r18novel Page 100
Page 100
The waist-length hair is not hair in the traditional sense, but more like solidified star waterfalls. In the deep silver-white base, countless tiny stardust fragments flicker and shine, like a miniature Milky Way.
Her face possessed both an inhuman antiquity and a compassionate gentleness. The single horn atop her forehead shone like moonlight, gleaming with a pearly luster and shimmering with a soft, mysterious halo. Her pair of brilliant golden eyes reflected golden iridescence, and gazing into them was like seeing a constellation of stars in motion.
Her graceful figure was clad in a flowing long dress, the material seemingly woven from moonlight and starlight. Her slender frame was delicate and frail, yet contained immense energy from the stars. The skirt moved without wind, rippling like a river of stars. Ancient star patterns adorned her smooth arms. Though she hadn't spoken, simply by exchanging glances, Faen could clearly understand why Soraka was willing to lower herself for the mortals of Runeterra, enduring the excruciating pain of being burned by the energy of the High Celestials, all to guide humanity onto the path of ascension.
Because she is the gentlest of all the stars.
"Hello, you who don't fit into this world."
Upon seeing Fain, Soraka said with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity, "I sensed your existence a long time ago, an unpredictable variable from beyond destiny that has never appeared in the past or future."
"A variable beyond fate?" Upon hearing Soraka's words, Fane raised an eyebrow with interest and said, "You mean, you were already aware of my special nature? But you just couldn't pinpoint and find me?"
“Yes.” Upon hearing Fan’s words, Soraka did not deny it, but nodded gently, then pointed her hand at the void in front of her. Accompanied by surging celestial energy, the space that had previously only been surrounded by greenery and flowers began to show glimmers of starlight. The intricate night sky seemed to fill this space in a trance. Being within it, Fan couldn’t even immediately determine the boundaries, because in the realm of matter, this place had transformed into a vast sea of stars.
"The first Enlightened Ones, under the power of the Creator Dragon God, possessed the ability to compose the stars." Soraka said quietly, "Through this sublime power, the first celestial beings became even more sublime beings, and shaped a great destiny for this land that nurtured them, making this land unique and the most special among the stars."
"And in this grand destiny that has been written, each era will give birth to its own chosen ones, and under the blessing of this world itself, by deciphering the wisdom engraved on the backs of the stars, they will gradually embark on the great mission of guiding the world's progress."
After saying this, Soraka fell silent for a moment, then continued, "But we underestimated the life on this land."
"Before that grand destiny that had already been perfectly written, life on this land was wild, willful, and dangerous, deviating from all arrangements. Even the guidance and destiny woven in the night sky were often ignored. And those chosen ones who guided the course of the times were often misunderstood by the minds of mortals in extremely bad circumstances, thus creating more chaos, uncertainty, and even suffering."
"So what does this have to do with me?" Farn tilted his head, asking with a puzzled look.
"The ancestors of the Celestials foresaw this, so they prepared different backup plans in different eras." Sensing Fain's doubts, Soraka explained, "Among these backup plans, some are the appointed saviors, and some are the bodies that the gods of the Celestials have prepared in advance. And there is another part, which is the most special, which is the will of this world itself, the uncontrollable and unpredictable future of Runeterra itself."
"And among these, there are some individuals who are outside the scope of great destiny, who exist outside of destiny and are not observed by the world itself, yet they can still influence the world and destiny."
As she spoke, Soraka gazed intently at Fain. Though her calm eyes didn't reveal much emotion, Fain could sense from the shimmering, golden iridescence that Soraka was referring to him.
Thinking this through, Farn pondered for a moment before saying, "If that's the case... how do you, and your compatriots, view people like us?"
339·Opinion
Although Soraka didn't say it directly, through Soraka's words and expressions, Fan more or less realized that the so-called 'those not within the predetermined fate' were not actually loved by the celestial beings.
The reason why Fain had this idea was simple – putting himself in someone else's shoes. Honestly, if it were Fain himself, he would never want any inexplicable accidents or setbacks to occur when making a plan.
