Chapter 182: Lighting a New Sun (Two-in-one)
Lost Island.
There was no sun, nor the radiance of stars and moon.
The pitch-black sea tide washed over the dim sandy beach, transforming into myriad scattered white waves, then receding, repeating this cycle.
Suddenly.
A few crystal-clear spatial cracks appeared, piercing the sky above the pitch-black sea.
A few breaths later, those crystal-clear cracks slowly dissipated, returning to nothingness.
Only two figures remained, quietly appearing in the void.
*Patak.*
The golden elf maiden, dressed in a white skirt, landed gently, her plain white soles stepping onto the soft sand.
She turned sideways, smiling slightly, and extended her hand to the person behind her.
“Welcome to our Royal Court.”
A smile curved the golden elf’s lips, and she took two steps back.
Then she lifted the hem of her skirt and performed a noble bow exclusive to the Elf Royal Court.
“Shaya… Teacher.”
“To hear such a title makes this trip worthwhile.”
Shaya smiled and also crossed the spatial rift, landing on the soft sand.
As soon as he entered this island shrouded by the curtain of eternal night, he sensed an undeniable oppressive force emanating from the center of the island.
He had sensed the anomaly in the world’s laws when he first arrived in the First Era, but the abnormality of the Lost Island was even more pronounced.
It rendered his mental power unable to extend even a trace.
The source of this oppressive feeling was the island’s center, where a giant ancient tree, soaring into the sky as if directly connecting to the curtain of eternal night.
Or, more accurately, a certain lofty, forbidden will slumbering within that ancient tree.
Shaya was certain that if he released his mental power on the Lost Island, it would inevitably alert the slumbering will on the branches of the World Tree.
And then, anything could happen.
This was a selection based on bloodline.
Any being with elven blood flowing through them, even if their bloodline was already tainted and extremely thin, would be excluded by the oppressive force of the World Tree’s branches.
Conversely, other intelligent races.
Even humans, who had never received supernatural blessings before and whose bloodline itself did not transmit power—
As soon as they stepped within the curtain of eternal night, they would inevitably encounter indescribable suppression and targeting.
“If we think positively, it can be understood as ‘those not of our kind are of different hearts,’ a protection by the fallen Elf King for his race, preventing alien races from invading the Lost Island.”
“But—”
“If we consider it from another perspective.”
“Could it also be understood that those with elven blood are all under control, so there’s no need to pay attention?”
“And outsiders are the truly free, unrestrained beings, so they must be suppressed by any means necessary.”
Shaya’s murmurs were extremely faint, dissipating with the sea wind whistling by the beach.
Naturally, Heiser, who had finally returned to the Lost Island and was immersed in joy and excitement, did not hear them.
“Teacher Shaya, what do you think of this world?”
The golden elf maiden stood barefoot on the beach at the edge of the Lost Island, gazing at the dark sea horizon in a daze.
As the saying goes, the first time is awkward, the second time is familiar.
Although she was initially hesitant and a little shy to call Shaya “teacher,” after saying it a few times, Heiser had become accustomed to the title.
After all, he was indeed her teacher in magic and arcane arts.
Without Shaya’s help, even if she had discovered magic, it would have taken an unknown amount of time to transform it into a feasible model and system.
And the Lost Island could not wait that long.
“Frankly, not very good.”
Shaya also stored his boots into his spatial pocket.
He walked to the golden elf maiden’s side, standing shoulder to shoulder with her as they gazed at the boundless dark sea before them.
“Since this was once the royal court of the High Elves, it must have possessed magnificent sights, magnificent and luxurious, not inferior to any human kingdom.”
“However, it’s too dark here.”
“In this world without light, relying only on the faint luminescence of fluorescent ore and torches—”
“No matter how magnificent, how spectacular the scenery, its entirety can never be seen. One can only glimpse a corner through the firelight and imagine the true, magnificent landscape.”
Upon hearing Shaya’s evaluation, Heiser also smiled.
It was the truth.
“Yes, it’s indeed not beautiful here.”
“If Teacher Shaya had, against his better judgment, praised it a few words, I would have started doubting your aesthetic standards.”
The sea breeze blew from the distant dark sea.
It caressed their faces and lifted the golden elf maiden’s plain white long dress, causing it to flutter and rustle in the wind.
She slightly extended her hand, as if trying to grasp the flowing sea breeze.
“Although I was born before the fall of the Royal Court, I was very young then. Due to the protection system for children in the Elf Royal Court, underage High Elves had no chance to leave the Royal Court.”
“Therefore, I am essentially the same as elves born after the Great Calamity.”
“This place you call the Lost Island is my entire world.”
Heiser’s light golden beautiful eyes gazed at the pitch-black sea, their light dimming slightly.
“Perhaps it was because of my talent and aptitude.”
“The elders in the Council Hall, before I came of age, frantically instilled ideals and beliefs into me.”
“They described to me how beautiful, how magnificent and spectacular the world of light outside the Lost Island, called the Western Continent, truly was.”
“They said that was our true homeland, the home we yearned for.”
“To leave the Lost Island and return to that world of light, they would throw themselves into the fire like moths, sparing no effort.”
Heiser smiled softly.
“And in fact, the elders of the Council Hall did just that.”
“They exhausted their lifelong efforts searching for the path of the Elf Race, for the future of the Elf Race. Even if many fell and lost control, transforming into mad disaster beasts, they spared no expense.”
