Surviving The Fourth Calamity
Chapter 946: 742: Edna Cast Out with Nothing
Chapter 946: Chapter 742: Edna Cast Out with Nothing
The barely breathing Crystal Dragon, Celine Delagrost, was placed at the eastern part of the square, two meters away from the area of the Water of Tranquility. The Undead Priest who took the mission was already standing in the faint white fog, concentrating to cast spells, his body emanating a golden glow… it was the glow of a large Divine Array.
Such a Divine Array is quite rare in Toril, where the energy concentration is much lower compared to Teraxil. If an array involving deities that can be activated by so many people appears, it’s basically for offering sacrifices to the deities…it’s more often used by followers of the Evil God.
In fact, when Hill discovered the situation here, he was also a bit skeptical. The Divine Array in Teraxil was probably learned from the Dwarves… just modified by some wise people.
After all, the Main God of humans is the God of Kingship and Nobility. Although he walks a dark path, he would absolutely not accept evil rituals using humans as sacrifices. If the Noble Church really engaged in such things, they’d probably be blasted to bits by Thunder.
However, people of the Noble Church are indeed not good people… Even more unlikely to piously cultivate to gain the God’s favor, so they surely want to get involved in some wicked business.
What such sacrifices need is energy… it’s just that on Toril’s side, humans or rather, intelligent creatures are the cheapest source of energy… not the same in Teraxil, where various Elemental Crystals are still quite abundant.
In the tens of thousands of years when humans first appeared, apart from a few being taken to study by mages, the best talents of Teraxil probably all entered the Noble Church. Therefore, being able to modify a Divine Array more suited to Teraxil, Hill didn’t find strange at all.
Hill walked to the window, sitting on a floating sofa chair, watching the situation outside.
The Undead Tribe had just taken position and started to use the large Divine Array. Hill felt the golden light falling on the Crystal Dragon… to be honest, the healing effect was not much different from his own full effort.
The only difference was the speed: this kind of Divine Array leans more towards healing ability, less effective in dispelling the Force of Death and corrosive power, it completely relies on the endless vitality to suppress those two forces to the point where they can no longer exist.
But for the large number of the Undead Tribe, the difference is actually not significant. William only hired these priests to do the job because the basic composition of this Divine Array is 3000 people. To add another set would require consuming quite a few Energy Barytes.
The Mirabar Dwarves were not worth that much money to William anymore.
The Paladins and Priests of Tyr, Heim, and Tampas stood on both sides of the Mirar River, frowning. Hill guessed they had seen through certain aspects of this Divine Array.
Other places on the shore were packed with Mirabar Dwarves. These were the high-level Dwarf Warriors escorting the Crystal Dragon over, and they might not necessarily understand what the Teraxil Elves on the island were doing. They were just very worried about their ‘Dragon Mom,’ so they couldn’t relax and leave Luskan at all.
Anyway, Luskan’s owner hadn’t expelled them… the Dwarves decided to stand till the end.
Laila was also chatting with a few Mirabar Dwarves on the other side of the island, both sides not intending to officially negotiate in the Snow Palace yet: such an odd and sacred array was quite stimulating for Toril people.
Laila might want to learn something new, the Dwarves were just a bit uneasy, since this array was very familiar to the Mirabar Dwarves who had some connection with the Evil Faction: they were somewhat doubtful about entrusting Celine Delagrost to the humans.
But the glaringly sacred feeling informed those deity followers that this was indeed an array on the side of light.
After all, the robes worn, the emblems and ribbons adorned by the Teraxil Elf Priests all proved they were not priests of the same deity, yet they could collectively form a normally operating array…
The expressions of the Toril people were quite odd, it was unimaginable for them, wouldn’t the Teraxil Divinities fight?
Hill couldn’t help but laugh. Probably in no universe would you find a divine system of the Teraxil human deities united and amicable as this… deities without the need to vie for belief were indeed this open.
He turned his head and looked at William: “No wonder you’re placing the White Dragon near the Hidden Forest; matters of the Underdark indeed don’t need Toril people’s help, do you need me to completely seal off the forest’s perimeter?”
If so, dealing with the White Dragon residing in the forest would only be possible via the Hidden Town… the Mithril Elves wouldn’t want to deal with outside humans otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked William to station the Undead Tribe there.
William didn’t need secrecy forever, only needed no one to know when the Undead Tribe first entered the Underdark… Once they had their territory underground, placing an avatar of a Temporal Artifact, the passage being found by outsiders later wouldn’t be a problem.
