Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Inside Nature’s Residence.
Annick, Heidi, Jurisian and the rest of the team had returned to the tree houses, and Katrina, Sprint and the other sorcerers had also come back in a hurry, because it would be easy for Atlant to protect them when they were gathered.
The corruption and demonization of a legendary druid was the most severe matter for elves in the past hundreds of years. It was even more astounding than the partial pollution of the elvish tree. Therefore, they had to be braced for all kinds of scenarios.
“I didn’t know that Mr. Ferragond, a level-two legendary druid, could be possessed by the devils, too. Didn’t our teacher say that the seven primeval devils couldn’t have been stronger than top legendary?” Pacing back and forth in her tree house, Heidi said in shock and excitement.
Annick analyzed calmly. “Our teacher drew the conclusion from files and the incidents of devil projections. He never met any of the seven primeval devils in person. Also, it remains to be seen whether or not the primeval devils exist. Perhaps, they are only the representations of the negative feelings in everyone’s heart, and they differ among people. It may be an abstract reference that does not indicate any real existence.”
“Legendary druids are also intelligent creatures. They have their own joy, sorrow, hate and pain. It’s perfectly normal that the devils projected into him. Also, as the leader of Nature’s Abhorrence, Ferragond has gathered hate for hundreds of years. It’s not strange that such a thing happened to him.” Sprint did not witness what happened and therefore didn’t feel anything wrong.
Katrina and the other sorcerers also thought so. They nodded in agreement.
“The problem is that the investigation went too well and the result came too easily. It’s really not like the planning of a legend.” Heidi spoke with her hands in her back, as if she were a senior officer in the police department of Holm.
Alferris examined the ‘sparkling stones’ that he ‘borrowed’ from Martha’s tree house and said casually, “Even if she had been possessed by the devil of abhorrence, Martha’s performance could hardly be called qualified. Unless her intellect was congenitally deficient, she must’ve had other purposes.”
He was the senior-rank sorcerer in the Congress that dealt with the primeval devils earliest, and he had a deep understanding about their cunningness.
“Alferris, are you suggesting that Martha slandered Ferragond on the purpose? Then who’s the real mastermind?” His eyes glittering, Annick looked at Ferragond.
The little crystal dragon counted the ‘sparkling gems’ in his paws and replied unconcernedly. “How can I know who the mastermind is now that Martha has died in self-detonation? However, it is possibly true that Ferragond was corrupted in public. After the pollution of the elvish tree is cured and Lankshear kills him, our mission will be accomplished successfully.”
My journey will also come to a perfect, fruitful end!
As for what the truth is, that is only the concern of Lucien and the other sorcerers!
At this moment, Iristine, who didn’t look too well, flew in and said in a low voice, “Thank you for figuring out who the mastermind is. If the escalation weren’t stopped, all the elves would’ve been at risk. I have reported the issue to my mother. She asked me to forward her gratitude to you.”
“You’re welcome, Your Highness. There’s no need to worry. Ferragond was heavily wounded and certainly cannot escape from Mr. Lankshear. After his death, the pollution of the elvish tree will be purged. Yes. Everything will be fine.” Heidi comforted Iristine
Hardly had she concluded her sentence when green light emitted from the wood wall of the tree houses. Firefly-like spots flew out and decorated the room as if it were a dreamland, making everybody feel peace and tranquility from the bottom of their heart. All their negative feelings seemed to have been removed.
“Well…”
“What happened?”
Exclamations of surprise echoed. Heidi and Katrina looked out of the tree house in surprise, only to discover that bright green ‘ripples’ were flowing in the whole forest. While bringing peace and tranquility to the place, they had added to the haziness and holiness of Nature’s Residence.
In the meantime, hollow, jolly songs came from leaves, trunks, roots and bushes, making everybody forget their worries.
In such a dreamy scene, Alferris waved his claws, hoping to capture and collect the firefly-like spots. Iristine, on the other hand, looked at the rising pure greenness at the center of the lake and said in delight, her worries gone, “The pollution of the elvish tree has been removed!”
Inside Nature’s Residence, the elves forgot their worries and danced amidst the light spots and greenness. Among them, the followers of Nature’s Residence seemed to be struggling, and dark hair emerged from their soul and moved far away into the void.
After the air was completely eliminated, they all put on a smile of relief and easiness, as if a rock that burdened their heart for a long time had finally been moved away!
Inside the prison, the elves who had been screaming hatefully and miserably gradually calmed down. Black air surged, and scales dropped. Their tattoos also constricted, not as devastating as before.
They felt the inner peace that they hadn’t felt for a long time. Leaning against the wall, they sobbed in silence, overjoyed about their new life.
