Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

The Imperial Calendar - that's what the Sigmar Empire calls it. It's the way human society records time and changes, and it's the scale of their linear history.

Elves are different, their lives are much longer than humans, and their memories are more lasting and profound. They have their own way of counting years, recording the glory and fall of their race.

In Asur, the writing of time is always centered on the Phoenix King. At the beginning of each year, it is necessary to first indicate which Phoenix King is in power at the time, and then record the year, season, and day in sequence. This is a symbol, a manifestation of order, and an absolute respect for royal power and tradition. (Chapter 716)
But on Drucci's side... the situation is completely different.

In the land of Naggaroth, there is no Phoenix King to serve as an anchor for the calendar, nor is there a unified royal lineage to serve as the pillar of time. Time is not determined by "kings", but rather by "eras".

This is a fragmented memory, a mark of the times carved out with blood and steel.

The first age, before the Great Invasion, is called the Classical Age. It was a time of myth, when the Elves lived in harmony in Ulthuan, and the world was not yet torn apart.

Then came the Age of Glory.

This glorious period began when Aenarion stepped out of the sacred fire. That was not the step taken by one person, but the first step of an entire civilization into a new chapter.

The elves ushered in the brightest and purest highlight moment in their history.

However, the light of glory is always short-lived and dazzling.

When the Maelstrom appeared, when Aenarion disappeared, that glory fell like the morning star, never to return.

The glory days ended.

What followed was an age of betrayal.

The beginning of this era was when the Elven Council and the Everqueen jointly elected Bel-Shanar as the second Phoenix King. That moment not only marked the ascension of the new king, but also doomed the formation of rifts and the tearing apart of the tribe.

The end point is a catastrophe that caused the earth to break apart. Malekith led the elves loyal to him to leave Ulthuan and head north to establish Naggaroth.

From then on, the Asur and the Duruch were divided into two irreconcilable nations.

It is worth mentioning that the Asur side has a completely different account of this history.

They called Bel-Shana's reign the Golden Age.

In Asur's eyes, it was an era of expansion and prosperity, the pinnacle of glory and order. Colonies were opened up like wildfire, trade with the dwarves was extremely frequent, and the material life of the elven society reached an unprecedented height.

But when material desires are satisfied, the soul begins to feel empty.

Spiritual desolation then emerges.

Institutions, philosophies, and religions could not keep up with the pace of expansion, and hedonistic sects arose.

The root of all this is self-confidence, a kind of exaggerated self-confidence based on the dual advantages of culture and economy - this "exaggeration" is not only an evaluation of that era, but also a portrayal of the inner state of people in that era.

Tokyo Dream Record?
What followed was a chilling era of unending hatred.

This era was a time of bloodshed.

Caledor I threw himself into the sea to avoid being captured; the War of Vengeance broke out like a volcano; Caledor II was defeated in a duel with the High King of the Dwarves and died on the battlefield; the rule of the Kalad family came to an end.

Caradreil of the Kingdom of Iris succeeded to the throne, and there was a brief period of stability. Then Tesiris the "Slayer" from the Kingdom of Caledor ascended the throne, bringing an even more severe war.

It was not until the death of Tesiris that a relatively peaceful period came.

The conflict between Ulthuan and Naggaroth has gradually subsided. To put it bluntly, the conflict has ceased.

Both sides were exhausted, and so the era of endless hatred ended and the era of hateful peace began.

This era seems stable, but it is actually disgusting. Its "peace" is not based on understanding and tolerance, but is the product of numbness and fatigue.

Everything changed again until Moville came to the throne.

After the Day of Blood, as the survivors fled back to Ulthuan, Malekith began to formulate a new plan to attack Ulthuan. Thus, the hateful Age of Peace came to an end, and the Age of Blood quietly arrived.

This era is like an endless rainy season, continuing without end.

Until Dacus showed up.

When he first attended the Dark Council, Malekith publicly announced that the old hatred would be replaced by a new era, and a new era would come: the glorious Age of Torment would officially begin.

Unfortunately, this era was too short, so short that it was almost like a joke. Under Daxus's manipulation, it was on the verge of ending before it even began.

In the historical timeline without Daxus, this era lasted until the year 2300 of the Imperial Calendar, followed by a wave of revenge that swept across everything.

