Age of Adepts

Alice shook her head helplessly and sighed at the sight of her bickering deputies.

"This is the true portrayal of the life of a Witch of Fate!

"Pursuing Fate! Gathering the powers of Fate!

"And where would powers of Fate be produced? Naturally, where the planar conflicts were most intense and where the disagreements were most heated!

"Yet, we Witches of Fate are all weak and frail believers of Fate without even the ability to kill a chicken. We have to pass through the tumultuous abyss and the edge of the waves without any protection. Any single wave of water would crush our bodies in pieces.

"What is the only thing we can rely upon at this moment?

"Of course, the powers of Fate that we so devotedly believe in!

"Since Fate has brought us here, it will not let us run into our own deaths. A path that we can walk down alive must have been left here amidst the uncertain future and the threatening powerhouses.

"The only guide that leads us to that path will be our faith in Fate!

"When Fate tells us to walk forward, we will have to take that step without hesitation and without question, even if its a mountain of blades, a sea of fire, or a bottomless abyss. After we take that step, the mountain of blades might turn into steps, the sea of fire into flowers, and the bottomless abyss into a proper road.

"However, if we were to falter and miss that fleeting Fate, everything might be completely different by the time we make up our minds!"

Sofia and Snowlotus listened to Alice's words with solemn expressions. The fact that Alice had been able to defeat the two of them during the Fate's selection must have meant that she had incomparable understanding and knowledge of Fate.

The two deputies of the Fate Witches couldn't help but betray bitter expressions after listening to Alice's teachings and reflecting upon their circumstances.

The Battle of the Tower of Fate, in the end, hadn't been a matter of them having less favorable conditions compared to Alice. In fact, they had been vastly superior to Alice in many aspects. However, they were still defeated and killed!

Why?

The reason for their defeat was them preparing too many things for themselves to rely on!

They were believers of Fate. The only thing they needed in their lives was faith in Fate. Even in abject poverty, even in utter helplessness, and even surrounded by hyenas and coyotes, as long as they believed in Fate within their hearts then fate would not cast them aside. Fate would guide them toward a path of escape and survival!

They hadn't believed sufficiently in Fate. Instead, they had superstitiously clung to their power and the magical equipment, scrolls, and potions they had prepared for themselves. When danger finally descended upon them and fate guided them upon a seemingly dangerous path that would actually turn into a safe one at the most crucial moment, they had chosen not to believe in fate. Instead, they had chosen their fists and believed in their own magic.

And what was the result?

Berserk Witch Sofia, who possessed powerful physical strength, died. Snowlotus, who possessed incredible frost magic, was defeated. Even the clone of the previous Witch of Fate, who then held in her hand all the advantages, had dispersed. Only the weakest one of them all, Alice, had become the victor and the new leader of the Witches of Fate.

The feeling behind this was not known to outsiders, but as Witches of Fate themselves, Sofia and Snowlotus immediately understood the meaning behind Alice's words. They had finally obtained some semblance of enlightenment!

The reason Alice had been improving so drastically upon the path of Fate had much to do with her determination and resolution!

She had given up all her powers and abandoned all things that she could rely upon, placing everything she held within the grasp of Fate. Perhaps that was why Fate had chosen to favor her over everyone else!

As for themselves…

Sofia lowered her head and looked at her strong, massive fist. She sensed the unending savage strength within her body and shook her head helplessly. Her powerful Physique and natural strength had long since taken over her soul. She could only feel at peace and in control while she had these things.

If she was made to exchange such practical powers for the intangible favor of fate, in all honesty…she couldn't do it!

Icelady Snowlotus was the same.

The powers of ice and snow coursing through her body and vessels were her life. To abandon all this in pursuit of Fate's pity; she couldn't bear to part with it!

It was their hesitation and doubt that caused their progress down the path of fate to be so slow and delayed.

Alice looked at the somewhat enlightened expressions of her two companions and smiled, "Fate told me that my hope for advancement is here and that is why we have come! Fate tells me that this rescue operation might not allow me to obtain the Staff of Divination directly, but it will create an excellent chance for our future operations. That is why we have no choice but to participate, regardless of how dangerous the situation might be!"

"If you believe so much in Fate, why do you still borrow the strength of that male adept?" Sofia was a straightforward person and spoke her mind, bringing to light the question that had stuck in her heart for so long.

