Ethan's mind raced to the vanished Ancient Kingdoms.
In those realms, deities were not rarities; they could almost always be found guarding every major city.
However, these deities seemed to have vanished alongside the demise of their respective kingdoms.
And that, paradoxically, was the most puzzling part.
Deities, with their immense power, equivalent to the might of entire nations, could not simply perish so easily.
In all of this—there was a conspiracy!
"What is the truth behind all of this?" Ethan pondered deeply, and the more he dwelt on it, the more he sensed a heavy fog of mystery shrouding the events — a fog that instilled both fear and confusion.
Lana Mokos's voice broke his reverie, "This is not something we can easily unravel."
"Though we see only a few deities alive now, there's no doubt many still exist. Perhaps they've uncovered the conspiracy and are battling the enemies from the shadows."
Lana Mokos paused briefly, then added, "That imp is coming, looking for you."
Snapped back to the present, Ethan turned to find Link standing at the entrance.
"Link, what do you need?" Ethan inquired.
Holding up a piece of fresh meat, its texture detailed and lustrous, Link responded by tossing it onto the table and stating, "This is for you two — and it's not free. But considering you both are as poor as church mice, I doubt you can pay up in the usual way. So, each of you impart a piece of knowledge to me, and we'll call it even."
Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at Link's proposition.
"If you wish to learn skills, you could simply ask me directly. No need for such pretexts," he replied with a grin.
A blush crept over Link's face, his ruse so easily seen through. He hadn't realized he'd let his intentions slip so transparently.
With time to spare, Ethan kindled a flame and began to grill the meat.
Unable to access his Space Ring, he had to make do with what was at hand: some salt and an unidentified liquid to prepare the meat.
Surprisingly, the result was delectably flavorful.
Yet, as the meal progressed, Ethan felt something amiss.
It felt as though flames were consuming him from within, an overwhelming heat accompanied by an insufferable itch, compelling him to nearly scratch through his own skin.
Lana Mokos seemed to be experiencing the same discomfort.
"What kind of meat is this?" Ethan, doing his best to hold himself together, questioned Link sharply.
Upon witnessing their distress, Link apologetically responded, "Ah, it's just ordinary meat. Perhaps you're just not accustomed to it. Give it some time, and you'll be alright."
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Ethan accused, his temper flaring.
Not denying, Link candidly admitted, "Why didn't you share what Grandpa Ba said to you? Rest assured, this meat is a delicacy. I rarely indulge in it myself."
"Of course," he added with a smirk, "a few side effects are to be expected."
Never in their wildest thoughts did Ethan and Lana Mokos imagine they would be outwitted by a child.
The tingling sensation persisted throughout the day, rendering both Ethan and Lana Mokos immobile, sprawled on the ground without the slightest inclination to move.
"It has finally subsided." The alleviation from the tingling sensation felt like an immense weight lifted off Ethan's shoulders.
On the other hand, Lana Mokos, her dignity wounded, exclaimed furiously, "That little imp will pay for this."
The usually poised Lana Mokos, who prided herself on her intellect, was drenched in sweat, a shadow of her former elegant self.
In his heart, Ethan silently lamented for Link.
Those who crossed Lana Mokos rarely met a favorable end.
Of course, the same went for him; otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up in this bizarre place, unable to leave or harness the power of magic.
With that thought, Ethan placed his hands on the ground, preparing to rise.
However, with a slight exertion of his arms, his body shot up into the air, crashing against the ceiling made of gigantic bones.
"What is this...?" A glint of surprise flashed in Ethan's eyes as he muttered to himself, "My strength has increased."
Lana Mokos, sensing the anomaly, confirmed, "Our strength has indeed been amplified. But it was just a piece of meat. How could it have such a profound effect?"
"Why not ask Link?" Ethan suggested.
Yet, just as he stepped out of the doorway, Ethan halted, gazing up at the sky.
He turned to Lana Mokos beside him, "Lana, do you recall how long we've been lying down?"
Lana Mokos met Ethan's gaze and then followed his line of sight to the heavens.
