Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert-Chapter 490

Chapter 490

High Priestess Tamulana.

No one knew her true age.

Even back in Kurayan, before the High Elves crossed into Earth, there had never been one who had lived longer than she.

High Elves already lived far longer than ordinary Elves, but even among them, Tamulana’s lifespan was exceptional.

The current village leader, Latricia, was over three hundred years old. Yet Tamulana had served not only her, but three leaders before her, four in total, officially.

She was, in every sense, a living fossil.

Through countless ages, Tamulana had never once caused discord. She had faithfully assisted each leader and firmly established herself as the spiritual pillar of all High Elves.

So when she suddenly changed overnight, no one could understand why.

But once Tamulana fell to darkness, the High Elves were driven into a state more wretched than beasts.

When Brielle first returned to the village, her people rejected her, because the scent of humans clung to her skin.

Among High Elves, anyone tainted with the smell of humanity was no longer kin.

For such a one to be accepted again, she had to undergo a trial decreed by the leader, a rite known among them as the Trial of Coolon.

The Trial of Coolon consisted of three ordeals so harsh that no ordinary High Elf could ever hope to pass them.

In the past thousand years, not a single soul had succeeded.

Yet when Brielle returned home, she declared she would face the Trial.

Most High Elves believed she would give up before finishing even the first test.

But to their surprise, Brielle completed the first trial with dignity.

The way the High Elves looked at her changed, only slightly, but undeniably.

Brielle then challenged the second trial.

It was twice as difficult as the first, and far more dangerous, enough to claim her life.

Indeed, most who had ever attempted the Trial of Coolon had perished in that second stage.

Naturally, they all expected Brielle to either surrender midway or die.

But again, she defied their expectations.

Though it took a long time and left her badly wounded, Brielle endured and passed the second trial.

Only then did the High Elves’ eyes truly begin to change.

They no longer saw her as a filthy creature tainted by humans, but as a companion who had returned from her journey abroad, slowly, grudgingly, they began to welcome her back.

When she prepared for the third trial, many High Elves tried to stop her.

The third was far more perilous than the second.

But Brielle was determined, she would not be truly recognized until she conquered it.

And that third trial was brutal beyond words.

She came close to death more than once, yet never gave up.

It was then that Brielle revealed her trump card, the Spirit of Wind, Riri.

The moment Riri appeared, the High Elf village was thrown into chaos.

High Elves had always believed that spirits could not exist on Earth.

That any spirit could be born or survive here was beyond imagination.

And yet, here was Brielle, a High Elf who had lived among humans, summoning a true spirit before their very eyes.

The entire village was struck dumb.

No one was more shocked than Latricia, the village leader, and High Priestess Tamulana.

Tamulana’s astonishment bordered on madness.

She immediately declared that the third trial should be stopped and Brielle accepted as one of them.

But Latricia refused. The rules must stand.

Bound by the leader’s decision, Tamulana stepped back, though her face was clouded with displeasure.

After an intense struggle, Brielle finally completed the third trial.

For the first time in High Elf history, someone had passed the Trial of Coolon perfectly.

Brielle was no longer a tainted outcast.

She had become the only High Elf on Earth to possess a Spirit.

Her status could not help but change.

The High Elves had endless questions for her, most of all, how she had obtained a spirit.

But Brielle was far too exhausted and wounded to answer.

She needed rest. She needed healing.

“That was when Tamulana suddenly turned on her. She subdued Brielle and took her captive. Then she overpowered Lady Latricia and the other elders with a mysterious force.”

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

The High Elves, caught completely off guard, could do nothing.

Levin’s face twisted in disbelief.

“You mean to tell me an entire race of High Elves couldn’t stop one priestess?”

Narha shook her head.

“She wasn’t alone. There were… soldiers. Strange ones.”

“Strange?”

“They were pitch black from head to toe, soldiers that could not be wounded or killed.

Magic didn’t work on them, and neither did the blades of our warriors.”

Levin frowned.

“You’re saying such monsters exist?”

“They’re guarding our brothers and sisters even now. That’s why I obey Tamulana’s orders. If I resist, those things will slaughter them.”

High Elves had always cherished their kin above all.

To abandon brothers and sisters was unthinkable, and Tamulana knew it.

That was why she did not post black soldiers to oversee the flower harvesters.

Zeon asked quietly.

“How many of these soldiers are there?”

“Many. At least several hundred, from what I saw.”

“I see.”

Zeon nodded slowly.

That was all Narha knew.

It had all happened so fast that even she had only fragments of information, but it was enough for Zeon.

Following Narha’s lead, they reached the barrier’s entrance.