The inhabitants of the Celestial Realm have long since forged their own destiny for Runeterra, even inscribing their plans on the night sky. Every evening, people can interpret these plans by observing the stars—this is why the Twilight Eye faction within the Order of the Balance, whose role is 'stargazing,' is responsible for devising these strategies. Because in Runeterra, stargazing truly proves useful, providing solutions to many difficult problems. The entire constellation, including the stars themselves, is designed to guide the people of Runeterra towards a brighter future.
The creation of such a grand destiny would undoubtedly be no easy feat, even for the beings of the highest celestial realms. In such a situation, anyone outside of destiny could potentially destroy the entire plan in an instant—Farn did not believe that the beings of the celestial realms would be so magnanimous as to stand by and watch their painstakingly crafted creations be utterly destroyed by some unknown entity without batting an eye.
Upon hearing Fain's question and sensing his meaning, Soraka fell into a brief silence before nodding and saying, "Yes, for many of my brethren, they don't think it's a good thing for a being like you, outside of destiny, to appear in Runeterra. However, Runeterra is protected by the World Runes, and celestial beings cannot descend in their full form, so they can only prevent it through possession and other forms."
"But that was a long time ago."
Seemingly fearing that Farn might consider her an enemy, Soraka explained, "From the celestial realm above, the mortal world seems shrouded in an unknown chaos, with only suffering and famine as its future. But from this new perspective, what I see now is an almost flawless beauty."
Looking at Fain, Soraka said calmly and sincerely, “Just as mortals can tolerate the deepest cruelty, they also possess the boundless potential to show kindness and the fighting spirit to confront anything among the stars. Although I know deeply that what the stars crave is a fixed, secure destiny, it is precisely because of what I have seen that I am absolutely certain that the static destiny shaped by my brethren cannot contain the wild and dynamic potential within the mortal heart.”
Upon hearing Soraka's words, Fan nodded thoughtfully. He didn't harbor any doubts about the matter; in fact, after hearing Soraka's words, Fan nodded understandingly and said, "So, you chose to encourage and guide those who seek help, rather than teach them, right?"
Upon hearing this, Soraka stared at Fane with slight surprise for a moment before nodding in agreement, saying, "Yes."
Although hailed as a prophet, Soraka's methods of doing things are quite different from those of Fan.
Farn's approach is, 'If you won't cooperate, I'll do it myself.' Soraka, on the other hand, almost never forces others to do things according to her prophecies. More often than not, Soraka simply shows the future represented by each choice and lets the other person choose for themselves.
For example, Kalan's choices are the path of light and the path of darkness. The path of light will grant Kalan a bright future; he and his spirit will become role models and heroes for both Ionians and Vastaya. The price is the death of their two children. The path of darkness, on the other hand, will plunge Kalan into darkness; his spirit and the children will be ashamed and unwilling to speak of him again, but the two children will thrive and have a bright future.
For example, when Kalista learned about the Blessed Lands, Soraka presented two possible futures: one where Kalista would complete her mission, find a way to enter the Blessed Lands, and bring the Water of Life back to Kamavia; but in the latter, Folyago, having lost his beloved, would lead a large army to the Blessed Lands, causing catastrophic consequences.
Kalista didn't know what the so-called catastrophic consequences were at the time, but anyone who lived in the era after the Rune Wars and studied this history would know that this catastrophic consequence was the beginning of the Rune Wars era, which lasted for more than a thousand years.
The other option was for Kalista to turn and leave. Although this would cause Kalista to fail her mission, it would avert a terrible crisis—Kalista ultimately chose the former.
There's not much to say about this, because Kalista didn't know what the crisis really was, and from her perspective, her choice to enter the Blessed Isles was understandable. After all, Folgyal's queen was undoubtedly a wise and virtuous ruler, setting an example by transforming the纨绔子弟 (playboy) Folgyal into a wise king. If it weren't for the later Rune Wars, Folgyal would likely have been seen more as a typical reformed prodigal king.
Thinking to himself, Farn also said, "Then what do you think of me?"
Upon hearing this, Soraka didn't hesitate for long this time. After a moment, she nodded and said, "At the very beginning... I did consider you a serious problem."
