Chapter 8: Orkney's Destruction

When Vivian returned.

Night had quietly fallen, the horizon's curtain hanging low.

Twilight's afterglow was unknowingly replaced, that gorgeous sky having already faded into deep night. At this moment the sky seemed covered by a huge lead plate, thick and oppressive, heavy cloud layers slowly flowing in the endless firmament.

Like a gray, gloomy scroll painting.

Beneath this dark night's curtain, the girl walked straight toward her residence. She lightly furrowed her brows, as if seriously pondering something.

Gloomy sky, faint thunder rumbling.

Such weather did not make her very concerned.

Orkney lies at the Fairy Guo Du's northernmost end, more impoverished and less prosperous than other clan nations, but also a peaceful and stable realm for that very reason. At this world's end's limit stands the massive World Tree, raining for most of the year.

Vivian was long accustomed to such climate.

Rather, clear and bright weather like today is the comparatively rare situation here.

What she likes most is staying alone in the empty library during continuous rainy weather.

Through the window, she could see the gray sky. Hear the gentle patter of rain. Among the many books, begin groping for — not a way to let Britain reach its end, but to restart — the means to save fairies tormented by guilt.

In the dim yet warm library, like a child sitting at a desk reading a fairy tale, she depicted the "ideal nation" in her dreams.

The girl paused slightly, raised her eyes, taking in the familiar Royal Palace before her, every blade of grass and tree.

She lightly clenched her fist, as if making a resolution, or cheering herself on; though mottled shadows reflected in her emerald pupils, they could not conceal the brilliant light shining deep in her heart —

That is the purest, most untainted hope.

Incomparably pure.

Flawless.

Merely...

High in the sky shrouded by dark clouds, brewing thunder power seems to lurk; the distant horizon occasionally transmits faint thunder rumbles, like the earth's heartbeat, heralding an approaching storm.

Beneath the gloomy sky, her figure also dragged a long shadow under the faintly flashing thunder light, sinking into endless darkness.

————

The other side.

Xia Zhi spent a good while before returning to Vivian's residence again.

His gaze fell on that tightly shut door, he slightly raised his brow, then walked straight through the wall, entering the room. Like a ghostly phantom unaffected by physical reality, unable to touch objects, nor hindered by them.

This scene was undoubtedly strange...

As for how this phenomenon arose, and from what cause...

— Xia Zhi himself was completely baffled, utterly clueless.

Such sudden change, even he had no mental preparation, naturally could not find answers in short time. Though many speculations and guesses surged in his heart, he lacked sufficient clues and information to verify them.

The room remained empty as before, maintaining the cold quiet scene from just now.

The girl had not returned yet.

Xia Zhi wandered aimlessly in the room several rounds, increasingly feeling his situation's strangeness and alienation; he seemed to be losing intersection with this world's reality, becoming two non-intersecting parallel lines.

For this world, he was seemingly a non-existent existence, unable to touch or influence anything, just like when he fell downstairs moments ago... the phone might be the same, who knows where it fell.

— Perhaps it passed through the palace foundations, sinking deep into the soil?

— Or perhaps, fell even deeper into the unknown regions beneath the surface world?

After all, if material obstruction truly no longer exists for him, then all things are essentially mere phantoms; whether magnificent palace architecture, or the land and rock layers beneath, theoretically there should be no difference.

This was a doubt Xia Zhi couldn't help generating after circling below several times without finding the phone.

As for the specific situation, it can only remain at the speculation stage for now, unable to get exact answers.

Therefore, he did not act recklessly alone, but decided to return to Vivian's residence, quietly waiting for the girl's return before deciding. Anyway, when facing such unknown phenomena, extra caution is always wise.

Who could predict whether this phenomenon is stable and lasting, or might suddenly revert to physical form?

Imagine, at the moment he went deep underground, if it reverted to normal without warning...

Tsk tsk, that death would surely be ugly.

