The Awakening of the Dream Sovereign

Another Wish Festival had arrived.

The people of the City of Lights gathered before the Miracle Temple, each holding a lamp. This sight could be found nowhere else but in the City of Lights.

Lamps held special meaning for the people of the City of Lights.

If Dream Sovereign Hila was their sun, blessing all with light and warmth, illuminating everyone's dreams and providing all with a path home, then their servant God Iva was the guiding lamp for mortals, pointing the way through life's fog and directing souls to their final rest.

And in the City of Lights, every Alchemist and every person served as bearers of Iva's Divine Flame.

Once, in the darkness of the wilderness, there had been but a single lamp when Iva stood upon the hillside illuminating the darkness.

But now each person held their lamp high, and viewed from above, the entire wilderness and city blazed with light.

Like wildfire spreading across the land, like stars filling the night sky.

Before the temple's white pillars stood a group of snake people wearing light-colored garments. Though their clothing was simple in hue, it draped with an elegant, graceful air.

Their garments fastened with copper rings decorated with intricate patterns.

The snake people moved with the natural grace of their kind as they swayed their tails.

Their faces held solemn expressions, reflecting their deep devotion.

Since their birth from Snake Mother Sermos, the snake people had labored generation after generation to finally achieve their current flourishing civilization.

Grand Elder Xin Ji of the City of Lights slowly emerged from within, approaching the steps.

In his hands he held his Divine Covenant, the Golden Lamp.

Now, he raised it high.

The Lamp Spirit howled forth from within, transforming into a Sacred Flame Entity.

It dove toward the crowd from above, and rather than fleeing, everyone in the square stood tall to welcome the descending Lamp Spirit.

Wherever the Lamp Spirit passed, people felt as if bathed in spring winds.

They sensed warm power flooding their bodies, not only dispelling fatigue but even clearing minor ailments.

This was Grand Elder Xin Ji's annual blessing, a grace unique to the Wish Festival.

"Followers of God," he called out.

"Raise your lamps high and face the Miracle Temple."

Xin Ji's voice rang out: "Let us offer our faith and devotion to the great Dream Sovereign, to the Divine Ruler of lamps, desire, and divinity."

Thousands of snake people coiled down in what resembled a kneeling position.

They lifted their lamps high, their voices joined as one in chanting sacred names.

Meanwhile, along the temple's side streets, groups of children waited eagerly.

"It's starting!"

"They're giving out gifts!"

The children surged forward as they saw the side hall's doors opening.

This hall differed completely from the main temple, lacking its sacred solemnity and instead filled with childlike wonder.

The entire hall gleamed golden, adorned with murals depicting Sacred Spirits.

In the murals, small spirits wearing golden robes danced among the clouds of the Spirit Country. One could see the Thread Kingdom made of yarn, rivers of oil, houses built of sugar cakes, and more.

There were also scenes from the Spirit Tales.

The colorful murals showed spirits riding hot air balloons, spirits coming to the mortal realm to form performance troupes, golden figures flitting like butterflies through streets at play.

Every painting radiated vibrant, bright colors.

It seemed that wherever spirits appeared, such brilliance must follow.

At the hall's center sat many large boxes.

The boxes were sealed, their contents completely hidden from view.

A Temple Priest told the children: "Each person may reach into a box and take one gift. You may take only one, and once taken, you cannot change your mind."

The children cheered and swarmed forward, forming lines in the hall.

As they waited, they gazed at the wall paintings and stories. All the children had read Tales of the Spirits and quickly recognized scenes from the stories.

Both older and younger children's faces shone with wonder and reverence for these Sacred Spirits and their beauty depicted in the tales.

When children reached the wooden boxes, they would usually announce their wishes aloud.

"I want new clothes," said a girl, her eyes bright with long-held hope.

"I want a book," another called out. Though books had existed in the City of Lights for some years now, they remained precious items, valuable not just for their paper but even more for the knowledge and words they contained.

"I want..."

Only after speaking their wishes would the children reach into the boxes to retrieve their gifts.

It was said that by declaring wishes aloud, one had a better chance of receiving what they desired.

The snake people had no New Year festival. For them, the Wish Festival was their most important celebration of the year.

The children of the City of Lights especially anticipated this day's arrival.

Not only did the temple distribute gifts, but many large and small Alchemy workshops, nobles, and merchants throughout the city would also give presents to children.

Many families prepared things to give their own children on this day as well.

On this day, the entire city filled with festive atmosphere and children's laughter.

At this moment, the Wish Festival ceremony in the square reached its crucial point as the Council of Elders hung their Divine Covenant Lamps on the temple's outer pillars. They would guard the Miracle Temple alongside the lamps until dawn.

