Only God
Chapter 291 - 251: God, I pray with all my might!

Chapter 291: Chapter 251: God, I pray with all my might!

Days after Xilan led the cavalry scouts away, those True Believers who had fled to safety also encountered the Elf troop that came to their aid.

It was a critical moment as a group of scouts finally discovered the trail of the True Believers, and in less than half a day, a vanguard of cavalry caught up with them, their shining swords poised to take the lives of the refugees.

At this desperate juncture, a force of hundreds of Elves appeared in the distance, their long ears and exceptional vision capturing everything on the battlefield, displaying martial skills far surpassing those of other races in the wilderness.

Hundreds of Elves leaped into action, their spears and swords easily bringing down the cavalrymen. Horses whinnied mournfully in the desert as the Three-eyed Ape People’s cavalry vanguard was taken by surprise by the Elves who suddenly emerged.

And as the vanguard suffered heavy losses and retreated, the Elves drew their bows and arrows. Their razor sharp eyes allowed the arrows to break through the air and accurately hit the retreating Three-eyed Ape People, piercing through the armor of the nobles with formidable force.

The reason why the True Believers could rendezvous with the Elves was all thanks to the precious time bought by Xilan and others.

In the silent night.

Those True Believers who had escaped took refuge in the desert, where Elves from distant lands welcomed them, escorted them, and prayed with them.

Mostly Stone Slaves, these True Believers had almost never felt such warmth in Ajia Land, and having left that place of suffering, they wept with joy.

But after the initial jubilation came a sorrow of the soul.

Their Priest, the Prophet’s Disciple Xilan, had fallen into the hands of those despicable nobles, and he was surely enduring torture and would ultimately be executed with cruelty.

Xilan... the Prophet’s Disciple, the one who led them in faith.

Surrounded by the True Believers, clenching their hands, they mourned and wept bitterly for Xilan.

"Sit down, let’s sit down and pray for Xilan."

In their worry for Xilan, in fear, the True Believers joined their hands in prayer as they had in the Pattern Garden, praying for the Priest who had sacrificed everything.

Voices converged, their united prayers echoing across the desolate wilderness, calling out for him:

"God, please save him!"

...............

In the dark prison cell.

The ground there was cold, the windows cold, and damp moss grew in the corners.

No one could escape from this jail, the main prison of the entire Kingdom.

The prison guards always saw him with hands joined in prayer, head bowed, eyes closed, but silent, and no one knew for what he was praying.

That silent man sitting on the ground even made the cell itself seem silent.

The guards who believed in Kagawus whispered amongst themselves, saying the True Believers were always strange and mysterious; after a loud prayer, they would become suddenly quiet, praying in silence.

And now, that man called Xilan, began his silent prayer again.

Xilan had faced a sandstorm and became separated from his companions, and ultimately, by a stroke of fate, encountered the army pursuing the True Believers, leading to his capture and return to the Royal City.

The news of the capture of the King Slayer sent shockwaves throughout the Kingdom.

Prince Alei, the commander of the allied forces, wanted to execute him. Even though King Anuket’s rule was exceptionally cruel, the King Slayer must receive the punishment he deserved, as a warning to others.

In the first few days, the prison guards watched the man who killed the King with fear, and shivered involuntarily every time they pushed him out of the cell for interrogation.

But the Elf only gave them a gentle smile and then followed at their pace, calmly facing the questioning.

Xilan’s composure gradually affected the prison guards.

In the first two days, those who came to interrogate Xilan did nothing to him, and Xilan answered each question calmly and openly.

But after that, Xilan faced the first of the severe tortures.

Because the chief examiner felt that this treacherous King Slayer was certainly hiding something.

They subjected the Elf to many cruel punishments, breaking his fingers one by one, burning his body with fire, cutting wounds to bleed him, and the chief examiner insulted and humiliated him, making him listen to the sound of his own bones breaking.

When faced with torture, the Elf, instead, pressed his lips tightly together, answering no questions and emitting not even a hint of a moan.

Soon after, the chief examiner seemed to realize that there was nothing left to interrogate from this man.

And so, Xilan was left in his cell all day, awaiting his final execution.

"I heard... Prince Alei has decided... to hang him in public."

The prison guards murmured among themselves.

"Indeed, the noble Elf... now to die like those slaves..."

One of the guards glanced at the cell unintentionally while saying this.

He saw the man staring intently at them.

The guards felt a chill, stiffening for a moment.

But Xilan smiled kindly, his smile dispelling the fear hovering over the guards.

"When?"

Xilan asked.

"Seems to be... in seven days."

The guard swallowed, responding.

And the man nodded, then turned away, laboriously joining his blackened hands together. All ten fingers were broken.

After Xilan was put into the prison, every day, outside the cell, nobles who opposed the True Religion gathered around the prison cursing, roaring, and insulting.