Snowlotus intended to stop Sofia from running her mouth, but she hesitated for a moment. In the end, her eyes landed upon Alice as well. In truth, this was a question whose answer she had also been seeking!

The smile on Alice's face grew even wider.

"We believe in Fate, but we cannot wholly rely on fate." Alice saw the confused expressions on the girls' faces and sighed sadly, "What is Fate? It is a type of rule that subtly formed from the movements and trajectories of worlds! It has no mind of its own, no emotions and certainly no pity for others!

"As believers of Fate, we are often privileged by its powers in many matters and moments. This can easily give us the illusion that Fate favors us, that we can always divine the future before it happens, and that we hold the very pulse of Fate's development within our grasps.

"This is, in fact, no more than an illusion!

"We are not the masters of Fate, and certainly not its rulers! In the end, we are simply diligent servants prostrating before Fate. Our duty is to protect the world and allow it to move according to a fixed trajectory of Fate. We are to think of ways to deal with those powerful individuals who attempt to alter its direction."

"In this process, the blessings of the powers of Fate might make you temporarily uncontested, so much so that you could even toy with the most powerful of supremacies within your palm. However, as servants of Fate, we must know perfectly our own identity. We are still weak and humble individuals. Without the blessings of Fate, we are weak and powerless!

"When Fate needs us, we bask in glory, able to compete and stand side by side along those who stand at the peak of the plane. Yet, when Fate no longer requires us, do you think it will arrange for us a chance to retire and live out our lives in peace?

Both the rough and muscular Sofia and the intelligent and pretty Snowlotus were completely befuddled upon hearing Alice's words.

This was this something that a believer of Fate should say?

As a believer of Fate, shouldn't every word that came out of Alice's mouth be 'I love Fate' or 'I will always believe in Fate'? Shouldn't she be a zealot of Fate? How could such blasphemous words of doubt in Fate come out of her mouth?

Alice started chuckling when she saw the stunned expressions of the two girls.

"I already said earlier; Fate has no mind of its own and no emotion. It won't push you toward death simply because you curse it, and it won't arrange a life of luxury and success simply because of your praises. That is why Fate is a type of power– an unfeeling, world-class power!

"And we are the servants that fate has chosen to protect its body and functions.

"Under ordinary circumstances, fate wouldn't mind us using our identities to strengthen ourselves. After all, the more powerful we are, the better job we can do to protect the functioning of the world! However, once we grow to a certain level, our existences alone would become obstructions and tumors to the day-to-day functions and trajectory of the world.

"When that happens, it would be time for a new champion of Fate to appear!

"If we were to place all of our strength in Fate, we would not have a single shred of power to defend ourselves with when Fate finally abandons us."

Snowlotus couldn't help but pursue the issue, "What does this have to do with that male adept?"

Alice betrayed a grim smile.

"If that day befalls us, he might be my only hope of living. Because he, to all of us and to this world, might be the only outsider!"

"Outsider?" Sofia and Snowlotus frowned at the same time. They were clearly unfamiliar with this term.

However, despite how much they asked, Alice simply smiled without another word.

…………

Greem was utterly ignorant of the three witches' discussion of Fate. He was currently focused on arranging the expedition of the flying ship.

Large amounts of resources were slowly transferred onto the now repaired flying ship.

After the many witches had boarded the ship, it once again took the skies and flew toward Garan under cover of night.

Garan at night was so peaceful and quiet.

The dark shadows rose and fell along the mountainous geography, stretching into the distance with no end in sight.

Sharp cries of apes and roars of wild beasts could occasionally be heard from within the dense forest, but it was all pitch-black when one leaned against the deck and looked down.

The flying ship had been heading north along the coastline since it had entered Garan.

Alice had a thin robe draped over her body as she wordlessly stood in the shadows of the deck. Her brilliant blue eyes were silently observing the weightless clouds crashing against the ship's forcefield.

"Don't forget that on this trip I must find out the location of that pegasus magic spring. Otherwise, the cooperation between my Dark Witches and you will come to an end!" An intangible voice softly reverberated by Alice's ear.

The owner of the voice only left after an imperceptible nod from Alice.

It was only now that Alice could genuinely enjoy the beautiful scenery before her.

The flying ship was like a metal vessel breaking the waves under the curtain of night, sailing above all else while carrying the adepts within itself!