A choir of over twenty pure maidens ascended the steps.

They wore pristine white dresses, and their leader held the world's first storybook: Tales of the Spirits.

The maiden held the book with reverence, its presence serving as a sacred artifact guiding the ritual.

She began singing the book's stories in a beautiful voice, using a simplified poetic version, as the original tales were too long.

This was the version widely circulated among the people.

The complete Tales of the Spirits could only be found among the city's Alchemists and some great nobles of Suinhor. Most people who managed to purchase copies received abridged versions.

For it was said these stories came directly from God's own lips.

Everyone believed the complete version held secrets known only to Divine Beings.

Thus those who obtained original copies guarded them preciously, and when making copies for others would remove content they believed related to divine secrets.

Nearby, temple musicians played their instruments. Soon melodious poetry and music filled the temple, carrying even into the city beyond.

Within the poetry's sound, invisible Wish-Power from the City of Lights transmitted through dreams and thoughts toward another world, transforming into golden beams of light.

No, not just from the City of Lights.

In the cities of the Suinhor city-states and even across the pastoral plains, Wish-Power likewise gathered and flowed toward the Dream Realm.

The Wish Festival existed not only in the City of Lights. This celebration and belief in Sacred Spirits had spread widely through the snake people's lands.

As Wish-Power continued flowing forth, it finally reached a critical point.

The Divine Cup in the Dream Realm had accumulated such power that it finally burst forth again with its ancient radiant glory.

That light illuminated every corner of God's realm, engulfing even the Pyramid Temple.

Mother of Life Shelly, standing upon her hot air balloon, suddenly turned toward the erupting Dream Sun. The sun and Divine Cup's reflection shimmered in her emerald eyes.

"Gururu?" she whispered in wonder.

Meanwhile, an astounding sight appeared in the City of Lights.

Layers of divine light suffused the night sky, dimming the heavens, clouds, and silver moon beneath its radiance.

The maiden choir's voices seemed to open a channel connecting mortals and divinity.

Their ethereal sounds carried skyward, opening a gate not of this world.

Before all eyes, circles of gold and rainbow light expanded outward.

That radiance fell to earth, making the night seem transformed to day.

Whether the mortals holding lamps high in the temple square or the servants of God Iva standing before the temple, all now stared at the firmament in awe.

They looked to one another, seeking confirmation of what their eyes beheld, finding only matching amazement and wonder in each other's faces.

"What's happening?" someone in the crowd pointed skyward, questioning those around them.

"Did you see that too?" Some thought their eyes deceived them, seeing illusions, or dismissed it as mere imagination.

"What appeared in the sky?" Finally, all confirmed that something beyond imagination had manifested above.

Commotion instantly erupted through the crowd, the wonder quickly reaching the temple front.

Even the servants of God Iva before the temple now stood in reverent confusion.

They too did not understand what had appeared in the sky or what manner of being, what level of power, could transform night into day.

As the radiant circle of light fully expanded, they finally saw what lay beyond.

Behind the light stood a gate so vast and mighty it defied description.

Just one corner occupied the entire sky, its full extent beyond even the furthest gaze.

"Whooom~"

"Whooom~"

The sound of opening doors resonated through heaven and earth, the thunderous echo making all's scalps tingle.

People finally glimpsed what lay beyond the gate: a vast star sea.

Within that star sea, God's Moon drifted.

The moment they beheld that Divine Moon, it seemed they directly witnessed the supreme crown of their bloodline, the Divine Crown ruling all Wisdom Spirits.

Some who gazed upon God's Moon prostrated themselves spontaneously, as if seized by divine frenzy.

They cried out with profound reverence:

"Wisdom... Divine Right... Supreme God."

"Wisdom... Wisdom... Wisdom."

"Oh God... Supreme Deity of the Wisdom Kind..."

Though Redlichia had died countless years ago, perishing at the start of the previous era, the power and authority of the world's first Wisdom Spirit remained forever inscribed in all wisdom kinds' bloodlines. His crown endured as the Supreme Divine Artifact ruling all wisdom.

Before the sacred temple steps, Grand Elder Xin Ji descended slowly, letting the celestial radiance wash over him.

Finally, he recognized what truly lay beyond that gate.

Xin Ji's heart filled with awe as his ancient voice emerged.

"That is..."

"The Divine Realm of the Creator."

"And... the vast star sea blessed by the Dream Sovereign God, final rest for all beings."

Many knew of the Creator's Divine Realm, for it appeared in records of Snake Mother Sermos. Legend said their creator the Mother of Life descended from there to the mortal world in her divine vehicle.