Grasping the implication of his question, she replied, "The passage of time here seems off, or rather, the cycle of day and night is disrupted. Judging by the outside world, we've almost spent a day here, but it's remained daylight throughout."
"Exactly," Ethan nodded in agreement.
Unfortunately, Ba Jogos was deep in thought, having even shut the door to his dwelling.
Left with no other choice, Ethan and Lana Mokos sought answers from the only other residents: Link and his band of children.
Enduring the pungent stench of decaying bodies, Ethan and Lana Mokos found Link and his comrades beside a small stream.
This stream originated from a larger river.
The river itself was tainted with the blood from the countless corpses, mirroring the hue of blood.
The stream, however, had been filtered with sand and stones, ensuring that by the time it collected in a small pond, the water was reasonably clear.
Upon seeing Ethan and Lana Mokos approach, Link displayed not a hint of guilt.
With a mischievous smirk, he remarked, "Just a piece of meat, and it took you both this long to recover? Are all outsiders as weak as you?"
Ethan chuckled at Link's words, while Lana Mokos cut straight to the chase, "What creature did that meat come from?"
"Why should I tell you?" Link countered.
Lana Mokos offered a soft smile, then produced a pearl, showcasing it on her palm. "Tell me, and this pearl is yours."
"A pearl?!" Link's face lit up in delight, and the other children quickly gathered around, seemingly having never seen such a gem before.
Their voices filled with wonder and admiration echoed around.
"A real pearl is white and perfectly round, far superior to the ones I've tried crafting from bones," one child murmured.
"It even glows! It's breathtaking," said another.
Ethan was somewhat puzzled by the children's fascination with the gem, but it didn't hinder the deal between Lana Mokos and Link.
"Here, the pearl's yours," Lana Mokos handed the shimmering gem to Link, adding with emphasis, "Now, it's your turn to answer my question."
Lana Mokos noticed Ethan's quizzical gaze, as if questioning why she had a pearl, especially when she had earlier claimed to have lost all her possessions.
With unwavering eyes, she responded, "We are adversaries; deceit between us seems only natural."
It was a statement difficult to counter.
Yet, Ethan added, "Even if we are foes, we are also friends. At least in this place. So, if you ever face any danger, I'd still come to your aid."
Lana Mokos paused, then retorted, "You'd best look after yourself first."
At that moment, Link reverently stowed the pearl away and turned earnestly to Lana Mokos and Ethan, declaring, "Come with me."
As he spoke, he began to lead the way, with a cluster of children trailing closely behind him, accompanying Ethan and Lana on their journey.
As they moved toward their destination, the young ones would excitedly chatter about their surroundings.
"That grand river over there is called the River of Blood. It's essentially formed from the blood of countless corpses. Within its depths resides a vicious species of fish that frequently leaps to the banks to feast on the remains."
A child pointed to a blood-colored stone not too far away and added, "That stone marks a birthplace. Several among us were born there."
"Birthplace? What does that mean?" Ethan queried, his voice tinged with intrigue.
But before the child could answer, Link interjected, addressing both Ethan and Lana Mokos, "We've arrived."
Before them, the gruesome sights of monstrous carcasses were replaced by a rare expanse of forest, albeit with bare, leafless trees.
"Tread carefully," Link warned, "this forest is home to numerous man-eating plants." He continued to pave the way forward.
Soon, they found themselves in front of an odd-looking contraption.
Link gestured towards it and spoke to Lana Mokos, "The answer you seek lies here."
"Place the fresh monster flesh you've collected beside this machine. It will consume that meat and, in return, regurgitate a special kind of flesh—much like the one you tasted earlier."
Upon hearing Link's explanation, a powerful sense of déjà vu washed over Ethan.
This mechanism of consuming vast amounts of flesh and then producing a piece with special properties...
Wasn't this reminiscent of the heart of Oksd?
Lana Mokos felt a similar resonance.
While this piece of meat could amplify her and Ethan's strength, the Blood Source spewed from Oksd's heart could induce a Bloodline evolution...
There was undoubtedly a connection between the two.
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