Chapter 54: The Pantheon and the Dawnfolk

The two of them stepped into a grand hall, a place so devoid of activity it seemed almost forbidden. Their ultimate destination lay deep within its expansive confines.

Lining both sides of the vast hall were several statues, depicting men, women, and even beings that transcended human form.

Gern, intrigued, surveyed these statues, finding them utterly novel.

He approached a female statue; though her features were indistinct, her attire clearly marked her as a formidable mage.

Inscribed upon the statue’s plinth were both a name and a brief passage.

It read: “Goddess of Magic Light, Philippa.”

“‘I am the very foundation of arcane essence, illuminating the path for all living beings. The world poses the questions, and I shall provide the answers.’”

Gern scratched his head, perplexed yet profoundly struck by the words. Just then, Snow stepped forward, offering an explanation.

““She was the trailblazer who forged the path of magical cultivation. Over her long journey, she gradually became an embodiment of the very rules of arcane essence itself.””

““She dedicated her entire being to magic, ultimately merging with the arcane essence to become a divine existence—the one we commonly refer to as the Goddess of Magic or the Goddess of Arcane Essence.””

As Snow spoke, the image of the figure before them grew increasingly vivid in Gern’s mind.

““And this one?””

Gern moved to another statue, this one depicting a man standing with a sword.

Bare-chested, he appeared to be streaked with blood, and his sword clutched a gruesome, severed head.

Etched into the plinth beneath this statue, just like the last, were more words.

““God of Discord, Castro.””

Beneath his name, the description was stark and simple: “‘Fight! Fight!’”

““This is the God of War, the very founder of the knight’s cultivation path. He was, to put it mildly, a battle-crazed fiend.””

****

Gern nodded, finding himself somewhat familiar with this deity; after all, in his previous life, he had primarily pursued the path of a knight.

The next deity was another female, poised upon a high platform. Her garments were exceptionally sheer, allowing her exquisitely sculpted feet to subtly peek through the fabric.

She appeared much like a benevolent elder sister from next door, her gaze directed skyward, hands cradling a orb of Holy Light, with what seemed to be a halo of solar corona encircling her.

““Goddess of Holy Light, Aivinachi.””

“‘Born of heaven and earth, nurtured by all creation.’”

““This is the creator of the priest’s cultivation path, also known as the Goddess of Life.””

****

With each step Gern took, the multitude of divine statues revealed themselves with increasing clarity before his eyes.

““Goddess of Twilight (Goddess of Death), Yulimi.””

“‘Among all living things, who can escape death? Yet, death… is also rebirth, ah ha ha ha ha!’”

““Goddess of Earth, Felicia.””

“‘I am the very cornerstone, and also the promised land.’”

““Goddess of Nature (Goddess of Elves), Matilda.””

“‘Everything in this world is but nature’s design.’”

““God of Contracts, Akharma.””

“‘Rules are ubiquitous, and I am their embodiment. Contracts must be honored!’”

““God of Frost, Spencer.””

“‘The Dragonkind… shall not perish!’”

Gern paused, struck by the sight. The statue before him depicted a colossal silver dragon, its likeness eerily similar to the self-proclaimed Dragon God residing within him.

He instinctively reached for his lower abdomen, yet felt no discernible response.

““Hmm? Is something wrong, Gern?””

““Oh, no, it’s nothing.””

Gern shook his head, electing to keep the matter of the Dragon God to himself.

As the two delved further, more statues came into view. Among them, the most striking was undoubtedly the tallest of all.

““God of Chaos.””

****

Gern finally stopped before the God of Chaos. Its form was immensely towering, draped in ethereal garments that seemed woven from the very essence of chaos itself.

The sculptor had clearly expended immense effort attempting to replicate the elusive nature of chaotic power within the stone.

Its face remained indistinct, and were it not for the faint suggestion of clothing, it would have lacked even the most rudimentary form.

““This is the visage of the God of Chaos as known by mortals. Rather than a mere deity, it appears more akin to a fundamental rule that existed since the very genesis of heaven and earth.””

A trace of helplessness colored Snow’s voice as she spoke. According to the Witch Guild’s latest research, each time Chaos descends, the existing world is utterly annihilated, only for a new one to eventually evolve from the void.

They had diligently sought clues left by prior civilizations, yet their efforts yielded nothing. Even this profound understanding was merely a conjecture, formulated upon the existing manifestations of chaotic energy.

The world’s current trajectory, unfortunately, was aligning precisely with their dire predictions, which was why the Witch Guild had so vehemently insisted on initiating the Kindling Project.

The Kindling Project, as its name implied, was a desperate endeavor to find a flicker of survival amidst the encroaching chaos, ensuring that the flame of civilization could endure once a new world emerged.

Comprehending these revelations, Gern found himself deeply moved. In his previous life, such profound truths had remained entirely unknown to him.

The adherents of the Chaos Divine Cult had never once alluded to these matters. For them, the God of Chaos was merely an object of worship, whose descent they eagerly anticipated.

Upon learning these truths, Gern felt as if his perception of the Chaos Divine Cult had fundamentally shifted.

They were akin to madmen, who, upon learning their impending doom, desperately sought to appease their executioners, clinging to a faint hope of survival.

In essence, they were a perplexing, almost surreal group. However, given their minds had been thoroughly corrupted by the pervasive influence of chaotic power, their outlandish actions were perhaps unsurprising.

Beyond the formidable God of Chaos, a myriad of other deities stood, though these were lesser gods, their renown not nearly as widespread.

Amidst the countless divine effigies, Gern noticed one that stood out as distinctly unusual.

““Fallen Goddess, Fenstro.””

This particular deity was female, clad in exceptionally revealing attire that made her appear utterly captivating.

Indeed, she was the very embodiment of allure and seduction.

Strikingly, beneath this deity, there was no accompanying inscription. By the established pattern, a god’s name was typically followed by some record or a notable quote.

Yet, here, there was nothing at all.

““What about this one?””

““This is the deity who presided over desires, once revered by the succubus race. It has been confirmed that this goddess fell a millennium ago, and the great turmoil of that era was, in fact, instigated by her divine corpse.””

As Gern gazed upon the statue, a faint spark of desire unexpectedly stirred within him.

““Alright, alright, don’t stare at her too long. You might find yourself… influenced.””

““Can a god still influence mortals after their demise?””

““Absolutely. After all, their existence transcends the very definition of normal life. The real question is whether these deities themselves can endure the impending arrival of Chaos.””

****

The two continued their descent, eventually discovering a cluster of statues, all interconnected. These were quite unique, led by a youthful figure clad in iron armor, astride a white horse.

He brandished a longsword, and strapped to his back was an odd weapon, somewhat resembling a spear yet distinctly different.

This peculiar weapon featured an iron spearhead, beneath which extended a sharp blade, perpendicular to the main point, giving it a truly bizarre appearance.

Behind him, a diverse array of figures stood alongside various peculiar objects: small maids in their uniforms, dragon-horned dragon girls, knights in iron armor serving as his protectors, and priests cradling orbs of light.

Etched into the bases of these interconnected statues was a long list of names: Kaled, Lilith, Alicia, Bape…

Yet, above all these names, two words shone most brightly.

““The Dawnfolk.””