Basement.
Poor quality candles burn and fill with smoke.
The High Sparrow sat cross-legged on a rough hemp mat, with the old book "Seven-Pointed Star" spread out in front of him. The candlelight danced in his deep-set eye sockets, making his thin face look like a living statue.
"We have a dozen fewer brothers and sisters."
At this time, one of the key staff said, "Old tumor Baer went to that House of Order yesterday", received porridge, and sent his wife to treat her cough."
"The widows in Steel Street, people from Corleone helped them repair their leaky roofs."
"And dockworkers, prostitutes, cobblers...
"Those guys can do anything. No matter who comes, they can receive food and get treatment if they are sick."
There was silence in the room.
Just a few days ago, they had more than a few hundred enthusiastic Faith Protectors, Fishermen's Square, Cured Meat Street, and Muddy Road, and each sermon could gather nearly a thousand people.
But now...
"The sheep will always get lost."
The High Sparrow was very calm, gently rubbing the rough pages of the scripture with his fingertips, as if he had not heard the bad news.
He did not raise his head, but his eyes remained on the Bible: "The temptations of the world, food, medicine, these are the devil's sweet poisonous bait. They feed the body but starve the soul."
"But... the High Sparrow."
"The bread we distributed is almost out, and the ingredients for the medicinal soup are also... That supplier has disappeared for three days. Recently, fewer and fewer people have come to listen to Gospel.
"So... you're starting to get suspicious."
Hearing the complaints from his men, the High Sparrow finally raised his eyes, like two deep wells. "Doubt our path, doubt the mission given to us by Seven God's Gift?"
"No! Of course not!" Everyone hurriedly denied.
Looking around, the High Sparrow slowly closed the book. "Remember, brothers and sisters."
"We are walking on a narrow road, a road of thorns. Those who choose the wide road and comfort have their souls marked with a price, a bowl of porridge, a few pieces of herbs, and a roof that does not leak."
"And we...
"We choose to bear the sins of the world. This is our glorious mission."
As he spoke, he stood up, his linen robe hanging down to his ankles. "How is Flea Bottom? Are people's tongues still spreading the truth?"
The subordinates immediately replied, "According to your instructions, we have had people spread the truth, and the effect is very good."
"That Vito·Corleone has been regarded by many people as the incarnation of the devil. Some people say that he performed a sacrificial ceremony at House of Order in the middle of the night, mixing the baby's blood with the medicinal soup."
"Some people say that he is actually a blood witch from across the narrow sea. His gray eyes can capture people's souls."
"Some people say that the Dothraki wild man next to him has to eat a living heart every week, otherwise he will go crazy...
"Very good."
The High Sparrow nodded slightly and narrowed his pupils. "If a lie is repeated a thousand times, fools will take it as the truth. What we have to do is... take back the temple before the truth is completely tainted!"
As he spoke, he took out a roll of parchment from his arms and unfolded it under the candlelight.
It was a simple floor plan that looked like some grand building.
"The time has come, brothers and sisters."
His eyes fell somewhere on the parchment. The High Sparrow's voice was still calm, but seemed to be slightly trembling.
"We have received definite news that the current Archbishop suffered a stroke. Tomorrow night, seven Archbishop and twelve senior monks will hold a closed-door meeting in the inner hall of Sept to elect a new Archbishop!"
"What!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone present was overjoyed.
In a sense, although these monks are registered in the church, they have not been able to settle in Sept and can only be regarded as "casual monks".
But just after the war broke out, this monk who claimed to have traveled all over the Seven Kingdoms barefoot came to King's Landing and united them to form a very powerful force.
If we can take advantage of the Archbishop's stroke to push the High Sparrow to the top...
"Is the source... of the information reliable?"
An old nun swallowed her saliva and asked.
The High Sparrow glanced at her and did not answer directly.
Because the person who provided him with the information was a knight whose eldest son was violated by a high-ranking monk. Justice was not served, and he collapsed. Now Tian needs to take the "soothing potion" he provided in order to fall asleep.
Absolutely reliable.
"Tomorrow night, there will be one hundred and twenty of the most devout brothers and sisters lurking around Sept, and there will be less than ten guards by then."
"One hundred and two against ten, the advantage is mine!"
He raised his head and scanned every face with his eyes. Everyone's expressions were firmly remembered by him. Anyone who dared to show the slightest hesitation would be dealt with afterwards.
"We will step into Sept, brothers and sisters."
"Let the bishops who wear silk robes, eat preserves, talk about theology but never go hungry, see with their own eyes what true... faith is."
