Chapter 266: The Nature of Power

  Fate? He suddenly thought of this terrifying concept. He recalled a conversation he once had with Archbishop Ronis.

  Everything had actually already been arranged long ago. No matter what you do, the final outcome will inevitably be the same. This is fate. Do you believe it? How will you deal with it?

  His answer to Archbishop Ronis at that time was brilliant, but that was only because he had the relaxed mentality of an onlooker. Now, having walked in this vortex for so long, even becoming a part of it, to suddenly perceive this concept again brought only a feeling of utter powerlessness and despair.

  If even his own birth was just a small ripple in this vortex, did all the effort, the struggle, the hope, still have any meaning?

  So, Ethan asked.

  "Your origins?" Aunt El smiled. Even though her face had many wrinkles, this smile was still very beautiful. "Aren't your origins already clear? You are nothing more than the son of a village blacksmith."

  Ethan was taken aback for a moment, thought about it, and then burst out laughing: "Hahaha... you're right. I'm just the son of a blacksmith."

  He looked at the rough scratch on the surface of the ring on his hand, which was originally as smooth and translucent as jade. There had once been a mark there, but it had been worn away by rubbing against his father's tombstone.

  "It's good that you understand. Alright, take that thing out. When I sensed that aura two days ago, I knew it was you who came looking for me with it." Aunt El sighed. "The thing Sandro took from Diya Valley back then, the hilt of The Black Star."

  Ethan gave a wry smile: "Honestly, when I first saw this thing in the cellar and heard Sandro say it was actually the divine artifact of Diya Valley, I... I was really startled. I also never thought he could tear off a piece of the Robe of the Lich Lord to make a pouch and infuse it with water from the Sunwell."

  The ring that had always been on Ethan's hand was now between Aunt El's fingers, while her hands held the pouch Ethan had brought. She asked softly, "Well, are you ready?"

  Ethan nodded. His expression was grave, and a fine sweat had broken out on his forehead. The light of the Battle Qi on his hand had already reached its limit.

  "Alright." With a soft shout from Aunt El, her hands suddenly became a blur. The pouch, which had been tied like a twisted rope, was instantly untied. Then, with a light tap on the bottom of the bag with one hand, the thing soaking in the Sunwell water flew out, carrying an immense aura of darkness.

  But the moment it flew out of the bag's opening, Ethan's hand was already gripping it. The white light of his Battle Qi, as heavy as a mountain, completely enveloped the aura that was about to spread out. In the same instant, Aunt El's hand holding the ring quickly moved up and slipped the ring onto the object.

  "It's done." Aunt El sighed lightly, signaling Ethan to let go. The object, which had been soaking in the Sunwell water, fell into her hand.

  It was an irregular, jet-black cylinder, seemingly made of stone, with no traces of exquisite craftsmanship. Even its surface was irregularly pitted, as if it were just a small fragment casually broken off from a large piece of obsidian. The ring was now fitted onto the thinnest end of the cylindrical object, deeply embedded within it. The originally unrestrained, overwhelming aura was no longer radiating outwards but had instead become a visible black mist swirling around the object.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  This was the sacred relic of Diya Valley, the hilt of the divine sword The Black Star, which represented darkness and death.

  Holding the cylindrical object in her hand, Aunt El actually showed a hint of excitement in her eyes. She let out a long sigh: "I never thought, I never thought... although this is just the hilt of The Black Star, I am actually the first person in five hundred years to be able to hold it completely in my hand."

  In five hundred years, there were not too many who dreamed of, or attempted to, draw the legendary divine sword. But those who were qualified to have such a dream were, without exception, the most powerful or capable strongmen of their time. What was condensed on The Black Star was not just power, but also countless dreams and ambitions.

  Holding the hilt, Aunt El seemed somewhat lost in thought. Her gaze was sometimes dazed, sometimes flickering.

  Even though she never had those ambitions and dreams, almost everything about herself revolved around them. This black object of power had already represented almost her entire life.

