The gods roamed the earth, not the Astral World... In the early Fourth Age, during the time of the Solomon Empire, there was no boundary between myth and reality; the gods roamed directly on earth, without needing to descend?
This is similar to the Second Age recorded in the City of Silver's annals. Places like the " Giant King's Court " are separated from the real world by only a "gate," which can be entered or exited at will. Humans and gods live together in chaos and darkness... Also, the Astral World really corresponds to the gods... Upon hearing Viscount Mobett Zoroast's description, Klein instantly made the connection.
He glanced at Groselle instinctively, because this Giant was very likely a firsthand witness to a certain period of history in the Second Age!
Groselle picked up a cup that was even more extravagant than a wooden bucket, gulped down a mouthful of melted snow water, and laughed heartily:
" Mobett, isn't this a normal thing? Why are you taking it so seriously?"
"I don't know why I'm being so serious." Mobett Zoroast's smile gradually widened. "Haha, what's normal for us might be terrifying and unbelievable to them. I have to use the right expression to tell the story to achieve the desired effect. Do you remember the look on Longzel's face when we first told him those stories? He seemed like he wanted to kneel down and repent to the ' Lord of Storms '."
"..." Klein, Danitz, and the others were momentarily at a loss for what expression or words to use in response.
Anderson then leaned closer to Gehrman Sparrow and lowered his voice, saying:
"I feel he has a natural talent for Provoker."
He seemed to control his volume, but his words were actually audible to every living being present.
Mobett chuckled twice, seemingly unconcerned, and continued the previous topic:
"I know you don't really believe in the idea of gods walking on earth, and it's hard for you to accept, just like Edwina did before. Hehe, I can give you two examples: ' Abyss of Storm ' on Passo Island and ' Dark Heaven ' in the Amanda Mountain Range, which are the divine kingdoms of the ' Lord of Storms ' and the ' Evernight Goddess ' respectively. These are divine kingdoms located on earth, separated from the real world only by an illusory 'gate'!"
Passo Island? Isn't that where the Church of Storms' altar is now located? The Amanda Mountain Range... Amanda means tranquility in Hermes, which refers to the Holy Cathedral, the Serenity Cathedral? When the gods no longer walk on earth, their kingdoms become the headquarters of their respective churches? Klein intuitively felt that Mobett Zoroast wasn't lying, and based on this, he made a certain judgment.
Danitz listened with a mixture of bewilderment and fear, instinctively wanting to look away. But seeing the focused and serious captain, the thoughtful Gehrman Sparrow, and Anderson Hood whose face was practically screaming "I'm interested," he forced himself to endure it and anxiously searched for a more comfortable sitting position.
Just then, the Elf Singer Siatas, who was on guard duty, walked in and said disdainfully:
"Don't mention that false god, the power of the Storm belongs only to our Elf King!"
Her voice was clear and melodious, but her tone was full of anger and rage, as if she might raise her hands at any moment and shoot Mobett Zoroast with an arrow.
"Alright, I'll use 'false god' as a substitute." Mobett raised his hand and fiddled with his pointed, stiff black hat.
Siatas withdrew her gaze and addressed Longzel Edward, a former soldier of the Loen and a believer in the " Lord of Storms ":
"Your turn!"
Longzel slowly raised her head, a slight daze still lingering in her expression.
He seemed oblivious to the earlier conversation and argument, pulled out the iron-black straight sword stuck beside him, and walked step by step toward the cave entrance.
Klein observed for a while, then seized the opportunity to Elf to the Siatas, Shatas:
Do you know ' Queen of Calamity ' Cohinem?
He wasn't actually sure that Cohinem was the " Queen of Calamity," a follower of the Elf King Soniathrym; he was asking this question in anticipation of an answer from the Elf Singer Siatas.
A similar dazed expression appeared on Siatas's delicately sculpted face, much like Longzel's.
"I haven't heard Her name in a long time. She is... She is the Queen of our Elf race."
" Mobett and Longzel didn't even know He existed..."
"Where did you meet Him, or rather, where did you learn about Him?"
As she spoke, Siatas's tone suddenly became urgent.
At this moment, Danitz stared in astonishment at Gehrman Sparrow, marveling at how learned this Lunatic was, even having common topics with what appeared to be an ancient Elf.
"I didn't expect you to be a scholar... I never would have guessed, I never would have guessed..." Anderson exclaimed, shaking his head.
" Vice Admiral Iceberg " Edwina's gaze also fell on Klein, her clear, Blue Eyes, like spring water, filled with a strong thirst for knowledge.
Klein responded frankly:
"I entered a ruin belonging to the ' Queen of Calamity,' Cohinem, and obtained some items."
"Ruins?" Siatas murmured the word, her tone as if she had lost something insignificant but something she couldn't bear to part with.
"Judging from the situation there, He might not actually be dead." Klein saw the light in Siatas's eyes and asked directly, "Do you have the ' Ocean Songster ' Potion recipe? What can I trade for it?"
He felt that when dealing with Beyonder through the " Storm " pathway, it was best to be honest and direct.
Siatas thought for a moment and said:
"Let's exchange one of the Queen's items."
