Free Web NovelChapter 2005: Chapter 2005: Balance of Life and Death
At this point, the matters involving the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth generations of the Edwards family have temporarily come to an end. Although there are still issues such as relocating the graves for the four siblings of the fourth generation and having Jarvis Edwards turn himself in, these are all handled by Megan, and they are not much related to Shard.
Ciris quickly sorted out those memories, but by the time they truly sent off these six living people, it was already close to noon.
A few hours ago, the house was filled with many people, but now only Sloss Edwards and Durut Giles remained. When the second-generation lord of the Edwards family saw Shard and Megan return again, he voluntarily led them to the empty basement, taught Shard the spell words, and then had Shard try to use the spell to summon the hidden trap door in the ground.
The door was made of alloy, with no lock on it, the surface bore the pattern of a large tree, and in the center was a slit where a card could be inserted. Without the card that Shard held as the key, no one could open this place.
"Father’s secret collection and laboratory are below, the space beneath is vast, and I haven’t gone down there many times."
He explained, but didn’t let Shard venture down just yet:
"Father held the thought of either succeeding this time or leaving everything for a suitable choice, so the dangerous items have been dealt with, and the few dangerous relics that couldn’t be handled but can only be contained, you can choose whether to manage them yourself, or give them to other organizations like the Church."
If the Witch Council is interested, Shard plans to give the dangerous relics to the Witch Council, otherwise, ask Miss Danester. Anyway, Shard is not interested in managing a pile of dangerous items, even if some might have a bit of utilitarian value.
"You may have some time to inspect the collection below. Father has only left a rough inventory list, which should be in the drawer on the left side of the door."
He looked up towards the upstairs:
"Now, let’s go handle the matter with Sister Laster."
His calling the little girl "sister" was quite amusing.
Shard frowned slightly:
"I seem to have guessed your meaning, but how do you know?"
"The balance of life and death cannot be easily broken, it’s not hard to deduce."
Megan didn’t understand their meaning, while Shard looked with a hint of surprise at the man in front of him:
"You’ve thought it over? Didn’t you willingly transform into a tentacle evil object for the sake of immortality? Now that you’ve become human again and can continue to live many years, are you truly willing to give up?"
Sloss Edwards nodded:
"Let it be as a gesture of apology to my sister, on behalf of my father... It’s what she deserves. After going through this matter, I realized many things. After all, these two hundred-plus years, for the most part, I was not very happy."
"What are you going to do?"
The Witch asked curiously, and Shard looked at her seriously:
"Bring back someone who has already died into this world again."
Shard did not go to find Durut Giles, but instead threw the crystal shoes home himself, and then used the [Spatial Labyrinth] to go to Sicarl Mountain, then went to Midshire Fort at the foot of the mountain, borrowing the [Magician’s Escape Box] from the auction house.
With effort, he transported this relic up the mountain, then brought it back to Green Lake Island. After coming out from under the lighthouse on the south side of the island, Megan had already found Sister Delphine, and was waiting together with the nun and Sloss Edwards for Shard.
Bringing the nun along was to prevent any unexpected situations. Actually, finding Priest Augustus could also work, but the priest had not returned since independently venturing into the wilderness.
Thus, Sister Delphine first reached Saint Delan Square using the [Spatial Labyrinth], then Sloss Edwards transferred to Tobesk using the [Magician’s Escape Box] as well.
Megan was very curious about what Shard was going to do, and wanted to join in.
"But the [Magician’s Escape Box], the same entity cannot use it consecutively, it’s a one-way ’ticket.’"
"But can’t I touch the Ancient God Statue in your basement and transfer back here?"
She pointed to the adjacent lighthouse, so Shard had no reason for objection.
In any case, once the three arrived at Shard’s home, Shard painstakingly moved the box, temporarily stored it downstairs, then took out one of the three leather cases given by the Church from the basement, carrying it to the first floor to find the three individuals.
Little Mia was quite displeased with so many strangers suddenly appearing at home, and while Shard was leading the guests upstairs, it incessantly meowed from the high staircase.
Sister Delphine was not visiting Shard’s home for the first time, Sloss Edwards was indifferent to it. Only Megan, following Shard from the basement, kept marveling "this is your house" while glancing around.
As they climbed the stairs, she remarked on the height of the floors. Turning from the second to the third floor, she curiously looked at the open door of the No. 1 room on the second floor, Shard’s living space.
The four arrived on the third floor, and a corner of Shard’s Ring of Fate manifested, under the Spiritual Light of the Whisper of [True Death], the hallway midsection, seemingly devoid, appeared a pair of double-opening black iron grate doors.
The complex ironwork, on both sides of the grating doors, together shaped the holy emblem of the Ancient God the [Ancient God of Death], with patterns of elderflower and mandala flower alternately appearing along the edges of the grating doors. Hinges secured the two doors tightly together, but no lock was in sight.
A white mist slowly seeped out through the slit between the grating doors.
"This is..."
Megan’s mouth slightly opened; others might not recognize what this is, but the Grand Witch of Wisdom and Knowledge had seen descriptions of this door in books:
"Isn’t this the portal to the [Soul Graveyard]? You actually placed such a door in your home?"
