Late at night……
There are no stars in the night sky in the Ningmu Gefu area. There is still only the huge golden tree crown in the sky, which is like covering the entire sky.
At this time, it is not emitting a faint golden light, replacing the original role of stars, providing extremely weak illumination for the night of this world.
At this time, a witch riding on the back of a wildebeest, wearing a cloak and a hood, was silently watching a certain location in the distant forest on a hillside.
She was so motionless, as if she was completely blending into the night. Only the wildebeest under her crotch occasionally shook its hair or waggled its tail, indicating that she and her mount were a living creature. It's not a false shadow.
And if a certain troubled little girl were here, perhaps she would definitely scream out in surprise, and then order Tibbers the Bear to take it off with one paw, and then press it to the ground and peel off the other person's body. Pants and a good spanking?
That’s right!
The witch in front of me, riding on a wildebeest and looking towards the forest in the distance, is not who she is. It is the witch 'Melina' who secretly used the teleportation spell while Anne was sleeping last night, and the other party wants to send her away. But the ugly wildebeest 'Torrett' turned out to be disliked and disliked.
Of course, in the eyes of a bad little girl, it is not a wildebeest or a spiritual horse at all, it is a complete cow!
Yes, it is a cow, because it has horns and looks like a yak! ?
Anyway, regardless of whether it is a cow or not, as long as some bad little girl says it is a cow, then it is a cow, and no one can persuade it!
However, Melina is not here to give away the cow tonight...
Now, she was silently observing the place ahead. She knew that there was the camp of the powerful tree guard and his outpost soldiers.
But at this time, she vaguely saw and heard: a certain troubled little girl was inside, and she seemed to be getting along with the soldiers who were responsible for guarding the front of the Ningmu Gefu Woodland, and They were playing and playing around the campfire in the middle of the camp, as if they were holding some kind of celebration, or telling an interesting story?
"..."
To be honest, Melina couldn't figure out why the little girl didn't fight with the big tree guards and the soldiers responsible for blocking and killing the faded ones.
Originally, Melina was still thinking that as long as she teleported the little girl to the guidance place and let the white mask guide her for a while, the other party would definitely conflict with the big tree guard, and would have to come to her. It’s better to give the other party a predetermined path.
But now, what is happening and what has happened does not seem to be what she imagined and planned before?
Anyway!
Now what she sees and hears is totally inconsistent with her original plan!
She didn't know what happened, nor why it became like this, nor how she could change or guide it. Therefore, she could only silently continue to hide herself in the darkness and continue to observe carefully. Otherwise, nothing can be done.
'Hahaha……'
'Ha ha……'
'Come again! '
'I don't believe it...'
"..."
In the distance, the camp suddenly erupted into bursts of noisy laughter and bursts of joy. It seemed that the atmosphere suddenly became lively? And that kind of thing was obviously something Melina had never seen in all these years, so her brows hidden in her hood couldn't help but frown.
However, she had no intention of approaching or interfering easily. She just continued to stay where she was, continuing to ride on her spirit horse Torret, and silently observing the situation in the camp in the distance.
perhaps……
Did she want to figure out what happened from the faint laughter and laughter?
But no matter what she wanted to do or what she was planning, it could not stop the laughter of the soldiers and a certain troubled little girl in the dilapidated camp.
The night gradually gets deeper...
for a long time……
Until the dew gradually wetted Melina's cloak, until the bonfire in the camp in the distance gradually extinguished, until the rare sound of frolic fell silent again, the witch Melina did not move again. Pass.
"..."
I don’t know how long it took, until she saw that there was completely no sound in the camp, until the soldiers were asleep, and until the sentries on duty at the entrance of the camp changed their posts again, Melina slowly lowered her head. , and touched the dew-stained temples on the neck of the spirit horse Torret under her body.
"Let's go."
"Torrett, we will still have a chance."
"It should be possible..."
After taking one last look at the camp in the distance, the witch Melina reached out and gently patted the spirit horse Torret on the neck.
