Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1386 Accommodation
Above the Western Continent, beyond the gray fog that ordinary people could not see but which had isolated this land from the outside world for thousands of years, a crimson hue suddenly appeared.

It instantly expanded to the size of an entire continent, thick as blood, with its surface constantly surging, as if something was about to burst out from it.

She is the mother of all things in the universe, the ruler of the real world, the eternal and indestructible evil, the true Great Mother Goddess.

She is the "Fallen Mother Goddess".

The viscous liquid that shrouded the sky didn't have time to transform back into its true mythical creature form. It sought out a crack in the surface of the gray fog and, relying on the still-present symbol of the "Primordial Chaos Embryo" and its mystical connection with the Source Matter "Mother Nest," forcibly broke into the seal.

But the Fallen Mother Goddess soon discovered that the gray mist before her had no physical form and therefore could not stop her from entering reality.

This gray fog, this seal, they're all fake!
The seven source substances sealed in the western continent, each symbolizing different powers and concepts, also exhibited extremely restrained and dispersed power.

They all seem to have found their corresponding homes.

Even the "mother nest," torn from the fallen Mother Goddess by the original Creator and sucked into the barrier, resisted merging with Him.

In an instant, this great being understood everything. Before that, He simply lacked crucial information, but He was not foolish.

Without a doubt, God promised not to actively open the seal on the Western Continent because He did not need to.

The seal will be opened by the "Lord of Mysteries," and this pillar-level Ancient has already quietly accomplished all of this, giving the native gods of Earth the opportunity to come into contact with the Source Matter and contain it.

This means that the other Great Old Ones outside the barrier will no longer wait for the "Fallen Mother Goddess" to take in the Mother Nest first. They will either fear the possible alliance between the two pillars and leave this star field, or they will take a gamble and enter the barrier together to gain some benefits in the chaos.

Regardless of how things develop, the Fallen Mother herself will soon become the target of the Pillars.

Thinking of this, He did not hesitate at all, allowing the viscous crimson liquid that had entered reality to penetrate the gray fog and enter the Western Continent, following the sensation of the "Mother Nest" and flying in that direction.

At this moment, His mind was filled with the thought of quickly absorbing the source matter.

……

At the same time, the ancients outside the barrier also noticed something was wrong.

They suppressed their instinct to force their way into the barrier and devour the corresponding source matter and uniqueness, allowing the "Fallen Mother Goddess" to enjoy the feast first. Besides a slight fear of the Mother of All Things and the pillar carrying the "Primordial Chaos Embryo," the main reason was to let her test the situation inside the barrier first.

After "God" revived and solidified the barrier once again, the "Superstar Overlord" and "Mother Tree of Desire" had some ominous premonitions. The "Goddess of Fate" and "Ring of Destiny," which have symbols related to "fate," also discovered that the future trajectory and destiny of this planet had become obscure and difficult to understand, and were no longer in their control.

Initially, the Old Ones believed this was the effect of the return of the All-Knowing and All-Powerful One, some small tricks by this pillar who could modify the power and symbols of the astral plane.

But after the "Fallen Mother Goddess" descended upon the Western Continent, and gray fog permeated every inch of the universe, even these old ways of thinking were stagnant for a period of time, they finally understood that the "Lord of Mysteries" was born at almost the same time as that God. However, these influences were delayed and hidden by many means, making them believe that only one pillar was born within the barrier, and that they still had a chance to get a share.

Now, the three pillars supporting this universe—the astral realm, the spiritual realm, and reality—are all situated on the same planet. Will they continue to wait for the barrier to break so they can seize the power they have long coveted?

The eight great beings exchanged information with each other. Some had the urge to retreat after witnessing the tragic state of the "Children of Chaos," while others hesitated because their own power was incomplete due to the tearing of their source matter. However, most still held onto a glimmer of hope, believing that the "Fallen Mother Goddess" had deliberately weakened the barrier that was her important symbol, causing the end of this planet to come sooner than "God" and "Lord of Mysteries" had anticipated.

The two pillars might be able to predict the approximate time of the apocalypse, but the special symbolic status of the "Primordial Chaos" is high enough that they could never know it in advance.

Therefore, there is still a chance...

The eight great beings quickly reached a consensus. In the starry sky, many stars surrounding the small blue planet burst forth with extremely bright light. Terrifying faces pressed against the transparent curtain, squeezing and tearing at the fragile barrier, quickly revealing more cracks in the barrier that had just been infiltrated by the Fallen Mother Goddess.

