Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Celene asked in confusion: "Then who do you plan to use it for? You dislike Divine Beasts and Amanata, don't you? The Undead Tribe doesn't need this thing either?"

Shaer couldn't help but retort: "Don't you know my largest temple is in Karin Harbor? Why don't you guess how many people are in that temple?"

If Shaer really wanted to raise an army, it would be quite easy... but her followers are skilled at plots and assassinations in the shadows, never engaging in direct confrontations.

Moreover, with the aid of Shadow Force, the Envoys of the Night are indeed somewhat similar to the armies of the Ancient Imasca Empire that relied on strange machinery for combat. Shaer truly has high control over her followers, knowing what suits them.

Additionally, in Imasca, it is possible to first set a primary master and then hand it over to subordinates for use... Shaer can take back the scepter from any subordinate she appoints at any time.

Even though the lives of these night followers are almost entirely in her hands, Shaer still prepared various precautions.

She probably decided to promote the ruler of the Ancient Night Temple, Iltmara, to a Chosen... previously she only granted her long life and great power without sharing her Divine Power.

It seems she still hopes for her subordinates to have a separation of powers... with the Hydra who took away Vikna Demon Eye, along with Abel Herderstal holding A Thousand Petals in One Night already promoted to Chosen, followed by this grand beauty of the Ancient Night Temple.

Hill initially thought Shaer was so displeased with Iltmara that she would decide to give up on her... but now it seems that punishment is not the worst thing for the Envoy of the Night, at least it proves Shaer is still willing to discipline her.

Otherwise, knowing Shaer's character, she would have directly replaced her.

Although Shaer is cold-hearted, she is still willing to give loyal followers a chance... she did not fill her church with madmen to bring about apocalypse.

However, Hill amusingly thought, this might be the reason Shaer's plan to bring about apocalypse would always fail... though her followers are ruthless and dark in their actions, they operate within an order... dark order is still order.

Only madmen can thoroughly destroy the world... it doesn't even matter which faction they belong to.

Celene still understands her sister well, Shaer would never change her love for secrecy, so she was very puzzled by Shaer's plans to create an army: "Why did you suddenly change your nature? I really can't imagine you would send your followers to directly confront anyone?

Do you want to target the War Priesthood?

Don't~ Though Tampas is a fence-sitter, he still has quite a strong power, and he's full of treachery. If someone really wants to interfere with him, he will annoy you to death."

Shaer once again felt that Celene's head was probably filled with water: "Do you think after Amanata occupies all of Kalinsan, he will let my temple stay underground in Karin Harbor?

Isn't that guy supposed to purge all darkness?

Karin Harbor is the capital of Kalinsan, he couldn't possibly give it up willingly... unless he wants to admit that sunlight cannot penetrate darkness!

His first act after driving out the Divine Beasts would probably be to clear out the enemies in Karin Harbor... my Ancient Night Temple might even precede Cyric's.

The newly awakened Amanata probably still lives tens of thousands of years ago! Thinking I would retreat to avoid unnecessary sacrifices?"

Shaer sneered coldly, her tone icy: "I indeed dislike directly confronting strong foes... why waste my strength when I can use the most efficient method? But this doesn't mean I can't protect my own temple.

I indeed can have the Ancient Night Temple completely evacuated... however, if I retreat this time, who knows who will seize my territory next time!

There will always be fools who mistake my tolerance for weakness."

Celene indifferently said: "Are there such fools in Toril? Even Ambori, with his head like soaked seaweed, wouldn't be that stupid."

Shaer finally gave up on writing the words caution into her sister's head and just said in a calm tone: "I will always be prepared for the worst... at the very least, ensure my followers have enough capability to protect their own temple, rather than relying on some other thing called reason.

Isn't there always someone without it?"

She couldn't resist the urge to mock Celene... but just as she thought, the Maiden of the Moon didn't feel she was being mocked at all... in Celene's mind, her actions always stemmed from her own will, which can't be considered irrational, only less thoughtful.

Moreover, the decisions she made when overthinking things were even worse... probably because her nature was inherently full of conflicts, the more complex her considerations, the further they would deviate from her original goal... so she simply let it go.

Hill drank silently.

Sometimes he truly felt for Shaer, even though this Goddess pillaged and killed countless, in the face of her sister, the Lady of the Night instantly became the weaker party.

