Undeniable Evidence of Doomsday Rebirth's Conspiracy and the Emerald Oath
This heavy sorrow was shattered by Fa's firm voice. She stepped forward, the starlight in her right eye flowing with a dim glow, clearly and completely reporting to the Queen what she had seen and heard on Dark Tide Island and Misty Reef, as well as the fragments revealed by Virginia and WingSeris, emphasizing the Doomsday Rebirth organization's attempt to ignite the "Oracle Plan" war that would engulf all races, in order to fulfill their ultimate conspiracy of a "new world" blueprint.
"Your Majesty," Fa said solemnly at last, her gaze burning like a torch, "Doomsday Rebirth is not mere plunderers; they are sowers of destruction! What they want is not conquest, but thorough cleansing and reshaping! The Life Furnace on Dark Tide Island and the 'Emerald Heart' on Misty Reef are just the tip of the iceberg of their massive plan! They are weaving a web of war that covers the entire continent, aiming to detonate all long-accumulated conflicts, letting flames devour all old orders, and then establishing their twisted 'new order' with absolute power!"
The sorrow in the Queen's eyes was quickly replaced by icy rage, as if a storm was brewing deep in her silver moon pupils. She looked at Daikeli, who was escorted up by the Dawnlight Guards, her aura wilted but her eyes filled with venom (after Virginia was taken away, Daikeli, as an important witness, had been strictly detained in the Eternal Crown).
"Daikeli," the Queen's voice was like eternal ice, "Tell me, is what Fa said true? Is the 'Oracle Plan' indeed your Doomsday Rebirth organization's ultimate goal?"
Daikeli raised her head, looking at the Queen's silver moon pupils that seemed to pierce through souls, and feeling the cold killing intent from the surrounding elf warriors and the vengeful gazes from Fa and her group. The fear in her heart finally overwhelmed her dread of the organization and her venom. She trembled like a sieve, hoarsely crying out: "Yes... it's true! The organization... no, the 'BOSS's' plan... is called the 'Oracle Plan'! 'Experiments and creation' are just the first step! Lady Virginia... no, that woman said that war is the best catalyst and selector! When the major races are exhausted in the flames of war, when hatred and despair reach their peak... that's when the 'Holy Northern Nest' descends, sowing the seeds of 'rebirth'! Small roles like me are just to deliver more... 'premium materials' and seeds of chaos before the war erupts! I... I'm just the lowest pawn! Spare me!"
Daikeli's testimony was like the final puzzle piece, completely confirming the Doomsday Rebirth organization's world-ending conspiracy. The council hall fell into dead silence, with only heavy breathing sounds. Even a fierce warrior like Kayla showed a trace of gravity in her eyes. This was no longer about the gains and losses of one city or one land, but a catastrophe concerning the survival of all living beings!
Sylvia Sunshine, the Queen, slowly stood up, her figure appearing immensely tall in the halo of the Moonshadow Tree. The sorrow from the fall of her close friend had been replaced by absolute majesty and a determination to protect. Her silver moon pupils swept across the hall, her voice like the decree of the forest, resounding through the royal court:
"The sins of the Doomsday Rebirth organization have exceeded all tolerable limits! Roman's madness must be ended! The Emerald Canopy will no longer be an isolated island!" She raised her hand, her fingertips blooming with brilliant emerald green light, outlining the ancient elf oath runes in the air.
"In the name of the Eternal Crown and the Moonshadow Tree, the Emerald Canopy Elf Royal Court hereby establishes the 'Emerald Oath'!"
"From this moment, I will personally contact the Dwarf Kingdom's Steelmelt Alliance, the Orc Fierce Claw Empire, the Winged Clan's Lightfeather Dome, the Eastern Human City-State Alliance, and all clans that still possess reason and justice! Expose the Doomsday Rebirth conspiracy, call for the formation of the 'Watchers' Alliance'! Share intelligence, coordinate defenses, and jointly confront this 'Doomsday Rebirth organization' that seeks to burn the world!"
