The morning mist had not yet fully dispersed, but Italk's shrine was already awake.
The unfinished long corridor stretched directly northward, where several craftsmen, braving the cold, were moving heavy rocks and wooden beams to continue completing these corridors.
At the end of the corridor, the foundation of the new altar plaza had been poured, leaving enough space to accommodate more future believers for their prayers and gatherings.
And behind the shrine, the rudimentary shape of a tall tower was hazy in the mist; that would be the place for various books and documents, and also the core of the entire new aqueduct system.
The core of the flame bestowed by the Dragon God and the enchantments on the aqueduct would ensure the water never froze.
Inside the shrine, morning prayers had already begun.
The idol was carved from a single piece of obsidian, its overall form that of a black dragon with its head held high, coiling.
Unlike other Black Dragons in Azeroth, its scales were not thick like iron armor, but rather densely arranged and clearly outlined, with the edge of each scale faintly emitting a holy golden light.
Its dragon horns curved backward, and its eyes were closed, displaying a calm and majestic demeanor.
The idol was not large, yet it conveyed a strange sense of both oppression and reassurance, making one both irresistibly want to approach and yet dare not look directly at it.
Approximately twenty Paladins and priests who had received divine power, uniformly dressed in black robes embroidered with the divine emblem on their chests, formed a semicircle in front of the idol, kneeling on one knee with their right fists pressed to their hearts.
Their voices, not loud individually, when combined, contained a rhythm and resonance from the depths of their souls:
"Keeper of the Flame, Dragon of Gleaming Embers,
We, with devout hearts, offer our oath:
May we be a shield for the weak, holding light to break darkness;
With order as our bones, and battle will as our blade;
Thirsty for knowledge, ceaselessly spreading the doctrine.
May Your will walk upon the earth,
Like a flame unextinguished, like a shadow ever present."
The holy fire burned quietly beneath the idol, like the eternal gaze emanating from the dragon's eye divine emblem.
A bit further behind them, a young Proto-Dragon was curled up, its head bowed, also silently praying.
As the echoes of the morning prayer inside the shrine gradually faded, Skala, accompanied by Gulen, Siye, Gollon, and other core members, entered the shrine through a side door.
They did not disturb the clergy who were still meditating, but instead pushed open the hidden door leading to the basement and stepped inside.
The air wafting from deep within the passage carried a deeper chill.
The newly laid flagstones underfoot were still somewhat damp, and the air was filled with a faint scent of incense.
Torches were lit, illuminating the re-polished walls—the strange spiral patterns had been removed, replaced by abstract murals recording the battle against Tuke.
"This place used to be very eerie," Gollon whispered.
"Not anymore," Skala said, walking at the very front, his tone brief and certain, "This is the place of the Lord's manifestation."
They reached the deepest part, which had once been Tuke's altar.
It was now covered with new flagstones, with a cast-iron black fire bowl embedded in the center, where flames were slowly burning.
Skala stepped forward and knelt on one knee before the fire bowl.
The others followed their leader, kneeling in unison behind him.
Skala took off the divine emblem from his chest, raised it high with one hand, his voice deep and clear, spreading and echoing in the empty secret chamber:
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/TripleCrown
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"