There Was No Going Back

"--They all died in the end."

Phaethon's expression was calm, neither sad nor happy, as he recounted an event that had already occurred.

His tone was neither flustered nor hateful, and it lacked even his usual arrogance and haughtiness that showed contempt for the mortal Mortal World, nor did it belittle the Fire Thief opposed the Star Palace in each era.

It did not deny the glory of these rebels, nor smear their will and beliefs, but even acknowledged their strength and power... and then calmly stated a fact.

Every era, every Civilization, every world.

Those saviors who lived alongside destruction, those heroes who stole Spark while bearing all responsibilities and entrustments, were none other than the most dazzling and outstanding stars of their time, throughout history.

They stand at the pinnacle of the Mortal World, with countless followers, uniting nations and rallying hearts and minds. Some cleave through the stars with their extraordinary personal martial prowess, others unite nations with their powerful personal charisma, and still others propel the Mortal World to technological leaps with their astonishing intelligence.

As the last guardians of their respective eras, they each have their own legendary stories and different plans to fight against the Star Palace and save the world.

Some Fire Thief built starships and attempted to venture into space.

Some Fire Thief built the strongest legions on earth, intending to confront the enemy head-on.

Some Fire Thief extracted all the essence of the Mortal World to forge towering, godlike earth Titan, intending to use them to intimidate the Star Palace and gain victory.

Some Fire Thief constructed massive energy arrays, almost the size of a medium-sized country, in an attempt to extract terrifying energy from the depths of the planet and directly bombard the Star Palace.

The Fire Thief gathered the strongest warriors of that era and, through ingenious, patient, and meticulous planning, created an opportunity to enter the Star Palace, a one-way trip where they risked their lives to destroy the Starry Firmament Bridge.

There is the desire to build an eternal refuge and to carve out and enter the inner world of the earth.

Some have attempted to construct a portal to other worlds and initiate a great migration.

And so on.

Throughout history, many Civilization in the Mortal World have been led by mediocre, inactive Fire Thief failed to change anything until their deaths, yet different eras and different Civilization always emerge.

And a different kind of Fire Thief.

Those Fire Thief even the God of the Star Palace had to respect, those grand plans which even the God of the Star Palace had to admire and pay homage to, those fierce battles, those desperate counterattacks, those hymns of courage, those great sacrifices—through countless eras and countless years, Phaethon's eyes still shone as he spoke of these things.

But all of it—courage, sacrifice, battle, effort, and swan song—ultimately vanished into the torrent of time, becoming merely embellishments of memories in the long lives of the God of the Star Palace.

For these beings from the higher realms, it was a period of long, monotonous life that was worth remembering and cherishing...

Just a memory.

Do you think Kang De was special?

He looked at Griffin, who was not as arrogant and haughty as usual; instead, he was calm, quiet, and peaceful.

This, on the contrary, made the Grand Speaker's heart race and filled him with inexplicable fear.

He remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Is victory truly assured?"

"In every era, the Mortal World resistance fighters believed that this generation of Fire Thief was glorious and far surpassed their predecessors, and that victory in this battle was inevitable, just as these Nether races now firmly believed."

"They're pathetic, shallow, and pathetic; they only believe what they want to believe, so they think they'll win this time, and us?"

"I remember not long ago, a woman from Cathay with similarly black hair, along with her companions, blocked the Starry Firmament Bridge and marched against the current, cutting down legions that were fighting in the lower realms. The Forerunners returning from the Land of the End were like planets, fighting around her, but she still radiated a terrifying light like a star. Just looking at her from afar, I was reminded of the long-forgotten fear of death."

"And in the historical acts of reaping the benefits of the Mortal World, some Fire Thief have gone even further than Li Manyue."

"That man broke through countless obstacles, slaying countless war servants and star beasts. More God of the Star Palace perished in that battle than in any previous era. In the end, all the warriors who followed him were swallowed up by the overwhelming tide of their forces, but he alone pressed forward, pushing the waves against the tide..."

Finally, he left an irreparable scar on my master.

"You probably don't understand, Griffin."

"The sky warship that once descended to the lower realm had already rushed into the star ring and almost destroyed the Eternal Distant Sky Tower. The main cannon of that warship was charging up, shining with a light comparable to the sun. I still remember the scorching sensation of the psionic wind blowing on my face, as if it was about to fire and annihilate me at any moment, because it was really, really close."

