Mage Legend-Chapter 408: Travel and Travel Beyond - Thirteen Rainy Night_3

"Greetings to you, great Elf Queen." Lynch paid his respects to the elf before him. He did not use the mage’s etiquette, but instead, used the greeting of his hometown. The mage’s etiquette was always filled with endless arrogance, which seemed inappropriate in front of the "Master of Time."

"Welcome, my friend." The Empress slightly nodded. She moved half a step to the side, her right hand traced an arc, making a gesture of "please," yet she remained silent.

The two walked deeper into the dense forest, encountering no other elves along the way, only the rustling of leaves accompanied them. The road beneath their feet was slippery after the light rain, but Lynch knew that before the first ray of dawn arrived, this heavenly dew would be completely absorbed by the Holy Forest, nourishing the land.

The Empress stopped before a green hedge. She waved her hand lightly, and the vines automatically parted to make way. A floating staircase approached and stopped in front of them.

"Are we going to the ’Secret Realm’?" Lynch asked in confusion. "That place is off-limits to outsiders."

The Empress did not speak, simply stepped onto the transparent stairs. But the smile on her face and the meaning in her eyes were an encouragement for the mage to follow.

Lynch, full of doubts, also stepped onto this aerial passage.

The so-called ’Secret Realm’ was at the top of a withered giant tree, the only dead plant in the Holy Land. The elves believed that this tree supported the ’Secret Realm’ with its own life, leaving no strength to branch out further— a perfect manifestation of self-sacrifice. Below this tree, countless poems filled with praise and lamentation were created and then spread to other lands.

Without a tree canopy, one could look up from here to see the brilliant night sky, dotted with stars. The moonlight seemed focused, illuminating the area to a snowy white. Atop the tree, far from the ground, was a giant stone pillar. It jutted out from the center of the trunk, standing tall before the mage.

This was one of the elves’ divine artifacts, known as the "Space-Time Marker." It is here that the Queen of the Elf Clan performs her prophecy magic to divine the future.

"Lynch, my friend, have you discerned the problem with this divine artifact?" The Empress Hernfurry stopped before the stone pillar and spoke to the mage.

Lynch used the Eye of Insight and carefully examined the object in front of him. In his eyes, only the Queen of the Elf Clan remained unchanged; even the power that could see through everything could not gaze into her situation. However, the "Space-Time Marker" revealed its true form under the gaze of these dark eyes, with a myriad of magic arrays lining the inside of the stone pillar.

The entire artifact showed no damage, and everything was completely intact. However, Lynch immediately noticed an anomaly: the artifact that should have been brimming with magic power now seemed like an ordinary stone, dead and without any sign of activity.

Noticing the change in Lynch’s expression, the Empress said, "As you have discovered, this divine artifact has lost its function. Our elf clan’s prophecy ability has also been greatly affected. Now, the future has closed its window on us, and like other races, we are enveloped in a veiled mist, unable to clearly see the path beneath our feet."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Lynch replied. "This will have a significant impact. If there is any place where I can be of service, I will, as always, assist the elf friends."

"Thank you for your kindness; it is as warm and intoxicating as the morning sunlight," said the Empress. "Before the Space-Time Marker became ineffective, I performed a prophecy magic spell, hoping to find the path the elves should take. Blessed by the great Moonnia Goddess, that prophecy clearly revealed much information."

"Your Majesty, excessive use of prophecy magic is a great drain on your body and could even affect the strength of the entire elf clan. Please consider carefully," Lynch said. "My mentor Caso fell into ill health because of using prophecy magic."

"I understand, Mr. Lynch, but I am willing to endure this harm," the Empress slowly said. "In that prophecy, I saw terrible things. Darkness, an endless darkness shrouded the entire land, and even this Holy Land was not spared."

The Elf Queen placed her hand on the stone pillar, as if drawing support from the power of the artifact. She closed her eyes, as though unwilling to see what she had witnessed. Yet her words did not cease, pouring forth like a stream, recounting all she had seen.

"Countless lives vanished in the darkness, and ancient, splendid traditions turned to ashes in black flames. It seemed that all hope was lost, with only the waiting for the final doom remaining. I concentrated, searching for light in the darkness, sparing no chance at even the faintest hope." She exhaled slowly, continuing, "Far in the north, even beyond where the Beastmen could reach, there was a faint light. It was a half-elf man, a descendant of both elves and humans. Around him, darkness could not approach; and on his path forward, the light would dispel the thick fog."

"Are you saying, an Savior appeared in the prophecy?" Lynch furrowed his brow. He too was a mage adept in prophecy magic, although he usually did not use such spells, his mentor Caso had taught him everything.

"If you think so too, then it aligns with my thoughts," the Empress said. "Thereafter, I prophesied your arrival and other matters. But the vision grew increasingly obscure until it disappeared completely. The Space-Time Marker has since revealed nothing, blinding my eyes."

"When did this divine artifact lose its function?" Lynch asked.

"Approximately over four months ago, the Space-Time Marker lost all its power."

Lynch calculated in his mind; it was precisely when he was still in Ratris City. Batana was gathering strength, preparing to swallow the second family; meanwhile, Lynch was diligently deciphering the spell language of the drow in the Black Crystal Tower.

In an instant, the words of the First Matron Batana before her death flashed through his mind, and connecting the two events could explain the reason for the Space-Time Marker’s failure.

"Your Majesty, I once heard such news from a Dark Elf. She said, the God of Prophecy has died."

Hernfurry looked at the mage’s face, her emerald green eyes twinkling like stars. After a moment, she spoke, "If someone from the First Family of Ratris City says so, then the God of Prophecy truly is dead."

She moved in front of the mage, gazing into Lynch’s jet-black eyes. "Mage Lynch, what I am about to say is very important. But please do not let it spread. Some secrets are like plagues, capable of destroying everything in the world."

The mage nodded, his expression solemn, awaiting.