Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys Chapter 1598 - 552: The Hidden Divine Artifact

"You’re too kind." With a slight bow, Elder Nasha motioned for Rein to proceed.

Rein glanced around the area, confirming that only Anna and the trustworthy companions were nearby with no suspicious figures in sight, before he slowly posed his question: "What I’d like to ask is, do you know anything about Fiend Demon?"

"Fiend Demon?" The elegant smile on Elder Nasha’s refined face froze for a moment, her lovely eyes showing clear shock. After a brief hesitation, she composed herself and replied, "Your Crown Rein, could it be that you’ve run into the Fiend Demon?"

Anna, standing next to her, felt quite taken aback by Elder Nasha’s sudden emotional shift.

Elder Nasha ranked among the strongest in the Elf Clan’s council of elders, having endured endless hardships over the years. At minimum, everyday events rarely stirred her composure.

"Yes." Rein paused briefly, choosing to be upfront, and nodded affirmatively.

Without waiting for Elder Nasha to press further, Rein continued, "I came across it in a ruin inside the Federation, and it proved to be a real hassle."

"So that’s what happened over in the Federation." Elder Nasha let out a noticeable breath of relief. "Talk of Fiend Demons has faded from conversation for ages. Still, given the return of energy tides, it’s no surprise they’re showing up again."

"The ancient texts in our clan mention records from about ten thousand years back, when humans lacked a single Empire and instead had scattered kingdoms. Back then, more Churches honored the True Gods than today, locked in fierce battles against Evil Gods and Fiend Demons for decades."

"It seems they managed to seal away the Fiend Demons and Evil Gods using some kind of Divine Artifact. Yet, wielding that Divine Artifact apparently caused the energy tides to drop to their lowest ebb."

"Our clan’s archives also hold prophecies from several Sages of that era, all pointing to the same thing: as energy tides surge back, the Divines shall awaken, and Fiend Demons will emerge once more."

"Divine Artifact? Prophecy?" Rein stood there, obviously taken off guard by the revelations.

His original intent was to dig into the connection between Evil Gods and Fiend Demons, yet here he was, learning about this unexpected twist.

"Yes, that’s the extent of my knowledge." Elder Nasha affirmed with a nod.

After mulling it over, Rein chose to set aside the topics of Divine Artifact and prophecy for now; his priority remained verifying if the dynamic between Evil Gods and Fiend Demons matched the mural’s hint of opposition.

"Elder Nasha, do you have any insights on the bond between Evil Gods and Fiend Demons?" Rein inquired once more.

"Well... the Elf Clan’s archives might hold deeper details on that, perhaps. If Your Crown Rein can spare the time, a visit to Ferdinand Forest could be in order." Elder Nasha shook her head as she spoke.

Rein gave a nod, weighing his options, and resolved to head there immediately. Naturally, the key driver was resolving this issue before delving deeper into the Floating City Ruins.

"Anna, how about I escort you back to Ferdinand Forest? It’d give me a chance to check out some records too."

"That sounds perfect, Rein." At the suggestion, Anna’s eyes lit up, and she squeezed Rein’s hand more firmly.

With their plans set, the group soon arrived at the garrison plaza. Just then, Anna recalled something and tugged at Rein’s sleeve with a secretive air, whispering, "Rein, I can fly now."

"Fly?"

"Hm!"

As Anna nodded vigorously, she released Rein’s soft, pale hand, took a couple of light jumps, and in an instant, she disappeared from her spot. In her place emerged a majestic Golden Eagle, its wings stretching several meters wide.

The Golden Eagle then fixed its keen, recognizable gaze on Rein, before beating its wings and ascending into the heavens.

"Druid Transformation Technique, shifting into a Golden Eagle?" Rein stared up in astonishment at the Golden Eagle wheeling above, murmuring aloud.

He’d witnessed a similar shift into a Golden Eagle before, performed by Lady Delana, Anna’s aunt, though he hadn’t anticipated Anna achieving it so soon.

Word had it that acquiring this transformation skill demanded great effort, and true mastery came with even more challenges.

"Indeed, Your Crown Rein. Anna’s been incredibly dedicated to her training, bolstered by her natural gifts, so her advancement has been swift. In terms of human wizard rankings, she’s reached the late stage of Second Level Liquidation."

Elder Nasha, watching Anna soar overhead with a warm gaze, turned to offer this explanation to Rein.

Rein nodded approvingly, recognizing the impressive strides Anna had made.

While the Elf Clan’s Druid rankings lacked the fine divisions of Wizards, generally, proficiency in over three forms and related fighting techniques, plus a handful of Nature witchcrafts, marked one as an Advanced Druid. The next tier up would be a Great Druid.

Before long, the Golden Eagle dove downward, landing just a few meters from Rein, and swiftly reverted to the form of a vibrant, enchanting Elf Girl.

"Incredible! Anna, I never thought you’d already conquered the Golden Eagle transformation; the last time was with Lady Delana." Rein approached with a grin, taking the girl’s hand in his, and offered his admiration.

"Hm, I’m not quite at your level yet, but I’ll keep pushing." Anna’s heart warmed like sweet nectar at Rein’s words, and she beamed with a bashful smile.

"Oh, right, where’s Lady Delana?" The question popped into Rein’s mind suddenly, prompting him to ask.

In theory, Delana ought to be accompanying her sister Daryn Yueling, but Rein hadn’t spotted her anywhere.