The white boat glides towards the island in the middle of the lake. The shadows of the clouds swayed, ripples spread out from the side of the ship like a fish's tail, and the soft sound of the water was like nothing, and there was a quiet power in the fragments, which gradually calmed Ed's mood.

He stood on the bow of the ship and looked out at the ancient temple on the island that had existed thousands of years ago and had been built by someone who had built it. The simple gray and white stone walls are hidden among the green trees, and they are quiet and do not fall down.

It would be nice to rest here in a few decades - the thought came to mind.

Ed then realizes that he still hasn't really come to terms with who he is.

He still thinks of himself as an ordinary man, a hundred years old, sleeping peacefully in a dark tomb, with little by little light returning to dust...... But the body of the saint does not remain in this world at all, and when life is gone, the body will also pass away.

Since ancient times, it has been believed that this is the privilege of the gods to the Holy One—that only the spirit and flesh of the Holy One can exist in the whole world of all beings, just as the gods themselves.

So there is no funeral for the Holy One...... They didn't really die.

Ed always felt that something was wrong with this, but could not find any clearer records. Icabold would never give him a direct answer, Sean never listened to similar questions, and Iss ...... He wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear his answer.

In deep thought, the boat shook slightly and stopped.

Ed looked up and was surprised to see that the old priest who had been standing there was standing quietly on the shore of the lake.

It's the first time they've met...... If it weren't for Tim's death, no one seemed to think of telling him. There is also such a secluded priest on the island.

The old priest's gaze swept over the Staff of Eternity clenched in Ed's hand, and he bowed slightly, his skin as dry as paper. Every wrinkle is unmoving, and it looks like a mask.

- He was so old that he almost crawled out of a grave after lying in it for hundreds of years.

Frightened by his disrespectful thoughts, Ed nodded in return, and jumped out of the boat in a panic, helping him tow the boat to the shore despite Eric's silent objections.

Another small boat also docked not far away—Browder cautiously sent two more paladins, apparently to keep Ed safe. But no one seems to think that there is any danger on this small island, which was once a real "holy place".

They lifted Tim's body, and Eric followed Ed's closely. Follow the old priest down the gravel path.

“...... What should I call him?" Ed asked Eric in a low voice, remembering that he didn't even know the old priest's name.

"We all just call him 'Priest,' ......" Eric replied with respect, "he has given up his name, dear...... Gave up everything that mortals had. Exists only as a servant of the goddess. ”

Ed nodded. The mood was a little mixed - he knew that it would be disrespectful to show doubts about such devotion and devotion, especially as a saint...... But is it really necessary?

Gave up on himself...... Can we really get closer to God?

The path is so narrow that only two people can walk side by side. I don't know how many years the huge oak trees have grown here, the stretched branches and leaves are staggered above their heads, and under the green shade, the white chickweed flowers on the roadside are like snow, so that Ed can't help but feel a little cool.

At the end of the road is a meadow. Bright yellow aconitum dotted with it. There are no fountains in the meadows that are found everywhere in the Temple of Collins, only a circular pool. It is embedded in the middle of the grass like a mirror. The limestone buildings on the other side of the meadow are not high, but they are as thick and square as the castles of a thousand years ago, and although there are no walls for defense, they also have a kind of closure that repels people...... Even indifference.

Walking through the door of the old temple, the light suddenly dimmed. The main hall was much larger and taller than Ed had imagined, but it was as deep as the earth, and the only light came from the depths of the main hall, where a faint light fell from the sky above the head of a tall statue.

That's supposed to be Nyo—that's Nyo, of course. But Ed had never seen such a statue of Ni'o, the goddess carved out of rough limestone stood there straight, looking strong and powerful, one hand drooping, the other flat to his chest, the palm of the hand spread out was empty, and the expressionless face was deep and stern to the point of coldness.

Ed lowered his gaze, and the faintly visible human faces in the waves of the goddess's skirt had become blurred, their eyes wide open, and their mouths wide open at the same time, as if crying out in despair in the midst of the imminent extinction of the waves......

Ed looked away, slightly uneasy, to remember the older legends that were now regarded as a motherly and gentle goddess of water, and in ancient times, feared for her fury and ruthlessness. The Viinz River has been diverted several times, and the flooded old city of Visa is still hidden under the mud and sand at the bottom of the river, but people seem to have forgotten their fears after centuries of tranquility.

There was a closed wooden door to the left of the idol, which needed no guidance, and Ed knew it led to the cemetery. He could faintly feel the breath of death, dark and quiet......

