At this moment, the riverbank was covered in white flags, fluttering violently in the wind—identical to the ones the monsters carried in their hands.
The altar, which had still been unfinished yesterday, was now somehow complete. Matthew and the others saw it was still under construction even this morning.
Now, the altar stood tall and ominous. Beneath it, a cage was already waiting—just large enough to hold a bride.
The river had revealed its true form. It no longer shimmered with a beautiful, clear blue but had turned murky and foul, exposing the heads of countless monsters lurking beneath.
Their faces tilted upward, eyes glowing beneath the surface, waiting eagerly for anything to be thrown into the water.
The sight almost made Julia want to scream in sheer despair.
And it was then she realized—she could move again.
But she didn't dare.
Two massive creatures still hovered threateningly beside her, so close she could barely even shift without them noticing.