Though in reality, it was Celene who had been beaten by Shaer down to a Lower Rank Divine Power, working hard to slowly climb back to strength... largely due to various inexplicable blessings of luck.

But during the communication between these two sisters, Hill could always feel why Shaer would only go mad at her sister… When order and chaos try to discuss a result that satisfies both parties, it is only order that will concede.

Unless the power of order is strong enough to make chaos shut up… But generally speaking, as long as it is certain that it won't die, chaos will never shut up.

Celene had no interest in the war artifact; she thought Shaer wanted some special artifact that could directly send Amanata into the Abyss or Hell!

Just some preparations for the future, what significance does it hold for her current boredom?

Celene said a little unhappily: "But it's really too boring lately… There's nothing interesting anywhere else either."

Hill could feel that this returning goddess of the Moonlight Priesthood had already collected endless information, so he couldn't help but ask: "You've been watching the land… has that Primordial Power's havoc in Toril subsided a bit?"

"Definitely not." Celene said blandly: "The current Toril Planet, when faced with the Primordial Power, is like a house with countless small and big holes, no one knows where the Primordial Power will gush out from, nor where it will fly back to.

Sword Bay and Northern Ferun, because there are more Mystra Electors and strong individuals like you who can stabilize space, don't feel much, but in other places, the blue Light of Destruction can appear almost anytime, just with varying sizes.

However, it seems that most Toril people already know how to avoid the stronger Magicplague, recently more people have been surviving."

Hill wordlessly smiled, such a level of natural disaster was not a big deal for the Toril people to not be able to survive… as long as the world can be restored after it explodes.

But he didn't know where there was any fun that could let Celene watch… wait… he suddenly turned his head and asked: "The Haber family hasn't made any movement?"

Tsk! How is that possible? Betrayed Deepwater City, the trapped Moonflower Royalty, plus Shaer's Electors from the Underdark… that Hydra, and even some Zholar, are all watching the Haber family now!

Shaer would not even let go of the fifth secret artifact of Imasca, let alone the complete set of Dead Moon Magic Orb and Seat of Sakuxier!

"There are too many forces watching them," Shaer explained. "So the Haber family is hiding very tightly now, but I have already found their hidden castle beneath the Neverwinter Mountain Range. However, without enough assurance to control the item in my hands, I cannot take action for now.

I must first figure out which Demon Lord they have captured… whether to cooperate or directly betray the other party when the time comes, all must be carefully planned."

Hill nodded in surprise: With such artifacts, even Shaer was being so careful?

"If that thing falls into your hands, Lalock that madman likely won't be indifferent anymore, right?" Celene cheerfully interjected, "Others can't use these two artifacts to control him, so he's always indifferent about who takes it… But if it's you, then it's uncertain.

Heh heh, let him think he's the first mage every day… but does he really know to whom the shadow power belongs?"

Listening to the disgruntled words of this Maiden of the Moon, those unaware might actually think she was standing up for Shaer!

However, both Hill and Shaer understood the buzzwords from her speech: 'stir up trouble'!

Celene was clearly trying to incite Shaer to confront that extremely powerful Lich, but to say that Lalock uses shadow power is less accurate than to say it is Abyssal Power.

Shaer calmly replied, "The Dead Moon Magic Orb uses demon power; even if I acquired it, I would only choose demon as the source of its power… why would I go looking for trouble with an unrelated person?

How did Lalock offend you?"

"Not really," Celene answered honestly, "I just suddenly want to know the result if you two fought… of course, I don't think you would lose.

Wouldn't it be embarrassing if you lost a little face?"

Even for Shaer, facing that powerful Lich would be extremely taxing… after all, he had single-handedly created several of the most powerful High Evil Artifacts on Toril.

So Celene's thought indeed held no issues; Shaer might indeed be seriously injured by Lalock… however, if it's unnecessary, with the Goddess of the Night's character to not even want to directly confront a lower rank divine power, how could she go looking for trouble with a Warlock Fortress that nobody knows on which plane it's hiding?

Celene is the only one likely to act on a whim like that, right?

After a few minutes, Shaer calmly said, "Stop imagining, I won't make a move on Lalock. If you're curious whether his power is as strong as legends say, you can find him yourself."

Celene exhaled: "Then I assume I can't win, I'm not good at fighting."

Then she added lightly: "Except against you."