As she approached, the passage opened on its own.

“I’ll go first. If nothing happens, it’s safe to follow.”

“Understood.”

She stepped through the barrier.

A moment later, no alarms sounded.

Zeon was the first to enter after her, followed by the rest.

Tesserina’s copied bracelets worked flawlessly, they passed through without a hitch.

Soon, all of them stood safely inside the High Elf village.

Narha waited for them just beyond the barrier.

Tesserina smiled with satisfaction.

“The barrier reacted to the copies perfectly. They won’t know we entered.”

“Good work.”

“Hehe.”

At Zeon’s praise, Tesserina’s lips curved upward, faintly pleased.

Zeon turned his gaze over the scene before him.

The High Elf village spread out in silence.

It wasn’t so different from other elven settlements, houses built from stone and sand gathered nearby, simple and bare.

With so few materials available, they had little choice.

The village lay encircled by tall cliffs, riddled with cave dwellings like a vast anthill.

Only two days ago, Zeon had been gazing upon the dazzling skyline of Neo-Seoul.

Now, standing here, it felt as though he had stepped back into a primitive age.

Narha smiled bitterly.

“This was the best we could manage. Everything in this world has withered, even the materials to build homes are scarce. So we built with stone and sand.”

“How do you get food?”

“The same as other elves here, we hunt beasts.” 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

“I see.”

In Kurayan, elves had never eaten meat.

Blessed by the World Tree, they had lived as vegetarians.

But on Earth, such luxury was impossible.

Nothing grew on the dead, dried land.

In the end, they had been forced to eat flesh.

At first, many refused, and starved. But hunger breaks all pride.

One by one, they gave in, until the entire race became meat-eaters.

It was the fastest, most drastic transformation in High Elf history.

“Do you deliver the Dark Blooms directly to the High Priestess?” Zeon asked.

“No. We hand them to her priests. Whatever she’s doing, Tamulana never shows herself.”

“I see.”

Zeon nodded.

The village was deathly quiet, so still it was hard to believe anyone lived there.

“First, we secure Brielle’s safety. Levin.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Find her and protect her.”

“And you?”

“I’m going to meet the High Priestess.”

“Got it.”

Levin nodded firmly.

Zeon turned to Tesserina.

“Tesserina.”

“Say it.”

“Find the imprisoned High Elves with Lemura.”

“Leave it to me.”

“Lemura.”

“Yes, Zeon hyung.”

“Heal the wounded. With your ability, it shouldn’t be difficult.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Zeon’s gaze shifted to Narha.

“Lady Narha.”

“Yes?”

“Act as you normally would. Don’t let them suspect anything.”

“Understood.”

She nodded.

She still didn’t truly know Zeon’s power, yet somehow, she trusted him completely.

And she remembered Brielle’s words:

“Zeon is the ruler of the desert. There’s nothing he cannot do once he decides it.”

At the time, Narha hadn’t understood.

No matter how strong, a human was still human.

Humans had limits, as individuals, at least.

They were neither as agile as elves, nor as powerful as beastkin.

Even awakened humans rarely bridged that gap.

In her mind, a High Elf Awakened would always surpass a human one.

But seeing Zeon now, she began to think Brielle might have been right.

It was strange, to feel such absolute faith in a man she’d only just met.

Zeon asked,

“Where is the High Priestess’s dwelling?”

“The largest building in the village. That’s where we enshrine our goddess, Lady Ciela, goddess of harmony.”

“The High Elves still worship gods? Even though the gods of your world must have faded by now.”

“Of course, gods can fade… but Lady Ciela, one of the Twelve Divine, is not so easily extinguished. She merely sleeps when her power wanes. Even if she awakens, though, in this ruined world her strength would be faint.”

A god’s power was sustained by faith.

The more believers, the greater their strength.

That was the difference between gods and dragons.

A dragon grew stronger with age, never weaker.

But a god could vanish if no one believed.

Even in Kurayan, countless gods had once existed, but only the Twelve Divine remained, the rest sleeping or gone.

And even those Twelve could not regain power on Earth, where no one remembered them.

That was the fate of gods.

Zeon nodded slightly at her words.

He didn’t care much for gods.

Earth belonged to humans, and there was no place for divine beings here.

At least, not yet.

“Then, let’s begin.”

“Yes!”

“Alright.”

“Yes, hyung!”

“Yes, Lord Zeon!”

Four voices answered in unison.

They split up, leaving Zeon alone.

He began walking toward the High Priestess’s sanctuary.

Under his breath, he murmured,

“Brielle… you know we’re here, don’t you? Just hold on a little longer. This will be over soon.”