Chapter 722: News of Arodes

He sighed, and Klein pried a strand of power above the gray mist, merging it into the dressing mirror in his hand.

Almost in the next instant, ripples glimmered on the mirror surface, and one golden Runic word after another appeared: "Great supreme supreme master, you finally came to find me!"

"Your humble, loyal, pitiful servant Arodes misses you so much!"

Klein's mouth twitched, suppressing the urge to fling the dressing mirror away, he glanced at Leiketon and casually asked, "Where were you taken?"

The golden words on the mirror vanished, and soon silver words began to appear one after another:

"I don't know either; this place is strange, not a normal world, and what I can see is very limited."

"Great supreme master, please come save me; Horamick Hayden has gone mad, he is now a monster, and he's been devouring those dangerous seals bite by bite. If this continues, he'll eat me too."

Klein frowned slightly; from Arodes's reply he sensed a hint of sobbing, and this bottomless magic mirror seemed truly about to weep—if it had a mouth and could speak.

There aren't many things that even Arodes cannot see clearly; besides true gods and angels in normal state, he can even glimpse the maddened Charatu. Is this related to Horamick's madness? Is it a chain reaction caused by the disappearance of the God of Steam and Machinery? While pondering, he turned his gaze to Leiketon and asked softly, "What do you think?"

Leiketon crossed his arms and replied, "Look with your eyes."

Klein choked, losing even the urge to complain; after a pause, he fixed his stare on Leiketon's eyes.

Leiketon's pale‑blue eyes grew profoundly deep, tinged with a thin layer of silvery white, a vague expanse resembling the sea just before a storm.

He borrowed the "Prophecy" ability of the "Prophecy Master" from the Star Realm entity! In this state, his gaze pierced reality, seeing the illusory silvery‑white river of destiny, and through the link Arodes provided, he probed the hidden fate, and scene after scene unfolded in his mind: under a dark sky, multicolored meteors streaked across; one grew nearer and brighter, finally striking a steam train parked on the tracks.

Amid the booming rumble, the ground trembled, colors faded and receded; the steam train seemed to be erased piece by piece by an invisible eraser, vanishing in a swift, pale dissolution. The surrounding plants, soil, bricks, stones, and rails all disintegrated silently, turning into fragments that scattered, leaving only a huge crater.

The scene flickered; amid a star‑sprinkled deep night, an elderly man in a white priest's robe and a soft clerical hat stepped out of the darkness. He had a gentle, kindly face, yet his expression was unusually solemn.

Behind him followed several other elders identical in form, though their attire and aura differed; they lacked the liveliness and vitality of real people.

They carried metal boxes engraved with numerous complex, strange runes, and one by one they boarded a dark, metallic‑sheened steam train.

Amid the wailing whistle and the churning of steam engines, the dark steam train moved along silver tracks laid with starlight, heading toward a void of interwoven electromagnetic and gravitational forces.

The void starry sky seen through the Prophecy kept expanding in Leiketon's mind, as if it would consume all his thoughts.

In a hazy trance, he seemed to be within the true starry sky, seeing countless stars, some brilliant, some dim, converging into a dazzling river of stars, weaving into a nebula so magnificent it defied description, sprouting twisted faces, tentacles, and claws.

At the same time, gazes from the starry sky fell down, looking toward the ground, toward Leiketon.

A pair of eyelash‑less, cold, indifferent eyes filled with countless brilliant stars materialized behind Leiketon.

The next second, his figure turned instantly transparent, as if becoming a statue formed of countless starlights, then quickly restored; all anomalies vanished as if they had never occurred.

Klein looked at Leiketon, whose expression grew increasingly solemn, and asked, "What did you see?"

Leiketon shook his head, not answering directly, and said, "Your mirror probably can't be retrieved for now; that thing is very elusive and dangerous. Even for an angel, confronting it could lead to contamination."

"I'm just a minor avatar now; although I can draw power from the Star Realm at any time, it's still inconvenient, and with the other party deliberately evading, I may not be able to catch it quickly."

"It? Not the Steam Church's archbishop? Or, as Arodes said, has it completely gone mad and become a monster?"