As she said this, Soraka sighed and said, "People of this era may have long forgotten that ancient history, but I will never forget the image of that mad soul, thousands of years ago, before I even descended into the mortal realm, soaring into the heavens with boundless ecstasy and uncontrollable desire. And you, who inherited her essence..."
Hearing Soraka's words, Fain understood completely. That's how it is when you're hyped up. However, Fain didn't explain further, simply stroking his chin and continuing to ask, "So, what's your attitude...?"
“Let’s wait and see.” In response to Fan’s question, Soraka shook her head and said, “Although I was worried that you would go down a similar path to that mad soul, after my observation… although you did embrace this crazy idea and follow your heart’s desire, in the end, more people benefited from the process—even if only now.”
340. Stamp?
In Soraka's view, Fane was undoubtedly a complex and difficult character to handle. Although Fane was well aware that he was a time traveler, not someone outside of destiny, Soraka saw him in every way as conforming to her and her people's views on those outside of destiny.
Possessing the power to alter destiny, Fane also retains the essence of the soul that once rushed towards the Immortal Realm in pursuit of extreme pleasure. Without restraint, Runeterra could easily be led astray into madness—even if the world itself possesses self-correcting capabilities, it would still cause irreversible destruction to several regions before its ultimate end. In this situation, although the source of Fane's power is unknown, Soraka has already prepared to foresee his fate and seek out the hero capable of defeating him.
But just as Soraka was still searching for this hero, devastating news arrived from Zaun and Piltover. Under the interference of the possessor of this mad soul, the people of these two regions, after a brief period of pain, quickly came to understand each other. Or rather, under Fane's absolute command, the leaders of the two cities were forced to relinquish the vast majority of their profits, which were then forcibly used for public infrastructure construction and technological development. This philosopher-king-like governance method inherently had significant drawbacks, because all achievements were subject to the changing nature of the so-called 'philosopher-king'.
In particular, what Fan possesses is essentially the pursuit of ultimate pleasure... but Fan has almost no desire for power, instead having an unusual craving for individual enjoyment. This would normally affect the happiness of many individuals, but also because of Fan's abnormally twisted sense of satisfaction, many girls who suffer at Fan's hands actually find pleasure in it.
Undeniably, the power emanating from Ausilex played a significant role in this process. The intense sense of victory and spiritual dependence led the girls to make numerous erroneous feelings and judgments. Sometimes, it was even like the suspension bridge effect—a lone man and woman alone in a dangerous area, the fear and racing heartbeat stemming from the environmental crisis, could be mistaken for romantic feelings. Under these circumstances, it's difficult to say that the girls in Faen weren't initially influenced in a similar way.
Perhaps they would have another chance? But Faen obviously wouldn't just stop there, which led to the girls being gradually taken advantage of by Faen in subsequent interactions... But in the same process, perhaps due to environmental factors or psychological factors, the girls hardly resisted, and even became more indulgent after accepting reality, starting to focus all their energy on their beliefs and careers.
This allowed them to focus wholeheartedly on pursuing their ideals. On the other hand, with their energy concentrated, they also had the remaining energy to indulge Fain almost without limits when they were with him.
“I decided long ago that I would only be an observer, offering necessary guidance and choices, without interfering with the natural course of this world. Because that predetermined fate does not include the wildness and variability of this world and its life itself.”
Soraka sighed and said, “Your actions have undoubtedly benefited many people, but at the same time, many others have also fallen under the weight of your intertwined power and desires. The girls’ acceptance of reality and their pursuit of ideals make it impossible for me to judge the right or wrong of what has already happened… In any case, I hope you can stay on the right path, even if I can’t be sure what the right path is in this world.”
As she said this, Soraka turned her gaze to Fan and said, "And besides these things, there is also you yourself."
“Me?” Farn raised an eyebrow.
“That mad soul won’t wait forever.” Sensing Fan’s gaze, Soraka also reminded her, “Osiris can draw strength from all happiness, even the emotions created by other demons, many of which flow to her and her brethren, those nascent emotions from the very beginning of this world.”