"Bossera Island will become the alliance's outpost and fortress! The elves' forests, the dwarves' craftsmanship, the orcs' valor, humanity's wisdom, the winged clan's sky power... all forces must converge to withstand this storm!"
The Soul's Curse and the Clue to Ghost Island
The solemn atmosphere of the "oath" still lingered in the air, invigorating everyone's spirits; this was undoubtedly a huge progress.
"But," Celestia spoke urgently, her voice tinged with helplessness: "Your Majesty! The oath concerns the future, but what about Elios now?" She pointed to Elios, who was quietly suspended in the Moonshadow Tree's healing bud, his face still ashen and his breath weak as a thread. "Elf life magic has stabilized his body, but he... his soul seems bound by heavy chains, sunk into the deepest, coldest abyss of darkness... no matter how we call, he won't wake up!"
The Elf Queen's gaze turned to Elios, a trace of gravity and helplessness in her silver moon pupils. "His physical wounds, under the blessing of the Moonshadow Tree and with Lin Ya's assistance, have stopped the loss of life essence, and his flesh is slowly regenerating. But what Virginia extracted was not just life energy; it was a vicious curse targeting the soul's origin. This curse clings like a bone maggot, eroding his spirit."
Celestia urgently looked at Elios's healing bud, "Your Majesty, you said his soul is sealed by a curse? How do we awaken him?"
The Queen's gaze turned to the silent Salsa: "Physical wounds can be healed, but this deep-seated seal and curse on the soul's origin... cannot be undone by ordinary means. Salsa, your soul form and the necromancy you master, though powerful, lean more toward control, transformation, and combat applications; you're not the most adept at this precise soul repair and curse removal." Salsa's mechanical cat body nodded slightly, her electronic eyes flickering with acknowledgment.
"To remove a curse of this level requires true experts who are proficient in the essence of souls and master ancient requiem and purification secrets," the Queen continued. "As far as I know, on this continent, only your kin—the 'Soul Body Clan' who have delved into the soul realm for countless years and live in seclusion—might have this ability. They are the eulogists of souls, masters of soothing the departed, communicating with living souls, and dispelling curses."
Salsa's mechanical cat body raised its head, her amber electronic eyes flickering with complex light, her electronic voice carrying a trace of reminiscence and confusion: "Yes, Your Majesty. But... a long, long time ago, my people, for survival and to escape a disaster, left the ruins and scattered in migration. I... I don't know where they went, or if they still exist." Her electronic voice conveyed deep helplessness.
Just as everyone felt hope fading, Sylvia Sunshine, the Queen, said softly, "The threads of fate always leave traces." Sylvia Sunshine said softly. She raised her hand and whispered a few words of ancient elven language into the air. Moments later, an elf woman dressed in a robe adorned with star patterns and strange crystals, holding a staff topped with a miniature star-moon instrument, appeared quietly in the court as if merging with moonlight. She was the chief diviner of the Elf Royal Court—Star Oracle Elunir.
"Elunir," the Queen commanded, "Use the starry sky as your eyes and sunlight as your guide to point the way to the 'Soul Body Clan' 's hidden abode for our allies."
"As you command, Your Majesty." The voice of Star Oracle Elunir was ethereal and drifting. The elf elder known as Star Whisperer Twilight bowed in salute; his face was aged, yet his eyes seemed to contain a miniaturized, constantly flowing brilliant starry river. Without further words, he solemnly took out an object from his bosom.
It was not a traditional mirror, but a deep black crystal slab about the size of a washbasin, with irregular natural curves on the edges. The crystal surface was not smooth but covered with extremely fine, slowly flowing silver patterns like living things, weaving into a constantly changing, three-dimensional miniature star map. At the core of the crystal slab was embedded a pigeon-egg-sized gem emitting a soft moon-white halo—it was the rare fruit of the Moonshadow Tree, the "Moon Soul Stone."