Thus - the age of revenge came and lasted until the end.

The old wars are burning again, the dreams of the gods are shattered, and the whole world is collapsing.

But now, everything has changed.

Malekith, walking out of the Holy Fire, is no longer a traitor seeking power, but the true Phoenix King.

The grudges of the past were burned in the holy flame; the rage of revenge was extinguished the moment he took a step.

The age of revenge has disappeared.

The Age of Miracles has officially begun.

This is a new era, unwritten by prophets and uninterpreted by gods.

This era does not belong to history or to gods, but to the elves themselves.

Belongs to those elves who dare to reshape faith and the future.

It belongs to the will to rebuild order, to the soul willing to believe that hope is still possible.

Belong to the tribe that rises from the ashes, belong to the new wings of the Phoenix.

This is an age of miracles.

Now, it’s just the beginning.
-
"Ah, my great painter."

Dacus' voice sounded, with his usual teasing tone. He stood behind Ryan and wanted to say something casually, but when he really saw the contents on the drawing board, he froze.

His eyes gradually changed from ridicule to shock, and then froze in disbelief, and his expression instantly became the standard one - old man on the subway looking at his phone.JPG.

Maybe...if I blink my eyes fast enough, more than twenty times a second, I might be able to make up the remaining frames?
Let's make these nine pictures move and become real animations? In this way, maybe we can open a "Phantom Light" exhibition in Lothern...

Ryan drew a total of nine line drawings, each stroke carefully carved, covering the nine most critical moments of the entire ceremony, from Malekith wearing midnight armor standing in front of the holy fire, bathing in the flames, to the final moment when he raised the arms of Dacius and Finnubar and announced the beginning of a new era.

It even included the scene where Malekith fell to the ground, but still stretched out his hand and tightly grasped the floating holy fire.

It can be said that these nine pictures not only condense the climax of the entire ceremony, but also capture every most shocking detail of it.

"How?" Ryan turned his head and responded, his eyes and eyebrows full of unconcealed pride, as if he was waiting for a word of greatness or genius.

"Ah! Your comic strip is great!" Daxus responded without hesitation. A formulaic tone that was almost sarcastic came out of his mouth, like a mechanical sound that had been drained of emotion. "When you are ready to hold an exhibition, be sure to notify me. No matter where I am, I will come. I promise you!"

He paused and changed the subject.

"Because I am very, very curious about which wall has such a large space to accommodate your epic volume."

Ryan laughed dryly, and the confidence on his face was reduced by a layer by Dacus's teasing. Then he regained his composure and looked at Dacus seriously with a look of "you can talk, I am proud of myself". Then his eyes turned into questioning.

"Don't worry, just continue." Daxus patted Ryan's shoulder, looking relieved. "We are already standing here, aren't we? You are talking as if this island will suddenly run away."

At this time, the ceremony had ended and the spectators in the hall were guided out in an orderly manner.

The sun had already climbed high in the sky and it was noon.

Once the two words "noon" and "end of the ceremony" are combined, their meaning becomes particularly clear - let's eat!
There is nothing more important than eating. Any things, meetings, or discussions can all be done in the afternoon. Your brain will function better after a full meal, so it’s best to take a nap after lunch.

After chatting and complaining with Ryan for a while, he continued to walk to the other side of the hall and came to the side of Urian Shadowhand.

He first calmed down Urian who was still emotionally agitated. This artist, who was deeply emotionally invested in the ceremony, almost had tears in his eyes.

He patted Urian on the back, then praised his painting skills, which made Urian very satisfied. Then he naturally changed the subject and asked Urian - from the perspective of an Asur, what did he think of this ceremony?

After getting a satisfactory answer, Dacuus came to Tolandil.

This time, he changed his tone, adding a bit of lightness and teasing to his voice. He first made a joke about Tolandil's painting skills, mocking that the work that could barely be called a "propaganda illustration" was not really art. After the other party gritted his teeth and fought back a few times, he slowly put away the joke and got to the point.

In this world without the Internet, mobile phones, or news apps, the spread of information has always been slow and limited.

And Dacus knows very well that at a time when war, faith and history are intertwined, how to spread news quickly and effectively is not only related to efficiency, but also to the fate of the future.

