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Chapter 1,332.
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 21:00:21 +0000 UTCEmily had to admit, it was astonishing how quickly and effortlessly things could spiral out of control. Before she knew what hit her, she found herself clad in an embarrassingly cliché hooded robe with thousands of other compatriots. Emily had nothing against the witchy aesthetic, but she had undeniably taken things too far by participating in a ritual meant to summon an ancient deity.
To be fair, there were some signs things were moving in the wrong direction.
It all started with a gamble—picking a memory lantern at the last minute, solely based on its vague connection to the Radiant Court. After figuring out the ins and outs of the trial, Emily was disappointed to realize she’d gained an identity not much better than her own. Glothine Peyna was a trainee of the Order of Dawn, still ways from becoming a full-fledged Templar.
Sure, Glothine’s potential was enough to garner the attention of a mysterious Cardinal. Glothine should have known a man like that spelled trouble. The Cardinal led a covert mission, one not suitable for anointed Templars filled with Imperial Faith. The order had discovered a cult called the Children of the True Sun.
The Cardinal needed infiltrators talented enough that they could rise through their ranks and gather information on its elusive deity. The cult would reemerge if they didn’t deal with the root of the problem. Glothine jumped at the opportunity despite its evident dangers. The reward was too good to pass up. Exposing the diety’s true identity would directly qualify Glothine to take the oath. Not only that, she’d become a Templar stationed in the Radiant Court among the other handpicked elites of the Faith.
Emily inwardly scoffed. The memory lantern began during the cult’s initial screening. That silly girl hadn’t even made it past the first hurdle before being exposed. Emily had graciously taken over and solved the issue through some good old Atwood Diplomacy. Dead cultists wouldn’t reveal any secrets. Emily successfully became a Daughter of the True Sun by taking the proctor’s token from her cold, dead fingers.
It was all fun and games in the beginning. Emily’s status among the other ‘children’ increased with every memory domain she visited while her rewards went from mouthwatering to mindboggling.
‘That’s how they get you, isn’t it? They show you a good time, then you’re trapped before you know it.’
The party was over. The cult did as cults do, and Emily had no way out. She was literally stuck inside a volcano, forced to chant scriptures with her fervent siblings. Emily had no way to contact the Order of Dawn. If she did, why would they believe her? At least a million years had passed between Glothine’s name being struck from the Templar records and today. How could a Middle Hegemon possibly have survived that long?
Besides, Emily’s track record made her look more like a turncoat than an infiltrator. This was her fourth connected memory domain, and she’d done nothing to turn the situation around. If anything, she’d been instrumental in setting things up for this stupid ritual—something she only realized a few hours ago.
Emily glared at the throbbing sun floating in the center of the ritualistic circle, wishing she could test its structural integrity with one of her toys. The thousands of D-grade cultists would probably take offense, as would the four leaders standing around the altar placed beneath the sun. All of them Monarchs, with the Emissary of the True Sun being especially scary.
There was nothing to do but stay the course. It wasn’t like she could do anything to the primordial aura stirring in the depths of the sun. Something surpassing Emily’s understanding had appeared in its depths, something ancient and powerful. A presence that was already twisting the Dao and obscuring the Heavens.
Emily shook her head. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as she thought. Her seal had clearly encouraged her greed-induced treason. If the Radiant Court didn’t want her to take out the cult’s competition while embezzling their treasuries, it shouldn’t have buffed her seal after every misadventure. So what if she summoned an evil god? It was just a memory, and why would the god kill its devout followers? It might even have some good stuff—
A pained scream crushed Emily’s fantasy. It came from a cultist on the magic circle’s opposite end. Dark smoke poured out his hood and sleeves. Emily could feel the intense heat gathering within the twitching cultist. He was unable to hold it in, spontaneously combusting into a fiery pillar matching the True Sun aura. Sealed in the center of the flame, there was a stubborn ball of Imperial Faith.
“There are nonbelievers in our ranks, rats with ill intent,” one of the main cultists said as another cultist screamed. “The True Sun’s flames shall cleanse them of their confusion.”
