Chapter 100
The witch's eyes, which could no longer shed tears, stared straight at Morgan.
The Fallen Empress turned her spear around and thrust it into the water.
The azure lake reappeared from the clouds.
"You come from Isu Beneath the Waves, from the already overturned Atlantis."
Morgan uttered his words, making a definitive judgment on the Burning Witch.
152 Symbolism, Personality, and Conflict
Beneath the Waves lies Ys, the already overturned Atlantis.
A land where Pure Water Spirit gather, where music reigns over the high seas, and rhythms interpret the kingdom of destiny.
People in the Sicily region say it was once located in the Mediterranean Sea, and that the present-day Crete is its remnant; the apprentices of Blanckug firmly believe it was located in the Atlantic Ocean, and was one with the legendary Atlantis.
Morgan's lineage can be traced back to Orkney, north of Albion, on that lake that is always shrouded in rain.
The Lake Spirits did not become extinct; they simply integrated into human society. Even Morgan himself did not have much insistence on restoring the Fairy Kingdom.
But before Orkney was conquered by the Scar Father's authority... where did the Lake Spirits come from?
Morgan tried to trace her memories back, but seemed to touch some grayish-white mist with a hazy starlight, gently pulling her out of history.
The attempt to draw conclusions from bloodlines failed.
All that's left is to fight.
The halo of the four marks expanded behind Morgan's head, and the Fallen Empress's free hand stood in front of her chest, with her four fingers together and her index finger raised.
She then pointed to the Burning Witch's eyes.
The Normans, who lived in the Nordic region, used their fingers to inflict curses.
If it's just this one step, then it's merely a superficial spell, insufficient to kill, only causing temporary discomfort.
But Morgan's actions were merely a preliminary step.
She murmured in Old Gaelic: "The Heresy King Gazes at Stars, and establishes an island nation!"
Heresy King White Dragon Vortigern observed the direction in which meteors fell in the sky in order to establish the kingdom of Albion!
—— [Royal Authority of the Island]
It was clearly daytime, yet a soft, ethereal aurora appeared in the sky.
The north wind howled, and the aurora borealis spread across the sky.
This is not starlight, nor is it a real star.
Because the Celestial Flint does not allow the stars to deviate from their predetermined trajectories—one of the honorific titles of the September Archon is the King of Forging Stars!
But even just the aurora borealis and the north wind would be enough for Morgan.
Without her noticing, a sudden roar arose from the surging waves, and small, damp patches of land broke through the surface, instantly transforming into a desolate island with jagged rocks.
However, the Burning Witch suddenly raised her arm—
The deserted island suddenly cracked open violently, and molten lava surged forth, carrying the anger of the earth and echoing the grief and indignation of the Burning Witch herself.
—In the early 19th century, Tambora Volcano Java Island erupted in northern Java. The fire and lava flow directly claimed the lives of more than 70,000 people in the vicinity, lasting for nearly three months.
This volcanic eruption caused a global temperature drop, altering the world's climate and directly leading to widespread famine and plague in the Northern Hemisphere.
The clouds moved westward, bringing terrible torrential rains to the Europe —leading to Europe's defeat at Waterloo Napoleon!
Just as Morgan reinforced her symbolism with island building, the Burning Witch twisted it with volcanoes.
The Fallen Empress stared at the firestorm that was gradually breaking through the clouds, her forehead slightly damp with sweat.
They are gradually approaching the limits set by Celestial Flint —no one knows when the September Archon will bring down the punishment.
However, it is certain that once Dusk uses its power, the probability of Celestial Flint Punishment will greatly increase.
So whether it's the Burning Witch or Morgan, they are actually just using their own status, along with marks and various symbols, to cast spells.
Although its effectiveness is less than 30% of the true power and influence, it is enough to leave a deep mark on the world.
"The islands tremble, the bells of national calamity toll!"
The many islands of Albion trembled and shook, for the fairies of Orkney tolled their death knell!
Vile King once fought a decisive battle with Arthur, during which the Orkney fairies rang bells to cheer him on. In the end Vortigern Vile King killed by Arthur, and the Orkney fairies also died for their country.
Morgan revived the fallen kingdom and inherited the destiny of the already destroyed Fairy Britain.
She had thrice destroyed Albion and nearly driven King Arthur to his death!
This same destiny has now led Morgan to isolate and leave the Burning Witch completely helpless.