The High Sparrow opened his arms, as if he was already standing on Altar!
The next night, the moon was as round as a Silver Stag, hanging high on the top of the seven-pointed star of Baile Great Sept.
In the shadows at the edge of Sept Square, a large, dark crowd was rushing in. Everyone was wearing dark clothes and holding various weapons in their hands.
Axes, hatchets, and even a few stolen Longsword.
Their strides were exaggerated, everyone's eyes seemed to be burning with fire, and their expressions were extremely excited.
"Sure enough, everything is just as you said, High Sparrow!"
A monk came over, his voice trembling with excitement. "There are only eight guards, and they are all dozing off. The door is not locked at all!"
Hearing this, the High Sparrow nodded.
It went so smoothly that it made him feel a little uneasy in his heart, but he immediately suppressed it.
This is fate.
He said to himself, the seven gods chose me, because only those who have truly experienced suffering can understand the sacredness of suffering.
And I... am my destiny!
As he walked closer and closer, he seemed to have seen himself standing on the main altar of the Great Temple of Baelor, preaching to the kneeling believers filling the hall.
The golden lion of Casterly Rock, the Rose of Highgarden, the sun of Dorne... all nobles must prostrate themselves under the will of the Seven Gods!
At this moment, the midnight bell sounded in the distance.
"The time has come."
The High Sparrow raised his hand, without words, just a simple gesture.
The crowd flocked to Sept like a tide.
The door was indeed unlocked, and the Faith Protectorss opened the door roughly, revealing a dimly lit corridor with no one in the queue, and the sound of footsteps echoed between the stone walls.
The High Sparrow walked in the middle, and his bare feet stepped on the smooth marble floor for the first time, but he did not feel cold.
With every step he took, he felt closer to his destiny.
They passed through the nave.
The reliefs of the Seven Gods watched silently on both sides of the corridor, and the stained glass was glowing under the moonlight. It was eerily quiet in Sept, and only heavy breathing and footsteps could be heard.
The door to the inner hall is right in front. Two thick oak doors are engraved with the content of "Seven-Pointed Star", and warm candlelight shines through the cracks in the doors.
The monk looked back at the High Sparrow, and after receiving a nod, he pushed the door open.
The inner hall is smaller than expected.
A long ebony table occupies the center, with seven Archbishop sitting in a circle and twelve high-level monks standing beside it.
Sure enough.
The High Sparrow couldn't help but purse his lips slightly. This was exactly what the intelligence said.
The door was pushed open, and nineteen pairs of eyes turned around.
Archbishop, who was sitting in the main seat, had gray hair. He didn't panic when he saw the High Sparrow and others breaking in. He just said slowly, "Bringing weapons and breaking into Sept's inner hall without permission is a felony, do you know?"
Upon hearing this, the High Sparrow stepped forward, his linen robes sweeping across the smooth floor. The Faith Protectorss quickly dispersed, surrounded the long table, and aimed their weapons at the bishops.
"We know the crime very well, Bishop."
He came to the top of the long table, where the archbishop usually sat, and pulled up his chair. Shi Shiran sat down and glanced at all Archbishop: "We sleep with sin every day. Hunger is a sin, disease is a sin, and being born in this filthy world is a sin in itself."
His attitude made the old bishop narrow his eyes slightly and asked, "What do you want?"
"The Seven Gods gave us revelation."
The High Sparrow straightened up, and the candlelight illuminated his face from below. His thin face looked more and more like a saint in the doctrine.
"This church is rotten to the marrow. It needs not just reform, but... purification."
"And the purification will begin tonight."
As soon as these words came out, the Faith Protectorss roared in unison, and their weapons struck the ground.
Boom, boom, boom.
The rhythm is slow and heavy, like the drumbeat at a funeral.
Surrounded by the momentum, a younger bishop pointed at him tremblingly. "You... you want to be the archbishop?"
"I don't want to"."
The High Sparrow corrected him, staring at the luxurious seven-pointed star necklace around the old bishop's neck. "It is the will of the Seven Gods!"
"Through the cries of the poor, the groans of the sick, and the deaths of babies, He communicated to me that it was time for someone who truly understood sin and punishment to take charge of this church."
As soon as these words came out, the bishops were silent for a long time.
The old bishop's eyes glanced at the surrounding Faith Protectors, glanced at the simple but deadly weapons in their hands, and finally fell back on the High Sparrow's face.
"I've heard of you, High Sparrow."
He spoke, slowly took off the seven-pointed star necklace around his neck, and placed it on the ebony table.