‘I just had to jinx it, didn’t I?’ Emily inwardly groaned when a third infiltrator was exposed.
It was just the beginning. Fiery pillars erupted one after another, each adding to the dormant volcano’s sweltering heat. Worse, the Sun God’s aura deepened with every sacrifice. The Children of the True Sun had clearly allowed itself to be infiltrated, needing the Templars for the ritual. Emily endlessly complained in her mind. What’s wrong with these brain-dead cultists?
Life in the Limitless Empire was obviously pretty good, so why go around messing with ancient gods? Are you that bored? And do you think you’ll have a good end after killing so many imperials? Speaking of, how can these Templars be so unreliable? What kind of idiot is running things at the Order of Dawn? Why send dozens of infiltrators? You’re obviously going to get exposed.
More than anything, Emily needed to figure out just how the True Sun cult was able to identify the infiltrators. Did they already have a black book of names? If not, there had to be a problem with the spell meant to hide their Imperial Faith. The deaths started shortly after that vast aura appeared within the sun.
Emily had never bothered using that magic, mostly because Glothine’s fractured memories didn’t contain the whole thing—probably the reason for her premature exposure. It hadn’t caused any problems thus far. Emily had figured it wasn’t a problem, considering she had no faith to speak of. Every conflagration chipped away at her certainty.
What was she supposed to do? There was no escape. The volcano was sealed with incredible arrays, and she’d surely become the next pillar if she left her post. She furtively looked around, desperately praying for someone else to make the first move. It would trigger a domino effect, perhaps creating an opportunity to escape.
‘Muscle-brained lunatics! Why are none of you running? Dozens have died already! If you’re going to sacrifice yourselves, do it in a way that’s of help to your colleagues!’
The sacrifices became a clock counting toward her final departure. Emily wasn’t one to give up without a fight. Since everyone else was unwilling to make a move, she would have to get the ball rolling herself. There was a chance of survival so long as she could figure out a way to survive the initial attention.
The opportunity Emily had been waiting for arrived before she could come up with a plan that didn’t guarantee painful and immediate death. The floating sun flickered, prompting the sealed Imperial Faith inside the fiery pillars to erupt with incredible intensity. Golden flames had ignited from within, quickly overpowering and consuming the True Sun’s fire.
The pillars collapsed, turning into miniature suns radiating rays of unbending conviction. They surrounded the True Sun like a pack of hungry lions eying a wounded elephant. The Sun God didn’t like what it saw, and its vast presence began pulling back. The sacrificial suns wouldn’t let their prey escape, and they released dozens of radiant chains.
Silver harpoons with cruel barbs were fastened at the tip of the chains. They dug into the fading sun and forcibly prolonged its stay. Four of the chains targeted the leaders presiding over the ritual. Two stabbed into the Emissary of the True Sun with such speed he failed to react. They didn’t punch a hole in his chest as Emily had hoped. The chains were spiritual in nature, unable to do anything beyond sealing its targets.
The other two chains targeted one vice leader each, leaving the last one unencumbered. The reversal happened in the blink of an eye, and it was only the beginning. The third vice-master’s hand gained a stony coating with such a brutal aura that Emily’s thoughts were briefly scattered. The vice-leader had already stabbed his hand through his colleague’s head when Emily came to, confirming his status as another infiltrator.
He didn’t get the chance to finish off the others. While chained down, they retained part of their cultivation. The spy had his hands full stopping the Emissary and his helper from saving their god. They fought in a separate space so that their surroundings weren’t impacted. The traitor didn’t want to damage the chains, while the cultists desperately kept the altar safe.
“Protect the True Sun! Break the chains!” the Emissary roared, startling the shocked cultists awake.
The true believers acted without hesitation, targeting the golden suns scattered across the volcano. Some had other ideas. Over two hundred cultists fearlessly intercepted the believers despite being outnumbered three to one. Emily gaped in shock when she realized a full quarter of the cultists had been spies.
