Chapter 65: Solis
"Zera, I need your help."
He explained everything—every flicker of light, every floating chair, every shift of power.
[A domain-like space capable of creation… and you felt invincible inside it? Hmph. That confirms it. This isn't a simple relic. It's an intellectual artifact—like me.]
Raven blinked. "Intellectual? Then it has a soul?"
[Most do. But not all. The powerful ones choose their wielder. That compass didn't reject you because your Ruler's Domination forced partial control. And listen carefully: not all artifacts start with souls.]
Zera's presence sharpened, her tone turning instructive.
[Arcane Fragments, for example, weren't born with awareness. They were once normal Legendary or Natural artifacts. Over thousands of years… consciousness formed—primitive at first, then stable, then independent. These aren't merely tools now—they're creatures. Some take animal forms, while others assume humanoid shapes. They wander freely but still need living beings to anchor them.]
Raven's mind flicked to the owl. The mouse. The serpent.
[Above them, there are Arcane Relics—like me.]
Zera's memory library flickered through his thoughts.
[Relics have full internal spaces and can manipulate them completely.]
"And above that… the Arcanum Apex Cognitum?"
[Artifacts with true souls. They create domains in the real world. If you meet one—run. Run fast.]
Raven fell silent.
[Your compass is an Arcane Relic. The inner chamber is akin to my memory library. You can shape it… create inside it… and even invite others if conditions are met.]
"So I can erase a person's consciousness inside it?"
[You can. But it won't help.]
Her tone darkened.
[Anyone at Rank-4 can split their consciousness into multiple clones and leave one in every corner of their mind. Jovie already reached that stage. You'd destroy a clone at best.]
It made sense… disturbingly so.
"Then the symbols on the two glowing chairs—what are they? They must be tied to the fragments, right? Is that why the first seal unlocked?"
[Almost certainly. Each chair connects to a real Arcane Fragment. That's how the compass senses their location.]
Raven's eyes narrowed. "Then I can communicate with the fragments?"
[Not so easily.]
A pause.
[But… try. Link your mind to those chairs. But first—hide your identity. If the chairs can summon consciousnesses from outside, anyone connected might appear. Don't appear in front of them as Thomas. Don't show, well… you.]
Raven inhaled deeply and stepped back into the Throne Room.
His illusionary body stabilized before the iron throne. He changed his form with a thought—his real face returning.
Let's see who answers.
He reached toward the two golden chairs.
…
Noble's Lane, Darkcross Town.
Elizabeth October Merlino marked a paper with red ink, unaware of the tiny illusionary mouse curled on her shoulder. Whis twitched in its sleep—
Then shot upright.
"Eli! Get rea—"
A force swallowed their consciousnesses whole.
…
Ancaria City, Eclipse World.
A boy with patchy brown hair stirred a pot of black liquid. Tumors dotted his face; strange red teeth peeked through his lips. He plucked three eyeballs from a plate and dropped them in, stirred, then added finger bones.
A serpent tattoo on his hand glowed a golden hue.
He froze.
Darkness snapped around his mind like a trap.
…
Ruler's Throne Room.
Two illusionary forms materialized beside their corresponding chairs.
Elizabeth—wide-eyed, breath caught mid-stutter.
And the disfigured young boy—staring hollowly, snake tattoo glowing on his neck as the electric serpent coiled around it raised its head.
Raven stared back, shocked.
Teacher… Elizabeth?
His eyes shifted to the mouse on her shoulder.
Whis… one of Merlin's fragments. And her name is Merlino… she's a descendant?
Elizabeth's gaze shot to him—and to the throne behind him.
"Raven…?!" Her voice cracked.
"You're the Throne's Master?"
The tiny mouse steadied itself, whiskers stiff.
Raven nodded slowly, then looked at the boy.
His tumors were disturbing enough—but it was the snake that made his skin prickle.
"Long time no see, Levinthar!" Whis called, waving its tiny limbs.
The serpent turned, blinking. "Have we met? And… why can I understand you?"
Silence blanketed the room.
