OBS Chapter 3550 The Dice, the Sacred Bell, and the Chess Pieces
Chapter 3550 The Dice, the Sacred Bell, and the Chess Pieces
Chapter 3550 The Dice, the Sacred Bell, and the Chess Pieces
Elder Davis of the Hermits and Mr. Meloni, the Keeper of Secrets whom Shad knew well, greeted him by the largest campfire in the camp. The chocobo was led away, presumably to receive a plentiful meal, thus earning itself a second breakfast after running around in the woods for half an hour.
The Hermit Order has recovered well since the Battle of Vista Grove in early winter last year. Most of the camps that were damaged at that time have been repaired, and Shad even felt that there were more hermits living there than before the year-end festival.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he didn't beat around the bush and told the two followers of the God of Fortune about what had happened on Fatummester Island in the past month.
Even those of them who lived in seclusion in the woods had heard rumors of the "Infinite Serpent," but they were completely unaware of the clandestine operations of the [Cult of Doom].
"Yes, misfortune and fortune are contradictory. In ancient times, the predecessor of the Hermits of the Forest, the Order of Fortune, or the Order of the Sacred Tree, was indeed the enemy of those believers in misfortune."
But after our Lord departed in the Fifth Age, our power waned day by day. Now, the Order of Doom remains a renowned illegal ring sorcerer group, but we have lost our former name and are almost completely forgotten.
Speaking of this, Mr. Davis was quite emotional:
"It's been a long time since anyone has asked us for help with those doomed believers. In fact, those doomed believers look down on us now. However, we still have a lot of information and data about them. Mr. Watson, what exactly do you want to ask?"
First and foremost, and most importantly:
"Is there any information here about that [God of Misfortune]?"
The two hermits exchanged a glance:
"Of course there are, but not many. You want this information because... no, don't answer. My reason tells me it's better not to know the answer to this question."
Mr. Davis instructed the keeper to fetch the information for Shad, who himself would not explain that he was about to encounter that deity:
"'Mr. Misfortune' has a history of multiple divine interventions, right? I have friends in the Church of the True God, but most of the divine intervention records they found date back to the Fifth Age. The Church of the True God did not have the influence and control it has now in the Fifth Age, so they are not clear about the records of these old events."
“We do have information from the Fifth Era here. This is information that leaders of the Hermit Order would never easily look at, but you are very lucky. I have seen it before. Although that god is called an evil god, he is not like other evil gods who cause regional destruction when he descends. The descent of that great one is generally not very noticeable.”
"So what is the purpose of that evil god's descent?"
"I can't help but ask," Shad asked with concern. Mr. Davis reached out to warm his hands by the fire and sighed deeply.
"Since you've asked this question, I think I understand why you've come to us—may fate bless the people living on this remote island."
We mortals cannot comprehend God's purpose, nor dare any of us presume to know it. You are free to access the information; you can find the answers yourself.
Mr. Davis's caution is understandable. The Hermits of the Forest have lost the protection of the gods and their former name, so it's best not to interfere in matters related to God.
However, when Shad spoke of the Chosen Ones ceremony, the seven acts, and the “dice of fate,” Mr. Davis thought for a moment and then nodded again:
“Although the Order has changed its name, we still exist, and some things have been passed down from ancient times. Come on, Mr. Watson, I'll show you around. I know what you need.”
The hermits' storehouse for important items was located in the basement of the small chapel, which blended seamlessly with the tree. The entrance staircase to the basement was prominently displayed on the north side of the chapel's interior. Aside from a wooden door separating the above-ground and underground areas, the storehouse appeared to be completely unprotected.
Of course, it only appears to be absent.
The underground warehouse was surprisingly larger than the above-ground area, with tree roots protruding all over the walls. The vast area was mainly for storing some troublesome relics, while only five or six stacked boxes and three shelves were used to store divine magical items.
Boxes and shelves were arranged around a small shrine embedded in the stone wall, which housed an ancient sacred emblem with extremely powerful miraculous elements. If Shad offered such an emblem in the White Chapel in his attic, he would have the opportunity to come into contact with the ancient sacred emblem and receive its blessing.
Of course, he also knew that the hermits would not give him this sacred emblem.
The shrine, embedded in the wall, was surrounded by a ring of tree roots, and golden candles burned in front of it. Although the basement itself was quite bright, the golden candlelight almost carved out a separate space in the vicinity, giving Shad the feeling of entering a cathedral when he stepped into its glow.
