Who knows how much time has passed or what kind of catastrophe has occurred, but as of today, Asgard lies in ruins and wreckage.
However, standing before Laine, this towering Divine Palace still stood unyielding.
Overall, the main body of the Golden Palace somewhat resembled a steeper pyramid, with various structures extending from its body.
Suspended galleries, protruding watchtowers like 'spikes', and numerous skylights and floating bridges—this famous palace within the nine realms of Scandinavian mythology was far from the primitive abode of the Chaotic Gods, but instead showcased exquisite constructions throughout.
Even Laine could discern the rune traces etched on the walls of the Golden Palace, in crevices, and even penetrating into the bricks and stones. It was conceivable that this was not merely an ordinary building; in the past, this Divine King's palace may have held extraordinary power, a creation of both Divine Power and magic, capable of fending off all invaders.
Now, however, it had lost most of its divine majesty and was merely an edifice of exceptional material.
With just a thought, the towering doors of the Golden Palace slowly opened, revealing the dim corridor within, and Laine peered inside.
Along the sides of the corridor paved with rune slabs, there were trays suspended in midair. From the remaining traces, these were supposed to be alight with ever-burning Immortal Flame, yet now they were nowhere to be seen.
Because this world has already 'died', those inherently unimpressive transcendental constructs naturally also lost their power.
After a careful observation and confirming that there was no danger, Laine stepped through the grand entrance of the Golden Palace.
He could see, on the left and right sides of the corridor, paintings on the walls. Much like the Oracle of Delphi provided Laine the Civilization Slate and the Seviraz Temple, they depicted the past of the Golden Palace, the most well-known deeds of the gods, and the origins of Asgard.
Of course, there were also parts that were embellished, like the grand tale of the tall walls encircling Asgard; the narrative of their construction was one such example.
In the myths of later generations, it was a marvel built by a Titan and his horse Svadilfari. After a war, the gods resolved to rebuild the protective walls of their realm, and an outsider Titan offered to undertake this arduous task. However, in exchange, the Titan demanded the Goddess of Beauty, Freyja, to be his wife, along with ownership of the Sun and the Moon.
The gods agreed to his terms, but the condition was that the high wall had to be completed within a season, otherwise the Titan would receive no reward.
The gods never intended to pay, as they didn't believe anyone could build the rune-covered high wall encircling Asgard in just one season. To their surprise, not only was the Titan skilled in construction, but his horse Svadilfari far surpassed his prowess.
In their desperation, having sworn not to harm the Titan during the construction of the wall, the gods had to send the deceptive Loki to prevent the completion of the wall within the deadline. And Loki did not disappoint them; he transformed into a mare, lured Svadilfari's attention away, and successfully stopped the completion of the high wall.
And the consequence is quite amusing. When the infamous god of trickery returned, he was followed by another colt. This colt would become renowned in later ages, for it was Odin's steed, the eight-legged horse Sleipnir.
However, the murals portrayed a different story. The wicked Titan sought to deceive the gods, and his horse even intimidated the god of trickery. In the end, the Titan's schemes were exposed, and he presumptuously demanded his undeserved reward, so the gods granted him another form of payment, Thor's hammer Mjolnir—he was slain by the wrathful Thor, ending his sinful life.
"Indeed, history... is like a young girl dressed by many, written only by the victors."
Following the murals, some content was known to Laine while some was not, but what they had in common was the portrayal of the grandeur of the Aesir Tribe, without a hint of anything unfavorable.
But this was normal; the real History, after all, is enough for oneself to know. What is shown to others is naturally only the good side.
"Yes, Outsider, as you say, the true history is known only to those who have lived through it, like myself."
Since stepping into this palace, a barrier had been continuously surrounding Laine. With an unchanged expression, he listened to the sudden voice, attempting to locate its source.
However, the now-ruined Asgard did not welcome him, an Outsider deity, and even though its essence had 'died', it still possessed considerable might, and the Golden Palace also retained some remnants of divine majesty. Hence, under dual suppression, Laine found nothing.
"Strange deity, do not be alarmed, I am already a deceased being. The reason I can still converse with you is merely good fortune."
Noticing Laine's search, that voice came again. The voice was old and hoarse, yet the language was immediately understood. This speaker likely held power related to language, wisdom, and knowledge.
This time, Laine made some discovery. The source of the voice seemed to be the Golden Palace itself; the speaking entity apparently held some control over the original privileges of the Temple.