The footsteps naturally went to the right, but they were pulled back by a call of surprise.

"Sage?" Eric cried, "this way. ”

Ed turned back a little embarrassed, and met the old priest's thoughtful gaze, and in the dim light, the old man's iron-gray eyes looked unusually clear.

The wooden door to the right of the idol is open, and the narrow stone steps extend up and down at the same time. Ed followed closely behind the old priest and watched as he lit the torches on the walls in turn, the warm flames driving away the darkness and the uneasiness in his heart, but at the same time he couldn't help but wonder a little - the magic of the Temple of Collins was everywhere, and everything here seemed to be even more ...... Simplicity and nature, or is there something he doesn't know about here, the taboo of "no magic"?

The tomb is not deep. Behind a stone door, on either side of the long corridor, gray and white sarcophagi are quietly and neatly arranged, with no statues of the deceased, no tombstones or epitaphs, and no bouquets of flowers from loved ones...... Only the familiar sign on the lid of the coffin, and the simple name under the sign.

"If someone wants to come here to pay their respects to their dead loved ones...... Can they come here?" Ed finally couldn't help but ask.

“...... We usually advise them to put their flowers in Lake Starnestle, and the water will naturally convey their thoughts. Eric replied vaguely.

――It means no.

Ed frowned slightly. It may not mean much to the deceased, but it is different for the living......

"Earlier, the bodies of the priesthood would have been sunk into the lake. The old priest's voice sounded faintly, "There is no sarcophagus, no cemetery, no name...... We are born out of nothingness and return to nothingness. Everything will be forgotten and missed...... And it doesn't make sense. ”

Ed suppressed the urge to retort and followed in his footsteps in silence. After turning a corner to the left, the old priest stopped near the end.

"Here. He said.

The sarcophagus is prepared, with the lid leaning to the side. Ed watched as the two paladins carefully placed Tim's body in the sarcophagus, carefully arranging his brand-new white robes, and placing his staff beside him...... It's just that for Tim, who is not tall, this sarcophagus seems to be a little too big.

Then they closed the lid and stood in front of the coffin, praying in a low voice one last time. In the midst of the prayers, Eric swung a hammer and chisel and earnestly engraved Tim's name on the lid.

"The dead are eternal. The old priest whispered behind Ed, his voice drifting through the air like dust.

- Didn't he just say that everything is nothing?

Ed thought to himself, feeling that something was wrong.

As he was leaving, his gaze inadvertently fell on a nearby sarcophagus and he involuntarily stopped.

“...... Scott...... Christus?" he muttered the name carved into the sarcophagus, realizing that the surprise in his tone was probably too obvious.

The people here apparently don't know that Scott is still alive...... But who's in the sarcophagus?

"It's empty inside. ”

The old priest seemed to see his doubt, "Almost all the people who died in that war are buried in Stonebugch, but they have never found Scott Criess, dead or alive...... A few years ago, Sean Fletcher carved Scott's name here, and there was only one sword he used to use in it. ”

Ed could only nod haphazardly and hurried away. He couldn't imagine Sean's mood at that time...... I can't imagine how Sean would feel when he knew who Scott was now.

- I don't even know where Sean is now.

He reminded himself in chagrin and quickened his pace.

When he returned to the statue of the goddess, he involuntarily stopped and looked at the wooden door on his left.

He can't be wrong with his feelings...... The tomb of the priest was quiet but not cold, behind the door...... But there is a more real death.

"Where does that door lead?" he asked, looking back.

The old priest's answer was unsurprising.

"Old tombs. He said, "Not of the priesthood...... In the past, there would have been devout believers who wished to be buried here, and some of them would have been accepted...... Including the last king of the Chrysian dynasty. ”

Ed's eyes widened in surprise.

Legend has it that Osborne Krices died in the rebellion, his head cut off and planted on a stake outside the city of Visa to terrorize his followers who still refused to give up their resistance, and his decomposing body was burned to ashes and scattered into the Viinz River...... To this day, people in the city of Visa pour a glass of red wine into the river on that day to secretly commemorate the unfortunate king. He may not be a perfect king, but he is still a heart-wrenching hero.

Ed hesitated, and suddenly longed to see the king, the final resting place of his ancestors. But now there are a lot more pressing things......

There was a slight flash of white light in front of him, and Ed looked up in surprise at the top of the Staff of Eternity.

(To be continued......)