  The feeling of holding in one's hand the thing that once decided one's life. No one could be unmoved by it.

  "So many people have died, so much effort has been spent, with so many twists and turns, all for this thing." Aunt El looked at the hilt in her hand and smiled wryly. Although the ring could transform the hilt's power, she still had to maintain a layer of faint Battle Qi on her hand to hold the object. "What is this thing? Desire? Or... what...?"

  She was not the only one whose life was determined by this thing, she understood. There were others.

  But was one's life truly in one's own hands, or was it really controlled by something like fate? She suddenly wanted to test it.

  In fact, she had been testing it all along. Starting twenty years ago, while securing a position in Diya Valley that a person of her standing should have, she was testing it. And now that things had come to this, it was time for some answers.

  "By the way, do you want to try holding this thing?" Aunt El suddenly looked at Ethan and smiled, extending her hand.

  "Lord Archibald's prophecy once said that the one who gathers power can draw The Black Star and become the master of the world, changing it. Do you want to try the feeling of being the master of the world?"

  "Me?" Ethan was a bit surprised. He was surprised that Aunt El would suddenly say this to him. He knew he had some connection to this thing.

  A layer of mist shrouded the black hilt. Its shape was not aesthetically pleasing, and it didn't look at all like a divine artifact that could rule the world. Ethan subconsciously reached out his hand. He suddenly had a strange feeling about the hilt now.

  Slowly, he felt he could see clearly through the outer layer of black mist. It wasn't mist, but a black ocean composed of countless auras: the stench of death, killing intent, anger, terror, and so on. His fingertips touched the rough surface of the hilt, and suddenly, he heard countless voices.

  They were the roars, howls, shouts, and moans of countless people. Every sound was hoarse, a sound of life and spirit forced to its absolute limit, the sound of a soul. He could feel the fear, discontent, and desire contained in each voice. These voices didn't just echo in his mind; they seemed to rush into his body, howling and shouting in every tiny corner, yearning for resonance.

  A feeling of fear and disgust washed over him like a basin of cold water. Ethan suddenly let go and recoiled. Only then did he realize that from the moment he stared at the hilt, Meditations on Truth had unknowingly occupied his entire mind and senses. His consciousness and the hilt had just merged into one.

  "Your Meditations on Truth should be basically complete now, right?" Aunt El's voice was cold.

  "Mmm." Ethan nodded. Only then did he realize he had cold sweat on his forehead.

  "You're just like Sandro, scared off just by touching it. Only those who have practiced Meditations on Truth can perceive the aura of The Black Star. Otherwise, for someone like me, holding it in my hand would be completely useless." Aunt El also seemed to sigh, in relief. "I'm glad I didn't misjudge you. Otherwise..."

  Ethan was still somewhat shaken. He said, "Grandma, do you know? I have the power of the Leaves of the World Tree and the Sunwell within me."

  Aunt El nodded: "I know. Although I rarely go out, I know quite a lot."

  "Then why did you ask me to take this thing?" Ethan was puzzled. Although he didn't know the specific details, he did know that the two powers within his body had a great connection to The Black Star. When Sandro showed him the hilt in the cellar, he also vaguely mentioned some things. It was said that this sword would be drawn by the one who gathered power.

  Although Sandro didn't clearly explain what that "gathered power" was, Ethan understood the meaning of the glance he gave him. Archbishop Ronis and Vedenina had different explanations, but they both indicated that he was actually related to this thing.

  He didn't believe in so-called prophecies at all, but that didn't mean he could be completely indifferent. After all, those were the words left by the greatest mage in the history of the continent. And given Aunt El's former status, similar to Sandro's, she had no reason not to know these things.

  "Do you know what Meditations on Truth is? What the Leaves of the World Tree and the Sunwell are?" Aunt El asked lightly.

  "Archbishop Ronis told me that this is a dark meditation technique created by Archibald, the founder of the Necromancer Guild, to achieve the status of Lich King. Sandro said it's just a small trinket that anyone can practice for fun." Ethan smiled wryly. "... I don't know who to believe."