"I only got a gold goblet, which was flattened and engraved with intricate patterns and the Elvish words ' Calamity,' 'Cohinem, '" Klein said without hiding anything.
"I know that cup; it's the Queen's favorite," Siatas said, unable to contain her excitement. "Deal!"
"The cup is outside." Klein had no intention of going above the Gray Fog in front of everyone.
Siatas nodded:
"I see.
"The deal will be done once we leave this book."
At this point, she clasped her hands together and said:
" The Storm will surely belong to the Elf!"
Before anyone else could speak, she asked curiously:
What else did you find there?
"Some murals depict the battle between the Elf King and the ancient Sun God." Klein glanced at Snowman, the ascetic who supposedly believed in "the Creator of all things, the all-knowing and all-powerful God."
The middle-aged man, who had his back to the flames and his face to the stone wall, finally spoke in a hoarse voice:
No, He is not just the Sun God.
"He is our Lord, the Father of all things, the great source."
"He is not fighting the Elf King, but merely reclaiming the authority that rightfully belongs to him."
No sooner had Snowman finished speaking than Siatas stood up abruptly and pointed an arrow at him.
Suddenly, the Elf Singer's long, black hair, which had been tied in a ponytail, came loose, defying the laws of nature and wildly spreading upwards and outwards. Each strand of hair was distinct, wrapped with silvery-white electric light, and revealed a strange deep blue hue.
Just as Siatas was about to release the bowstring, a huge gray-blue hand suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking the arrow tip and standing there unfazed by the possibility of being pierced.
This was the hand of the Giant Groselle. One of the characteristics of this race was their exaggerated hand-to-foot ratio, which was almost deformed. So, he simply sat there, stretched out his arm, and blocked Siatas.
"Alright, Snowman, stop talking. You know, Siatas is an Elf who prefers actions to words," Groselle said to the Ascetic first, then turned to the Elf Singer. " Siatas, we are companions, we've been through many dangers together, companions who can entrust their backs to each other. You can argue with Snowman, you can even beat him up, but you can't try to hurt him."
As expected of the protagonist of the travelogue, he's full of positive energy... But what's the difference between beating him up and hurting him? Klein couldn't help but mutter to himself.
Siatas snorted and sat back down, leaving the room in a moment of awkward silence.
The Giant Groselle surveyed the area with his single, vertical One-Eyed and chuckled:
"Then let me tell you about my past experiences."
"Before entering this book, I lived in the ' Giant King's Court,' one of the guardians of the ' Forest of Decay,' a place only our king could enter, where His father and mother are said to be buried, the origin of our Giant race."
The " Giant King's Court " is composed of many parts, and the " Forest of Decay " is one of them. Is it where the oldest ancestors of the Giant race are buried? Klein listened very attentively, wanting to ask more questions.
For him, this was more valuable than the history of the Fourth Age, because the hope for City of Silver likely lay with the " Giant King's Court."
However, before he could speak, Edwina preemptively asked:
" Groselle, what did this book look like when you first received it?"
Groselle raised his hand and rubbed his cheek, saying:
It was empty, like a blank book waiting to be filled in.
I had previously guessed that Groselle might be a character entirely from the book... Klein hesitated for a few seconds, then turned to Mobett Zoroast without directly inquiring about the details of the " Giant King's Court ":
Do you know Amon, the ' Blasphemer '?
"' The Blasphemer ' refers to the entire Amon family. They are our mortal enemies in Zoroast. It is said that they have an extremely powerful and terrifying ancestor, whom even Ouroboros and Medici greatly value and are somewhat afraid of, but no one knows His specific name," Mobett explained in detail.
Ouroboros, Medici? Hmm, back then, both the " True Creator " and the " Rose Redemption " were supporting the Solomon Empire... Klein's heart stirred, and he immediately asked:
Have you ever heard of the name Sasrir?
Mobett paused, then slowly shook his head and said:
"Never heard of it."
Did the title of " Dark Angel " Sasrir disappear after the Cataclysm? Was it buried? Klein thus confirmed a fact.
Just then, the ascetic Snowman, facing the stone wall, spoke in a deep, hoarse voice:
" Sasrir is a ' Dark Angel,' the leader of the Angel King, and the one closest to the Lord."
I'm waiting for your answer... Klein turned his gaze to the Ascetic and asked in a low voice:
"Besides Him, Ouroboros, Medici, and Amon, who else are the Angel King? You don't need to say their names."
Klein was afraid of provoking an unnecessary reaction, just like the " Confessor " in Afternoon Town.
Edwina, Anderson, and Danitz had been in a daze since the beginning, because the conversation between Gehrman Sparrow and the ancient figures was something they had never heard of before. They simply couldn't believe that this mad adventurer possessed so many Concealment and knowledge!
Snowman paused for a few seconds and then said:
"And then there's the ' Angel of Imagination,' Adam..."
As soon as he uttered the name, the entire cave suddenly shook, and that familiar, frenzied, and violent aura descended rapidly!
" The King of the North," Yurizan, has come looking for us!
P. S.: Update early on Monday, please vote with monthly tickets and recommendations!