It was a brilliant "light explosion".

The "arc of light" approximately equivalent to one-fourth of the solar rune ring disintegrated in the sky and then turned into a dozen larger luminous structures. During the initial short period of disintegration, they were still climbing and moving toward the sky according to the normal trajectory of Anomaly 001, as if each luminous structure still had residual power and navigation function, but after only a moment, their movement showed obvious signs of being out of control.

The luminous structure began to break apart. Light bodies of all sizes were like fleets scattered in a storm, drawing bright lines that gradually moved away in the sky. The larger light bodies split into many smaller light sources. Compared with the large fragments, they were as inconspicuous as fireflies, and fell from the sky with flashes and a series of tiny explosions.

The light poured down from the clouds like rain, from the eastern border to the western islands. The light explosion illuminated the night sky, making the entire sea glow with a strong and strange golden sunlight.

The large-scale fragments fell relatively slowly, and while constantly scattering luminous debris, they fell across the world along their respective trajectories. Most of the falling objects fell in the southwest sea, and several smaller fragments fell in the middle and north.

It is now the eighteenth hour after "nightfall". The Boundless Sea is briefly illuminated by the sun's another major disintegration. Due to the low altitude of the falling objects, only a quarter of the rune light arc is enough to illuminate the sky. So this "meteor shower" representing the approaching doomsday has brought the world a "daytime" that lasts nearly an hour - and during this short daytime, the whole world fell into silence.

Duncan stood at the window on the second floor of the antique shop. He opened the narrow window at the end of the corridor to let all the wind and sounds enter the house. The block was silent, and the sounds of carriages and people seemed to have completely disappeared in the city. However, in fact, there were many people outside.

Men, women, old and young walked out of their houses or leaned out of their windows, staring at the flashes of light sliding down the sky. Groups of people gathered on the streets, including even sheriffs and guards who had been assembled in an emergency.

Everyone seemed to be grabbed by the neck, maintaining the same posture with their heads tilted back, all motionless in the falling sunlight.

The only sounds between heaven and earth were the roar and whistle of the luminous bodies passing through the clouds and the ringing of bells from distant churches.

Then, after an unknown amount of time, the sky began to gradually dim - the last luminous objects also passed the highest point between the clouds. They stayed in the sky briefly, as if trying to execute the original order to illuminate the world, but soon lost power and fell into the sea like other fragments, and gradually dimmed in the brilliant tail flame.

Night fell again, and Pland returned to the night again.

The whole world returned to the night again.

A whistle sounded, suddenly breaking the silence in the neighborhood. The crowd gathered on the street was awakened by the whistle and began to return home in an orderly manner.

Before closing the window, Duncan heard some other noises - children were asking their parents what had happened, why they couldn't go to school, why they couldn't go out to find their friends, some were cursing under their breath, some were sighing, and some were crying softly.

And finally, what came from the window was the sound of whistles and church bells from the direction of the dock - it seemed that a warship had received an order and was preparing to leave the port.

Frame withdrew his gaze from the window and continued to carve the last few symbols on the ceremonial stone slab with a very steady hand.

Under the light, the figure of the Firebearer Pope was like a stone statue standing between light and shadow. His rock-like face showed no emotion at all, as if all his attention was focused on the "notebook slate" in his hand.

The brazier in the church was burning fiercely. A priest in a black robe stood beside the brazier and reported the latest situation to the Pope: "...The patrol fleet in the southwest sea area has noticed the direction of the fall of several major luminous bodies and is sending high-speed ships to search...

“There are currently no reports of falling objects landing directly near the city-state. It seems that all the fragments of the sun fell into the sea... There are currently no reports of ships at sea encountering falling objects.

"World Creation has reappeared in the sky... In the past eighteen hours, three city-states have reported a significant increase in extraordinary erosion incidents in their cities... They do not need reinforcements for the time being, but hope that the nearest fleet can approach them...

"There was an attack by the Deep Demons in Messala Port. It is not yet clear whether this was caused by the demon invasion at night, or whether there are some remaining Annihilation Cultists taking advantage of the chaos..."

Listening to the priest's report, Frame nodded slightly, then handed over the gray-white stone slab he had just carved: "I've taken note of it - send this to the archives."

The black-robed priest bowed and took the slate. He saw deep inscriptions on it with the year and month, as well as records of the falling of the sun fragments.

