Secret of Eternity!

"Captain, the teleportation array is active." "Prepare to receive him." Dinneson pulled off his gloves and ordered the young priests under his command to take their positions, initiating the procedure they had drilled countless times from the manual. Soon, an elderly man stepped out from the halo of the teleportation array. He wore an ordinary robe of Order and had short white hair. Standing there, he was like an immovable mountain. The young priests gathered around in curiosity. Transferred to Heitar Outpost just last year, this was the first time in their year of service that they had seen anyone emerge from the teleportation array. The outpost was sparsely manned—only seven priests in total, including Captain Dinneson. There was a priest responsible for monitoring the team's health, an array master for daily maintenance of the outpost's formations, three warriors who accompanied the captain on regular patrols, and a cook. Here, the cook held the highest status. Without the comfort of decent food, facing the unbroken, barren expanse of white outside, a person could easily lose their mind. Rumor had it that many years ago, Heitar Outpost was vast, staffed by nearly three thousand resident priests, with scores arriving and departing through the teleportation array every day. But over time, it had fallen into neglect. Later priests stationed here could only reminisce about its former glory through the sheer scale of the buildings and the absurdly long rows of toilets in the washrooms. Dinneson looked at the old man and stepped forward to greet him. "You have arrived." "Yes, I'm here again." Diss offered Dinneson a faint smile. The last time he came here, he took a look around, then went back to bomb the Temple. Yet this was not his second visit. Over the years, he had come several times, and every time, the outpost captain he met was this young man... Dinneson. No, he was a middle-aged man now. The Church of Order was not without human warmth. Except for certain specialized zones, most harsh hardship posts had rotation systems. Reasonably speaking, Dinneson should never have been stationed here for twenty straight years. "Shall I take you up to the observation deck?" "No. This time, I'm not just looking. I am going out." "Are you certain you want to head out?" "Yes." Dinneson licked his lips. "You cannot go dressed like that. The cold here is unlike anything in the secular world; the thermal formations woven into a priest's robe won't last long. Let me fetch you a snow-beast fur coat. I hunted it just last month." "Very well." "Please wait a moment." Dinneson stepped away and returned shortly. Not only was he carrying a snow-white fur coat, but he had also changed into one himself. "I want to accompany you." "There is no need." "No, I am coming. I must." Dinneson took a deep breath. "Even if I die, I want to die out there." Diss nodded. Dinneson was overjoyed and immediately called out to his subordinate, "Lenkdor, I'm handing things over to you for now. If I don't return for a long time, just report me as an accidental casualty. Farewell, everyone." "Captain?" "Captain, you..." Before the priests could process what was happening, their captain followed the old man out of the outpost. The farewell could not have been more abrupt. Diss walked ahead while Dinneson followed behind with a supply pack. Although the snow was deep, no footprints lingered behind them, swiftly erased by the ferocious gale. Once they passed beyond the outpost's surveillance perimeter, Diss stopped. Dinneson stepped forward. "Allow me." He produced a scroll, unrolled it, and activated the magic. The scroll sank into the snow, and soon, a massive lizard forged of ice and snow crawled out. This was his mount for regular patrols, summoned from an advanced ice-element technique scroll. It was far from cheap—using it as daily transport for patrols was downright extravagant. But who could complain when the warehouse was overflowing with stock? It had all been stockpiled in the past, and once the post was neglected, no matter how much they used, they could never exhaust the supply. Even so, Dinneson inventoried the stores once a week to prevent priests from stashing items to smuggle out and sell after their tour ended, even though such practices were an open secret in many outposts. Once Diss climbed aboard, Dinneson directed the lizard to scuttle forward at high speed. A barrier formed around its body, shielding the riders from the driving wind and snow. "Would you like something to drink?" Dinneson asked. Diss looked at him with a faint smile. "You know who I am?" "You are Yalo's father. Yalo Sarkey." Diss closed his eyes. It had been a very long time since he heard his eldest son's name from an outsider's lips. At home, Mason and the others intentionally avoided mentioning it. Of course, the surname had been an alias. The reason for using a fake surname had been quite similar to Karen's. Except Karen did so because Diss had blown up the Temple, turning their family name into a taboo, whereas his eldest son simply hadn't wanted to draw the attention of his father's old friends and acquaintances. Dinneson continued, "I also know that you saved my life back then. Without you, I would have become an ice statue buried beneath