Only then did they realize with surprise that there was no longer a divine kingdom supporting them inside the barrier.

Isolated from the vast universe, the astral plane belonging solely to this planet no longer contains any gods.

……

In the western continent, there is a group of buildings built against the mountain, shrouded in mist, dark and damp.

Wearing a layered yet not overly elaborate black silk dress, with her face shrouded in a hazy, dark hue, Amanisis, the "Goddess of the Night," holds a golden bird ornament in one hand, a giant black scythe in the other, and her last hand squeezes orange-red light, gathering it in front of her.

His body was only the size of a normal person, not the enormous form he took when he was in the astral plane or directly descended into reality. Standing before him was the leader of the Haoli Sect, whose face was pale and bloodless, whose eyes were deep black, but whose expression was somewhat relieved.

The latter looked up at the crimson light that pierced through the layers of mist and landed inside the sect's buildings, nodded to Amanisis, and said:

"it's time."

"it's time."

The Goddess of Night nodded slightly and answered in the increasingly fluent and clear language of the Western Continent.

During this month, He spent most of His time within the sect of the Haoli lineage, attempting to access and master the "River of Eternal Darkness" with the help of the current sect leader, instead of relying solely on the "tributaries" to familiarize Him with this power as He had done in the previous two years. In His absence, the barrier of the astral plane was supported by a power conceived by the "Lord of the Astral Plane".

Fortunately, with this time, Amanisis' efforts to merge with the "River of Eternal Darkness" have reached their most critical moment!
If she doesn't actually come into contact with the true form of this source substance, separated by the seal, the Goddess of Night might need several years to familiarize herself with the source substance through the power of the tributaries, which could even affect her own condition.

Now, the Fallen Mother Goddess has truly entered the barrier and arrived in reality. According to the plan, she will immediately be fooled by the "Lord of Mysteries," who will only see the part of her source that has been torn apart. She will then be guided into the false seal and begin the fusion process with the "Mother Nest."

During this period of time, which no one can estimate, the many symbols and concepts naturally emanating from this pillar will be sealed and blocked to the greatest extent possible to prevent devastating damage to the entire planet. If this is not done, the mere fact that He descended here might directly destroy the Earth, or give birth to several smaller planets. In either case, no ordinary person could escape unscathed.

Everything is a race against time...

Behind Master Haoli, a wide, dark river of indistinct color flowed out from the void and came before the Goddess of Night.

In the river, countless figures dressed similarly to the sect leader, wearing black robes, rose and fell with the current, but one figure remained conscious.

He wore a rusty iron crown, and his skin was as white as jade but had countless cracks from which pus oozed. He was the "Underworld Man" who had once suppressed the "Blood Emperor".

If it weren't for this final step, after Alistair Tudor's remnant soul was completely sealed in the "City of Calamity" by Angel and became a part of her, this Daoist would have already voluntarily entered eternal slumber, ending her thousand-year-long perseverance.

Before the "Underworld Being" sitting cross-legged in the dark river, the Goddess of Night, with a solemn expression, released the golden ornament she had been holding and pointed it towards the illusory river, saying:
"By the River of Eternal Darkness as my witness, and in the name of Amanisis, I swear that no matter the outcome of the Doomsday War, I will strengthen the Haoli lineage and enable all disciples to acquire unique abilities and cultivate both inner and outer strength. If I break this oath, may I be forever plunged into this river."

This was something the Goddess of Night and the Haoli lineage had long agreed upon, something that needed to be done after merging with the source essence. But only when She spoke it herself did the Haoli sect leader standing to the side and the "Netherworld Daoist" floating in the river show expressions of satisfaction. The latter reached out and placed his hand on Amanisis's head, saying:

"From now on, you will be the leader."

As He declared, more water surged from the illusory river beneath Him, instantly engulfing Amanisis. Countless Daoists from past generations, some ragged, some already reduced to skeletons, emerged from the riverbed and began to devour the body of this "new member."

After being informed by Angel, Amanisis, who understood that fusing with the source matter required fighting against the remaining consciousness of the Daoist within, did not panic and began to resist this erosion.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Amidst the crimson cliffs and verdant forests of the peaks, the "God of Steam and Machinery," Yugos Stiano, who appears as a middle-aged man, sits cross-legged in the center of the ancient building's main hall, draped in a blue robe and wearing a tall crown that seems somewhat out of place with his face.

Opposite him sat a "Celestial Master" with a beautiful face but a withered expression, also sitting cross-legged, holding a whisk.

