The Awakening of Sermos, Mother of All Snakes

In the Dream Realm, Dream Sovereign Hila stood at the edge of the God-Given Land.

Brilliant rivers formed from the light of wishes flowed through the God-Given Land, threading through one spirit domain after another before transforming into waterfalls that cascaded into the Divine Cup.

From a distance, golden waterfalls could be seen pouring down from all four directions of the God-Given Land.

These waterfalls stirred the Dreams of Law within the Divine Cup, causing them to float and revolve around the God-Given Land.

The sight was truly breathtaking in its beauty.

Spirit Hila stood beside the golden waterfall, gazing at Iva and Meryl's Miracle Garden.

She nodded with a gentle smile.

"Congratulations!"

"You have gained a name and found what you wish to do."

"And you have found... a companion to call your own."

After witnessing Iva and Meryl's story, Spirit Hila turned her gaze away and walked back toward the inner island.

Iva had ultimately chosen to remain in the mortal realm, breaking free from the mission he had always sought and embarking upon a different path.

Spirit Hila contemplated another matter: whether to recreate the spirit race.

The greatest change after Dream Ability reached the fifth rank was the transformation from a Dream Domain into a Dream Divine Kingdom composed entirely of the Light of Wishes.

Dream Sovereign Hila, in order to bring all spirits into this era, had transformed them into Spirits of Wishes within her Dream Divine Kingdom. She had granted the spirits immortality alongside herself, but in doing so had caused the spirit race to vanish at the end of the previous era.

Now she faced a choice.

She could either create an entirely new race or bring the spirits back into existence once more.

Hila arrived at the Pyramid Temple to discuss this matter with Creator Yinsai.

Yin Shen currently held a God's Grace Stone in his palm, watching as it divided into four parts: Spirituality, Wisdom, Desire, and Knowledge.

Then doors began manifesting in his hand, each one unique.

These were not physical doors but rather the doors within people's hearts.

They were the gates of the heart that existed within all wisdom kinds.

Yet each door remained utterly ethereal and indistinct, for they had not yet found their anchor.

Like formations in sand, they would scatter at the slightest disturbance.

Through this scene, one could faintly glimpse the true nature of Wisdom Ability and the path that lay ahead.

Yin Shen put away the God's Grace Stone and stood to address the spirit.

"Then..."

"In that case," Yin Shen said, "we need only plant another Sun Cup Flower Sea and bestow upon them the power of Dream Ability."

The birth of spirits did not depend upon race or require the union of life.

Spirits were born from the Sun Cup Flower Sea, emerging as extensions and divisions of Dream Power.

The relationship between spirits was not that of parent and child, but rather more like split versions of oneself possessing their own power and bloodline while remaining completely distinct.

Therefore no spirit had elders or juniors. They considered every spirit their companion.

Spirit Hila pondered this before shaking her head: "All the Dream Spirits are here with us, and we shall share immortality together."

"This is enough."

"Let this immortal beautiful dream end here."

"The new era and its new beings shall have their own story."

Dream Spirits was the full name for the race, also known as Dream Spirits or simply Spirits.

Yin Shen asked: "Do you not feel regret letting the Dream Spirit race vanish like this?"

But Hila replied: "We have not vanished. We are still here!"

"We Dream Spirits are ourselves, this very group."

"No matter what form we take or how we may appear."

"As long as we remain together, we are the Dream Spirit race."

Yin Shen nodded and asked: "Would you like to look upon the mortal realm?"

"To experience a dream in the world of mortals."

Shelly's sleepy face lit up with anticipation. "May I?"

Before Yin Shen could respond, she stamped her feet excitedly.

"I want to go!"

"I want to play!"

Yin Shen asked her: "What kind of character would you like to be?"

Shelly thought for a moment before lifting her head high.

Her shadow suddenly writhed behind her, transforming into a vast darkness that blocked out the sunlight.

