Rome Must Perish

Stepping on the thick fallen leaves, accompanied by the sound of bells, the whole person seemed to meld into this vast nature, casting aside all fatigue and distractions accumulated along the journey… In a trance, not knowing how far he had walked, he suddenly noticed a gate appearing on the path ahead.

Two massive, towering white stones, each taller than a person, stood upright on either side of the path. A thinner white slab was placed atop these stones, forming a stone gate.

From a distance, the two white stones appeared to depict a man and a woman standing, yet upon closer inspection, there were no visible marks of carving, as if they had formed naturally.

The stone slab on top bore an engraved semicircular mark in its center, resembling a wave crest lifted from a river. When sunlight filtered through the leaves and struck it, the mark emitted dazzling rays of five-colored light.

The Segestica citizens and Skodisqi slaves, holding a reverence for the Holy Stone, knelt down collectively upon arriving at this place.

The leading Druid whispered softly, "Stand up quickly. Once you pass through this gate of the Holy Stone, the temple is just ahead!"

The only one who hadn't knelt—Pro—stepped through the stone gate first, followed closely by Siris, who hurriedly stood back up.

As soon as he crossed the stone gate, he felt the light pierce sharply into his eyes, forcing him to close them before slowly reopening them. It took a moment for his vision to adjust.

Previously, the path was surrounded by dense trees with lush foliage blocking the sunlight, making the area dimly lit. In contrast, this place was an open, flat expanse of greenery where sunlight poured down unobstructed. The stark brightness made his eyes momentarily unaccustomed.

But for villagers like Siris who lived simple lives, this transformation was seen as the power of the Danu Goddess, inspiring greater reverence.

At this moment, the villagers who had crossed the stone gate focused their attention on the center of the green field. There, countless white flowers bloomed densely and layered, resembling a carpet of white that further emphasized the sacredness of the temple.

Some villagers recalled seeing such white flowers while herding in the mountains; they bloom in late autumn and last until the spring of the following year. However, seeing them now, flourishing in such abundance and brilliance, made them believe it was all due to the blessings of the Danu Goddess!

Feeling a growing sense of awe, the villagers discreetly shifted their gazes to the towering figure at the center.

The statue of the Danu Goddess stood over three meters tall. Her left hand held the hand of a lively and adorable child, while her right hand supported an urn placed atop her head. Her body leaned slightly forward, and water spilled from the urn, forming the robe draped over her figure—a garment light and majestic, like a silken mist from the clouds. It accentuated her graceful and elegant form while underscoring her solemn dignity as a deity.

Her visage was serene, as fresh as a lotus in early summer, pure and unadorned. Her eyes were penetrating yet clear, seemingly capable of peering into every soul. Her smile was warm and bright, like spring sunlight, yet her brows carried an expression of compassion, as though she comprehended all the sorrows of the human world. Her slightly parted lips seemed to ask each visiting devotee with gentle concern, "Child, have you been well lately?"

Siris gazed at the Danu Goddess and felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and familiarity. It suddenly brought back memories of his long-forgotten mother—how, on the day he was sent to Savatoir, she had held him tightly, repeatedly urging him with eyes full of care and reluctance, just like the expression now radiating from the Danu Goddess…

Unconsciously, tears streamed down his face. As Siris raised his hand to wipe them away, he heard someone nearby burst into sobs. Turning to look, he saw that it was Lerdu, his face now drenched in tears.

"This is sacred ground. Please maintain your composure!" A deep voice echoed from up front.

The villagers had all been captivated by the statue until now. Following the voice, Siris looked ahead and noticed two elderly men standing on either side of the statue, each crowned with flowers and robed in long garments, their long hair and beards flowing freely.

The speaker was someone Siris found familiar. Squinting his eyes carefully, he realized it was none other than Hemijias, the former Chief Priest of Segestica.

Not only Siris, but many villagers recognized Hemijias as well. After all, every early summer he presided over harvest rituals for the tribe, and since No. 21 Village was relatively close to the Main Camp, many villagers often went to witness the festivities, making his face quite familiar.

But this time, no one found it strange for Hemijias to appear here. At this moment, they thought that with the Danu Goddess being so magnificent, it only made sense for Hemijias to join the Nix Tribe as one of her priests.

"Assistant priests, arrange for the worshippers to step forward and pay homage!" The elderly priest on the opposite side spoke gently.

Immediately, four young Druids robed in long garments and crowned with grass stepped forth from the edge of the green field.

