Chapter 63: It Was in Fear
Time rewound to the moment when Corleon spoke of the sun, in the space where Pegiraov resided.
On the platform, the stone pillar facing Pegiraov’s throne suddenly trembled, and in an instant, golden threads spread from its base, outlining the carvings on the pillar.
It depicted the sun shining upon the earth, with all beings kneeling in worship.
There were massive giants, tiny humans, dragons soaring in the sky—countless races offering their devotion to the sun above.
It showed a divine figure on an altar, only half a body remaining, struggling as a priest tore open its chest and extracted its heart to offer to the sun.
It showed an army charging toward the sun—knights riding dragons with dragon spears, mages waving their staffs, a king holding a holy spear, and endless warriors.
The stone pillar radiated light, and a certain will was about to burst forth.
Suddenly, Pegiraov, seated on the throne with closed eyes, opened them. His gaze, tangible and no weaker than the golden light on the pillar, struck the stone pillar directly and suppressed it.
"You're already dead. Stop trying to come out and scare people." Pegiraov stood up and raised one hand.
Golden points of light ignited above the firmament, each descending in a beam of golden brilliance, fiercely striking the stone pillar.
"Boom—" The stone pillar shook violently, but under the suppression, it gradually calmed, and the golden light faded from it.
Pegiraov sat back on the throne, his expression somewhat drained.
"Which idiot unearthed its name this time? A scholar? Or a mage?" Aivas appeared in the space, his expression slightly irritated.
"More importantly, a fragment of its will escaped." Pegiraov said with his eyes closed.
"It escaped?!" Aivas was shocked. His expression turned grave, and his eyes glowed faintly with magic as he scanned the world.
"On Morning Star." Pegiraov provided guidance.
"...Hiss, that thing—is it insane? Instead of hiding, it wants to bomb the earth?" Aivas focused on Morning Star, found the will, but was startled by its actions.
"I'm counting on you." Pegiraov said.
"Hmm, leave it to me." Aivas nodded and vanished from the space.
In the endless realms, countless dim, massive spheres floated. Infinite and numberless, only two of them emitted light.
One was Morning Star, the other was the world they lived in.
Aivas appeared between the two spheres.
He glanced back at the faintly glowing pale blue sphere, then looked toward the blazing Morning Star.
"What a beautiful earth—there's no way I can let you destroy it." Aivas said, and suddenly released a burst of magic no weaker than Morning Star’s.
Intricate patterns spread across the space, forming an immense magic array.
The earth behind him emitted a faint glow, as if in response, supplying Aivas with power.
"Aivas, I didn’t expect you to still be conscious." A voice came from Morning Star.
"If you could escape, why couldn’t I remain conscious?" Aivas replied.
"Hahaha, but it doesn’t matter. Pegiraov is dying soon. We will return eventually." The voice said, "We are the world itself. We are immortal."
"Hmph, nonsense. Even if all of you wither away, Pegiraov will not die. He’ll lead us into the next era."
"Ah, I said from the beginning—you should’ve been cursed with slumber and forgetfulness. Then you could’ve experienced his suffering." The voice growled bitterly. "We could’ve returned much sooner."
"But no matter. We are immortal. We’ve waited five eras—what’s five more?"
"As long as we can return again."
"Filthy beast—you’re afraid, aren’t you? Someone capable of truly killing you has emerged. That’s why, after escaping, you didn’t hide like last time. Instead, you tried to eliminate them, right?"
Aivas’s eyes still glowed with magic. He saw that the will was constantly scanning the earth, eliminating one region after another.
"Fear? No, no, no—we could never fear! We are gods, the foundation of the world, everything!" The voice roared in anger.
"Idiot. After all this time, you’re still this brainless!" Aivas mocked.
"Ah! Damn you!" The will stopped its search, its rage rapidly corroding its reason.
"Despicable! Once again, you’re consumed by anger. You..." The voice devolved into pure howls.
Magic surged brightly from Morning Star, then suddenly blasted toward Aivas.
"Fools will always be fools. Still falling for the same tricks." Aivas sneered.
He raised his hand.
The magic array behind him overflowed with power and twisted into a massive spear.
"Holy Spear · Liberation."
...
"This thing—it's truly sensing a threat." Aivas panted, returning to the space.
"It didn’t hide. The moment it escaped, it started channeling Morning Star’s magic to erase the threat." He said.
"I only probed a little, and it went insane, then got consumed by rage."
"Did you wipe it out completely?" Pegiraov asked.
"I can’t be sure." Aivas shook his head. "I can only see the surface. I can’t peer deeper into Morning Star."
"Then, I’ll trouble you to keep a closer watch." Pegiraov said. "If its will doesn’t find a host or source in the outside world, it will survive no more than eight years."
"Of course. That is my duty." Aivas said. "Who caused it this time? Did you see?"
"My eyes have long since gone blind, Aivas." Pegiraov replied.
"Then we’ll have to seal it again with a curse." Aivas said.
He looked at Pegiraov and, thinking of his words, hesitated. "Let me do the curse this time."
"No, Aivas. There’s no need for more curses." Pegiraov looked at him and said.
"I think you know by now—my life is coming to an end. We can’t keep sealing them away with curse after curse."
"Like Teacher once said, sometimes we must believe that others can create miracles, that they can forge a new future."
"That old fool only spouted nonsense. Died early, did nothing—he was just escaping, afraid, terrified!" Aivas became agitated, kneeling on one knee with a knight’s salute.
"Only you are right. Only you can truly bring forth the future."
"We once believed in those who came after, and what did it lead to? Just layers upon layers of curses, severing the progress of civilization."
"Look at this world now. Compared to our Sacred Eternal Empire, they’re like savages."
"But Aivas—I am dying." Pegiraov simply said.
"…" Aivas fell silent.
"Everything in this world must decay, must return to death. That is the eternal truth." Pegiraov took out a Holy Scripture.
"Aivas, while watching Morning Star, read the Scriptures carefully, and the Lord’s Words he will one day write."
"The Lord is one, and also many. The Lord is past, present, and future. The Lord created heaven and earth. The Lord set the world’s order with words, created life’s cradle with power, and distributed the stars with wisdom. Seasons change in the Lord’s hand, and dew falls from the Lord’s Throne."
"The Lord exists within all things and also transcends all things."
"Aivas, I ask you—when the world enters its next era, watch over it for me."