Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Earth dragon religion
Ethan's life in the mental hospital gradually becomes boring and monotonous, in addition to constantly observing the patients and nurses around him, he also begins to try to understand and control his own dreams. He knew he had to find a way to escape this reality, or at least solve the mystery between the two worlds.
One day, Ethan entered the familiar forest again in a dream. His body became light and powerful, and the air around him was filled with strange energy. He decided to use the time to explore the forest and train his new abilities.
Ethan made his way carefully through the forest, his eyes scanned warily for prey. Suddenly, he heard a slight sound of footsteps, and he quickly hid behind a big tree, holding his breath and waiting for the coming target.
Several dwarves came into view, armed and serious, as if on patrol. Ethan's heart was racing, and he knew this was a perfect opportunity to exercise his abilities. He concentrates and begins to manipulate the flow of water in the stream, trying to turn it into a weapon.
Unaware of the approaching danger, the dwarves continued along the path. Just then Ethan swooped in, directing a tiny stream of water that quickly wrapped around the ankles of one of the dwarves and pulled him to the ground.
The Dwarves let out a cry and tried to struggle, but Ethan's attacks followed. His short sword cut a silver arc in the air, piercing the dwarf's chest with precision. Blood gushed out, and the dwarf let out a groan of pain and fell to the ground.
The other dwarves immediately reacted, raising their weapons and rushing towards Ethan. Ethan ducked nimbly, using the power of the current to push them back. His movements became more and more fluid, and each attack carried deadly force. He felt his strength growing inside him, and his fighting skills were getting better.
However, just as Ethan was about to defeat the dwarves for good, his attack was interrupted by a low, commanding voice.
'Stop it! There was an irresistible force in the voice, as if it had struck straight into Ethan's heart.
Ethan was stunned and turned to see a group of men in black robes coming from deep in the forest. Their faces wore terrifying masks, their hands held strange staff, and the air around them was filled with a strong sense of oppression.
The men formed a circle, slowly closing in on Ethan. The leader removes his mask to reveal a face covered in mysterious runes. There was a cold light in his eyes, as if he could see everything.
"You upset the balance of the forest." The man said coldly, his voice filled with authority and anger. "You must pay for this."
Ethan clenched his dagger and felt a wave of fear and unease. The aura and power of these men were clearly far superior to any enemy he had encountered, and he knew he could not easily confront them.
"Who are you people? Ethan asked, trying to remain calm.
The man smiled with a cold look in his eyes, "We are messengers of the gods and followers of the Earth Dragon religion." Our mission is to maintain the balance of this forest, and you have disturbed the harmony of this land."
Ethan's heart was filled with doubts and fears, he had heard of various mystical sects, but never of the Draconism. He knows these people are not easy to deal with and must be handled carefully.
"I mean no harm." Ethan tried to keep his voice calm. "I just want to exercise my abilities."
"Exercise ability?" The man sneered, "You are abusing your power and disrupting the natural order here." We cannot allow this to continue."
As he spoke, the congregation around him began to chant an ancient and mysterious mantra. There was an eerie energy in the air, as if the whole forest was answering their call.
Ethan felt a strong pressure, as if the trees around him were whispering some ancient rage. He knew he was in a desperate situation, but he wouldn't give up easily.
He concentrated and tried to use his powers against them. He manipulates the flow of water in the stream, forming a water shield in an attempt to block the attack. However, the power of the followers was far greater than he had expected, and the shield quickly collapsed under their attack.
The leader of the congregation looked coldly at Ethan, the scepter in his hands flashing a strange light, "You have no right to abuse your power here." Now, accept our judgment."
Following his command, the congregation chanted mantras in unison, and a powerful beam of energy struck Ethan. Ethan felt a sharp pain and his body was knocked to the ground by the force. His consciousness began to fade, but he tried to stay awake.
"We will take you back to face the judgment of the dragon God." The leader said coldly, then motioned for the others to lift Ethan.
Ethan's consciousness gradually returns and he finds himself lying on a simple bed surrounded by a room made of wood and stone, the walls of which are covered with ancient runes and totems. The air was filled with a faint aroma of herbs, quiet and mysterious.
"You're awake." A deep, authoritative voice rang out in the room.
Ethan struggled to sit up and saw an older man in a crimson robe standing by his bed. His face was full of age and his eyes shone with wisdom. Ethan immediately realized that this person should be a senior figure in the Earth Dragon religion.
"I'm the subpriest of the Earth Dragon Religion. You can call me Kravis." "Said the man, with a touch of irresistible force in his voice.
"I'm Ethan." Ethan replied, his eyes full of doubt, "Why are you arresting me?"
"You have disturbed the balance of the forest, and this is unacceptable to our Draconism." "But we have found that your bloodline is of special use to the Earth Dragon religion, so we have decided to keep you alive for the time being."
"My blood?" Ethan felt confused and uneasy. "What's so special about my bloodline?"
Instead of answering directly, Kravis turned and motioned for Ethan to follow him, "Come, I'll take you to our high priest and he'll tell you more."