A quarter of the hooded cultists took a cautious approach by retreating from the mayhem. They were no doubt opportunists like Emily, who’d joined the cult for its surprisingly ample resources. The true believers didn’t bother with this group. The volcano’s arrays were still intact, so there’d be time to deal with them later.
Awash with relief, Emily tabled any plans of making a heroic stance. Instead, she joined the neutral group, carefully inching away from her spot in the inner circle. The Order of Dawn had made its move, so the outer barrier should be knocked down soon enough.
Or would it?
Emily’s steps slowed until she came to a standstill. Memory domains only appeared where things had gone tits up, and the situation certainly didn’t look optimistic. The Templars mounted a valiant resistance, but the followers of the sun had numbers on their side. Templars were dying left and right. The first two dozen turned into sacrificial suns, at which point the True Sun roared. From thereon out, no new suns emerged.
Worse, The True Sun had imparted its followers with some of its power, making them fight without care for their lives. Even some of the opportunists entered the fray when they saw how badly the Templars were faltering. With fewer and few defenders, the cultists started attacking the chains. Directly destroying them was impossible, but each attack exhausted a small amount of its radiance. It wouldn’t take long before the first ones would snap.
The C-grade spy was powerless to turn things around. The emissary was the biggest beneficiary of the True Sun’s blessing, and the infiltrator was about to be overwhelmed. Just as Emily hesitated about what to do, she felt a vibration from the Cosmos Sack she used to keep her local products. It came from a simple memento that Emily vaguely recalled being Glothine’s.
Emily didn’t need to see its glowing Imperial Faith to realize there was something off about it. She’d completely glossed over its existence since acquiring her identity, yet always kept it on her person. Emily’s back was slick with sweat, suddenly realizing how the True Sun had found the infiltrators.
Emily wasn’t given the chance to curse her callous bosses before receiving an order that allowed no questioning.
‘Ignite the flame!’’
Emily’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the altar, realizing that a small bundle of golden sticks had replaced the ornamental relics. She wasn’t the only one to have received the message. Eight Templars immediately shot toward the altar. Two of them even sacrificed their lives to open a path for a third. It was all for naught. Only someone like Zac could cut a path through a swarm of cultivators at the same grade.
And yet, that was exactly what she had to do. The chains were snapping, the spies were dying, and there were no signs of reinforcements. Whatever happened next would be too little, too late. She needed to put her finger on the scale.
“God damn it!” Emily spat as a stream of axes poured out of her sleeves.
The flying tomahawks kicked up a literal storm that obscured even Dao-empowered sight, but it couldn’t hide the massive totem pole that rose in its center. Using the memento as a medium, Emily threw two buffing axes into the pillar. The effect was immediate.
There were still a hundred Templars left standing, all of them showcasing valor and strength above the norm. Even they had been struggling against the relentless tide of cultists, and most had used their hidden cards to last until now. A pulse holding the vigor of spring and the fierceness of the summer sun swept through the volcano, imbuing the faltering warriors with newfound strength.
Dozens of cultists died in a single breath from the Templars’ sudden burst of strength. A few more were cut apart from finding themselves within range of [Dance of the Five Seasons]. The axe array reaped six lives before they realized what hit them. To their credit, the cultists displayed a semblance of cohesion even in their rage-addled state. They worked together to create a perimeter before moving toward the buffing pillar. Emily couldn’t have that.
“Suzy!”
A massive salamander came barreling through the dense storm, its incorporeal form allowing the flying axes to pass right through. It crashed into the most organized group of cultists nearby, completely disrupting their formation. The cultists fought back against the beast and Emily’s assault by unleashing swathes of the True Sun’s wrath.
The flames held a mysterious power that damaged the flying axes with shocking ease. Emily had to give it to the Templars; it was a miracle that so many were still standing. The flames left Suzy cautious, unwilling to make direct contact. Instead, her burning form darkened before turning translucent, like she had fused with the obscuring storm. From radiating the scorching heat of summer, the salamander creature became an avatar of fall’s decay.
