Chapter 1263: The Dark Whirlpool
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Everyone in the room was aware of the impending crisis, except Prince Andrew, who had no idea what was going on. He glanced at them all and asked hesitantly, “What is the Light of Asurmen?”
Hao Ren could not help but give the little prince a thumbs-up in his heart: he did not know what the Light of Asurmen was either, but he was too embarra.s.sed to ask…
Rudolph III gave his only son a disappointed look. Alfred sighed slightly and said, “Your Highness, you have learned about these things. The Light of Asurmen is the brightest lighthouse in Collow. It’s in the Sanctum…”
The Light of Asurmen was not a light, but a crystal mountain on the top of the Sanctum.
There were five fragmented continents in Collow. The Ansu continent, the continent of Glow, and the continent of Fimbulvinter were the realms of the secular kingdom, while the Kanaan secret realm was permanently shrouded in dark fog. The four continental divisions in four corners of the world rose and fell with the tides of the Sea of Carnos, constantly struggling as Chaos and Order wrestled. The Sanctum, on the other hand, floated in the middle of the four continents, overlooking the entire secular realm with a unique geographical advantage.
Unlike the other four continents, the Sanctum was never invaded by the forces of Chaos.
At the center of the Holy Land stood a splendid legacy of G.o.d: the Crystal Mountain of Asurmen, also known as the Light of Asurmen.
This crystal mountain was crystal clear and grown from white crystals. It was so steep and high that no mortal could climb it. The crystals that formed the holy mountain were indestructible, and the secular forces could not shake it. Asurmen stood on the ground, surrounded by the three Solitaire Rings. The largest city in the Sanctum, the greatest shrine in the minds of the believers of the G.o.ddess of creation, was located within the three Solitaire Rings. The city was divided into three parts: the Ring of Mortals, the Path of Sages, and the G.o.d’s Will Precinct.
Day and night, Asurmen never stopped releasing soft, divine light. That was the source of all the Light of Order in the world. The light never went out, thus permanently isolating the Sanctum from the forces of Chaos. So, people also called the Sanctum the “final rampart”. Once the Tides of Chaos became unstoppable and Order collapsed completely, this continent would become the last refuge for mortals.
Unfortunately, the Sanctum was the smallest of the five continents. It could not shelter all the humans in the world. Even if this “final rampart” was really indestructible, people did not want to see it come into use at that moment.
“The sacred weapons of Order now used by the nations of the continents are in fact imitations of the Light of Asurmen. Whether it’s a small furnace or the Spire of Flames, or the Sunscorch Tower, the principle is to use secular matter to release the energy field of the Light of Asurmen. The enchanted minerals gathered around the crystal mountain are the energy core of the larger weapons of Order. These minerals have always been controlled by the Theocracy. They allocated these minerals to Collow based on the situation of each War against Chaos, but in general, they’re fair and generous. ”
Having understood what the sacred crystal mountain meant to the whole world of Collow, Hao Ren asked worriedly, “When the Light of Asurmen goes out, it means…”
“The Sanctum, which is supposed to never fall, can also be breached. From now on, the people of the Sanctum will face the Tides of Chaos in their homeland,” explained General Gloen.
“The end of the world is no longer a tale. As soon as the Sanctum falls, the end will come in an instant,” said Alfred.
Hao Ren blinked and said, “So the early withdrawal of the Theocracy was due to a huge crisis within the Sanctum. Before the Light of Asurmen was extinguished, the Theocracy probably had a hard time sustaining itself at home… What role do the cultists play in this?”
“The cultists and the forces of Chaos have always moved in lockstep. They are one, so to speak. Their roles are not just as accomplices and p.a.w.ns, but they are part of the Tides of Chaos.” Princess Ania’s face turned pale. She could imagine what had happened in Taros. “The actions of the cultists equate to the actions of Chaos, so they are the ones disrupting the battle in the West…”
Hao Ren gasped. “A group of cultists can have such power…”
“They are not ordinary cultists.” Grand Duke Loen looked at him and explained, “They have been on the continent since the fall of Lockmarton. And sheltered by the forces of Chaos, the Cult of Armageddon has hardly been harmed in the War against Chaos. If it hadn’t been for the same old Sanctum, which constantly attacked them, the cultists would have ruled all the land except the Sanctum.”
