He walked towards a nearby fruit tree and plucked a piece of ripe fruit with his own hands. The taste was divine, and he relished the sensation of sustenance after what felt like an eternity of deprivation.
As he continued his journey, Caen realized that this experience had made him realize a few things. He had gained a better understanding of himself and the people around him. Weeks had passed where he was completely helpless and all on his own, yet the Young Gods didn't return.
He really wanted to see just what these people were up to, that they even abandoned him!
"I really hope you didn't return to the Realm of Gods while abandoning me here. Because if you did, I will kill you all..." He muttered as he stepped forward.
****
The Young Gods had begun their search of the entire World. Even they didn't expect that they were going to find any more fragments of the Heart of Eternity from this world, since the chances were so low.
The universe was vast, and it was unlikely that two or more fragments were going to be in the same world. However, to their surprise, they managed to find more places that seemed out of place.
Each fragment they found exhibited unique qualities, reflecting the essence of the realm it was connected to. Some held dominion over elements, others over time and space, and a few possessed the ability to influence the minds and emotions of mortals.
Throughout their journey, Eris' initial enthusiasm gradually waned, replaced by a growing sense of concern. She realized that the magnitude of the potential consequences if they failed to keep it a secret was beyond what they could bear.
Fortunay, on the other hand, was driven by an unyielding desire to be stronger. He wanted all the Fragments for himself! He wanted to go beyond Caen.
He spent countless hours studying the second fragment they discovered, attempting to decipher the ancient inscriptions, hoping to get a vision from the Second Fragment as well.
As he delved deeper into the mysteries of the gemstones, he became increasingly obsessed, to the point that some thought that he had gone crazy.
Elysia acted as the anchor for the group, urging caution and foresight in their every decision. Her wisdom and understanding of ancient lore guided them through perilous situations, and she was the one who ensured they didn't succumb to the temptations of the power they wielded.
Unfortunately, even she was finding it hard to control those people.
As for the other Young Gods, they each had their own moments of doubt and fear. The allure of wielding godlike power was strong, especially if they could become stronger than Caen. But the risks were too many.
If Caen found out what they were trying to do, and that they kept this thing a secret from him, they couldn't even imagine what kind of Nightmare was waiting for him.
Some of them even had a thought that they should reveal this to Caen but they had a heavenly oath which stopped them. On the other hand, there were those who thought that they should forever erase that risk from existence.
Since Caen was at his weakest, they wanted to take this opportunity to kill him so that there was no threat to them. They even tried to suggest that idea to the others in the group, only for Elysia and Fortunay to call this idea stupid.
They could try to kill Caen now that he was weak, but it was unlikely that they could succeed. Moreover, even if they succeeded, it wasn't a solution. The moment Caen was killed, his mother and his Uncle might be alert since the Royal Palace had his soul lamp.
To take out Caen was no different than alerting Janus, which they didn't want at any cost, especially since Janus didn't like them in the first place.
They knew that their actions could shape the fate of not just their world but the entire cosmos. They couldn't risk anything.
With tensions rising among the Young Gods, Elysia proposed that they take a temporary break from their search.
They needed time to think, and to calm down since ever since they found the Fragment, they didn't have the time to rest at all. Slowly, all of them had become obsessed with the Gems even without realizing.
The others agreed, realizing that they had been swept away by their desires for strength and control.
For the rest of the day, no one left the cave. No one was allowed to even look at the gem during this time. They were only supposed to meditate and calm down.
Most of the Young Gods did as they were told and spent hours in silent introspection, to calm down their concerned heart. They wanted to come to terms with the decision that they had taken, without constantly worrying about death.
They knew they had to find a way to reconcile their ambitions with their fears.
Fortunay, still possessed by his thirst for power, struggled the most during this period of reflection. He constantly wanted to bring out the gem and continue his research, but he barely controlled his urges.
Elysia and Eris had to reason a lot with him, to show him the dangers of his obsession, but his ego and desire for supremacy clouded his judgment. It was only to stop them from lecturing him that he agreed with their idea of a break, to show them that they were wrong about his obsession.
Meanwhile, Caen, unaware of the Young Gods' dilemma, was steadily regaining his strength as he walked deeper into the desolate realm. His time alone in the Desolate Land had forced him to confront his weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Soon, he ended up before the rubble of the temple where the Young Gods found the first gem. It was clear that it wasn't long since the temple was broken. It was clear that this had something to do with the young gods, but he also sensed that none of the Young Gods weren't buried inside the rubble.