A mischievous smile spread across Shelly's face as she tried to appear mysterious.

"I want to be..."

"The most terrifying demon king!"

Yin Shen flatly replied: "Choose something else."

Shelly's expression fell as she picked another option: "Then I want to be a hero who saves the world, the coolest hero!"

Yin Shen laughed: "You?"

"A hero?"

Shelly pouted unhappily at Yin Shen.

"Then what should I be?"

Yin Shen told her: "I merely asked what kind of person you wished to be, not what you would actually become."

Shelly: "Huh?"

Yin Shen continued: "Besides."

"Whether hero or demon king, neither holds any meaning for you."

Shelly: "Why not?"

"I think it would be so interesting."

Yin Shen stroked Shelly's small head: "We shall see if you can become one. I won't arrange too much of what you'll encounter. It will depend on your own efforts."

"In this dream of descending to the mortal realm, you won't possess unlimited power."

"Let's see what you can accomplish!"

Shelly told Yin Shen: "Even without power, I'm still amazing."

Yin Shen smiled without speaking.

After all, it was just a dream.

In Yin Shen's view, Shelly would likely neither become a hero nor a demon king in this dream.

Perhaps this would allow Shelly to experience what human emotions and life were like. For one born divine as she was, this would prove an interesting experience.

For an eternal and invincible being like her, this alone would suffice.

It held more meaning than becoming either demon king or hero.

Did it not?

Yin Shen held Shelly's hand as they walked out of the Pyramid Temple, gazing down at the mortal realm.

His gaze fell upon the Mountain of Life's Origin on Ruhe Beast Island.

"Perfect timing."

"Your apostle is about to awaken and begin her new cycle."

"You shall embark on another adventure with your apostle!"

At the Mountain of Life's Origin, within the City of Life, a great serpent coiled around the Tower of Heaven, crying out to the sky day after day.

She had forgotten why she continued this repetitive action. She no longer knew what she cried out for or what in the heavens above was worth remembering all these years.

Yet she knew that everything she cared for lay in those skies above.

She yearned for the day when a figure would descend from the heavens.

One who could forgive everything she had done.

But the mad chaos of bloodlines within her mind continuously devoured and corrupted her memories, preventing her from recalling anything of her past.

The madness and chaos in her bloodline bound her like a curse.

It bound her past.

And it bound her future.

On this day, the great serpent coiled around the Temple of Life suddenly raised her head, sensing something in the depths of her being.

"Hiss!"

Her cry echoed throughout the City of Life, stirring up clouds of dust.

Suddenly, the golden ring upon the great serpent's body released a soft chime.

Looking closely, one could see a crack had appeared upon it.

A brilliant light filled her vision as scene after scene flooded her mind.

In these visions, she emerged as a new life, pure as blank paper, walking out of a massive spiral pathway that was the supreme divine tool for creating life.

She saw a majestic hall and an elegant divine throne shaped like a lampstand.

A powerful and towering being sat upon the throne. The moment she beheld this being, she witnessed visions of the world's end.

This was the world's most powerful life form, so mighty it seemed capable of devouring the entire world.

No.

At this level, words like person or life form no longer sufficed.

This was a Divine Being.

One who could create all living things or destroy everything.

The Divine Being radiated supreme authority, all-powerful, granting her everything she desired.

But the scene shifted, and she witnessed another moment.

In that time, only she and the Divine Being occupied the City of Life. Nothing existed upon the barren earth; the entire world remained desolate.

She clumsily held an umbrella for the Divine Being, helping chase away equally clumsy Land Dragons as they circled the City of Life together.

The Divine Being raised a broken staff and called out with "majestic vigor."

"Advance!"

"Land Dragon!"

The two laughed together as they completed one circuit outside the City of Life, declaring their inspection complete.

Upon returning, the Divine Being shared food brought from God's realm, watching with joy as she ate with great enthusiasm. The Divine Being spoke to her, newly born as she was:

"You just love to eat."