Suzy opened her maw wide, releasing a suffocating gale that suffocated the flames, and two cultists crumpled to the ground. Another cultist died to a tomahawk flashing by in the gale’s shadow, and a brutal stomp from the huge salamander turned the rest of them into a paste. A massive hand of flames picked that moment to target the totem pole from the storm’s opposite end.
It was the combined efforts of eight Early Hegemons who hoped to overcome quality with quantity. The ambush wasn’t fast enough to stump the ferocious salamander. Suzy turned into a gust of wind, appearing before the buffing pillar. The salamander was acting without Emily providing guidance or Cosmic Energy—something only possible now that she’d transcended from being a skill.
Emily had gained a lot from her dealings with the Children of the True Sun, and the [Ardent Sunseed] was undoubtedly the best. The powerful Natural Treasure had imparted Suzy with a true spirit, turning her into a summoned companion live Verun. [Apostle of Autumn] was already one of Emily’s deadliest skills, and becoming a true spirit had made Suzy even stronger.
The salamander even adapted to embody Emily’s seasonal Dao, not just the heat of summer’s end. Suzy’s unbelievable transformation wasn’t even the best part. The sunseed had created a spiritual space in the heart of Emily’s Cosmic Core, and both Suzy and her home would be nurtured when Emily cultivated.
The addition had increased the amount of energy needed for each level, but the benefits more than made up for it. The sunseed would provide significant assistance when assaulting Monarchy. Its space would fuse with her Inner World, stabilizing it while expanding its borders. It was also this treasure that made Emily fall to temptation and enter the volcano's memory domain for "one final score."
Suzy successfully stopped the ambush, but it was only a delay of the inevitable. The zealots had realized totem pole was a major factor behind the Templars’ sudden burst of strength. More and more shifted their attention from the sacrificial suns to dealing with the new threat. Suzy could stall a handful of cultists, but a whole army of them was asking too much of her newborn pet.
It wasn’t like protecting the totem pole with her life would change anything. Emily had always known her buffs wouldn’t be enough to turn the situation around. What mattered was how she used the attention it garnered. The salamander’s rampage had taken focus from the six massive cannons silently appearing within the storm. Even Emily’s modified [Godslayer Cannons] needed a moment to arm.
That moment had passed, which meant it was time to create a few suns of her own.
Comments
Edgar Segura
Now even Emily has an Apostle title to one of her skills.
Edgar Segura
After rereading this for the 4th time I've realized why they're hunting old gods. Its the same thing Zach did to the oblivion and creation tapestry. They're erasing the old gods hold on their territory. To essentially empower the limitless empire but this in particular helps Landio Evrodok because even during the present he still holds the Empryean Thrones Authority. Holy crap almost every chapter drops some insane foreshadowing or insight to the past events or comments
Bailey Tucker
I'm such an Emily fan. A whole Emily chapter feels like a treat!
1FantasyFanatic
LoL “Atwood Empire diplomacy” I love it!
Amani
This was one of my favorite chapters this year.
Shawn Treants
You all are being too reactive. Get off your high horses. He is right. It would be hard to adapt a series this long. And he is right that AI is probably the only way it would happen, especially with this genre. He didn't say it should be done.
Jeff McCulley
Hoping this isn’t a migraine day. Be well, TFD!
Jeff McCulley
Kickin’ axe and takin’ gains?
Owen Stevens
it might be similar to the stele of conflict. The origins don't matter, but it might have significant status to those with authority. Just like the stele of conflict has some effect on fate and the dao of war
Jeff McCulley
To be completely honest, TFD probably needed a plot device to shut Sendor up from overhearing, and “a red scarf” simply popped into his head, perhaps some stray memory from his childhood. And we may never know the backstory he’d have to write around it. Much like that floating castle just for Hegemons. Zac is running out of time on that one.
Owen Stevens
at first i though it a relic from the limitless empire. But since learning more about the universe, it's likely an artifact that persisted from the previous eras.
