Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 381 The Light of Three People

"Yes, I wonder, is it possible for mortals to ascend to godhood."

Shard didn't deny the probing of his thoughts. As he asked the question, he lifted his head to face the Deity of bygone days. The golden cracks on his body, like the afterglow of a bonfire, were strikingly similar to the bright gold of the deity's hair.

At this moment, Miss Feliana seemed to understand something.

The Deity was still smiling, and gave the Outlander an answer: Continue your adventure with novelbuddy

"It is not possible, at least not in this age or in your age, absolutely impossible."

Shard nodded:

"Then I..."

"That belongs to the category of unanswerable questions."

"And you..."

"In the distant past, I assumed the role of a Saint and walked the material world alongside The Great One, that is, the Tree Father. Back then, my identity was that of Princess Tawel of the Elven Royal Family. From the mortal's appellation for me, you should understand, I am a deity of space, and 'Kiss of the Tree' narrates past tales. The parting gift of power from the Ancient God: Father of the Infinite Tree, long since departed, endowed me with the cleric roles of time and nature."

Their voice was like an ethereal choir singing, like the most peaceful lullaby in the silent nights, more like the ancient pages in a lonely library recounting past stories to themselves.

The Moon Witch had already closed her eyes, bowed her head, and covered her ears. Miss Feliana was closing her eyes and tilting her head, while the full emergence of the golden cracks covered Shard's body. He still wanted to delve further:

"You were originally a god, Ancient Gods are deities that existed at the dawn of the world, so what exactly are the Old Gods..."

"This, too, is an unanswerable question."

The Deity said so, and Shard knew he was being too greedy. He nodded lightly:

"Thank you for your answers. Praise be to you, Blazar Gate of bygone times."

He had many more questions, many more Old Gods to encounter, to address those doubts regarding the truth of the world. This was probably also a Path of Sublimation, symbolizing Shard's closeness to the world's essence.

The Deity no longer spoke, while Shard turned to face Miss Feliana:

"Do you have any more questions? If not, let's complete the ritual."

"No, please wait a moment."

The Witch unexpectedly spoke. She opened her dark gold eyes to look at Shard:

"I didn't expect that in the end, it would be you helping us, but I suppose, after the ritual is complete, you will be leaving, right?"

This question also made the young Moon Witch look towards Shard. Shard tried to smile, but just couldn't:

"Yes, I believe my task here is done."

He didn't know what else to say, while Miss Feliana pulled a book, or rather a notebook, from within her robe:

"This is a gift for you."

She handed the notebook to Shard and blinked, accepting with resignation that Shard really was leaving:

"Since you called me 'Teacher,' of course, I have to impart some knowledge to you. Yet, your power system is entirely different from ours, and the passage of eons has greatly changed the names of alchemical ingredients and Potion Ingredients. Herein are recorded some knowledge I think might be useful to you, along with some of my experiences, which I believe will help."

"Did you prepare this in advance?"

Shard took the notebook, surprised by the honor of receiving an item from one of the founders of the Academy.

"We prepared it together."

She looked towards her student... her true student, the Moon Witch smiled at Shard, her face showing an even stronger hint of desolation:

"Well then, farewell, man of the future."

Miss Feliana nodded, and then the "four" by the bonfire rose together.

When the Moon Witch stood up, she nearly fell, but Shard stretched out his hand to catch her. Then, Miss Feliana and the Moon Witch moved behind Shard because as the Deity stood, the overwhelming pressure made it impossible for them to stand.

"But where is the door?"

The Witches whispered quietly.

After thinking for a moment, Shard pulled out a card and tossed it lightly. The card flew towards the tree canopy, slicing off three leaves before returning to Shard's hand.

Tucking the card away, he then opened his palm to catch the leaves.

Shard shared the leaves with the Witches, and the three held the leaves up to their eyes. The leaves obscured their view, but they also revealed a doorframe on the thick trunk of the ancient tree, haloed in gold.

"Indeed so."

Shard stepped forward to open the door with the Key of the Door, but Sorcery had no effect on it. If opening Mr. Jude's safe in Coldwater Port was like pushing a heavy stone, this was like trying to push the whole world.

Summoning his Ring of Fate, he shone the Spirit Rune on the doorframe, yet still nothing happened.

"What else did you prepare at that time?"

Shard turned again to ask the Witches, who were leaning on each other and gently shaking their heads, obviously having forgotten as well.

The information provided by the Guiding Light Hermitage did not include this step. Shard carefully revisited the fairy tale, searching his memory for the different endings Dorothy had told him.

