Chapter 766: Blood Moon and New Moon

"The lost gates shall one day open. When the stars fall into the warm bed of flesh, may Your kingdom devour this false light—"

Atop the Holy Tree, the ritual reached its climax. The Drider Elves slaughtered each other, and the victors raised their blood-soaked hands high, uttering fervent prayers.

Those prayers were filled with fanaticism and devotion. Every word was uttered with their entire being, as if tearing out their hearts and offering them to the loving Mother Goddess.

Some even tore their own throats, risking instant death, shouting until their blood ran dry.

At last, Theron blew the final horn. He spread his eight hideous limbs wide and shouted:

"Great Eight-Armed Mother Goddess, Weaver of Chaos, decay is the holy mark You grant, slaughter is Your most devout prayer. In the name of the Blood Moon, I pray for Your descent—"

"We shall march toward eternal life under Your gaze!"

With the Drider Elves’ shouts, the cruel laughter of a woman grew ever clearer, like a whisper by one’s ear.

The full moon in the sky turned ever more crimson, its bloody light casting the world into eerie brilliance, as if it were a new realm dyed red with blood.

Under incomparable pressure, the enormous spider-shaped shadow on the blood moon began to move slowly, finally turning into a black ray that shot toward the earth.

No—more precisely.

It shot toward the corpse of Fariti, hanging from the top of the Holy Tree.

"No—"

"God, what is this—"

"Why do I feel the urge to kill my comrade and sacrifice them to a god? This... this feeling—could it be the descent of an evil god?"

People gradually came to their senses, yet felt their hearts grow more violent and bloodthirsty, as if about to be devoured by some unnameable monster.

They tried to suppress the urge, but those of weak will roared and attacked their comrades.

This was a god.

Merely appearing there could bring endless calamity to mortals, driving them to madness, to death, and even dragging their souls into an endless abyss.

Even Catherine felt, for a moment, the urge to kill the "lowly half-elf" beside her.

No—this is not me!

This is the thought forcibly poured into my mind by that evil god!

She clenched her teeth and fists, cold sweat streaming down her body, blood seeping from her lips, relying on her immense will to suppress the killing urge.

People looked up, their gazes fixed on Fariti’s corpse. Faces filled with fear, confusion, tension, and hatred.

At that moment, the slumbering Fariti slowly opened her eyes.

Upon that cold and beautiful face were a pair of scarlet eyes, infinitely deep, containing a soul-crushing pressure.

What kind of eyes were those!

In that instant, they saw centuries of death, destruction, and agony—the world’s tragic fate frozen in that moment.

Eight hideous limbs slowly unfurled. The Drider Elf’s lips curled as she looked down on the masses, a twisted smile upon her face.

A cruel yet melodic female voice issued from some unknown organ, echoing in everyone’s ears.

"Lost ones kissed by moonlight, children bearing elven blood, having witnessed your Mother Goddess’s descent, why do you not kneel?"

"Is this not the supreme grace you begged for?" In those scarlet pupils lay the abyss.

"Sha... Shahanni, Your Majesty—"

"Is she truly our Mother Goddess?"

"Am I truly following a rebel, opposing my own Mother Goddess?"

In a daze, many Silvermoon Elves truly believed the "Mother Goddess’s" words, kneeling and praying softly in ancient Elvish harmony.

The mage from the Arcane Hermitage tried to secretly cast a spell to escape, but was horrified to find—the entire area was shrouded in the Demon Web Pits.

The spider silk quivered as the Drider Elf slowly climbed down, gazing at Catherine’s face, so similar to her own.

"You are the descendant of this body?"

In that meeting of gazes, Catherine felt an intense greed and malice within the other’s eyes, as if they would tear her soul apart and consume it.

"Enough!"

Pale-faced but forcing herself to remain calm, she said with a trembling voice: "You... you are no Mother Goddess! The pure and flawless Shahanni could never possess such a hideous form!"

"You are the rebel from ten thousand years ago, the villain exiled by His Majesty Corellon, the evil god who fell into the Abyss—the Spider Queen, Lolth!"

The Drider Elf—or rather, Lolth’s avatar—smiled mockingly, speaking with feigned compassion: "Child, the mist has blinded your eyes, that you cannot even recognize your Mother Goddess."

"Convert to Her—"

"Submit to Her—"

"Sacrifice to Her—"

The Silvermoon Elves’ pupils reflected the eerie red glow, their faces vacant as they chanted in unison, surrounding Catherine.

The Demon Web Pits’ evil magic manifested, trapping Catherine in a confined space.

"No—"

Catherine felt as if she had fallen into an icy pit, her whole body trembling, bound by invisible spiderwebs.

Was this the end?

No—impossible!

She had not yet reclaimed Serenia, had not yet fulfilled her promise! She could not submit!

Great and merciful Shahanni, I am willing to offer You everything, only to save Serenia!

Catherine shut her eyes tightly, refusing to meet those eerie gazes.

She immersed herself in vivid waking dreams, calling out to her deity, pleading urgently.

"Your Majesty... hold on..."

Rhea struggled to lift her sword, using the last of her strength to stand before the elven queen.

Past ridicule, cold stares, and hardship all transformed into the resolve to protect Catherine and save Serenia.

At last, Catherine’s will broke through the Demon Web Pits, crossing planar barriers to reach her god.

—Shahanni, Goddess of Moonlight and Lady of Dreams, could bridge reality and dream.

