Yuder reflexively thought of the southern part of the Empire when he heard 'south,' but soon realized that the writer might have been referring to a region even farther south.
"By south, do you mean... possibly the area south of the desert?" Yuder pondered.
"I believe it's highly probable. Right after the Great Destruction, the number of survivors across the continent was even fewer than the current population of the Empire's capital. Back then, the concept of countries and borders was different from now, and the current border system was not established until the reign of the Third Emperor."
Thus, the 'south' referred to by the First Duke of Tain, Blake Van Tain, was likely the true southern part of the continent, south of the desert. Kishiar seemed to agree with this assessment.
"That makes sense."
"But why specifically mention the south? That remains a mystery."
Even Kishiar, who was knowledgeable in many fields, couldn't be sure about the implications of this reference.
The final conclusion of one who began researching the origins of monsters to find a way to manipulate time was this mysterious 'south.' What had he hoped to find there?
"Did Luma, who had left the Empire much earlier with the scriptures, also head south?" Yuder wondered.
Prince Ejain had mentioned a blind sage in Nelarn, presumed to be Luma. If it was indeed Luma, how had he become blind and ended up in Nelarn after leaving the Empire? Was Nelarn the end of his journey?
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"So, did Luma eventually discover a way to turn back time?" pondered Yuder.
"We should ask Nathan about the south when he returns," Kishiar suggested.
Yuder, deep in thought, lifted his gaze.
"Does he know much about the history of the Southern Lands?"
"More than us, surely. Nathan's original family were 'Masha' in the Southern Lands, protectors of tribes... akin to knights in the Empire," someone explained.
This was new information to Yuder.
Kishiar briefly elaborated with a smile, "Long ago, there was a significant armed conflict between the Empire's south and the Southern Lands. It's now known as the Sand War. Although the Empire emerged victorious, there were several minor clashes with the Southern Lands over the years. Nathan's parents were captured as prisoners of war in a conflict that occurred about a decade ago."
Yuder remembered hearing about the Sand War from Gakane. Even after General Jureli led the Empire to victory, the conflict hadn't completely ceased.
"Nathan was born to those imprisoned parents and was a small boy doing menial work in the southern palace. He never showed fear, a remarkable lad. Had I not been recuperating there from a summer cold, I might never have met him."
Yuder recalled Nathan Zuckerman recounting his meeting with the Second Prince Kishiar, who was then a convalescing child at the southern palace.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})The perspectives of their shared story differed, but what mattered was how that meeting changed Nathan Zuckerman's life. From a slave servant to a noble prince's attendant, a friend, and finally a member of Duke Peletta's staff and the knighthood.
The boy, once deemed too small, had grown into a swordmaster of formidable stature, no longer to be casually referred to as 'small.'
"Nathan didn't spend much time with his parents, but he heard quite a bit about life in the Southern Lands and the stories passed down there," Kishiar relayed. "Perhaps there's something in those stories that might resonate with this discussion."
Not long after, Nathan Zuckerman, having finished chopping firewood and repairing a broken door, returned and responded to what he had heard.
"There is something that comes to mind now that I've heard this," Nathan said.
"Really?"
"The people of the south refer to themselves as 'Children of the Moon,' or 'Stars.' According to their legends, long ago, these children were the rulers of the entire world. They were great warriors who wielded sacred swords and bows, slicing through evil and conquering death itself, accompanied by wolves that returned from the dead and owls with the ability to see through darkness. They maintained peace for a long time," Nathan recounted, as if sifting through ancient memories.
"But that peace was shattered by the greed of many, and the warriors could no longer wield their sacred swords and bows. The tale ends with a lesson against greed," he concluded.
"Swords and bows," Kishiar mused, a meaningful glint in his eyes.
"The Empire and nations north of the desert may not favor this tale, but there's a credible theory that the origin of aura-using swordsmanship actually began in the Southern Lands," Kishiar noted.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"Yes, the Southern people believe that. They say that all weapons in the world originated from these sacred swords and bows, a fact known even to their children. I've heard tales of those who could wield aura with bows in the past," Nathan added, though admitting he had never seen it firsthand. Yuder thought of the members of the Cavalry who skillfully used aura-like powers with bows, suggesting these stories weren't entirely baseless.
Kishiar seemed to share this sentiment.
"Look at it this way, these tales resemble the saga of the Archmage Luma, the origin of Messenger Orhe's divine power, and the story of the sacred sword and bow warriors who overcame adversities and revealed mystical powers," Kishiar observed, counting off on his fingers.
"And one more thing. There's a common thread in these stories, related to something that Duke Blake Van Tain was desperately curious about. Do you see what it is?"
Yuder nodded slowly, having noticed another commonality in Nathan Zuckerman's stories.
A dry voice whispered between slowly parting lips, "The returned from death."
"That's right," Kishiar agreed.
"Consider that these three stories represent the origins of magic, divinity, and aura. Each of them involves a figure returned from death. Orhe regenerated torn limbs, escaping death. Luma's case is still unclear, but it seems there was someone similar around him. And the warriors of the sacred sword and bow had a wolf that returned after killing death."
Kishiar lightly shook his four folded fingers, then spoke, "With such a commonality, wouldn't it be a reason enough for Duke Blake Van Tain to have wanted to travel to the south? That's what I'm thinking."
Yuder agreed, and as he did, a complex mix of emotions, indescribable and overwhelming, coursed through him, sending a shiver down his spine.
Magic. Divinity. Aura.
These three powers, and the strength of an Awakener like himself, did not pale in comparison.
Yuder Aile, returned from death.
Could he dismiss as mere coincidence the recurring commonalities between the ancient past and the present, as recounted in scriptures, legends, and old records?
‘It's hard to see it as mere chance,’ Yuder thought to himself.
Suddenly, he felt as if he were cast alone into a vast ocean, unable to see even an inch ahead, confronting something unfathomable.
The reins he believed he was holding, moving forward, might have been connected to something much larger and unknown all along.
Seeking escape from this vague unease, Yuder turned his gaze to Kishiar, who, like him, was lost in deep thought. Without exchanging a single word, Yuder found surprising solace and comfort in Kishiar's presence, his mind settling down.
‘Yes. Nothing has gone wrong so far. If I come to understand more about the past, I might learn why I returned and in which direction I should move forward.’
When he first arrived in this village, he had only expected to find some remnants of the First Duke of Tain. But, as he delved deeper, he discovered that this place held more profound and astonishing information than he had previously known.
‘I haven't found the complete answer yet, but knowing this much is already a significant gain. There's much more to discover moving forward.’