Fortunately, Lingyu Academy had made some preparations before coming.

They had already prepared a series of standardized promotional images, and the image was still the classic style - "Uncle Mare".

The only difference is that the graphics have been updated: the Midnight Armor has been replaced with Dragon Armor, and there is an additional Yangyan Sword in his hand, but there is no face.

Now, there is a face too.

Hair? There is a helmet!
And the person in front of him was none other than Tolandil, the recognized number one propagandist in the elven society.

Tolandir was already very familiar with how to move people's hearts, manipulate visuals, and create emotional resonance. After receiving Dacus's advice and starting work, his understanding of propaganda work became almost instinctive, and Dacus didn't need to worry too much about it.

After talking about work...

"Ah! My dear clan mother, and my dear sister." When Daxus saw Annasara and Colonia coming towards him, he immediately put on a flamboyant and playful attitude, with his usual slick and teasing tone.

As soon as he finished speaking, he took a step forward and took the clan mother's arm affectionately with a natural posture.

And at the moment when Daxus held Annasara's arm, an almost gentle smile of an elder appeared on her usually dignified face.

It was a kind of joy that penetrated time. The excitement in her eyes almost overflowed from her eye sockets and turned into a substantial wave. As a woman who had walked through the same era as Malekith, as a woman who had gritted her teeth and persisted in the dark night and loneliness, and never compromised, she finally saw the arrival of this day.

This moment is an affirmation of her perseverance over thousands of years and the most powerful reward for her position and beliefs.

"Thank you, Daxus, thank you..." She almost whispered, with an uncontrollable tremor in her tone.

"There's nothing to thank you for." Daxus waved his hand and interrupted the mother with a smile, but his tone gradually turned from light to heavy, and then solidified, "This is the result of our joint efforts."

Having said this, his expression changed and his eyes became firm.

"And... this is just the first small step we have taken. The real road is still ahead. It is a longer and more rugged road that requires us to keep going step by step."

Ana Sara nodded silently, her eyes full of sighs and emotion, then she turned her gaze to Colonia who was standing beside her.

"She... wants to try."

After saying this, she turned her head and looked at the holy fire that was still burning slowly on the altar. The blazing flames seemed to sense her gaze and trembled slightly.

“Hey! Hey?” Daxus immediately raised his hand and made an exaggerated gesture. He stretched out his other hand and pretended to block it, blocking Colonia. “There is no such tradition! My sister.”

When he spoke the word "tradition", he pronounced it very heavily, and his tone was full of an almost comic seriousness, as if it were an immutable law engraved on a stone tablet.

But his actions did not really stop anyone. The only response he got was a disdainful roll of the eyes from Colonia and a slightly smiling expression from Ana Sara.

After the joke, he didn't say anything more. He didn't reject it, nor did he ask if he was sure. He simply nodded.

"That's an idea. Why didn't I think of it? I'll go and coordinate it."

After saying this, he let go of the tribe mother's arm and walked quickly towards Kadroin, who was still standing there, staring at the sacred fire in deep thought.

After explaining the whole story, Kazhuoin neither rejected nor agreed. He just looked at Dacus quietly, sizing him up with a complicated expression, with doubt, thought, and a hint of relief in his eyes.

"Here." After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice neither light nor heavy, like a statement, "You can do whatever you want, you don't need to inform me."

"Then wait for me for a moment, I need you to take me around." Daxus climbed up the pole without hesitation, taking the initiative back into his own hands. Then, he nodded goodbye to Kadroin, turned back, and stood next to his clan mother and cousin again.

"He is not like what you think." He spoke, his tone suddenly softened, with a kind of certainty that only an insider could have in his voice, "On the contrary, He..." He said, spreading his palm and pointing it at the holy fire, "The premise is that you have to achieve real and effective communication with Him. I believe you can do it."

Why were the Tai brothers able to defeat Nakali, the great demon of Slaanesh? It was not because one of them suddenly became invincible, nor was it because the great demon was so weak.

In that battle, Tyrion tried his best to fight the demon, but he could not break the opponent's defense. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Teclis established a connection with Asuryan, and the silent existence gave him a power that directly tore through the demon's defense and interrupted the connection, creating the only and last chance for Tyrion to kill it.