The elvish tree that rose into the clouds stretched out the leaves and glowed. Black spots protruded from the trunk, withering and disappearing into nothingness.
Atlant, who was sitting inside the tree house, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the elvish tree. His pupils that reflected the changes of heart were full of shock.
……
Inside the secret cave…
Lankshear was confined where he was by the reversely-melted magic circle. He looked at the other end of the ‘lines’ in bewilderment. It was supposed to be the Scarlet Plain, but why was it now Nature’s Heart?
Then, dark air popped up from the void and gathered inside the magic circle into fluids.
The fluids were deep and dark, invoking the heaviest feelings of hate in whoever saw it and making it impossible for them to control their heart.
The fluids soon constituted a dark shadow whose head turned into a hideous face. No, the face could almost be called handsome by itself, but it had been contorted by the intense greed, hate and other feelings!
“No…” Lankshear screamed in disbelief after seeing the face. Why was his preparation to deal with Ferragond now used against himself?
The dark shadow was exactly the primeval devils made of the negative feelings of many elves, ‘Abhorrence’ and ‘Greedy’, exact that Lankshear was used as the carrier and container this time!
The mixed primeval devils lunged at Lankshear, making him cry miserably.
“Why?”
“Your Majesty, why?”
Regretfully, he moaned and asked.
From somewhere far away, Aglaea said calmly, “I have already been half melted with Nature’s Heart. How could I have not sensed that some of its air was stolen?”
“It’s impossible! It’s impossible! The way I used avoided your senses!” Lankshear cried, unwilling to accept it, while the dark shadow tried to melt into him!
Ferragond was back to himself. Looking at Aglaea’s vague figure, he asked, “Your Majesty, you knew Lankshear’s scheme in advance? Then why did you…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, because any creature with regular intelligence could tell that the queen was taking advantage of the magic circle that Lankshear set up!
Hearing Ferragond’s doubt, Lankshear also shook his head anxiously. “Why… why didn’t you stop me? Why did you allow me to hurt the elvish tree and the clan? Were you blinded by greed, too?”
It never occurred to him that the queen was going to use him as the container of negative feelings!
Aglaea did not answer Lankshear’s question but said with mixed feelings. “Ever since Viken and the mysterious person spread the way to become a demigod in secret, this world has changed.”
What way to become a demigod? Ferragond was confused.
Lankshear, however, fell silent.
Aglaea went on. “Ever since the age of myths, it has been impossible for the Lord of Hell and the Will of Abyss to arrive at the main material world in person, and the God of Silver Moon hardly showed up, too, for various reasons. Therefore, one top legend was enough to maintain the survival and continuity of elves.”
“From the Sun King’s studies on ways to become demigods, to Viken’s advancement into a pope, the Saint Truth suppressed many demiplanes. After that, Viken actively disseminated the way to become a demigod, and Lucien Evans began to study the arcana support of demigods. The endeavors of intelligent lives to reach the level of demigod have finally yielded glowing fruits. The boundary of natural-born demigods will be crossed soon, and the age when everyone can be a demigod will come!”
Looking at Lankshear and Ferragond with her green eyes, she said, “In the process, due to the insufficiency of the power of faith, Nature’s Heart and other resources, the number of demigods will be limited.”
“In the process, legends will fall, and new demigods will rise.”
“In the process, certain races will decline, and certain races will flourish.”
“This is exactly the tide of time that nobody can avoid!”
Ferragond exclaimed in shock. “Your Majesty…”
Thoughtfully, Aglaea stared at Lankshear. “I thought that I could stay away from the turmoil, and that our people would not be consumed as long as we hid in the Stroop forest. However, your cooperation with the Prince of Demons made me realize that I was wrong. In such an age, both the regular legends and the top legends have to strive for their survival and fight for the continuity of their people!”
“Regular legends have to march towards the peak of legendary despite risks, and the top legends have to devote their life to the path of demigods. Nobody can stay out of the vortex unless they are willing to give up and wait for catastrophes to knock your door someday!”
“Although this path is dangerous and unknown, I’m very clear that only by becoming a demigod will elves be forever continued without being eliminated by the tide of time!”
Lankshear watched the dark shadow attaching itself to him, his eyes hollow. “Therefore, you took advantage of my plan and completed the status transformation with me as the container?”
“Yes. Your crimes are punished in such a way. The continuity of elves is what matters most.” Said Aglaea peacefully but firmly, revealing her majestic air. “The development of this age is faster than anyone could possibly imagine. You must make plans and take off in advance if you want to fight for the qualification to survive. If you are left behind, you will be hit!”
“A phrase that Lucien Evans mentioned in Arcana Voice fits the current situation very well.”
“This is a world of competitions, and nobody can ever jump out of it!”
