat unreal, as if she was talking in her sleep: "Just now I heard a strange call, which seemed to ask me to surrender, and I almost gave in..."

Enemy attack?

This was the first reaction of all the "Red Gloves" when they heard this, but Leonard Mitchell from the same team turned his head slightly and looked toward the port in the northwest, at the sea surface that was gradually covered with the color of the rising sun.

The sky in the direction of the violent sea was pitch black. There was no strong wind, no lightning, no heavy rain or huge waves. Even the sunlight could not penetrate.

(End of this chapter)