"The Dome Star Mirror reflects the trajectories of all things, listens to the whispers of the stars, pursues the echoes of souls..." The Twilight elder chanted an ancient and obscure elven incantation in a low voice. His withered fingers lightly brushed the edge of the crystal slab, green magic flowing from his fingertips into it.
Hum...
The deep black crystal slab emitted a low resonance. The Moon Soul Stone at the core shone brightly, pulsing like a heart. The silver star map patterns on the slab seemed ignited, their flow accelerating suddenly; countless tiny light points generated, annihilated, and moved within, forming an incredibly complex and dynamic cosmic model.
The Twilight elder's gaze became profoundly deep, as if piercing through the crystal slab to connect directly with the boundless starry sky and the invisible sea of souls. He slowly raised his other hand, palm aimed at Salsa's mechanical cat body—more precisely, at the soul body core hosted within.
"In the name of the ancient covenant, call upon the resonance of bloodlines... pursue the lost echoes..." The elder's voice carried a strange vibration.
The star map on the crystal slab fluctuated violently! Countless silver light points flickered and leaped madly. Suddenly, a region in the southwestern part of the continent, extending into the depths of the Endless Sea, lit up with an unusually dense ethereal blue halo! This halo was not static but showed a unique rhythm like a heartbeat or tidal ebb and flow, faintly echoing the pulsing of the Moon Soul Stone at the core. Countless fine threads of light, representing powerful soul energy, emanated from that ethereal blue area, outlining a vague, vortex-like contour in the star map.
The Twilight elder stared intently at that ethereal blue region, sweat beading on his forehead as if resisting some powerful interference. His fingers moved laboriously across the star map, measuring and calculating, muttering under his breath. Finally, he pointed to a spot in the star map enveloped in dense ethereal blue, where the light threads converged most densely.
"Found it!" The Twilight elder's voice carried weakness and excitement, "The echo of souls... points here! In the depths of the Endless Sea, at the boundary of storm and serenity, on the edge of the forbidden land for the living... Ghost Island!"
On the crystal slab, that marked point was clearly visible, its ethereal blue halo and soul fluctuation characteristics strikingly similar to the aura emitted by Salsa's soul body, yet more ancient, vast, and... carrying an indescribable sorrow and weight from antiquity.
"Ghost Island..." Salsa's electronic voice wavered unprecedentedly, her mechanical cat body trembling slightly, her amber electronic eyes fixed on that ethereal blue light point on the star map. Deep in her core, the long-dormant bloodline memories of the "Soul Body Clan" seemed gently stirred by this homologous call, rippling in invisible waves. She felt it—not just the location of her people, but a vast, ancient power like the oppressive deep sea, yet containing endless soul mysteries. This power gave her a sense of belonging warmth, while instinctively evoking strong awe and... a deeply buried unease.
Elf Queen Sylvia Sunshine looked at the star map, light flowing in her silver moon pupils. "Ghost Island... the legendary place where souls rest, a taboo area where the living should not approach. The 'Soul Body Clan' chose to migrate there, surely with deep intent, and inevitably accompanied by unimaginable dangers. Fa," she looked at the core of the team, "Seeking the Soul Clan, saving Elios—this path is thorny. The Emerald Oath needs time to gather strength, and Elios's soul probably can't wait long. Are you ready to set out again, sailing toward that unknown island of souls?"
Fa met the Queen's gaze, the starlight in her right eye deep and ethereal blue. She turned to see Celestia's eyes filled with hope and anxiety, looked at her companions' tired yet still resolute faces, and finally fixed her gaze on that ethereal blue mark on the star map, like an eye of souls.
She took a deep breath, gripping the short blade at her waist, her voice clear and firm, echoing in the serene Moon Crown Sanctuary:
"For our companions, to shatter Doomsday Rebirth's conspiracy, we'll charge through mountains of blades and seas of fire! Next target—Ghost Island!"