"Now, several regions have developed corresponding ideologies in response to your interference, and these ideologies themselves will become a source of her power. I think this is why she is reluctant to take action against you—you have devoured her essence, but your actions are also accumulating power for her. Please prepare in advance, otherwise everything you have now will become a wedding dress for that mad soul."
After a pause, Soraka said with a hint of helplessness, "If you're willing to trust me, please accept my help."
Upon hearing Soraka's words, Fane didn't doubt them, but simply spread his hands and asked, "What do I need to do?"
"Just give me your hand." Seeing how much Fan trusted her, Soraka was slightly surprised, but she didn't show much emotion. Instead, she took Fan's hand after he reached out.
Immediately afterwards, Fain could clearly feel a warm, almost scorching energy flowing into his body. That energy was even more condensed and pure than the energy in the spiritual realm, and it seemed to contain infinite light and heat, making Fain feel as if his blood vessels were being roasted.
Although it was painful, Fane didn't feel tense because of it. He could sense that Soraka wasn't attacking him, but rather...blessing him?
Fane was somewhat uncertain, so he simply waited silently. After a moment, on the back of Fane's hand, in addition to the Karma Twin Dragons Seal and the Seven Hands of Osiris, a crescent-shaped mark appeared. The mark itself didn't have many fancy patterns, but the power infused by Soraka and the power from the Immortal Celestials gave it a mysterious starlight glow, making it look exceptionally extraordinary.
This is... yet another one?
Farn's expression was also somewhat strange—was this a case of the stamper eventually being stamped himself? But the problem was that the marks of pleasure on his girls could all be hidden according to their own will, unlike now, where they were simply stamped on and couldn't be removed...
Although he said that, Faen could clearly feel a new power emerging within him.
341·Invitation to Join
After completing the blessing, Soraka reopened her eyes and looked at Fain, saying, "You can try connecting with this mark. This will allow you to possess a portion of the power of the Immortal Realm for a short period of time. Although this power cannot be used in combat, it will allow you to more clearly feel the encroachment from the darkness."
Upon hearing this, Faen closed his eyes and sensed the additional marks on the back of his hand.
As a power emanating from the Immortal Realm, it's difficult to say whether its quality and level are superior to the Spirit Realm. Logically, as an eternally existing realm, the power within the Immortal Realm should be closer to the world's original form. However, the problem lies in the fact that the Spirit Realm is the other side of Runeterra, and Runeterra is the most unique star among the countless stars of the entire universe.
Legend has it that after discovering this wondrous world, the Star Forger Aurelion Sol fused the power of Elementium to create the sun and moon, bringing the world its initial enlightenment. The energy within Elementium nourished this world, allowing it to take shape and flourish over time. It is precisely because of this origin that Runeterra was naturally endowed with a special mission. Just like the Void, which even astonished the Star Forger Aurelion Sol, the mysteries of the spiritual realm, which coexisted with the material realm, remain unfathomable.
With Fan's mental connection to it, soon, in Fan's vision, he himself became a different person.
If before, Fan's spiritual form was primarily human, now, in Fan's vision, his perspective seemed to have entered a higher dimension. In this unique realm, Fan could clearly see invisible threads spreading from the seven-armed seal on his right hand, extending throughout his body. Although it was the first time he had seen it, Fan recognized it at a glance as the power of Osiris.
Fane didn't know what would happen to him when that power spread throughout his body and entered his heart and brain, but his subconscious told him that what was about to happen was something he didn't want to see.
Just as Fan was preparing to explore and perceive further, a sudden, intense burning pain swept through his body. Fan thought he could endure this intense pain, but to his surprise, his perspective rapidly shifted during the process. A short while later, it returned to normal. The tentacles from the Devil of Joy that he had just seen vanished, as if they had never been there.
But Fain knew it existed; he wasn't mistaken. A leaf can block out the view of Mount Tai. But when the leaf is removed, even just a glimpse reveals one's surroundings and personal safety. For Fain, seeing the tentacles brought clarity to many things he had previously only vaguely sensed.