'hiss……'
Immediately afterwards, the spirit horse, which was humane and seemed to be very intelligent, shook its neck and chirped softly, then raised its legs and walked lightly towards the bottom of the hill.
Not long after, the man and his horse, who had not slept at night, completely disappeared into the wilderness of Nimgefu, and no one knew where they were going.
…
The next day.
When the clouds in the sky gradually became clearer, when the outline of the golden tree in the distance became clearer, and when the earth was illuminated by light again, a certain troubled little girl finally appeared at the door of the woodland outpost camp. And prepare to say goodbye to those new uncles and sisters.
"Na!"
(*^▽^*)
"Uncle Dashu, and uncles, aunts, and sisters, I'm glad to meet you. I want to go play by myself!"
୧(‾◡◝)୨ꔛ♩
"Goodbye!"
ヾ(￣▽￣)Bye~Bye~
"ha!"
ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ
After saying that, a bad little girl who stayed in this military camp for a whole night, had a barbecue meal, and ate the Nimgofu wild goat for the first time, just carried her little bear, He walked away under the gaze and farewell of a big tree guard and a group of frontline sentry soldiers.
That’s right!
Last night, the one who played and held a bonfire party with these soldiers, uncles, aunts and sisters in this camp, and sang and danced until midnight, was of course her Lady Queen Anne.
Moreover, through the fun last night, she quickly became familiar with these uncles, aunts and elder sisters who had not been home for many years, and told them many stories and brought them a lot of things. happiness, and this was the reason why they came to see her off at the camp gate the next day.
"Annie!"
"Safe travels!"
"Stonewell City is not a good place. Remember, don't stay there too long, don't cause trouble, and go home as soon as you've had enough fun?"
He looked at the general next to him, that is, the tree guard who had put on the full-body plate armor again. After seeing that the other party didn't seem to want to speak, that one hadn't shaved for an unknown period of time and looked... The deputy general who looked like Hei Zhangfei waved and gave instructions on his behalf.
"Got it!"
ヾ(^▽^*)))
"You guys should go back to work quickly, others won't cause trouble randomly!"
₍₍٩(ᐛ)۶₎₎♪
After saying that, without waiting for the other party to say anything more, Annie skipped towards the north of the forest and quickly disappeared into the dense forest of Nimgefu.
"..."
The chief officer of this camp, the big tree guard, still didn't speak.
Being tall, he and his group of men just watched silently as the little boy stayed in their camp for a night and brought them a lot of joy and warmth with songs and some impossible stories. The girl leaves.
Although he was a little reluctant to let the other person leave and go to the increasingly crazy Stonewell City, he had no choice. They had their responsibilities, and the other person also had the other person's life. In this world that was getting worse and worse, they had nothing to do. Can't change.
Whether it's their own destiny, the destiny of the country or even the entire world, or the safety of that little girl, etc., they can't change anything, and they can't protect anything!
After all, they are just little people and pawns...
For example, they have been carrying out the task of intercepting the Faded Ones at the Nimgefu Wilderness Outpost for I don’t know how many years, but until today, no one, no support or any new orders have arrived, leaving them with no choice but to It's like a group of walking zombies, wandering here like that kind of 'Dead Man'.
And if that little girl hadn't injected new vitality into their camp last night and brought them joy and laughter, they might not even know why they and others are still here, or even why they are still alive. Bar?
But now, they seem to be awake again...
Although this world on the verge of destruction is still getting worse, more ridiculous, more and more ignorant and chaotic, no matter what, last night, they all saw that there is still something worth living in this world. What they protect is the reason why they will continue to be here.
That was their last duty. Even though they died without regrets, it was not just because of that bullshit order that even they themselves had forgotten which year it was issued!
"General!"
"you……"
"Where did you find that little girl?"
After seeing Annie completely disappearing, it took a long time for the deputy general who was nicknamed 'Hei Zhang Fei' to turn his head and ask the tall tree guard next to him.
"Front!"
"The place where the Faded Ones hang out!"
The big tree guard didn't hide anything, and turned his head to look at a certain wilderness.