the deep snow long ago." Diss averted his gaze. His silence was an affirmation. Back then, the Church of Order had spared no expense to explore this place because it held secrets concerning Eternity. Even without using his real surname, his son had quickly earned recognition and heavy responsibilities within the church, enjoying a bright future—though certainly not to the exaggerated degree Karen enjoyed today. Yalo had been selected for the elite expedition team, and Dinneson was also a member of that squad. In addition, Delon's daughter—Karen's mother—had been among them. Yet a horrific disaster struck the investigation. Except for a handful of members stationed on the perimeter who survived, the vast majority of the expedition perished here, including a Temple elder who had overseen the project. Years of immense investment yielding no returns, coupled with that catastrophic loss, ultimately led the Church of Order to abandon further exploration. They maintained only this outpost to keep a thread of hope alive for the future. "I knew it was you. I've always remembered your silhouette from behind," Dinneson said. "Besides, Yalo and I were very close friends. He told me bits about his home. I knew his family situation didn't match his records. "I also encouraged him to pursue Anli. I could tell she liked him too. It was just that Anli came from an affluent family in Wien, so Yalo felt hesitant. "I told him, 'Hey, my friend, look at yourself. Do you have no faith in your future? Don't you believe you can build a greater future with your own two hands? "'To people like us, what does a local Jurist clan even count for!'" Dinneson grew increasingly animated as he spoke, gesturing with his arms as if reliving those days. Diss listened quietly. His son had spoken of Dinneson before, counting him as a cherished friend. He recalled Purr saying back then that neither of his two sons took after him at all; Yalo and Mason were both gentle and cheerful. Even his grandson Karen didn't resemble him. Diss had woken up from his slumber only to find that his grandson had climbed to dizzying heights within the church. In his own youth, Diss had possessed only a vague notion of friendship and never felt he needed companions. With people like Theisen and Old Hoffen, it was less that they were friends and more that they constantly indulged his temperament. As for ecclesiastical administrative affairs, he had neither the patience nor the interest. He still remembered the fleeting astonishment he felt when his son confided that he had feelings for a girl. Only then had Diss realized his son was all grown up. Yet when his son voiced his worries—fearing the girl's family background was too illustrious and that pursuing her might meet great obstacles—Diss had merely furrowed his brow. Eavesdropping from atop the bookshelf, Purr had nearly laughed herself off the edge. Later, Yalo finally mustered the courage to pursue her. The two weren't stationed in the same place, only gathering via teleportation arrays when missions arose, so they wrote letters constantly. Purr loved sneaking peeks at Yalo writing love letters and then coming back to report everything to Diss. It was a wonderful feeling... a profound sense of fulfillment. In contrast, his grandson displayed none of his father's youthful awkwardness when it came to matters of the heart, handling everything with consummate ease. Still, Diss felt that while their methods differed, his grandson's temperament was actually very similar to his own. Karen's polite demeanor was, in truth, an expression of detachment. Especially when Diss awoke and Karen sat across from him, it felt as though he were looking at another version of himself, marked by an intensely restrained desire for control. "Afterward, they got together. Every time a mission was called, they would arrive days early to go on dates," Dinneson said. "At first, they needed me there to smooth over the atmosphere, but before long, they tacitly stopped inviting me. "Whenever a mission concluded, they would also delay their departure by a few days. "Back then, I truly envied them—not just for being in love, but every time I saw them standing side by side, perfectly in sync during missions, I would sigh inwardly at what an exceptional pair they were. They were simply made for each other." Diss nodded. Even after he brought them back and they suffered under the relentless torment of contamination, they had loved and cherished each other, reserving all their gentleness for one another, for the child born later, and for that home. A dull ache stirred in Diss's heart, and a faint crimson glint surfaced deep within his eyes. The only thing he could do back then was ensure their child would not inherit the contamination, but he had been powerless to relieve their suffering. Resentment and bitterness accumulated over time. If they arose quickly, they could fade just as quickly. Day after day, watching his son and daughter-in-law endure agony while forcing smiles for him had been true torture. If he had ascended to godhood back then, he could have dispelled their suffering. Yet the one who blocked his path had been the Lord he had believed in for most of his life. Dinneson's voice grew somber. "I used to say I would be the godfather to their