The process of this deity embracing the "wilderness of knowledge" has reached a crucial stage.

Unlike the goddess of the night, Stiano faced significant difficulties from the very beginning.

This isn't a problem with the power of the source material itself. Both the "River of Eternal Darkness" and the "Wilderness of Knowledge" contained consciousness that was utterly destroyed in the ancient battle between the two pillars, while the newly formed portion, through the efforts of generations of Dao Mergerers, had the foundation for fusion. However, the problem lies in the fact that the location of the Steam God, the ancestral home of the "Celestial Master" sect, was once conquered by the "Luo Sect," a sect founded by Dao Mergerers who worshipped the "Mother Nest." This resulted in the Wilderness of Knowledge being polluted by the Mother Nest, which possessed the power of "rebirth," leading to countless entanglements between the two source materials and the two sects over millennia.

This has led to the activation of the uniqueness of the "Hermit" path, giving rise to the "Hidden Sage." On the other hand, all the "Celestial Masters" who have come to align with the "Wilderness of Knowledge" throughout history must have the bloodline of the "Luo Cult" and undergo complete cultivation in order to truly merge with the Source and not be rejected by it.

Because the Celestial Masters and the Holy Maidens of the Luo Cult had all had romantic entanglements and had many children, this was not a particularly harsh condition, but it was an insurmountable obstacle for the "God of Steam" outside the seal.

How could He, who was born before the seal on the Western Continent was broken, possibly have a "mother nest" or the bloodline of the "Luo Cult"?

Fortunately, He was lucky. Although He didn't have it, there was a pair of siblings outside the seal who had the bloodline of the "mother nest".

Those were Omibella and Giddas, born of the original God and the Mother Nest.

The former had his identity and destiny stolen by the "Earth Mother Goddess" Lilith and died from betrayal, while the latter was betrayed by his own sister in an earlier era and made a patricide curse before his death, which indirectly led to the former's death.

Both of their remains have been found. Among them, "True Creator" Grisha exchanged Omibella's remains, "Gift of the Earth," from New Silver City. Using the power of the Gift originating from the Mother Nest, he researched how to deceive the consciousness of the Source in a short time and make it believe that Yugos Steano had the corresponding bloodline.

When the "Eternal Sun" fell and Intis was effectively dominated by the Steam Church, Grisha, who was then the "True Creator," had already begun to help Stiano with this "disguise."

Of course, this can only deceive for a while, not forever.

As Stiano gazed at the "Celestial Master," whose appearance was distinctly different from his own and that of the people from the North and South continents, the thoughts the other party had transmitted through information flow echoed in his mind:

"This method is a heretical and unorthodox approach. It can only help you gain the recognition and approval of the Celestial Masters of all generations in a short period of time. Afterwards, you will inevitably be rejected by the 'Tao'. At best, your cultivation will regress; at worst, you will be shattered to pieces."

At the same time, an endless wilderness appeared behind the Celestial Master, in which figures wearing tall crowns but with ferocious faces kept wandering, exuding strong malice.

This is the consciousness of a Dao-aligned being who has completely integrated into the "Wilderness of Knowledge." If the God of Steam cannot withstand the backlash, he may be dragged into the wilderness and become one of them.

If it weren't for the fact that there was only one month to spare, Stiano himself, Grisha (the "God" who helped him fake his bloodline), and even the other Great Old Ones would have chosen a more prudent approach: to let the contemporary "Celestial Master" who truly possessed the corresponding bloodline and had undergone complete training inherit everything and become a Great Old One.

As a being who is essentially a "gifted one" of primordial power, even if He were to take the "Hermit" pathway potion from the beginning, He could complete the role-playing and rapid advancement in a short period of time. Perhaps in just a few years, He could challenge for godhood and then contain the "wilderness of knowledge".

The remaining consciousness of the Dao-merging being within the source essence would likely not reject such a successor.

But right now, what Earth lacks most is time, and the contemporary Celestial Masters seem unwilling to take such a path. It's not a short-term sacrifice, nor the glory of mastering power, but an endless struggle against the will of the source.

The "God of Steam" thought the same way. His hasty ascension to godhood in the Fourth Age was due to the threat of the "Hidden Sage" from the adjacent pathway. After learning about the problems of the "Old Days," he was even more willing to relinquish his authority and let the Celestial Master in front of him control the power of the "Wilderness of Knowledge." But now, someone has to sacrifice himself to fight against the invading Outer Gods and protect the wealth and future that belong to the Western Continent and the Northern and Southern Continents.