Setting Out for Ghost Island
Before departure, Elf Queen Sylvia Sunshine personally came to the edge of the Moon Crown Sanctuary to see them off. In her hands, she held a container naturally carved from the Moonshadow Tree's core branches, shaped like a budding moonlight flower. Inside the container lay seven thumb-sized, silver-white fruits flowing with gentle moonlight and rich laurel fragrance, their surfaces densely covered with natural soul circuit patterns.
"This is the 'Moon Soul Condensate'," the Queen's voice was clear in the wind, her silver moon pupils gazing at the comatose Elios in Celestia's arms, "Condensed from the Moonshadow Tree's millennium-accumulated moonlight essence and pure life quintessence. It cannot directly break Virginia's soul curse, but it can greatly nourish and stabilize Elios's remaining soul flame, slow the curse's erosion, and accelerate the healing of his physical wounds. Take one each day, dissolve it in life spring water, guided by Lin Ya, and apply it evenly to his heart and brow." She solemnly handed the container to Fa, "May the moonlight bless you and buy you enough time."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Fa received it with both hands, feeling the cool touch; the rich laurel fragrance made her heart tremble slightly, as if fuzzy warm memory fragments flashed by. She stored the container close to her body; this gift was as heavy as a thousand weights.
Daikeli was then escorted away by the Dawnlight Guards, her venomous gaze sweeping over everyone, finally fixing on the direction where Virginia had disappeared, her lips twisting into a distorted arc, silently mouthing a few words before being completely taken away. Her fate would be decided by the Emerald Canopy's laws and her own sins.
Salsa once again summoned ten dark variant winged beings as flying mounts. These undead creations were tall, with gray-blue skin covered in thin frost, broad and strong shadow membrane wings on their backs, with wingspans nearly matching Celestia's four wings. Each dark variant winged being had cold soul fire burning in their eyes, holding spears condensed from shadow and ice, emanating an aura of death and power.
Salsa jumped onto one wing guard's shoulder, her mechanical cat tail flicking lightly, her electronic voice sounding: "Let's go; these guys are ten times faster than a ship. Five days should suffice to reach Ghost Island." Everyone quickly mounted.
"Depart!" At Salsa's command, the ten shadow wing guards flapped fiercely, stirring strong airflow, carrying the team full of hope and heavy responsibility, charging toward the treacherous southwestern sea. Elios was tightly protected in Celestia's arms, secured by Lin Ya with a flexible net woven from emerald vines, ensuring stable flight.
Desolate Island Night Rest and Uninvited Guest
After two continuous days and nights of sleepless flight, traversing unpredictable cloud seas and occasional thunderstorm zones. Even with the tireless bearing of the shadow wing guards, everyone's taut nerves and accumulated fatigue from successive battles reached their peak. Under the nourishment of the Moon Soul Condensate and Lin Ya's continuous life magic, Elios's face remained pale as paper, but his breathing finally stabilized, though his soul's silence was still bottomless.
"Rex, scan the sea ahead and find a suitable resting point!" Fa ordered through the mental link, her voice slightly hoarse. The starlight in her right eye sent stabs of pain from prolonged vigilance.
"Scanning..." Rex's electronic eyes flickered with blue light, "Southwest by west 15 degrees, about 25 nautical miles away, detected a small volcanic rock island. Sparse vegetation, no large life signals, stable geothermal activity, with a freshwater spring. Meets temporary rest requirements."
"Good! Target, that island!" Fa decided decisively.
The shadow wing guards adjusted direction, diving toward the island marked by Rex. The island was small, mainly composed of black volcanic rock, with a low dormant crater in the center, sparse salt-tolerant shrubs and low trees on the edges. From a crack in the rock wall, clear spring water gushed out, pooling into a small pond. On the leeward side of the island was a relatively flat small beach.
Everyone landed, and the shadow wing guards merged into shadows within Salsa's mechanical cat body. Kayla and TISK immediately sprang into action; Kayla, with her orc brute strength and speed, easily hunted several plump, brightly feathered seabirds on the island. TISK skillfully struck the volcanic rock with his Lava Hammer, igniting a bonfire with the hammerhead's flame power, while controlling the temperature with ice-fire patterns, starting the barbecue.