child, that I would perform the purification for their baby. I even bet them that their child would have monstrously high talent. I planned to have several kids of my own so they could play together from childhood and grow close. "What a pity..." Diss sighed. He suddenly realized he had wronged someone. Through his own negligence—no, his indifference and detachment—he had derailed this man's entire life. Anyone selected for that elite squad was among the brightest young priests in the church. Regardless of family background, they should have enjoyed a glorious future. Yet after that catastrophe, Dinneson had remained stationed at this desolate outpost, abandoning his own life just to wait for the day the church reopened the project. Diss spoke. "They had a child." "What?" Shock washed over Dinneson's face, instantly giving way to overwhelming joy. "You rescued them back then too?" "Yes." "Then why didn't they contact me? Why... Ah, of course. They couldn't make outside contact. I was stationed on the outer perimeter, while they followed the superiors into the deepest parts. After such a massive incident, if they emerged alive, the church would never have let them go." "They were contaminated. They married at home, had a child, and passed away a few years later. But their final years were happy." Hand his son and daughter-in-law over for the church to study? If so, Diss had gone in as well—should he have laid himself down for the church to dissect too? Knowing their days were numbered, Diss felt not a shred of "duty" toward the church. He only wanted them to spend their remaining time basking in warmth. In this regard, Diss had never changed; his attitude toward Karen was identical. Sitting atop the lizard, Dinneson clapped his hands repeatedly. "Wonderful! Haha, wonderful! That is good news—the best news I've heard in twenty years." Diss said, "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner." "Why are you apologizing? Learning they married and had a child makes me so happy... Ah, I understand. No, please don't think like that! My staying here wasn't just for them, but for my teammates too. "That day, an issue arose during my spellcasting training, leaving me in poor condition. My teammates urged me to stay on the perimeter and sit it out. "If I hadn't stayed behind, I never would have lived to see your rescue. I was supposed to die in there; my teammates gave me the chance to live. "Besides, staying here isn't self-torture. I'm happy, truly. Every time I ride out from the outpost on patrol, I greet them as if we're still a team, haha." Diss said, "Thank you." "Heheh." Dinneson scratched his head. "Um, their child must be grown by now, right? Have they joined the church?" "Yes." "What is his name? I mean, my family has some influence in the church. Though my refusal to leave here strained my ties with them, I think if I wrote back and explained he's my godson, my family would be willing to help him." "There is no need." "Ah, right, of course. With you around, how could I forget? Haha, my apologies." In Dinneson's eyes, the man before him was a powerhouse capable of penetrating that forbidden depths to pull people out. How could such a figure fail to smooth his grandson's path within the church? *As expected, Yalo's claim of coming from an Inquisitor's family was false. How could an ordinary Inquisitor household produce detailed summoner treatises? The insights in those notes went deeper than anything I found in my clan's library. His father must have taught him.* Dinneson was mistaken. Diss was terrible at teaching and had left behind no notes. The materials Yalo gave him had come partly from asking the family cat, and partly from Old Hoffen, who frequently dropped by. Even more mistaken was the reason no help was needed: it wasn't that the old man had arranged his grandson's career, but rather that his "godson's" current stature was enough to make Dinneson's entire family tremble. The reason Diss withheld the name was simply that it resonated far too loudly. "Um, I have some stockpiles in the warehouse. Not church assets, but things I hunted myself. I'd like to gift them to him. Would that be all right?" "In the future. I will have him visit here later." "Great, thank you!" For the remainder of the journey, Dinneson beamed with joy. Even with the ice lizard's swift pace and the outpost being on the front lines, it still took an entire day to reach the outer perimeter of their destination. Snow and ice had thoroughly buried any former traces of exploration, leaving the area looking utterly unremarkable. Nevertheless, Dinneson located the entry point with precision. He climbed down to summon an altar buried deep beneath the ice and snow, then began configuring it. Soon, the altar activated, and a blue arc of light materialized ahead. Dinneson took a deep breath. "Let us go in." "I will go in. You stay here." "No, but..." "I will come out. I have things left to do outside, and I will need you to give me a ride back." "All right, I understand. I'll wait for you here." Dinneson patted his supply pack. Diss nodded and stepped inside. Moments later, the blue arc faded away. Unlike the blizzard raging outside, the realm within was still draped in snow, but no flakes were falling. Old Hoffen's figure flew