However, Farn did not show much panic on his face. He just shook his head helplessly and said, "Although it was impossible for Osilesh to just wait idly, being able to see it so clearly now has really been a great help."
Upon hearing Fan's words, Soraka shook her head and said, "It's nothing, because I don't want to see that mad soul reappear on this land, including his compatriots."
As she said this, Soraka pointed to the back of Fain's hand and said, "If necessary, you can inject excess energy into the mark to reduce excessive mental stress in the spiritual realm. The mark will then transform this power into healing energy, restoring the body's vitality and recovering the physical strength and energy consumed."
Upon hearing Soraka's words, Fane's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Sounds good, thanks."
"You're welcome, because I also hope you can succeed."
Soraka nodded to Fain and continued, "Considering the special nature of the spiritual realm and your status as someone outside of destiny, you can contact me through the power of the mark if you need help. I'm willing to help in any way that can be of assistance or benefit to the world."
As she said this, Soraka suddenly started panting, her whole demeanor looking much weaker, and even the iridescent light that had been swirling in her bright golden eyes stopped, making her seem... more like a person.
Or rather, even though Soraka had already completed her self-degradation and was able to enter Runeterra, the celestial power within her body still gave her considerable strength. Even if Soraka didn't use this power in battle or to amass wealth, the mere existence of that energy, the mere fluctuations it left in space as it flowed through her body, were enough for people to perceive the unusual nature of Soraka and her extraordinary abilities.
Now, it's clear that performing such a blessing is an extremely troublesome matter for Soraka. This is because the current Soraka is no longer the inhabitant of the immortal celestial realm she was thousands of years ago. After her self-degradation, both her stored and replenishable celestial energy have been greatly reduced. Like now, with the blessing, her energy is being depleted, and the severely depleted Soraka gives off a... well, not quite human-like feeling. After all, Soraka's appearance speaks for itself; even if it conforms to human aesthetic standards, her purple skin, goat hooves, and single horn silently indicate that she is not human.
Yes, just like in the novel "Dream Pool", Soraka now seems more like an unknown Vastaya of the original species.
The reason it is described as unknown is mainly because even though her internal energy was severely depleted, the lingering aftertaste still makes it impossible to easily ignore the mystery surrounding Soraka.
Looking at the weakened Soraka in front of him, Fane said, "You don't look well?"
“…It’s nothing, I just need to rest for a while.” Soraka shook her head, her face like fragile porcelain, but her voice remained calm and her eyes were full of compassion: “For me, death is just a way to return to the stars, you don’t need to worry about me.”
Looking at Soraka, whose face shone with a compassionate light like that of a saint, Fane blinked and then suggested, "Why don't you come and recuperate in my spiritual realm for a while?"
342. Divinity and humanity are incompatible.
Upon hearing Fan's invitation, Soraka's eyes showed a hint of surprise, and then she hesitated slightly before saying, "Your... mental domain?"
“Yes.” Fane nodded, then said calmly, “This isn’t for your safety, because I know very well that even if you lose your power, you won’t face any real danger. The main reason is that I’m probably going to that Blessed Isle next—well, for now, it should be called Shadow Isle.”
Upon hearing Fane's words, Soraka's eyes showed a hint of surprise, as if she hadn't expected Fane's next stop to be the Shadow Isles.
Soraka was lost in thought for a moment.
Whether it's the Shadow Isles or the Rune Wars, Soraka was involved in both, though few knew—even among those directly involved in the Hylian Collapse, only Kalista was aware. However, considering that Kalista has now lost her mind and consciousness, becoming a ghost resurrected by the runes, her mind filled only with hatred for the traitors, it's not an exaggeration to say that no one knew Soraka's involvement.
Farn, and similar prophets, excluding prophetic characters.
Soraka is like this: if the ADC isn't good, she'll just go into lane and team fights and disappear into the shadows.
