NIP #375 - Chapter 109: Horses Trampling the Holy Temple (Part 3)
#375 - Chapter 109: Horses Trampling the Holy Temple (Part 3)
Upon the officers' command, the ranks of the Settigar soldiers parted. They roughly shoved the common folk aside with their shields, clearing the space in the middle. Then came the soldiers of House Rykker. Rykker rode forward and announced loudly, "I am Rykker Rykker, Earl of Duskendale, and I have come here to take my wife, Lyanna, home."
High Sparrow: "I am sorry! I have no right to hand her over to you, nor do you have the right to take her away from the face of the gods."
"That's right!"
"Atonement! Sinner!"
"Liar!"
"Blasphemer!"
"Murderer!"
"Rapist!"
"Bastard!"
The originally quiet crowd began to stir again, their emotions growing more and more agitated, as if they were about to clash with the army.
Liu Yuan watched the High Sparrow, a slight smile curving his lips. He raised his hand, signaling to the soldiers behind him. The soldiers turned around and began to beat the shouting crowd mercilessly. Although the longswords were not drawn, people were beaten until their heads were bleeding. They cried out and dodged backward, many being knocked down and trampled. The scene was chaotic, with some trying to escape and others screaming in terror.
However, Liu Yuan paid no attention to the chaos behind him. He spurred his horse forward, his gaze sweeping around, and said with disdain, "You are the new High Septon, the High Sparrow?" His voice was cold and deep, carrying an irresistible power, echoing through the air like thunder.
"I originally didn't care about your church stirring up trouble in King's Landing. Even if the merchant guilds of King's Landing closed, it wouldn't matter, there are plenty of places to make money. But you dared to touch my family, and that crosses my bottom line!" Liu Yuan's tone became more severe, his eyes flashing with the fire of anger. His words were like a sharp sword, piercing straight into people's hearts.
The High Sparrow looked at Liu Yuan expressionlessly, his eyes cold and firm. He knew he was facing a powerful enemy, but he was not afraid. He believed in the special status of the Faith of the Seven in Westeros, that even the king and those great families would not dare to attack the faith.
"Hand over the person! And pay my sister satisfactory compensation, and I will let you go." Liu Yuan's voice was icy and ruthless, his words revealing an unquestionable authority.
After a moment of silence, the High Sparrow said, "This is the Sept of the Gods. Marquis Garon, your worldly power is not recognized here. Lyanna of House Settigar has committed a sin before the gods and must accept repentance and punishment! Bring her up!"
As the High Sparrow's words fell, seven Starry Knights appeared before everyone. They walked over in magnificent armor, with three sisters surrounding Lyanna in their midst, pushing her onto the steps.
Lyanna's face was a little pale, but her spirits were good. On the other hand, the three sisters had patches of blue and purple on their faces, as if they had just been beaten. The corners of their mouths were still stained with blood, obviously having suffered cruel abuse.
"I'm here! Becotte, Garon, Rykker! I knew you would come for me." Lyanna's eyes lit up when she saw the array below, and she waved excitedly. Just then, a sister went to push her, but she dodged by turning her shoulder and kicking her leg, directly kicking the sister off the steps. Liu Yuan, Becotte, and Rykker all smiled knowingly. Lyanna was still so full of energy, it seemed she hadn't suffered in the church dungeon.
Lyanna broke free from her restraints and was about to run over. Several Starry Knights blocked her path, one reaching out to grab her arm.
"Let go of your dirty hand! You are not allowed to touch my sister." Liu Yuan's eyes were cold, and he snatched a spear from a soldier beside him, throwing it forcefully. The spear arrived in an instant, its silver light flashing, cutting off the knight's arm in two as easily as cutting butter. The speed was as fast as lightning, catching everyone off guard. Everyone was stunned, even the knight himself only realized the pain when the blood spurted out. They howled on the ground, clutching their arms, finally awakening the people present. Blood splattered, screams rang out, and the surrounding people were shocked, drawing their weapons and watching Liu Yuan and the others warily.
The High Sparrow was both shocked and angry at this scene. He shouted, "Garon! You dare to injure someone within the Great Sept, you are openly defying the will of the gods!" The Holy Swordsmen behind him stepped forward in unison, reaching out and drawing their Starry Swords, while the Starry Knights below also raised their weapons.
A cold smile appeared on the corner of Liu Yuan's mouth, and he responded without weakness, "The will of the gods? You clergy use the name of God to pursue your own selfish desires, and you still have the face to falsely claim the will of God! Alright, stop talking nonsense, are you going to hand over the person or not?"
At the same time, the black-armored soldiers quickly rushed to the front line, forming neat ranks. They were clad in heavy armor, with only their eyes exposed, making them look like steel behemoths. The atmosphere on the scene became even more tense because of their appearance, as if a great battle was about to break out. Just then, a rumbling sound of footsteps suddenly came from the distance. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and they saw huge figures slowly walking towards here.
"Giants! They are giants!" Naturally, there were people in the crowd who had seen the Giant Guard, and some timid ones had already quietly slipped away. The giants stood behind Liu Yuan, majestic, wearing golden armor, and holding large-sized long-handled battle axes, aggressively.
The High Sparrow shouted angrily, "Garon! What you are doing is simply blasphemy against the Seven Gods! If you dare to kill in this sacred place, you will be cursed by the gods! Today, not only your sister, but even you yourself will be judged by God! Our church will spread your actions to every corner of the Seven Kingdoms, so that everyone will know your evil deeds and despise your behavior!"
However, Liu Yuan just smiled slightly, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes. He said, "I am really curious, what gave you the courage to face me? Is it these sons of warriors who have never been on the battlefield and only bully small merchants? Or your fabricated so-called Seven Gods, do you think I care about those broken stone statues? Hahahaha..." After speaking, he let out a burst of mocking laughter.
His words were like a sharp sword, instantly piercing the hearts of everyone present. Those devout believers showed angry expressions on their faces, unable to tolerate this blasphemy against the gods. However, the High Sparrow felt an unprecedented crisis from these words.
He knew the influence and status of the Faith of the Seven. For thousands of years, with the expansion of the Andals, the power of the Faith of the Seven had spread almost throughout the entire continent of Westeros. No matter which kingdom it was, they did not dare to easily offend the authority of the church. Even Aegon the Conqueror, who unified the Seven Kingdoms, eventually chose to convert to the Faith of the Seven in exchange for religious support. And the cruel Maegor, who dared to attack the church, only used dragons to disarm the church, but never dared to touch the church's transcendent status.
But this man in front of him was so bold, openly challenging the authority of the church and despising the gods! The High Sparrow's gaze swept over the people who were squeezed aside by the soldiers, and then he looked up at the magnificent dome of the Great Sept of Baelor. He reaffirmed his belief - no matter what, he must not allow this person to shake the foundation of the church. He must maintain the dignity of the church and defend the glory of the Seven Gods!