Now Hao Ren was no longer curious as to why a high official like Count Willie would be a cultist. There may have been more than one cultist among the founding fathers of Taros, and some families may have even believed in Lockmarton from top to bottom. Their belief was much older than any nation on the continent itself.
Such a cult situation was beyond belief.
“There has never been a great movement from the cultists before because the Light of Asurmen illuminates the darkness. The Sanctum that never falls and the Chaos that never ends have kept a long-term balance. As the p.a.w.ns of Chaos, the cultists dared not take obvious actions,” said Rudolph III, looking grim. “But now, everything has changed: the Light of Asurmen has gone out, and the Tides of Chaos are not showing any signs of weakening. Instead, they are becoming more and more intense. New demons and dark forces are emerging in the wilderness. We are experiencing unprecedented turbulence. The laws of the world, which have not changed for thousands of years are also becoming less reliable. What Veronica saw in the West was only the beginning of this evil force. I have a hunch that it will erupt more violently.”
Princess Ania thought for a moment and asked, “Father, the occurrence in Taros is not an exception, is it?”
Rudolph III looked at his wise daughter and said nothing.
“Taros is only a small kingdom in a corner of the Ansu continent. Its successors are of great significance to this country but of little importance to the entire world. I can feel a huge shadow hanging over the entire world. In this shadow, the three of us are not very special.” Ania said, looking at Veronica and Andrew. “Yet, the Cult of Armageddon took great pains to get rid of us. There’s only one possibility: we are not their only target.”
Rudolph III exhaled wearily. He tilted his head slightly and said, “Lady Gloom, you may explain.”
The mysterious woman standing behind the king finally stepped forward a little. It was her only move since the conversation in the secret room began. The mysterious woman did not remove her disguise. When she spoke, her voice seemed to be somewhat distorted by magic, and they could only hear a hoa.r.s.e female voice. “In the past half month, two princes in the Kingdom of Torch have suffered battlefield accidents one after another. One is confirmed dead and the other is temporarily missing. The eldest princess has suffered a curse of anonymity and is unconscious at present, while the other two princesses are suffering from illnesses with their lives are at stake. The only daughter of the Frost Queen in the continent of Fimbulvinter is suffering from an unknown curse and has not been able to wake up. The Frost Dragon Queen has many heirs. Her six heirs, who have inheritance qualifications, have all encountered various ‘accidents’. Two are dead, two are missing, and two are in critical condition. There is also confirmation that the three heirs to the Sorcerer King of Northwind have been a.s.sa.s.sinated or cursed. The continent of Glow has no clear news of the attack on its royal heirs because the ancient magic energy of the Sea of Carnos has hindered the information network between the continent of Glow and the Ansu continent. But according to intelligence obtained by secret agents, the imperial capital of the Zelorand Empire has entered a state of martial law. There are also signs of major events in the Kingdom of Highmountain and the Ten Towers Kingdom.”
The mysterious woman named “Lady Gloom” completed her delivery without referring to any information. Princess Ania’s expression changed dramatically as she listened to her.
Grand Duke Loen tapped his finger on the armrest of his seat and said, “We can trust that every secular country is under attack. Their target is the heirs of the various royal families.”
There was a moment of silence in the chamber. The faces of Count Willie and Lamore emerged in Hao Ren’s mind. Those cultists who have endured since ancient times, those fanatics who maintained an extremely ancient, extremely secret target… They had been waiting for 10,000 years until this moment. And all of a sudden, they decided to show their cards, tear the order of the world, and hit them like a thunderbolt.
The darkness surged, and the light receded. Chaos was completely replacing the Order in Collow. What happened in the secular countries seemed to be sending a signal…
“Look, the attack has begun.”