"I see."

Stiano's thoughts echoed in the Celestial Master's mind at the same time.

The latter nodded, with blessings for the deity and hopes for his own liberation, and let the wilderness behind him envelop the entire hall, drawing the consciousness of the Daoist who was rotting and had a vicious expression closer.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the Buddhist kingdom filled with amber and lapis lazuli, atop Mount Sumeru stands a colossal golden Buddha that seems to support the heavens and the earth, with a small figure sitting on either side of it.

One of them was a young man with long silver hair and handsome features, while the other looked to be only four or five years old, with a chubby face and short, silver hair.

The former is Urolius, the "Angel of Fate" who accompanied the "Ancient Sun God" and the "True Creator" before recently returning to the command of "God," while the latter is Will Unsetin, the "Mercury Angel" most beloved by the "Fool."

But as it stands now, Werner's seemingly frail body appears more comfortable and at ease than Urelius's in the light emanating from the giant golden Buddha.

Because He had already incorporated the uniqueness of the "Fate" pathway with the help of the "Lord of Mysteries," He became the Angel King stronger than Urelius, who possessed two Sequence 1 traits.

However, neither of them got the chance to truly become gods and contain the "Key of Light." Instead, they came together to the Buddha Land of the Source Beings, attempting to jointly support this symbol of the Source that has only a single path, and to add strength to Earth's side in the war of the end times.

Two angel kings and one source-matter merger formed a trinity at this moment. This was the inevitability of fate. It seems that the two Sequence 1 beings who followed the same path failed to become gods first, all for this moment.

In order to give the "Key of Light" the ability to resist the invasion of the Outer Gods.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Deep within the earth, in what seems to be an abyss connecting to the fallen nature of every living being, two black figures have stood there for a long time.

It wasn't until the crimson light that pierced through everything fell that the two seemed to notice and begin to move.

"It seems the argument will not yield any results; there's no time left."

The “Master of the Dark Abode,” dressed in a wide black robe, with long, white hair tinged with black and a refined appearance, laughed heartily and spoke to the “Demon King” Fabuti, who had ice-blue eyes and wore a top hat beside him.

Although the latter still looks like his clone "Napolidisli", his true form has come here after the seal on the Western Continent was removed.

He engaged in a protracted debate with the Unifiers of the Shadow World, the purpose of which was naturally to determine who would be in control after becoming the "Old Ones".

Unlike the God of Steam and the Celestial Master who declined to take the lead, the two candidates, both born from the power of the "Abyss" and possessing arrogant and extremely selfish personalities, believed that they should be in charge.

Of course, the current priority is to survive the apocalypse and prevent the "Mother Tree of Desire" from stealing this source and turning them into puppets. Therefore, the two did not actually engage in a battle to determine the winner, but instead tried to persuade each other with words.

"Yes, there's no time left."

Fabuti smiled and looked up, as if piercing through the shadowy abyss, and saw the "Fallen Mother Goddess" who had been tricked into the sealed crevice and was merging with the "Mother Nest", and the "Mother Tree of Desire" who was vying to destroy the barrier and try to enter reality.

"So, let's cooperate first?"

The "Master of the Dark Lodge" had a glint in his eye and a smile on his lips.

"Let's cooperate first."

The "Demon King" nodded emphatically, without hesitation.

At the same time, deep within the spirit realm, two black streaks of light fell like meteors. One was a phantom figure wrapped in bandages, thorns, and roses, and the other was a strange tree resembling a human, flowing with pitch-black liquid.

The uniqueness of the "Bound Ones" and their "divine abomination" characteristics, which were originally hidden in the "City of Calamity," actually emerged from the Source Castle and were sent into the "Abyss," to Fabuti!

That was the agreement between the "Goddess of Calamity" and Him.

Seeing this, Fabuti no longer hesitated. He exchanged a glance with the "Master of the Dark Abode" and stepped into the shadowy abyss without taking turns, entering the "Shadow World".

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Seeing that the demon had actually kept his promise and was willing to merge into the source matter to gamble on the "Old Days" opportunity that might not come to pass, in order to occupy the "Shadow World" and prevent the "Mother Tree of Desire" from gathering it immediately, Angel in the gray fog breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the end of the bronze table.

On the high-backed chair that originally belonged to the "world," sat a figure radiating maternal glow, cradling an invisible infant.

(End of this chapter)