"I Invoke Thee, Oh Chaos!"
Glen muttered under his breath, clasping the Array Talisman between his hands. Immediately, the small red patch on the paper where his blood had dropped came alive, the crimson lines stretching across the complex runes and symbols.
In the very next moment, Glen felt a powerful wave of heat surge through his body. He felt the Talisman pulse in rapid bursts, matching exactly with his racing heartbeat.
Then, a strange sensation came over him as the slip of paper in his hands began disintegrating. It was as though something stirred through both his body and his surroundings. The air suddenly felt heavy. This only lasted a few seconds before the Talisman completely vanished from his hands and everything returned to normal.
Glen felt the Talisman disappear and instinctively looked down, only to flinch in shock and amazement.
Stretching his arms in front of him, Glen saw that his hands were… missing. Or rather, his hands could no longer be seen by the naked eye. He lowered his gaze further, scanning his entire body.
He was invisible.
Glen's eyes brightened.
It actually works! he thought in awe, before focusing on the task at hand without wasting another moment. After all, there was a limit.
Glen cautiously opened the door of his quarters, moving slowly, unwilling to take more risks than necessary. According to his plan, he had just enough time.
Fortunately, no one was in the vicinity. Normally, that would not have been the case, but Glen had an obvious clue as to why it was so that day. Since everyone had been told to remain in their quarters, this was to be expected.
Glen sighed in relief. His plan would proceed far more smoothly without anyone roaming about. Still, he was not entirely certain how reliable the Talisman truly was.
Glen walked neither too fast nor too slow as he made his way toward the main hall. He left the rear annex easily and felt a faint tingling sensation in his nose. The delicious smell of porridge and fresh bread drifted from the nearby hall—which was, in truth, the cathedral's large kitchen.
The cathedral kitchen was already preparing large quantities of food to be distributed to the poor as charity. It was bustling, with people moving in and out in haste, all looking busy and preoccupied.
Glen carefully passed by the kitchen hall, paying close attention to his surroundings to avoid accidentally bumping into someone. Fortunately, no one saw him as he strolled through the corridor.
Feeling the urgency of time, Glen increased his pace slightly. The inner courtyard was mostly vacant; only a few servants stood conversing in low voices.
The closer Glen drew to the nave of the Cathedral, the quieter and more desolate it felt.
At the periphery of the outer courtyard, Paladins in white-clad armor stood guard, causing Glen to freeze in his tracks.
He hesitated for a moment, knowing how terrifying the Paladins were. They were like Ascendant knights—but perhaps even more fearsome, for they could wield Divine power.
Glen calmed himself, held his breath, and began walking slowly on his tiptoes. He had been told that for ten minutes, the Array Talisman would grant him absolute concealment—but he was unsure whether that protection extended to the Paladins' heightened senses.
As he crossed the outer courtyard, Glen kept his eyes fixed on the two Paladins at the exit. They were as disciplined as ever—like machines or Zeishu trees, firm and unmoving. Their spines were straight as pines, their eyes sharp as wolves behind their helmets, and their white armor imposing as a mountain.
Despite all of that, they could not see Glen. In fact, it was as though a thin layer of film separated Glen's body from the outside world, completely removing his presence from his surroundings.
Glen felt both excitement and amazement at the sight. Growing more confident, he slipped past the Paladins and quickened his pace once more.
He made his way into the main Cathedral building and hurried through the narrow corridors, finally reaching the nave.
Glen had never seen so many Paladins gathered in one place before. The nave itself was mostly empty, but Paladins lined the walls on all sides.
Even with the Array Talisman concealing him, Glen struggled to remain calm. Looking toward the Altar, he saw High Priest Velenor emerge from the apse behind the Sanctuary, a scepter in one hand and a Grail in the other, his expression unusually grave.
Feeling as though he were brushing past death itself, Glen moved excruciatingly slowly, walking gingerly in front of the Paladins, positioning himself as far as possible from the High Priest and Priest Phelipe near the altar.
From behind a wide pillar near the entrance of the Cathedral, Glen watched with wide eyes and listened closely, his ears keen and alert.
Pressing himself against the cold stone, Glen held his breath as the High Priest ascended the steps to the altar. He placed the silver-white, seemingly ceremonial Grail atop it and dropped to his knees.
Behind him, Priest Phelipe stood silently, eyes closed, hands clasped before him, lips moving slowly—murmuring a prayer.
The High Priest raised the scepter high toward the Altar, his own lips moving as well, though Glen could not discern the words.
Then, slowly, a sacred atmosphere descended upon the entire hall.
Not only Glen—even the rigid, machine-like Paladins flinched slightly, as if struck by something unseen.
The scepter began to glow radiantly. Along with it, the metal sigils and symbols hung upon the cathedral walls shimmered faintly. Specks of warm, holy light began to rain down over the altar, accumulating into a hazy, flowing mist that gathered within the hollow of the Grail.
Glen's nerves tightened.
He had been counting the seconds since leaving his quarters, and his time was nearly exhausted. Gritting his teeth in silence, he chose to gamble—to wait until the last possible moment that would still allow him to return safely before the Talisman's effect faded.
Meanwhile, the specks of holy light descending from the ceiling thickened, congealing into a semi-luminescent liquid within the Grail.
The High Priest lowered the scepter in visible fatigue, his face pale and drawn. Without hesitation, he rose and lifted the Grail to his lips.
At that exact moment, Glen's internal countdown reached zero.
He did not hesitate.
He turned to leave.
As the Paladins focused entirely upon the miraculous ritual—watching as the High Priest drank the glowing liquid, his body twitching violently and his eyes rolling back before returning to normal—Glen slipped away silently, his heart pounding so fiercely it felt ready to burst.
Now fully confident in the Array Talisman's concealment, Glen hurried back toward his quarters, no longer moving with the exaggerated caution he had shown before.
Reaching his chamber, he eased the wooden door open just wide enough to slip inside. The instant he stepped in and shut it behind him, the effects of the Array Talisman wore off abruptly.
His body became visible once more.
Glen found himself drenched in sweat, his face pale, his heart still racing uncontrollably. He quickly grabbed a small pot of cold water and drank it in one long gulp before stumbling onto his bed.
Finally, Glen exhaled the breath he had been holding.
Even though his body and mind were utterly exhausted, his eyes gleamed with exhilaration and relief as he stared blankly at the plain ceiling, the cool morning breeze drifting in through the window and drying the sweat upon his face.