292. The Key to the Nine Thousand Realms (8)
Back in the Celestial War era, commonly referred to as the “Mythical Age,” demons, angels, dragons, elves, and dwarves roamed the continent. It meant that the boundaries between Hell, Heaven, and the Material World weren’t as strictly defined as they are now.
Even ordinary people, with a bit of luck, could catch a glimpse of the divine. They could beg for the gods’ blessings or attention. Sometimes, they could even abandon the god they once followed and convert to another.
And that also meant the gods could abandon their followers at any time. Easy to overlook, hard to believe, but it was definitely possible.
It must have been possible.
* * *
Malerun’s face was pale. He knelt before the sacred ark, trembling with his eyes closed. For Guimerin and Jerolen, who had known him for a long time, this was an utterly shocking reaction.
The inherent arrogance of elves—what they themselves called “noble pride”—was nowhere to be seen at this moment. Jerolen didn’t want to admit it, but Malerun looked desperate.
After half a day, Malerun finally opened his eyes. His body was drenched in sweat, and the spiritual energy that had burned during his communion with the gods was visibly dissipating into particles.
“Water…….”
“Here.”
Jerolen handed him a water flask. Malerun took a shaky sip, only to vomit it back up. The acidic vomit splattered across the sanctuary floor of Eidar.
“What’s going on? Why are you like this?”
“We…….”
For a while, he struggled to find the right words. No, it seemed like he was trying to force the words out, as if speaking them would tear his soul apart.
The pitiful sight gave the two onlookers patience. They calmly waited for Malerun to speak. After several dry heaves, he wiped his vomit-stained chin and spoke.
“We’ve been abandoned.”
“What?”
“The gods…… no, the Immortals. They’ve abandoned us.”
“Is that even possible? I thought…… the relationship between gods and their creations was……?”
“They’re not gods. They…… are not gods. Don’t ever call them that again.”
Malerun’s eyes burned like those of a wounded, exhausted beast. A mix of sweat and tears streamed down his face.
“Jerolen. We weren’t created.”
“Huh……. I’m not Atailatun. Hey, Guimerin, are you a dragon?”
“Doesn’t seem like the right time for jokes, Jerolen.”
“Stubborn fools…….”
Elves are the descendants of gods. They live longer, are nobler, more beautiful, and stronger than any other civilized race. The courage and wisdom brought by time pulse through their veins, and their civilization surpasses any other race of their era.
Of course, only gods could create such beings. Moreover, the gods have continuously imparted wisdom, guided their development, and led their civilization since the dawn of creation.
The priest-kings of the three dynasties are the compasses pointing to their world. The authority of the kings was the authority of the gods, and under strong royal authority, the elves moved as one.
As long as the World Tree cast its influence over this world, the bond between the elves and the gods was as intense as the first sunrise rising above its branches.
But.
“We are not their descendants. They…… had no influence on our birth. They were merely…… beings who exploited our faith and spirituality.”
“……What?”
The fact that elven society is close to a theocracy means that faith cannot be separated from their lives. Though he wasn’t a knight of the royal family, Malerun was at least a follower of Talieh, the god of wind. His expression twisted uncontrollably at his own words.
“Their existence…… the entire image they showed us was a deception. They never loved us, never cared for us. It was more like…….”
More like the attitude of a farmer managing his livestock. No matter how sweetly the pig oinks, the farmer shows no mercy when it’s time for slaughter. That’s the kind of relationship it was.
Elves. No matter how much these lowly beings, who bear the name Aurilas (descendants of the gods), loved the gods, it meant nothing to the gods.
At this point in time, as the world nears its downfall, with various gods exerting their influence and the Great Demons tearing the continent apart with their minions, the gods made a cold, rational decision.
[Their usefulness has run out.]
The world is not unique. The Material World is as worthless as a bubble. Even if a shining gem lies within, in the eyes of the Immortals, this dimension is nothing more than something they can abandon at any time.
The arrogant race known as the Elven Temple of the Gods prepared to leave. And they whispered to the finest pig among them, who had somehow found his way to them. It was a twisted mockery…… a kind of whim.
[Your world will meet its end.]
And they will pass by that scene with a hint of regret, a hint of joy, and mostly indifference. After all, isn’t tragedy most beautiful when witnessed from the audience?
“Enough. This is hard to listen to. Go see a priest, Malerun. Get some counseling, have a drink, and then we’ll talk again.”
“We need to survive!!”
-Bang!
Malerun smashed the sacred ark as he spoke. The ancient machinery, said to hold the blessings and wisdom of the gods, shattered under his magic. Jerolen was speechless at the shocking, blasphemous sight.
“We need their power to survive!”
“……What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you get it? The World Tree. That giant tree isn’t just an overgrown sapling! It’s the spire they left in this Material World!”
It’s the dimensional gateway that makes their divinity intervene with us. If they leave and abandon us, will the World Tree remain?
The World Tree is clearly a living being. It’s closer to a magical engineering life form, but it’s still a living, breathing entity. It absorbs the aura of corruption, emits new life, and protects the Elves’ homeland. It was a legacy.
