In an awe-inspiring spectacle, countless stars seed to cascade from the heavens, their distant and brilliant lights gradually coalescing into a human form. This was Duncan, transitioning from the ethereal glow of starlight to a realm that both Vanna and Morris could grasp. However, Duncan’s voice retained an otherworldly quality, resonating as if from a higher dinsion. The complex overlay of whispers and noise, intertwining reason with cognition, overwheld Vanna, rendering her nearly incapable of coherent thought.
Ti beca an elusive concept, blurring into what felt like a re instant. Eventually, Vanna senses the cacophony in her mind and begins to ebb. She caught Morris, with shaky hands, preparing his pipe, his voice barely audible as he remarked on becoming accustod to such experiences.
“Incredible, it feels like I’m eting the Nether Lord again,” declared Dog, lying at Shirley’s feet, convinced he had glimpsed the Nether Lord during the ordeal.
Nina appeared comparatively composed, montarily stunned before she lapsed into deep contemplation. Now and then, she stole worried glances at Duncan.
anwhile, Duncan himself maintained a serene composure, locking eyes with “Helena.” It was as if he was peering into the soul of this ancient being through her eyes, which mirrored the vastness of distant oceans.
After what seed an eternity, a voice finally rged with the gentle lapping of waves, reaching everyone, “I understand… We will et again.”
As the sound of waves faded, the damp, fishy scent that pervaded the air began to dissipate. Helena blinked, her inhuman traits vanishing rapidly before she doubled over, gasping and retching violently. Vanna was quick to her side, offering support and employing her divine magic to soothe Helena’s distress.
Once Helena’s breathing eased, she looked up, her face pallid yet adorned with a heartfelt smile. “It’s been ages since I’ve felt Her presence,” she whispered, “I had nearly forgotten the sensation…”
“Never mind your feelings, you were close to death. You need to return to the Ark imdiately for ntal recuperation,” Lune interjected, clearly concerned for her well-being. His attention then shifted to Duncan, suggesting it was ti to depart.
Duncan signaled his readiness with a gesture.
Helena, now sowhat recovered, stood from the sofa. She and Lune bid Duncan farewell before embarking on their journey back to the Ark.
However, as she reached the threshold of the “Witch’s Mansion,” Helena paused, looking back at Duncan, who remained in the living room.
“Continue with your duties,” Duncan encouraged, sensing her hesitation, “Even as the world faces its end, we must persevere, if only to extend the lives of others by one more day.”
With a silent nod, Helena turned, stepping into the vast, dark night outside while accompanied by Lune.
As the popes departed and the door swung shut, it severed the connection with the expansive, dark night beyond. A blanket of silence swiftly enveloped the entire living room once more. Amidst the subtle crackle of the fireplace, it appeared as though each person was lost in their own world of thoughts, their heads bowed in quiet reflection.
After what felt like an eternity of contemplation, Duncan shattered the silence with his sudden insight: “Considering we’ve rely been hosting a guest for a short period, and now one of the two popes has nearly t their demise—losing nearly half their life—do you think the Storm Church might suspect that we’ve laid a trap? Imagining that we’ve surrounded them with no less than five hundred ard attackers right within these walls?”
Lucretia, who had been deeply imrsed in her own thoughts, was abruptly brought back to reality. She looked up, her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and incredulity: “All this ti in silence, and that’s what you’ve been brooding over?”
With a look of earnest concern, Duncan replied, “Isn’t it a valid concern?” He continued, addressing Lucretia directly, “Given the notoriety your household already endures within this city, with rumors abounding that you’ve been responsible for all manner of sinister deeds—ranging from cooking pots filled with children to ensnaring stray dogs from across the world…”
Lucretia responded with a sharp look, though her irritation soon gave way to resignation as she gazed back out the window, “Well then, I suppose I should be grateful for such rumors. Perhaps they’ll spare from the weekly barrage of sales flyers in my mailbox.” She paused, then added with a hint of resignation, “…Though, I doubt I’ll be seeing any more of those flyers now.”
With a soft sigh, Duncan rose from his seat on the sofa. “I’ve spoken more than enough, and I find myself weary. I’ll retire to my room for so rest. Please don’t delay lunch on my account.”
As he ascended the stairs, which emitted a gentle creak with each step, Duncan’s tall silhouette gradually vanished from view at the top.
The remaining individuals in the living room exchanged puzzled glances, montarily unsure of how to proceed.
Shirley was the first to break the ensuing silence: “I must admit, I was kind of lost during their conversation just now,” she confessed, “But one thing did make sense to . The pope earlier… she wasn’t the sa one, was she?”
Vanna nodded slowly in agreent: “The Goddess has revealed to that Their bond with this mortal realm is to be fortified one final ti. It seems that process has already begun.”
Unable to contain her curiosity, Nina posed the question in everyone’s mind: “What happens next?”