At this moment, the tides, the trembling desert island, and even the flames all seemed to be turning in Morgan's favor. The engines of war were roaring, and Morgan had gained the upper hand on the battlefield!
The ocean currents were turbulent, torrential rain pounded down like heavy punches, lightning struck incessantly, and howling winds whipped up sea fog.
From the moment the Burning Witch tried to seize sovereignty of the deserted island from Morgan, she had already fallen into Morgan's trap.
"I have to see your true colors today," Morgan thought.
The Fallen Empress never imagined that she could kill a Twilight Realm cultivator so easily, especially since neither side had even used their powers.
But the Burning Witch reached out and pressed her hand against her face, and the burning flames instantly went out.
Morgan was taken aback.
She almost thought she had seen Arthur, who had not yet embarked on the pilgrimage and was still living under the name Artoria.
The Burning Witch raised her palm.
This was the first time she had spoken since the start of the war.
The voice was extremely hoarse, as if it had been sanded by sandpaper or burned by flames multiple times.
—— [The First Mark: The Phenomenon of the Evil Dragon]
The language sounds like Latin at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it can be discovered that it is actually an extremely ancient Gaul language.
"The clash between 'Fallen Empress' Morgan le Fay and 'Burning Witch' in the Atlantic Ocean is one of the few twilight duels in the world since World War II."
After this battle, several islands appeared in the Atlantic Ocean. Albion and the United States Federation fought over these islands. In the Albion got three of them, and the United States Federation got the remaining one.
The ocean currents have changed again, and for at least the next decade, the Atlantic Ocean will be caught in an 'unstable cycle'... Fortunately, the area around Blanckug is not affected, so we can still catch enough fish."
Hebe put down her copy of "The Secret That Shocked the World: The Story of Blanckug".
This is a tabloid that is printed only on the island and is usually published once a month.
All news from around the world, carried by birds, has the potential to be published in newspapers.
Some of the less accomplished apprentices in Albion formed societies and were even willing to pay a considerable sum for a single issue of such a newspaper.
Hebe felt inexplicably irritated: Was the Royal Sister alright? What were the consequences of using power exceeding the daytime rank limit in the present world?
Whether out of self-interest or a trivial personal desire, Hebe did not want anything to happen to Morgan.
As a result, the apprentices on Blankog Island began to pay close attention to Ys.
"Agor —or rather, Isu Atlantis," Presis gestured on the table with his spoon. "This city has always held high expectations among apprentices because it is said to be able to chart fates with music, from the life and death of individuals to the rise and fall of civilizations."
In Mordred's tavern, Presis wasn't the only apprentice who was so excited.
"Especially after World War II. All apprentices were locked into the Daytime rank," Presis said, unable to contain his excitement. "But it is said that in Ys, those who are skilled in music and rhythm can shatter the chains of fate..."
"In other words, the apprentices believe that as long as they can reach Yisu, they can find loopholes in the laws of Celestial Flint, thereby enabling them to further advance on the Path of Ascension?"
Hebe chuckled, "That's just too absurd."
"No, it's not absurd at all," Presis replied with utmost seriousness.
Hebe scrutinized her carefully, and then they tacitly changed the subject.
153 Entering the Dream Three Times
When Hebe returned to the Silent Bookstore, the sky was already dotted with stars.
Toyokawa Shoko was still unconscious; it had been three days.
Generally, it takes nearly a week for an apprentice to enter a dream for the first time. This is because the wasteland gives preferential treatment to apprentices entering a dream for the first time, without any restrictions. This continues until the apprentice's spirituality is almost exhausted before they can return to the waking world through the dream path.
"The final battle between Royal Sister and the Burning Witch should not affect the Wasteland," Hebe concluded.
She sat back down at her computer and routinely cast a little spiritual energy into the [Summoning Protocol], only to find it fruitless again after a while.
Hebe was already used to this outcome.
The Air Force gets furious once or twice, but gradually gets used to it after ten or eight times.
Even if you bait the grounds hundreds of times without catching anything, you'll gradually become more calm and accepting.
What else can we do?
The Summoning Protocol wasn't the main point for Hebe to open the Secret History Simulator; rather, it was the arrival of January that refreshed her dream entry once again.
[The Road: Return to the Woodland—The next time you enter a dream, you can choose to begin your new birth in the woodland.]
