Pillar of Yita

In the narrow Saint Peru Valley, people suddenly and unanimously stopped in their tracks.

They looked at the ground, where a layer of floating dust was slowly settling, the grass and trees gently swaying, and as if it were an illusion, an almost imperceptible tremor was sweeping across the Valley.

People raised their heads to look into the distance, the Forest silent, yet in an instant, the trees rustled violently. Many people screamed as they ran out of their tents, frantically looking around, while others, shocked, watched as a flock of birds took to the sky en masse above the Forest.

The deafening sound of Flapping drowned out all other noises, accompanied only by the calls of the birds.

For a moment, the Valley was packed with people, each one staring dumbfounded at the scene—the six stone monuments atop the brown Rock Mountain at either end of the Valley, relics of the Xinsas Era, standing silently over this ancient Valley for a thousand years.

But now, one by one, the stone monuments began to brighten.

”Look!” people shouted, ”What is that!?”

Atop the first stone monument was a disc with the thirteen moons of Eteliria and the twenty-two cycles of all things’ growth, an abstract Mark of the sun and fire, symbolizing the ancient Sun God of Xinsas.

Ta Aka.

”What is that?” Six shadows stood up and turned back to ask their companions curiously.

She knew that although her partner had some bizarre interests, he was a person with an extremely deep understanding of the background of this world, unbeatable in the theoretical exams for Trainees.

With a bruise on his forehead, Kaka squinted at the Mark with one eye closed and answered, ”Glorious plumage, those are the six vassals of Xinsas, six family Emblems, a common name, Guda Suoke.”

”Speak human language.”

”That’s Andasok, the Sun Emblem.”

Inside the Mountain Palace.

The silver Mark on Fang Hong’s forehead flickered and vanished, he arched back, his eyes rolling back to whites, and he almost fell to the ground. Xiangzi was behind him, giving him a push to help him steady his footing.

And the vision in the void appeared for only an instant before vanishing into thin air. Yet, that ancient Crown was deeply imprinted in everyone’s heart who saw it.

”That is...” Gita opened her mouth slightly.

”Wait, but what’s wrong with Brother Ade?” Tianlan was more concerned with this issue, ”Is he alright?”

Sophie stepped back and frowned at the scene.

Atira and Reed both stepped forward, while, dragged to the rear by Tianlan, Parker, who missed the exciting moment, shouted in confusion, ”What happened? What happened? What’s going on?”

Next to him, Hilveld looked at the scene with a hint of surprise and curiosity. She slightly furrowed her brows, shaped like willow leaves, then lifted them again, a flicker of unexpected light flashing in her eyes.

Fang Hong took a step back and shook his head to come back to his senses. He looked at the others, confused: ”What’s happening?” Earlier he had only felt an intense headache, but when he came to, he found everyone staring at him strangely.

But before anyone could answer.

The fat Lizardman, resembling a toad, was speeding towards them in a way disproportionate to its size, and Fang Hong noticed it was sitting on a stone chair covered in Feathered Serpent patterns, which he knew to be another type of ancient Holy Relic of the Lizard People.

The Lizardman grabbed him by the arm, startling Fang Hong, who instinctively tried to pull away but then heard the aged voice of Meijeli Tolagotos in his mind: ”Don’t be afraid, child.”

But how could he not be afraid?

The Lizardman’s enormous rhomboid eyes were staring at him, and beneath those thick lips, a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth—Fang Hong feared it might let out a stench that could knock him unconscious if the Tada Clan’s Lizardmen didn’t have the habit of brushing their teeth.

But the fat Lizardman apparently had no interest, only speaking in a deep, hoarse voice with guttural Strength, saying, ”Pale Glory.”

Fang Hong was rooted to the spot.

Of course, he had heard this term, and more than once.

”Hold on, what did you say?” Fang Hong couldn’t help but ask again.

But the Tada Lizardman clearly didn’t care about his question and simply turned its head to ask Tainaric beside it, ”Who is he?”

”Chosen One,” Tainaric looked seriously at Fang Hong with its slender pupils, and then glanced at the large grey-skinned Lizardman again before replying softly, ”This is my respected human brother, with whom we will endure this trial together.”

”Shining Sea’s favor,” the Tada Lizardman’s voice became even deeper: ”The ancient will has chosen a Mortal.”

”He’s not a Mortal,” a raspier voice came from above: ”He is the Invoker, the holiest of the Elect.”

The fat Lizardman looked up.

Only then did it realize that the one speaking was the old one—who had been silent since entering the palace—Asuka, of the Dragon Blood Clan, those mysterious kin who had been living secluded in the forests of Saint Hugon, and even they, members of the Guda Suoke, struggled to know each other’s secrets.

It narrowed its eyes slightly.

In the Valley.

The second stone monument lit up.

It bore the images of the moon and the Soul, the four realms of the Country of the Dead, the pale Hunter, and the black comet. It was like an ancient fable, depicting scenes of doomsday and the end, countering the first stone monument.