Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 639, Section 7. The Star Admiral's Leap of Faith: Man! Watercanye C
Admiral Sphrax, commander of the Lightforged Fleet and a starship admiral in the Legion of Light, has locked himself in solitary confinement for five days.

The general's adjutant announced that Lady Sphrax had been "enlightened by the Holy Light" and needed to contemplate and reflect in a quiet place, so the Lightforged all blessed their commander.

Well, the warriors of the Holy Light Legion rarely doubt each other.

This is not gullibility, but rather stems from the spiritual symbiosis among the "belief systems" formed by the Naaru as nodes.

On the battlefield, the brothers-in-arms can entrust their backs to each other, and in daily life they are as close as family. They firmly believe that they are fighting for a common and great goal under the guidance of the Holy Light.

They firmly believed that they had abandoned the selfishness and cowardice inherent in human nature, and naturally believed that every fighting brother in the Holy Light Legion was trustworthy.

While this unconditional trust based on shared beliefs can provide the Warriors of Light with formidable combat power in war, it can also cause some unnecessary "side effects."

It is precisely because of this unconditional trust that some bad guys can easily take advantage of the situation.

Yura's boyfriend, Maras, is an exception. He is a member of the Lightforged Fleet, but he is a rare ancient Eredar who has not accepted the Lightforged. Although he belongs to the logistics department of the Lightforged Fleet, he always takes advantage of the war to do some "black market business".

Logically, this matter should have been easily exposed, but Maras managed to make his black market business thrive by relying on the mutual trust between the Holy Light Brothers.

Of course, the Naaru were watching all of Maras's actions. They allowed it because Maras's connections with the Astral Consortium gave the Legion of Light a significant intelligence advantage.

The Naru are devout, but they are not stupid.

In war, they also know how to use some tactics.

In short, Admiral Sphrax's unusual behavior did not cause much discussion in the fleet; however, the situation was far more serious than the adjutant had downplayed.

In the confinement cell, the haggard Sphrax looked desperately at the shattered and dim holy light in his hands.

The morality of this demigod of holy light has been shattered.

It's hard to imagine that after more than 20,000 years of war, a Starship general with an undeniable iron will could have tormented himself to this extent through "mental exhaustion" in just five days.

Her eyes were lifeless, as if her insides had been completely "hollowed out," but she had not suffered any physical or mental erosion. She was like a tall building that was about to collapse, and it would collapse with just a gust of wind.

However, if the foundation is solid, such a situation will not occur even when facing the faith test of the highest heaven. It is purely because the spiritual symbiosis with the Naaru allowed him to spend more than 20,000 years of war. While accepting that spiritual protection, he almost lost the ability to discern for himself.

It's very similar to the state the twins were in when they were awakened by Diakum.

Severing Zera's connection with other Naaru always triggers this kind of "mental collapse," much like how people living in a closed-off area are forced to confront the outside world.

When Brigadier General Sphrax stopped taking the will and standards of the Naaru as her life's creed, she seemed to lose her purpose in life for a moment. She was still the steadfast commander and warrior, but she had become lost in the "surging" self.

She did not regret the long and arduous war that had lasted for over 20,000 years, but now, in her memories, those glorious victories and painful defeats seemed more like the stories of others.

It doesn't feel real at all.

Did I actually participate in it?
Or perhaps, one's physical body remains steadfast in the war, while one's mind retreats behind the high walls of the soul forged by the Naaru, rejecting all confusion, thought, and doubt, forging oneself into a warrior needed by the Holy Light.

There's nothing wrong with that either.

The question is, is that really what the "Holy Light" needs to do?

Such doubts kept churning, causing the general immense pain at this moment. She had too many questions that she needed to answer herself. However, before that, her firm belief in dedicating everything to the Holy Light was quietly crumbling under repeated questioning.

No other goal, except for truly great and pure morality, can withstand such intense self-doubt, not even a self-proclaimed iron will!

Moreover, after regaining her senses, Ms. Sphellax was unsure whether her previous moral decisions were her own or merely expectations of others, made under the guidance of the light.
Ah, these issues are too complicated.

The experience over the past five days made the general feel as if he were facing the most vicious psychological attack from the void creatures.

Indeed, this was the case. When Diakum created the Faith Ranks of the High Heavens, he did incorporate the concept of 'repentance' into them, and he also infused them with his understanding of the power of the heart and the power of the evil.

That thing is a genuine Void Mystic Art, the signature skill of Y'Shaarj, the strongest Old God in history.

Anyone with even a shred of emotion or desire cannot escape the trial of this profound mystery. To become immune to its influence, one must constantly undergo trials until reaching the state of "unity of heaven and man."

However, the problem is that it is a mythical talent of the life force. Where can a female warrior of light who practices metaphysics obtain such great power?

There's basically no solution to this.

Sphrax knew her situation was terrible; she even had a vague feeling that she was like a "source of infection," and that her questioning and self-reflection might "infect" others. That was why she had locked herself in solitary confinement.

