After the Star Vessel came to a steady stop on the platform, the young man swept his golden spear, and three points of golden light sank into the brows of the three people.
He instructed, "Believers of Ipal, I now need you to awaken those servants and vassals. Follow the guidance of Il's divine light; it will lead you where you need to go."
The three knelt and prostrated themselves once more. "Il's divine decree—we shall certainly obey it."
The young man walked to the front of the flying vessel. With a tap of his golden spear, a cluster of light melted open upon the flawless long vessel, and he walked inside.
Within, golden liquid flowed down from the four walls, condensing before a trapezoidal metal platform into a seat. He stepped forward and sat down, but immediately frowned, seeming dissatisfied.
This was, after all, merely a Star Vessel, once used by ordinary members and servants of the Ipal divine race, rather than an Upper Layer Il such as himself.
He looked upward. He remembered that before the last Great Silence, vast numbers of Star Vessels had been moored beyond the divine firmament. There had also been Solar Divine Vessels suited to his status.
But now, the Imoan Divine Tree that linked all the stars no longer existed, and he had no way of knowing where those things had ended up.
He pointed his golden spear forward, as if touching something. Spiritual light flashed, and ring after ring of golden trajectories appeared before him. The surroundings suddenly darkened, as though he had abruptly entered a murky void.
The starlit trajectories revolved without cease. Many miniature stars seemed to be linked together and turning upon them. Yet when light shone down from above, patches of chaotic, distorted radiance appeared. Clearly, none