That is the area where they are required to patrol and guard. They have been on duty here for countless years, and after a while, he will still have to mount his divine war horse that has also lost its blessing and carry His golden halberd patrols the area and slays any faded who come into his sight.
"ah……"
"Why is she there?"
"she……"
"You can't really be a fader, right?"
Hearing his general say this, the deputy general couldn't help but exclaimed.
"have no idea."
"What do you think?"
The big tree guard didn't comment, nor did he say yes or no, but just asked a question.
"Well..."
"I feel a bit different!"
The deputy general shook his head, and then continued:
"We have seen a lot of those faded ones in recent years."
"Although they do have blessings and can absorb runes to become stronger, the hostility in them is still too strong, and their minds may not be normal. They are no better than those guys in the city!"
"If people like them become the new king, I don't know what the world will be like."
As he spoke, the deputy general sighed, and his eyes couldn't help but cast a layer of haze.
Their world has become worse and worse since the Elden Ring was broken and the Eternal Queen Malika disappeared. It's not just that they lost their blessings and the dead began to appear on the earth. It's simple, and there are all kinds of changes, even they, the little pawns fighting outside, have already felt it.
But there is no way...
They can't change anything, and they don't have enough power to change!
After all, the blessings of these people have been taken away by the Supreme Will. They have been 'exiled' in a sense. Now they are just lingering. On the contrary, they are the faded people struggling on the edge of the world. Those who have gained blessings and the power to change the status quo are ridiculous and sad, but also helpless.
"..."
After hearing his lieutenant's words, the big tree guard didn't speak, but his head wearing a golden helmet hung slightly, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
"cough!"
"General, tell me, how great would it be if someone as pure as the little guy just now, without being polluted or cursed, or a descendant of a nobleman could become king?"
"I haven't seen that kind of pure smile for many years."
"How long has it been since we saw a new life since the Ring of Elden was destroyed and the world and everyone was cursed?"
"Um……"
"I see something in her that I don't see in others, whether they are gods, demigods, or those who have faded..."
"That's a very strange feeling..."
As he spoke, the lieutenant suddenly became emotional, and accidentally expressed some true thoughts that he had been expecting for many years.
"Something you don't have?"
"What is it?"
The big tree guard paused, then raised his head, turned to look at his subordinate, and asked with eyes hidden behind his helmet.
"Hope for the future..."
"Plenty of energy..."
"besides……"
"What kind of temperament should a real 'king' have?"
By some strange coincidence, the deputy general revealed the conclusion he had thought about all night.
Especially hope and vitality. In his opinion, these are the things that the borderland has been lacking in these years. But now, whether it is those gods, nobles or faded people, they have more in them, and they will always have more. It's just tyranny and ambition. They are always just for themselves. No one really wants to consider the world and countless living beings.
"??"
"Do you know what the 'king' temperament is?"
"Ah!"
"Have you met 'The King'?"
The guard of the big tree was stunned, and then he asked directly, dumbfounded.
Unlike the deputy general who was talking in front of him, the guard of the big tree said that he was the only knight in this camp who had seen King Elden. Although it was a distant thing countless years ago, he I have indeed seen it, and it was at the root of the sacred tree?
He still remembers that scene vividly!
Unfortunately……
I don't know since when, their king betrayed them, betrayed the world, betrayed all living things, and is pushing the world into the abyss of eternal destruction.
"Of course I haven't seen it!"
"but……"
"General, do you know?"
"When she saw me and called me uncle, it felt so good..."
"I just feel that the dark cloud that has been suppressing my heart since the problem with the sacred tree has disappeared all of a sudden."
"That's like..."
"It's like being blessed again..."
As he spoke, the deputy general's eyes couldn't help but become blurred, and he murmured some words of unknown meaning in a low voice.
"Yeah?"
"Don't you miss your daughter again?"
"Speaking of which..."
"How many years have we not been back?"
Regarding the reaction of his lieutenant, the guard of the tree was noncommittal, but after pondering for a while, he suddenly asked in a deep voice.
"daughter?"
"Of course I do!"
