TL: Editing the final chapter. Might come in 8 hours.
Chapter 119 – Loop of Trade Wind (1)
The Great Elder weighed Brendel’s words without speaking. Valhalla was an ancient legend in the Loop of Trade Winds where warriors spent their eternal rest. It also contained one of the primeval Fire Seeds. As long as the Fire Seed was lit up, the Laws of the Karanjar’s landscape would be rebuilt, and become a blessed land that was likely to be as wide as the Kirrlutz empire.
The Blackthorn’s Druids guarded this secret for generations. They also wanted to enter the Loop of Trade Winds to discover the truth behind the strange wind currents.
Valhalla was like a legend, there were signs of it appearing and disappearing, but the countless Druids that went into the Karanjar mountains was unable to find anything. The only thing that they found thus far was the ruins located in the center of the Loop of Trade Winds.
However, the Great Elder knew clearly that Andellu and the other Druids discovered only the outer sections of the ruins. Entering the center of the ruins meant that they had to brave the violent tempest.
No one was able to enter it.
“Brendel, I believe that Grey Raven has already informed you of the changes in the Loop of Trade Winds?”
The youth nodded. The change in the Loop of Trade Winds came from the Mana Wave’s ebbing flow. It had possibly gone longer than just a few days.
“He has downplayed the truth; the troubles that we encountered are far greater than we told you.” The Grand Elder explained.
Brendel observed the eighteen Druids in the hall silently. All the high ranking Druids in this region were present. If they had to seek an outsider for help, their troubles were certainly much bigger than he thought.
However, he did not take advantage of the situation and quietly waited with a nod. His humble attitude made the Great Elder believe he could be trusted.
“The Loop of Trade Winds originates from the Karanjar’s eastern peninsula, loops around the mountain, and is the most spectacular natural sight. The white clouds would form a wall that extends to the southern Aouine. Even Trentheim and Vlaada would be able to witness it.”
“
He had the impression that the Druids did not know about the worldly affairs, but they were knowledgeable about them after all. People merely did not know about this fact.
The Great Elder nodded: “You are well read. The Circle of Skies is a loose group and the Druids in it act on various tasks. They have observed the Dark Forest for a very long time. As for us, the council of Blackthorn, we have guarded the secret of the Loop of Trade Winds for generations.”
He looked past the trees’ crowns and stared at the wall of white clouds that reached tens of thousands meters long. It extended endlessly while birds flew below it like black dots.
“The patch of Dark Forest located in Trentheim’s south has always been touted as ‘The Wilderness closest to civilization’. Trentheim rarely receives the invasion of monsters, and it is equally rare to see a monster straying at the forest’s edge.”
Brendel agreed with the assessment. The gamers would not enter the Dark Forest if it was overly aggressive and excessively difficult. They would not have been able to enter the heart of the Karanjar mountains as well.
“The reason for that stability is due to the Laws of the Loop of Trade Winds, isn’t it?”
The Druids were shocked when Brendel stated his conclusion.
“How did you know?”
Brendel ignored their shock: “It’s been a month since we entered the Dark Forest. There were two lightning storms, a day of snow, elven sunny days, three days of extreme heat, and the rest were cloudy days. There was a week where there were less than six hours of sun, while there was a day with no night. These supernatural events happen more when one goes further into the Dark Forest…… And yet in this illogical Wilderness, there’s a wind that’s unchanging and reaches the Karanjar Peninsula the entire year, bringing along sufficient rainwater as well. Doesn’t it mean there are hidden Laws?”
The Great Elder’s staff dropped onto the ground with a clatter, but he did not bend his waist to pick it up and merely stared at Brendel with a complicated expression: “…… You, do understand this place very well.”
“Indeed, as you have guessed,” the Elder stopped for a moment before he continued: “We discovered that the Laws from the Loop of Trade Winds stabilizes the Dark Forest, but the situation has changed recently.”
“What exactly are the changes?”
“We used to be able to enter the Loop of Trade Winds, but it has become dangerous. There is strong activity of monsters lurking everywhere in the forest, and the Ancient Trees are not giving us any directions…… And in that location…… that location……”
The Grand Elder was struggling to find an appropriate description:
“Seems to be shrouded in a huge fog. One cannot see or hear anything. The people who went outside the settlement were attacked and became injured, but fortunately, there are no deaths.”
“I see, so this is why you are afraid that it’s a sign. The Laws around the Loop of Trade Winds are weakening slowly, and once that happens, the stability of the Karanjar Peninsula would be gone. The rampaging mana from the Mana Waves would sweep across the entire area, and even Trentheim would be affected. The Druids’ work throughout the ages would be destroyed.”
Brendel’s words went straight to the point. The Great Elder’s expression was grave and he nodded.
The current Aouine had no ability to handle the creatures in the south. Once the change happens to the Karanjar Peninsula, the entire Trentheim, and perhaps even the Randner region would be turned into Wilderness.
Brendel compared the possibility against his memories in the game: “Indeed, your hypothesis isn’t wrong. But this problem isn’t without a solution.”
“There’s a solution?” Andellu blurted. The Elders tried coming up with solutions for half a month without success, and the youth had one when the information was just relayed to him?
[I-Is he lying?]
“I’m the one who finds it strange. If you know about the Mana Wave, why wouldn’t you know about the link between the two?”
The Great Elder was surprised: “You mean to say that the Laws of the Loop of the Trade Winds are weakened by the Mana Wave?”
“Isn’t it obvious that there’s a pattern where the Laws weaken when the Mana Waves come?”
“Hold on! The Mana Waves only happened in the last century, and even during the Month of the Demonic Moon where the Mana is strongest, there has never been an event like this!”
Brendel finally realized what the problem was: “Ah, I take it that you don’t know what the Waves of Calamity are?”
“What is that?”
“Multiple Mana Waves that happen approximately every thousand years. The previous Waves of Calamity happened in the Era of Chaos, and it’s going to happen again soon. The Loop of Trade Winds is currently affected by it.”
The Druids’ expressions changed. Monsters became more aggressive during heightened concentrations of Mana. What would happen if an incredible burst of Mana surged over the region?
“Did you say multiple?! I remembered that you have spoken of that term before, but we equated it with a single Mana Wave. Is it possible that the term is chosen because of multiple Mana Waves happening all at once? What a blunder, I didn’t think that it would be so serious!”
[This is indeed serious. There are no gamers here to handle this event.]
Brendel glanced at Andellu: “Have you not contacted the other members of your Circle? I’m sure there is a headquarters located in your Holy Land. Wouldn’t they keep the doctrines of the past centuries? Is there truly no one who knew about the Waves of Calamity?”
The Great Elder wondered if the youth had some kind of ties with the Druids; the latter knew too much about the Druids:
“Allow me to explain. For the Druids to communicate with each other, we would rely on the wind to pass on messages. We would require at least a season to send and receive a reply. Furthermore, the next season is Spring, the season of the Goddess Nia. When we receive our reply, it would be summer.”
“I see,” Brendel nodded, “then let us get back to the topic of solving this issue. I’m afraid that I can’t wait until summer.”
“Do you have a solution, Lord Brendel?” The Great Elder changed his tone, causing the youth to scratch his head when he heard the usage of his title again.
“The single solution that I know of, is to ensure the Laws don’t change even if the Waves of Calamity happen.”
“You mean……?”
“Valhalla.”