But she couldn't escape what was to come.

"boom"

A knock sounded outside the solitary confinement cell, and her adjutant said softly:
"Madam, we have arrived at the temporary starport created by the Oronar Clan. The Mother of Light's flagship, the Zenidal, is about to depart for Draenor. Prophet Velen, Dean Verara, and the Vigilantes, along with other clan governors and archbishops, are waiting for us there. As the commander of the Lightforged Fleet, you must be present."

"I know to give me a little more time."

The general said in a hoarse voice.

She slapped herself in the dark to clear her head, then tidied her clothes and appearance. The moment the door to the solitary confinement cell opened, the outside light shone in, causing the general to raise his hand to shield his eyes from the glare.

She felt even somewhat "afraid" of the light in front of her.

She once believed herself to be the embodiment of light in the starry sky, to bring enlightenment to worlds ravaged by darkness, but now she could no longer be as steadfast as she once was.

She came up with the "light burial" tactic.

In the eyes of those worlds that perished in the bombardment of scorching light, those worlds whose inhabitants were reduced to ashes by the most brilliant light, what difference was there between these "People of Light" and the brutal demons?

I used to see it as a "necessary price to pay".
"what!"

The general clutched his forehead and cried out in pain.

Her adjutant hurriedly helped her up, and in the adjutant's eyes was a commander who looked extremely haggard. She had followed Lady Sphlac for more than 10,000 years and had never seen her commander, who was as steadfast as the Heavenly Gold, so "weak".

She seemed to have aged ten thousand years in five days!

"I must look terrible right now, right?"

Sphellax sighed and said:
"You know how to do makeup, right? I need you to do a little makeup to cover up my mess so that no one else can tell."

"Yes, please come with me, madam."

The adjutant helped the general quickly to her cabin, but as she applied makeup to the general, who had just showered, to conceal his haggard appearance, the adjutant suddenly asked:
Are you reflecting on your past actions?

"Ok?"

Sphrax, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

She looked at her adjutant and then noticed the bloodshot in the female soldier's eyes; her heart sank at that moment.

She realized that her worst fears had come true.

The general said in a low voice:
"You were affected too?"

"Yes, after I sent you to the solitary confinement cell, I did it that very night."

The adjutant paused, then lowered his voice and said:
“I was ‘called,’ the Holy High Heaven opened its doors to me, and that damned gnoll Hogg seduced me onto the long stairway of faith, saying that you had set a new record.”

I.
I was too foolish to step onto it, and I fell on the 104th step. I know the pressure you were under, but what's even more terrifying, General, is that we're not the only ones inspired!

The adjutant said, his voice trembling slightly, “Although we all know it in tacit terms, I can tell from our eye contact that at least a third of the people on this starship have been to the High Heavens, and they can’t suppress their desire for pilgrimage. Everyone has been influenced.”

I now suspect that it might have been a trick by the Void Force, and we've been fooled!
The Supreme Heaven doesn't exist at all!

All our past wars were just and sacred, and there were reasons why the worlds we personally ordered to be laid to rest!

They are beyond saving!

We cannot save them from the clutches of evil; we can only give them a final act of dignity.
You agree, right, madam? We are not so evil as to inflict destruction with our own hands. We shed blood to protect more innocent people. We are not like demons, are we?
Please say something!

"Enough! Calm down!"

Sphrax grabbed the adjutant's wrist and covered her mouth before she could scream hysterically. She said sharply:

"Stop doubting yourself like this. You've fallen into the trap of 'doubt.' The High Heaven is real, and Lady Zera is there."

But that place was not quite what we imagined. It was indeed the holy land of the Holy Light, representing the eternal sacred home of the People of Light. But clearly, the High Heaven's interpretation of the Holy Light was different from the path we were on.

This may simply be a clash of ideas, and doesn't necessarily mean who is right or wrong.

"You're just making excuses for yourself."

The adjutant covered her eyes and sighed, saying:
“I’m going crazy, madam, and I believe others are too. Also, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the moment we left the High Heaven, we severed our spiritual connection with Madam Zera.”

That place shattered our once-proud mental defenses, leaving our minds in their most vulnerable state. I can't imagine how weak I would be in the face of a demonic attack.

Sphellax fell silent.

After a moment, she said:

"The Vigilant is in Draenor. He is the agent of the Radiance of the Suns, the Lord of the High Heavens. I believe we can get an answer from him. Let's hurry, lest the Mother of Light wait impatiently."

In addition, without alerting anyone else, use normal mobilization orders to send all affected commanders and soldiers into the Zenidal.

The rest of the crew stayed on the warship.

"As ordered!"

Several tens of minutes later, a frigate that looked no different from an ordinary Naaru gem ship departed from the Stormhold-class flagship, shimmering with golden light, and sailed towards Draenor at an extremely fast speed.

