Chapter 143: Chapter 143: The Emissary of the God of Dreams
Silence weighed heavily on the fishing village. Only the creak of broken wood and the murmur of the sea accompanied Jax as he descended from the sky, his armor bathed in golden light. Every step echoed as if the earth itself recognized his authority.
The old man who had knelt looked up at him with teary eyes, trembling.
"Who... who are you?" he asked, barely a whisper.
Jax looked down at him, his deep and steady voice rising above the crowd.
"I am the divine emissary of the God of Dreams. I have come in His name to bring peace and hope to the noble and good men of this village. Your prayers have been heard, and your suffering will not go unnoticed."
A murmur spread among the villagers. Some stepped back in fear, others glanced at one another in disbelief.
"A god...? Here... in this forgotten place?" asked a woman, her face marked by hunger.
Jax extended a hand, and a soft light blossomed from his palm, bathing the crowd in a comforting warmth.
"The God of Dreams does not distinguish between kings or beggars. Every righteous soul deserves rest, food, and the promise of tomorrow. I have been sent to remind you that you are not alone."
A young fisherman, his clothes in tatters, stepped forward. "If what you say is true... then why allow the demons to destroy us? Where were you when my children died?"
His voice trembled in the air. Many lowered their heads, sharing the same pain.
Jax met his gaze without hesitation.
"The God of Dreams does not abandon His own. But His power can only touch this world through the faith of men. Every tear, every wish, every hope fuels the flame that allows me to be here. If you accept me, if you believe in me, your suffering will not be in vain. I will turn your nightmares into strength, and your pain into future."
The murmurs grew louder. Some villagers wept quietly, others clenched their jaws with restrained anger.
A little girl stepped forward, clutching a broken doll in her hands. Her innocent voice shattered the silence.
"If I dream... of my daddy who died, will he come back?"
The hearts of all trembled at her question.
Jax bent down, meeting her at eye level, and gently caressed her head.
"If you dream of him, little one... he will always be with you. And if you place your trust in the God of Dreams, perhaps one day your father will return to this world. For nothing is impossible to the one who rules over dreams."
The crowd held its breath. Hope, fragile yet burning, began to spark within their hearts.
The old man lifted his head, still kneeling.
"Then, emissary... what must we do to receive this blessing?"
Jax raised both hands to the sky, his voice rolling like restrained thunder.
"Believe. Let the God of Dreams dwell in your hearts. Offer Him your fears, your desires, your darkest nights... and He will turn them into light. I offer you salvation, but the key will always be your faith."
Knees began to bend. One by one, the villagers fell to the ground, prostrating themselves. Tears, whispers, and prayers filled the air.
The murmur of prayers was abruptly broken when the sound of rusty bells rang out from the far end of the village. The villagers turned, opening a passage among themselves.
A tall man appeared, clad in navy robes adorned with shells and oceanic symbols. His eyes burned with fury, and in his hand he held a ceremonial trident.
"Enough of this farce!" he roared, his voice cutting through the air like a violent wave.
"Foolish villagers, you’ve fallen into the trap of an impostor! I am the priest of the Ocean God, the sole guardian of these coasts. This man is a heretic who defiles the name of the true gods!"
The old man who had knelt faltered, uncertain. Many lowered their heads, caught between the spark of newfound faith and the fear of the sea’s wrath.
Jax watched him in silence, until a deep laugh escaped his lips. It was no ordinary laugh, but an echo that made the hearts of all who heard it vibrate.
"Heretic?" he repeated, with irony. He stepped forward, the light of his armor reflecting like an unyielding sun.
"You speak of authority, priest of the ocean... but tell me, where was your god when this village burned? Where was his compassion when men starved and the waves swallowed their ships? If your god truly ruled these waters, this place would not be a graveyard."
The priest raised the trident, his voice shaking with rage.
"Blasphemy! The Ocean God gives us life, gives us fish, gives us protection. If we have suffered, it is because we failed in our devotion. You are a demon disguised as a savior!"
Jax remained calm. His eyes glowed like embers in the twilight, and his voice descended like soft yet unbreakable thunder.
"Listen well to your own words. You say they suffer because they failed. Then he is not a god... he is a tyrant who feeds on their pain! The God of Dreams demands no sacrifices, no excuses. He offers rest, hope, and strength. I do not need to force, I do not need to threaten... for true faith is earned, not imposed."
The villagers glanced at one another. Their hearts wavered, like boats caught between two currents.
The priest slammed his trident into the ground, and the water in nearby barrels stirred violently, as if the sea itself responded to his fury.
"You dare question the ocean! He could sink you with a single gesture."
Jax lifted a hand, and the very air grew heavy, as if the dreams of everyone present materialized around them. Tiny sparks of light, like fragments of stars, floated above the villagers’ heads.
"And yet, here I stand. I do not fear the sea, nor its false prophet. The ocean belongs to the material world... but dreams belong to the soul. And the soul has no master but the god I serve."
A deadly silence fell. The villagers could not tear their eyes away from the confrontation.
For the first time, the priest of the ocean found no immediate answer. His lips trembled, but his words withered in his throat.
And Jax, tall and imposing, smiled calmly—like a god who had already won without ever raising a weapon.