"You cast a wisp of your spirit through the Side Gate of the wasteland. The path between dreams is no longer unfamiliar to you. You remember this place, a dark woodland, where you have descended once more."
"As before, here you forget almost all the knowledge that is not helpful for survival. You follow the remaining instincts of the past to find an environment suitable for your survival."
"For a long time, the Woodland Archon illuminated the area with roars and lightning, but after the April Archon, Fisher King, became incapacitated for unknown reasons, the boundaries between the Woodland and other parts of the wasteland became increasingly blurred."
"The World-Encircling River is a body of water that connects all the land in the wasteland, or rather, an ocean in the conventional sense. It has encroached on part of the woodland, so when you were born, it was already a turbulent place."
"You grew up in the water as a round-headed seal."
"The World-Encircling River is connected to the waters of the present world. Occasionally, ships pass through the World-Encircling River, entering the wasteland from the present world. Some of them return to the present world, while the rest linger forever on the surface of the World-Encircling River."
"You secretly memorized some coordinates."
"Your body has grown, your belly has become rounder, and orange patterns have begun to appear on your back. You try to make contact with the sailors on the ships and lead them to avoid the turbulent undercurrents in the World-Encircling River. They call you 'The Guiding Orange'."
"The sailors who escaped believed you to be an envoy of the June Archon, Pearl."
"Your navigation skills have improved, and you will be less likely to get lost."
"The Wheel of Seasons points to February, the month of [Scar Father]. Wars on water are no less gentle than those on land; on the contrary, they are far more brutal and swift."
"The vast body of water is divided into north and south along the central axis. In the south, the Giant Crab Emperor with volcanoes growing on his back gathers his army; in the north, the White Horse Lord with a single horn on his head waits quietly at the junction of land and water, where the aquatic creatures are arrayed in their respective formations, one or the other."
"You even have to fight your own blood relatives, which is why the seal clan has been wiped out in the terrible war."
"Your skills in killing your own kind have improved."
"The protracted war killed 70% of the aquatic creatures in the water, but your flesh and blood became food to nourish the next generation."
"You grew weary in the later stages of the war and led some of your people into hiding in the deep trenches. The remaining people, grateful for your courage, wisdom and compassion, recognized you as their king."
"The war between the two sides of the water lasted for thirty years, until the blood and flesh sacrificed were enough to feed and raise the next generation. Time and dreams intertwined, and your form grew larger and larger, but compared with the Giant Crab Emperor carrying the volcano, you were still insignificant."
"The Wheel of Seasons keeps turning, and you gradually gain fame. The World-Encircling River spread your image, not only in the water, but also in the woodlands. The inhabitants of the wasteland call you the 'Hermit King'."
"Legend has it that the Hermit King was the wisest of all the aquatic creatures. However, he often questioned visitors, believing that his knowledge was still not enough to satisfy his appetite."
"The Wheel of Seasons points to June, the month of [Pearl]. At this time, all storms subside and all waters are calm. In June Archon, the Named Attendant 'Yan Gong' who governs travels."
"You have witnessed the presence of a Named Attendant of the ruling class and have learned the tricks to attract his attention in the future."
"The blood of the ocean is water, and when the flames boil, even water will burn."
"The Wheel of Seasons keeps turning and war has come once again, but this time it is not a war in the wasteland, but a war that has begun in the present world."
"Atlantis, Ys, a city built from the waves, a kingdom that rules the seven seas—its canals are dammed with coral, its temples are walled with ice and snow, and the golden seawater envelops it, making it no less magnificent than any place in the wasteland."
"Atlantis once boasted that it had conquered the ocean, and its king claimed that by studying fate, it had completely suppressed the flames of war, 'defeating the rulers of strife before eternal gold.'"
"But the war began from within Atlantis and even spread to the wasteland. The Philosopher King's fleet fought against the monsters that ravaged his lands, even venturing deep into the wasteland. They guided themselves with rhythms, drumbeats, and flutes."
"You've also learned some of their tunes and are good at playing them by patting your belly."
"At the end of the campaign Golden Fleet finally encountered an untouchable taboo. A terrible Great Silence swept across the high seas, silencing the already tottering Atlantis. The final chapter of fate began, and the Golden Fleet refused to surrender to the death."
"Seriously wounded sailors plead with you, and you respond to them with a familiar rhythm."