Whenever a passage leading to the Underdark was discovered, Toril people had only two choices: in places where Orderly Good prevailed, the passage would be sealed off completely somehow; in places with a Neutral or even Evil dominance, the passage would be exploited extensively, establishing smuggling channels.
The abundant mineral resources of the Underdark were very enticing to resource-lacking, cash-strapped Toril Continent.
And now, in a world changed too much by the Magicplague, no one believed Orderly Good could prevail… it would be fortunate if they could keep their own lives.
The Kind Alignment, departing from the protection of All Gods, would surely lead a tougher life since most wouldn’t think solely for themselves.
But when the evil faction leaves their god, they will revel, for no matter what they seize, it will be their own.
Hill could already imagine what would happen once the portal was discovered by the Toril people.
Even while fighting at the front, their retreat might be sold out by the Toril people…
Not many enjoy encountering such disgusting matters, even if one won’t die.
William chuckled lightly, “If you can take action, that would be for the best. Transform the outer regions of the Hidden Forest into a Forest Array! Then let the undead release some bird-type magical beasts inside; the Underdark is not suitable for those cute little birds, it’s better to leave them outside as my eyes.”
Hill nodded, “I’ll go once things here are finished.”
“Then… maybe research some potions for health and mana recovery?” William said softly, “The God of Time and Space has been sleeping more lately… I can’t ask him to do these small tasks. I did ask Adrian… he said the materials in Teraxil are of good quality, but the level isn’t high enough, so he wants me to find some high-level new materials from other worlds.
Unfortunately… I don’t have much material from Toril here, I didn’t expect something to happen suddenly.”
Hill smiled, “I’ll talk to my grandfather, but whether he’s willing to do it, I don’t know… As for myself, I’m a pretty good herbalist, but not an Alchemist Master.”
William sighed, “Alas… if only you and Adrian could exchange talents in this area.”
“Is the Black Rose about to set out?” Hill saw the ‘Old Age Striking King’ taking Edna to say goodbye to Laila and Sharol, with her friends standing a bit further back, seemingly observing Sharol who was hiding silently behind Laila.
To be honest, when Hill talked to Laila about sending Edna to the Hidden Town, he thought Sharol would argue, but she didn’t say a word… Hill suspected this lady wouldn’t want to follow Edna to a forest town without human life… but she didn’t even try to keep Edna by her side.
It was Lucy who told him that Sharol already had a new sweetheart… a Magic Advisor in the Luskan City Hall, obviously a Mystra follower who came following Laila, a level 17 Preaching Mage.
If Edna were a little pitiful who could only rely on her mother, Sharol wouldn’t choose to give her up, she does have some maternal love… but now Edna is stronger than herself, so naturally, this lady only considers her future.
Regarding this result, Hill couldn’t say much, in the Toril world, Sharol was already a pretty good mother, at least she never thought of abandoning a weak child.
But the undead might find it hard to understand, so their glances at Sharol were somewhat unkind.
However, no one said or did anything more… after all, they had to consider Edna’s feelings.
Hill carefully observed Edna’s expression; the young girl had already learned to hide her pain under a blank face, but the occasional flicker of her eyes still revealed her inner unrest.
The ‘Old Age Striking King’ kept Edna securely behind her, speaking with Laila amidst a few Mirabar Dwarves, “Ms. Laila, you’re aware of the White Dragon Queen’s situation, after their contract, Luskan is no longer suitable for Edna to live in; ordinary people probably couldn’t adapt to life surrounded by White Dragons.
It’s just as well that our family is moving to the Hidden Forest, Edna can temporarily live with us.
After all, it’s only a few years before she officially comes of age, Edna should also learn to live independently.”
Laila nodded with a smile, “Edna is a good child who doesn’t need anyone to worry about, Elvia Tulais has always been sharp, her future indeed doesn’t require anyone’s concern.”
The ‘Old Age Striking King’ showed a cute smile, “Yes… good children have always been self-sufficient… with no one to watch over them.”
Sharol’s body moved slightly, she spoke softly, “Edna, if life becomes uncomfortable, return to Luskan, mom will take care of you.”
Edna’s eyes brightened, and she nodded with a smile, “I understand, mom.”
However, that was the only thing Sharol said, and she didn’t say anything else.
Those around who knew their identity couldn’t help but glance at her: with Edna like this, she was essentially starting a separate family, even if Sharol didn’t give her a share of her property, when they left Silvermoon City, Edna’s father’s estate was actually kept by Sharol.
That was the fortune of a Silvermoon City auction house manager… Sharol clearly did not intend to give any of it to Edna!