Chapter 58: Entering the Stormy Sea
Based on the information relayed by the insects, Abyss quickly identified the approximate location of the Sacred Tree’s roots. Since Abyss wasn’t particularly familiar with the planet’s geography, the location had some margin of error, requiring a gradual search.
Rebecca remained on the shore, constantly aware of Abyss’s situation through shared senses. The data transmission via the necromantic spell link was instantaneous, even if Abyss had to travel hundreds of kilometers offshore in search of the Sacred Tree’s roots.
Meanwhile, Abyss, Leona, and Flora sped across the water on their two horses.
Flora had cast the Divine Art “Water’s Blessing,” granting the ability to walk on water without wetting one’s shoes. This Divine Art was quite obscure within the Church, as its cost was the caster entering a dehydrated state, requiring constant hydration and enduring considerable discomfort. Its effect was also somewhat redundant – mages could achieve the same result with magic, without any drawbacks. Unless the user was Flora, who could utilize Divine Arts without cost.
But now, magic was no longer safe.
The undead warhorse and East Wind were astonishingly fast, streaking across the sea like lightning. As they ventured further from the shore, the surrounding atmosphere changed.
The further they went, the denser the fog became. The air grew increasingly briny, and while not foul, the smell evoked a primal aversion, creating an eerie, unsettling feeling.
The day had started cloudy, with the sun occasionally peeking through, casting brief warmth. However, as Abyss and his companions ventured deeper, the sun became increasingly elusive, replaced by masses of inky clouds. Lightning flashed intermittently, yet no thunder rumbled. The wind intensified, and the three felt increasing air resistance, the fierce, cold gusts scraping against their skin as if trying to tear it from their muscles.
The sea seemed to push them back, as if pleading, “Don’t come closer, don’t come closer,” rejecting their intrusion. Nature’s power was chaotic and immense, and even Abyss felt a sense of awe. He became even more curious about the genius Druid who once commanded nature, even more eager to meet her.
The surrounding magic also fluctuated. If magic on land was like water, ever-changing yet readily available for use and enjoyment, then the magic in this sea was like an unstable potion. One could attempt to drink it, but it would churn and roil in the mouth, corroding the throat and perhaps burning a hole through the stomach.
Abyss was already minimizing his magic output. With the surrounding magic so unstable, he had to conserve it, relying primarily on the magic stored within his own body.
Flora and Leona were relatively comfortable. As a Divine Arts user, Flora could find solutions through Divine Arts and wasn’t heavily reliant on magic. Leona was even more unrestrained; the playful, truant princess was practically a layman in magic, unaffected by its fluctuations.
“I can feel the natural environment becoming harsher,” Flora said, placing her hands cautiously on Abyss’s waist. After Rebecca remained ashore, she had taken the initiative to join Abyss on his horse.
Leona, riding East Wind alongside, could finally adopt a proper posture, galloping like a true knight. She turned, excitement in her voice. “When I was a princess, my geography tutor always told me legends of the Stormy Sea. I always longed to experience the power of the sea, but because I was a princess, every time I asked to go out and play, the attendants guarding me would threaten to die, so I never got the chance. I only played by the seashore a few times. Just skirting the edges, never allowed to truly enter. It was no fun at all.”
“This is the Stormy Sea, both yearned for and feared by everyone in Hai-Teweru,” Abyss nodded. “If we one day gain the ability to conquer the Stormy Sea, imagine how many treasures we could unearth. Beyond our continent, how many islands, how many mineral deposits… Ah, perhaps we could even dig up the remains and fossils of ancient creatures… Just thinking about it is exhilarating.”
“Perhaps Agnes had such abilities,” Flora speculated. “But she died too young to fully realize her ambitions.”
“Yes, I think so too. The Sacred Tree is her creation, perhaps the first step in her development of this planet,” Abyss smiled. “This Agnes might have been a very ambitious person.”
“So, when you dig her up, she might not be as averse to it as other Druids?” Leona glanced at Abyss.
“Perhaps… But I’m not sure. She’s a very mysterious figure in the records. I can’t deduce her specific worldview,” Abyss pondered.
Druids generally disapproved of anything that violated the natural order, but Agnes’s actions defied this convention. She hadn’t strived to maintain the world’s status quo like traditional Druids but attempted to reshape nature for the benefit of civilization, and she had succeeded. Without the Sacred Tree ensuring a large output of high-quality mages in the Elven Kingdoms, without it providing favorable natural conditions for the Elven Kingdoms to export goods and amass foreign exchange reserves, the elves might have been gradually squeezed out of their living space by humans, ultimately losing their homeland, assimilating into human society, or simply vanishing from history.
Compared to the passive Grand Sage Arcaiste, Agnes was clearly more proactive and daring.
“Well, according to the information my insect scouting team relayed, the Sacred Tree’s roots should be around here,” Abyss said after a while, having been calculating their distance from the shore. “If I’m not mistaken, there should be an island here… Ah, yes, look, there’s a sizable island over there.”
Through the swirling fog, the three could see a large island, roughly the size of Golden Griffin City.
As they drew closer, the island’s landscape came into view. It was a lush island, teeming with trees and vegetation. In the center stood a large tree.
Leona pointed at the tree. “Isn’t that a miniature version of the Sacred Tree?”
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