Three shelves perfectly enclose the space illuminated by golden candlelight, creating a semi-enclosed area in the basement.
“This is more like your church than the churches on the ground.”
Shad then spoke up, and Mr. Davis smiled:
“Yes, not all ordinary members of the Hermit Order believe in our Lord. The churches on the surface are just to provide a place for everyone to pray. This is where we, the remnants of the old era, truly pray. Please wait a moment.”
As he spoke, he walked to the front of the shrine and began to bow his head in prayer. Although Shad was not a believer of this old god, since he was asking for help, he should be polite. So he closed his eyes and prayed a few times for good fortune. In a world where gods truly exist, it wouldn't hurt to say a few good words in one's heart.
After the prayer was finished, Mr. Davis opened the hidden drawer under the shrine, while Shad glanced sideways at the "Manual of Fate" that he controlled and that only he could see.
The manual states that because Shad participated in a prayer ceremony to the "God of Luck," his luck will be boosted for a short period before he leaves the area.
Mr. Davis took three items from the drawer under the shrine and handed them to Shad in front of the emblem: a silver bell, a gold die, and a wooden chess piece, which, judging from its design, should be a "King".
"The dice and chess pieces are yours. The Holy Bell is the private property of the Order, and I have no right to decide its fate. So please return it to us after the story of destiny ends."
Xia De nodded:
"No problem, but are you just giving me the dice and chess pieces? How about we consider it a trade? I don't want to take your things for nothing."
Mr. Davis slowly shook his head:
"To place worldly prices on these items would be sacrilege. Besides, you helped us a great deal during the Battle of Vistalin, and we haven't been able to properly thank you."
He didn't give Shad a chance to refuse:
"This sacred bell is a relic passed down through generations of the Order, and according to records, it existed at least as early as the Third Age. Ringing the sacred bell can dispel misfortune imposed by external forces. Although it cannot work on gods, the records say that it even briefly repelled the legendary evil spirit, the Demon of Misfortune, Fanarius, during the Third Age."
We lend this to you to fight against the Cult of Doom. Although our power no longer allows us to interfere in the story of the Chosen, since the drama of fate has begun, we who believe in the god of fortune cannot truly do nothing. Our Lord has departed; we who remain cannot bring shame upon Him.
The silver bell did not appear to be cast from ordinary silver; it emitted a soft, cool glow. Its surface had undergone some kind of treatment, giving it an almost liquid, flowing texture that reminded Shad of solidified moonlight.
The sacred bell fit perfectly in Shad's hand, but its surface wasn't entirely smooth; it was engraved with extremely fine, intricate, and sacred patterns. These patterns weren't completely random; rather, they consisted of ancient runes, intertwined oak branches, and winged designs.
The bell top tapers upwards to form an exquisite thorny ring-shaped handle, while the clasp is a teardrop-shaped black crystal, polished smooth as a mirror.
This is an extremely powerful divine artifact, probably the most powerful divine artifact in the [Hermits of the Forest] besides the Holy Symbol.
Shad expressed his gratitude and solemnly promised that he would personally return the sacred bell after the story of fate came to an end.
"As for this die, I'm sorry, I don't know its exact origin, but it's definitely something that has been passed down from the previous era."
Mr. Davis smiled apologetically:
"But after hearing what you said about the 'Dice of Fate' and the doom die you obtained from an unknown being, I think I know that this golden die has been kept here by us all this time, waiting for someone."
The die Mr. Misfortune gave Shad was a twenty-sided die, while the golden die Mr. Davis gave Shad was a normal six-sided die. The manifestation of the miracle element indicates that this is not an ordinary item. As for whether this is the die the [Clown Troupe] was referring to—
He unfolded the "Handbook of Fate" in front of Mr. Davis, and when he tossed the dice, they seemed to be "sucked" into the book. Then, on the blank pages, simple line drawings of three brass twenty-sided dice (three acts of the story), one silver twenty-sided dice (gift from the evil god), two black iron six-sided dice (the Infinite Serpent), and one gold six-sided dice appeared.
This meant that the dice given by the hermits indeed possessed similar properties to the dice given by the evil god. Shad smiled. Although the dice only had numbers 1-6 on them, they could be transferred, and at least Stella's final score would increase by 1. The outsider wasn't greedy.