Do you know what the Mortal World looks like from the perspective of the Star Palace?

"We can see white storm clouds, sweeping and gathering. We can see the blue sea, occupying most of the Mortal World. We can see undulating brown mountains, everywhere. The Mortal World is an ugly, irregular sphere, partly mud and mostly water, and we have been watching it for a very, very long time."

Phaethon stared intently at the Grand Speaker, then suddenly revealed a sinister smile.

"Do you know that one day, suddenly, on that ugly sphere you've been looking at for so long, a sphere of only atmosphere, land, and ocean, a perfectly flat area the size of a bowl suddenly appeared, carved with intricate patterns, flowing with crimson light, like an eye staring at you..."

"--What does it feel like?"

Griffin pursed his lips, remaining silent, his heart churning with emotion.

Phaethon was acting very strangely today; he was talking a lot and his attitude was completely different from usual, which was very unusual.

But this realization lasted only a moment, as Phaethon's words, which had not been mentioned to him by the God of the Star Palace in the past few months, stole his thoughts and attention.

They gazed into each other's eyes, speechless for a moment.

Phaethon seemed to be reminiscing about the past, or perhaps because of something, his eyes were unfocused.

Griffin, Griffin, was unable to describe his feelings at that moment.

The brains of intelligent beings are the most perfect works of art in the world. In a moment, countless sparks will appear and transform into all sorts of complex thoughts, which even they themselves cannot understand.

In that instant, Griffin thought of stories from countless ages past, and of the threats and destruction facing the Mortal World realm today—the new Fire Thief, the new wars—which, in the eyes of the Star Palace, were nothing more than one of the many extinction events...

--So what should he do?

Even this powerful spellcaster could not control the divergence and association of his thoughts.

Until a thought that shook him to his core surfaced in his mind.

Phaethon remembered almost all the Fire Thief resisted extinction and shook the stars.

Remember their stories, remember their courage, remember their most glorious moments.

So.

Throughout those many ages, in the years when the Fire Thief fought with courage and sacrifice...

Are there also beings who surrender and kneel before the Star Palace?

Where are they now?

Would God of the Star Palace like Phaethon remember their story?

The thought, once it arose, was like the last torrent breaking through a dam riddled with holes, sweeping over the old and decaying body in an instant, even bringing tears to Griffin Williams' eyes.

After a long while, the Grand Speaker broke the unsettling silence.

"Why?"

It was just a simple question, without pointing out the problem itself; it only asked why.

But Phaethon could understand... The problem was obvious, there was only one.

--The glory of Fire Thief throughout history has reached this point, why are you always victorious?

"Because, to be harvested by one's master..." Phaethon's expression was serene, "Is the fate of Mortal World. The so-called Fire Thief are nothing more than byproducts of failure, a testament to the pitiful destiny of Mortal World races."

Griffin paused, then shook his head with difficulty. "I don't understand."

You'll understand later.

"I think I understand now," the Grand Speaker insisted. "Could you explain it more clearly?"

"Go ahead and think what you want; it's none of my business."

Phaethon said calmly, "We should go now and proceed with the next step of the plan."

With a flash, Griffin blocked the path of the God of the Star Palace, emphasizing his words: "I have done as you instructed, demonstrating my sincerity and determination to you. For the sake of our future plans, please show the same sincerity—I need to know who my master is."

"The master you serve has many names. Every Civilization of every era will call our master by the name they fear and revere most, and the master will gladly accept it as a reward for his harvest."

Phaethon reached out and shoved him aside. "When the master descends, reaps the Mortal World, and destroys Civilization, you will see, you will hear, and you will worship amidst the desperate cries of the Fire Thief."

"Wait a moment!"

Griffin cried out, "This answer doesn't satisfy us! We must know why our master..."

The next moment, his collar was grabbed by Phaethon.

The God of the Star Palace's expression instantly turned cold.

"What? Why are you so determined to find out this information? Do you have any other ideas or hopes?"

"What? Still unable to change your mindset? Still considering yourself Mortal World mortal? Still viewing the Star Palace as an enemy and a threat? That's why you want more information and harbor unnecessary thoughts?"