"You lost your memories, too?" Whis muttered.
Raven cleared his throat before they spiraled any further.
"Whis," he said, voice steady despite the chaos, "tell me everything you know about this Throne Room."
Whis paused, its whiskers trembling. The tiny mouse looked up at Elizabeth as though seeking permission.
She nodded gently. "Go on. I want to know about it too."
Inside, her thoughts churned. Whis always avoided these questions. So it really is tied to my family…
Whis scanned the throne hall—its wooden body flickering faintly beneath the eerie green glow. Its black eyes shimmered with half-formed memories, as if Raven's question had kicked loose old dust in some forgotten corner of its mind.
"The Ruler's Throne and I have a connection," it whispered. "No… not just me. Levinthar, Solis, the others—we were all tied to this place."
"Solis?" Raven's brow creased. "And the others? Other Arcane Fragments? Tell me more."
"Solis is…" Whis's ears drooped. "Solis."
It blinked, lost.
"I don't know. My memories are broken. We were once part of this Throne. Then something terrible happened, and everything went dark. When I woke up again, I was lying in Eli's family library."
Raven's gaze shifted toward the lightning serpent. "Then how did you recognize Levinthar?"
Whis kept staring at the serpent. "I just knew. The moment I saw him. And the moment I saw this Throne… everything tugged back. Like a string tied to a memory I can't reach."
This is going nowhere.
Raven exhaled. "Then tell me what you are."
Whis straightened, seriousness cutting through its tiny voice.
"We… were legendary artifacts created by someone—"
It stopped. Confusion clouded its expression.
"Strange. I can't remember my creator."
A memory restriction? A contract? Raven's pulse quickened.
Legendary artifacts… not fragments? Did fragments exist long before they became what they are now?
So many questions. Too few answers.
His eyes drifted toward the owl's chair. Maybe that one knows more.
"Then what about this place? The Magical Compass? Anything at all?"
Whis closed its eyes briefly.
"This Throne Room… is part of us. It has its own consciousness. And the Ruler's Throne is like our superior."
Raven pressed, "Then why choose me?"
"I don't know. But it chose you. So you're worthy."
Whis turned to Elizabeth. "Just as I chose Eli."
"Why her?" Raven asked.
"I didn't choose a master. I chose a carrier."
Before Raven could respond, the boy—silent until now—spoke in a language none of them recognized. His voice was raw, as if unused for years.
He stared at the serpent on his neck, touched it—jerked slightly when a spark nipped his fingers—but fear never crossed his eyes. Only curiosity.
Elizabeth frowned. "I've never heard that language. It's not from the mainland… nor Ivory Island."
"He's asking why he's here," Levinthar translated.
Raven lifted an eyebrow. "You understand him?"
The serpent flicked its tongue. "Of course. I've been with his family for a millennium. But you—what language are you speaking? And why do I understand it?"
Raven sighed inwardly. Back to square one.
"Well, let's start simple. What abilities do you have?"
Levinthar shifted, preparing to refuse.
"I don't think it's proper to—"
A ripple pulsed from the Ruler's Throne—silent, invisible—and wrapped around the serpent's consciousness like a gentle hand squeezing truth out of him.
Levinthar blinked, unaware of the manipulation.
"I have four abilities: Thunderstorm, Voltquake, Thunder's Judgement, and Lightning Step. But powerful abilities drain everything. If I cast Thunderstorm once, it takes a decade to recover. Lightning Step depends on the carrier's body and can be used many times."
Raven's eyes widened. The Throne forced him to answer… and he didn't even notice.
"So the stronger the spell, the longer the recharge." Raven nodded. "Then how do you gather lightning element energy? Lightning doesn't exist in the atmosphere."
"In Ancaria," Levinthar replied, "storms rage every night. Lightning is abundant."
"Ancaria?" Elizabeth repeated. "That isn't in Ivory Island or the mainland."
"Aren't you from Evernight Citadel? Ashfall? Your accents… you're different."
The serpent's eyes hardened with sudden realization.