Lizy Flore
For sure! I love nothing more than complex plots and figuring out which trails are important, but it also means that things I don’t consider important for the main plot sometimes slip by… thankfully, there is this whole community for that 😁
TKO
I can't stop thinking about the terrifying red scarf of doom the system threw at Sendor as a threat so he'd shut up about zac's bloodline. What the hell was that thing?
Jeff McCulley
The stories can be hard to follow. That’s what makes them so fun! ;D
Jeff McCulley
AI screwing over artists, too. Sorry, that’s the facts. You want to use it to complement other areas? Fine, be my guest. But not creators.
Jeff McCulley
Iirc, they were a System reward. Something towards the end of the Incursions.
Timothy Dana
Where did he get those puppets again?
Mike Naka
Well...That escalated quickly. He meant using AI to create an anime, not writing the story. Like it or not AI is going to be replacing a lot of jobs. I have to use AI to stay competitive/employed. We may not like it, but his point is valid. Prolly the only way we see a DoTF cartoon/anime is if AI did it. If TFD went that way, I will admit that I would watch it.
JDemo
You should be shamed excessively for suggesting AI writing should replace creative artist work. Honestly, you should be ashamed to have written that comment. I mean really dude. What the eff?! You should be cursed to never have anything good in life. Ever. Yuck.
JDemo
100%. And the dude has the audacity to say content should be written by AI on an actual author’s Patreon page.
Jeff McCulley
More: Zac’s Guardian Puppets “They’ll come over for upgrades on their own any time you break through a minor stage. However, the reward will only last you until Peak D-grade. We will not be able to turn them into Monarch Puppets.” A thousand puppets, all the same grade as Zac—except for the three leaders, who are a level higher. So, since Zac is now Late D Grade, he should have three Peak D Grade puppets protecting the Island. Or wherever they currently are stationed. Leading a thousand Late D Grade puppets. Oh…and Earth and Ensolus should be Late D Grade as well.
Jeff McCulley
More random reread thoughts: Blowing Up Iz Tayn: “If you blow up every place you visit, you’ll end up living in ruins.” This is almost prescient. A. Because we’ve heard that it’s better if the Fifth Plllar isn’t broken up. B. Well…the Endolus “Ruins”, that aren’t really ruins any longer.
Jeff McCulley
Oh yeah…technically, we’re on the Brink. ;)
Jeff McCulley
F*** AI. And the horse it rode in on.
Jeff McCulley
Random thought rereading. “At least one of us needs to sire some descendants to keep watch of this place,” Ogras grinned. Okay, so it’s been just over twenty years now. How many little Ogras’ (Ogri) are running around Demon Island? Also, “Watch over”.
Lizy Flore
Well, that’s my bad then. Sorry for misinformation.
Tartlet
This makes a certain amount of sense, and in the original time, it went bad and the sun god ascended or whatever
Tartlet
I immediately thought of the Vulcan hello
Jason Hatter
Wooo, mah girl! Kickin' axe as always!
Borbino the great
Yeah fr Zac would’ve just eaten the sun god too
jsw
"Atwood Diplomacy" 😂 Perhaps a bit of nod to Star Wars and aggressive negotations.
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Palmer Evans
The only way to adapt a series this long would be to use AI once it’s good enough. Everyone seems to hate that idea so we will probably never get any kind of adaptation :(
Evan Therrien
Need this whole series as an anime. Could never do live action
Andrew
Thank you!
Jeff McCulley
I once worked with a gal with that name. Her last name was Swalla. Swear to god! I think that Suzy the Salamander needs an ability that swallows attacks, much as Alea’s. Because why not?
Jeff McCulley
Well, she was the first of many that he lavished. Joanna, Vilari… And even more so, she adventured enough with Zac for some of his fare to rub off.
Jeff McCulley
Suzy the Salamander!
Jeff McCulley
In case no one caught it… Remember what we heard a few chapters ago about how the Empire likes to prey on evil entities, and seize their Authority? Well, Emily thinks that she was supposed to infiltrate the cult in order to disband it. Instead, this is a trap. Whomever this “True Sun” is, perhaps an Ancient from the book. It’s about to become lunch. And Emily is about to get a huge chunk of Imperial Merit, and a seat in the Radiant Court. Matter of fact, it will be interesting to see who knows she’s a sealbearer. Also remember, Xiphos just told us another of his fellow Empyrean Chalice reps was heading to the Radiant Court (along with the Starfall).