Everyone soon noticed that standing in the perimeter of the grove encircling the green field were forty robed youths.

The four young Druids came into the crowd and selected the ten villagers standing in the front row, guiding them to the area of white flowers before the statue. Among the ten was Siris, but not Pro, who was already an Official Tribe Member and thus exempt from offering pledges before the statue.

The closer Siris walked to the statue, the clearer the Goddess' face became. That pair of luminous eyes seemed to move with him, always focusing on him with a gentle smile, leaving him thrilled and his heartbeat racing.

In fact, every villager stepping forward shared the same sentiment as Siris.

"Let the child of Danu Goddess, the High Priest of the Nix Tribe, Leader Maximus, bless and guide the faithful in their pledges!" The elder Druid said solemnly before bowing, prompting all the other Druids to lower their heads respectfully.

A young man stepped out from behind the Danu Goddess statue. He, too, was robed, but his head was adorned with a golden crown. The sunlight striking him radiated a dazzling halo that was difficult to look upon directly.

Siris and the others instinctively lowered their heads, their hearts shaken: Maximus?! This is the famed Nix Leader who defeated Andres and Cabdes, and devastated Segestica!

Siris couldn't contain his curiosity and stole a glance upward, noticing that this young tribal leader stood calmly beside the offering table near the front of the statue. At an angle, his right side seemed almost to align with the lively child and then the Danu Goddess statues, as though all three were on the same plane.

A sudden realization struck Siris like a lightning bolt; his body trembled fiercely: The child's features closely resembled those of the Nix Leader… Could the child being held by the Danu Goddess truly be the Nix Leader?!… No wonder! No wonder the earlier Druid mentioned that the Nix Leader was the child of the Goddess!

With these thoughts, Siris felt an overwhelming sense of awe toward Maximus, whose noble presence exuded majesty. His eyes were pure and profound, resembling those of the Danu Goddess statue, capable of drawing one's very spirit into their gaze.

Siris lowered his torso even further, his heart surging with exhilaration.

Maximus began to speak, his voice melodious, like a breeze through spring leaves: "Eons ago, the world was a void, and within the void, the great Danu Goddess took form… Countless years passed, and the Goddess was born, bringing forth land and rivers, separating light from darkness, and ushering in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, in a cyclical harmony. Time flowed on, life emerged and flourished, until eventually, humanity graced the earth!"

Maximus' voice grew louder, striking the depths of every listener's soul: "The Danu Goddess is the Mother of the Earth and Source of Water! She is the Mother of All Things and the Mother of all humanity! Today, she watches over my Nix Tribe as our gracious guardian!

No matter if one is Illyrian, Pannonian, Skodisqi… or belongs to any other race dwelling in these mountains or plains or this land, as long as they embrace Nix and sincerely honor her, she shall bless them! But those who oppose Nix shall face her wrath! Children of the Goddess, raise your heads high!"

Siris and the others obediently lifted their heads. At this moment, the statue of the Danu Goddess and Leader Maximus seemed less blinding, basking in the sunlight that now felt bright yet warm.

Then, a group of robed young men approached them, handing each one a small wooden urn filled with water-mixed soil. They gestured for everyone to hold the urn in their left hand and lightly press their palm against the soil with their right hand.

Siris and the others followed the instructions without hesitation.

Maximus spoke again: "The soil beneath your palm is the most fertile earth of this land. The water in your urn derives from the purest snowmelt from the mountain peaks. Soil and water are embodiments of the Goddess herself. Whatever your thoughts and desires may be, they shall reach the Goddess through them. Now—"

Maximus' tone turned solemn and profound, his voice heavy and commanding: "I ask! You shall answer! Before the Goddess, swear your most steadfast oaths!"

"Can you vow to honor the Danu Goddess, unwavering for life?!"

"We can!!" everyone answered without hesitation.

"Can you swear loyalty to the Nix Tribe, never betraying it?!"

"We can!!" Their responses were just as unified, filled not with thoughts of penalties for unpledged land but with resolute notions like "The Danu Goddess favors Nix, and Nix's Leader is her child. How could we ever betray Nix…"

"Can you promise to coexist peacefully within the Nix Tribe with members of other races, like the Skodisqi people, and build a harmonious home together?!"

"We can!" Siris replied eagerly. Others faltered, hesitating briefly, but under the sacred presence of the Goddess' all-encompassing smile and Maximus' commanding demeanor, they ultimately resolved to give their affirmative pledge.