She had been overjoyed then, only able to smile foolishly at the Divine Being.

She wasn't sure if it was because that was the most delicious food she had ever eaten, or simply because it came from the Divine Being.

The great serpent suddenly spoke in human tongue, her eyes filled with remembrance.

"My master."

"Creator of the Snake People."

"Supreme Mother of Life, Ruler of Creation, Shelly."

As she spoke, tears welled in the great serpent's eyes.

After so many years, Snake Mother Sermos had finally begun recovering from the chaos of two different powers.

Under Creator Yinsai's blessing, she had endured the conflict between two mythical bloodlines.

"Crack!"

With a sharp sound, the Ring of the Serpent upon the great serpent's head suddenly shattered.

All power within the ring merged completely into her body as the ring lost its luster.

Instead, the great serpent's eyes blazed with brilliant light as all her former Wisdom Ability flowed into them, transforming them entirely into Divine Artifacts.

Wisdom Ability withdrew from Snake Mother Sermos as she became a pure bearer of Life Ability.

The great serpent's massive form gradually transformed into a spectral figure, slowly becoming a being with a human torso and serpentine tail.

She possessed long, elegant hair like flowing seaweed and pale red pupils.

Her figure stood tall, even surpassing most male snake people in height.

Yet her proportions remained graceful and slender, radiating strength.

Snake Mother Sermos emerged from the crimson power, standing beside the Temple of Life. From the high outer corridor, she could see the entire City of Life spread before her.

After so many years, she had finally rediscovered her former self.

In the biting wind, she spoke slowly.

"I remember now."

"I am Sermos."

"I faced my final trial for killing the Winged People, a wisdom kind created by my creator, the Mother of Life."

"I failed the trial and was consumed by the power of the Ring of the Serpent."

Confusion flickered in Sermos's eyes: "But why?"

"Why have I awakened again?"

"Has... the Mother of Life forgiven me?"

Sermos could feel that under such power's erosion, she had no way to change.

Within her body, the powers of two Divine Beings waged war against each other, a conflict no mortal could hope to resolve.

Suddenly, she looked toward the moon in the sky.

She remembered that day had also held a moon.

A silver moon completely different from the one in the mortal realm.

It was God's Moon from the Divine Realm.

A man stood upon God's Moon, his gentle wave halting the two mythical powers, preventing her fall into the abyss of chaos.

Who was that being who stood upon the moon with that man?

Why did Mother of Life stand at his side, allowing him to hold her hand?

Sermos suddenly recalled a name, one the Mother of Life had mentioned.

A Divine Being from two hundred million years ago.

"Yinsai."

Yet she still did not understand what kind of being Yinsai was, or what relationship he shared with Shelly, for the Mother of Life had never told her, and she had never set foot in the Creator's realm.

Sermos turned and walked toward the temple's great doors.

Before the temple doors, she saw that throne again.

The elegant candelabra-like divine throne stood empty.

After she failed her trial, the Divine Being had left this world, and this city where the snake people were born became abandoned.

She walked lonely through the temple, remembering everything from the past.

Suddenly, she felt dizzy.

An overwhelming sleepiness swept over her.

"This is...?"

She understood what it meant.

This was the inevitable limitation of Life Ability bearers. Though they possessed immortal power, their immortality remained imperfect and twisted.

The moment she awakened, it became time for her to enter the cycle once more.

After all, she had become a Life Ability bearer not now, but at the moment she failed her trial.

"Have I found everything only for it to end so soon?"

Snake Mother Sermos gazed at the cold throne with regret.

At this moment, a light suddenly flashed through the temple as strands of starlight manifested from nothingness.

The starlight resembled horses formed of wind, galloping through the air.

It also appeared as small figures made of light, holding hands and singing.

Snake Mother Sermos immediately turned her gaze upward, cautiously asking:

"Who are you?"