Jeff McCulley
Vikari and Thea both had chained memory domains, we just didn’t see the full context. Vikari’s persona was literally investigating a series of crimes.
Jairo H
OMG, I LOVE this comment! XD
Jeff McCulley
May not be a cliff, just the spot where TFD has shown that Emily is definitely going to win—and moves on to someone else Wednesday.
Jeff McCulley
Suggested Edits “other compatriots” >companions. Very few to none are her compatriots. Especially since Carl headed elsewhere. “still ways from” > a ways OR a long way “of a mysterious Cardinal” >clandestine OR obscured OR elusive “her fervent siblings” >fervent faux siblings “the depths of the sun. Something surpassing Emily’s understanding had appeared in its depths” Double use >deep inside. “to take out the cult’s competition while embezzling their treasuries” Whose treasuries is she “embezzling”? If it’s the cult’s competition, that’s raiding, not embezzling “ritualistic circle” >ritual “didn’t look optimistic” >positive OR she wasn’t optimistic “Worse, The True Sun” >the True Sun “fight without care for” > a care for OR any care “held a mysterious power” >subtle (“mysterious” is WAY overused) “releasing a suffocating gale that suffocated the flames” Overused >stifling OR suffocating/stifled “companion live Verun” >like “Suzy’s unbelievable transformation” >incredible “realized totem pole” > realized the totem pole
Sirloki
Ack! Just when the Dao of the Cliff begins to wane we are reminded of its presence.
Tommy
😂😂😂 Of course Emily is up to her neck in shit soon as we see her
J L
zac spared no expense for her, she was destined for greatness
Lizy Flore
By chained I meant following the same narrative. I believe Vilari specifically hunted the statues in memory domains, bypassing those that didn’t have them, while Emily followed domain after domain to continue the story. For me, the two are different. Unless I misunderstood sth of course.
Hartmann
Vilari had chained memory domains with the different aspects of the Emotions
Edgar Segura
I dont know how you do it but you make everyone of your characters compelling and really feel like a person. Gj
StuBee3
Fun chapter! Thanks 😎
Omiso
Wow Emily is doing great and that transformation of her fractal skill, she's basically Monarch confirmed. The greed she is showing is proof she's truly is following into Zac's footsteps but she has yet to match her master. Not enough paranoia, Zac would've known when something is going too well you're heading into a trap.
Flameboy
I’m sad to say it’s only with this chapter that I finally understand the memory domains now. Genius idea!
Michael
Godslayer cannons finally earning their name
Lizy Flore
Thanks for the chap! Looks like Emily will end up with a solid identity for the Radiant Court. I don’t think we’ve seen chained memory domain like that before, and I think it means that that cult had been a massive pain in the RC butt. Participating in the failure of their plan may even grant Emily an Imperial Credit, who knows. But overall, it’s just so good to hear from Emily and have a look at her growth. She has come a long way from the scared orphan Zac picked up in the integration.
Flameboy
Awesome! Loving this arc! I cannot wait for more! Correction “ The powerful Natural Treasure had imparted Suzy with a true spirit, turning her into a summoned companion live Verun.” Should be “like” Verun. 😁
DrSubterfuge
I hope we get part two of this POV. Excited to see what her reward is for this. A skill gaining spirituality is dope as hell. Fuck yeah salamander buddy.
Lex Luther S
Interesting. It seems Emily has truly continued her path as an elite of the Atwood empire, with the foundations for monarchy coming into full swing too. And SUZZZZYYYYYYYYY!!! She's a genuine being now, seems with a soul to boot. Well on her way. I must say, the resources and rewards for helping here are gonna be tasty indeed. Wednesday needs to get here real quick.
Alexander Dupree
Thanks
Jake
First , cause why not