This is the key.

In other words, Asuryan is willing to help, provided you establish a true, sincere connection with him, rather than waving a fire-avoiding spell around like teasing a wildfire.

What's more, the current destiny has long been shattered, and the progress of the world has long deviated from the right track and turned into a broken line with countless choices and variables.

In addition to the special relationship that had been established between Daxus and Asuryan, Asuryan had no reason not to take action.

Even though his cousin was Hecate's Chosen One.

Colonia's expression became solemn. She took a deep breath and nodded heavily, as if she was making up her mind. Then, without any hesitation, she slowly lifted the sleeve of her skirt, exposing her left arm to the light of the holy fire. Her movements were decisive and calm, without any concealment or hesitation.

The snake, or more accurately, the curse, is still there, always has been.

From the beginning to the end, it never left, as if it was living in her flesh and soul, following her everywhere. Although she tried various methods, without exception, she failed to completely solve this problem.

All we can do is delay it, stabilize it and prevent it from getting worse.

At least, it wasn't as sharp and painful as it had been when Daxus first saw it, moving slowly on her arm like a real snake, slithering, entwining, and tearing at her flesh like a living thing.

For a while, Daxus tried to use the extremely precious Tears of Aisha, which was a miracle source that could heal soul wounds, even the soul scars of the Slann Magic Priests.

But Elsa's Tears cannot solve the problem. Elsa's Tears can heal the wounds of the soul, but they cannot dispel the curse lingering around the soul.

The curse is like a parasite, which will become stronger and tighter due to the repair and nourishment of the soul. The final result is a long-term stalemate - no increase or decrease, no death or retreat.

To describe it in a more abstract way, a curse is like a blood clot?
Elsa's Tears can dilate blood vessels, but cannot dissolve blood clots.

Of course, this is just a metaphor. To be honest, this curse is a million times more domineering, cunning, and sinister than a blood clot.

During the time in Lustria, Master A personally took Colonia's pulse, stared at her left arm, stared at the curse that looked like a snake and a chain, and finally uttered those meaningful words.

“It’s both a curse and a blessing.”

In addition to this, Master A did more. He established a connection between his soul and Colonia's soul in a way that only the Slann Demon Priest could master.

He taught Colonia some secrets on how to use his arms, as well as a high-level magic spell that only the Slann magic priests were qualified to access, understand, and cast.

Through this magic, Master A transformed the curse that was originally as poisonous as a snake and scorpion into a blessing.

This is also one of the reasons why Daxus was able to defeat Sharashi head-on in the battle of the Golden Pond. Without the help of Colonia, he would have been no different from Tyrion who couldn't break through Nakali's defense. (Chapter 258)
But a curse is a curse after all, it will never really disappear, nor can it be transformed forever.

It lurks, waits, and waits for an opportunity to strike. If it is not dealt with sooner or later, if it is delayed, something bad will happen sooner or later.

In addition, it is best to use it at noon, otherwise something bad will happen sooner or later.

To put it bluntly, what Master Ah did was essentially to transform the curse on her arm into a "converter" through the kind of high-level magic spells that only Slann magic priests could understand - a medium that could reverse the curse to its own benefit to some extent, but the underlying logic remained unchanged.

This is completely different from the elves' spellcasting system. The elves' system is strict and complex, with countless rules and regulations.

As for the Slann Demon Priests, they are natural spellcasting holy bodies and do not need to go through as many detours as the elves. They can directly draw energy from the spirit vein network.

To put it in terms of group play, if an elf wants to release advanced magic, it must have the necessary skills and talents.

Skill: Channeling Quish.

That is, one needs to be able to channel the eight winds of magic and fuse them into Kuish.

And in this process, you also need extraordinary willpower.

Because once the boot process is interrupted, something will definitely go wrong.

That was how Belanna died.

In fact, Manbald was far inferior to Belannaar in spellcasting, and he was much inferior in terms of foundation and experience. But he had the Hand of Nagash, which taught him many secret arts and knowledge that even elven wizards could hardly touch in their darkest nightmares.

However, even so, he still had no way to deal with Belannar. After all, Belannar had the title of Supreme Magic Swordsman.

So, he thought of a way and chose the strategy of attacking the bull from behind the mountain.

