Above The Sky
Chapter 646 - 646 603 In a World Without Distant Places 13

646: Chapter 603: In a World Without Distant Places (1/3) 646: Chapter 603: In a World Without Distant Places (1/3) “It’s the Earth’s core!

The Deceased Monarch’s plan… the ultimate goal was to create a ‘hell’ at the Earth’s core!”

At this moment, Ian finally understood everything.

The legacy left to Duke of Solin by Inega II, known as the ‘Spirit Seed of Fire,’ was a high-level composite spirit energy project that only existed in theory.

Essentially, it was no different in nature from those ‘spark ships’ that had fallen onto Terra and the Moon.

Its purpose was to construct a type of ship that could exist for a long time in the vacuum of space, travel through it, and preserve traces of human existence, including all technology and art, civilization, and the gene bank, and then launch it toward a planet that might be suitable for life.

What followed was the revival of the spark, reigniting the flame of Terra Human civilization, or, like those sparks that Terra had received, being absorbed and integrated into an extraterrestrial civilization – that would be a matter for the future.

Regardless, whether it became the nourishment for the progression of other civilizations or a part of the integrated whole, it was evidence that Humans had existed – far better than being sealed within the Star Prison Tianyu as though they had never been.

A spark burning in the pitch-black despair.

The most helpless of choices.

But because of the premature death of Inega II, this plan had not managed to be implemented… Of course, that was not the only reason, because the plan had too many difficulties.

Not to mention that, even just the issues Adalbert had resolved, had Duke of Solin not employed inhumane methods, betrayed The Empire and joined forces with Fiery Flame Land, and merged the secret technologies of both nations, success wouldn’t have been conceivable.

Even so, Duke of Solin hadn’t found a way to create a Spirit Energy Spaceship that could exist stably in the void of space.

Even if it were possible, with current technology, it would not be practicable within fifty years.

So he despaired and chose another path.

If the spark could not be launched… at the very least, a tombstone must be left behind.

A living tombstone for Human civilization.

Adalbert believed that on Terra, there was no environment that naturally provided a massive amount of energy to sustain souls.

This was because he was still too young and had never seen a scene of true grandeur or extreme conditions… while Duke of Solin had.

He thought of the Earth’s core at once.

Although the core wasn’t eternal and would cool, and the planet would shatter just like the observed Moon… anyhow, its longevity far surpassed any human’s lifespan and even the lifespan of a nation or civilization.

Furthermore, his own Duchy was placed by The Empire, and Fiery Flame Land was also looming threateningly.

Once war broke out, his territory would become the center of the war, with the inevitable outcome of countless deaths.

Even becoming a wasteland wouldn’t be surprising.

This despairing predicament solidified Duke of Solin’s resolution.

[If my people cannot live a peaceful life above ground, then it would be better to all head to hell.]

[At least in hell, such wars would not occur again.]

Seeing that Ian had indeed guessed the ultimate goal of the Deceased Monarch’s plan, Duke of Solin revealed a nostalgic smile—over the years, ever since that person left, no one had been able to understand his will, his wisdom, and his plan.

Nor could anyone guess the true intent of the Deceased Monarch.

Deceased Monarch, Underworld King, Lord of Fire Hell, the judge of all the deceased… and also their protector.

The Star Prison Tianyu was destined to be unpreventable, even if Inega II hadn’t died and lived to this day, he could not have stopped the seal of the Star Prison Tianyu, located five light-years away.

It was a barrier with a radius of five light-years… just reaching beside this barrier would require the pooling of technicians from various nations to develop at least the ‘Warp Engine’!

And even if it were developed, what then?

Practical application was another hurdle, and even with specialized machines, how many could truly go there if it succeeded?

The Star Prison Tianyu was closing, its fractures caused by unknown reasons were irreversibly healing.

In that case, as soon as one left the Terra Starfield… they could never return.

Instead of saying they had escaped the Star Prison Tianyu… it would be more accurate to say they had exiled themselves into the void.

A larger, even more hopeless cage.

A cage called the universe.

In the end… it was still just a mere tombstone.

At this moment, Duke of Solin softly recited the ancient Terra mythic hymn: [At the beginning of creation, the Heavenly Father stepped from the light onto the Ladder of Nihility.]

[The First Layer Heaven Ladder, its name as motion of all things, the body of man, the flowing clouds of the sky, the mud of the earth, the rushing of water, the beating of the wind, the burning of fire, it’s the foundation of phenomena.]

[The Second Layer Heaven Ladder, its name as condensation of all things, the soul of man, the fallen rocks of the sky, the solid rocks of the earth, the frost of water, the dust of the wind, the embers of fire, it is the quintessence of matters.]