The golden elf crouched slightly and picked up a handful of grayish-white sand from beneath her feet.
A few small shrimp and crabs scurried out from the sand in panic, falling onto the beach.
Then these little creatures were tossed about by the incoming tide, but after regaining their balance, they still struggled to crawl forward.
The Great Calamity brought devastating destruction to extraordinary races at their peak, like Ancient Dragons, Giants, and Elves, but it did not have much impact on other lives.
Humans, a race not particularly prominent during the Glorious Era, rose to prominence precisely because of the Great Calamity.
And these little shrimp and crabs could not even comprehend the specific meaning of the Great Calamity… They simply lived on the beach, following their biological instincts.
Whether it was the First Era or the Fourth Era, regardless of how many times the rulers of this world had changed—be it Ancient Dragons, gods, or humans.
Heiser silently watched the small shrimp and crabs scuttling over her palm in panic until they disappeared into the sea and became indistinguishable, only then did her eyes regain their liveliness.
“Thinking about it now, they were quite cunning, those seniors from the Council Hall.”
“They were heavily contaminated by the Great Calamity and should have known their lifespans were short. So, they simply and crudely instilled those ideals and the future of the Elf Race into me, and then left without looking back.”
“They didn’t consider what would happen if I had just given up and slacked off.”
“Actually, if you don’t want to do it, you can stop anytime,” Shaya said.
“Those are expectations and directions imposed on you by outsiders. If you are unwilling, no one has the right to force you.”
“How should I put it…”
The golden elf maiden thought for a moment before speaking again.
“At that time, when each senior left me, leaving me alone, I did have the thought of giving up and letting it go.”
“Since those old guys so willfully placed such a heavy responsibility and mission on me, I thought it wouldn’t be wrong for me to be willful too.”
“But later, I thought about it carefully. In this Lost Island shrouded by the curtain of eternal night—”
“For me, apart from continuing the research of those seniors and inheriting their ideals to move forward, there seemed to be nothing else I could do.”
“Whether I admit it or not, exploring the Astral Realm, exploring magic, and finding a way for the Elf Race to leave the Lost Island—”
“All of this has become the entire meaning of my life.”
“Without these things, the meaning of existence for the golden elf named Heiser Zechin would disappear.”
Her gaze shifted from the dark sea back to the young man beside her.
“Of course, that was my past self, not my current self.”
“Since meeting you, Teacher Shaya, in the dimensional void.”
“Although I’m reluctant to admit it, the current Heiser Zechin has indeed found a new meaning of existence.”
“Arcane arts, magic, and the truths that lie deep within the starry sky—”
“These are the things I am willing to dedicate my life to pursuing.”
“And besides that, I also want to truly become your disciple, Teacher Shaya, not just casual words, but to always be by your side.”
“And to become the irreplaceable first member of the wizard’s tower you intend to build.”
Heiser turned sideways and smiled.
The faint fluorescent light from the surrounding torches and ore reflected in her eyes, as if mirroring a whole splendid sea of stars.
“However, this will probably take a very, very long time.”
“To teach magic among the elves, to have every tribesman practice arcane arts… this process might be extremely lengthy.”
Her words paused slightly, and even the light in her eyes dimmed a bit.
There were some things Heiser dared not say.
This process might take a very, very long time.
So long that Shaya might completely lose patience with her.
Leaving the Lost Island to find new disciples, new wizard companions.
Although she had only spent a few months with Shaya in the Astral Realm, the golden elf already understood very well the power this mysterious human she encountered possessed.
As long as it was something he wanted to do, he would definitely be able to accomplish it, unswayed by anyone else’s will.
Heiser knew clearly that she was not irreplaceable to Shaya.
If he wished, he could find new companions and new disciples at any time.
Even without her assistance, he could still build a magnificent tower solely for wizards, just as he had described.
However, then.
A clear voice sounded in her ear.
“I will not lose patience, nor will any second disciple replace your position.”
“In my heart, Shī Jiang is the only one.”
Heiser’s light golden beautiful eyes suddenly widened.
Although she was somewhat confused by the meaning of the unknown appellation “Shī Jiang,” the golden elf understood that this word referred to herself.
And her talent as a High Elf told her.
His words were not insincere comfort.
But, a credible reality.
To Teacher Shaya…
Am I the irreplaceable, unique one?
Heiser felt as if struck by a heavy hammer, a faint warmth rippling in her heart, bringing indescribable joy.
“Also, Heiser.”
“I want to hear your true thoughts,” the clear voice sounded again.
“Not the false ideal inherited from the elders of the Council Hall that you speak of.”
“Rather, a wish that belongs only to you.”
Shaya’s voice seemed to carry magic.
It made Heiser gradually forget the heavy mission on her shoulders, forget the constraints she had imposed on herself.
Then, she spoke her heart’s truth.
“Actually, I don’t have the same strong determination as those seniors.”
“Returning to the Western Continent with the Elf Race… I’ve never been there, so naturally, there’s no yearning or pursuit.”
The golden elf looked at the dim sea.
“I just… want this world to be brighter, even brighter.”
“So that I can see the entirety of the sea, and not just a tip of the iceberg in the darkness.”
“So, it was just this?”
Then, she heard Shaya’s pleasant, light laughter.
“If that’s the case.”
“Your wish, I have indeed heard.”
The clear words paused slightly.
Then, they became distant and profound.
“Then,”
“Let us, on this Lost Island—”
“Light a new sun.”