Of course, Fain didn't think this meant Soraka had any problems. In fact, at least in Fain's view, Soraka did everything perfectly—at least, in most fantasy worlds, a superior being with precognitive abilities who simply refrained from interfering with the future already surpassed over 90% of their kind…
Feeling Fane's gaze, Soraka remained silent for a moment before asking with a hint of doubt, "Although this is our first meeting, I began observing you the moment you first unleashed the power of Osiris. In the echoes of your spiritual energy, I could sense you frankly confronting your inner desires. Although I don't care much about you, may I ask, do you wish to do the same thing as me?"
Soraka gazed at Faen with a puzzled expression. His serene and compassionate face radiated a saintly mercy. Even though the celestial power within her had been exhausted along with the blessing, Soraka's aura remained sacred and inviolable. In truth, Faen had no intention of offending Soraka. He simply wanted to see if he could keep her by his side. After all, the Curse of Ruin was related to the world's runes and the past rune wars. With Soraka, a true prophet and immortal, by his side, any problems he encountered would be handled with greater ease.
as well as……
On the island of Pelor and on the way back to the Temple of the Enduring, Fahn spent almost all of his time in the Spirit Realm with Syndra and Riven teaching Irelia to unleash her true nature. After returning to the Temple of the Enduring, he toned it down somewhat, and as they left for this place, Syndra began to suppress her physical desires, preparing to give Karma a big one. The problem was, with the war over, Syndra was by his side, and with the permission of the Twin Dragon Seals, Fahn's Spirit Realm now became a veritable den of iniquity at night.
After several days of continuous hard work, although he enjoyed it, it also led to a decrease in Farn's material needs.
In particular, Soraka, as an immortal and a celestial being, may know many secrets of history—intelligence has always been of paramount importance to Fane, and the solutions to many future catastrophes may lie within it.
Of course, this was just the initial idea—now, hearing Soraka's question, the previously silent House of Commons began a rapid discussion. Meeting Soraka's questioning gaze, Fain scratched his head and said:
“Hmm… I didn’t think about this at first, but now that you’ve mentioned it, I suddenly have the same impulse. Of course, I respect women the most and would never force anyone. Moreover, your identity is special, and you have blessed me so that I can directly feel the curse of Osiris. Just for this favor, you don’t need to worry that I would force or blackmail you.”
Upon hearing Fan's words, Soraka calmly shook her head, then said gently and quietly, "No, you misunderstood. I don't care about these things. It's just that you can't suppress your inner thoughts... Although I've never tried, I can cooperate with you to suppress Osiris's corruption."
Upon hearing Soraka's words, Fain couldn't help but pause in surprise. Looking at the violet-skinned Soraka in front of him, he even showed a slight hesitation in his eyes, after all, it all came too suddenly.
Soraka shook her head and said, "I am not a creature of this world."
Although it was just a simple sentence, after hearing it, Fahn nodded thoughtfully after a brief silence. Soraka herself wasn't a being from Runeterra, but rather a child of the stars born from the immortal realm. Therefore, for Soraka, her sole purpose in coming to this land was to restore it to the right path of her great destiny. Only after discovering the indomitable and vibrant life force nurtured on this land did she develop a new idea: to let this world grow into the form she desired.
Based on this, Soraka herself was not influenced by the conventional morality and shame of people—in other words, as a being from the Immortal Celestial Realm, even her physical body was formed from degraded energy. In terms of her true form, this current body was, at best, just a piece of clothing or something similar?
Thinking this through, Farn hesitated slightly before asking, "Are you sure this is okay?"
While her questioning sounded hesitant and indecisive, Soraka, being a highly proactive person who openly confronted her desires, didn't seem to care. Meanwhile, Fain, still questioning her, simply extended his hand.
Looking at the hand that had landed on her chest and was kneading it, Soraka's face remained calm. After a moment, a slight surprise appeared on her face, which then turned into a sigh as she shook her head and said, "Although I had some understanding before, seeing the Osiris's corruption weaken because of this still exceeded my expectations... Perhaps this is fate."
“If this alone is enough to suppress Osiris’s corruption of you, then I think the destiny I was given when I shaped my body was to be used by you, thereby strengthening the seal.”
343·A Worthy Opponent
Sensing the surprise in Fan's eyes, Soraka's gaze remained calm.