Chapter 137: The Poem of Tribbie; The Star Overturned
This time, an aura of authority radiated from her small frame, a presence that utterly belied her age—one that had been honed over countless years.
She looked calmly at the old priest, her voice soft yet imbued with an obvious power. "Mister Nodus, we are Tirisipeos. The ashes of Janusapolis still cry out on the wind, but the continuation of the living is the only true solace for the departed."
"Ti… Tirisipeos, My Lady?!" Nodus's cloudy old eyes widened abruptly. He stared, incredulous, at the red-haired little girl before him, his body trembling with a mixture of excitement and deep reverence.
Virtus and the other elder tribesmen reeled in shock before bowing their heads, their expressions filled with deep respect for the legendary name.
Tribbie continued, her gaze unwavering. "Virtus's choice was not a betrayal. It was an act to preserve the last spark of Janusapolis. If you refuse to leave, these young ones will remain in this temple with you, and they will become nothing more than spirits impaled on Nikadori's spear."
The stubbornness on Nodus's face melted away like snow in the sun, replaced by a complex, weary relief.
He bowed, his frame trembling. "It was I… I who was too stubborn. For the bloodline of Janusapolis… we are willing to go to Ochema."
Tribbie nodded slightly, a hint of relief softening her ancient eyes.
Soon, the group successfully reunited with Phainon, who had been drawn by the commotion of the earlier battle. Seeing the change in Nodus's demeanor and that his tribesmen were unharmed, the tension in Phainon's shoulders seemed to ease, if only a little.
However, their party of refugees was large, and the Earth Beast caravan meant to transport them to Ochema had not yet arrived. For now, all they could do was wait.
As the minutes stretched on, Dan Heng approached Phainon and Tribbie, his gaze calm but persistent. "The storm has passed for the moment. Might I trouble you both for a moment of your time? We have some questions we hope you can answer."
His tone was polite, yet it carried an insistence that was difficult to refuse. The ceaseless cascade of events and the strange 'miracle' had woven a mix of mysteries about Amphoreus in his mind, and he was determined to unravel them.
Phainon was silent for a moment, his gaze shifting to Tribbie. She understood. Phainon's typically brief, unembellished answers would never satisfy these keen-eyed visitors from beyond the stars, nor could they truly convey the full, tragic story of this world.
She gave a gentle nod. "Phainon," she said, "have Virtus and the others play their lyres."
Tribbie then turned to the Astral Express crew, a pure, disarming smile gracing her face. "Some stories are too pale when told with simple words. Allow us to use the ancient poems of Amphoreus to reveal the past of this land to our honored guests from afar."
She took a deep breath. As Virtus struck a melodic, ancient, and subtly mournful tune on his lyre—a song laced with an unyielding thread of hope—her childish yet strangely powerful voice flowed out.
Accompanied by the lyre, Tribbie began to sing. Her voice was ethereal and sacred, as if piercing through the thick dust of time itself.
"The gods blessed the fertile land, and life flourished like a wildfire's brand…"
As she sang, the nearby Janusapolis tribesmen, both young and old, spontaneously began to hum along. The fear and exhaustion etched onto their faces seemed to wash away under the tide of the ancient melody, their eyes sparkling with memories of a bygone era and a fragile hope for the future. The suffering of their long exile was, for a brief moment, forgotten, replaced by a resilience unique to the people of Amphoreus, solidifying in the heart of their song.
Dan Heng listened in quiet contemplation, his eyes gleaming. The poem was dense with information, painting a vivid picture of Amphoreus's prosperous past and revealing the very root of its current disaster. This was no simple song; it was a condensed epic, the oral history of an entire civilization.
The hymn ended, its final notes lingering in the air as the refugees basked in the brief solace it had brought.
While Dan Heng's questions were not entirely answered, the song had undeniably sketched a clear outline of Amphoreus's history and present state. He looked at Tribbie and Phainon, about to press for more specific details when—
Rumble… Rumble…
Suddenly, the solid ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently. Debris and dust rained down from the broken temple walls, the vibrations suggesting the approach of something colossal.
"Enemy attack?!" Stelle almost reflexively summoned her baseball bat with a sharp whump, the crimson energy of Destruction instantly coiling around it. Her sharp eyes scanned the perimeter, searching for whatever behemoth was causing the tremor.
