188

Flame Flight

A small rectangular gold pendant hung from a necklace, inscribed with the words "Howlett," gleaming under the Holy Light.

The infusion of holy light completed swiftly, and Forseti released it, saying, "When this pendant nears sin, it will glow brightly. This should aid you in finding the real culprit."

"Thank you."

Howlett departed, returning to London Village.

In a corner of the village, a crowd gathered, engaged in heated discussions. Two men pointed accusing fingers at each other.

"You're a thief!" exclaimed the blond man.

The black-haired man retorted, "How can you accuse me? I didn't steal anything last night."

"Then explain your whereabouts last night."

"That's... personal! You can't just pin this on me; you're clearly the thief!"

"I swear on my son's life, I'm innocent!"

Someone in the crowd announced, "Howlett's back!"

The crowd parted as Howlett approached, holding the pendant in his hand. He spoke slowly, "This pendant bears the justice of the gods. It will reveal the true thief among you."

Upon hearing this, the blond man confidently stepped forward, facing the pendant without fear.

Howlett brought the pendant closer, but it remained unchanged. The blond man proclaimed, "See? I told you I'm innocent! The real thief is him!"

The crowd turned to the accused black-haired man, casting accusations. "Clearly, you're guilty! Don't talk about privacy when you've been caught red-handed!"

"Hand it over!"

The black-haired man grew desperate. "I didn't do it! I swear!"

As tensions escalated, Howlett intervened, approaching the black-haired man and bringing the pendant close.

To everyone's surprise, the pendant remained inert.

"I told you, I'm innocent!" the black-haired man exclaimed.

The crowd murmured in confusion.

"This is strange..."

"What's going on?"

"Howlett, does that pendant truly bear the justice of the gods?" someone questioned.

Howlett frowned slightly but remained silent, his gaze scanning the crowd like a lone wolf in the night. Suddenly, he extended his hand and commanded, "Wait."

A young man with long hair, attempting to slip away unnoticed, froze in place, turning nervously. "Is... something wrong?"

Howlett advanced, and as the pendant neared, it suddenly illuminated with holy light.

"It's him!" the crowd gasped.

"So, he's the thief!"

The long-haired man widened his eyes in terror and attempted to flee, but Howlett quickly apprehended him.

The pendant dangled from Howlett's finger, its holy light shimmering.

Gazing at the apprehended man, Howlett said calmly, "Young man, explain yourself... or face justice."

...

Thanks to the presence of the Supreme Sanctum and Forseti, London Village had become the safest place in Britain, and indeed, on Earth. Refugees from war-torn lands increasingly sought refuge here.

Thus, another four years passed, and by 343 BC, London Village had evolved into London Town, home to several thousand residents.

Newcomers arrived from afar every few days, while artisans tirelessly constructed homes and roads, fostering prosperity day by day.

In his past life, Forseti had wondered why the three supreme sanctuaries were located in the world's three major financial centers: London, Hong Kong, and New York.

Now, he understood that the sanctuaries' existence had fostered these financial hubs—safety and stability were prerequisites for economic growth.

In the vast expanse of the sea, a sudden burst of flame erupted.

Forseti, ablaze with fire, streaked across the sky like a shooting star, leaving a fiery trail in his wake.

His eyes fixed ahead, Forseti adjusted his flight path, soaring through the air at incredible speed.

At times, he ascended high into the sky, piercing the clouds; at others, he skimmed low over the sea, causing it to churn and mist to rise.

After flying for a while, flames erupted from Forseti's body once more.

*Boom!*

His speed surged, breaking the sound barrier, creating a massive sonic boom in the air and sending waves rippling across the sea.

However, the sudden increase in resistance made it challenging for Forseti to maintain balance, causing him to crash into the sea within half a second.

*Splash!*

Emerging from the water, Forseti swiftly ascended again, flying to a nearby reef.

*Buzz!*

Shilut, seated on the reef, greeted him with a wave.

Forseti settled beside him, taking a moment to rest and gently patting Shilut's increasingly rounded head.

Thus far, after four and a half years of training, Forseti had managed to achieve flame flight.

Despite years of effort, he had only recently begun to master flying with flames. However, proficiency still eluded him; maintaining balance required his entire body to be engulfed in flames, draining his energy rapidly. His recent flight had left him weary.

Moreover, he had yet to break the sound barrier. Crossing the vast distance to the moon, hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, seemed an impossible feat with his current abilities.

"Hundreds of thousands of kilometers... when will I achieve such a journey?" Forseti pondered.

"Forseti." A teleportation portal opened on the reef, and Agamotto emerged.

Forseti turned. "What's the matter?"

Four and a half years passed in the blink of an eye for him, but for Earth's inhabitants, it represented a significant portion of their lives.

In his thirties, with a beard that lent him a seasoned appearance, Agamotto's look befit his role as the first Socceror supreme.

Seating himself, Agamotto sighed. "The Brotherhood has split."

"As I anticipated, Aristotle and Menehmos couldn't reconcile their differences. The Brotherhood has divided, with Menehmos remaining in Athens to nurture his school, focusing on mathematics."

"Aristotle has moved to Macedonia, becoming a key advisor to the King and the primary tutor to Prince Alexander."

Pausing, Agamotto added, "Aristotle also founded the 'Divine Shield Division,' personally directing it to recruit extraordinary individuals for Macedonia's service."

Forseti nodded in understanding, remaining silent.

After a moment, Agamotto continued, "However, there's good news. With the Brotherhood's dissolution, some undecided members have opted to join the Supreme Sanctum. As a result, our ranks have swelled with dozens of mages."

Forseti inquired, "Are you preparing to establish the next Sanctum?"

"Yes," Agamotto confirmed.

"Where will it be?"

"In the East."

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