Such a being requires vast resources to sustain its life. However, the World Tree only spreads its roots in freshwater and does not seek other nutrients. This isn’t due to some grand design but because of the divine power of the gods.
From the perspective of the gods, who don’t need such a terminal, is there any reason to keep the World Tree alive? No. If the Elves are no longer a necessary resource for the gods, then neither is the World Tree.
And the authority of the three royal families comes from the World Tree. If the World Tree burns, the royal authority will crumble immediately, and these pitiful creatures, who suddenly turn their backs on the gods and crave their affection—
These wretched beings. These foolish kin, who don’t even know how to live without the gods’ attention… They will immediately plunge into civil war. The kings are the problem. The priest-kings, who have lost the gods’ favor, have cast a dark shadow over our race.
To appease the gods’ wrath, offer the king’s head.
“By then, it will be too late. Far too late…”
In this world where all races struggle with all their might, how can a declining race, losing divine authority and depleting its strength through civil war, possibly survive?
“So… there’s only one answer. We need their power.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying right now?”
“Of course.”
So, we will kill the gods and take their divinity. If we kill all the gods in the Temple of the Gods, we can build the power to return to our entire race. We can end this tiresome war and build a complete, mortal civilization free from divine authority and the interference of any transcendent beings.
That’s what I thought. Malerun persuaded two heroes. The three of them turned their steps toward the World Tree.
Toward the only gateway to the Material World, open to the Elven Temple of the Gods. It wasn’t difficult. Malerun was the high priest most favored by the gods in this era, and his personal magic was overwhelming.
“There is a way to kill the gods.”
* * *
“Lies…”
Leia couldn’t close her gaping mouth. The wine glass she held trembled and shook. She stared at him with a dazed focus.
“Lies. Serpent King. We already knew of your hypocrisy and disgusting desires from the precedents of the two kings. How dare… how dare you…!”
The radiance in the City of the Awakened Dragon. The dawn shown by the Dawn Goddess Melisildur and the light that drove away the vampires and filled their spirits and bodies…
How can such great beings be called lies? How can you say the gods don’t love them? Leia stammered on.
“I won’t… I won’t kill you, Jerolen. As you said… today, the blood of our kin will not stain the sea. But go back. The price of your lies… we will exact it ourselves.”
“Listen to the rest of the story.”
“Shut up! Don’t wag that deceitful tongue anymore! Gwen!”
“Yes, Your Highness!!”
“Expel them! All of them!!”
Jerolen’s knights rose as one to protect their lord. But since the banquet had begun without any weapons, they had no means to resist Leia’s Wild Princes, who drew their blades.
Yet, there was a firm resolve in their eyes. A resolve to protect their king, even at the cost of their own lives.
“Listen to the rest of my story.”
Jerolen swiftly broke Gwen’s arm, disarmed him, and threw his body aside. It was an astonishing display of strength and skill. He sat back down and snapped Gwen’s longsword, throwing it to the ground.
His palm was torn, and blood flowed. Jerolen stared blankly at his hand. A bloodied hand. Just like that day…
“After the story ends, I will leave without resistance. And if you still desire war after I finish, then so be it.”
To Leia, still filled with distrust and anger, the old wraith growled.
“Your father and Malerun may have lost the power of those days. But not me. We all chose our own ways to live, but I had something they didn’t.”
It was a threat. A threat from an ancient hero who had slain gods, still wielding the power of the Celestial War, not hiding his presence or strength. Leia’s instincts screamed a warning.
The Wild Princes reacted immediately. They placed their fingers on their sword hilts and stared at Jerolen.
“I was saved.”
“How dare you, who killed gods, speak of salvation!”
“Not gods, but a dragon. Atailatl. It means ‘fearful serpent.’ But the one I met was never fearful.”
Pitiful. Jerolen smiled bitterly and raised his bloodied hand to drink.
* * *
“I was saved by him.”
Lakrisir wiped her tears and spoke gently. Abel seemed deeply moved by her words. Abel grabbed her hand and nodded enthusiastically.
Smiling playfully at Abel’s reaction, Lakrisir said to Fernandez,
“You revived my old friend and brought back the wings of the dragon to this world that had lost it… But I know that you and these Elves did not come to us with good intentions.”
“……”
Fernandez didn’t bother to reply. The hostility from the two Elven Kings was already clear. But Risir shook her head cautiously.
“If you had met the other Serpent Kings first… I would understand how you feel about him. But he and I just wanted to survive. All of them just wanted to survive. You don’t need to understand him. But don’t hate him.”
“How did you survive for a thousand years?”
That was the most pressing question. Guimerin solved his aging body through his children’s bodies.
Malerun mixed the spirits of his people into his soul to strengthen his body.
But Jerolen? How did he survive for a thousand years?
For Fernandez, who wasn’t an Elf, the method didn’t necessarily have to be good or evil. But there was still enough reason to despise it.
A soul mixed with foreign elements will inevitably corrupt. From his past life to now, Fernandez was closest to the most stubborn purist.
“I needed him as much as he needed me. Do you know? A dragon’s body is immortal, and a dragon’s soul can harbor divinity.”
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