Chapter 262: 262. Power of Halo & Hymns

Bam!

Pa!

Punches and kicks flew freely at the blonde man hanging in the middle of the dark room with hands tied above the head and to the ceiling. Robes had been taken away, only leaving his pants.

Bam!

"How dare you organise a mob against his majesty?"

Bam!

"Stop smiling!"

Sylvester's smooth, spotless skin over the well-defined muscles and abs was now covered with red spots from all the welcoming attacks from four men standing around. They used sticks until they broke and punches until they got so tired that they stopped from all panting.

But Sylvester, hanging in the middle, merely laughed and asked. "Water."

Even the four men had gone so tired that they felt somewhat bad. So they gestured for one of them to go and bring some water in a wooden glass.

Though, when the glass was being extended to Sylvester's mouth, he just laughed and gestured with a nod to the man standing on his left, panting after exerting himself so much. "Not me. Give it to him. Look at his red face and that throbbing belly. I'd hate to see someone die from a heart attack because of me."

"..."

The three men looked at the fourth one speechlessly. The man was obese, and his belly throbbed while he panted. The face was all sweaty and red as well.

All four were left red-faced, seeing Sylvester not even breaking a sweat even after being punched for so long. Heck, he wasn't even bleeding from anywhere and only appeared to have some red bruises.

"You! How dare you mock us!" The fat man tried to punch Sylvester.

Thud!

But Sylvester merely dodged it by moving his head back a little. As a result, the man missed landing the fist and, instead, went with the momentum and fell on the floor, face first, breaking his nose.

"Argh! Fuck! They said he was just a clergyman… Why is he so strong?" The man asked his friends.

Amused, Sylvester inquired. "They didn't tell you who I am?"

The four shook their heads. And one of them spoke. "We're just simple workers of the Guard Post number four. Our only job is to make people confess to their sins."

"..."

Sylvester sighed and looked at them intensely. "I am Sylvester Maximilian, Grand Crusader, Lord's Bard and God's Favoured. Do you know what that means?... That means you four will be burned at the stake for torturing me and the blasphemy you have done."

"W-What? That can't be it… You're so young. You cannot be such a higher clergyman." The fat one argued.

Sylvester smiled, closed his eyes and sang a small hymn.

♫He who stays blind even with his eyes open.

Punishment will come, to leave them broken.

You have hurt the people's deeper emotions.

Watch, Lord's wrath, you have now awoken!♫

Thud!

All four fell to their knees, and their faces went pale as they realised their folly. They cried and asked for forgiveness. After all, with a halo behind his head, Sylvester appeared like Solis incarnate.

"Oh god! What have we done? Please forgive us, my Lord!"

"Please, you are big and mighty. Just once… Give us a chance."

Sylvester sighed and used extra force on his tied arms. Instantly, the ropes broke apart in a snap and released Sylvester to the ground.

Crack!

He stretched and cracked his fingers and neck. Then, he walked to the clay pot full of water. He took some out and washed his face, hands and feet.

Bam!

But then, shocking the four, he walked to a wall and slammed his face on it with force heavy enough to make a dent.

Instantly, his nose started to bleed. Satisfied, he returned to the same spot and tied himself again, though his feet touched the floor this time.

"Men, you have sinned. But, what you do from now on will decide whether you are saved or… skinned."

"W-What do you mean, my lord?" One of them asked.

Boom!

An ear-shattering explosive erupted from outside.

"That."

…

Everything was a part of the plan. So, after Sylvester revealed the plan, they asked the Bishop to use his contacts, have Sylvester arrested by fake Royal Guards, and be given to a small Guard Post to be lightly beaten.

With that, he created a perfect storm of an angry, rioting mob. With the location of the Blessed Bard known, they all stormed to the Guard Post in thousands. All the city guards who came in the way got thrashed, slapped and thrown away.

Not to mention, some Clergymen from the Monastery were among the crowd, inciting them and even sometimes attacking them to create a riot-like situation. The crowd's mind was forcefully manipulated into thinking that the City guards were heretics who harmed Lord's Bard.

One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, and then ten thousand. In a city of 500,000, what was a few dozen thousand? So, gathering the crowd was extremely easy.

By the evening of the same day, the guard post was surrounded, and the people had started to throw stones and eggs at the place holding Sylvester.

But, eventually, the anger became too much. And discreetly, a wizard Clergyman from the crowd threw an explosive crystal at the gates, shattering it apart.

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The explosion pumped the crowd and gave them the signal to go ahead and attack. Which they graciously did. But, even then, they needed a push, which a few hired men provided by going first.

"Haa!"

Loud shouts echoed throughout the eastern part of the city. People barged through every barricade placed.

"No! Please! Let me go!"

The guards working in that Guard post tried to run away. But they were surrounded and soon caught. They received no mercy as the mob ran on collective anger and rage.

