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Chapter: Sea of Lava

After splitting the Antarctic Vibranium into two pieces, Forseti left Nidavellir with one half and the five finest Uru ingots. Meanwhile, Eitri began work on the anti-metal forge as promised.

As he had described, Nidavellir's central forge, though outwardly unremarkable like any other, was an immensely complex creation requiring vast resources and energy to construct. Indeed, crafting the anti-metal forge had been a collaborative effort among Nidavellir's most skilled smiths, taking over three decades from conception to completion.

This timeframe exceeded Forseti's expectations, but during these forty years, Hearth valley had undergone significant changes. Despite the frigid Antarctic environment, the ancient guardian tree had continued to grow at an astonishing rate, now towering nearly 150 meters—the tallest tree on Earth.

The thunder and holy light emanating from the tree had become more pronounced; the knights could hear thunderous sounds from it almost daily. At night, its holy light shone brightly, illuminating the valley without need for additional light sources, creating an eternal day-like atmosphere.

The first human Paladins, who had spent over forty years in the Silver Hand, though strengthened by the Holy Light against aging, still bore the marks of mortality, most now grizzled with age. While those with considerable combat prowess continued their vigil against evil, most elderly Paladins had ceased traveling and instead focused on mentoring new recruits.

For now, Forseti had no plans to expand the Silver Hand, so these older Paladins typically trained new recruits one-on-one.

Their noble deeds would continue through their students, a legacy passed down from one generation to the next...

A rumble echoed through the guardian tree, and leaves and bark gently cascaded down. Though mere specks against its colossal mass of hundreds of thousands of tons, these fragments were collected by young Paladins from Vanaheim.

True to its name, every home in valley of hearth was now adorned with hearths, burning these "skins" from the ancient guardian tree. As several young Paladins gathered the shavings, they encountered an elderly man in armor with snow-white hair and beard, bowing respectfully before him.

"Lord Bácha."

This elderly man was Bácha, the first human Paladin of the Silver Hand.

He nodded solemnly in response to their greeting.

"Lord Bácha, what has happened?" one of the younger knights inquired.

"The Lord informed me of a sudden death among our knights on the African continent and requested my presence," Bácha explained.

Meanwhile, in a chamber within the Temple of Holy Light, Forseti reviewed the roster of Paladins and fell into contemplation.

Through the Holy Light, he could discern the life and death of every Paladin. Currently, over a dozen names among the 120 listed were grayed out—some falling in battle, others in accidents, with one having died suddenly under mysterious circumstances.

After a moment's reflection, Forseti closed the Holy Light, withdrew his thoughts, and activated the Bifrost, returning to Asgard.

Upon arriving, he promptly proceeded to the Rainbow Bridge teleportation chamber.

"Heimdallr, transport me to Nidavellir," Forseti requested.

"Certainly," nodded Heimdallr, activating the Rainbow Bridge to transport Forseti directly to Nidavellir.

In Nidavellir, upon seeing Eitri, Forseti was greeted with a cheerful pat on the shoulder.

"Haha, Forseti, you've arrived just in time. We completed the anti-metal forge a few days ago," Eitri announced proudly.

"Finally," Forseti breathed a sigh of relief.

Eitri suggested, "Would you like to see it? It's quite remarkable."

"No need. I'd rather see it once the Sulfuron Warhammer is complete," Forseti replied bluntly, finding little beauty in a forge.

"Understood," Eitri acquiesced. "Then let us depart for Muspelheim."

Leaving Nidavellir Palace, the two boarded a dwarf-built spacecraft, piloted by Eitri himself, and embarked into the vast expanse of space.

After several warp jumps, their vessel arrived at their destination: Muspelheim, realm of the Fire Giants.

Viewed from afar amidst the starry sky, Muspelheim resembled a fiery red orb, its surface predominantly covered in searing magma.

During their descent, Forseti inquired, "Jinlunga is said to lie deep within the magma. Are you prepared for that?"

"Indeed. I've brought something special to endure the flames," Eitri assured him, revealing a pendant around his neck. "This is the Source Fire Pendant—one of my finest creations. With this, I could stand on the sun's surface without feeling the heat."

Forseti nodded in acknowledgment.

Navigating over the lava sea, their spacecraft hurtled towards their destination. Eitri exclaimed with excitement as he piloted, "Almost there! Just a bit farther!"

"Here we are!"

The spacecraft made a smooth descent, eventually landing on a small lava island.

"This island houses the entrance to Jinlunga?" Forseti inquired.

"Almost," Eitri confirmed. "But first, we must conceal the spacecraft. Much like any ocean, the Lava Sea is home to pirates—ferocious and bloodthirsty. Encountering them would surely spell trouble."

He added with confidence, "Though rest assured, I doubt we'll encounter any lava pirates."

With the spacecraft safely stowed away, the two set out for the Crescent Moon at the island's rear.

Yet, as they proceeded, a sudden whistling pierced the air. Looking up, they beheld large rocks and fireballs hurtling towards them.

Both were caught off guard.

"Boom!"

Forseti reacted swiftly, conjuring a shield of holy light to intercept the onslaught.

Eitri, however, was less fortunate. His larger stature and conspicuous presence made it impossible to shield entirely. Consequently, he was struck by rocks and fireballs, crashing to the ground.

Luckily, the Source Fire Pendant he wore around his neck deflected the fireballs with an unseen force, sparing him from burns.

"It's pirates—a band of lava pirates!" Eitri exclaimed, shaken and enraged.