He stepped forward and picked up a piece of the rubble, turning it around to find the ancient language written there. He couldn't understand the language either, but he had a feeling that something big was going on, especially with the disappearance of the young gods.
Frowning, he looked in certain directions and continued on his journey.
As Caen explored the Desolate Land further, he began to notice peculiar occurrences. The land seemed to react to his presence, as if responding to the divine energy that permeated his being.
He stumbled upon ancient inscriptions and symbols etched into the very fabric of the world, seemingly left by a forgotten civilization that once thrived in this desolate realm.
Guided by his curiosity, Caen followed the clues left behind by this ancient civilization, curious about their history.
It became even more clear that the Desolate Land was more than just a barren wasteland; it was a repository of ancient knowledge, a place where civilization never flourished.
Even though there were signs and ancient infrastructure at places, it became clear that it wasn't manmade. So far, he had only seen signs of one person living in this place in the past.
It was surprising in itself that this Lower World wasn't known. Its isolation served as a protection, safeguarding its secrets from those who would exploit them.
Caen's healing progressed, and he soon regained full mobility and control over his godly abilities.
With his complete recovery, he could finally shroud a large enough area in his divine sense to help his search.
While the Young Gods could only cover a small area due to the restrictions of this World, Caen was able to cover an area much larger.
****
Back at the sanctuary, the Young Gods finally reached a consensus. They realized that they couldn't keep the fragments of the Heart of Eternity a secret forever.
The oath they had taken bound them, but it also prevented them from seeking help from people with more knowledge. They needed guidance to navigate this delicate situation.
"Should we contact our fathers and tell them about it? Thanks to the oath, we can't tell them about the gems, but we can take help in translating the unknown symbols to further our understanding," Elysia suggested. She was knowledgeable but her father was even more knowledgeable than her. She believed he could help them.
"Did you forget that we can't contact anyone outside? When we left with Caen, we left all our Contact Gems behind on his instructions, so that no one could locate us. We can't contact our family and our family can't contact us," Fortunay replied. "When we go back, we can ask them about it together, while making sure to mention nothing about the Heart of Eternity."
"Yeah, I also can't contact my family," Eris agreed. "We'll have to go back for that, but we can't do that until we finish the search."
"I..." Elysia slightly hesitated, before bringing out a small Spherical Crystal. "I might have a way to contact them."
"That..." Fortunay frowned, "You brought it with you?"
"This is an inactive one," Elysia answered. "Even my father doesn't know that I have it."
Elysia held the Spherical Crystal in her hand, its surface gleaming with a soft, ethereal glow.
"This crystal is a one-time use communication device," she explained. "It is designed to send a single message to a predetermined recipient. I brought it with me as a precaution, just in case we needed to contact our families in an emergency."
Fortunay's frown deepened, but Eris leaned forward with curiosity. "So, who were you planning to contact? Should I contact my father?"
She reached out her hand subconsciously, only for Elysia to pull her hand back.
"My father," Elysia replied softly. "At the moment, we need someone who is fanatic of the ancient language. Only my father comes to mind. He would happily translate for me if I just told him that it's something I found outside a ruined temple"
Eris felt a little disappointed, but in the end, she agreed.
"Remember, you can't tell him anything about the Heart of Eternity," Fortunay reminded Elysia once again.
Elysia nodded and activated the crystal. A faint pulse of energy emanated from it, signaling that the message was being sent across vast distances to its recipient.
****
In a distant world, a middle aged man was searching thoroughly, trying to find Caen. All of them had spread out to start the search but so far, none of them succeeded in it.
The man had only finished searching half the world when he stopped. A Crystal appeared in his hand. His eyes lit up in surprise. This was a message from his daughter. She was asking him to help translate some ancient words but he didn't even consider the message.
Instead, he was elated over something else. Through this message, he knew exactly where his daughter was. It was also evident that his daughter was with Caen, so he had effectively found the person they were looking for.
The man informed all the other Gods who were on the search, sending them the place where Caen was. It was some desolate world with barely any signs of life.
As soon as the Gods were informed, all of them stopped their search and decided to go where Caen and the other young gods were! Finally they could end their risky search!
****
Meanwhile, Caen's exploration of the Desolate Land led him to an ancient underground chamber, hidden deep beneath the surface. The entrance was camouflaged by layers of rocks and vegetation, making it virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape.
As Caen entered the chamber, he was struck by the powerful aura that filled the space. It was unlike anything he had encountered before – ancient and divine, yet strangely familiar. At the center of the chamber stood an ancient stone pedestal, and upon it rested a third fragment of the Heart of Eternity.
The fragment radiated a soft, soothing light, and Caen could feel its profound connection to the fabric of the universe. He reached out to touch it, and as his fingers made contact, a surge of energy coursed through his body.
Visions flashed before his eyes, revealing the history of the fragment and its significance. It was the same vision that Fortunay had received. However, for some reason, he saw more than what Fortunay saw.