Amidst the screams that slowly diminished, crowds of fanatic rioters tore the guards into pieces. Legs flew one way and arms the other, while the head got crushed under feet.

Every man wearing the Guard's uniform received the same fate. Furniture or any other valuable item in the Guard Post got instantly stolen or broken. Of course, the mob had already forgotten why they were even doing it.

For most, just the thrill of delving into one's wildest animalistic nature with no consequences was enough.

The situation seemed out of control but was under control as everything went according to plan. Of course, a few casualties were already expected, but it was nothing in the grand scheme of things. Just a few minor sacrifices for the greater good of the world.

Woosh!

The Guard Post was slightly bigger as it also held some prison cells. Hence, nearly a dozen or so guards were resting inside when the mob attacked. However, Sylvester was in the basement, hidden behind a secret door.

Clergymen disguised in the mob knew where to go. They pushed aside a big bookcase and quickly opened the way leading to the basement. Unfortunately, it was small, and the people tried to barge in.

Thankfully, Sylvester had ordered and instructed the clergymen and Holy Army soldiers on how to disperse the crowd and how to control it to avoid any stampede and crushing situation. So, in an orderly manner, only a few were let in, so there was still room to turn around.

But what went inside the basement was anybody's guess. Since it was a hidden space, there was only one room, which belonged to Sylvester.

Boom!

The door was broken open, and a raging crowd entered. At one glance, they saw Sylvester's body hanging in the middle by a rope, his face bloodied and his body full of bruises. While there were four men in Guard's uniforms.

Simple to say, anger flared, and threats were declared. The people had nothing to fear, after all.

"You hurt our lord Bard!" They shouted, while just a day ago, they didn't even know or care about Sylvester.

"No! Don't kill us! Please! Just take him…" The four cried and tried to hide behind Sylvester's hanging body while he acted unconscious.

"Argh! Aaaa!"

Sadly, one of them, the fat one, was caught by the mob, as there was not enough space behind Sylvester. In a matter of seconds, the man was ripped apart into pieces while his screams and agony died down slowly.

The remaining three shivered, cried, and wet their pants. There was nowhere to run, and only one man could save them there. So, the three fell to their knees and held Sylvester's legs, pleading.

"Please save us, Lord Bard!"

"We have sinned, but give us a chance. Just one!"

"Yes! I have a family, my Lord. I can't have my little daughter orphaned. How will she survive?"

They bawled their eyes out and told their life stories, family histories and whatnot. Of course, the crowd didn't care, and soon, two more died at the hands of the people.

"Enough!" Finally, Sylvester's loud voice resounded, shutting the crowd into silence.

A warm halo appeared behind his head, and he reminded them of two lines from the hymn he had sung in the morning.

"Be it someone who lives good or does crime.

Everyone is worthy of one forgiveness—to sublime."

He then helped the sole survivor, who was terrified for life now—ripe to be brainwashed quickly. Sylvester didn't want the man to remember that he had bashed his own face on the wall to make it bleed.

What he wanted was that he only remembers the fear and his divine grace—the reason he survived.

"Let this man go, my brothers and sister of the faith. He sinned once, but every man deserves a second chance. Let this be a lesson for him to stay true to the faith and never sin again."

He ensured to keep light coming from his palms as well. The warmth from it was the best way to let the people feel close and connected.

"Turn around and walk outside, for there is no greater kindness than to forgive. This violence is meaningless, for I still live. But, all of you have a greater war coming to your doors soon, as your King dreams of taking Gracia by the end of this moon.

"You shall lose sons, husbands, brothers, fathers and friends in this senseless war. Man will kill another for dreams of someone who will never step on the field himself. In the end, he shall have the riches, and you—burned on pyres like witches."

His words echoed in their minds and sent shivers down their spines. Sylvester smelled the fear he induced. There was a reason he said this to a smaller crowd, so there was nobody to refute him.

"But! I came here to speak with the King, to bring peace. So, step aside, so I may enter the Royal Castle—and give all of you ever-lasting peace—without any hassle." Sylvester roared his last few words.

The people, their emotions slowly changed from fear to a wave of happiness and hope. Of course, everybody liked talking about war but not participating.

"May the Bard's Light Enlighten us!" One of them roared.

"May the Bard's Light Enlighten us!"

Slowly, the fever spread, and tens of thousands of men and women crowded inside and outside the building, shouting the same words again and again.

It was not only the roar of adore but also Sylvester's knock on the King's door.

Within a day, he turned the people of River City into his greatest army that would ensure he'd enter the castle and meet the King.

Not to mention, with the wording of their chants and the omission of the 'Lord' and addition of the 'Bard, he knew one thing.

'Haha! People of River City… Welcome to my cult!'

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