Divine Sense!
The origin of the summoned presence within the sacred ground became immediately apparent to Eren. His past experiences with the Slumbering Goddess hiding within Sienna Slughorn had provided insight into the nature of Divine Sense—a power exclusive to divine entities.
Even in its most modest form, Divine Sense held the power to ward off the consciousness of worlds to some extent. It allowed divine beings to exert a fraction of their power in the various realms their consciousness traversed.
Moreover, it possessed the capability to establish an Authority Domain, carving out a separate realm within the world into which their consciousness was pulled, enabling them to somewhat explore the given world through diverse means. Utilizing Sienna Slughorn as her vessel, the Slumbering Goddess had extended her Divine Sense across the lands of Anfang, imprinting her presence.
Within the sacred ground, the divine entity harnessed the Amazonians' faith energy as a conduit for her Divine Sense to permeate the realm of Anfang. The accumulated faith energy, which had endured for countless centuries, rapidly diminished as it opened a channel for the Divine Sense to manifest.
The reasons behind the sudden appearance of the divine entity remained shrouded in uncertainty. It could have been Galen's unwavering faith that compelled her to reveal herself, or perhaps the divine entity had acted on her own accord upon sensing the blood of Eternal Ichor bled by Eren within the consecrated ground.
Regardless, the Amazonians paid little heed to the cause of her presence. They prostrated themselves before the divine being, surrendering their consciousness willingly. Many devotees lost consciousness immediately upon kneeling, while others found themselves suspended between the realms of wakefulness and slumber.
Only the Matriarchs, possessing their elevated status as Evokers, managed to retain their consciousness in the divine presence. It was either by the divine entity's decree or their own worthiness that they were deemed eligible for this privilege.
"Great Mother... you have graced us with your presence! Words are not enough to express our gratitude," Valeria's voice trembled with unadulterated bliss as she lowered herself to her knees. In the face of the Great Mother's arrival, she shed her regal demeanor, becoming a humble devotee. This occasion was exceptionally rare in the land of Anfang, a chapter of Amazonian history that Valeria had previously only read about.
Valeria's knowledge of history revealed that the magnitude of the Great Mother's presence far surpassed any recorded instances. The goddess had never before exerted such an overwhelming manifestation, restricted as she was by the continent-encompassing array.
Anfang's World Consciousness, having been disturbed by the actions of God Vulcan, had grown unwelcoming towards divine entities. As a result, the Great Mother had previously sent only a fraction of her presence to keep the faith alive in the land of Anfang.
However, it appeared that the goddess now willingly depleted the accumulated faith energy within the statue, unveiling herself in a more potent form before the Amazonians. In doing so, she risked a clash between her Divine Sense and Anfang's World Will– a risk she had never taken before the past, deeming it a phenomenon unprecedented in Amazonian history. Valeria's mind churned with questions, pondering the catalyst that had spurred the Great Mother to take such extraordinary action.
Valeria was not the sole recipient of the Great Mother's profound influence. Seraphina, Eveline, and even the usually aloof Isadora joined her on bended knee, their eyes and voices brimming with unwavering devotion.
"My goddess... My Mother… Where are you? Reveal yourself, that we may offer our prayers," pleaded Seraphina, her gaze sweeping the surroundings. Though the world appeared monochrome to her, the presence of the Great Mother infused every aspect with breathtaking beauty.
"Great Mother," Evelina Green called out, her hands clasped in prayer as she fixated upon the towering statue. She yearned for a more profound immersion in the goddess's presence.
"Great Mother, I implore you. Free us from the Land of the Faithless and grant us the freedom to worship you with all our hearts," Isadora Frostborne beseeched, longing to escape Anfang's confines and accelerate her growth as an Evoker.
"Great Mother..." The four Matriarchs, along with a few remaining Amazonians who clung to fragments of consciousness, harmonized their voices in unison, their faith in the Great Mother reaching unprecedented heights. Nature mana surged through the sacred ground, almost tangible in its intensity. The air carried the enchanting scent of ancient forests, and a warm embrace enveloped them, welcoming and unfamiliar.
Galen, despite his weakened state, mustered all his willpower to maintain his consciousness, desperate to witness this extraordinary spectacle. Despite lying prostrate on the ground, his fists clenched and his eyes strained to remain open, defying his body's insistence on surrendering to much-needed rest and recovery.
With an unshakable belief that his unwavering faith had summoned the Goddess to his aid, Galen anticipated firsthand revelation. He believed that his steadfast devotion had brought the Great Mother's presence to bless the other Amazonians, and he yearned to bear witness to her magnificence.
As the intensity of the divine presence swelled, the Matriarchs fervently chanted their goddess's name and beseeched her with unwavering devotion. On their knees, they offered prayers to the colossal statue of the Great Mother, imploring her to unveil herself.
It appeared their prayers were about to be answered, for the colossal statue exhibited signs of coming to life. The ambient Nature mana surged to its pinnacle as the statue's eyelids trembled.
Among the Amazonians blessed with Mother's Embrace, the runic tattoos on their bodies radiated a heightened brilliance, resonating with the statue's impending movement. The tattoos amplified the blessings, unfurling Mother's Embrace to unprecedented potency. Simultaneously, the blessed Amazonians found their souls further entwined with the divine presence, endowing the Great Mother with absolute dominion over them.
Eren looked at the scene unfolding in front of him with a particular interest as the divine essence finally animated the once-inert Great Mother statue, causing her head to swivel. Life-like expressions etched across the statue's visage, conveying an air of confusion and bewilderment. It was as if the Great Mother herself grappled with her surroundings, uncertain of her purpose and presence within the land of Anfang.
"Well, this should be interesting," Eren muttered under his breath as he saw the colossal statue gaining sentience through Divine Sense.
