The Final Protectors

Chapter 8: Barrier

Mr. Good stood up. The few hunters originally standing near the door also made way automatically. This man who looked exactly like the statue strided in unhurriedly. Along with his footsteps, a din started in a drawer in the Archbishop’s office, as though something was banging against the drawer board with all its might.

Mr. Good pulled open the drawer, and a glaring ray of light instantly shone in the room. Michelle gasped softly, “The Archbishop staff!”

Seemingly attracted by something, the Archbishop staff shot out of the drawer and accurately landed in the arms of this golden-haired man. The golden-haired man was surprised, some gentleness suddenly coloring the slightly indifferent face. His fingers lightly brushed across the staff. “It was nice to see you, old friend.”

Yet, the staff did not remain in his hand for too long. The man turned his head and stepped forward. He raised the staff on both hands and handed it to Mr. Good. He said softly, “But I’m no longer the person who should be holding this staff.”

Mr. Good accepted it solemnly, but his gaze did not leave the face of the man in front of his eyes. The old man asked respectfully, “May I ask if you are Archbishop Leo Aldo?”

“I am Leo Aldo.” The man’s voice was still very light. But these few words still made the audience hold their breaths. “What number Archbishop are you?”

“The 634th, Charles Arnold Good.” Mr. Good put down the staff, hands on his shoulders as he shrank back his round stomach in difficulty while he made an old-fashioned bow in greeting. “‘The staff shall, for eternity, recall the glory of great people who created the most splendid era’. It has been passed into my hands for twenty years, but this was the first time I’ve seen it this stirred up—then, the great predecessor, is Your Lordship a warning from a prophet or an illusion left from a thousand years ago?”

This man who named himself as Leo Aldo gave a light chuckle. Then, like the statue placed in the yard, his features too, carried a strange sense of melancholy. His smile was fleeting. “I am just a ghost protecting the ‘Barrier’. Mr. Good, please come with me.”

The Temple experienced a few millennia, and had a few small-scale renovations. But the renovations only extended towards the areas open to the public. The true core of the Temple could not be touched by anyone, hidden with countless high-level magic arrays left in history. Many of them were already lost in this current age, thus careless havoc would undoubtedly be dangerous.

Mr. Good made the others wait in the office while he brought Jel along, with Roy supporting Sculler. These four followed this golden-haired man who made a sudden appearance into the core of the Temple that was untouched for many years. The man knew all the switches for the magic arrays like the back of his palm, as though he was walking into his backyard.

They weaved through a long, dark tunnel, reaching a deep underground after a few hundred stairs. In the instant they reached ground, everyone jolted as though a silent sound emitted from the depths had come into contact with their souls.

Jel asked, “What is that?”

“The core of the Barrier.” At the front, Archbishop Aldo explained without even looking back. “It’s in my tomb room.”

“Your Lordship’s… tomb room?” Roy came back to reality. The walk here had clearly been a feast for the historian’s eyes.

“The core of the Barrier is in my tomb room. If the Barrier was to deteriorate many years later, I will be roused from the land of the dead again.” Aldo’s words seemed to contain a magical rhythm, like a gust of wind blowing past their hearts. “I have already passed the staff to my successor. As for me, my only mission is to protect the Barrier.”

“Then, has Your Lordship lived over a thousand years?” Roy asked.

“The new Cleric Knight?” The man turned to glance at him. He seemed to recall something, gaze turning gentle. “No, child. No one can live over a thousand years. I merely inserted a part of my life and soul into the Barrier. My body entered a long slumber. As long as the Barrier was healthy, I would not wake up… Without sound, without feeling, and without light. By definition, I should be considered dead for those years too.”

“We’ve arrived,” Then, his footsteps stopped, and he announced quietly.

Mr. Good and the others raised their heads, finding an enormous arched door which was originally firmly shut in front of them. Yet, in the instant the golden-haired man stood there, it slowly opened on both sides. Ocean azure light gently spread out from the gaps. Every one could feel the tremble that came right from their souls.

“This is the core of the Barrier.”

The Barrier’s greatness came from its likeness as another ozone layer for the humans. Even if the people living within it already stopped paying it any attention.

Yet, by the very first time John laid his eyes on this world, he was mesmerized.

More mesmerizing as the delicate porcelains in Jel’s kitchen, more mesmerizing than the full box of different flavored chocolates in the living room, more than the crystal-like transparent glass, the machine that could regulate temperatures at will, the boxes that allowed conversations with someone miles away, glowing mushrooms… and such and such. Adding them all together, it made one completely infatuated with it.

Everyone that he saw looked so blissful.

The air here could not be called good. According to Evan’s explanation, it was due to industrial pollution. But it did not carry the scent of blood. The entire world was rotating in peace under the invisible protective film… This was an era that they could not even have dreamed of back then.

Out of consideration for his injuries, Evan did not make him walk, but drove around the Mid-mountains area. John’s wish of sitting in the “bread” that was capable of running was then fulfilled. The moment he sat down, he could not resist putting his hands everywhere. When the car started up, he was stunned for a while before he leaned on the window, watching in novelty as the scenery moved backwards in a flash.