out from the book, landing beside Diss. "That kid probably wanted release long ago. If you didn't plan on coming out, he would have finished his rations and let himself freeze solid out there." "I know." "Sigh, Diss, even though we're already here, are you certain you want to venture deep again? You still have family outside. And our little Karen." "Karen no longer needs my care. He can look after himself and protect the family. Since the living no longer require my concern, it is time to do something for those who have died. "Hoffen, you know well how long I have endured. I have never been a magnanimous man—just as when I took vengeance on the Felscher family." "Fine, fine, I'm with you, I'm with you. Didn't I crawl out of my grave just to accompany you? Truth be told, I was only running through the motions just now—I can barely contain my own excitement." "Let's go." Diss stepped forward, each stride shifting him across a vast distance. Old Hoffen hurried after him, muttering, "It really is freezing. I should have wrapped the book in a cover before coming." After advancing for a stretch, an ice vein appeared ahead, standing out starkly in this monochrome world. Following the vein, the view before them suddenly opened up. Before them lay a sheer precipice descending into an enormous basin. At the center of the basin stood a majestic palace. Above the palace, the colossal phantom of a goddess danced in the air, while battle banners fluttered before the main gates—an eerily dynamic yet frozen tableau. The ice vein continued downward until it met the base of the palace walls. Old Hoffen pointed at it with a grin. "Diss, care to guess who left that trace? Who would have thought that beast's puddle of piss would end up guiding future explorers here?" In the previous era, while pursuing the taboos of time, Raniedal had found this place and relieved himself against the corner wall. Diss showed no interest in the subject. Instead, he said gravely, "It's different. Those sights weren't here before." "Oh?" Hoffen was surprised. "Meaning these changes occurred later? What triggered them? The return of the gods?" "Likely so." "Eternity, dormant for two eras, returns this time as well... Just how many terrifying entities does your Church of Order intend to stand against?" Diss corrected him, "It should be *our* Church of Order. Don't forget, you already sold the Church of Principles to Karen." "Heh." Hoffen gave a helpless chuckle. He crouched down and placed one hand onto the snow. Instantly, a shimmering river of consciousness flowed rapidly downward, splitting mid-descent into countless droplets. Diss stood beside him, waiting in silence for Hoffen to complete his reconnaissance. Before long, the droplets coalesced back into a river and flowed swiftly into Hoffen's palm. "I found remnants of the teleportation tunnel carved during their previous expedition. They didn't enter through the palace's main gates back then; they tunneled in from the flank like grave robbers. Did you enter from there as well?" "Yes." "I read the investigation logs. They said the palace's interior layout resembles a crypt, divided according to the Church of Eternity's hierarchy. There were quarters for senior believers to work and live, as well as sanctums for tributary gods and the main god. Everything inside was fully furnished, as though someone... some god was still living there. "Even the wine in the goblets was poured and unspoiled. "All that was missing was a coffin." "The records are accurate. That matches what I saw upon entering. But back then, I was focused on carrying people out for treatment and had no time for a closer look. Furthermore, the restrictions inside were numerous, rivaling those of the Temple of Order." Hoffen stood up and dusted his hands. "It's fortunate the Church of Order abandoned this place afterward. If they sent another investigation team today, they would uncover an astonishing change. "Namely, "Every single restriction inside this palace has been lifted. "If we want to enter this time, we can simply push open the front gates with our bare hands. "Though it looks like one, this is definitely no tomb. "It's more like a sealed traveling palace. And now, it has reopened, waiting for its master to return." No sooner had Hoffen spoken than blood-red snowflakes began to drift down from the previously clear sky. The snowflakes gathered and melted simultaneously, gradually turning the snow before the palace translucent. A woman knelt prostrate before the palace gates as though doing penance, clad in the robes symbolizing the Temple of Order. Slowly, the woman turned her head and looked their way. In the sky above, her cold, detached face materialized as a dharma body took shape, its eyes filled with stagnant, dead blue light. She was the organizer of the previous expedition, the Temple elder who had ultimately fallen here—Levinlina. A terrifying pulse of consciousness swept across them, and an icy voice boomed from the dharma body: "All under heaven belongs to Eternity. The vermin of Order who defile this holy ground shall be erased." Seeing this, Hoffen immediately retreated behind Diss. Diss opened his hand, and the Scythe of War materialized in his grip. Calmly, he replied: "A pity. For now, this is a world of Order."