It also appeared in the mythology of the Blood Progenitor worshipped in the Suinhor city-states, said to be the origin of gods and final rest of all creation.

In the City of Lights, this Creator's Divine Realm also appeared in the Miracle Temple and Tales of the Spirits. Their God Iva came from beyond that gate, where spirits were said to wield miraculous power that could create anything.

People heard Xin Ji's words, these faithful of God Iva all struck by this revelation.

In the square, people pressed shoulder to shoulder, thousands standing together.

Yet now they all lifted their faces, gazing at this Divine Realm they had heard of but never truly seen.

"Whooom whooom!"

The gate to God's realm finally halted.

Light from beyond poured forth completely, falling to the mortal world.

The City of Lights now blazed as bright as noon.

In that radiance, Wish-Power normally invisible to mortals revealed itself.

Wishes rose from people across the land, transforming to beams and threads of light soaring skyward.

The choir maidens and musicians continued their performance, as if guided by divine presence. Their voices continued, overcome with divine awe.

They sensed dimly that a deity observed them.

The gate to the heavens fully opened, and only then did their music cease.

Yet their beautiful voices and music still carried through the golden light, that melody and song eternally echoing as if welcoming some Sacred and Mighty Being's return to this world.

Tales of the Spirits floated upward from the lead maiden's hands, following beams of wish-light through the great gate.

At this moment, a great sun rose.

The divine radiance engulfed the entire world.

People finally saw the source of the Divine Realm's radiance: a sun filled with Dream Power, concentrating all the world's fantasies, all creation known to living beings.

Those with powerful Abilities even saw the Divine Cup representing dreams and law.

The laws of all things transformed to Dreams of Law surging within the cup.

"Boom."

The gate suddenly closed, all extraordinary phenomena vanishing.

People could only gaze skyward, finally prostrating themselves while crying out the Dream Sovereign's divine title.

If the people of the City of Lights had no concept of the Dream Sovereign's existence before, from this moment they truly understood what manner of being they witnessed.

Mortals finally grasped why God Iva served as the Dream Sovereign God's servant.

This was the Supreme Deity.

Tales of the Spirits, surrounded by dense wish-light, plunged into the Divine Cup.

It fell into the Divine Shadow sleeping in the cup's deepest depths.

In that same moment, Iva had already sensed something beneath the white Divine Tree.

Iva walked out from under the tree, witnessing the divine gate unfold once more, watching those wish-lights dancing through the heavens.

A smile crossed his face as he sighed lightly with sudden relief.

"My mission is complete."

Though as he spoke, his face revealed a touch of regret.

In the Dream Realm.

Among the Sun Cup Flower Sea and neatly arranged Spirit Dream domains, Dream Starlight burst forth one after another.

The first Ancient Spirit awakened.

The Ancient Spirits' former Dream Kingdoms and domains instantly revived, as threads wove and crossed until a great playground appeared beneath the light.

"Hee hee hee."

That familiar spirit laughter rang out across the God-Given Land as an Ancient Spirit wearing golden robes emerged from a building like a giant ball of yarn.

These beings could no longer be called mere spirits, for they had become Spirits of Wishes.

These beautiful beings of the previous era had merged with the Dream Sovereign's Divine Realm to withstand time's flow, becoming part of this sovereign's power, Sacred Spirits beneath the Divine Cup.

More and more Ancient Spirit forms flew from the Sun Cup Flower Sea, gathering together hand in hand.

They followed the first awakened Great Spirit, calling out her name with joy.

"Simila."

"Ah, it feels like we slept so long," a small Spirit of Wishes yawned.

"Oh right, didn't Lord Hila say that when we woke from our sleep, it would be the next era? Has it arrived?" another Spirit of Wishes asked.

"How many years have passed?" No spirit knew.

The Spirits of Wishes chattered and discussed, their small heads swaying back and forth.

The spirits flew across the flower sea to the Pyramid Temple.

They hid behind the temple's great doors, carefully peeking inside.

According to their memory, Lord Hila usually stayed in the temple.

But those small heads peering around the temple doors looked everywhere without seeing any spirit form.

"Where is Lord Hila?"

Yet as they peered deeper inside, they discovered a terrifying presence.

It was Mother of Life and King of Beasts Shelly.

The spirits instantly scattered in fright, as if encountering some fearsome monster.

As if that weren't enough, they shouted while fleeing.

"Wah!"

"Run away!"

"Don't let her catch us!"

Sitting in his chair, Yin Shen couldn't help but smile at this scene.

Mother of Life Shelly standing beside Yin Shen grew quite indignant. "These troublemakers."

"I should turn them back into flowers and plant them in pots."

"Make them say a hundred phrases praising me before letting them go."

