Chapter 73
After finishing her purification bath, Silveryn dried off and dressed herself. After sending her maid back to the carriage, she walked through the corridor connected to the bath.
At the corridor's end, a large stone tablet carved with ancient letters blocked her path. Silveryn stretched out her hand. When her fingertip touched a certain point on the tablet, space rippled like water.
The great barrier known as the “Nebula Curtain”. It was magic that completely prevented outsiders from intruding by distorting space.
Though it was widely known that spatial magic's transmission had been cut off and its records destroyed hundreds of years ago, the Star Altar had preserved its lineage while hiding from the world's eyes.
But spatial magic was merely secondary. The most important thing at the Star Altar was astrology.
The altar could glimpse the flow of human lives through the stars. Growth and decline, life and death, and sometimes even hints about destined lovers could be uncovered.
Not everything about the future could be known. Measuring all creation with human eyes was like examining a great river's flow with a magnifying glass. The possibility of changing fate with information obtained from the Star Altar was extremely slim.
However, Silveryn wanted to know anything and everything she could about Damian. Since human affairs always flowed in unexpected directions, even a speck of information was desperately needed.
Before entering the altar, she briefly became lost in old thoughts. Though it had been five years since her last visit, those memories remained fresh in her mind.
Silveryn's past was stained with struggles to change predetermined fate. And all those struggles ultimately failed, with the Star Altar marking their end.
She didn't want to repeat that process twice.
There was always a price for seeing the future. And beyond knowing the future, changing that future required paying an enormous price. And Silveryn had given up paying that price.
It didn't matter if Damian's given fate wasn't a heroic life.
It didn't matter if it wasn't a life respected by all.
It didn't matter if his name wasn't recorded in the annals history.
Even if it was a fate where he remained a mere commoner barely sustaining life, that was fine.
Silveryn had only one wish. She just hoped that Damian's given fate wasn't so terrible that it needed to be changed.
***
While all the crowds were rushing to the entrance ceremony venue, I walked alone in the opposite direction against the flow.
Though I kept bumping shoulders with people and receiving sharp glances each time, I paid it no mind.
When I arrived at the residential area, it was quiet without even footsteps as people had left for the entrance ceremony.
As I passed through the residential area garden, Cecil's words occasionally flickered through my mind.
What did I come to Eternia to achieve?
If I start with top entrance scores and finish with top graduation scores, will I feel like I've achieved what I wanted?
Having entered with top scores meant achieving half of success. But my heart remained unfilled.
Nothing would change even if I went up on stage receiving everyone's attention and respect, showered with applause and bouquets.
I couldn't become intoxicated with my achievements thus far. My past prevented me from doing so.
As I reached the Guardian Tree, a huge explosion sound came from behind.
I slowly turned my head and looked up at the sky.
Snow-white magical fireworks shot up and burst, brilliantly embroidering the sky.
The entrance ceremony had begun.
I turned toward the labyrinth, leaving the brilliant festival behind.
***
When Silveryn entered through the rippling space after opening the Nebula Curtain, a fresh flower scent welcomed her.
The gray clouds that had been spewing snow disappeared, replaced by a blue, clear sky and warm breeze.
Fresh spring sunshine. Just from that, Silveryn could tell the Star Altar's lineage hadn't been broken.
Seasonal magic, if left unattended for long periods, would completely twist the magic formations making them extremely difficult to dispel, and would over-absorb the earth's mana, ultimately turning the world into a desert.
Before her stood a large sandstone wall.
And in the wall's center, a massive statue stood solemnly guarding the gate, so tall one had to crane their neck to see its top.
Silveryn walked through the gate.
After walking for a while and leaving the dark passage, the view of a city ruined hundreds of years ago spread out. And in the exact center of that city, a massive floating sky island came into view. The island blocked the sunlight and cast shadows on the earth.
Thousands of thick iron chains woven into the earth held the island that tried to rise through the clouds. It was a strange structure impossible to recreate even with all of today's magic engineering knowledge.
And atop that island laid the Star Altar.
To go up there, one had to climb thousands of circular steps leading vertically to the island.
Seeing the stairs, Silveryn sighed lightly.
"Haa, still keeping that old tradition?"
Though magic could make the stairs unnecessary, the law dictated that those seeking oracles must use the stairs, so one had to climb using their own two legs. While it wouldn't be a major problem with Silveryn's recovery ability, it was still an annoying and tedious process.
Silveryn quietly murmured, thinking of the disciple she left in Eternia.
"...When I get back, I'll make him give me lots of leg massages."
***
Though the Grace Mountains were smoothly and organically connected without any sudden protrusions or depressions, there was one exception.
In one part of the elegantly stretching mountain range was a strangely sunken basin. Records from hundreds of years ago say it was called the "Giant's Footprint" as it looked like it was made by a giant misstepping.
The basin's uniqueness wasn't just its alien terrain. A powerful mana field of unknown origin had formed there. The mana pressure in that area was so strong that normal plants couldn't grow, and the vegetation consisted of ancient and rare species that grew on mana.
It was a place impossible to handle not only for ordinary people but even for mages. Like an annual event, herb gatherers and travelers who entered the Giant's Footprint coveting rare herbs would either faint and become prey for magic creatures or return mentally impaired. Because of this, the name Giant's Footprint was almost forgotten, and over time it came to be called the "Forbidden Forest”.
After Eternia settled there and sealed off the surroundings allowing only a select few to enter, there were no more visitors accidentally entering the Forbidden Forest and meeting misfortune.
