" Aglaea... are you... still protecting us?"
"Is this... all over?"
Just then, a glittering "sky" or Core Flame appeared before everyone.
"Look, Aegle's Core Flame— "
" Senios condemned mortals, causing them to fall into the pool of gold. In the end, her fate was also..."
"... Take that Core Flame, Hyacine. Our mission is not over yet."
"Hmm... Core Flame of the sky, come with me..."
Hyacine stepped forward, and the pattern bearing the " Eye of Dawn and Dusk " seemed to sense her presence, flying into her body.
"It's... a strange feeling. So warm and... powerful."
"Holding it in my palm, I feel as if the winds of the world will turn for me... Summoning thunderclouds or rain and snow is just a thought away."
Just as Phainon was about to say something, a tremor came from beneath his feet. "... This platform is teetering on the brink of collapse; I don't know how much longer it can hold. We need to find a way to get out."
"Is the collapse of Sky City caused by the fall of Aegle?" Dan Heng analyzed the reasons.
"The gold thread... is trembling..."
Mimi flew out, trying to use the power of " Remembrance " to stabilize the golden thread.
"There's no time to lose, we have to get it back... Xing, hurry!"
"Unveiling the veil of ' Remembrance '/' Eternity ' --"
"--Stirring up Ripples of the Past!"
Whether it's the Oronyx's Prayer or the Eternity's Prayer, any skill that can be used in this moment is a good skill!
However, an accident still occurred...
The faint warmth of the gold threads still lingered on Phainon's fingertips as they dissipated, but the bracelet that had saved everyone's lives dimmed completely the moment he tried to retrieve it.
The billions of gold threads that made up the giant net disintegrated and scattered as if burned out, leaving only the bracelet itself, with a last faint glow, falling straight down into the surging pool of gold below.
"No--!"
Phainon lunged forward almost instinctively, half of his body protruding over the edge of the shattered platform, his arms reaching futilely towards the deadly golden light.
His fingertips brushed against a wisp of Nihility air, and he could only watch helplessly as the " Goldweaver " bracelet, which embodied his mentor's final gift and carried endless memories and protection, silently sank into the scorching gold liquid.
Before even a ripple could be stirred, it was completely swallowed up by that greedy gold.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment.
Phainon remained in the leaning posture, his arm dangling over the abyss, trembling violently, his knuckles white from excessive force, his nails digging deep into his palms.
A torrent of endless regret and piercing sorrow was crashing against his chest, threatening to tear him apart.
Bang!
He knelt down, his fists clenched involuntarily, and with all his strength and pent-up despair, slammed them heavily onto the wreckage of the platform!
A dull thud echoed in the deathly silent, shattered space. Blood seeping from his knuckles mingled with debris, sizzling softly in the intense heat, leaving a blurry bloodstain.
Phainon lowered his head, his shoulders heaving violently, followed by heavy breathing.
Hyacine reached out her hand worriedly, her lips moving slightly, but she didn't know how to comfort her.
Dan Heng silently gripped his spear. March 7th bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes.
Xing silently walked to his side, her bright golden eyes fixed on the pool of gold that had swallowed the bracelet, then on his bloodied fist.
If only she had noticed the bracelet sooner! Who would have thought that Aglaea would still be pulling out all the stops at the very end?
The agonizing silence that lasted a few seconds felt even longer than the battle itself.
Finally, Phainon took a deep, deep breath, the hissing sound of which seemed to be forced out from his shattered chest.
He raised his head, and beneath the disheveled hair on his forehead, his eyes, which had been burning with the flames of pain, were gradually covered by something heavier and more resolute.
That was the responsibility of the " Savior," a burden that spanned countless journeys, and the embodiment of Aglaea's final hope.
He supported himself on his knees and slowly straightened his body, his back ramrod straight, as if he were trying to hold up this broken sky.
Phainon had just loosened his blood-stained fist when he instinctively clenched it again, letting the blood drip down.
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the concerned and sorrowful faces of his companions, his voice low and hoarse as he forcibly suppressed all the turbulent emotions in his eyes:
"Let's go... we have to get out of here."
Every word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking everyone's hearts.
The moment he finished speaking, a voice as clear as if it were echoing from the depths of the soul seemed to transcend the Bulwark of time and space, gently resonating in everyone's consciousness.
"I will take one last bath... in warm, gleaming gold."
Aglaea's prophecy.
At that moment, it came true.
That once vague proverb has now transformed into a cruel yet clear scene before my eyes.
The bracelet, woven with her heart and soul and carrying her last hope, was sinking into the warm, dazzling, yet all-consuming gold.
This was not a physical bath for her, but rather the final resting place for her will and legacy.
A chill even more piercing than the scorching heat of the Golden Pool instantly seized Phainon.
His body swayed almost imperceptibly, as he was struck by an invisible hammer once more.
The gentle words of advice, the parting smile, the cool touch of the bracelet as it was passed to my palm...
Countless images flashed by like fragments, finally settling on the all-consuming golden pool of water.
The prophecy is no longer a prophecy, but a cold, irreversible reality.
Phainon closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the last trace of vulnerability in his eyes was completely frozen, leaving only unfathomable sorrow and an even stronger determination.
He stopped looking at the golden pool, determined to forcibly erase that heart-wrenching image from his mind.
"From this moment on, Phainon, you will embark on a journey of no return."
The group followed in silence, the broken metal platform groaning beneath their feet.
Every step is taken upon the fulfillment of Aglaea's prophecy.
Every step takes us further from that warm gold, yet also closer to the final outcome of this " World-Saving " battle.
Beneath the shattered sky, only the silent churning of the golden pool remained, devouring the remains of gods and the legacy of humanity, reflecting their heavy and resolute departing figures.
"The light departs because it awaits the rise of a sun."
"One day, you will no longer take a step out of fear..."
"... but to return dawn to the world."
Aglaea and Phainon's voices slowly overlapped, Phainon raised her head. "... It's right in front of us."
"The platform has reverted to its previous state... We have to find a way to get up there!"
Phainon looked at the broken staircase ruins leading to higher ground amidst the platform's rubble:
"This way, behind you! That door leads outside—"
There must still be a way out there!