Precisely because of such doubts, when he went upstairs again, he paid extra attention to choosing conventional paths, rather than randomly phasing through walls.

Walking back and forth pretending in the room, familiarizing himself with this strange experience and feeling, Xia Zhi's expression appeared quite bizarre.

Perhaps this is the out-of-body experience?

Though he has many weird, messy experiences, only in being a ghost is he an undeniable novice, the type with not a shred of experience... not that he hasn't experienced death, just never remained in this form after death.

Whether his original world's laws determined souls cannot persist after death, or each of his deaths triggers a spacetime cycle's instant restart...

This is also uncertain.

Anyway, death methods are varied, but post-death experience is not a shred.

…………

Time like sand, silently slipping away in the quiet.

Until the long-suppressed gloomy sky finally erupted in a lightning bolt tearing the horizon, dull thunder rolling across the earth.

At that same moment, night rain began pattering down.

Right then, the door was gently pushed open. Vivian carried a tray, stepping in with light steps.

She first scanned the surroundings, then her gaze settled on the youth sitting quietly at the table: "You actually had the patience not to wander off... come eat something."

"Is there a possibility I went out and came back..."

Xia Zhi watched the girl's calm, composed demeanor, saw her walk over, place the tray on the wooden table before him, on it arranged various fruits.

Some he recognized, some he didn't.

The former perhaps part of parallel world similarities, the latter probably this world's, or this Fairy Guo Du's unique specialties?

"You're still an ordinary person now, probably still need to eat, so I brought some food... though only fruits for now, nothing else." Vivian explained somewhat embarrassedly.

"Because Fairies actually don't need to eat, daily dining habits, including banquets and such occasions, are actually an imitation of the Human lifestyle. So even in the Royal Palace, there wouldn't be much food stored."

"Having them prepare it is fine, but it's a bit late now, and I didn't used to eat at night either, it would easily attract attention... especially since that kind of thing happened today, the Queen Consort and the others are more attentive."

The girl was indeed meticulous.

It was reflected not only in her thorough consideration, but more in her knowing to avoid actions that might draw others' attention during sensitive periods.

"..."

"..."

"Thank you..." Xia Zhi looked at the fruit on the tray, decided to thank her first, then slowly shook his head, "But I probably can't eat anything right now."

"Why?" Vivian showed a trace of puzzlement.

"Look—" Xia Zhi coughed once, cleared his throat, reached for a fruit, "It's just like this, I have no way to... Huh?"

His abruptly halted words hung in midair, his fingertips truly perceiving the touch and weight of that bright red fruit, exactly pinched up by him.

"..."

"..."

"So, what do you want me to look at?"

The girl glanced at the other party suspiciously, she very seriously pondered repeatedly in her mind, but simply couldn't figure out what this person wanted to express.

"Sorry, please wait a moment."

Xia Zhi made a pause gesture with his hand, then put down the fruit, and strangely groped on the wooden table. He discovered to his astonishment that he had unknowingly seemed to have regained connection with the Reality World.

Thoughts like lightning, he instantly turned his eyes, staring straight in Vivian's direction.

Judging from the current situation—

Whether he was by Vivian's side was the key factor determining the state change?

Could it be that only under her observation did his existence have a relatively stable foothold in this World?

Alright, if that's really the case, then there's one more reason for cooperation.

And it's a reason that cannot be refused.

————

————

Time: Unknown.

Location: A desolate Britain.

In the pitch-black night, the silver-haired figure was still busy, collecting intelligence on this Calamity Wasteland after destruction while incessantly analyzing Chaldea's Spirit Particle Transfer Technology.

That was a technique to transfer the User in Spiritron form to different timelines, different Phases, also proven to be a spatial navigation method.

Because it involved the realm of Time Travel and parallel worlds, even for a genius Magician like her who had stepped into the Divine Guo Du, wanting to analyze it in one night was still a comparatively challenging Mission...

But, perhaps it was some kind of luck and favor in the dark.