"In the light of the fire, the Princess and the tree met their end..."

That was the subject of this week's Saturday evening class, and Shard remembered it clearly. With this in mind, Shard looked towards the cluster of dark gold flames:

"Did you call forth these flames with the power of the Witch? I remember you saying that these flames protect you from being consumed by the darkness of the Forest of Thousand Trees."

Shard pointed to the bonfire, and Miss Feliana provided the answer:

"The flames were carried in a small jar and brought here; all I remember is that they can drive away the darkness."

"Which means, it's possible they have other uses as well."

Shard concluded, looking at the silent Deity standing to one side, who smiled at him.

Then he picked a long branch from the pile of wood, ignited it with the bonfire, and, holding the branch, walked to the base of the tree and looked up at the giant tree.

Bowing his head, he held a leaf up to his eyes while extending the branch towards the trunk. But after a moment's thought, he stopped, and turning to the anxious Witches behind him said with a hint of regret:

"It has been a pleasure to meet you, Teacher Mana Feliana. May you continue to walk your own path."

After saying this, he turned to the Moon Witch and realized he didn't actually know her real name.

"My name is Briony Orland, a surname of the Elves, with one-eighth Elven lineage,"

said the young Witch softly.

"Miss Orland, I wish for you to always be by Miss Feliana's side as well,"

Shard spoke softly, hesitating to speak up, but the Deity discerned his intention:

"Once they leave this forest, other than the knowledge sought from me regarding the creation of a large independent space, most of their memories from this time will be lost. The Forest of Thousand Trees does not allow mortals to take their memories with them."

"My name is Shard Suren Hamilton."

He finally revealed his name, and both Miss Feliana and the Moon Witch nodded in acknowledgement. Even if they might forget, at least for this moment they wanted to remember him.

Hearing the rustling noise above, Shard seemed to have an epiphany and said to the Moon Witch:

"Miss Orland, may I make a request? If you become a Librarian in the future, please establish a small rule: the position of the Librarian should be inherited by those favored by the Moon, because the Sage of Silvermoon, too, possesses the power of knowledge."

Shard's request wasn't out of step with history, as Miss Danester had indeed said that such a rule existed in Saint Byrons. Shard's intention was to seek an advantage for himself, as he was known to be the purest of the Moon in Saint Byrons aside from the current Librarian.

"No problem."

Shard took a deep breath, then took one last look at the Witches behind him before bringing the tip of the burning branch with its dark gold flame into contact with the gold doorway on the trunk. The flames caught the doorway ablaze, and soon after, all the flames from the bonfire behind them flew over.

The surging flame flowed, illuminating the four people beneath the giant tree until all the flames converged to reveal a visible dark gold doorway upon the trunk.

The bonfire had gone out, and with no other sources of light under the tree, the dim and oppressive darkness at its base enveloped them, and the Witches and Shard offered a slight bow to the Deity together.

He nodded in return and then walked towards the doorway. With a gentle push, the door set in the trunk opened, and the Deity entered.

The doorway closed automatically, the swirling dark gold flames gradually extinguished. Without the protection of those peculiar flames, the eerie and oppressive darkness of the Forest of Thousand Trees closed in, whispers filled their ears, and opened eyes appeared in the air. It seemed even the clearing was shrinking, as the forest encroached upon it.

Shard stood united with the Witches, the temporary absence of the Deity causing the gold markings on his body to vanish and giving them a renewed spirit:

"Shard, are you afraid right now?"

Miss Feliana asked, to which Shard shook his head:

"Actually, I have the special ability to glow in complete darkness."

Although Luviya looked down upon such an ability, Shard still needed to emphasize it.

"That's good, it means you'll never be swallowed by darkness,"

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the Moon Witch whispered softly.

The canopy overhead was descending, and the branches around them, like bizarre tentacles, stretched toward the three in the darkness.

"Shard, now I will teach you one last lesson: no matter what kind of darkness you face in the future, always believe in your own light. That is the most pure power we, as extraordinary humans, possess."

Miss Feliana shouted in the darkness:

"Get ready, my students. I'll count—

One, two, three!"

Darkness finally enveloped them completely, yet the strange glow from Shard illuminated their actions.

The three of them raised their right hands simultaneously:

"Silvermoon!"

"Saffron Moon!"

"Feliana's Witch Light!"

The three huddled on the ground, with the tips of their fingers shining bright light at the same time. Dark gold, orange-yellow, and Holy Silver—the intense light illuminated the dense branches around them, the entwined vines like monsters, and the boundless darkness.

Their shadows spread and overlapped all around, as the light shone on each of their faces.