"What about the The Ritual of the Covenant with Shahraab ?", Knight Master Themistocles pondered.
"The Sacred Ritual must continue , as usual even after the loss of High Senator", Chief Supervisor Bishop Salamis replied, "Sir Themistocles please return to the Gate transporting the passed Initiates back to the Kratos-Cathalos Church of the Faith, while I will wait here praying for the Deceased & explain our current scenario to the coming Ministers of Magi & Commander of the Minghe Black Ops Squad while I will"
"Uhm", Knight Master Themistocles flew back and returned to the Gate of the Trial.
One by one all the Initiates were returning from their hunt back to the Gathering point.Some had returned with Pride & Happiness written all over their faces while few others were drenched in the sadness of their failure.
After a few hours all that could return had returned. Knight Master was facing the batch of Sargon as he explained the scenario vaguely, "Initiates , Be in Order in the queue and return what Hunt you have returned to the Priest at Front, your results will be examined and get back to you in your Baptism Ceremony back in the Kratos-Cathalos Church of the Faith you arrived from. As a certain confidential little issue has arised, I would be the one to return this batch back to the Church."
Wang Itadori 65 Points, Good, Passed
Hari Heraclitus 70 Points, Excellent , Passed
Shyam Aristotle 81 Points, Excellent, Passed
Han Plato 45 Points, Hmm, Failed
Aleister Izaman 100 Points, Perfect , Passed with Golden Colors
….
And The List went on.
On this Hunting Trials, Sargon and his Companions managed to barely passed with Good Ratings while Bryant and his companions barely entered the Excellent Ratings result.
The Shine, The Pride & the Main Champion in this ritual was Aleister Izaman. Yes, the same arrogant kid who was humble only in front of God, that Sargon and Reeve had met in the coming of age Rite, The Celestial Sahada of 8 Archangels Ritual. Their relationship evolved from the Not so Friendly state to Friendly relations.
After some wait Knight Master got returned the Hunt Materials after going through Church Master processing. He then put all of the items .They were then with the Flight Magic of the disheartened One Eyed Knight Master Themistocles , traveled flying back to their HomeTown Church.
The Speed this time was more than Double than before, perhaps Knight Master wanted to get it all done quickly. Fortunately he had applied a wide area Transparent Defense Spell around the group and the journey was smooth.
They went to the Church Gathering Hall waiting for their turn to be called in and perform their Commandment with ShahRaab Ritual and pledge their allegiance to the House of Raab.
Of Course those who had not passed the trials had gone to different Chamber of Faith , listening to Prep Motivational talks of Church Master.
Back in the Chamber of Initiation where Sargon & Co had Initiated by having a Divine Tattoo embedded in their backs. The group was buzzing with gossip, some satisfied, some disheartened , some flaunting their results to their friends.
THUD
With one thud of the Crozier Staff , by the Qi manifested as ripple throughout the Chamber , Silenced fell. Upon looking towards the source of sound they could see a familiar face, that of High Priest Sardun.
He then continued with the Speech, encouraging those unsatisfied and reminding the Boasting initiates that the journey had just begun and was full of peril, "..... Don't be complacent. As a warning , I will spoil the good mood here. This trial we had lost many of Our Initiates , and some Powerhouse of the Republic, especially esteemed High Senator who died protecting your batch from the beast onslaught".
With that they had two minutes of silence , mourning the loss of many lives that had occured during this trials.
"The Hunts you have offered have all been accepted in our Church and are now undergoing through Divine Alchemical Procedures to be later converted into Wine of Yajna, the WIne of the Sacrifice. Now I recite upon you the Cleansing Heart Mantra. Take it on your heart and cleanse your Heart, your body, Spirit & rest leave it to us so that you will be purified in the presence of Almighty."
"After this, keep on Chanting here in Lotus Position waiting for your turn while we call upon you slowly to your Baptism Ritual", High Priest Sardun started to chant the Mantra.
In the silence of the sacred space,
where mystic energies interlace,
A journey begins, hearts seeking grace.