"It’s not my wish to place it here. Megan, are you sure you want to enter with us? Death is really not a friendly place for the living."
"Since I’ve come, of course I want to enter." frёewebηovel.cѳm
"Alright—May the eternal Termination shelter me before the End Point."
Crash~ As the sound echoed, Megan gazed in awe at the chains locked on the gate, which seemed alive as they loosened and then climbed up and twisted around the iron bars on the right side.
Shard pushed open the gate, and the cat immediately tried to dart inside, but Shard bent down, picked it up, and placed it on his shoulder. He then turned around, took Sloss Edwards by the hand, picked up the box, and stepped into the white mist first. Sister Delphine held Megan’s hand and followed behind.
[Outlander, you have entered the "Soul Graveyard."]
White mist filled the surroundings, and steles were seen standing everywhere amidst the fog. Shard did not immediately open the box but instead squatted down in front of a square marble tombstone. With one hand, he pressed a blood-stained branch picked up from the island onto the tombstone and carved the name "Laplace Klein Howard" with the other.
Writing the complete name, cause of death, and life achievements can summon a spirit, but if it’s just a part of the body and a name, then death information can be obtained. Of course, it must be a deceased person to do so.
Shard was initially worried that nothing would appear, but fortunately, the information showed up smoothly:
[Laplace Klein Howard (Sixth Era 1598-1854)]
["Edwards"]
[The family must unite as one and escape the cage of the world.]
[Died of fatigue and soul collapse.]
Shard thought for a moment and then placed his hand on the final cause of death. A line of small text appeared below:
[Death Location: Old Continent, Draleon Kingdom, Green Lake City, Green Island (special spatial area), northern dock.]
"You can be sure your ancestor is truly dead."
Shard said to Megan and Sloss Edwards, standing up and dusting off his hands while Megan continued to gaze around her reverently:
"So, can this place allow the soul to return permanently?"
"Sacrifice, this place can temporarily summon a soul to return, but that’s not what I aim to do."
He opened the box at his feet and took out the bottle containing the green-scaled heart from the ice, holding it up high.
The white mist swallowed the heart, and a giant stone gate slowly appeared amidst the cemetery’s thick fog.
Shard walked over, bent down to lower his center of gravity, pressed his two hands against the doors, and lowered his head to forcefully open a gap, creating a sound that wasn’t too harsh.
He turned and said to Sister Delphine and Megan:
"Sister, you and I will go inside together. Megan, you wait here; reaching this place is enough for you. Beyond this door, it is not the place you should go."
Even if she had a double spirit and was an Eleventh Rank Grand Witch, she was not qualified to repeatedly pass through "True Death." This time, Megan did not object but looked with increasing awe at the faint moonlight filtering through the door crack:
"So cold, so peaceful."
She realized what lay beyond the door.
Shard, Sister Delphine, and Sloss Edwards passed through the crack.
The icy breath seemed to instantly freeze the soul; even Shard shuddered before adapting. Sloss Edwards fell directly onto the beach composed of pebbles and white sand, struggling for a long time before finally getting up with great effort.
In the distance was a black body of water, further away was the silver Nether Moon half submerged below the water’s surface. Quiet, soundless, yet beautiful, the Nether Moon illuminated the souls marching through the water away from the shore, and also shone on Shard’s face.
He quietly looked at the moon, waiting for Sloss Edwards to recover somewhat as the transition to the death state quickened before speaking:
"Opening this gate signifies that I can take one departing soul from here unconditionally. Yes, without conditions."
Sister Delphine stood by the opened stone gate, watching Shard. Outside, Megan held her breath, chilled all over, observing the scene, watching Shard bathed halfway in Nether Moonlight.
"But this cannot be done; even if this is the power granted by the Ancient God, I cannot break the balance of life and death this way. Once, a person named Joey Barton wanted to do this but failed. Although the situation is different now, the balance of life and death still cannot be easily broken like this."
Thus, from the start, Shard informed Durut Giles that he could facilitate a meeting between him and Laster Edwards but did not promise to bring back the girl’s soul. Even when using the "Heart of the Undead" to open the door granted him this power, Shard did not act on it.
"So that’s why Father lost to you."
Sloss Edwards said, his brown hair half-white now:
"Life and death must balance, so only one can return after one’s departure."
"Yes, are you really willing to do this?"
"It’s atonement for my sister; it’s my time to leave."
He said this, staggering past Shard toward the end of the beach where the black tide gently surged.
Shard looked at the stranded old wooden boat by the shore; unexpectedly, the boat quietly and without a sound glided into the water, halting before Sloss Edwards.
He turned and bowed to Shard:
"Thank you for everything you’ve done for the family, for all you’ve done for my descendants. God Summoner, though I cannot repay your kindness, I wish you all the best in your life ahead. May the world and death protect you."
Sloss Edwards stepped onto the black tide to board the small wooden boat. After sitting steadily, the boat carried him, following the countless advancing souls, toward the Nether Moon.
