Chapter 1295
Autolycus’s Plea
As the Paradise Lost magic circle behind Eivass gradually extinguished, the star-like radiance also faded.
At this moment, the Anxi people, who had previously been sealed by Eivass using the Preservation Technique, had their Preservation Technique removed due to the aftermath of the Paradise Lost collision.
Although they didn’t know that the giant was Eivass, they could still feel an overwhelming sense of divinity from him. The stronger they were, the more they felt that suffocating pressure.
No matter who they were—whether they were unwilling slaves, robed scholars, or armored soldiers… even the wealthy and influential high-level individuals, they all bowed towards Eivass without exception.
In Anxi, if nothing else… they certainly possessed the skill to identify the strong and hostile. After all, if they lacked such discernment, they wouldn’t have survived in a slave state where rulers held absolute authority.
They could clearly sense that the deer-headed giant bore no hostility towards them.
This colossal Preservation Technique that protected the entire city was a gift from this deer-headed giant… Otherwise, they would have all perished in the calamity brought about by the Abyss Heavenly Envoy’s descent.
However, Eivass, who received this reverence, wasn’t particularly happy.
This seamless prostration precisely proved the deep-rooted error of Anxi up to this point.
“…The fetus of doomsday is ultimately strangled by the umbilical cord of tomorrow.”
Now, Eivass finally understood the last line of this prophetic poem.
The fetus of doomsday—that was undoubtedly the Abyss Heavenly Envoy.
The Abyss Heavenly Envoy was a child born only from doomsday.
If the world had not ended, perhaps the forbidden Pillar God would not have been born, let alone died in the twilight. And if Amber had not come into being, the Abyss Heavenly Envoy could not have existed.
So, what was the umbilical cord that gave birth to this fetus?
—It was the Sin Thorns.
Currently, the Sin Thorns formed Eivass’s deer head, and the overflowing Sin Thorns formed a scarf, appearing as if Sin Thorns were wrapped around the giant’s neck.
All previous prophecies had been fulfilled today.
This also amazed Eivass—what kind of prophet could withstand the disturbance of ten cycles of reincarnation on the future and still clearly see Eivass’s future?
“What are you thinking about, Eivass?”
A gentle voice echoed, “The prophecy of ‘Anxi’?”
Eivass looked down.
It was the Grey Heavenly Envoy, who was severely damaged from the direct hit of Paradise Lost.
His crystal four-pronged mace was completely broken, leaving only a cracked handle.
As for the Grey Heavenly Envoy himself, only the part above his shoulders remained, resembling a passport photo.
After completely losing the power of lies, Eivass finally saw the true appearance of the Grey Heavenly Envoy—
It was exactly the same as “Saffron” Crocus.
Both were elves in their early twenties, but their hair color differed from their sisters. Crocus had pink-purple long hair—the outer layer was pink, and the inner layer was purple. The Grey Heavenly Envoy’s long hair, however, was pure black, just like his father, Hermes.
With only the part above his shoulders remaining now, judging the Grey Heavenly Envoy’s gender by appearance alone was impossible.
“…Autolycus?”
Eivass looked at the Grey Heavenly Envoy and asked with uncertainty.
Autolycus smiled gently and replied, “It is I.
“—That so-called ‘prophecy’ was established by me back then.”
“…No wonder.”
Eivass suddenly understood.
After all, Eivass himself possessed the ability to disturb prophecies. Any prophecy or foresight that involved Eivass would be perturbed and nullified. Eivass had even wondered if it was the Lord of Scales and Feathers who personally made the prophecy… but upon further thought, the Boss didn’t seem to have any motive to do such a thing.
He had even worried if the prophecy itself was related to the Void. Otherwise, he couldn’t imagine anything that could penetrate the disturbance of ten cycles of reincarnation…
And now, Eivass finally understood—
This was not a prophecy, but a “proclamation.”
It was not “believing it would definitely happen,” but “hoping it would happen.”
—How could a prophecy be perfectly fulfilled?
The answer was simple: by personally making it happen.
For example, if a prophecy said one would achieve great success at forty, then one would work hard before turning forty; if a prophecy said one would die on their eightieth birthday, then one would prepare poison on that day.
The Grey Heavenly Envoy did not precisely predict every detail ten thousand years in the future, but rather made an announcement in advance and, before each event could occur, pushed it forward to ensure its realization.
“Is this… your understanding of ‘hope’?”
Eivass asked in a low voice.
He now knew that the Grey Heavenly Envoy sacrificed his life to complete the Ouroboros Ring and achieve the great feat of defeating the Void.
What he hoped for was to return from the depths of the Origin River after the Void was defeated and the path of “Miracle” was established, thereby attaining the path of “Hope.”
Just as the Geometric Heavenly did—
Following the path of wisdom and the thought of truth, and through another path, achieving a past unrepeatable peak, thereby transcending it.
This was “Hope.”
“Yes.”
Autolycus smiled gently, a peculiar tenderness on his face. “Even in doomsday, maintain the lamp of civilization; when violence runs rampant, still strive to maintain the radiance of order; when old wisdom reaches its limit, seek a new path to transcend it… I believe this is hope. It is a new radiance born from miracles.
“Even if it originates from an ancient lie… it is only to persist until tomorrow.”
“This is my understanding of hope. Loki, as the originator of ‘premature death,’ was the only one who understood what I was doing. After all, this concept itself, in a certain sense, is the same as ‘premature death.’ The only difference is that the focus of premature death is on today’s destruction, while hope based on lies is for tomorrow’s survival.”
Autolycus said, then fell silent for a moment.
Her body continued to disintegrate, turning into scattered sparks of light.
As the “obscured grey” reached its end, it radiated such clear and pure light.
Suddenly, Autolycus slowly closed her eyes.
She recited word by word, just like her sister, “In the name of the Morning Sun, fire, and cinnabar, thrice I worship the guiltless. I pay homage to the noble face of radiance, Child of the Candlemaster…
“…I want to see Hercules again, can I?”
The Grey Heavenly Envoy’s voice was so earnest, almost pleading.