Phaethon coldly replied, "Fine, then I'll make sure you give up completely."

" --Griffin, you will turn the soldiers who are loyal to you into mindless puppets. Kang De will see this, and the entire Mortal World will see it. You will be thoroughly guarded against, hated, and feared by the kings of the lower realms. When the whole world unites to say you are a traitor, then you are definitely a traitor."

"As a human being, you are dead, Griffin. When a man who once had fame, status, power, and honor loses all of that and is hated and scorned by those who once respected and worshipped him, is he still alive? When the land you once ruled is filled with your shameful deeds and disgraceful betrayals, when even your most loyal people spit on you, what difference is there between you and someone who is dead?"

"You are dead, Griffin Williams. Your life as a human, a mage, and the High Priest of the Council is dead. I have observed clearly that one of Kang De's strengths is to spread information rapidly, using images and lies to create a preconceived notion that fools will believe."

As he said this, he slowly raised his eyebrows and sneered.

"He'll make your dirty deeds known to the whole world as quickly as possible. You know he's capable of doing that, and you know how stupid these Mudbloods are. Once they've made up their minds about something, changing their minds is incredibly difficult."

Do you know what that means?

Phaethon said slowly in a low voice, "It means you can never, ever go back. Even if you're wavering right now, thinking about doing something foolish to atone for your sins, and even if you do it, to the point that Kang De acknowledges your achievement and forgives you... you can never go back."

"Your subjects will see you as a traitor, your soldiers will forever remember that you turned them into puppets, your reputation will never be erased, and everyone's first impression of you will be that of a traitor. You want to regain power? No, don't even think about it. Everyone will oppose your return to power, you will never have the chance to command the people and hold real power again, what you have is gone forever."

He raised his other hand and patted Griffin's wrinkled cheek.

"Do you understand? If you do, it's time to get going."

"Once it's done once, it can be done again. Turn everyone in Council of North County into puppets who resolutely oppose Kang De, turn this region into a meat grinder, instill fear in the whole world, and further ensure that your reputation is completely ruined in the Mortal World, squeezing out every last drop of value from you."

"After victory, you can regain everything, even change the course of history, and become the savior and king of the Mortal World... We are your only hope."

"And you shouldn't have any more of those thoughts."

After saying this, he put Griffin down and stared at the raging anger in the other's eyes. The God of the Star Palace let out a disdainful sneer.

Are you angry? Dissatisfied? But what can you do about it?

Having said that, Phaethon casually pushed Griffin aside and left the command room where atmospheric mirrors were used to observe the outside world, even openly exposing his back to this traitor who had no way out.

The Grand Speaker was left standing there, his hands trembling, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow, anger, and grief.

Only now did he realize that he was just a mortal, and that even without his earth-shattering magical power, he would hesitate and shrink back, feel regret and annoyance, and be at a loss in the face of an unknown fate.

Really...

There's no going back now.

"Kang De's headquarters is 527.6 meters away from your unit!"

The sky trembled and space distorted. The Phase Gate launched a golden ring pillar that was suspended in the air and cast down a huge circular domain. The trenches that stretched for several kilometers were quickly filled in. On the battlefield of tens of square kilometers, warp PRISM hovered and rotated, activating their positioning mode from time to time. Elite tactical squads darted out and swiftly suppressed the attackers who suddenly appeared.

The massive Astolfo, a mobile battlefield fortress, roared forward as the army marched in grand style.

Units of attacking forces, holding their ground, welcomed the army of Kang De, who had honed their skills and will in the tenacious defensive battle. Now, they shouted "Long live the king!" to the sacred figure atop the massive warship. Such a battle, such an honor, is the highest reward for a soldier!

They roared and shouted as they joined their ranks, forming a mighty torrent.

Move forward.

In the White Mist World, surrendered soldiers continuously reveal fragmented information. The intelligence gathered and woven together form a complex web, like pieces of a puzzle, until... the truth is revealed!

"Suspect's location has been pinpointed... Griffin's command post! Prepare for attack!"

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PS1: I really wanted to write a story where Phaethon is urgently rescued by the Star Palace using a teleportation technique, Griffin tries to squeeze in, gets punched by an iron fist, and finally gets shot (referring to an energy ray) and killed...