"Are you from beyond the Nightmare Sea?"
Silence swallowed the room.
Elizabeth whispered, "A different continent…"
"It's possible," Raven said—and winced as something stabbed his mind. A sharp migraine bloomed behind his eyes.
Too long in the Throne? Or too much connection?
He forced himself upright.
"Let's leave the rest for later. What's the boy's name?"
"Nova," Levinthar answered. "He's mortal. And this is his first time seeing my true form."
"Mortal… yet living with an Arcane Fragment." Raven's mind swirled.
"Tell me about Ancaria."
Levinthar tilted his head. "We don't have wizards. We have immortal beings called Warlords. Ancaria is only one of the three cities in the Nyxara Realm."
Warlords… not Warlocks? Nyxara Realm?
Raven wanted to ask more—but his headache sharpened like a blade.
"Enough for now. We'll meet again in seven days."
Levinthar blinked. "Seven days? You mean when the moon enters the Waning Crescent?"
Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Today is the new moon here too. That means… they're from the same world."
Raven stared at her. She knows about other worlds?
He pushed that aside. "From now on, let's use aliases. Nova will be 'Whisperer.' Keep real names hidden."
He leaned back on the iron throne and waved a hand. Space buckled.
"Meeting adjourned."
A suction force tore through the hall. Elizabeth, Whis, Levinthar, Nova—vanished like candle flames in a gust.
The hall dimmed.
Raven staggered slightly, rubbing his temple. "Zera… there's a lot you need to hear."
He recounted everything—the summonings, the boy, the continent, the Warlords.
[Nyxara… why does that name ring a bell?]
Zera fell into a moment of heavy silence.
[During the next meeting, learn everything about these Warlords—their strength, their pathways.]
"What do you think about the Throne?" Raven muttered. "Feels like all it does is connect fragments."
[No.]
Zera's voice deepened.
[This is like a Divine Throne. The stronger it grows, the more absolute your power becomes.]
"Divine… throne?" Raven blinked.
[Built from divinities—merged elementally. It belongs to the Divine Pathway, fueled by faith. A Demigod can form a Divine Throne within their Sea of Consciousness and manifest a Divine Realm—an entire world. Unbreakable. All-powerful within its borders.]
Raven's breath hitched.
"And this artifact…?"
[Merlin must have modeled it after a Divine Throne. The fragments act as divinities.]
"But with only two fragments, this Throne is just a small meeting room."
[It's because Elizabeth and that boy are not gods—they are champions. If the god they're tied to has weak divinity, then outside their divine realm… a god is nothing more than a weakling.]
Zera paused before concluding:
[Strengthen the Throne, Raven. Before someone else does.]
Raven sat on the edge of the bed, fingers steepled.
"So I need to gather fragments for myself?"
[Yes. But first—you'll need help capturing the Owl and forcing a contract.] Zera's voice echoed calmly.
"A helper…" Raven's mind flashed to Judith—then immediately shut the thought down. He trusted her, yes. But only a fool acted without caution.
Zera continued:
[Then we have no choice. Over the next few days, I'll drain the Time energy stored within the Owl fragment. If it weakens enough, signing a contract becomes trivial.]
Raven nodded slowly. "That… is much better."
He finally let his body sink into the mattress. Sleep took him faster than expected.
—
He rested a full day before departing the Capital.
—
January 12th, Year 1422 — Rune Era
The Holmes Mansion's old gates opened just as Raven stepped onto the path. Jacob, Selene, Emanuel, and the others had lined up at the entrance, expressions respectful, eyes bright with curiosity.
"Did anything happen while I was away?" Raven asked as he crossed the threshold.
"Nothing major, My Lord," Emanuel reported, carrying a binder against his chest.
Raven glanced at Jacob. "The letter I gave you—?"
"Delivered, My Lord," Jacob replied. "Lady Judith also asked us to wait at the Crown's Tavern for a week. And… she left this."
He produced a wooden box from his spatial ring.
Raven opened it—six neatly arranged vials glowed in faint elemental colors.
