105

In the study, sandalwood was curling, books were piled up like mountains, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ink. Sage Albert was sitting at an ancient wooden table, holding an ancient book in his hand, reading it intently. His hair and beard were white, his face was ruddy, his eyes were clear and bright, and his every move revealed an extraordinary temperament. Albert's face was engraved with traces of time, and his deep eyes seemed to be able to see through all the secrets of the world. His robe was embroidered with silver stars, and with every movement he made, the stars seemed to be flickering, adding a bit of mystery. The captain of the guard walked quickly to Albert, knelt on one knee, and reported in a hurried tone: "Lord Albert, the holy stone has changed. The high priest asks you to go to the temple immediately!" Fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, and there was a hint of anxiety in his tone that was difficult to conceal. When Albert heard the words "holy stone change", a trace of surprise flashed across his originally calm face. He put down the ancient book in his hand, frowned slightly, looked at the captain of the guard with deep eyes, and asked in a deep voice: "What changes have occurred in the holy stone? Tell me in detail." He gently closed the ancient book and placed it on the table. His movements were gentle and slow, which formed a sharp contrast with the captain of the guard's impatience.

The captain of the guard did not dare to neglect it, and immediately reported in detail the loss of energy and cracks in the holy stone, as well as the repulsive force encountered by the high priest and the elders when they touched the holy stone. As he spoke, he observed Albert's expression, hoping to see some clues from his face. After the report, he knelt on one knee again and said earnestly: "Lord Albert, the situation is urgent. Please go to the temple as soon as possible!"

After listening to the captain of the guard's report, Albert stood up with a solemn face and picked up the staff on the table. The staff was made of tree roots, and the head of the staff was inlaid with a gem that emitted a soft white light. The light flickered, as if responding to the changes in the holy stone. He took a deep breath and said in a steady tone, "Lead the way." He walked to the captain of the guard and patted his shoulder gently to comfort him.

The captain of the guard stood up with a sense of relief and respectfully led Albert out of the study. Outside the study, it was late at night, with stars dotted everywhere, and a bright moon hung high in the night sky, casting cold moonlight. Several guards were guarding outside the door. When they saw Edmund coming out, they immediately knelt on one knee and saluted.

The captain of the guard took Albert to the yard, where a black horse had been prepared. The horse was tall and strong, with shiny fur and white hot air coming out of its nostrils, which made it look extraordinary. The captain of the guard climbed on the horse and said respectfully to Edmund, "Sir Albert, please get on the horse."

Albert nodded, leaned his staff on the ground, and sat on the horse steadily with the help of force. The captain of the guard rode on another fast horse that had been prepared long ago, and the two of them quickly went down the mountain and ran towards the direction of the temple. The sound of horse hooves echoed in the silent night, breaking the tranquility of the valley.

The mountain road was rugged and uneven, and the horse hooves made a crisp sound on the gravel. In the distance, the lights of the holy city were bright, like the twinkling stars in the night sky, forming a sharp contrast with the dark night. Edmund sat on the horse's back, looking at the holy city in the distance with deep eyes, and his mind was full of thoughts. The holy stone is the patron saint of the holy city and a symbol of faith. If there is a problem with the holy stone, the consequences will be disastrous.

At the same time, High Priest Selina paced anxiously in the temple. She walked back and forth, and the hem of her skirt slid across the ground, making a slight friction sound, which was particularly clear in the silent temple. From time to time, she looked up at the door of the temple, her heart full of anxiety and uneasiness. The change of the holy stone made her unable to sleep and eat, and she urgently hoped that Edmund could find a solution.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid horse hoof sounds came from far away, breaking the silence around the temple. High Priest Selina was delighted and walked quickly to the temple door. Through the crack in the door, she saw the captain of the guard and Albert riding horses. She immediately signaled the guard to open the temple door.

The heavy wooden door slowly opened, making a low creaking sound. After Albert and the captain of the guard entered the temple, they walked straight to the holy stone. The temple was empty and silent, with only the moonlight pouring down through the high dome, casting a faint silver glow on the ground, making the base of the holy stone particularly eye-catching.

Albert walked to the base of the holy stone and carefully observed the cracks on the holy stone. The cracks were deeper than before, densely covering the entire surface of the holy stone like a spider web, which was shocking. He gently touched the holy stone with his staff.

The holy stone emitted a faint light, which flickered unsteadily, as if it would go out at any time. Albert closed his eyes, frowned, and seemed to be feeling something. His breathing became slow and deep, and his body trembled slightly, as if he was under great pressure.

"The situation is very bad..." Albert whispered to himself, his tone solemn.

He slowly opened his eyes, turned his head to look at High Priest Selina, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes.

"It seems that we must take action as soon as possible."

"The power of the holy stone is rapidly dissipating," Albert took back the staff from the holy stone, and the gem on the tip of the staff was dim. "If this continues, the consequences will be disastrous." He rubbed his eyebrows with his hands, and the grooves between his eyebrows became deeper.

High Priest Selina asked anxiously: "Lord Albert, I brought someone here today. After the holy stone suddenly emitted a dazzling light, the other party fainted. When I came to check again, the holy stone began to crack." She clasped her hands in front of her chest, her knuckles slightly whitened due to the force, and recounted the matter of bringing Mark here before.

Albert sighed, his eyes swept across her anxious face, and slowly said: "I suspect that this is the result of the erosion of the dark power." He paused and added, "Someone tried to steal the power of the holy stone."

"Steal the power of the holy stone?" High Priest Selina widened her eyes and repeated this sentence in disbelief, "Could it be Mark? Is this how the energy in his body comes from?"

High Priest Selina took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, and asked: "Lord Albert, do you have any way to stop this?" Her voice trembled slightly, but her tone was firm.

Albert was silent for a moment, and his eyes fell on the holy stone again. The fine cracks were particularly dazzling under the weak light. "I need some time to study, maybe I can find a way to repair the holy stone." He said in a heavy tone, "But before that, we need to strengthen the guard of the temple to prevent the holy stone from being damaged."

High Priest Selina nodded and immediately ordered the captain of the guard: "Renault, you go and make arrangements immediately to increase the guard of the temple and make sure there are people patrolling at all times." Her voice revealed firmness and determination.

Renault took the order, turned around and walked away quickly, the sound of footsteps echoing in the empty temple, gradually fading away.

Albert cast his eyes on the holy stone again, his eyes flashing with wisdom, as if he was thinking about some profound questions.