Chapter 105: Avril’s First Prayer, Moved to Tears

Standing before the grand entrance of Lynn Church—

Avril’s delicate body trembled slightly with excitement.

It took her a while to calm her emotions before she gently pushed open the heavy doors.

In that instant—

She held her breath.

The towering dome seemed to connect directly to Heaven.

Countless radiant beams poured down through the stained-glass windows—

Crimson gold, deep azure, emerald green…

They danced and rippled upon the marble tiles, smooth as a mirror.

Like living spirits of light, they flowed and leapt,

Turning the entire space into a moving painting of Holy Light.

As her gaze wandered—

Avril saw, on a wide open space by the side,

A group of young women dressed in white nun robes trimmed with gold.

They were softly singing hymns.

Their voices were pure and ethereal,

Like mountain springs, like angels whispering.

Every note carried a power that soothed the heart,

Gently echoing within the vast church.

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass,

Casting a hazy golden glow upon their figures, sacred and unearthly.

Rows of pearwood pews held scattered residents.

Some sat with eyes closed in silent prayer; some clasped their hands together.

Every face bore pure tranquility and devotion.

The slanting sunlight stretched their silhouettes long,

Blending perfectly into the solemnity of the church.

Avril knew—

This was the quiet hour Sister Liz had told her about.

When the fewest believers came, and it was best for first-time pilgrims to calm their hearts.

Finally—

Avril stepped forward.

Her steps were light, yet carried the solemn weight of a pilgrim’s devotion.

Each step fell upon patches of light, as if she were treading a stairway leading to the divine realm.

Her heartbeat pounded wildly within her chest.

An indescribable excitement surged through her,

Filling her cheeks with a faint flush.

Holding back tears that nearly overflowed, Avril fixed her gaze firmly toward the deepest part of the church.

There—

Stood a vague Angel Statue.

It was neither gilded nor ornate, its face hidden within an eternal halo, indistinct and mysterious.

But that posture of broken wings—

That timeworn figure, still radiating divine golden brilliance—

Emanated an awe-inspiring holiness beyond any finely carved idol!

It was the symbol of the Sanctuary, the anchor of faith, the embodiment of the Angel’s will!

Without a trace of hesitation—

Avril walked before the statue.

She lifted the hem of her mage robe, and bent her knees.

Piously, she knelt upon the cold, smooth stone floor.

Her forehead touched the ground lightly—

Feeling that ancient chill, while her heart blazed with reverent heat.

“Exalted Angel…”

She closed her eyes.

Her voice trembled faintly.

“Your humble servant, Avril Hernandez, offers her most devout prayer…”

“May I serve Your radiance with all I have learned in this life, and pursue the true path of Light…”

The prayer began.

At first, there was only the familiar silence and the stirring of her heart.

But soon—

A strange, unprecedented sensation quietly permeated Avril’s being.

Warmth.

A warmth that seemed to rise from the depths of her soul began spreading through her body.

It was unlike the cold, deliberate focus of absorbing magical elements during meditation—

Nor like the exhilarating surge of growing power.

It was more like the gentle sunlight of winter, softly wrapping around her.

Dispelling the fatigue of her long journey, soothing the last trace of uncertainty and hesitation within.

This power—gentle yet pure—

Carried the sacred breath of Holy Light, spreading slowly but firmly,

Merging into her limbs and bones, seeping into the very essence of her spirit.

Avril’s heart quaked!

She tried, as she would in meditation,

To guide or accelerate the flow of this power.

But to her astonishment—she found it completely futile.

This power of Holy Light seemed to have a life and will of its own.

It moved and grew by itself—

Needing no guidance from her.

It flowed as naturally as breathing, as effortlessly as blood through veins.

No need to worry about cultivation speed!

No need to fret over slow accumulation!

Everything… simply came as it should!

The feeling was incredible!

It overturned everything Avril had known in her two decades as a magician!

For all her life, she had believed—

That the path of transcendence was extraordinarily difficult.

That talent was a chasm separating countless dreamers from the extraordinary.

Only one in ten thousand could sense magic and become a magician.

Even the path of knights required aptitude and relentless practice.

How many spent their entire lives lingering at the threshold?

Yet here—

In this Sanctuary, bathed eternally in the Angel’s Holy Light—

One needed only to kneel devoutly, offering the simplest, purest prayer—

And that very threshold to transcendence,

That longed-for First-tier path sought by millions—

Opened wide before Avril!

So easily, so naturally!

The power of Holy Light was embracing her, transforming her,

Making her part of itself!

“T-this… this is…”

Avril choked inwardly, overwhelmed by disbelief and elation.

“This is… the Angel’s blessing to us humble believers?!”

No need for talent!

No harsh conditions!

No unimaginable cost!

As long as one’s heart held faith, as long as one stood beneath the Holy Light—

Anyone could gain this chance to step beyond the ordinary!

Such grace—

So generous! So magnificent!!

In that instant—

Avril finally understood!

Understood why every resident of Holy Light Town,

Man or woman, young or old, carried a faint yet pure radiance within them!

Understood why the farmers toiling in the fields, the blacksmiths sweating at their forges, the scholars teaching children—

All had eyes that shone with hope and strength!

The answer was here!

Here, within this very church!

Within this silent yet all-encompassing grace of the Angel!

“O Angel…”

Avril could no longer hold back her surging emotions.

Hot tears slipped silently from her tightly shut eyes.

She offered every word of praise she could think of,

Pouring them out to the supreme being in her heart—

“You are the only beacon in the age of darkness, the hand of salvation reaching from the abyss of despair!”

“Your mercy is as vast as the starry heavens, Your power enough to reshape the laws of the world!”

“What You grant us is not merely strength—but hope! And dignity!”

“You give every humble life the right to stand tall and pursue the light!”

“Praise You! Exalted Angel!”

“Your glory shall shine across the entire Bromley Continent!”

Her inner voice—

Was like the most devout hymn echoing through the depths of her soul.

That pure faith and gratitude flowed forth invisibly,

Merging into the ocean of belief permeating the church.

……

Someone who had been secretly listening—

Even with his usual thick skin—

Could not help but feel a little embarrassed at that moment.

“Ahem, this girl… she’s really sincere, huh.”

Lynn muttered under his breath, “It’s just a passive aura effect, and she’s praising it like I’m the Creator…”

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