“I’ve never sat on such a stable carriage before.” He asked, “Brother, how did you make it run?”

Jel and the rest had left for only half a day’s time before Evan and the legendary “mysterious Mr. Cleric Knight” became close to each other. This was because he was not mysterious at all, but was instead lively and curious. At times, he would even erupt with some humorous similes. He was bright and loved to laugh. And when he did, that pale complexion and the unusually deep eyes would become more approachable. He was practically like a naive university kid.

Evan said, “Look, brake, gas pedal—as long as you step on these, the vehicle would have energy to run. There’s a steering wheel, an automatic gear shift. It’s very simple, you’ll get the hang of it quickly too.”

John thought about it seriously. “I think that with just one of my feet, I won’t be able to move such a large metal item.”

Evan broke into laughter. “Are you making a joke?”

“What?” John widened his eyes. He maintained this expression for a while before he could not help laughing too. “Of course I am.”

“That’s great.” He leaned back on the front passenger seat, speaking with feeling, “This place is great.”

The smile on Evan’s face gradually vanished. John’s sigh of admiration made him recall Roy’s disappointed assessment of him. That strict instructor seemed to believe that the majority of the reason why the Temple accepted such trash like him was because of the peaceful era.

He suddenly asked in a quietened tone, “I heard from Instructor Margarett and Jel that you used to be a Cleric Knight, is that true?”

“It was a special time period, I was only a substitute,” John said. “I planned on quitting after the end of the war, but who would have expected that I’ll be strangely sent to this place before I had the time to do that.”

“Then, you must be very amazing.” Evan’s voice was a little depressed.

John turned his head to look at him.

“My results were always bad. I’m probably the stupidest student.” Under his clear gaze, Evan showed a slightly sheepish expression. “Instructor Margarett told me to retake the exam. I’m only the only hunter in the history of the Temple who needs to retake the exam after my internship.”

“Is your grades bad because of your blood phobia?” John asked.

Evan pursed his lips. He looked extremely dejected. “This is too crazy, isn’t it? If it wasn’t for Mr. Good’s kindness, I think I would have been fired long ago.”

“Who’s Mr. Good?”

“Mr. Charles Good. He’s our Archbishop.”

John nodded. He pondered for a moment before suddenly saying, “You know… there are actually many people who have blood phobia.”

Evan forced out a smile. “Are you comforting me with this? Thanks but there’s no need. Many people are even afraid of caterpillars and mice, but I think most of them are girls who haven’t graduated from middle school.”

“When I was a disciple in the Temple, I had a classmate who had blood phobia at the start too.” John shrugged. “But afterwards, he became someone amazing.”

Evan stopped the car at the intersection and waited for a green light. He whispered in a low voice, “That’s impossible.”

“I thought it was impossible at first too.” John said, “Because I actually despise him quite a bit. But he really did become someone amazing afterwards. When I heard about this grievous news, I felt so distressed that I don’t think I can eat—Hey, why did we stop? Oh… what are those round things arranged in a row? It’s even emitting red light!”

“That’s the traffic light. Red light represents that people like us who are going in this direction have to stop and that it’s time for the people walking horizontally in front of us to move. When the lights turn green, the situation is reversed to prevent collision of cars.”

John whistled. “This is a great idea!”

“Yep.” Evan seemed to be infected by his joy too. After a while, he asked again, “Don’t tell me that you have to despise me before I can become someone amazing?”

“Enough of you!” John punched his shoulder and the two burst into laughter.

Next, John spent the remaining car ride making a fuss out of nothing. The car already left the Mid-mountains area and entered downtown. They were on a wide dustless public road, with bridges accessible from all sides. On both sides of him were countless high-rises that he could only see clearly by arching his neck. The colorful glass would occasionally reflect the light in, before passing by in a flash. Giant billboards were hung outside the department stores, depicting an extraordinarily beautiful woman recommending make-up products to everyone. The crowd beneath was cacophonous.

Some young women were wearing clothes of various colors, striding in elegance. Men brisk-walking as they held up small boxes like Jel’s as they spoke rapidly to someone. Children running after the balloon peddlers, and their cries when they were forcefully dragged away after their mothers caught them.

John finally grew silent. He was practically completely stuck on the window—there were far too many novel things. He did not even have the time to turn his eyes, and long did not have the time to ask questions.

Evan parked the car in the underground parking lot of a shopping mall. He circled it and opened the door from outside, helping out the abnormally lively injured man.

They took the elevator today. Each time the elevator rose upwards, John was slightly distressed, fearful that this small room would fall down from such great heights.

Then, they bought clothes together. As it was not the weekend, there were not many customers in the clothes section. There was no need to queue. After leaving the clothes section, Evan originally wanted to let the injured man rest while he went to the supermarket. But he was firmly rejected.

This manchild with ADHD did not want to sit down obediently to wait at all.

And in the supermarket, John experienced the joy of randomly picking up items in a place full of goods… Of course, he still needed to pay for them before leaving.

Finally, the two sat down to rest in a coffee shop on the first floor.