Heart-Dream Aspect

Upon seeing the gift, Diana's delicate azure pupils constricted sharply, and her fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

The wooden box nearly slipped from her grasp, but fortunately, her reflexes were sharp enough to regain control of her hand muscles.

The smile on Logan's face, standing beside her, also stiffened. He clearly had not expected the gift to be this; his brows furrowed instantly, and just as he was about to speak, Bishop Tarik began to explain:

"Do not be afraid. This is one of the holy relics of the Church of Divine Grace."

"My dear Logan, did you not say you wished for your daughter to become a Beyonder?"

"Carry this eyeball for a week. If she does not suffer any mental issues as a result, then she has the qualifications to become a Beyonder."

"Bishop Tarik, do not joke with me. What does carrying something like this have to do with becoming a Beyonder?" Logan stared at Bishop Tarik sternly.

Although he wanted his daughter to step into the extraordinary, he would not gamble with her mental state.

The latter heard this and merely smiled, shaking his head without further explanation, giving the Mayor time to compose himself.

"Diana, return the item to Bishop Tarik. We will not participate in this test."

However, Diana's fingertips pressed gently on the lid of the box, and with a click, she closed it again and pulled her hand back.

"No, I think Bishop Tarik is right. If one wants to become a Beyonder, one must go through some trials; one cannot always hide in a safe place."

Bishop Tarik raised an eyebrow, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

He had originally expected this seemingly fragile girl to be frightened enough to throw it away, but he had not expected her to possess such firm willpower.

The persuasion he had prepared for Logan was now useless, and the look he gave Diana held a hint of deeper inquiry.

Just a moment ago, the instant Ivan saw the eyeball, he had associated it with another aspect of the Church of Divine Grace, pointing toward the Beyonder abilities of the Eyes of the Lord.

It is actually an eyeball. Could it be an extraordinary material similar to God Blood...

"Diana, accept it. Our church has other uses for it." Ivan's voice echoed in Diana's mind.

She recovered from the fear and shock of seeing the eyeball and, without questioning, followed the revelation of the Lord and accepted the gift.

"Diana, you..." Hearing Diana's response, Mr. Logan opened his eyes wide in astonishment.

He knew his daughter was interested in mysterious things and had a strong capacity for acceptance, but he had not expected it to be this strong.

It was even faster than his own acceptance as a father. One had to remember that this was a bizarre eyeball, and according to Bishop Tarik's description, it seemed capable of affecting a person's sanity.

Logan stared at the eerie eyeball with furrowed brows, while a conversation from a private banquet two days ago suddenly echoed in his ears.

The banquet hall that day had soft lighting, with the sound of clinking wine glasses and laughter intertwined.

Father Tarik, wearing a low-key black clerical robe, sat across from him with a gentle and resolute expression.

"My dear Father Tarik," he said, holding his wine glass, his voice lowered.

"The cult activities in the city have been so rampant lately. City Hall has dispatched a great deal of manpower and resources, yet we have never caught a trace of the cultists... You know as well as I do that public panic is spreading, which is very detrimental to our public order."

Father Tarik smiled lightly and raised his glass to toast him, the wine tracing an elegant arc against the glass.

"Do not worry, my dear Mr. Mayor," his voice carried an unquestionable power of reassurance.

"I guarantee that the Church of Divine Grace will ensure the safety of the public and root out the cultists from the city as soon as possible. After all, this is our sacred mission."

The Bishop's eyes narrowed into slits, his smile deepening. "If you are truly worried, I have some items here that can protect you and your family from the harm of the cultists..."

His memory was somewhat blurred; he could no longer recall the rest of the conversation.

He only remembered Bishop Tarik inviting him and his daughter to a special service and saying he would give Diana some magical items to help her become some sort of Beyonder...

Yet, this bizarre, bloodshot eyeball with its horizontal pupil was far from the "magical" items he had imagined.

What is going on? How could I have agreed to the Bishop's invitation without asking for clarification?

Unease surged like a tide in his heart. He even forgot his usual composure, his tone becoming more urgent:

"Bishop, what... what creature's eyeball is this?"

"A sheep."

Tarik's reply was brief and calm.

Logan suddenly realized; no wonder the shape of the pupil felt so strange—it was a sheep's eye.

Even so, his worry did not diminish; it only intensified.

"Bishop, if I may be so bold as to ask, what exactly is a Beyonder? You know I cannot let my daughter take an unknown risk."

Tarik nodded with a smile, as if he had expected this question, and explained slowly:

"A Beyonder, as the name implies, is someone who transcends the mundane and possesses magical power."

"They receive the grace of the Lord, build a connection with the aspect of the Lord, and through specific rituals or trials, concoct magic potions using extraordinary materials to ultimately obtain various powers."

"They establish a connection with a certain 'aspect' through specific rituals or trials, thereby gaining abilities that surpass those of ordinary people."

Tarik's gaze shifted between Diana and Logan as he continued:

"And the aspect I belong to is the Heart-Dream Aspect, a magical ability obtained by following the guidance of the Eyes of the Lord."

"One can possess certain magical abilities related to the heart and dreams."

Outside the church, Ivan nodded in surprise. As expected, the process of an ordinary person becoming a Beyonder is basically consistent with my deductions.

He simply hadn't expected Bishop Tarik to reveal the secrets of Beyonders so easily.

"However, the situation where I bestowed Beyonder abilities upon Little George and Diana is a bit unique; perhaps it has opened up an entirely new path?"

Diana stood beside her father, her large eyes blinking repeatedly until she finally could no longer contain herself:

"Respected Bishop Tarik, if I pass this trial, will I also be able to obtain a Magic Potion from the Church and become a Beyonder of the Heart-Dream Aspect?"

Seeing the young girl's good intuition, Tarik nodded with satisfaction: "That is correct."

"Praise the great Lord!" Diana clasped her hands together and tapped her heels against the floor, appearing extremely excited.

"You should say, praise the Eyes of the Lord..." Tarik added with kind intentions.

The girl seemed not to have heard him, remaining with her eyes closed in piety. Bishop Tarik shook his head, not minding the young girl's irreverence.

Logan stood to the side, still feeling somewhat uneasy as he looked at Diana:

"My dear little Diana, isn't this a bit too dangerous?

I believe the cultists within the city will soon be rooted out by the Church's Beyonders using their miraculous powers; there is no need for us to get involved in these mysterious matters."

He had only assumed he was overcome by the wine, which was why he had agreed to let his daughter become a Beyonder. Now that he thought about it, such a thing was far too dangerous.

The air was permeated with the scent of church incense, intertwined with the smell of aged wood, appearing both solemn and oppressive.

After a long silence, Diana seemed to have made up her mind and slowly spoke:

"Father, don't you understand yet? We need power to protect ourselves and our family.

Otherwise, we can only be like we were back then, watching helplessly as Mother was murdered by those villains..."