Natural vs Artificial

'What is the meaning of this? How could there be a Sacred Land that is not owned?' Titania was befuddled.

Although she had asked the question in a manner that made it seem like she was asking about a single person, she knew that a Sacred Land would generally have multiple 'owners'. It's just that typically there would be a dominant influence created by the strongest entity in the territory, and it would be this being that would be considered the 'true owner'.

If such an individual died, then it stood to reason that the next shared owner with the highest magical influence would become the 'true owner'. It wouldn't even be a matter of decision, it would just happen regardless. As long as the person stayed in the territory of course.

So how could there be an unowned Sacred Land, could all of the owners have died? What kind of situation was that? Sacred Land owners were never average people and she had never heard of a situation where every last one of them were wiped out.

To put it into perspective, the owners of her own Sacred Land were the Spring of Life Ciera, the Tree of Life at the centre of it all, and of course herself. Another example was the Dragon Mountain that was owned by Crystal Dragon King and the Supreme Dragons.

For all of them to die was almost impossible.

It should be similar here too so how was this Sacred Land unowned? What kind of accident occurred?

She repeated her questions to the System immediately.

Ding!

This Sacred Land is similar but not the same. It was formed by the ambient Magical Energy itself experiencing mutative changes. It is still Magical Energy but it has extra properties, and those properties have affected the environment and created a Sacred Land.>

Titania widened her eyes, enlightened.

"My Quee-" Her husband spoke up again.

"One moment, Alan. The System." Titania replied briefly, knowing that he would understand.

'Is the difference between the Sacred Lands akin to the difference between artificial and organic, or like food cultivated by people compared to natural food?' Titania asked the System.

Ding!

'Is that so…' Titania pondered. 'Then what caused the Magical Energy in this place to change?' She asked. She was pushing her luck.

But as expected.

Ding!

Titania sighed.

'Fine, fine. Regardless, thanks for the help, System.'

Ding!

Titania turned to Alan.

"I've received interesting news from the System." She said with a smile. "This Sacred Land is not owned by anyone, it is something that was naturally formed and no one has control over it."

Alan's eyes widened and the slight tension that could be seen in his brow lessened. "That is great news." But then confusion appeared on his face and he blinked. "Wait. Not owned? What do- Wait, I'll ask it myself, what did you use to prompt?" He asked. Then added "Not that I don't believe, I'm just curious to hear the detailed explanation from the System."

"Nothing much, it wasn't anything tricky. I only asked to know the owner of the Sacred Land on a whim and it actually answered." Titania's smile became a charming grin.

"Really? That simple?" Alan asked, surprised.

Titania could understand his surprise. Certain answers required unique questions or 'prompts', and this certainly sounded like one of them. Knowledge on the status of an unknown Sacred Land sounded permission banned, talk less of troublesome to access. Alan must have thought that it would be the latter for sure if not banned.

"Yes. Come, let's keep going, you can ask the System on our way." Then she waved to the others. "All of you can. I only stopped because I was that surprised; I'm sure you can understand."

A couple of the Grand Elders chuckled. Then all of them apart from Alan bowed, waiting for her to lead the way.

…

[Corrupted Continent, Dagerath Mountain]

Standing atop a cliff of a barren mountain was a stunning humanoid male. He was tall, muscular and had long hair, all common traits of an established male Enlightened. However, this was no common male.

His hair was blonde with streaks of green going through it, his eyes were like twin shining emeralds, he had similar coloured markings adorning his body with the most prominent one being the Symbol of Envy of his forehead, and lastly, he had large butterfly-like wings on his back.

He was a Fae, and not just any Fae, he was the Fae Progenitor, Zalucard.

Zalucard stared off into the distance, watching the invasion of the daunting Dragons with an expressionless face.

"True Dragons…They're as ferocious and powerful as I heard they would be. Perhaps more." He flapped his wings once, causing a gust of wind that knocked a stray stone over the edge.

"They're not like the mutants back in the Forest. What did Drako even obtain from his theft back then? A full set of teeth and a strange pair of horns? He's a joke. Everyone in that forest is just a joke.

But these Dragons? Indeed. The Origin was right to place much of his focus on them. They're a threat even without the… goddess…" His words faltered to a stop as the golden image of an impossibly large entity covering the sky entered his mind.

"Hah. That better have just been an illusion as he claimed, or I'm leaving and never returning. I will absolutely not be fighting on the opposite side of such a thing. I may be from the Dawn Forest but the stupidity that plagues them all has yet to reach me, and I intend to keep it that way."