Night fell, the bonfire crackled, the aroma of roasting bird meat mixed with the salty sea breeze wafting around. Everyone sat around the fire, their taut nerves relaxing slightly in the food and warmth. Celestia carefully mixed the crushed Moon Soul Condensate with spring water collected by Lin Ya, applying it bit by bit to Elios's heart and brow. Silver-white halos flowed beneath Elios's skin, interweaving with the emerald life glow injected by Lin Ya, and his furrowed brow seemed to relax a bit.
"Eat more, Celestia." Arya handed her a skewer of golden, oily roasted bird meat, saying softly, "You need strength too." Celestia took it silently, chewing tastelessly, her gaze never leaving Elios.
Just as everyone ate quietly, enjoying this brief tranquility.
An invisible, mountain-like heavy pressure descended without warning! The bonfire flames pressed down suddenly, the air seeming to solidify. Kayla tensed her muscles instantly, lightning arcs crackling on her thunder claws; TISK gripped his Lava Hammer; Zhamisi's snake tongue flicked rapidly, her venom fang daggers half-unsheathed; Rex's armor emitted a low warning hum, his electronic eyes locking on the pressure's source; Fa's right eye starlight shone brightly, instantly piercing the night!
On the edge of the beach, atop a huge black reef, unbeknownst to them, a figure stood quietly.
Mysterious Female Swordsman
It was a woman. A head of slightly messy yet wildly beautiful crimson long hair, simply tied into a high ponytail at the back, a few strands brushing her sharp-featured, slightly wheat-toned face with the sea breeze. She wore a deep brown leather armor for easy movement, outlining her agile and explosive figure. Most striking was the giant sword slung diagonally across her back! The blade was astonishingly wide, 1.5 times her body's width, and its length far exceeded her height. The scabbard was ancient and heavy, forged from some deep dark gold metal, etched with unrecognizable patterns and designs. Even sheathed, a heavy, sharp pressure that seemed capable of cleaving mountains rushed forth—it was this pressure that instantly put the entire camp on alert!
The woman seemed to completely ignore the tense atmosphere; she sniffed, her gaze burning as she stared at the sizzling, oily roasted birds on the bonfire, her face showing an unmasked, childlike greedy smile.
"Smells so good!" Her voice was crisp and refreshing, with a peculiar penetrating quality, instantly breaking the stagnant atmosphere, "I've been hurrying for days, and my stomach's growling! Folks, mind if one more joins for dinner?" As she spoke, she boldly leaped down from the reef, stepping lightly toward the fire, that exaggerated giant sword swaying slightly with her steps, bringing a dull wind sound.
Kayla stepped across, her burly frame like an iron tower blocking the woman from the fire, lightning flashing on her thunder claws, growling lowly: "Stop! Who are you? Where did you come from?" TISK's Lava Hammer also lifted slightly, ice-fire patterns flowing.
The woman halted, innocently blinking her pair of amber eyes, which appeared unusually bright and lively in the firelight. She spread her hands, laughing: "Don't be tense, big guy! I'm Rhea Medusa, just a wanderer who travels everywhere and loves finding good eats. I couldn't resist the smell. Relax, I'm not a bad person, really!" She pointed to her empty hands, "See, I haven't even drawn a weapon." She deliberately ignored the overwhelmingly present giant sword on her back.
Fa's right eye starlight locked tightly on this woman who called herself Rhea Medusa. The starlight could see through illusions but couldn't penetrate the person before her. There was no obvious magical fluctuation on her, nor traces of tech equipment; she seemed like the most ordinary traveler. However, the oppressive sense from that giant sword and her own composure under everyone's killing intent lock were far from ordinary! Even weirder was the feedback from the starlight: a feeling like facing a towering mountain... heavy and vast? As if her existence itself was a massive enigma.