She had never seen spirits like these before, as these sacred spirits from God's realm had only recently awakened.

Finally, the dreamlike starlight coalesced into the form of a young girl with golden hair and beautiful golden pupils.

Her golden robes enhanced her radiant presence, making her appear as if she glowed from within.

The girl wore a backpack stuffed full of various yarn dolls, so full that cute heads poked out because they couldn't all fit inside.

Moreover, dolls of various sizes hung from the outside of the backpack, swaying as she moved.

They looked like strange little people.

The girl gripped her backpack straps and gave Sermos a brilliant smile.

"Hello."

"I am of the Divine Messengers, a Dream Spirit of the Dream Realm."

"We are the race who wields the power of miracles."

The spirit tilted her head and spoke her name: "I am called Simila."

Sermos immediately seized upon the words that caught her attention.

"Dream Realm?"

"The Creator's Domain?"

The snake people had a special word for the Creator's Domain in their language.

It could be called the dreamlike world, while also referring to the Creator's Domain.

Sermos thought of much from hearing the other's mention of miracle power. She had heard Mother of Life say that everything in God's realm was created using miracle power.

It was a power that could create anything, thus called miraculous.

Combined with the power the figure possessed that belonged neither to Life nor Wisdom, this almost certainly proved her identity.

All manner of speculation filled Sermos's heart.

"Could this mean...?"

"God has forgiven me?"

"God offers guidance to me once more?"

With excitement and humility, Sermos asked:

"Then..."

"Sacred Spirit of God's realm! Why have you come to find me?"

"Do you bring divine will from God?"

Before Spirit Simila could speak, she continued eagerly:

"His apostle and servant will use all their power to fulfill His will."

The spirit with the backpack hopped over to Sermos and told her seriously:

"Your master, Mother of Life Shelly, will enter the mortal realm once more, descending into this world through a dream."

"This time..."

"She will experience the life of a mortal."

Simila paused here, as if forgetting something.

She quickly raised her hand and looked at her palm.

"Oh!"

"Your mission is to protect her well. When she returns to God's realm, you may return with her."

Simila told her: "This is the Creator's promise to you."

Tears welled in Sermos's eyes as she asked Spirit Simila:

"Is this true?"

Simila looked at her in confusion: "This is the Creator's divine oracle."

Mortals might lie, but the Creator absolutely would not.

Not because divine beings cannot lie, but because such divine beings have no need for lies.

Sermos prostrated herself, accepting both God's will and her future path.

"Sermos will surely complete this trial."

Simila shook her head: "No, no, no."

"This is not a trial."

She shook her head adorably and said: "This is an adventure."

With that, Simila approached the prostrate Mother of All Snakes and placed her hand upon Sermos's forehead.

She drew out Sermos's memories and consciousness as dreams, merging them into Sermos's eyes.

Streams of light gathered into colorful dreams, finally forming a bubble.

The bubble was then sealed within those pupils.

This would allow her to avoid the flaw of Life Ability bearers' cycle. After reclaiming and adapting to her power, she would regain her former memories.

Having completed all this, the spirit with the backpack immediately waved goodbye to Snake Mother Sermos.

"Well then..."

"Farewell."

"May your adventure be successful."

Snake Mother Sermos's consciousness gradually grew hazy as drowsiness overtook her.

She watched the other transform into a trail of starlight, ascending toward the sky.

Finally merging with the star sea.

As for Snake Mother Sermos herself, she became a shadow, a crimson vortex.

With her final consciousness, she gazed at the divine throne in the Temple of Life and softly spoke:

"My master."

"Wait for me."

The Mother of All Snakes, most ancient ancestor of the snake people, would finally emerge from her sin of killing the Winged People, another wisdom kind created by Mother of Life.

A crimson meteor fell from the sky above the Mountain of Life's Origin, plunging into the mortal realm.

She passed through clouds and wind, stepping forth into the world of mortals.