Chapter 1280 — The Abode of a Friend
Blade of Dawn · Page 2 of 5
"The Voyagers weren't necessarily affected by mental contamination, but more than half the members of their fleets were ordinary mortals, just like us," answered Metzen, who had likewise breathed a sigh of relief. As a high dragon educated in the Tarond system, she knew more about the Voyagers than anyone here. "In the Voyager fleets, the ordinary mortals who took part in the Great Expedition were not merely individuals under protection—they also joined the fleet's military operations according to their own circumstances. Many of the 'low-tier facilities' in the Voyager legacy were prepared for those ordinary mortals."
Daniel, meanwhile, had kept his attention fixed on the "Fertile Divine Realm" floating upside down above them all. His sunken eyes were full of caution; even now that the courtyards and fertile fields had returned to their fair and holy appearance, he remained as tense as if facing a mortal foe: "What was that we just saw? The 'truth' of the divine realm? The 'fact' that the three Fertility gods have gone mad? Are we to face the three Fertility Goddesses next, right after the God of War?"
Daniel's words set everyone on edge in an instant. That gruesome, horrifying scene on the Winterhold battlefield was still carved deep into every heart, and the strange, dreadful spectacle they had just witnessed was like a blood-red "omen," forcing them to think of gods gone mad and out of control, and of the divine calamity that would follow close behind. Even Amber—usually so carefree and scatterbrained—could not help but pull her face taut, her tone unusually grave: "By rights it shouldn't be... According to the estimates of the Divine Council, the steadiest among the gods right now should be ones like the three Fertility Goddesses, the Fire God, and the Water God. The shocks they've taken through the changing eras have been comparatively small..."
"...Relax. What we saw was only one part of the 'divine aspect,'" Gao Yang broke the silence then, lifting his head from his pondering. Recalling what he had once learned from the Dragon God, he spoke slowly: "As long as mortal civilization keeps developing, the divine aspects of the gods will ceaselessly accumulate 'erosion.' Unless the chains are severed, that erosion is bound to exist—only the 'dosage' differs. What we saw was the eroded portion of the three Fertility Goddesses... but on the whole, that portion should not yet be enough to break their 'balance.' At least for most of the time, the Fertile Divine Realm we saw remains in its positive state..."
Hearing Gao Yang's explanation, Amber visibly relaxed, but Daniel, who had to maintain his persona, kept his face expressionless and asked: "Are you certain of all that?"
"The oldest god of the dragon race spoke with me about these matters in detail," Gao Yang glanced at Daniel. "She has lived through the whole process—from the birth of gods to their erosion and then their madness. There is no more reliable source of intelligence in this world."
Daniel nodded. "Then I have no further questions."
As they spoke, a faint tremor suddenly rose from beneath their feet. The ancient airship, cruising ceaselessly among the divine realms, seemed to have finished its observation of the Fertile Divine Realm and began to dive once more toward the distant dark chaos. Beyond the barrier, that fertile paradise bathed in light slowly receded from their field of view.
Gao Yang lifted his head, his gaze falling once more upon the Fertile Divine Realm, upon the courtyards at the heart of the fertile fields, and upon the three goddesses of vast and beautiful form—who at this moment had once again resumed their perfect, holy bearing.