March 7th also drew her ice bow in a flash, frigid air condensing around her fingertips.
"Don't be nervous!" Phainon's low voice cut through the tension. He raised a hand, gesturing for everyone to stand down. "It should be our escort arriving."
As if to confirm his words, a dull, rhythmic thump… thump… thump… grew steadily louder. A moment later, several enormous figures slowly lumbered around the corner of the ruins.
They were truly colossal creatures. Their limbs were incredibly thick, wrapped in dark blue, leathery hide, supporting massive bodies that resembled small, mobile fortresses. Most striking of all were their astonishingly long necks, nearly equal in length to their bodies, which now swayed leisurely from side to side. Embedded in their massive heads were pairs of gentle, sapphire-like eyes. Their backs were exceptionally broad and flat, appearing to be natural platforms for carrying heavy loads.
"Whoa! They're so big!" Stelle's eyes widened, her battle-ready stance melting away.
Then, she subconsciously blurted out, "These big guys… they kind of look like those long-necked ones from Natlan, where Lumine and the others are, don't they?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" March 7th clapped her hands, lowering her bow in excitement. She scrunched up her face, trying to recall the name. "It's that one! Called… called the Long-Necked Horned Rhino! Right, Dan Heng?" She turned to her most knowledgeable companion for confirmation.
Dan Heng's gaze swept over the Earth Beasts' thick limbs and distinctive necks. He nodded, a hint of surprise in his voice. "...They are indeed very similar to Long-Necked Horned Rhinos. Their size is comparable, and…" He noticed that as the beasts approached the crowd, they slowed their pace, gently lowering their huge heads and emitting low, peaceful whimpers. "Their temperament also seems quite docile. Otherwise, they wouldn't be domesticated for transport."
Phainon overheard the trio's conversation, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Oh? Have our guests seen creatures similar to 'Earth Beasts' elsewhere? I was under the impression they were a species unique to Amphoreus."
He took a few steps forward, reassuringly patting the rough, rock-like skin on the leg of the lead Earth Beast.
Dan Heng pulled his gaze away from the creatures. "They aren't the same species," he explained, "just somewhat similar in appearance." He had noticed that at the joints of the Earth Beasts' limbs, there were unusually large, grayish-white, thick protrusions that looked like shells made of rock crystal—a feature Natlan's rhinos did not possess.
"I see." Phainon nodded. He then looked at the eager faces of Stelle and March 7th and suggested, "Since our guests are not unfamiliar with them, riding them should be much easier. Would you like to try?" He gestured toward the largest and most magnificent Earth Beast at the front.
"Yes, please!" The words had barely left Phainon's mouth before Stelle impatiently grabbed March 7th's hand and dashed toward the lead beast, her face radiating pure, unadulterated enthusiasm. She was completely lost in the excitement of encountering a new creature, failing to notice Phainon opening his mouth behind her, his crucial warning drowned out by the sound of their excited footsteps.
"Be careful! Absolutely do not touch those white stone ridges on their limbs—"
March 7th, towed along by Stelle, didn't forget to whip out her camera, preparing to capture the precious moment of her first time riding an otherworldly giant beast. She adjusted the focus, aiming the lens at Stelle, who was already trying to clamber nimbly onto the creature's broad back.
Just as Stelle's hand was about to grasp the rough leather rope used for securing cargo, her foot, seeking use, instinctively found purchase on a nearby, seemingly sturdy, grayish-white stone ridge—
"ROOOOAR—!!!"
A deafening, furious roar erupted from the throat of the supposedly "docile" Earth Beast. Its massive body bucked violently.
"Whoa—!" Caught completely off guard, Stelle felt an irresistible force launch her into the air. She let out a shriek, her limbs flailing as she traced an ungraceful arc through the sky.
Click!
March 7th's camera shutter faithfully captured the dramatic scene—Stelle's terrified expression, her coat billowing around her, and the enraged Earth Beast below, its massive head thrown back as it exhaled a plume of white mist.
"Pfft…" March 7th quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, desperately trying to suppress the laugh that threatened to burst out. She fumbled to hide the camera behind her back, then quickly composed her face into a mask of pure innocence, an expression that screamed, 'I didn't see a thing. I was just admiring the scenery.'
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]