More and more believers emerged from this state, urgently shouting with sincere earnestness. They would rather suffer again than deplete the god's power.
Karl's light and shadow quietly "listened" to these sincere, self-sacrificing pleas, deeply moved in his heart.
He admired the purity and devotion of these believers, withdrawing the power that had elevated them.
His light and shadow turned to Gil, who was being supported, barely conscious, trying to stand.
"Gil, Lina, these children..." Are they... already safe? "
Hearing that the deity indeed remembered and cared about the safety of his child, Gil's eyes finally filled with tears.
He struggled, answering in a weak but deeply grateful voice: "Thank you for your concern, my God... Lina and the others..."
"According to your revelation and my arrangements..." They have already evacuated in advance... Hidden in a certain place...
"I know only a secret place... They ... It should be safe...
With each word spoken, he paused for a moment, but his eyes showed relief and gratitude.
Karl nodded slightly, feeling relieved. He silently raised his head, his gaze fixed on the souls of the fallen believers, gradually leaving their bodies and being carried away in a certain direction.
His gaze also swept over the brutal, frightened, and resentful souls that appeared after the deaths of the Nilfgaardian soldiers.
He raised his hand again, and the power of faith swept across the battlefield. The souls of these soldiers didn't even have time to scream.
Under the onslaught of the power of faith, it was instantly destroyed and dispersed, becoming soul essence.
Then Karl collected these soul essences and, after finishing, was silent for a moment.
None of the believers dared to disturb the deity's contemplation, only looking at the golden light with immense reverence and fervor.
Finally, Karl's light and shadow lowered their head again, turning to the faithful followers and nodding slightly.
This majestic and gentle voice sounded in their ears for the last time: "Farewell, my devout children."
"May the radiance of the sun always guide your path forward and illuminate your courage."
As soon as the words were spoken, before the believers could kneel again or shout, the golden light suddenly dissipated, turning into countless warm and bright golden points.
It turned into a rain of light, falling in streams and enveloping every surviving believer on the battlefield.
When the light touched their bodies, the followers again felt a warm current – the fatigue and pain brought by the fierce battle,
and the strong mental exhaustion quickly weakened and recovered, wounds visibly healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Ah! My wound..."
"Hail the sun! A miracle! Another miracle!"
Shouts of surprise rang out again, even more fervent and devout than before.
And this golden light completely disappeared into the air, leaving only a faint warmth.
The rapid recovery of all proved that everything that had just happened was not a dream.
All looked up at the night sky, though the sacred figure was no longer visible.
But every heart was filled with unprecedented strength, hope, and determination.
They shouted in unison, shaking the fields, their voices filled with the joy of surviving a calamity, hope for the future, and unwavering faith.
"Hail the sun!! Respectfully see off your spirit!!"
The sound waves roared endlessly over this land, soaked in blood and washed by divine light, lingering for a long time.
...…
Karl's figure, sitting on the floor of the prayer room, moved. His tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, golden light flickered in his black pupils, and then quickly calmed down.
He looked around, watching the candle that had burned long and was now close to the candlestick, his eyes flickering.
"Soul origin..." Karl whispered in his heart.
His interaction with Freyja had revealed to him many secrets of this world that mortals could never know.
The soul is not just a spirit or consciousness; it is the imprint of the essence of life.
When the soul is completely destroyed, instead of going to the underworld, its origin remains, which cannot be reproduced or regenerated.
For any being with a soul, whether mortal or the so-called immortal deity, the destruction of the soul means true, complete death.
And this precious origin, its main purpose is to nourish and strengthen another soul.
Although the soul origin of a single soldier is insignificant, their growth is still astonishing.
Karl slowly raised his right hand, palm facing up, his mind stirred.
Above his head, a mass quietly appeared, an intangible mass with faint forms of life.
It was like a slowly rotating nebula, radiating a lifeless yet alive contradictory aura that only the soul could feel.
Karl looked at the source of the soul, his expression thoughtful. The power of the soul directly affects consciousness, perception, and even resonance in the world.
He directed his mind, and the swirling soul essence descended and appeared before him.
Then, like a stream returning to its nest, strands and threads flowed onto his forehead.
"Hum..." It wasn't a real sound, but a tremor and resonance penetrating deep into the soul.
Then an indescribable coolness instantly swept over Karl's entire body.
It was not like the cold brought by low temperature; rather, it was somewhat similar to mint.
It acts on the soul, bringing clarity and refreshing cleansing from all dust and fatigue.
Previously suffering from the prolonged mental fatigue caused by the long-distance projection of consciousness and the manipulation of faith power,
under this cool washing, the ice melts, giving way to an unprecedented feeling of clarity, excitement, and ... "fullness."
Karl suddenly closed his eyes, his eyelids trembling slightly, his teeth clenched tightly to suppress the almost uncontrollable moans.
And the nourishment at the soul level brings feelings far beyond physical senses.
...…
When Karl opened his eyes again, the room was already dim; all the candles had gone out, leaving only blue smoke and frozen wax tears.
He had indeed sat here, meditating, absorbing, and digesting all night.
He slowly stood up, his bones emitting a series of faint, clear sounds.
He looked at himself; his physical body showed no visible changes, his muscles remained smooth, and his skin was supple.
But when he looked around – the extinguished candlesticks and dusty corners.
The dust motes swirling in the air, even the fine textures of the stone walls... Everything seemed hidden by a clearer, more thorough filter.
This is not super-sensory capture of details, but a more substantial "insight," as if one can vaguely "see" the "weight" of an object's existence.
He felt more subtle trajectories of chaotic magic in the void, and even the light seemed richer.
"Enhanced perception of the soul... Karl understood in his heart.
Absorbing the origin of the soul indeed brought fundamental improvement, but this was only the initial effect after digestion.