Amid dilemmas' veil, mysteries duel,
Cleansing Heart Sutra, our guiding solace.
Unrealized mysteries stuck in realization's Duel.
As abstract as it seems, clarity unfolds beyond,
A dilemma's notion,Sins everywhere
Hold on tight, the trouble guide.
Glimpses as before, confusing though they may be,
Wonder how they come forth, a dance in mystic glee.
Clearing haze in myriad ways, like a sunrise at daybreak,
Reimbursement, has it vanished, or a hidden pact to partake?
Questioning questions,
depth within depth,
Shadows forming everywhere,
Secrets deftly kept
ShahRaab, the Purest Light Divine,
Cleanse our hearts, in your grace entwine.
Banish shadows, doubts dispel,
In your presence, our spirits swell.
As the Passed initiates in the Lotus Position chanted the "Cleansing Heart Sutra," the vibrations of their voices interweaved with the mana, creating a harmonious symphony of devotion, cleansing their hearts, purging doubts, and banishing shadows in preparation for the upcoming rituals.
This sacred chant serves as a prelude, where the purity of heart becomes the foundation for the mastery of the Essence,Mana & Spiritforce graced by the Raab's Hukum - The divine will of ShahRaab.
In the hallowed halls of the Shahada Chamber, where sacred echoes linger, initiates embark on a soul-stirring journey of purification. Following the ethereal resonance of the "Cleansing Heart Sutra," Sargon, a devoted initiate, steps into a ritual of profound significance.
As the verses of the mantra intertwine with the sanctity of the chamber, a celestial aura envelops Sargon. The chant becomes a vessel, carrying away the burdens that linger within, creating a space for the heart to be emptied and cleansed.
With eyes closed and a serene countenance, Sargon begins the sacred act of clearing his heart. along with the other Initiates present in the Meditative Lotus Posture. It is a delicate process, a foundation laid for the cultivation journey ahead. The very essence of doubt, fear, and uncertainty is gently expelled, making room for the purity that the divine journey demands.
Amidst the sacred silence, each initiate patiently awaits their turn to be called into the Chamber of Baptism.
The air is pregnant with anticipation, charged with the energy of devotion and spiritual preparation. This is the moment where the journey truly begins.
The chamber responded to the transformation, as if acknowledging the heroes' ascent to a higher spiritual plane. The Aspirants outside could clearly see the emitting of the lights from inside the Cube .
Slowly , one by one the Initiates were called in, the order was decided as per the ratings of the Results of the Initiates.
Slowly, One by One they exited the Chamber.
"Sargon Apollo. Please enter the Cube to make your Commandment with Shahraab", the Chief Ritual High Priest ordered from within the Cube.
The Chamber this time was quite different from the Octagon Platform only had a Single glorious Altar , a Seat for the Ritual Priest and a Meditative mat in front of him.
Upon their turn, Sargon approached & bowed in front of the altar, where the pulsating hearts of the Awakened Magic Beasts he had slayed lay.
The High Priest, with a nod of acknowledgment, accepted these symbolic offerings. The hearts, varied in essence and magic, formed a mosaic on the altar, reflecting the diverse trials and conquests of the aspirants.
Then he looked towards the Divine Pool which was glowing with Azure lights, so serene that it would not be false to say Sargon had not seen such Aesthetically Beautiful Pool ever in his two lives.
As Sargon was dazed by the sight of the divine pool, High Priest Sardun handed him Root Condensation Divine Pill , a masterpiece crafted by alchemists and priests alike, a manifestation of celestial wisdom, as a key to unlock the dormant potential within him.
Sargon had a curious look as he only knew that the Trial's goal was to form a Commandment with ShahRaab & activate the Divine Shahada Tattoo on his back. He didn't know any further than this.