Morris, cradling his pipe thoughtfully, responded with a somber tone, “In tis past, optimists could confidently say ‘the sun will rise as usual tomorrow.’ Yet, even that assurance lacks its once comforting certainty.” He added, “But co what may, tomorrow will arrive, regardless of whether the sun graces us with its presence. Just as the captain remarked, life must go on. He has his duties, and we have ours.”
The tobacco in his pipe slowly smoldered away, its final embers fading into the lingering smoke.
A gentle breeze andered through the living room, carrying with it a whirl of colorful confetti that danced briefly before vanishing from sight, leaving a sense of mystery and anticipation for what the future might hold.
As Duncan felt the breeze behind him, he was imdiately aware of a familiar presence drawing near. Turning around, he witnessed Lucretia’s form materializing from a swirl of vibrant confetti that danced in the air.
“I would’ve thought after the mishap we had last ti, you’d refrain from making such a grand entrance with all these colorful papers in front of ,” Duncan remarked, a playful smile on his face, “Aren’t you concerned it might fuel my already keen curiosity?”
Without directly addressing his comnt, Lucretia fixed her gaze on Duncan, her expression unreadable. “You’re planning to venture beyond the Eternal Veil, aren’t you? To cross the critical threshold of six miles?”
Duncan paused before responding, “Why do you ask?”
“It’s clear you’re in search of sothing beyond the Boundless Sea. Though the specifics of your conversation with that ‘pope’ elude , I’m certain you’re preparing to traverse the veil once more. And this ti, I sense you intend to journey farther and remain absent longer.”
Duncan took a mont to consider the “witch” standing before him. After a lengthy silence, he finally said, ” Lucy, you must have seen it for yourself by now.”
In that mont, the room seed to be touched by a hint of starlight, casting Lucretia’s gaze into the depths of a distant cosmos.
“I see it,” the “Sea Witch” admitted openly, “Indeed, from the mont you first appeared before , I’ve seen it.”
As the starlight dimd, Duncan looked at the “witch,” taken aback by her admission. “Then you must understand, I’m not exactly…”
“It didn’t matter to Nina whether you were her ‘Uncle Duncan’ or not,” Lucretia interjected calmly.
Duncan let out a sigh, a mixture of resignation and bemusent on his face.
“Amid the starlight, I’ve glimpsed the silhouette of my father—regardless of your acknowledgnt,” Lucretia continued, shaking her head slightly, “It’s evident to that you have indeed returned to our world, albeit through ans beyond my comprehension. Yet here you are, standing before as you do in my mories, and now, you’re preparing to leave once more… just as you did before.”
She then beca more somber, “Do you recall our conversation on this matter?”
“…About taking you with , yes, I rember,” Duncan acknowledged after a brief pause, “Alright, Lucy, I’ll confess, before you arrived, I did entertain the thought of departing alone—just for a mont, mind you, with no real intention of acting on it…”
Perhaps it was the intensity of the witch’s unwavering gaze that compelled him, but Duncan found himself adding, sowhat awkwardly, “I only considered it briefly, truly…”
To his surprise, however, a faint smile began to form in Lucretia’s eyes.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Lucretia burst into laughter, her joy evident.
Duncan, puzzled, asked, “What’s so funny?”
“You used to get so flustered trying to explain things to , though it happened only rarely,” Lucretia managed to say through her laughter, “The last ti was when you accidentally broke my hairpin.”
Duncan stood there, a picture of bewildernt, his hands outstretched in a gesture of utter helplessness.
Suddenly, a brilliant streak of light outside the window cut through the air, abruptly halting whatever he was about to say next.
Without hesitation, Duncan and Lucretia hurried to the window to get a better look.
Bathed in the thin, golden glow cast by a glowing geotric object in the sky, a more intense arc of light began to erge on the distant horizon of the city.
Duncan gazed at the erging “light arc” with a mix of confusion and dawning realization.
From the vantage point of Pland’s antique shop, his view through the open window on the second floor offered a clearer picture—a radiant, golden light was gradually ascending from the horizon, its brilliance unmatched.
In those first few monts of awe and wonder, almost everyone was convinced they were witnessing the dawn.
However, as the golden arc rose fully above the sea and started to ascend into the sky with breathtaking speed, its fragnted nature beca increasingly apparent. The structure began to disintegrate further as it climbed higher.
Finally, Duncan now had a full grasp of what was truly happening.
What he was seeing was a fragnt of a ring structure, apparently a section of the outer rune circle belonging to Vision 001. The bright edge of the arc was marred by visible black cracks, leading to the eventual fragntation of the entire “light arc” into a dozen or so loosely connected glowing pieces. Within re minutes, this disintegrating “glowing array” had ascended to a position in the sky comparable to that of the sun around nine or ten o’clock.
Then, the isolated segnt of the rune circle that had ascended into the heavens fell apart completely.
With a world-shattering roar accompanied by a fearso howl and a blinding flash that ripped through the sky, the glowing array transford into a dozen “teors.” These fiery trails streaked across the sky, hurtling down toward the unsuspecting people below.
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