During the previous era, she had delighted in such mischief. The captured spirits, too frightened to resist, trembled as they hid in the pots, serving as potted plants for quite some time.

Only when Mother of Life's attention turned elsewhere did they dare escape.

This further worsened Shelly's reputation among the spirits, making all spirits hide from her presence.

Yin Shen stood, taking Shelly's hand with gentle affection.

"Let's go," he said warmly.

"Let's welcome her return."

Mother of Life Shelly nodded, knowing exactly who he meant.

Yin Shen and Shelly came together to the edge of the God-Given Land, the Divine Cup beneath their feet.

Yin Shen could see the Divine Cup's power rapidly expanding while the entire God-Given Land seemed to pulse with new life.

Countless wish-lights fell like sacred rain.

As Ancient Spirits awakened one after another, various miraculous creations manifested.

The Pyramid Temple renewed itself to pristine condition.

The Dreams of Law within the Divine Cup, vast as mountains, burst like bubbles, scattering to orbit the God-Given Land.

One Dream of Law after another reflected beautiful scenes within as they flowed past Yin Shen and Shelly's eyes.

A beautiful figure flew forth from the Divine Cup.

She stepped upon the bubbles of Dreams of Law, rising from the Divine Cup.

Gradually, she came before Yin Shen.

Their eyes met across two hundred million years of separation. To ordinary beings, perhaps they would have countless things to say.

But as two eternal Divine Beings, companions through era after era, they seemed to need no excess words to express themselves.

In the end, everything resolved into knowing smiles.

"I have returned, my God," Hila said softly.

"Welcome home," Yin Shen replied simply.

Yin Shen had never been one for many words.

Dream Sovereign Hila looked toward Mother of Life Shelly, noticing how she had changed from before.

"Shelly," she said warmly.

"How wonderful that you finally possess wisdom."

She felt truly happy for Shelly, for in the previous era she had always wished for Shelly to gain wisdom.

Mother of Life Shelly held her head high. "Of course, I am very clever."

"My head is filled with wisdom."

"I just awakened a bit late," she added with a hint of pride.

The three walked together toward home when the Great and Small Spirits in the distance spotted Hila. They immediately flew over.

As they flew, they called out with joy.

"Lord Hila, why did you wake so late?"

"Lord Hila, look over here!" Another group of Small Spirits emerged from the flower sea, floating in the air holding balloons.

"We have all awakened!" More Spirits shouted from the flower sea.

"Everyone is here!"

Hila flew over to speak with her companions and kin.

But hearing that phrase "everyone is here," she could not contain her emotions.

"Yes!" she exclaimed with profound joy.

"We are all here together!"

She called out lovingly to all the Spirits: "From now on, we shall always remain together."

The Spirit followed behind Yin Shen, then asked thoughtfully, "God, how long did we sleep?"

"We slept for over two hundred million years," Yin Shen told her.

Spirit Hila's mouth fell open, for this span of time completely exceeded her expectations.

"Then..." she hesitated.

"What remains for us?"

The Spirit felt melancholy, as she often did.

Mourning the passing of things, grieving time's changes.

"Much remains," Yin Shen assured her gently.

"Some people and things from the previous era still flow in this world."

"They crossed that vast stretch of years to reach this era."

"They proved far stronger than you imagine."

"Moreover, the ferryman you once guided still remains."

Yin Shen saw the book the Spirit held, the same book from the City of Lights, the world's first storybook.

"You have received his gift," Yin Shen observed with quiet satisfaction.

The Spirit nodded happily. "Yes!"

"I once gave him the Path of Wisdom, and I believed he could survive until this era."

"God," Hila asked thoughtfully, "you released him from his ferryman's duty to walk the mortal realm?"

Yin Shen nodded. "His mission as ferryman ended. I gave him another mission."

Yin Shen's gaze turned toward the mortal realm as he continued.

"And now, that mission too has concluded."

A brief pause followed. "Though he has gained a true destiny of his own."

"I just saw him too," the Spirit said softly. "I saw a group of beautiful beings singing hymns for me, saw him beneath a snow-white tree."

The Spirit hugged Tales of the Spirits, sharing her joy with Yin Shen.

"God, look."

"This is Tales of the Spirits."

"Our story."

Her eyes brimmed with inextinguishable joy. "In this era, so many still remember us."

The three eternal Deities strolled through the golden Sun Cup Flower Sea, where playful Spirits frolicked, stirring waves of flowers in the wind.

Yin Shen walked ahead holding Shelly's hand while Shelly's fingers constantly stroked the Sun Cups, muttering unclear sounds.

"Gururu."

Hila followed beside them, speaking softly with him.

Everything seemed exactly as it once had been.