Haldrim's fires still smoked in the distance as Liam and his companions moved eastward. The Blade of Heresy rested inside a sealed relic case, humming faintly, though quiet under layers of containment spells.
Despite the liberation, Liam's thoughts were restless.
For the past three nights, he had dreams—visions not of glory, but of decay. A sickly fog devouring cities. Statues of him crumbling into rot. A whispering voice muttering from behind a veil of pus:
"The light births shadows, and the faithful breed disease."
Rune's voice snapped him out of it. "We're approaching the Silt Marshes. The nearest town is Mirehold."
Seraphina furrowed her brow. "A forgotten place. That marsh has been dead for centuries. No prayers rise from it."
"Then what's drawing us there?" Kael asked.
Liam didn't answer right away.
Instead, he opened his system interface.
[Divine Compass: Active]Signal Source: Infected Faith DetectedOrigin: Apostle-Class Entity]
An apostle. A false priest blessed not by a god—but by a corruption of divinity.
Liam's hands clenched.
This was not a demon. This was something else.
They reached Mirehold by dusk.
It was more moss than town—buildings sunken halfway into the muck, people wandering like the dead, eyes glazed over, skin pale and cracked like old bark. And from the center, a church still stood.
Blackened vines crawled over its walls, pulsing with some inner rot. The bell tower leaned, groaning with every gust of wind.
At its gates, a figure knelt—face hidden behind a veil of wet cloth, body wrapped in rags stitched from priest robes.
When they neared, the figure spoke without looking up.
"So... the thief of heaven arrives. Welcome to the last parish."
Kael stepped forward, hand on his blade. "Identify yourself."
The figure slowly stood, pulling down the veil.
His skin was translucent. Black veins slithered underneath. His eyes were lidless, unblinking, but they glowed with eerie intelligence.
"I am Father Vorun, Apostle of the Rotfather. And this—this town—is my offering."
Liam raised his hand. The system buzzed.
[Analyzing Entity...]Name: Vorun, Apostle of RotClass: Aberrant DivineLevel: 86Corrupted Faith Pool: 42,000Status: Active Infection - Spreads rot via belief decay]
Seraphina's aura flared. "He's blending faith and disease!"
Vorun smiled.
"Yes. Belief is a perfect host. Hope weakens the flesh. Prayer becomes incubation. And you... god-child... are my plague's crown."
The earth beneath them pulsed. From the bog, dozens of twisted followers rose—limbs swollen, mouths stitched with holy thread, eyes leaking black tears.
Their chants echoed.
"Rot is peace. Decay is salvation. Flesh must fall."
[SYSTEM ALERT]Faith Corruption Field Detected – Reducing Divine Abilities by 35%Followers inside area will gradually lose faith unless shielded]
Liam's jaw tightened.
"They're infecting the system," he growled. "This isn't just blasphemy—it's a hack."
Rune nodded grimly. "We'll need to burn out the infection manually."
Liam raised his staff. "No more sermons. Let's end this."
The battle began in mud and nightmare.
Seraphina summoned a halo of searing gold, purging rot with every breath. Kael danced through the infected, his blade flashing like sunlight through storm clouds. Thalen cast sacred barriers to hold back the spreading blight.
But Vorun didn't fight with weapons.
He preached.
And every word twisted reality.
"Your bones remember the grave. Your soul is already compost. Kneel. Decay is divine."
Every chant warped the ground, turning puddles into mouths, trees into weeping effigies.
Liam's divine abilities struggled under the corrupted field. Even his high-level miracles sputtered.
But he had one advantage.
His people believed anyway.
He reached into the faith well.
Not for overwhelming power.
But for precision.
[System Cast: Faithflare – Targeted Immunity Field]Cost: 18,000 Faith PointsEffect: Protects nearby allies from faith decay. Doubles resistance to corrupted scripture.]
A burst of golden light radiated from his core. It didn't cleanse the marsh—it pushed back just enough.
His people rallied.
Kael's sword cut deeper.
Seraphina burned brighter.
Rune flung divine daggers that pierced rot-infested symbols mid-air.
Liam marched forward.
Vorun screeched, his mouth splitting wider than humanly possible.
"You deny rot—but you wear death like armor!"
Liam reached him and thrust the Blade of Heresy through Vorun's torso.
The apostle wailed, his body convulsing as divine judgment met corrupted faith.
"I was... blessed!"
"No," Liam said coldly. "You were used."
[Corrupted Entity Terminated]Faith Reclaimed: +24,000System Purge Executed – Infection Contained]
Mirehold fell silent.
The rot crumbled like wet paper. The followers collapsed—not dead, but free. The black threads faded from their veins.
For the first time in years, the marsh smelled like water instead of bile.
Later, Liam stood alone near the broken altar.
Seraphina approached him. "You did it again."
"No," Liam murmured. "I just stopped it from getting worse."
She touched his shoulder. "You still blame yourself?"
"I should. My power allows this. Every misuse is a shadow of my light."
"You can't stop every false god."
"But I can be the one they fear."
[STATS – LIAM CARSON]
Level: 85Strength: 395Speed: 379Endurance: 415Intelligence: 429Charisma: 327Divine Energy: 10,100 / 10,100Faith Points: 81,200Followers: 65,100Angels: 3Demons: 2Dominions: 5 Cities
New Ability:
Faithflare (Immunity Field) – Grants divine resistance against corrupted sermons or faith fields.
As dawn crested over Mirehold, Liam turned to face the horizon.
Ahead lay bigger cities. Stronger cults. Higher stakes.
But behind him walked angels, demons, believers, and warriors—people who chose him, not out of fear, but faith.
Even if the path ahead rotted under his feet, he would keep walking.
End of Chapter 56