"only……"
He had just spoken, but thinking about the changes in Stonewell City, thinking about the suffering and curse suffered by the people in the city, and thinking about the changes in the world after the Ring of Elden was broken, he finally stopped talking and fell silent. stand up.
He didn't dare to think about it, because he hadn't received any information from his family for a long, long time, and they had been living in a hazy state for all these years. This cursed world had almost completely wiped out his humanity.
Therefore, he did not dare to imagine what Stonewell City would look like now, nor did he dare to imagine. After all, they had no ability to change, they were just forgotten little people.
"Anyway!"
"If she is a descendant of a god or a noble, and is willing to become king, I think I will definitely support her, right?"
"At least……"
"Is a king like that worthy of us risking our lives to protect him?"
After a long time, the deputy general continued to speak, sighing like a sad smile.
"As for those who faded..."
"In addition to colluding with those rebellious people, and then killing and destroying everywhere in an attempt to collect runes to satisfy their own selfish desires, what else will they do?"
After sighing, Lieutenant General Blackbeard couldn't help but gritted his teeth and started sarcastic again.
This is a worse era. Compared with the faded ones, the gods and nobles are indeed bad enough. However, even if the faded ones are not as bad as those gods and men, it is not the choice of soldiers like them. Reasons to support the faders!
If there is no better choice, perhaps, they would rather continue to support those corrupt nobles and gods, and then continue to maintain this damn, cursed world until it can no longer hold on and completely collapse. That day?
"..."
The guard of the big tree didn't speak any more, and he didn't know what he was thinking.
"ha!"
"General, don't take it seriously. She is still so young. Although she seems to have some supernatural powers, she is still too young."
"Pity……"
Then, the deputy general shook his head and began to speak comfortingly, and stopped making sentimental remarks.
"How many more of us are in the camp?"
"I mean..."
"No one is tortured crazy by the curse."
At this time, the big tree guard suddenly asked.
"Well……"
"I'm afraid it's less than three hundred..."
"Maybe two hundred, seventeen and eighty?"
The deputy general thought for a while and quickly gave a relatively accurate number.
"That's all?"
"then……"
"When we came here to garrison, there were more than a thousand people..."
As he said that, the big tree guard lowered his head sadly.
“No way”
"With the curse and the constant stream of faded ones, I'm afraid the brothers won't be able to hold on much longer."
Shaking his head, the deputy also laughed sadly and sighed.
After so many years, no new orders have come. Perhaps, these people have been abandoned?
Of course, it is also possible that the nobles or demigods in the city are more busy with other things now, such as those ridiculous and crazy 'extensions' and so on, so where can they find the time? Do you care about the life and death of these people?
"You have to hold on even if you can't hold on!"
"The sacred tree can testify that we will defend this land to the death!"
"Destroy those faded ones at all costs!"
"them……"
"Not worthy of being king!"
The guard of the big tree said decisively, grabbed his golden halberd, and stepped directly onto the golden-armored war horse held by a soldier beside him.
"But there seems to be something wrong with the holy tree..."
After hesitating for a moment, the deputy general turned his head with some embarrassment and looked at the huge golden sacred tree in the distance.
They already knew that there was something wrong with the Golden Holy Tree. Not to mention anything else, the fact that the Faded Ones were blessed while they were cursed was enough to explain everything.
"There has never been a problem with the Holy Tree..."
"The problem is the human heart!"
or……
To be precise, it should be 'God's Heart'?
Of course, the tree guard didn't dare to say the last sentence.
He just tightened the reins, and then, without waiting for his lieutenant to say anything else, he galloped away into the distance, toward the Nimgefu wilderness.
A new day has quietly arrived, and since he is the guardian of the tree, he will continue to perform his duties and guard the land shrouded in the sacred tree.
Even if he risked his life, he would kill any faded person who dared to set foot in the Nimgefu wilderness!
It's just like what he just said to the lieutenant, those who have been spurned by them and this land, those who have resentment and ambition, will only destroy everywhere, only want to become the King of Elden and satisfy themselves The selfish guy is not worthy of being their king!
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