Ji Ning picked up the three black dolls, sending his godsense into them to inspect them. He couldn’t help but feel rather shocked at the marvelous artifice used to make them. It must be remembered that not even Iyerre himself was able to create these things; they were even more arcane than the Grassland World or the Annihilation Hive.

“I’m actually unable to bind them.” Ning tested out binding them, but much like how the Autarch message-talismans could only be used by specific Autarchs, these black dolls could only be used by a preapproved ‘list’ of people. Iyerre was able to temporarily grant ‘usage rights’ to the Grassland World to his three allies, but as soon he arrived he was able to take back that right. The same was true for these black dolls!

“Although I can’t bind them, I’ll still benefit from studying them.” Ning waved his hand, putting them away. He stared at the vast Grassland World and at the Golden Bridges which lay fallen within the clouds, his heart rather heavy.

They had won, but the cost had been far, far too great. Iyerre...