Ethan got up to follow Kravis out of the room and found himself in a hidden valley surrounded by towering mountains and dense forests. The tribe of the Earth Dragon religion is built in this hidden place, surrounded by a mysterious and solemn atmosphere.
They walked down a stone-paved path until they came to a magnificent temple. The exterior walls of the temple are carved with ancient runes and totems, giving people a sense of mystery and majesty.
"Go in, the high priest is waiting for you." Kravis pushed open the heavy stone door and signaled Ethan to enter the temple.
Ethan entered the temple and saw an old high priest sitting in front of the shrine. In front of him lay a variety of mysterious utensils and scrolls, and the air was filled with a strong smell of incense.
"High Priest, this is Ethan." Kravis said respectfully.
The high priest raised his head with a glint of wisdom in his eyes, "Welcome, Ethan. Your coming here means a lot to our dragon religion."
"I don't know what use my blood is to you." Ethan asked bluntly, his eyes fixed.
The High priest smiled and nodded, "There is a special power in your bloodline that has some resonance with the earth dragon we believe in." We believe that your bloodline can help us better communicate with the Earth Dragon."
"Earth dragon?" Ethan frowned. "Can you tell me more about my blood and this power?"
The high priest sighed and shook his head, "Unfortunately, our knowledge of your bloodline is limited. We can only feel the powerful energy in it, but we can't answer your question accurately. However, through an ancient ritual, we can try to summon the earth dragon and ask it to answer us."
"Summon the Earth dragon?" Ethan felt a mixture of surprise and anticipation. "Is this ceremony safe?"
"This is an ancient and sacred ritual that is fraught with risk and uncertainty." "But we have no choice. It may be the only way to solve the mystery of your bloodline."
Ethan thought for a moment, then finally nodded. "Okay, I'll accept the ceremony."
The high priest smiled and motioned for Kravis to prepare the items needed for the ceremony. "Come with me, please. We need to make some preparations for the ceremony."
Ethan followed the High priest and Kravis to the center of the temple, a wide SLATE floor with a large earthdragon totem carved into the center. All kinds of sacrificial utensils and materials are placed around.
Kravis and several other priests busily set up the altar, sprinkling the ground with golden powder, lighting incense and chanting ancient incantations. The whole temple was filled with a solemn and mysterious atmosphere.
"Ethan," the high priest's voice was low and solemn, "we need two days to prepare for this ceremony. You can visit our tribe during this time and learn about the beliefs and life of the Earth Dragon religion."
Ethan nodded, knowing it would be a chance to learn about the mystic sect, while also giving him more time to think and prepare.
"Thank you for your permission, High Priest. I will make good use of these two days." Ethan said, a curious glint in his eyes.
The high priest smiled and motioned for a young priest to lead Ethan on a tour of the tribe. The young priest, named Lane, greeted Ethan kindly and led him out of the temple to explore the tribe.
The tribe of the Earth Dragon religion is located in a hidden valley, surrounded by towering mountains and dense forests. Most of the buildings in the tribe are made of wood and stone, simple and strong. Ethan, led by Lane, visits important sites in the tribe.
First, they came to the tribe's central square. This is where the Earth Dragon believers carry out their daily activities and rituals. In the middle of the square stands a huge earth dragon statue, the statue is lifelike, full of majesty and power. The worshippers prayed in front of the statue, and there was a divine atmosphere in the air.
"The statue symbolizes the faith and strength of the Earth Dragon religion," Lane explained. "We believe that the Earth Dragon is an ancient guardian that gives us strength and wisdom and protects the balance of the land."
Ethan nodded, intrigued by the faith. In the real world, he had never been exposed to such religious devotion, which made him more curious about the mysteries and unknowns of the world.
Next, Ryan gave Ethan a tour of the tribe's library. Here, a large number of ancient scrolls and books about the Earth Dragon religion are preserved, recording the sect's history, beliefs, and various mystical knowledge. Here Ethan flipped through some old books and learned about the origin and legend of the Earth dragon religion.
"The origins of the Earth Dragon religion date back thousands of years," Lane said, "and legend has it that the founder of the Earth Dragon religion once met the real Earth dragon and received divine inspiration and power from it." The teachings of the Earth Dragon religion were born, and our mission is to protect the balance of the land and pass on the wisdom of the Earth dragon."
Ethan listened intently, and he felt that there was a profound meaning in these legends and teachings. He began to wonder if there really were dragons and gods in this world. If so, how is their power and influence manifested?
Over the next two days, Ethan continued to visit various corners of the tribe, learning about the way of life and beliefs of the Earth Dragon religion. He found the congregation very united, full of trust and respect for each other. They perform various rituals and prayers every day to express their admiration and gratitude to the Earth Dragon.
Ethan also had the opportunity to talk to some of the believers and learn about their beliefs and experiences with the Earth Dragon religion. Many believers shared their stories of gaining strength and wisdom under the aegis of the Earth Dragon, and these stories made Ethan think more about the existence of the Earth Dragon.
Despite his doubts, Ethan begins to accept the possibility of dragons and gods in this world. After all, in this strange world, many things are beyond his knowledge. He knew that only constant exploration and learning could truly solve these mysteries.