The teachings of the Holy Scripture emerged in his mind.

[Even if it is the end of the world, it should be carefully recorded until the last moment. The last breath of civilization should end with the pen of the historian.]

The black-robed priest left with the note slate, and in the temple, only the crackling brazier accompanied the tall and silent figure of Frame.

After an unknown amount of time, the Senjin Pope seemed to suddenly sense something and turned his head to look at the brazier: "Helena, have you recovered?"

"I can only say that his mental state is like that of a living person, but it is far from being 'recovered'." Helena's voice trembled in the flames and sounded a little distorted when it reached Frame's ears. "But it is obviously unrealistic for me to lie down and recuperate well now."

"I've heard from Rune," Frame said. "It's a very... astonishing development."

"Do you mean the goddess descending upon me, or the 'Captain's' plan?"

"...both," Frame said slowly after a slight hesitation, "Of course, the latter is more shocking."

The sound in the brazier was silent for a few seconds.

"Frame."

"I'm listening."

“…Are you still recording history?”

"Still here. I have been keeping records of history as required by the scriptures."

"If the world ends and we don't survive, will the stone tablets you carved be picked up and read by new creatures one day in the future?"

"If that day really comes, it means that the captain's plan has failed, the gods have failed, and even the Age of Fire has failed," Frame stared quietly at the dancing flames in the brazier, "no one will understand that history anymore, because on that day, even the concept of 'history' itself will have died."

"…but you still keep leaving records and guarding the totem of the fire."

“Because recording history is meaningful, even if there are no successors, ‘history’ itself at least proves that we ourselves will remain a civilization until our demise – just as the mad poet Pullman described in his last verses:

"Time gives me life, and I give time memories."

"...I didn't expect you knew poetry."

“Poetry is part of history.”

"...Is that so?" The voice from the brazier paused for a moment, then continued, "Then please help me record one thing - the next time you pray to the Everburning Flame, please carve it on the stone tablet."

Frame immediately took a piece of parchment from the side and took out a pen: "Speak."

"…On January 21, 1902, in the New City-State Calendar, the 'Sea Song' was crossing the six-nautical-mile critical line at the end of the eternal veil. They were the pioneers of the civilized world."

"The Anthem of the Seas, January 21, 1902...Okay, I've got it down."

※※※

The fog seemed to have turned into some strange entity, no longer a flowing, gentle air current. The steamer struggled forward in this fog that seemed to fill the entire world. Every step seemed to be against a thick wall, entangled, crushed, and bound by an invisible force.

In this thick fog that seemed like some kind of dense mass, the boundaries of all things in the world disappeared unknowingly - the sea near the ship's side had turned into some kind of gray and white illusory thing, and there were no more visible clouds in the sky above. The hazy sky enveloped everything, and only very occasionally could the lookout see the sea water surging in the gaps in the fog.

The waters seemed so distant and unreal, like a mirage.

The white pioneer exploration ship flying the flag of the Deep Sea Church floated in the fog. Although the steam core roared non-stop, due to the lack of any reference points and the fog itself being constantly changing, the crew on the ship could not be sure whether the ship was still moving forward - or had already been trapped in place by this strange "sea area".

"We have lost all contact with the church ark, and can only weakly sense the signal from the temporary lighthouse," a church sailor in a dark blue smock came to the bridge and reported the situation to the captain of the Sea Song. "The steam core is running at full power, and we are still maintaining our course."

"Um."

The captain of the Sea Song nodded slightly. She was a stern-looking lady who looked serious. After listening to the sailor's report, she turned her gaze to the priest beside her: "Can you hear more clearly in this direction?"

The person the captain was questioning was an old priest wearing a loose robe. His face was full of wrinkles, his eye sockets were sunken, and his back was hunched. He looked completely unsuitable for such an ocean voyage both in terms of age and health. However, he sat closest to the captain, holding an exquisite brass incense burner in one hand and a talisman carved from sea breath wood in the other.

The old priest listened attentively, as if listening for some signal beyond human perception, and everyone around him fell silent, as if afraid to disturb the old man's mission.

After a long time, the old priest finally raised his head slowly.

He heard voices, the echoes of dying, he smelled a scent, the stench of decay - he felt guidance, the gentle admonitions of the goddess.

"Here," the old priest raised his hand and pointed in a certain direction in the thick fog, "He is here."