Rather than confront Belannaar head-on, he bypassed him, first defeating the psychic defenses of a Hoethian swordmaster protecting Belannaar, then implanting an irresistible urge in the elf's mind.

The controlled swordsman, with his greatsword raised high, turned without warning and tried to cut off Belanna's head from his shoulders.

The moment the giant sword fell, Belanna's instinct sounded an alarm, and the magic shield blocked the attack in time.

But the real purpose of that strike had been achieved.

Belannaar's channeling was interrupted, the spell failed, his focus shattered, his magic lost control.

The next second, a crackling magic storm exploded around him, engulfing everything and reducing the Supreme Magic Swordsman to ashes.

In addition to the necessary and almost harsh high willpower, there are several other conditions that must be met one by one in order to control Kuishi, and none of them can be missing.

First, one must learn to guide the eight winds.

It is not just about knowing what the eight winds are, but being able to truly harmonize, integrate, and direct them. Secondly, you must master at least four spells from each wind of magic.

These are not entry-level magic tricks, nor are they copycats. Instead, they are able to actually release, use, and control these spells. Only at this level can it be shown that the caster has a basic understanding and control over this wind of magic.

And this is the minimum, just the preparatory action of standing in front of the threshold.

Even when all these complicated and stringent conditions are met, Quesh still cannot be controlled.

Asur needs to gain the approval of the Everqueen; and Asrai, must gain the approval of Ariel.

This recognition, manifested in magic, is called Aisha's blessing.

Only true spellcasters, those who have achieved a certain unspeakable harmony between soul and nature, are entitled to this blessing.

Only when you reach this step can you truly learn advanced magic.

But this is just the beginning.

If you want to reach a higher and deeper level and achieve great success, you must possess another decisive gift: the blessing of Lilith.

This blessing is not something you can obtain by studying well, practicing diligently, or having a strong will. It is more like a choice of fate, a blessing given by the goddess of fate after evaluating everything about you.

You can think of it as a gift given to you when the progress bar reaches 50% and Lilith determines that you have the conditions, the capacity, and the mission.

At this moment, she reaches out to you and tells you: You can go further.

A bit like the old men in Bretonnia drinking footbath water?
At present, in the entire elf spellcasting system, only two people have truly reached this step, just two people.

One is Belannar. The other is Liv.

Yes, Liv.

When she walked in Athel Loren, she had already received Aisha's blessing. In addition, she was also the chosen one of Lilith, gifted with extraordinary talents, and had a seal of foresight in her soul. But the pressure and burden she carried was too heavy, and she did not learn all the eight wind magics, and she remained in a state of neither progress nor improvement.

It was not until she came to Asheril that she settled down, practiced, and was reborn, completely opening up her Ren and Du meridians and truly mastering the entire magic system.

Those other mages, spellweavers, warlocks...

Some are still struggling on this road, such as Fenrir. There is no problem with his talent and attainments. He is a truly talented wizard, but he still needs time to settle down and improve. Aunt Finubar's daughter, the archmage Asherys, has gone a long way on this road and is able to fight against the great demon Tzeentch, but that is in the future, not now.

Of course, there are also some people who lack talent, have limited accomplishments, or simply do not have the conditions. Maybe they are unwilling, or maybe they simply do not need it.

Spellcasters living in Laurent Loren do not have the conditions to obtain Aisha's blessing; the current Flowing Water Palace is the magic center of Athel Loren. Narhap is proficient in the Eight Winds Magic as well as advanced magic, but Ariel is gone; the Storm Weavers do not need to take this path; as for Duruchi's side... let Deha take a simple and rough look.

But the outlook is bright.

On the one hand, the characteristics of the elves are there, such as extremely long lifespan, excellent soul structure, high adaptability and stable spiritual network. On the other hand, the magic system itself is very mature and sound, with high perfection and orderly inheritance, and now there is the help of the Slann magic priests.

And more importantly, the size and quality of the elves' population supports all of this.

They have enough potential spellcasters, enough time to improve, and enough talent.

In addition, there are some special beings who can use advanced magic without taking the conventional path.

For example, Dacus and Colonia of the Herban family.

Darkus has a converter, the holy sword Vizar, which is not only a weapon but also a magical channel. It can transform the magic eight winds into Kushi instead of the traditional eight wind fusion method.

