Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 808: Thank You Gift

"You will know everything you want to know."

Shard was still lying down at this moment, so he barely managed to prop himself up with his left hand while raising his right hand to touch the flame, but the intense pain in his arm made this action fail.

Sister Delphine held the flame with one hand, wanting to assist Shard, but was refused by him.

He struggled to change his posture, trying to stabilize his body by kneeling on one knee. But he noticed that the nun in front of him was also kneeling on one knee:

"Sister Delphine, please stand up."

After the nun stood up, he managed to kneel on one knee. Sister Delphine understood his intention and carefully extended the flame she was holding forward.

Due to the intense pain, Shard could no longer lift his head. He could only stretch out his palm upward by instinct.

The bonfire illuminated their profiles. Shard now only wanted to use the flame to fill the emptiness of his soul. Sister Delphine was exceptionally serious, but her voice was very gentle. Using the Delarion language, she softly inquired in an archaic manner:

"Shard Suren Hamilton, are you willing to bear the power and will of the Primal Fire, to assist me in gathering flames and lighting the firewood? This is the contract between the nun who guards the flame and the hero who bears it."

[Accept it.]

This was very rare; "she" gave Shard the answer before he made the choice.

"Yes, I am willing."

Shard said softly, beside the bonfire, on the path where countless souls departed, under the boundless star river. His palm met Sister Delphine’s hand.

Their shadows swayed violently on the cliff as the flame spread along Shard’s arm, engulfing his entire body, as if to completely ignite him. However, the flame did not harm him; cracks appeared on the surface of his body.

The divinity had vanished, and there was no golden glow within the cracks. The flame of the Primal Fire seeped in, penetrating to Shard’s exposed skin and the cracks in his clothes. The burning light gradually subsided, just like Sister Delphine in front of him.

When the night wind blew past, the flames on both of them trailed in the same direction. The embers swayed into the darkness with the wind. A clear smile appeared on Sister Delphine’s face for the first time. Behind the intricately patterned silver eye patch made of mithril from the Grim Reaper Order, her eyes were definitely looking at Shard:

"Indeed, you are the hero who can bear the Primal Fire."

His soul felt warm and full, like he had just eaten a delicious meal. The terrifying emptiness caused by the loss of divinity was slightly alleviated, but the intense pain and weakness as if his body was about to disintegrate remained. The flame filled the void left by the divinity, but Shard was still severely injured.

[Outlander, you have accepted the power of the Fire of the Primordial.]

[The Fire of the Primordial burns the body, purifies the soul, removes curses, and supports the will. Your resistance to fire has greatly improved, the strength of your soul has greatly increased, and your physical qualities have comprehensively enhanced.]

[The trend of gradual disappearance of the Divine Afterglow due to the lack of divinity has slowed, but once the Divine Afterglow vanishes, the Primal Fire can no longer fill that power.]

It seemed that the Primal Fire could be considered an extremely degraded version of divinity, but alas, it was not divinity after all and could only serve as a substitute until Shard found the next drop of divinity.

[The Ancient Sound has been triggered, and you have learned the story of the Fire of the Primordial——]

[From the beginning, the fire and the nun who guarded the fire have always existed. The Fire of the Primordial is a symbol of civilization, and the nun who guards the fire carries out the will of the Primal Fire. This is a contract, a covenant created by the world itself for the perpetuation of civilization. The ancient flame hails from the very beginning, even older than this world.]

The Ring of Fate appeared behind Shard amidst faint whistles and bells. The flame spread towards the Ring of Fate, and because of Shard’s severely injured soul, the ring seemed on the verge of cracking, showing mottled marks. But within the brass fissures, there were faint traces of gold.

The fire enveloped the Ring of Fate, imbuing it with the primal and ancient power of miracles, desecration, enlightenment, and whisper elements. As the Ring of Fate spun rapidly, the flame left a bright ring mark behind Shard.

However, bathing in the Primal Fire did not grant Shard any Spirit Runes, Arcane Techniques, or Sorcery.

"I’m sorry, the power of the Primal Fire is no longer sufficient to provide stronger abilities."

Sister Delphine whispered apologetically.

"It doesn’t matter, the power of this fire is enough for now."

Shard tried to smile but fell down because he couldn’t maintain the kneeling posture. This time, Sister Delphine supported him.

"Nun, how did you find me?"

"My doppelganger was fighting above Milestone, while my true body ventured to Bena Lakeside where the deity appeared, seeking the truth. When I saw the Red Butterfly Twins and the cat, I knew."

"So... do you know what I did just now?"

The nun still shook her head gently:

"I do not know your exact relationship with the God Summoner, but since you have bathed in the Primal Fire, we are now unbreakable allies. Rest assured, everything tonight will be spread according to the version of the story you told."

