They observed as the golden threads slowly curled around their forms, briefly emitting a soft golden glow. Gradually, the threads began to unweave themselves from their bodies, and the water released them, slowly retreating to its original position above them.
"I can easily release the artefact that is bound to the two of you," Aegis of the Arctic Deity said.
His words immediately sparked joy on the faces of Crystalia and everyone else.
Meanwhile, Orion couldn't help but feel a sense of relief spreading through his heart, calming him as he absorbed the Aegis of the Arctic Deity's assurance.
Of course, as a god, managing something so simple was well within his capabilities, Orion thought, a smile spreading across his lips.
"However, you must understand that I am no longer the god I was before, and exerting my divine energy to do such a thing will lead to unfavourable consequences," Aegis of the Arctic Deity said, his voice tinged with a tone of seriousness.
A heavy silence settled over the room as no one had expected the god to say such a thing.
However, feeling an uncomfortable sensation within his chest, Orion asked, "What kind of consequences?"
Aegis of the Arctic Deity stared at everyone present before responding, "Everyone except him should leave."
Understanding who Aegis of the Arctic Deity was referring to, they all nodded and left one by one.
Crystalia took one last worried glance at Orion before she exited through the passageway, leaving only Orion within the black inky void once more.
"What are the consequences that you are talking about?" Orion asked again, curiosity etched in his voice as he wanted to understand the consequences that Aegis of the Arctic Deity was talking about.
"First of all, you must be aware that the garden above us is dying, right?" Aegis of the Arctic Deity replied.
Orion nodded in response.
"Very well, are you aware of why it's dying?"
Orion shook his head.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity sighed before he began to speak. "As you know, my authority extends throughout this mountain, meaning I can control every part of it. However, considering that I am not my former self but only a wisp of a soul, despite possessing enough divine energy to last me for thousands of years, my energy is not unlimited. In order to keep myself from disappearing, I need something to replenish my lost divine energy. Do you know what that thing is?"
Orion pondered thoughtfully, "Is it the divine essence lake?" he responded.
"Correct. Naka left The divine essence lake behind when I left a wisp of my soul here. It not only helps the Garden survive underground and provides the necessary sustainability of livelihood for the Prismerion race, but it also aids me in replenishing some of the divine energy I've lost. Even though it's akin to a drop of water relentlessly trying to fill up a well, I can still store a considerable amount of divine energy, some of which I've already used up," Aegis of the Arctic Deity explained.
"Unfortunately, that is also what I use to control the mountain and keep the Vylkr vines from penetrating it. Otherwise, they would have already filled every inch of it due to the abundance of life present within. Fortunately, White Flame was already warding off the Vylkr vines when he was alive. However, now that he's dead, it's all left to me to do it alone. With the countless number of Vylkr vines outside this mountain, you should know that with them tirelessly trying to barge in, that itself is not a good situation."
Orion felt a lump in his throat as he absorbed Aegis of the Arctic Deity's words.
When he first entered the mountain with Saria, he had noticed White Flame's abnormal influence on the Vylkr vines, causing them to retract into their holes. His mind hadn't dwelled on the reason behind this phenomenon, and he might not have given it further thought if Aegis of the Arctic hadn't brought it up now.
Nevertheless, as he considered it, the image of White Flame aimlessly roaming the upper region of the mountain seemed less of a random occurrence and more of a deliberate move when he viewed it from this perspective.
"So, what are you trying to say?" Orion asked.
He hesitated to draw any conclusions, preferring to hear the details directly from Aegis of the Arctic Deity himself.
"What I'm trying to say is that if I use the divine energy I've stored up to help them get rid of that artefact, more and more Vylkr vines will break through into the mountain, harming every life within, including the Garden. Then again, I could try my best to save up more divine energy, hastening the destruction of the Garden by two or three times more. In that case, everything and everyone within it would have to find another place to live or seek alternative sustenance."
"So, although I could easily get rid of the artefact, it only means that I would need to expend more divine energy, which is not worth it," Aegis of the Arctic Deity explained.
"However, considering that White Flame is dead and the Prismerion race has already gained their redemption, it only means that my days are already numbered. As such, I will leave this decision up to you since you are the reason they succeeded in clearing the trail and the person who killed White Flame," Aegis of the Arctic Deity added.
"Firstly, I will get rid of the artefacts that are bound to them. However, in doing so, you and everyone else must prepare to leave this mountain within a given time limit unless you risk becoming trapped and surrounded by the Vylkr vines. Alternatively, you can forget about getting rid of the artefacts or saving their lives and dedicate your attention for the next few years to helping the Prismerion race prepare a place where they can restart their lives once more," he added.
Seeing Orion's expression, he sighed, "I wanted to tell you about this later, thinking I could easily take care of the situation. However, now that it has come to this, I see no use hiding it for a few more years. I've decided to tell you about it now."
