CHAPTER 42: Civilization of Zariah.

I yawned as I lean back on the seat where I am sitting right now. It's the couch here on my balcony because I still haven't let go of my hobby of stargazing here outside every night. Asher is not here right now, he said that he needed to talk to Sir Abel about the holy crystal, and I am waiting for him because he promised me that he'll tell me everything he knows about the civilization of Zariah.

I wonder why the Cathedral is protecting the book instead? I mean, shouldn't the Imperial Family keep it? It's not like I'm doubting the cathedral, never. Sir Kiernan is there after all. It's just...hmm, I don't understand what's the connection of the cathedral with the Zariah book.

"It's quite cold and you're still outside, and only wearing nightgown," Oh, Asher's finally here!

"I'm waiting for you," I replied, smiling at him. He stared at me for a while before he heaved a sigh.

"Let's get inside," he then opened the door to my room, so I jumped off from my couch and walked inside my room.

"Where have you been?" I asked, heading straight to my bed. I climbed on it and sat with my legs crossed.

"Abel. I had to check if he finally found a way to Azrael's realm. We're also trying to figure out where to find the Essence Tree," Essence Tree? Hmm, I think I know that. It's a tree created by Raini centuries ago when he descended to Lumia.

"Why are you trying to look for it?" I asked. Because this is the first time he's going to mention about the Essence Tree.

"Well, it turns out that the Essence Tree also produces a holy crystal," Ohh--so, it's like the holy crystal is the Essence Tree's fruit?

"So, we have two ways now to get holy crystal, from the divine realms and the Essence Tree?" He nod his head and then throw himself to the couch in my room. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What the heck? Is he actually alright?

"However, in order for us to obtain it. We need to directly go to where the Essence Tree is planted. Actually, it's easier to locate the Essence Tree than Azrael's realm, because the Essence Tree is planted here in this world, unlike Azrael's realm. But...the problem is, the Essence Tree changes location every ten years. This is to prevent it from being used for evil deeds, and we have yet to see it for two-hundred years," Wow...for two-hundred years, the Essence Tree changed location 20 times, and they never looked for it?

"Can't you ask your Gods where it is?" I asked, he immediately shook his head.

"It's true that we can communicate with them—but, that was five hundred years ago, when all the Astras are still together," Huh...

500 years ago!?

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING!?

"You're an oldie!"

"That's not what you should be focusing on!"

So, that means all the Astras are not together now?

"Asher, since you said there are four Astras, does that mean, you guys are actually not triplets but quadruplets?" I asked. Just curious about these divine beings.

"Well, it's not like we're actually blood related. We are created by different Gods after all. We just believe that we are twin siblings because we became conscious in the same day," Ohh, well, that makes sense. They are not blood related but treats each other as siblings. Wow, that's so cool...

"Where's the fourth Astra? And what's her name?" I asked, smiling at him. I wanna ask him about the Zariah civilization right away, but maybe I shouldn't do that right away so I am asking these questions.

"Seriously, why are you curious all of the sudden?" He asked.

"Well, you never really mentioned about her," I replied. Asher never told me the story of the Four Astras and the Selene, but he did mentioned them before.

"She's...well---it's a long story. I think Her Highness would get bored to listen to it," Asher answered, avoiding my question once again. Maybe their story is really sad that he wants to avoid it?

"Hmkay then, how about you tell me now about the Zariah civilization?" Since he refused to tell me about the Astras and the Selene, I shouldn't force him to tell me. Maybe it's a bit painful for him, so I'll just wait for Asher to open up!

"Zariah, it's a country from over a thousand years ago, lead by the Demon King and his proxy, the evil dragon. You already know that the dragon was once a divine beast, right?" I nod my head.

"He's actually the one guarding the Essence Tree. The Essence Tree is created by Raini himself, which means that this tree bears Raini's power. The Demon King desired it and fought the dragon, untin he force him turn his back against Raini. The Zariah civilization is created in order to defeat Raini. But they did not succeed. With the power of the Five Gods and Raini, a divine light struck the country, destroying everything that has something to do with the demon king. Removing all the memories of the people who were there at that time, and destroying the whole civilization. Years later, while the expedition members of Duncan Empire were exploring the place, they found several--no, thousands of people lying on the ground of an area without anything," I tilt my head and creased my forehead. What does he mean by that? Area without anything? Oh, wait--I think I get it now.

"Ahh, so it's like--there was nothing in that place anymore because the whole country was destroyed while the people there had their memories removed? Thank goodness, no innocents were killed," I sighed in relief. Because I've been really curious about what happened to the people who were just there to trade items and products, since Zariah is also a place for trading.

