The shapes of the mountains were bizarre, with so pointing sharply toward the sky while others bent downward.
Orion's wives' clones imdiately took their positions, forming a protective circle around the group. Within the circle, Orion, Sylvalis, Ilse, and Zera stood at the forefront, with the others positioned behind them, forming a secondary circle. The weakest mbers were placed at the centre of the formation.
However, the Four-eared elves were positioned at the forefront with Orion and the others.
"This is the middle layer of the Spirit Realm, Lyndon said, surveying his surroundings. Although he would have preferred entering the Upper Realm, which would make their exploration much safer, he understood that the Middle Realm-ho to both benevolent and malevolent spirit beasts-was the best place for Paradise to accomplish its goals.
The other Four-Eared Elves' gods' chosens nodded in agreent.
Regardless, with the group accompanying them, they felt less fear and more excitent about what they might encounter.
They glanced at the divine apostles behind them. After several trials, they realized they only needed to seal their divine crests with divine power to prevent them from devouring spirit beasts. Since the divine crests' activation and deactivation could not be controlled, this was the best precaution they could take.
After all, it would be disastrous if they entered a tribe of spirit beasts and the Divine Apostle Crests suddenly activated, killing them all.
Just as they were about to move forward, the sky, which had been covered in heavy mist, darkened and shook with a thunderous sound from above. The tumultuous mist rolled over like storm clouds.
The entire group tensed.
Sylvalis, who was in Orion's arms, shivered slightly.
Orion frowned. It was easy to see that the change in the atmosphere was a result of their ergence into the Spirit Realm. Sensing Sylvalis' reaction, he gently tightened his grip around her.
"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you. I promised Grace I'd bring you back safely, and she wouldn't forgive if I didn't, Orion whispered into her ear.
Sylvalis glanced up at Orion and nodded, her tension easing.
They had already marked the Spiritual Link Point they used as an entrance and gave everyone an item that would ensure they could return to this place no matter where they were. If they ever encountered a dire situation and had to use another Spiritual Link Point, they could only hope it would lead them back to Earth or so mysterious location from which they could easily escape. However, with the Will of the Divine Mysteries blocking the only entrance to Paradise, returning ho would be difficult-and that was the problem they had set out to solve. The best-case scenario was that they could encounter either the Vylkr spawns or the Divine Corps and lure them into Paradise.
"We don't know how long this will last or what kind of forces it will attract, so we should keep moving until we get a better understanding of where we are! Orion said. He pointed in a specific direction and added, 'We spotted several small spirit beast settlents this way. We'll head there to begin our exploration!"
"And regardless of what happens, do not co into contact with the icy plains!
He and Ilse had surveyed this area but hadn't revealed themselves as casually as before. Despite this, they had been spotted by a few Spirit Beasts when they ventured deeper. Nonetheless, they were able to avoid conflict and chose the safest path for the exploration to begin.
The crowd nodded in understanding, no one voicing any objections.
Orion sent a ntal command to his wives' clones to scout the area ahead. Though they hadn't encountered any issues during their first visit, the Spirit Realm was a bizarre place where entire tribes of Spirit Beasts could be consud or laws of territories rewritten or overturned in the blink of an eye.
The fastest among them-Ursa, ave, Whisperwing, Breezeflutter, Willow, Maya, and rida's clones-shot forward, transforming into streams of light that raced in various directions ahead of them.
At the sa ti, Orion led the group forward.
The floating mountains over the icy plains began to descend to the ground, and the mont they touched down, a thick layer of ice erged from the base and covered the mountains.
Witnessing this, the group gulped, realizing why they had been ordered not to touch the ice.
This was also the reason why the location had been considered the safest-Spirit Beasts rarely ca here unless they were powerful enough to resist the effects of the ice or fly.
Within a few seconds, Orion received ntal ssages from the scouts. After processing the information, he swiftly sent out his following command.
The life of a Spirit Beast was cruel. From the mont they were born, their growth depended on their parents, their tribe, and the territory they were born in.
They were cared for from infancy, at the age of 1 to 10. As juveniles, from the age of 10 to 100, they begin to develop unique traits, mostly inherited from their parents or influenced by the surrounding territory. In so cases, they were left to survive on their own, turning into prey that could be hunted and consud by higher-ranked Spirit Beasts.
As adolescents, from the age of 100 to 500, they beca capable of fending for themselves. Upon ascending to the Squire rank, between the ages of 500 and 1,500 spirit years, they beco capable of consuming Spirit. Beasts ranked lower than themselves, continuing the brutal cycle.
The worst-case scenario was being consud before reaching infancy or juvenile stages, either by their parents, their tribe, or others around them who sought to grow stronger and enhance their strength for survival.
This was one of the reasons most Spirit Beasts accepted contracts with races from the Material Realm; it offered a brief escape from this cruel existence. They knew they wouldn't be able to escape this world entirely, but even a slight respite, a new world far removed from their own, was enough to justify the agreents they chose to forge in contracts, even if they refused to admit it.
Why else would Spirit Beasts lend their strength to beings from another realm, facing opponents their contractors struggled to defeat, or battling insurmountable foes with their strength halved? It would be absurd to think they did so purely for the thrill of battle.
This was also why it was difficult to contract with powerful Spirit Beasts. Unless one gained their approval or they took a liking to the contractor, it was impossible to form such a bond.
Spirit Beasts could not dream. Unlike other races that could enter slumber and experience a myriad of beautiful or terrifying encounters in their minds, which would dissipate upon waking, Spirit Beasts could never replicate that experience.
The races say that the Spirit Realm is as vivid and bizarre as so of their dreams; its strange terrain and environnts are governed by its own rules and laws, which are rewritten or overturned at specific or absurd tis or permanently.
Spirit Beasts do not need to eat because they are immortal. As such, change is stagnant, with the only driving force being the bizarre and unnatural environnt. This also ans they are forced to continue the cycle endlessly until they are consud, becoming Just another cog in the machine that. drives the natural order of the Spirit Realm.
The races of the Material Realm claim that the Spirit Realm is a bizarre place without order, with ever-changing rules that make no sense.
But they are wrong. The residents of the Spirit Realm can sense the unbreakable chains that control the realm, and a few of them would readily admit openly that...
The life of a Spirit Beast is cruel!
ly'yra was one of those who could admit it.
As ly'yra sensed the Spirit Beast closing in, attempting to consu her, she tucked her wings and continued to flee.
Behind her was a towering 12-foot-tall silver rhino with feathered wings that looked like a crow's. Its jaws were lined with sharp rows of teeth that glead under the radiant misty sky. Its horn was long and sharp, knocking down surrounding trees as it hastened its chase after the spirit beast ahead of it. That spirit beast was a four-legged, four-winged, white-feathered gryphon with a horn growing from the centre of its head. Her once-pristine white feathers were now burned and in tatters. Part of her wings had been ripped off, making it difficult to control her movents in the air.
The silver rhino opened its mouth and released a ball of fire, striking her once more and sending her crashing into the robust trees.
Iy'yra felt pain rip through her body as she watched her injuries scatter into specks of light, heading toward the rhino, revealing its intent to consu her. Her sharp teeth clenched together as she
swiftly picked herself up, using her claws to propel her body forward. She leapt from tree to tree into the dense, snowy, floating forest.
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