Ms. Sphrax sat in the command chair, lost in thought, her gaze fixed on Zera, who was suspended above the navigation console.

She could no longer maintain the same open and unreserved spiritual communication with the Mother of Light through Lady Zera's songs as before. She had become accustomed to this communication, which had lasted for over 20,000 years. But now, with the link suddenly severed, Sphrax felt extremely uncomfortable.

It's not just her.

Everyone on the ship was like that; the admiral could notice the strange, meaningful glances exchanged between the soldiers and commanders.

Everyone tried to act as they had in the past, but their expressions revealed a cruel truth: they could no longer be as close as they used to be. The forcibly constructed "trust" had completely vanished with the breaking of the Naaru's spiritual protection.

Is this truly some kind of concept that the High Heaven wants to convey to the People of Light? Can such ununited individuals truly carry out the mission entrusted to them by the Holy Light?

The general was highly skeptical of this.

You look tired; perhaps you need to rest?

A familiar voice rang out beside the command chair, startling Ms. Sphrax from her reverie. The fleet commander turned around and saw "Redeemer" Losakson standing beside her as usual, his claws behind his back.

A smile appeared on the pale face of this "Holy Light Demon King," and he said:
"Is it because you haven't rested well, General? Or is there some 'problem' with your understanding of your faith?"

"I thought I had concealed it well."

Sphrax trusted this Lightforged Nathrezim, an "elder" who had followed the Mother of Light since before the Legion of Light was even formed, and a demon forged by the Mother of Light herself.

Lady Zera trusted it, and therefore the Holy Light Legion also trusted this unique Holy Light Demon Lord.

Moreover, in the past 25,000 years of war, Losakson has demonstrated its devout faith in the Holy Light through its tangible sacrifices. Now, facing Losakson's inquiry, the general rubbed his temples and said:
"I've just been experiencing some... well, mental distress. Given your innate sensitivity to mental fluctuations, it's not surprising that you noticed, Redeemer, in fact, everyone on the entire spaceship right now."
and many more! "

The general suddenly paused, then looked at Nathrezim beside him with a strange expression, and said:
"I had my adjutant bring all the affected soldiers onto this ship, so what are you doing here? Don't tell me you were also summoned by the High Heavens? You were also influenced by the Faith Chief?"

"The Highest Heaven? The Long Staircase of Faith?"

A hint of surprise crossed the Redeemer's pale face, then he nodded thoughtfully and said:
"Hmm, interesting."

"Swish"

The general drew his command sword from his waist and pressed it precisely against Losachson's neck.

As it turns out, although Sphellax's mind had collapsed, her sharp senses as a war hero remained intact.

She scolded:

"What on earth are you doing, Losachson! Why did you board the Zenidal without receiving any transfer orders? Don't tell me this is a mistake; you've never made such an error in the past twenty thousand years!"

"Yes, I have walked too far in the Holy Light. I have accepted the embrace of the light and felt the warmth from the bottom of my heart. I have been illuminated by the Holy Light for too long, so long that I have forgotten where I came from and what mission I came to you with, my brothers in battle."

The Redeemer sighed with a hint of loss at that moment, saying:

“I have told you that I am ashamed of having been a demon. I have not deceived you. If I had a choice, I would have dedicated everything to my faith in pure holy light.”

Unfortunately, no matter how brilliant the colors of the holy light are, they can only paint bright colors on my 'canvas', but cannot change my dark background.

I just...
Alas, I cannot defy the 'Creator'. In the light, I am no different from those dreadlords who walk in the fel energy. I have neither love nor faith in them; this is just a job.

Now, it's time to say goodbye, my brothers and sisters.

May the Holy Light redeem my soul, if I truly possess such a thing.

"puff"

With an apologetic and sincere smile, the Holy Light Demon King deliberately rammed his neck into Sphrax's blade. In the burst of energy, he transformed into a golden bat and buzzed as he perished on the spot, smashing the celestial gold breastplate adorned with holy light crystals onto the ground.

The instant the thing hit the ground, a huge explosion erupted from the Zenidal's engines, accompanied by Zera's cry of pain.

When the starship is in motion, the Naaru are attached to the ship, so if the ship is destroyed, the Naaru will also be directly harmed.

In the midst of the dizzying chaos, Sphrax was slammed into her command chair. She reached out to Lady Zera, who was desperately trying to maintain a shield of holy light on the navigation console, seemingly wanting to stay with her once most trusted "master" amidst the continuous explosions.

But then a dazzling light burst forth before their eyes, enveloping the exploding Zenidal in a blanket-like manner.

The War Power - Fortify protects those Lightforged caught in the explosion within the rising Divine Shield.

Sphellax saw the figure emerge from the light.

In that instant, all her memories of the High Heaven surged through her mind, making her realize who the newcomer was.

Diakum!

He appeared at this perilous moment of betrayal, just as he had risen up more than 20,000 years ago when the demons invaded Argus; once again, he came to save these lost souls.

(End of this chapter)