Thanks to its unique history, the Forbidden Forest was an extremely interesting place to Azaelis.
Azaelis, one of the few permitted people, was walking through the Forbidden Forest. Though even people with good resistance had to wear artifacts like armor to reduce the mana pressure's effects, it caused no strain for Azaelis.
Rather, to better savor the mana, she walked through the forest having removed all artifacts and even her shoes. Even though countless skeletons were buried under tree roots, to her it was just a nice place for an outing.
She thought briefly about Damian. She wondered if Damian could endure this level of mana pressure. She hoped he couldn't. Azaelis could provide great help with adapting to mana pressure, and she wanted Damian to receive and depend on her help.
Azaelis giggled to herself imagining Damian struggling and trembling from the mana pressure.
In her good mood, Azaelis skipped along like a child.
After following the compass for a while that way, she came to a clearing thick with blue grass.
In the center of the clearing stood a small wooden temple. Though traces of time were melted into the building, it was well-maintained and didn't feel old or shabby.
Sunlight scattered by thick fog came down softly, creating a mystical atmosphere.
This was where the Masters Class entrance ceremony would be held.
Azaelis clasped her hands behind her back and lightly stepped toward the temple.
The temple interior was quiet and simple.
There was only a pure white statue of the Goddess Akates and a few long wooden benches for worship.
"No one’s... here?"
Though the entrance ceremony time was approaching, Azaelis was the only one there.
"...Tch."
She felt upset at always ending up alone wherever she went. Even Damian, who could be called her peer, hadn't shown his face since leaving Thorn Garden the night before. He might be enjoying the splendid festival while abandoning the Masters Class.
Azaelis sat weakly on a bench. She turned halfway around, rested her chin on the backrest, and stared endlessly at the temple entrance.
Beyond the wide-open doors, only empty fog rippled.
***
Luna's eyes had lost focus.
The blood had drained from her face, making her white dress remind one of a burial shroud.
She crossed the forest without shoes. Though tree bark and gravel were embedded in her feet making blood stream down, Luna's face showed no trace of pain. Her body, which was possessed by an unknown being, swayed like a puppet with a soul-emptied face.
Where she passed, pitch-black footprints remained as if painted with tar.
And in her hand, she held a dagger just like before.
The place Luna arrived at was before Eternia's Guardian Tree.
A chilling smile bloomed on her face. Standing on the Guardian Tree's roots, Luna raised both hands above her head. Then she thrust the dagger through the center of her left palm and pulled it out.
Bright red blood gushed out, soaking her head, clothes, and the Guardian Tree's roots.
"Shadows, shadows. Let us join the feast of blood."
Soon black human figures began rising smokily around the Guardian Tree.
Luna, her whole body covered in blood, turned the dagger point downward and gripped it tightly with both hands. Then she chanted:
"Oh Swamp of Chaos, Mother of Darkness. Savior of Thought Entities. I offer my pure body for the feast of blood. I will sacrifice myself to host a banquet for the creatures of chaos. My flesh will fatten maggots, my blood will wet the throats of leeches. My entrails will become bones of ghouls, and my spirit power will grow the Wraith's darkness. My soul will become one with the thought entities in the pit of hell."
Luna's mouth opened slowly as if possessed by something. Then, without hesitation, she drove the knife into her solar plexus.
The black figures' forms rippled and changed to exact copies of Luna. In their hands, they held daggers like hers.
The black figures completely surrounded the Guardian Tree and simultaneously drove their daggers into the tree trunk.
Like poison spreading, the places where the daggers struck turned pitch black.
And the Guardian Tree's brilliant silver leaves slowly withered. Soon the blackened dead leaves began falling one by one.
Luna, with the knife still in her body, lost strength and collapsed forward.
***
I briefly stopped in the middle of the labyrinth and tapped the compass with my palm. I checked again but nothing had changed. The compass needle wouldn't stop but swung strangely left and right.
"It couldn't have broken already..."
Not stopping there, every few seconds it would point in random directions and sometimes spin like a top.
The compass had always pointed steadily to destinations. This had never happened before. Feeling somehow ominous, I bit my lip slightly.
"Forbidden Forest. Forbidden Forest."
When I shook the compass several times, the needle pointed in the proper direction again. Though the compass was very suspicious, I needed to arrive somewhere first before I could take action.
"Just hold out until the entrance ceremony..."
I started walking again in the direction the needle pointed.
After walking for a while, an unidentifiable shape appeared in the deep fog. Something was scattered here and there on the ground. And a faint fishy smell brushed my nose.
I quickened my pace. The smell grew stronger as I got closer to those things.
Only then could I properly sense it. It was the smell of blood.
Suddenly wind blew from the direction the compass pointed. This was a strange phenomenon I had never experienced. The labyrinth had always been a windless zone.
And riding the wind, red fog rolled in and invaded the labyrinth.
Sensing something was seriously wrong, I quickly threw myself into the red fog.
I hurried forward to check the shapes lying on the ground up close.
My breath stopped momentarily at the shocking sight.
Over a dozen masked librarians of the labyrinth lay scattered on the ground. I rushed to check the condition of one nearby librarian.
They had been dead for a while.
Their whole body was covered in sticky blood and their skin was punctured as if stabbed with an awl.
Soon my left wrist began to grow hot. It was the exact place where I wore the bracelet. I raised my left arm and rolled up my sleeve.
The rune letters on the cloud iron bracelet were reacting and emitting intense light.
Erzsebet's words while enchanting the bracelet flashed through my mind.
My heart began pounding as if it would burst.
Something is seriously wrong.