Klein keenly seized the key point, voiced his question, and lowered his head to the dressing mirror in his hand, eager to see what answer Arodes would give.

"Great master, I also don't know what state Horamick Hayden is in now, nor what relationship he has with that thing. Many things cannot be seen or spoken of; I can only offer a hint: all of this is connected to the starry sky."

"Great supreme master, you… you will save me, won't you?" The starry sky again—what danger does the starry sky hold? As such thoughts floated, Klein suddenly felt a dangerous intuition, and reflexively halted his thoughts, focusing on Arodes's request, no longer pondering the starry sky.

Seeing the aggrieved, almost‑crying tone Arodes revealed through the words, he sighed and said:

"If the right opportunity arises."

"Great master, he has come looking for me; I can no longer stay here. Farewell, master~, your faithful servant Arodes awaits your summons at any time."

On the mirror surface, one Runic word after another rose, followed by a tiny figure waving a handkerchief and shedding tears.

The scene lasted less than a second before vanishing entirely; the abnormal aura on the dressing mirror settled, returning it to an ordinary mirror.

Klein let out a sigh, made the dressing mirror in his hand disappear, turned his head toward Leiketon and said:

"I originally intended to ask it some things, but it seems the changes affecting that Horamick archbishop also frightened it."

He paused, then asked, "When do you plan to go after that archbishop who fled with the sealed items? Also, what's the current situation with Indis and Fusak?"

"We're already searching; it's deliberately hiding, so it won't be found quickly."

After a brief answer, Leiketon stepped aside; starlight scattered, forming a radiant high‑back chair of stars behind him. He sat, then continued, "With prior preparation, Indis's split proceeded smoothly; after all, Russell's popularity among Indis has not faded over time. He remains a legend, now a living legend."

"Some mid‑to‑high‑level members of the Steam Church are willing to follow Bonova southward; some refuse to change, and some have already begun worshipping the 'God of Craftsmen'. 'Steam' was prepared for this; even if defeated and the church fragments, there aren't many extremists willing to martyr themselves. To maintain outward stability, I tacitly allowed this."

"The handling of 'Night' is similar to mine; however, because the 'War God' died more completely and left no contingency, the War God Church has been fully taken over. The devout mid‑to‑high‑level members have been purged, though the populace of Fusak has not been told that 'War God' has been replaced by 'Night'."

Klein nodded, letting out a long sigh, "It's the best choice; now everyone, every faction, needs stability and time to recover their vitality."

Leiketon lightly nodded, "Do you have any other questions?"

Klein paused briefly, then asked, "Who exactly is the 'Earth Mother Goddess'?"

"It's not hard to guess; she constantly, overtly or covertly, watches over the bloodline, though to most people and gods she appears only as one who seeks to devour and dominate this ancient race."

"Also, the current reverent title of the 'Goddess of Night' no longer includes 'Lord of Crimson'."

As soon as Leiketon finished speaking, Klein blurted out in sudden realization, "Lilith?"

In a silent instant, the surroundings fell quiet; on the ground and in the corners, tiny emerald sprouts emerged, and hidden insects crawled out from the soil.

A vague gaze from the Star Realm glanced over, then withdrew.

Gurgle—Klein's throat rumbled as he swallowed the saliva that rose involuntarily; though it lasted only a moment, he clearly felt the terrifying gaze from the endless heights, his blood seeming to solidify.

"Next time you recite these names, remember to cloak yourself in secrecy."

After the warning, Leiketon's figure faded, breaking into streams of data that raced outward, vanishing from Klein's sight.

"Poor Arodes, I hope that before we locate that Steam Church archbishop, this mirror that's trying to please me won't be devoured."

Watching Leiketon's fading silhouette, Klein whispered a sigh, then turned and vanished into the shadow of a street corner.

The rumbling wheels grinding against the rails echoed continuously, dim mottled light filtered through the windows into the carriage, faintly illuminating the modestly furnished interior.

On the wooden table fixed to the carriage floor rested an ancient silver mirror with bizarre patterns; its sides were adorned with black gemstones shaped like "eyes," giving it a lively look that hinted at restless anxiety, as if nervously scanning its surroundings.

(End of Chapter)