"Alright... After I left the Cassandra Auction House, I initially wanted to climb the mountain but was stopped by you. Then I stayed with you all the time, and we both witnessed the God Summoner appearing at the mountain summit."

"Yes, that’s what happened tonight."

"Alright, quickly give me the leaf inside the pocket watch."

The emptiness in his soul was gone, but the weakness and pain in his body remained. Last time, Iluna had given Shard an entire bottle of the original concentrate of "No. 1 Holy Water" to save him, but now he only had No. 2 Holy Water brought from the Interstice Chapel. The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 was simply too large, so he had to use the only two pieces of [Ever-Youth Leaf] left in his hand.

Sister Delphine reached out to take the pocket watch on the ground, but suddenly stopped, "looking" at the deep night sky:

"I think it’s not necessary."

"You’re going to do what... oh!"

In an instant, white rain of light under the star ocean, the brilliant white light rain gushed out from that Path of Shattered Light, tiny glimmers like summer fireflies, sprinkled towards the cliff at the mountaintop.

Under the deep night sky, beneath the star ocean and that tranquil water, the light rain was so dazzling.

The leaping white glimmers, like waterfalls of light, merged into Shard’s body, completely illuminating the chosen place at the mountaintop.

Warm power surged in, but this power was not violent at all, instead, it nourished every wound of Shard’s soul and body. It was like suddenly slipping into a hot spring in an extremely cold situation, Shard even couldn’t help but moan:

"Oh~"

He gradually controlled his body, broke free from Sister Delphine’s support, and stood up, bathing in that white stream of light under the night sky, raising his arms and stretching his body.

He bent down slightly, picked up little Mia from the ground, and held her in his arms:

"What is this?"

Reaching out to touch those gathered brilliant glimmers, the white light seemed to envelop Shard in the star river.

"A more sincere gratitude than Soul Tears. This is a gift from the souls before they leave, given to those who helped them."

The nun said softly. freewebnøvel.com

Shard stood by the campfire, looking up at the star ocean while bathed in the continuously healing white stream of light. He saw countless souls waving goodbye to him on the Path of Shattered Light. He saw the sergeant who died in the Interstice, he saw the Carsonrick spy Professor Higgins, he saw the innocent ladies murdered by the serial killer Henry Val, and he also saw Earl Dalark, the bearer of the Third Nail.

They all turned around at the end of the Path of Shattered Light, smiling and waving at him, then walked towards that water, advancing towards the Nether Moon.

The Nether Moon did not guide all souls away, but at least 99.9% of the souls from the Interstice, were moving towards the endpoint through this star ocean road.

"Teacher!"

A voice came from behind, it was Grace and Helen. The pale-faced girls had woken up, supporting each other, they stumbled past Sister Delphine behind Shard, and reached in front of Shard, looking at the nearby path together with him.

The five people who walked out from the party in 3014 of the Fifth Era, gathered once again at the summit of Sicarl Mountain in the deep autumn of 1853 of the Sixth Era, under this thick night.

"It’s really like a dream, and we are the little butterflies that always stayed at that banquet table."

Except, the witches and the armored old man had turned into spirits, the twins had become relics, only Shard, still remained as Shard.

The middle-aged witch smiled and waved at the twins on the path, the armored old man nodded in satisfaction at Shard, as if bidding farewell:

"Don’t forget us."

They said nothing more, turning around with those tens of thousands of souls, walking along that star ocean path into the distance. This was the direction they should have left for a thousand years ago.

Endless souls surged out, endless white dots of light entered Shard’s body, healing the wounds on his body and soul caused by burning divinity. The expanding spirit made him feel like he was about to level up again, he also waved at the sky, waving goodbye to those souls willing to bid farewell to him, knowing he had done the right thing.

All mortals must die, everything must ultimately perish, this is the real end.

Mia Cat curiously stood on Shard’s shoulder, looking at the surrounding white dots of light, even reaching out with a little paw to try and touch them.

[Outlander, your soul’s quality and weight have greatly increased. Any spirit creatures will not actively attack you, and Fate will favor you more.]

"I understand the increase in the soul, but the favor of Fate... why?"

[This is the world’s gratitude.]

Shard put his hands in his pockets wanting to smile, but found that red butterflies were actually flying up on the Path of Shattered Light:

"Hmm? Where did these butterflies come from?"

Looking around in astonishment, Helen and Grace stood in front of him, closer to the edge of the cliff and the Path of Shattered Light. Their bodies were becoming transparent, the colors in their bodies turned into red butterflies, flying towards the deep night sky along with those white shadows.