Chapter 173 - Episode 173: Land Of Sigrid.
Chapter 173 – Episode 173: Land Of Sigrid.
We see an altar inside the building with floating white flames around it. We both are approaching the altar and there's a huge book that I will need both hands to flip the pages on it. We look at the book and there's writing on it. I lean my head toward the book because the words are too small for me to read.
"The Sea of Inferno will bring you to the Land of Victory. The Sea of Inferno will devour those who are not worthy and will ascend those who are worthy. The blood of a Hero is needed, the blood that is running from the veins of the Hero that has tasted a victory to feed the hungry flames."
I look at all the floating flames around the altar and then grab a dagger on my inventory. I cut my left wrist and lifts my left arm to offer my blood to the flames. The flames start moving and floating toward my wrist. The flame is not hot and it's actually cold. I keep looking at the flames that are slowly getting bigger and bigger and then combined into one.
The flame is flickering and suddenly burst and filled the whole room with a blazing flame. I don't feel anything and just watch the whole building is burning by the white flame. Then a portal is forming in front of the altar. I walk toward the portal and touch it, then in an instant, blinding white light is hitting my eyes. I close my eyes and as soon as I open my eyes again, I'm standing in the middle of the massive room. The room that I was trying so hard to kill the Guardian that protects the door into the Land of Sigrid. I can see the golem is standing still next to the massive door. I approach it and it's not moving.
[Guardian (???)
Level: ???
HP: ???
STA: ???
ATK: ???
DEF: ???
MDEF: ???]
I'm scoffing and shaking my head.
"To think that you're not blocking my path this time is making me so annoyed."
The guardian then starts moving and looks at me. I'm surprised and backing away a bit.
"I'm just kidding!"
The guardian then backing me and turns out he's opening the door for me. The ground starts shaking and as soon as the door is slightly open, bright light and the breeze are so strong that I have to cover my eyes from the dirt. I keep my eyes covered while watching the guardian is opening the door. When the door is fully opened I can tell that this is the same forest when we were summoned by the Betelgeuse. Without wasting any time, I immediately run and find the tower where all the Heroes of Orion are after I thank the guardian.
I'm standing next to the tower and put my hand on the wall. A door is opening and I get inside the tower. I'm finally back to the Land of Sigrid and this time the Heroes that were feasting and celebrating our victory are no longer here. I can only see a few of them on this floor, and they are just living peacefully while enjoying the day. I walk deeper and then one of them is noticing that someone is entered the Land of Sigrid. I look at his equipment and weapon, I immediately know who he is, Cleadlyn.
Cleadlyn is looking at me and raises his eyebrows.
"You must be Trevor. Lady Ezira requested us to stay down here to wait for you. Follow me, and I will call of her."
I look at Cleadlyn while tilting my head.
"You can't bring me to her?"
Cleadlyn looks at me and smiles while shaking his head.
"I personally cannot bring you to her since she lives on the 7776th floor. I can only go up to the 1500th floor since I do not have the deeds to be able to go higher than that."
I'm humming with confusion.
"This tower has that many floors?"
Cleadlyn nods in agreement.
"Yes. There are 7777 floors in total."
I'm shocked and look at the ceiling of this floor.
"That many? So basically you're saying that Ezira is living on top of the tower?"
Cleadlyn nods.
"Yes, that is true. All the 7 legendary heroes are living on the 7770th to 7776th floors. Lady Obrellian is living on the 7770th floor, Lady Eveth is living on the 7771st floor, Lady Loslathan is living on the 7772nd floor, Lord Aldran is living on the 7773rd floor, Lord Vezolan is living on the 7774th floor, and Lord Artas is living on the 7775th floor. Lastly, Lady Ezira is living on the 7776th floor."
I'm humming with understanding and even though I couldn't see the end of the tower from outside. I thought this tower has less than 1000 floors, but after knowing there are more than 7000 floors, it's still hard to believe.
"So who lives on the 7777th floor?"
Cleadlyn is looking at the ceiling.
"The people of the Orion that have passed away. The Paradise City."
I'm confused.
"Wait, is it big enough for them to live there? I know that each floor is big enough to fit a hundred thousand people, but there should be more than 10 million people up there, right?"
Cleadlyn is chuckling and shaking his head.
"I think you misunderstanding something, but I am not surprised since you have never been in here. It is true that the floor here is vast, but the truth is, every floor has a different size. We are on the ground floor and this is the 214th biggest floor in the tower. The Paradise City is the biggest floor in the tower with no ceiling. To put it simply, the Paradise City is a thousand times bigger than the ground floor. You will not be able to see it from outside the tower from here with your naked eyes since the sky and the clouds are blocking the view. You will be able to see it on the 1000th floor, and you will be amazed at how big the Paradise City is."
Cleadlyn then looks at me. He continues.
"The smallest floors are actually where the 7 legendary heroes are living. It is a hundredth time smaller of this place."
I'm humming with understanding.
"So, all the people of Orion that have passed away are living in the Paradise City?"
Cleadlyn shakes his head.
"Not all of them, since there are so many people that have more bad deeds during their lifetime in the Orion. Those who have lived with so many good deeds or died from sacrificing themselves for the greater good will be ascending to the Paradise City. Those who lived with so many bad deeds will not ascend to the Paradise City, they will be reborn without knowing their past life. They will stay in the Orion until they paid off all their bad deeds, then they will be able to ascend to the Paradise City."
I'm humming with understanding while nodding.
"So basically if those people that got reborn keep doing bad deeds, they will stay down there until the end of time?"
Cleadlyn nods in agreement.
"That is correct."
I look at him and tilt my head.
"Then why are you heroes not living in the Paradise City?"
Cleadlyn smiles.
"It is because we are the Heroes of the Orion. We live and serve the people of Orion, and we will always be like that no matter where we are. Our job is to protect and make sure that those people that live in the Paradise City can live peacefully without a threat. That is why we live below them and keep them away from any harm."
I'm squinting my eyes and looks at him with suspicion.
"A threat? Isn't this place is free from any threat?"
Cleadlyn is smirking and chuckling.
"You will know when you know…"
I'm starting to questioning everything. There's so much information that I need to digest and not a single of them is less important. If what Cleadlyn says is true, then this place is not that different from the Orion. I need more information about this threat that Cleadlyn is talking about to Ezira. To think that there's something brave enough to threatened the Heroes of the Orion, that makes me feel uneasy. If they can call it a threat, that means something is stronger than the invasion bosses do exist in this world.
I look up and sigh.
"Can I enter the Paradise City?"
Cleadlyn is looking at me and humming while rubbing his chin.
"I cannot take you there since you have known that I cannot go further than 1500th floor. There are no heroes that can enter the Paradise City except the 7 legendary heroes. So, to answer your question, you need to ask one of the 7 legendary heroes to bring you up there."
I'm humming with understanding.
"I see…"
So I need to ask for their help so I can enter the Paradise City. I grab the letter from Hacal from my inventory.
"Leonia, Hermia, I will give this letter to you both as soon as possible…"