"You preach among the poor, humiliate women with shameful rituals, and fool the people with your so-called gifts."
"You said that people are born with sin, so are you... also sin itself?"
After he finished speaking, there was silence in the hall at first, and then, the fanatical Faith Protectorss burst into violent rebuke.
The High Sparrow is the leader in their hearts, and they will never allow anyone to insult them, not even Archbishop!
"Stop!"
Just when everyone was filled with indignation and clamored to cut the old bishop into mincemeat, the High Sparrow signaled for them to be quiet.
Then, looking at the old bishop's wrinkled face, he smiled.
"You don't understand, Bishop."
He spoke softly, "Those are not sins, they are medicines, just like the Doctor cuts the rotten flesh with a red-hot knife. The patient will scream and curse, but it is to save his life."
"The pain I give is to save their souls."
"And atonement requires blood and tears, public humiliation, physical pain, and complete self-denial!"
"That's right, people are born with sin, their filth begins in the womb, and I have washed away my sins through decades of penance!"
Speaking of this, the High Sparrow looked around at the nineteen church leaders and said in an unquestionable tone, "Now, right here, in the name of the Seven Gods, elect me as the new Archbishop."
"You can choose to refuse, but in that case, I will regard this as the failure of the Seven Gods' final test on you."
"And losers...
Before he finished speaking, the weapons in Faith Protectors's hands were raised another inch, and their posture was about to fall.
Seeing the seven Archbishop looking at each other, a look of determination flashed in the eyes of the High Sparrow.
But just then.
A sharp sound broke through the air.
Poof!
The arrow accurately penetrated the chest of Faith Protectors who was closest to the old bishop. The man looked down at the trembling arrow feathers on his chest, opened his mouth, and then fell straight down.
This...
The High Sparrow's pupils contracted violently, but before anyone could react, the second, third, and fourth pupils...
In just a short moment, arrows rained down like rain.
They were all military-standard crossbows. The Faith Protectorss had no armor protection and fell in pieces!
"Ambush!" someone screamed, and the crowd began to get confused.
But they had hardly any training, and they couldn't even dodge. The screams and the sounds of falling to the ground were all mixed together.
After a round of volleys, something even more incredible happened.
The twelve "high-level monks" standing there, as well as the six Archbishop except the old bishop, suddenly tore off their robes, revealing the bright red armor underneath!
Under the light of the fire, the golden lion on the chest shines brightly!
Lannister!
The High Sparrow was stunned, completely losing the ability to think. He sat dumbly in the position of the Archbishop, watching the knights pull out weapons from under the long table and chop at their Faith Protectorss!
Their movements were uniform, concise and efficient, and they were obviously very elite. The Faith Protectorss, who had almost never been trained, could not survive a single round under the sword!
Even those who are brave enough are completely unable to penetrate the opponent's thick armor with their weapons.
Then, Sept all the doors opened at the same time, and countless soldiers wearing mail armor and golden robes rushed in crazily!
Fake..
It's all fake!
Only now did the High Sparrow understand.
The election was a sham.
The bishop is fake.
The information is false.
The only thing really is this... trap specially prepared for him!
The High Sparrow stood up excitedly, but felt the world was spinning. He held on to the long ebony table to keep from falling.
All around, the battle... or rather the massacre is coming to an end.
One hundred and twenty Faith Protectors, in front of the fully armed Lannister Knights and golden robes, were defenseless and fell in pieces like wheat.
In the end, less than twenty of them were still alive, and they were forced to kneel in the corner and beg for mercy.
And he, standing in a pool of blood on the ground, looked like a fool.
"Why...
He murmured, completely unable to accept this cruel reality. "Impossible... absolutely impossible...
"Nothing is impossible."
Just then, a voice came from the door.
The High Sparrow looked up and saw the man wearing a black robe, walking in from the Sept gate, leisurely and leisurely, as if he was wandering in the living room of his own garden.
He was playing with a Gold Dragon in his hand. As he walked past corpses and bloodstains, he carefully avoided the pool of blood, as if he didn't want to get his boots dirty.
The High Sparrow's lips trembled.
He wanted to speak, but no sound came out.
"You play with people's hearts, distort doctrines, and trespass into this Game of Thrones. You think you are climbing the peak, but in fact, you have not even touched the bottom of the mountain."
The crowd separated automatically. Corleone walked up to the High Sparrow step by step, looked into his empty eyes, and grinned. "As a shoemaker's son, Marlos, I have to say that you have done a good enough job, but it is a pity."
"In this Game of Thrones, the only thing you can do is...
"Shine my shoes!"