Before Sargon could go think further , High Priest Sardun told him about the necessity of Ritual, "Oh Initiate named Sargon of Apollo Clan, listen well. If one were to practice Cultivation techniques, had you noticed clearly , you could feel Chaos & Rot in your Meridian Mana Channels. We Call it The Immortal Corruption Miasma . Although very miniscule , as your progress & reach higher Cultivation Levels , this corruption will ensue and grow further like chaos, especially if there is greater emotional turmoil within. If it takes over you, soon you will be transformed into a Devil Cultivator & follow the path laden with Oceanic Sins...."
After telling him about how this Immortal Corruption Miasma can lower a few decades of Lifespan & fix its ending with the Cultivator's fate which could not be challenged lest one meet with Heavenly Tribulation. And how if one doesn't practice Cultivation , a mortal could live slightly longer He allowed Sargon to intake the pill only after confirming that Sargon wanted to tread this path willingly.
Sargon ate the pill & sat on the Meditative mat and chanted Cleansing Heart Mantra. He could feel certain effects as his Meridians , Mana and SpiritForce were constantly excited and as if they had a life of their own started to grow crazy.
All sorts of Emotions now swelled inside him, the Good Ones , the Bad Ones & the Ugly Ones from his present life in Nashirah & past life on earth.
Slowly the Bad & Ugly emotions were winning the battles and soon his Mana showed signs of corruption. Just before he would go crazy , he felt High Priest Sardun land on his back as a warm , peaceful man full of virtue & devotion swept past him, stabilizing his Mental state with every minor circulation.
"Breath Slowly. Calm your Nerves and Chant the Heart Cleansing Mantra. A small tip, since you seem to be of those kinds who have Dense, profound & Deep 6 Emotions & 7 Desires. Remember Words in and of itself don't have any meaning by themselves. They are assigned values by the Heart. So, Pray with your Heart & you shall overcome this Miasma."
Sargon soon followed Sardun's advice & could slowly feel the miasma's effect to be negligible.Slowly Sargon grew calm and had a stable peaceful mind like that of a Heavenly Lake.
"Now go forth, fellow devotee of Raab, onto the Pool. But Remember, although this Corruption Miamsa will be cleaned from your Body, Mind & Spirit once you enter the Baptized Pool of Blessings , it will slowly accumulate within you after 1 or 2 years. The Miasma has no cure, such is the test of Raab , as the effects of Baptized Pool of Blessings will decrease exponentially after the first try. So remember to Keep your self state fast "
With a heart now cleansed and a spirit prepared , he unclothed himself except the Undergarments & went inside the Pool of Blessings,the Cleansing Heart Sutra was once again uttered, serving as a catalyst for what is to come.
The divine waters of the pool embraced Sargon, and the magic within the Root Condensation Divine Pill set in motion a symphony of transformation.
Through the meridian channels, the pill's essence was absorbed from the stomach, while the pores of the skin drank in the magical medicinal ingredients from the pool.
Within the sacred waters, a silent Divine alchemy was unfolding. Sargon soon calmed down from his initial stupor & surprise and started to chant the Heart Cleansing Mantra which further smoothened the absorption process and made it less painful.
His Mind slowly started to cool down, different energies intertwined within him as the Immortal Corruption Miasma was either slowly being destroyed or was emitted out from the Pores of his Skin , tainting the Azure Color of the Pool with Black like viscous substance.
His Mind however paid no attention to it, as he had closed his eyes to enter a meditative state while observing the changes within him. He could suddenly feel that his almost closed, barely opened Lower Heavenly Jin Dantian just above his stomach was slowly opening more and absorbing only the purest energies from his Body .
A False Body Root was slowly taking shape in the yet-to-open Lower Heavens Jin Dantian. It was a delicate merging of physical and metaphysical, a forging of a connection between the earthly initiate and the Heavenly forces that govern the magic of Nashirah.
However he was surprised to see another False Body Root diametrically opposite to the Newly formed one. However this Old False Body Root was damaged severely, it only had half of its Vertical Roots. It was almost Colorless & had a tint of Purple,Red,Black & Green Colors in some of the smaller roots. It looked like it was barely hanging onto life.