Pillars of Ita

Chapter 1245: Ripples on the Sea of ​​Light III

The changes outside the sea of ​​light were naturally transmitted to the inside of the sea of ​​light. The gray branches rooted in the material world also invaded this world. The shadows that fell from the sky formed a network of veins, extending to the holy tree far away in the horizon.

The Gray Forest is the entrance to the Sea of ​​Light, where the branch of Terraka connects the two worlds, so the diseased branches growing from it are naturally connected to this world.

Just like insects advancing along the diseased branches towards the main trunk, the invasion of the gray disaster followed. Pale blocks of color soon began to spread on the root network of the giant tree. Countless silver-gray insects grew under the shadows and gnawed at the roots of the holy tree.

The sacred tree Terraka also began to wither, with diseased spots appearing on its trunk.

Fang He looked up at this scene, which was as if he saw the end of the Holy White Tree - a world was collapsing at an accelerated rate, falling into the abyss of darkness.

Miss Tata reminded quietly, "Mr. Knight, the Dark Saints used the soul of the Unicorn Girl to trick the Holy Tree into defending itself, just like a virus bypassing the immune system, which is why this disaster spread so quickly."

Fang He nodded, but the disaster was far more serious than that. The Gray Forest was already in danger under the attack of the Insect King Karsak, and once the last layer of the maze woven by the goddess of fate, Elaine, failed, the divine fire of the Lady of Withering would be exposed to everyone.

Fortunately, they were not fighting alone. A letter from Silverwind Harbor was delivered to Princess Melfina by Lilithel. The letter was signed by a human named Elwood, passed through the hands of a disaster investigation minister, and finally entrusted to the latter's best friend.

Kalandil believed that Aelin Ironheart could understand what he meant. The letter revealed a series of heinous crimes committed by the Council of Linoril from Silverwind Harbor to Sanshak.

And the clues therein point directly to the essence of the plan.

Although the guild members eventually took the master craftsman away and placed him under house arrest.

But they missed just one person - before that, Alyn Ironheart had already left his own design, and from the moment Halsey didn't keep Lilithel, the balance of fate had actually changed.

The Nightingale King was silently looking at the message sent back from the system at this moment, and then raised his head expressionlessly - the ferocious Nianlot Tree was towering in the sky.

A grey shadow was sweeping across the bottom of the clouds, and a giant dragon was spewing out corrosive fire, pouncing down on everyone.

Far away in the Elf Court, the poet lady could not take part in this battle, but she excitedly jumped up from her seat and high-fived Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess.

Melfina looked at the lively human girl with some surprise.

And back then, the other party only left one sentence -

"How did you get in?"

"Halsey, is that your business?"

"How come you are level 30?"

When the Nightingale King snatched his Dragon Soul Crystal from the girl, all he heard was a barely audible voice:

"Brother, I saw someone from the council."

Communication between smart people does not require too many cumbersome words, so fate is frozen here and the direction of the flow no longer changes.

While the girl was chattering and excitedly describing to the Elf Princess how smart she was at that time, the young man beside her had already packed up his equipment, then gently picked up the Death of All Suns, stood up and walked out.

When he opened the door, the poet lady called out to him in surprise: "Luo Yu, where are you going?"

"Ed needs my help," the young man held the holy staff of Tonamiki, the sun's rays falling on his robe, as light as a feather, "No one knows what happened underground here better than the heir of Sinsas. Xochitel is the master of the staff of the Black Throne, and the power of destruction came from the Soul-Eating King Amatos, who is my enemy."

After saying that, he pushed the door open and walked out. When he closed the door, only dust rising and falling between the light gaps was left.

Tianlan looked at this scene in surprise.

The branches of infinite fate finally grew into one, and the timelines overlapped and became one at this moment, finally pulling both parties back to the same starting line.

"Ed, it's now!" Mia said in the sea of ​​light.

At that moment, Fang He looked in one direction. Ailin Tiexin's notes told them that there was an irreversible process in the ritual of sacrificing the soul of the unicorn girl.

It should come from some ancient magic of Corin-Ishurian, which made Fang Yu think of the genius magician from the Elingran family.

