“...... Hammer of Fire?"

A vague shadow appeared in Ed's mind, as if he had seen it smash into the sky with flames that could melt everything: "The hammer of the dwarven god Hawke?"

That's what the pastor said. Tess pouted.

"No way. Isis said disdainfully, "The weapon of the gods cannot be lifted by man under any circumstances, and besides, you think that the legend says that Hawke has a hammer...... Is that really a hammer?"

"That's ...... A hammer forged from a spark that jumped out of Hawke's furnace. Ed closed his eyes and said in a bitter voice, "The Heart of the Mountains is formed in the same flames. ...... between them There is some kind of connection. ”

In whose hands is that hammer held...... What did it hit again? It made his heart ache like it cracked.

A cool hand slapped on his head, and the gray mist that filled the air and was about to submerge him suddenly dissipated.

Isis withdrew his hand, his lips moving slightly, his gaze darting over Naria, and nothing was spoken.

"Are you sleepy because you've eaten too much?" Tess craned her neck and looked at him expectantly, "Me too!"

"You're so refreshed that you can eat a few more meals. Iss scoffed at the small shortbread she was holding in her hand.

“...... So, if we had to sit here and talk about all these headaches, would we have a supper tonight?" Tess sighed, regretfully replacing it with a more hopeful goal.

Naria glanced at her meaningfully.

"Okay. Tess continued sadly, "Anyway, that's it, the shaggy priest found the gem on me. He knew what it was...... It seems to know instinctively. ”

"That is, you tried to lie to him, but you didn't. Naria was merciless in exposing her.

Tess snorted twice unhappily, not denying it.

"He said it was a dwarf. She took two bites of the little shortbread as if she were angry, puffed out her cheeks and complained vaguely, "What! That thing is so close to them, I don't know how many years they have buried it, they haven't dug it up, and when I have worked hard to get it, it will become theirs if it is theirs?

The little mongoose chirped twice, a completely different voice, as indulgent and helpless as the elf who had called out "Tes!" countless times before.

"So, what did you trade it for?" Narya couldn't help laughing, "I bet you didn't suffer." ”

"I've suffered a great loss!" exclaimed Tess unconvinced, "if he hadn't clung to my legs and cried so much that his beard was knotted...... If I hadn't seen them crazy and pathetic all over the hole, I wouldn't have agreed anyway! You know, he smashed my gem! Right in front of me, he smashed it with his broken hammer!"

"And then?" Naria propped her chin and didn't ask what she had exchanged.

Tess was silent for a moment.

She remembered the splendor of that moment...... She has no way of describing it in words. Fragments of light flew from under the hammer like sparks, blooming bright and dazzling flowers, and in the mine, which had been dark and without a few fires, suddenly, like a sky of stars, hung upside down, hanging within her reach, not as cold as when she looked up, but breathing like life, falling together, light and dark, as if you could hear a wonderful melody turning between each star, magnificent and harmonious, like the waves on the sea and the wind in the woods, like the noise of the old street market and the desolation of the Far North Ice Field. The light and melody passed through her body, permeating the mountains, and at that moment, it seemed as if even she could see the brilliant gems hidden deep underground, the golden and silver rivers flowing between the rocks, and there was an incomparable beauty beyond the symbol of "wealth".

"That's it...... It's pretty good, like fireworks. She described it dryly.

Touching his chest and saying that even if he lost that jewel, it didn't seem so heartbreaking to be able to see that scene.

"And then?" asked Ed, cooperatively.

"Then the dwarves were back to normal. Tess spread her hands, though Norway feared it wouldn't last long. He was also worried about ......"

She subconsciously lowered her eyes to look at the little mongoose and closed her mouth.

"Worried that the elves will lose their talents and become insane like the dwarves?" Iss raised an eyebrow, thoughtful, "Indeed...... Sooner or later, too. ”

Tess glared at him angrily, everyone knew it, why did they have to say it!

Naria's concern was something else.

"The other dwarves......" she asked softly, "will it be like this?"

"You're worried about Mock?" Ed immediately understood.

Naria nodded. She knew she should see something more serious...... But she was more worried about her friend.

"Quite possibly. "And that's probably just the beginning." ”

When the gods are left with insufficient power to sustain the rules they have set, when those rules are deliberately broken, the effect is not limited to the fact that the mage can no longer cast spells, and the priest's prayers will no longer be answered in any way...... Everything the gods have created will gradually fall apart until a new force can reconnect everything.

Where is that power? in the sea of nothingness...... Or is it hidden deep in the world itself?

"And!" Tess remembered, "the dwarven priest has gone crazy after this...... It's not crazy, it's just sitting there gnawing on his fingers and giggling, laughing so much that his saliva comes out, and he doesn't even want his precious hammer......"

Her voice lowered.

Does the dwarf know what he's going to pay, if so...... Will he still be so unhesitating?

Ed and Ise exchanged a look, they had learned the same thing from a distant story.

"If the gods are gone...... "Ed muttered, "there will never be any more true saints?"

"Maybe it's just that they can't withstand the impact of too much force?" said Iss, "and there is always a limit to how thick a dwarf's skull is. ”

"But I'm all right!" said Tess, "and I'm standing next to him!"

"That's probably because you didn't have anything in your skull!" said Iss, angrily.

“...... Sweetheart!" Tess immediately turned to Naria with a small wrinkled face.

Nalya grinned and stroked her head.

"That'...... What about the hammer?" Ed finally asked.

"No," Tess said, "turned into a pile of scrap metal." If it weren't for their king's reasonableness, those ungrateful little short-legged men would have almost planted this on our heads!"

Ed breathed a sigh of relief inexplicably.

There seems to be one more thing that is different from "before", does that prove that he will never fall into the same failure and despair again?