[The Third Layer Heaven Ladder, its name as glory of all things, the wisdom of man, the aurora of the sky, the magma of the earth, the rainfall of water, the rapid currents of the wind, the flames of fire, it is the cornerstone of existence.]

[The Fourth Layer Heaven Ladder, its name as authority of all things, the belief of man, the vastness of the sky, the stability of the earth, the saturation of water, the interchange of the wind, the activation of fire, it is the source of all principles.]

[The Heavenly Father traversed four steps, and it was so done.

Actions, spirits, foundations, and origins of all things and beings were equipped, from which anyone could comprehend the highest truth, ascend, and elevate the self.]

[But He saw that the world was still not good enough, and so once again took three steps, endowing all beings with three more layers of grace.]

The silver-eyed Dead River Armament looked towards Ian, who was lost in thought, and Adalbert, who was clenching his fists tightly.

He spoke softly, “That is the fifth layer of the Sky Ladder, the ‘Iron Summit,’ the sixth layer, the ‘Court of Stars,’ and the seventh layer, the ‘Distant Horizon.'”

“Embodying civilization and wisdom, these creations came from beyond the firmament, enlightening all beings with fierce fire and sturdy steel, inventing the furnace and leading the people from the ‘Dark Ages’ to the ‘Era of Fire and Steel’ with the ‘Steel from Beyond the Sky.'”

“Hanging at the zenith of the firmament, shining with endless luminance, leading all beings to look up and comprehend the vastness, the limitless, and what lies beyond the high firmament, ending the ‘Era of Wars’ and stepping into the ‘Era of Exploration’ with the ‘Court of Stars.'”

“As for the last one…”

At this point, the Duke of Solin laughed bitterly.

His laughter started off softly but grew louder and more unrestrained, “The horizon is an endlessly unreachable line, the ultimate limit that the ancient sages could imagine, representing ‘the distant place that is forever out of reach,’ the eyes of the Heavenly Father, a place even the sun’s light cannot touch—the eternal horizon.”

“It is a beautiful wish, hoping that our civilization might move towards eternity, beyond the Star Sea to the Star Sea beyond, to the infinite beyond the infinite.”

“The civilization of the previous epoch should have ascended this seventh layer of the Sky Ladder; they had ended the Era of Wars and were stepping into space.

They were taking their first steps, climbing this lofty Sky Ladder.”

“But then, the stars went out.”

“We were imprisoned within the stellar penitentiary and confined here.”

“And then…

there was no more hope.”

Ian could understand the old Terra myth, the ancient sages using the words of the Heavenly Father’s Sky Ladder to bless future civilizations with their well wishes.

They judged the level of civilization by the height of the sky and made prophecies from the heart, believing that posterity would definitely surpass their predictions and reach places beyond the horizon.

He could understand the optimism and praise contained within the sacred prayers…

and the irrepressible sadness in the Duke of Solin’s heart.

—Because there was no horizon anymore.

The horizon has an end; the imagination of all beings has reached its limit.

The Star Prison Tianyu, five light-years away, has erased all fantasies and expectations about the Star Sea.

There are no stars, and there is no future.

This world…

Only has mountain peaks left.

The latter half of the Lost Souls’ ballads surfaced in the young man’s heart.

A profound sadness suddenly rose in Ian’s heart.

He closed his eyes and slowly recited, “We will gaze at you, all who are destined to die yet have not died…”

“We will not receive pity or salvation.”

“Just like…

you all.”

Ian and the Duke of Solin both uttered the last line of the ballad, then fell silent together.

They felt the same emotion.

—Yes, that’s right.

If it’s said that in the Duke of Solin’s plan, the Deceased Monarch who sunk to the Earth’s Core and the Lost Souls within his body are about to create a world that is so-called ‘Infernal Heaven.’

Then, isn’t this hell, born from the endlessly deep Earth’s Core, just another new Cage?

The blood, tears, and remains of the Lost Souls turned into the sufferings and lamentations that comprise the Earth’s Core Infernal Heaven.

Indeed, they are imprisoned by the sins and despair of this mortal world within an inescapable prison without redemption, inside a Fire Hell.

They have died, yet they must sink eternally into the hell below.

But Ian, and all living beings still existing in this world…

all who are destined to die yet have not died.

How are they any different?

“It’s all the same…

wrapped in the Star Prison Tianyu, aren’t we also imprisoned on the spot by this inescapable, eternally immutable Cage?”

Ian closed his eyes.

No redemption, no pity.

Whether they are alive or deceased.

Emperor or beggar.

Sublimator or Ordinary person.

In this starless night, in this world without a horizon.

Everything…

is the same.