—She succeeded.

Next was to precisely calculate the time point to transfer back, confirm the Spirit Particle Transfer destination's condition. In Chaldea's operations, these steps required mobilizing all Super Computers to calculate, substituting hypothetical formulas to accurately correct history.

But she didn't need them, she alone could complete this step...

Especially with the Premise of obtaining the needed "Medium", this was the simplest step.

She had already analyzed the reason for this World's destruction, or rather history—it was an inhumane massacre, because four Fairy Clans joined forces to attack, exterminating the Fairy Clan hiding "herself" in one night.

The "herself" of this World also died in this massacre.

She accomplished nothing.

Then, the Great Calamity arrived, because no one could Anti-Unit against it, the Fairy Guo Du welcomed destruction.

Simply a laughable reason!

She spat on such an ending, and did not admit such an ending, under an unwavering resolute Mindset, stepping into that light named Spirit Particle Transfer, actually Time Travel.

This trip, she would undoubtedly be smashed to pieces...

But all intelligence would be entrusted to this World's "herself"...

Britain's ending must be rewritten!

————

————

Fairy Guo Du.

Onyx.

Deep night, all sounds silent, only the pattering rain never ceasing.

Xia Zhi in an idle unoccupied Room, leaning on the window sill, watching the gloomy night rain outside, constantly counting silently in his heart, calculating time. Because his phone couldn't be found for the moment, he could only estimate time this way.

His day should be ending soon, the outcome also about to be revealed.

Gently inhaling a breath, Xia Zhi subconsciously wanted to tap the window sill with his knuckles, but his fingers passed straight through.

Just as previously guessed, as long as he wasn't in Vivian's observation, relative to this World, he was a ghost-like, non-existent image.

For this point, the girl also had no way to explain.

Could only leave it for later to explore... if there's that Opportunity.

Xia Zhi was having delusions, but his spirit slowly tensed up, because in his silent calculation, time was about to approach zero. He was like a prisoner awaiting Judgment, his whole heart lifting up.

No, no...

Estimation inevitably has some deviation, perhaps I can reserve a bit more time...

He considered this, while simultaneously softly counting down, three, two, one...

—Boom!!

Just at the instant his mental calculation ended at zero, his pupils reflected huge firelight, soaring flames in the night rain directly illuminating half the Sky, immediately followed by the deafening terrible explosion arriving a beat late.

It was as if a signal had flipped the ominous switch, and also raised the true curtain on this night permeated with the smell of blood.

Roar!

Howl!

Scream!

Excited shouts, impulsive sounds of slaughter, in a single instant, all erupted together in the night wind!

"How can it be this fast...!!"

Xia Zhi's face changed in shock, and then he almost made a decision without thinking, turning around and heading straight for Vivian's residence.

Almost without needing to think at all, he could figure out what had happened, and immediately understood that the most important thing right now was to find Vivian, to take her away from this place immediately... wherever, just escape first!

The golden-haired girl stumbled out of the house, and what met her eyes was the burning Royal Palace.

No, the entire Onyx was plunged into a sea of fire.

The fairies of the Rain Clan were suffering ruthless slaughter; those miserable wails and the thick bloody aura intertwined, spreading to the distant horizon.

Having just endured the impact of a massive amount of future information, her originally pale complexion was now even more ghastly white, as if all blood had instantly drained away at this moment; her steps were weak and unsteady, unable to accept the nightmare-like scene before her eyes, staggering.

"The Rain Clan's concealment of Paradise Fairies angered the other clans, ultimately leading to the four clans joining forces to attack; the Rain Clan was exterminated in a single night..."

"And you——also died in this slaughter..."

That indifferent prophecy transmitted from the Pan-Human History, from the future self just now, seemed to still be reverberating by her ears, every word piercing the heart.

Vivian had originally still subconsciously resisted this cruel fact, unwilling to believe such a fate.

However——

In merely the next moment, this future came to pass.

(Chapter End)