High-rank affinity potions.
He stored them silently. "Good. All of you—focus on training."
His tone brooked no argument. The group dispersed.
Raven ascended to his third-floor bedroom, locked the door, and pulled out a blank magic contract parchment. Ink and pen followed.
His expression hardened.
"Let the Owl out."
White smoke burst from his chest and twisted into a crystalline-feathered owl with impossibly lucid eyes.
"You—you will pay for thi—ACK!"
Raven's hand flashed forward, fingers clamping around its slender neck.
"Sign the contract," he said, voice calm, "or I'll snap this form into dust."
The Owl's eyes flared. "Humph! Try it!"
Raven smiled thinly.
"Zera told me something interesting. Destroying your form won't kill you. But it puts you into a long sleep. And if I seal your fragment in an iron box and drop you into the deep sea—or bury you in an abandoned well—"
The Owl froze.
"Now," Raven whispered, tightening his grip, "sign. Or sleep forever."
"W-Wait! I'll sign! I'll sign!" it panicked.
"Good." Raven set it down and retrieved a monocle from his inventory. He hooked it over his left eye.
"What is your real name?"
The Owl trembled.
Golden light rippled through Raven's vision.
[ Name: Solis, the Timekeeper Owl ]
Rank: Arcane Fragment
Description: An ancient artifact forged during the Agith Era, one of Merlin's Twelve Arcane Fragments. Holds dominion over time and foresight.
Abilities:
Foresight – Grants visions of the near future (up to 1 day). (Cooldown: 1/day) The Words of Eternity – Allows writing long-distance prophecies under timeless enlightenment. (Cooldown: 1/month) Time Stop – Freezes the world for 30 seconds. (Cooldown: 1/year) Regressor's Sight – Peer 10 years into one's own future and inherit all knowledge and experience. Requires Ruler's Throne approval. (Cooldown: 1/century)
Bonding Notes:
– Strongest under the wielder of the Ruler's Throne
– Excessive use may cause memory loss or personality distortion
– Reveals future flow but cannot easily alter fate
[Regressor's Sight? That's a spell only gods of time possess.]
Even Zera sounded shaken.
[Merlin truly was a monster… But the cooldown is brutal.]
Raven sliced his forefinger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the contract.
"Solis. Your turn."
"I don't have blood," the Owl said softly.
"Then put your spirit imprint."
Solis shivered, released a faint spirit wisp, and touched the parchment.
A golden owl glyph blossomed across the paper.
Light engulfed the sheet—it unraveled into particles and vanished.
The Owl's illusionary form glowed, then dissolved into a crystalline amulet.
"Imprint! Quick!" Solis yelped.
Raven caught the amulet, sent his spirit power through it, located the imprint array, and pressed his consciousness in.
The link snapped into place—a rush of awareness tugged at his mind.
The consciousness inside is fading…
He steadied his breath, summoned Time elemental power from both elemental circlets, and poured it into the amulet.
Solis's fading consciousness flickered back.
"How much is needed for Foresight?" Raven asked.
"A hundred more charges."
Raven narrowed his eyes.
5 minutes per recharge… eight to nine hours for one use.
"And Words of Eternity?"
"Ten thousand charges. But with Rank-1 or Rank-2 Time crystals, I can cast instantly."
Raven's eyelid twitched.
Time crystals. I've never even seen one.
"Time Stop and Regressor's Sight?"
"100,000 and 10 million," Solis answered.
Raven stared blankly.
He did the math.
"… Eight hours for Foresight. Thirty-four days for Words of Eternity. Three hundred forty-seven days for Time Stop. Ninety-five years for Regressor's Sight."
"And that's if I never sleep."
"Unless you reach Rank-2 and accelerate your circlets by twenty times," Solis added helpfully. "Or find crystals."
Raven sighed and hung the amulet around his neck.
"For now, I'll only use the first skill."
He picked up the black compass again.
The moment his fingers touched it, a whirl of suction tore at his mind—
—and the world dissolved as both his and Solis's consciousnesses were pulled inside.