In the rituals led by the other party, the emphasis on control is unquestionable, because if there is no control, then using the soul of the unicorn girl to realize the plan is tantamount to empty talk.

But this control does not come from the ritual itself, but from a holy object - the Holy White Tree Heart.

Using the affinity of the Oak Heart for both parties as a bond of connection, whoever controls the heart of the tree is equivalent to controlling the cage of the unicorn girl.

But that is under normal circumstances - the soul of a unicorn girl naturally cannot compete with the cage, but what if the cage is cut off by human means?

Normally, this is not possible.

But Fang He finally thought of a way after a lot of recollection, which was to take advantage of the conflict between the minions of the Dark Saints and the Council of Linorel.

He tried several methods, but finally chose the one of openness and honesty, because all the schemes in this world are ultimately no match for the aboveboard conspiracy.

If people rush to act, they will make mistakes in a hurry. The tight time will not give them the opportunity to balance their interests and compromise, so this moment will naturally come.

Fang He had already walked out of that ever-changing timeline.

As early as in the Holy Forest, the Crown of Hailin had already lost all its power, and now it was just quietly waiting for the next rising of the Holy White Moon.

But at this moment he was just at the end of his destiny, waiting for the moment when everything would come true, because at the moment when ripples appeared in the sea of ​​light - Fang He understood that he had made the right choice.

The power surging from the sea of ​​light was becoming chaotic, and the gray branches that covered the sky and the sun did not stop, but became more violent...

But Fang He sensed a glimmer of opportunity from the violence:

'It is the desire of a free soul to break free from everything, and the inherent kindness, questioning and complaining about the suffering that the world responds to.'

Fang He seemed to see the face that had appeared in his dream again. Her name was Linseya Starlight, the merchant's daughter; their names were Elowine, Falifulen...

They are girls who grew up in an orphanage and are descendants of impoverished nobles. They have different backgrounds but similar experiences. They have felt kindness and therefore vowed to become nuns of the Holy Tree.

They also respond and repay the world with the same purity.

"Sisters, we need you."

"The Gray Plague is spreading across this world. To protect the sacred tree is to protect everyone on this land."

"We are the nuns of the Holy Tree, and we should go first."

The woman stood in front of them, eloquent and luring them into the abyss with her snake-like words.

The darkness in people's hearts was spreading unbridled, and the sacrifice chosen by the girl turned out to be a lie until the sacrificial blade pierced her heart.

The kind-hearted heart did not receive the response it deserved, but only cold ridicule in the end. So the soul that fell into darkness was finally left with only the rage to seek revenge against the culprit.

Fang He quietly felt the spreading sorrow. Lian Kuiya Alsana, who was guarding outside the ancient tree gate, felt the same way, as if the girl was standing in front of them, questioning them:

"Mr. Ed/Princess, what did we do wrong?"

"Your Highness, we have responded to your call."

"But is the world still inevitably coming to an end?"

"Is this our fault, or yours? ... Princess, you didn't promise us that things would turn out like this."

The Elf Princess' face turned pale. Those sharp words seemed to have hit the softest part of her heart. Was she qualified to take on this responsibility?

Will her idealism ultimately push those who trust her into the abyss?

She held the holy sword of the elves in her hand. The burden of maintaining the door and the questions from her heart became a heavy pressure on her, making her tremble uncontrollably.

But someone reached out and supported her.

The Great Saint of Heimwol was looking at the childish elf girl, the daughter of her old friend, but the tenacity and faith had quietly spread and grown in her eyes until they took root. She believed that with time, she would also be able to become the legendary saint.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Princess."

The Great Saint Girl spoke softly:

"Each of us is struggling in adversity, because the road to redemption is never easy. They just choose to believe in it all—"

“So the living need to give an answer to the dead. We will eventually cross that end, but before we reach it, we still need to move forward.”

Arsana looked at her with some surprise, "...I...feel somewhat familiar with you, ma'am."

"It's just that I saw you when you were very young," the Great Saint smiled slightly, "But at that time I never thought that you would grow up like this. The long time has shaped the experience of each of us. On this day, your teacher will definitely be proud of you."

Alsana gritted her teeth, calmed down, and nodded slightly.

