Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

"Oh?"

The Deity of Bygone Days, surprised by this question, looked toward the Man of the Future:

"You actually know about this? I had thought that in the future, such names would have vanished.

The Ancient Gods were the first thirteen gods, truly born with the world itself. They represented the origin and the power of the world. The Ancient Gods have long perished, make no doubt about that, but their power was extraordinarily strong; even in demise, their power persists. No doubt your presence here is due to the power of that Ancient God of Time. And we, the Old Gods..."

In the language used by the Saint before him, "Old Gods" not only implied "Deities of Bygone Days" as commonly understood in the Draleon language, but the Outlander made out the implication of 'God of Sin' as well.

"What exactly happened in the past? This world, really... "

His thoughts were almost too chaotic to think.

"Leave now. The past also imposes a burden on the souls of mortals; those stories have long passed, dust to dust, earth to earth, all gone... Mortals looking upon us is not good. Leave now, Man of the Future."

"But!"

"It's for your own good. However, I am the God of Innocence, Protector of the children. Since you could appear here before I completely depart, it indicates we must have a connection by fate. If you still do not want to leave, would you like to hear a story?"

"A child from the future?"

Shard was perplexed by this reference:

"Is it because my spirit has spent so little time in this world, thus you consider me a child?"

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But at least he understood the significance of "stories" to Circle Sorcerers, so he perked up and nodded, preparing himself to take in all the forthcoming information.

Despite his apparent youth, the Old God with an inexplicably aged quality gently sighed:

"My story is actually quite dull; born from the infinite illusions of children, I possess their purest thoughts.

In the past, I used my own power to create for that most beautiful Witch Princess, the Eternal Flame and the ever-flowing spring. But she asked me for immortality, which I could not grant, as it's not a wish children should have; so, I left her."

[You have listened to the story of the Old God, "Creator of Innocence," and learned about one of the Old God "Creator of Innocence's" miracles.]

[You have obtained Sorcery, "False Immortality." You have the ability to keep the severely injured alive, unable to die for half an hour.]

"Mortals must eventually die; 'False Immortality' is but a laughable consolation."

The Deity of Bygone Days lamented, then pushed forward, making the stunned Outlander in the toy shop move backward like a marionette.

"Until next time, Man of the Future, may the grandeur of Time and Creation protect you."

He pushed open the shop door, walked through the dense white fog that followed, and then fell heavily on the living room floor of Room No.1 on the second floor of No. 6, Saint Delan Square.

[Outlander, you have returned to the present time.]

[Message from the Ancient God, "Father of the Infinite Tree":]

[Mission incomplete.]

[Time Key; Fifth Era: Year 1068 - Creator of Innocence, damaged 1/3.]

[Next activation time, please wait one week.]

"Wasn't it a one-time-use item?"

Despite his pale complexion, Shard immediately reached into his pocket, feeling the key now covered with cracks.

"Mr. Hamilton, how was the journey?"

Professor Garcia's curious voice came from behind him, unseen by Shard, who could not guess what had just happened.

Shard's heart pounded, and in just a few brief seconds, he had completed all his thoughts. He turned around very slowly, not concealing the paleness of his face:

"Fifth Era: Year 1068, the event was the fall of an Old God."

Even though he had left the toy store, the immense pressure brought by the deity had disappeared, but the damage he had endured while facing the deity still lingered.

But Professor Garcia's expression turned even uglier than Shard's current one in an instant. If it weren't for the fact that it was a projection ritual, he almost would have jumped down:

"What? How could this be? An Old God fell!"

He opened his mouth in shock, but soon looked at Shard with concerned eyes, his unpracticed Draleon language speeding up so much that Shard almost couldn't understand:

"I've never heard of such an event in 1068; Mr. Hamilton, are you alright? If so, this Key isn't Poet-Level! It's definitely beyond Angel-Level!"

The professor wanted to support Shard, but he couldn't; he asked anxiously, clenching his fists:

"Mr. Hamilton, do you need the Academy to send a medical team?"

"Oh, no."

Professor Garcia's concern and anxiety were real, and so was Shard's shock. But what he showed was the fatigue on his face; he walked back to his chair and sat down slowly, beginning to recount his experience:

"I came upon a street, saw a store, and then... I can't remember clearly."

He still felt a throbbing headache, but he described the general appearance of Hope Town in detail, claiming he wandered the streets for ten minutes before finally seeing the shop in the mist. Then he returned here and even acquired new Sorcery.

And this time the investigation seemed only to have glimpsed that shop.

"Good that you didn't go in."

Shard took ten minutes to describe his ten-minute experience, and Professor Garcia was filled with hindsight fear; Shard even saw sweat on the professor's transparent cheeks:

"Good that you didn't go in, good that you didn't! Damn, I need to make the student who investigated this Fifth Era: Year 1068 moment repeat a year until 1860! He claimed that period was completely safe, devoid of any issues!"

It was now the year 1853 of the Sixth Era, and Shard was very worried about that unknown Saint Byrons student.

"You don't need to write the report for this incident; I'll write it for you. I will report your time travel to the Academy exactly as it occurred; the Academy won't let you suffer unjustly! Damn, there's a rotten apple in the History Academy! Who said that the Fifth Era: Year 1068 was safe... Mr. Hamilton, are you really alright?"

Anger even brought out a few Carsonrick words, fortunately, Shard understood them all.

"I want to sleep; I feel mentally scattered and can't focus. Oh, sir, I am indeed very exhausted."

Shard slumped in his original chair, but actually, his spirits were recovering quickly; the Creator of Innocence had granted him suitable protection.

"Alright, you rest first. When the verses mailed tomorrow arrive, if you feel any discomfort, contact the Academy immediately. Damn, I'm definitely making that guy who wrote the Fifth Era: Year 1068 report repeat until 1870!"

That added another ten years of student life.

"Sorry, Professor Garcia, I'm indeed very tired."

Shard, quite undiplomatically, made it clear he wanted to be alone, and the sharp-eared professor understood:

"You need not worry; everything you suffered in the past will disappear once you return to the present, so any harm you feel is merely from what you think you suffered. It's just, you actually saw the dwelling place of a deity... Mr. Hamilton, go rest now, and remember to contact me if there's a problem. Be very careful and take care of your health, oh, poor young man, to encounter such a thing~"

The professor looked worriedly at Shard but still rose to leave. Strict though he appeared, Professor Garcia indeed cared deeply for his students.