024 Parting and Beginning

The young man who had inexplicably become a god looked at the girl with surprise. “You don’t even know about that? It’s just a story to trick children, everyone knows it.”

The girl shook her head frantically, indicating she knew nothing.

Once he was sure the girl truly didn’t know and wasn’t simply feigning innocence to tease him, the young man spoke with resignation.

The story goes like this: Legend has it that a powerful human mage, skilled in all four elements, traveled across the Starfall Continent and encountered four ancient artifacts. Yet none would yield to her. The selfless mage decided to help the artifacts find their true owners, lest their powers be wasted. So, as she journeyed, she met many remarkable people, and eventually found owners for each artifact.

By chance, the four-element mage discovered a spell array unlike any she’d seen. Curious, she cast the spell to see what would happen. The artifacts, now bonded to their masters, were activated by the spell array, their powers merging and unleashing a tremendous surge of energy. That surge tore through the boundaries of space, opening a passage to an unknown world. After their deaths, the artifacts were scattered across the land, and the four-element mage was hunted down by others. Such miracles never occurred again.

“And then?” the girl pressed on, refusing to let the story end.

“There are many versions after that. Which one would you like to hear? The romantic, the comedic, the tragic, or the ordinary?” For once, the young man seemed eager to tell a tale.

“It doesn’t matter, just go ahead. What I care about is whether that passage really leads to other times and places, right?” The girl hit the heart of the matter.

“Yes, that’s the one thing everyone agrees on,” the young man replied.

“What do the four great artifacts look like?” she asked.

“They say one is a bow, several are swords, one is a magic staff, and another is an alchemical cauldron. The bow, swords, and cauldron are lost; only the staff is easy to find—it’s the one that has guarded White Edge City for centuries. If you find any one of them, the artifact will resonate with the nearest other artifact, so it’s easy to locate them,” he explained.

Ding! The girl suddenly had a flash of inspiration. “You mean the magic staff in White Edge City?”

The beautiful young man nodded in affirmation.

The girl excitedly slapped his shoulder. “Thanks to you, handsome comrade, I’ve finally found a new direction and goal in life! You’re awesome!”

A look of confusion crossed the young man’s face.

“It’s fine, don’t be confused. I finally know why all this training has been worthwhile. I’m going to Akasia. Want to come?”

“…No,” he refused without hesitation. “If I go, with so many people talking, I can’t guarantee I won’t accidentally reveal your professional secrets.”

For once, the girl was at a loss for words.

“Good luck to you,” the young man said with a dazzling smile.

The girl ran all the way back, but Liang Yin seemed more anxious, pacing nervously at the cottage door. Zizi circled around Liang Yin, looking for all the world like a satellite orbiting a planet.

“I’m back!” The girl triumphantly waved the ice cage in her hand. The little creatures inside, having just calmed down, began howling again at her arrival. Liang Yin hurried toward her, ignoring the pet cage entirely. “Forget those, something happened in Huanluo.”

“What?” The girl was startled. The ice cage melted automatically, and the little creatures dropped out, sensing that their captor had no interest in them, and immediately scurried away.

“I’ve packed our bags and prepared the map. Let’s go right now,” Liang Yin said, grabbing her hand. “Huanluo sent a message by winged bird, she’s in trouble and wants us to hurry. Only one thing remains: Zizi doesn’t seem willing to come with us…” With that, Liang Yin looked hesitantly at the girl on the ground.

The girl seemed to understand that the parting was near. Her little head drew back, not daring to meet the girl’s gaze.

“Why won’t you come, Zizi?” she asked, perplexed.

“It was born here, grew up here, and its friends are here. Of course it doesn’t want to leave,” a man’s voice sounded from afar. Liang Yin was startled, staring ahead without moving.

The beautiful young man stood before the girl, smiling gently. He picked up Zizi and said to her, “If you’re worried, I can look after it for you.”

“But Zizi doesn’t like strangers—” she began, but Zizi had already betrayed her, snuggling shamelessly in the young man’s arms. The girl’s eyes filled with tears as she recalled how many rations it had taken to win Zizi’s affection back then. Clearly, beauty always wins; otherwise, Zizi would be just as close to Liang Yin, Huanluo, and the handsome young man…

And so, the decision was made in a hurry. Liang Yin barely had time to thank the young man before rushing off. As they hurried along, Liang Yin puzzled aloud, “Where did that guy come from? I’ve never seen him before. Does anyone live in the forest? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?”

The girl gave a dry laugh. “Don’t worry, that guy’s as strong as a magical beast. I’ve only ever seen him beat magical beasts, never the other way around.”

“Really?” Liang Yin asked skeptically, pressing for details. “How did you meet him, what’s his name, where does he live, what’s his profession, how much do you know about him?”

“Uh…” The girl racked her brain. “He’s a really powerful lightning mage! That’s all!”

“What, Owen? Don’t tell me that’s all you know!” Liang Yin couldn’t believe it.

“…Heh.” The girl could only laugh awkwardly.

“How did you not get kidnapped as a child?” Liang Yin gritted her teeth in exasperation. “You’d probably get sold and then help count the interest for them, you fool!”

“No way!” the girl protested righteously. “My math is terrible, I can’t calculate interest!”

“…”

In the midst of their little quarrel, the girl and Liang Yin finally arrived at the border of Akasia just before dusk.

Akasia lay between the White Tower Kingdom and the Magical Beast Forest. To guard against beast attacks, Akasia had built sturdy defenses facing the forest—and even at the border with this obscure little woodland, the defenses were no less formidable.

No sooner had the girl and Liang Yin emerged from the forest than the guards on the fortifications fixed their attention on them.

Being targeted by archers atop the defenses was hardly comfortable, so the girl and Liang Yin raised their hands in surrender, signaling they meant no harm.

“Who are you, where are you from, and what are you doing in Akasia?” shouted the soldier atop the fortifications.

Liang Yin suddenly remembered the gold token Huanluo had left them before departing. She quickly responded, “We are mages from Kyrenia, here in Akasia to visit a friend.”

“Do you have a pass?” the soldier demanded.

“Yes, we have a gold token!” the girl replied.

Only then did the soldiers lower their bows, beckoning them forward.

They handed the token to the soldier for inspection. Upon seeing it, the soldier broke into a smile. “Oh, did your friend give you this?”

Liang Yin answered.

“That’s extraordinary. Your friend is quite a big deal.” The soldier winked at them mysteriously. “You may enter.”

“A big deal? What kind of big deal?” the girl asked in curiosity.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” the soldier replied with a smile, as if their faces were plastered with huge clearance sale signs. “Welcome to Akasia—your trip will be well worth it.”

Creak—the gates of the fortifications slowly closed behind them, revealing Akasia, a city brimming with strength. Solid stone buildings painted the city a dull gray, yet the green of the trees still peeked through. People strolled along the flat roads, dressed in practical, simple attire—utterly different from the ornate, intricate robes of the mages.

The girl and Liang Yin barely had time to marvel at the exotic scenery before the soldier who had let them in barked an order, “Seize these two women!”

Stardust Chronicle 024_024 Farewell and Beginning—update complete!