In the sea of ​​light, Fang He was watching the Overlord emerging from the insect swarm—

The strange insects holding golden blades that I had seen in those illusions were guarding a huge insect-shaped creature that appeared, like countless stardust peeling off from the void, and a giant insect emerged from the void.

Three bone sickle wings first opened a crack in the space, and on the head that emerged, twelve compound eyes were embedded like prisms under the broken star crown.

Every time those eyes turned, they reflected billions of collapsed tributaries of fate. In the mouth that was split into three petals, the translucent tentacles were crushing the last ray of starlight.

On the corrupt torso, obsidian beetle armor and pale insect legs grew intertwined, embracing the body of a woman. It was once the body of the goddess of fate, but now only a corrupt living altar remained.

In the amber resin seeping from its ribs, countless souls were screaming through the crystal wall. The most terrifying thing was the boiling insect storm below its waist:

The silver storm was sweeping everything in the space, interweaving and flying towards the branches of the sacred tree Terraka above.

The ugly appearance almost instantly confirmed Fang He that this was the evil god created by Amatus and its minion - Kalsak, the king of all insects.

The other party raised its head and made a hollow and shrill cry above the sea of ​​light. It looked in this direction, and its twelve pairs of compound eyes fell on Fang He and his group. Fang He felt a hand holding him tightly. It was the ship officer. In the world of starlight, they did not exist in substance, but their spiritual connection was even closer.

He could feel Sylvie's nervousness. Any mortal would be nervous facing this scene, and he was no exception, but he also understood that this was their only chance.

The unicorn girl's soul gained a brief freedom.

But the minions of darkness must have another plan, and they will take over everything themselves after the Council of Linoril loses control of the situation.

Then use the ash branches to break through the maze woven by the goddess of fate and guide this evil god to find the final location of the divine fire.

In fact, he had already seen the sneer on the face of Karsus, the King of All Insects. It was strange to say that on that face that seemed to be broken into pieces by the void, he could actually see a human expression.

It's both weird and chilling.

A green star rose above the sea of ​​light at some point.

The starlight came from a holy object, the spire of the watchtower. Forin was looking down at the half-real and half-virtual gem in his hand, while the person beside him kept urging him:

"Forin, it's time to activate the holy object."

"This is our only chance. Otherwise, the ash branches will spread and eventually control the Great White Tree."

"But didn't the guild say they could control Ninimere?" Forin looked up at the other party and asked softly.

"They are not trustworthy," his mentor said in a somewhat impatient voice. "The White Tree Society can only trust itself. We brought this holy relic back from the Empire for this purpose."

"But this is not a real holy object after all."

Forin shook his head.

"That's enough," the other party said, "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing." Forin glanced at the other person. His mentor was just an aboriginal, a craftsman with a high reputation in the White Tree Society. He just felt a little sorry that the other person would go astray.

Outsiders could not see the silver mist interweaving in front of him. The text projected by the system on his retina was just like a tiny spot of light, and on it was a conversation:

"Is everything you say true, Kiorakon?"

"It's the real deal, Forin. This is the message Halsey sent me. The Stargate call-up order has also been issued. We need you to make a decision."

"What is the situation in the sea of ​​light now?"

"I heard that a Korlin entered it. I don't know much about it, but Halsey is willing to believe him."

"I know him," Forin picked up the gem and walked forward, "Okay, I choose to believe him this time."

The other party seemed a little confused and sent a question mark: "......?"

But Forin looked forward silently, as if he recalled many things, but he shook his head slightly:

"I met him once in the Silver Tower."

And believe that the other person can still create miracles.

He walked up to the gray branch and raised the gem high, but hesitated for a moment and did not activate the holy object immediately. Instead, he turned around and looked behind him.

There his eyes met with his mentor's, and he read surprise, fear, and then anger in the other's eyes:

"Forin, what are you doing—!"

And the gem was gradually becoming invisible in his hand.

"Ms. Aimeya, we don't deserve its help, so I will return it to you now."

Forin spoke.

The bright starlight is becoming shattered.

The King of Insects, Karsak, was looking at the stars rising from the sea of ​​light in surprise. Suddenly, they lost their color, and the starlight seemed to turn into a shooting star and disappear.