In that moment, Catherine’s spirit raced freely toward the realm of Arvandor.

"Mother Goddess, what should I do?"

"The evil god has descended, the blood moon stains the full moon red, and Serenia faces destruction. My people are still waiting for me."

In the haze, she seemed to see an elven woman both youthful and eternal, at times a girl, at times an ancient crone.

"The symphony of fate has long been written. The full moon will reveal your path."

The elven woman wore a semi-transparent gown woven of half-liquid moonlight threads, stepping forward to gently stroke her head.

"Go, child, fulfill your mission."

"Yes, Mother Goddess." Catherine bowed her head in thought.

The next moment, her vision spun, space shifted, and her spirit returned to the material plane. A sacred hymn filled her ears.

Beside the crimson full moon appeared a milky-white new moon, shining with a gentle yet steadfast silver radiance.

Moonlight flickered, and holy beings—the Mist Dragons, Moon Horses, Clouds of a Thousand Faces, Children of Ehlonna, Radiant Quasi-Elementals, and Elven Celestials—appeared in the sky, singing sacred verses.

Beams of light fell, piercing countless corrupted Drider Elves.

Bathed in moonlight, the Silvermoon Elves bewitched by Lolth fully regained their senses.

Catherine’s crown turned bright silver, her scepter wrapped in gathered moonlight, stretching into a crystal-clear bow.

It was the legendary artifact of Serenia—the Moon Bow.

"Moon Bow."

"So she’s the damned bitch’s chosen! I’ll see her utterly destroyed!"

Feeling that familiar power, Lolth’s expression changed, cursing venomously.

Her feigned divine compassion shattered, her face twisting with murderous malice.

"Lowly mortal—die!"

In an instant, evil power surged like a tide through the Demon Web Pits, forming venom-coated spider leg blades aimed at Catherine’s heart.

This was divine power—evil, chaos, and darkness given form—capable of killing even the hardiest dragon.

Meanwhile, evil Drider Elves, Sword Spiders, Phase Spiders, and Soul-Eating Spiders charged at Catherine.

"For the Mother Goddess!"

"Kill her!"

"Offer her head to the great Mother Goddess! Baptize with her blood!"

Rhea swung her silver sword with all her strength, blocking the frenzied monsters. "You’ll harm Her Majesty only over my dead body!"

Just then, Catherine opened her eyes, silver light flashing within. Her gaze held a starry sky filled with endless stars.

The elven queen wore a silver crown, held a longbow, a silver ribbon at her waist, and a moonstone pendant gleamed at her chest.

Moonlight swirled around her like gossamer, soft yet blocking all blades, thorns, and poison, shielding her from the Abyss’s chaos.

Then the radiance spread outward from Catherine, sweeping the land like silver waves, purifying all evil nearby.

"No—"

"What is this power?"

In wailing screams, the twisted monsters burned and were purified into ash.

"Your Majesty, you did it!"

Rhea turned, joy on her face, feeling divine energy fill her body with limitless strength—the Moon Goddess’s blessing.

The half-elf paladin raised her silver sword, releasing sacred power.

Catherine nodded slightly, then raised the Moon Bow, pulling back its silver-string of light.

As she drew it, countless silver arrows appeared, brimming with power.

"In Shahanni’s name, I grant you peace and harmony—"

Catherine’s voice was cold as she let go.

"Swish—"

Hundreds of silver streaks shot forth, trailing moonlight dust like a meteor shower.

Each arrow pierced an abyssal monster, purifying it in holy light.

In the distance, the ancient gold dragon roared in excitement, crushing a giant spider beneath his claws.

"Your Majesty Catherine, you truly are the god-chosen queen!"

Atop the Holy Tree, Lolth glared at Catherine in silver radiance. "If that bitch herself appeared, I might care a little."

"But you’re just a lowly mortal. How can you stand against a true god? With this paltry blessing?"

"I’ll show you—what a god truly is!"

Lolth’s eight limbs moved rapidly, weaving the magic web, cruel light in her eyes.

Hundreds of black mist tentacles rose from the ground, striking at Catherine.

"Your Majesty, look out!"

Rhea stepped in front of Catherine, silver sword slicing through the tentacles.

Then, under Lolth’s control, the laws of the land twisted—dead rose, and the living were wrapped in death’s breath, rotting away.

Not only monsters, but dead elves, dwarves, and humans rose to attack their former allies.

"Rest, fallen warriors—you should not return like this!"

"Roar—"

Titus breathed scorching dragonfire, burning the undead into a sea of flames.

"Shameless evil god, you disrupt the cycle of life and defy the laws of the mortal world," Catherine said angrily.

As Shahanni’s faithful, Silvermoon Elves despised necromancy.

They revered the moon’s mysteries, which governed the tides and guided the dead, symbolizing life’s cycle.

Resurrection was the greatest insult to their faith.

Lolth sneered. "So what? When I finish the Demon Web Pits, even life’s cycle will follow my weaving!"

Catherine drew the Moon Bow, aiming at the Holy Tree’s peak, her gaze firm. A massive, radiant arrow formed on the silver string.

"In Shahanni’s name, I grant you oblivion!"

"Swish—"

With a whistle, the arrow, carrying the Moon Goddess’s power, shot at Lolth’s avatar.

The moment it flew, dazzling silver light burst forth, turning night into day.