Colonia has a curse that allows her to convert the winds of magic through her arms and release them.

For example, Alyssa from the Takia family, this sister has a bad foundation, but she is very talented.

She was first the Chosen One of Hecate, and then the Chosen One of Elsa.

Of course, this is nothing, it doesn't allow her to master advanced magic.

Until... the one and only Kukulkan grew up.

And now Malekith, his converter, is the sacred fire in his body—never extinguished, inexhaustible.

These exceptions, though unconventional, also touch upon the essence of Quesch.

They do not rely on blessings or systems, but use curses, magical creatures, artifacts and divine fire to forcibly open a path that belongs only to them.

This is another kind of high magic.

A path that only a few can understand, bear, and master.

At this time, Tolandil stood up and hugged Colonia.

At this moment, there were no words, no unnecessary movements, just two shoulders gently touching each other, but it seemed to carry countless past silences and emotions.

When the two of them embraced, Daxus glanced at Anasara, who had a complicated expression on her face. Anasara originally disagreed and had always been reserved about this relationship, but the times and rules had changed...

Anna Sara understands that some things are no longer up to her to decide.

At this moment, Malekith, who had already walked to the exit of the hall, turned back. His footsteps were very light, but everyone still noticed it immediately.

He walked back to the crowd with a faint smile on his lips. He imitated Daqiu and made a yo-yo sound, breaking the heaviness of the atmosphere with a teasing and relaxed tone, teasing the hugging lovers and his two important ministers.

His laugh was sharp, and his tone was full of sarcasm and playfulness, but there was no malice in it. It was more like he was using this method to relieve tension and release emotions.

After teasing, he gently grabbed Colonia's arm and looked at it.

He did not speak, but observed silently, as if reading some kind of fluctuation that only he could perceive.

After a moment, he lowered his arms and said in a deep voice.

"you can!"

This voice sounded like a verdict, but also like an approval, and even had a strange blessing in it.

Then he began to talk openly about how he felt when he came into contact with the holy fire while he was lying on the ground just now.

He spoke frankly, without evasion or reservation.

In his opinion, there was nothing to hide, and he sincerely hoped that Colonia would succeed.

Utilitarianally speaking, he could add strength and do the Herban family a great favor. He knew too well the importance of Colonia to the Herban family. A powerful existence was the fulcrum of the battlefield and the lever of fate.

He also didn't think that Colonia could do anything to him, they had the same goals and interests, and there was also Fadacus as a bridge.

Moreover, he is now at another level of existence, and high-level magic cannot cause any harm to him.

On the contrary, those who used advanced magic in front of him were the easiest to deal with. He could interrupt, interfere, and shatter the stability of the spellcasting at will, even with a single thought or a single scolding.

He has the confidence and the pride.

Apart from those Slann magic priests, he is now the first person to use high-level magic, a unique existence in the elven society.

A mountain, or a natural moat.

The only one who could pose a substantial threat to him was Dacus.

He knew all too well how Bel-Hathor died, but he didn't think that Dacus would do anything to him unless he did something to Dacus first...

In a purely utilitarian sense, he hoped that Colonia's success could add more possibilities to this unknown future and make the elves stronger and stronger.

Even just a little bit.

The Holy Fire belongs to the entire elven race, not just to Malekith himself.

In the future, more people will enter the Holy Fire. Some will be crowned as Phoenix Kings in the flames; some will borrow the power of Asuryan to recast their destiny.

The moment Colonia stood in front of the sacred fire, her skin numbed and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. A primitive sensation made her tremble, not with fear, but with solemnity, sacredness, and the feeling of being stared at.

She had seen many supernatural entities in existence before, namely the Great Demons, and she knew what it was like to be powerful, and what it meant to be truly in the realm.

And now, the sacred fire is roaring like a city on fire, like a temple burning in silence.

The heat was so great that even time and space seemed to begin to deform.

The power was flowing, and the air seemed to be filled with flashing sparks, flickering through the texture of space.

She took a deep breath, steadied her heartbeat, and took a step toward the sacred fire.

Then she slowly raised her right arm, but she did not put her hand directly into the sacred fire.

She is not here to endure, but to have a dialogue. (End of this chapter)