But the comet tail of the meteor did not fall into the sea of ​​light. Instead, it turned towards Fang He and finally merged into Fang He's chest.

Fang He was slightly startled, but suddenly he showed a look of understanding. He looked forward and saw a pair of eyes nodding at him.

That was the approval of Aimeya, the lady of the forest.

"Ed," a message came from an unfamiliar ID in the system, "I leave it to you."

The name of that ID was Cycle, Bright Flame. He remembered that its owner was the craftsman of the White Tree Academy, Forin, who had left a deep impression on him.

It turned out to be him.

Everything is clear now. Although Fang He doesn't really need this opportunity, the restraint of the White Tree Heart on the Unicorn Girl comes from the power of the Holy Tree Terraka itself.

But compared to the seeds of the sacred tree, he has a more original and purer power in his hands. It is the seal ring given to him by the Elf King Kwenral, the Crown of Light, the authority of nature.

Fang He stretched out his hand to his chest and took out something from there. The gem representing the power of nature shone brightly in his hand, emitting seemingly endless light.

That is the Eternal Emblem.

The King of All Insects, Karsak, fell into a rage the moment he saw the Eternal Emblem, but Fang He saw fear in those twelve pairs of compound eyes.

The greed, selfishness and hysteria of the Dark Saints were clearly revealed at this moment.

As their creation, this divine insect king inherited the same characteristics. It spread out its thousands of limbs, let out a long roar, and pounced in this direction like a giant dragon.

But before that, a black shadow grew out from among the insect swarm and entangled the insect king like a tentacle.

Ten thousand years ago, when all the suns died and the saints of the sun entered the dusk, they betrayed all their believers and pushed the Xinsas Dynasty, which was at its peak, into the abyss.

The heirs of the seven dynasties cursed the saints who created them under the abyss. They cursed their creators with their own blood, their own lives, and everything of the Snake Dynasty.

The staff of Tonamiki watched the last twilight of the days.

It was destined to be a witness to the end of the dynasty, so creation turned into destruction, and its last owner handed over this ancient staff to his successor thousands of years later.

and told him:

"You will exact vengeance upon our ancient enemies."

"And your enemy is the master of all souls, the one who harvested our dead souls and hatred, the Soul Devourer, Amatus."

Xochitel's soul was standing in front of Luo Yu at this moment, silently watching the young man insert his staff into the ground, and countless black shadows sank into the trunk of the Holy White Tree.

Luo Yu chanted the ancient prophecy as golden blood veins appeared on the boy's face and neck, like a symbol of destruction, devouring the boy's vitality.

Within a few meters of him, all the grass and trees turned to ashes, and even the surface of the holy tree turned gray and white, as if it had turned into crystal. Standing on the ground was the Death of the Suns, the Holy Staff of Tonamiki.

Just like the new gray branch.

Luo Yu closed his eyes and stared at the King of Insects in the darkness. Countless shadows were spreading out from under his staff, binding the other's ugly body.

"Who... are you..." The insect's twelve pairs of compound eyes stared in this direction.

"Your ancient enemy," Luo Yu said, his cold voice not coming from his throat, "I am an envoy from the throne, asking you to pay for their hatred on their behalf."

"Seven Thrones..." The insect screamed sharply, "Xochitel, no...you are still...alive..."

In the sea of ​​light, Fang He just silently looked at the shadows that entangled the Insect King.

Of course he knew where those shadows came from.

But Fang He just turned around and looked at the bewildered souls in the air, those who were filled with rage for revenge but had nowhere to vent their resentment - and looked at Serinya standing in front of him.

Looking at the 'girl' in every disaster branch.

He spoke softly:

"Everything can still be salvaged, Miss Serinya."

"I can't save you, but I can still give you a promise - the sacred tree can be saved, and no guilty person can escape punishment."

"at last……"

Fang He paused for a moment, looking at every gaze directed at him. Holding the gem in his hand, he seemed to be demonstrating the authority of nature:

"I declare you free."

"Go, take revenge on all those who have wronged you. The sacred tree can no longer restrain you, and you still belong to the unfettered fields and forests."

……

Happy New Year to everyone~