"Yes---the Duncan Empire decided to help those people there, but them too have no memories of the civilization that stood in that location. So the people were sent to their families, while the evil nobles who were found dead were buried. Their relatives were sent to a certain kingdom, with some of them being adopted by the nobles. And everything about that civilization was forgotten. Even the different races who used to visit that place completely forgot about that civilization," Dang...now, there are a lot of questions in my head. It's actually really, really confusing. I want to ask Asher right now but it seems like the story is not yet finished.

"Decades later, we were born. We were told about the civilization and was tasked to take care of it, as it is a place that is connected to the realm of Moira. However, just a few years later after we were created, the evil dragon came back, he first attacked several small villages, leading to many deaths, to attacking kingdoms, and then Empires--that includes the Duncan Empire. So the Four Astras and the Selene were given a mission to defeat the dragon. To remove the darkness within him and to being him back to Raini's side. And as we are about to go and fight it, we saw several people fighting the dragon, and those were the people from Meir Kingdom and Sullivan Ciera. Of course, we helped in fighting that dragon. It didn't took seven years, it only took seven days. But, during that time, we cannot let other people know about us, so we altered their memories and wrote the Book of the Old Civilization, excluding the fact that we were there to defeat it," Ohh...

What the heck...

"So, I've got so many questions, Your Divine Highness!" I spoke, slamming my hands on my bed and staring at him intently. He stared back at me for a moment before he smiled and close his eyes.

"Spill it," he replied.

"So, like...you weren't born yet when the Zariah civilization was built? It's built by the Demon King, as one of his ways to defeat Raini...but, what can his civilization do against the creator of all creations? And how did he even caught the divine beast? Also, is the reason why the Essence Tree changes location is to prevent the Demon King from locating it and stealing Raini's power? Plus, if the Demon King already found it once, how come he failed to steal the Essence Tree? It's not like I want him to, okay? I'm just curious! And which kingdom did the relatives of those evil nobles lives now? Are they actually still alive? And well, earlier I was about to ask who wrote the book of Zariah if everyone forgot about it, but you already told me who did, so those are my questions for now!" I ended. He chuckled.

"You really did have many questions. For your first question, yes. We were born decades after the civilization was destroyed, so we're not yet alive during that time. Our creators said that we were created to prevent it from happening again, we became the guardian of this world. What can Zariah do to Raini? This civilization is a trading country, not only fo they trade products and items, but information as well. Information about the Essence Tree. He caught the divine beats by using the String of Darkness, which is a scared relic that can subdue the divine power and strength of a divine beast. And you're correct about the reason why the tree changes location, lastly, the reason why the Demon King couldn't steal the tree is because of the divine beast who fought his whole life to defend it," What...he answered all my questions right away. Asher really knows everything about this world. Even though they were not yet born when the civilization was built and is active, he still knows about it. He's simply amazing. But---

This guy really is old.

"When was the civilization built again?" I asked.

"Fifteen hundred years ago," Ohh--so Zariah is built 1,500 years ago, huh? So it really is quite old now!

"And it was destroyed?"

"Yes, fifty years later after it was built," I nod my head. Well, at least they were able to last fifty years. Dang it.

"And you were born when it was destroyed?" I asked, raising my right brow because of confusion.

"No, we were born forty years later after it was destroyed, and then the dragon came back just eight years after we were created," What!? So they were only eight years old when they fought that dragon!? And dang, they're already so strong! To be able to defeat that dragon at the age of eight!

"Okay, so you're one-thousand and four-hundred ten years old?" Asher turned his head towards me while glaring.

"That was the reason you were asking me those questions?" He said, with a serious voice.

"Hahahahahaha! Daaang, you're really old bro!" Asher heaved a sigh and walk towards me. He's a thousand years old within that small figure---this is so funny!

He stopped on the side of my bed and leaned forward. Of course, I just cocked a brow to tease him.

"For your information, my age goes back to zero everytime I hop to another workd, because I need to die before I can enter another world. So when I came back here, I became zero again," I looked away and scoffed at him. Pretty sure that made him annoyed.

"I don't really care, the fact is your soul is a thousand years old," I replied, preventing myself from laughing out loud. This old man is hiding behind a young and beautiful face.

"Hah, nevermind. Anyway, you should sleep--"

"Wait, you haven't answered my last question! Where are their relatives now?" I asked. Asher stood straight and crossed his arms.

"Their descendants, well...they now stay in the Kingdom of Hecate," my eyes widened when I heard a familiar country name. I thought that the Hecate Kingdom won't be mentioned to me anymore, because I really have no news about them at all. They were not even invited to my birthday party.

"Hecate Kingdom, huh..."

So, most descendants of Zariah is living there, huh...?

***