Chapter 328: Chapter 85: The Tiny Man in the Box

No one knows, just as Iapetus once unexpectedly glimpsed a corner of the future, another ever so ordinary mortal caught sight of destiny at the end of his life. He made a Prophecy in this corner of the world, forgotten by all, and then he dispersed with the wind, merging into the dust.

Perhaps centuries later, descendants will come here, but they will only wonder why only a skeleton remains in a city washed away by the flood, without remembering who he was or what he had done. Only the stone slabs placed in The Temple might bear traces of his existence, truly enduring through the ages.

Elsewhere, within the city’s ruins, two teams that had escaped disaster departed separately. Due to differing Faiths, they went in different directions: one westward, towards Olympus; the other southward, following the trail of the stars. The former was fortunate, for not far from their departure, they encountered Hestia, who had hurried over, guided by the Power of Faith.

Upon learning of their deeds and moved by their devotion, Hestia ultimately allowed them to walk the world in her namesake as envoys. And the flame they had drawn from the original Sacred Fire later became the source of the Sacred Fire in the cities of the Fourth Order of Humans.

As Humans gradually proliferated upon the Earth, whenever a new settlement was to be established, the first thing people did was to draw forth these flames that could ward off ferocious beasts. Thus, those envoys recognized by the gods became the Guards of the Sacred Fire in every city. Although they did not participate in rule, dedicating themselves to reclaiming the wilderness and dispelling Darkness, they held significant status wherever they went.

Just as the goddess once said, she planned to do nothing because she did not need any specific city or nation to regard her as their protector. Yet, it seemed she had done everything, for in every corner of the Human world, her traces existed.

As for the other group, led by Nuo, they continued to move forward, and the Angels did not plan any further contact with them before they reached their destination. However, by coincidence or fate’s guidance, these migrating people encountered a band of Elves who had lost their homes to the flood.

These beings born from the marshes did not have specific physical forms, at least most of them did not. But as Nymphs born of lakes and marshes, they still needed to live near a water source. After their encounter, a delighted Nuo preached the greatness of the Lord and invited them to the city-building site guided by the stars. The Elves, with nowhere else to go, ultimately agreed, willing to become followers of this supreme deity in exchange for a safe haven under the glow of the Sacred Fire.

The last of the people scattered, and as the wind and sand swept through, no human footprints remained on the plateau. The undying Sacred Fire burned alone, bearing witness to less than a century’s worth of Bronze remnants.

As time passed, everything would be buried in the past, with only History silently recording it all.

…

Before long, months rushed by.

On the fringes of the Aurora Plateau, greenery once again covered the land, its youthfulness still apparent. Since the floodwaters receded, under the dominion of Demeter, various plants immediately grew at rates tens of times faster, and in just a few months, the Eastern Region of the continent had returned to its former appearance.

Regrettably, while vegetation could grow quickly, Life could not. Aside from the occasional birds flying across the sky, there were no signs of animals on this flood-ravaged land.

The Earth fell silent, with only the sound of the wind and the rustling of the leaves breaking the quietude. It would undoubtedly take a long time for the Eastern Continent to fully recover to its pre-disaster state.

However, on this day, at the edge of the plateau, beneath an unidentifiable tree, a peculiar sound suddenly emerged.

Crack—Crack—

Boom—

Crack—

…

Friction and noise arose from underground, as if something were digging, an unusual occurrence in the post-flood world. The ground’s surface vibrated slightly, kicking up a bit of dust.

At a certain moment, when the vibrations reached their peak, accompanied by a muffled boom, the soil was completely broken through.

The outside Light streamed into the hole, vaguely outlining a figure. Perhaps due to having stayed in the darkness for too long, he was motionless for a time. After a while, as if gradually becoming accustomed to the external light, the figure finally extended a hand out of the hole and then forcefully pushed himself up.

Boom—

“Cough, cough—”

“Is it… over now?”

“Thankfully, it’s not the worst outcome.”

His robe somewhat disheveled, Ande simply summoned a breeze to blow away the dust from his body. Although he still hadn’t learned even the simplest witchcraft, these basic applications of spirit and Element, indeed, were not too challenging for him.

Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that now, Ande had finally made further progress in meditation, reaching the domain of the Fourth Order. At this point, only the last barrier stood between him and Legendary status.

Perhaps in ten years, perhaps in a few decades, but before the life of mortals ran out, he ultimately had the chance to explore that realm. After all, although he couldn’t compare with natural deities, his talent among mortals was exceptionally outstanding.

“By then, I’ll be able to use what Mr. Laine left for me… I’m truly looking forward to it.”