There was no longer a musty smell in the air, and Lametta never imagined that she would one day be so grateful for it. From Gavash to Byrne's old attic, to the temporary shuttle station in the Black City, there is almost no place that is not damp and cramped. Of course the loft is slightly better, but that's for Southerners. Lameta was born in the northern hot land of Brestatik and grew up in the dry caves of Moniantoros. Cold and damp were once a legend in her childhood. I can not go back. Realizing this, she stretched out on the balcony and yawned.
Her good companion along the way and her indispensable companion before falling asleep—the demon princess Uilosnis—like a donkey peeking out of the manger: "I saw the string of your underwear."
The sun has seen you, why didn't you spontaneously combust? Lametta moved his shoulders. "Want to go out and sunbathe, Your Highness? It's daytime now, shouldn't you take a rest?"
"I never rest." Her last word suddenly rose in pitch and gracefully formed the end of the song. Lametta wanted to crush her throat. "When are you going to Cangzhi Forest?"
"I have to rest, dear Your Highness. Otherwise exhaustion will make me as withered as you." His face is like ground glass, his blood vessels protrude like joints, and he may even lose his hair. This is actually me now, not Uilosnis. Maybe it would be easier to become a ghost.
"It's up to you. I'm only responsible for reminding you that if we go to Cangzhi Forest, we have to turn around as early as the last stop."
"Your reminder is so timely. It's a pity that we don't go to Cangzhi Forest." Lametta confessed.
The Demon Princess frowned at her, but she didn't seem too surprised. After all, if she really just realized my plan, then I have to wonder whether the ghost will also age. Lametta thought.
But the other party only glanced. "Oglethel. Let's face it, it's not a good place to be."
Her words were clear. Ogrethal is the other main city of the association, and is controlled by "Lord of the Pit" Whitehead. That was originally a good place for Lametta, until "Lord of the Blue Forest" Yvigget brought news of the plague. Although the epidemic has little impact on Sky Realm, generally speaking, Lametta will not take the initiative to get close - she needs strong brothers and sisters to support her in getting rid of the black knight's control, rather than being tossed by a bunch of troubles. Weak compatriots who are in desperate need of help. Uilosnis is the Black Knight's spy, and she certainly understands Lametta's intentions.
Lametta thought she would interfere with it and even informed the Black Knight of the news, but the journey was not hindered. It seemed that although we deviated from our expectations, the new destination we chose was still tolerated by him. In the end, the Black Knight just wanted her to leave Byrne, and it didn't matter where she went.
But the Demon Princess was curious about the reason: "Are you going to find that elf?"
"Which elf?"
"Mist Elf. You know exactly what I mean."
"I enjoy talking to you." Lametta certainly didn't think so.
But her goal was achieved. Uilosnis shrank back from the window in disgust.
It was only yesterday that they arrived at Oglethel. The Black City was originally a transit station, but unexpectedly the Holy Knights came to station here, causing a storm and making it difficult to move around the city. The local association members fled and disappeared. The Paladin Commander of the Glorious Council, Lemons Theodore, is a new generation Sky Realm and a participant in the demon hunting movement. She could have pulled out a claw of order without worrying about being accused by the local lord... ...if Lametta is full of energy. But at that time, she could only hide in the temporary shuttle station like a quail, and use the "soul oil" found by the Demon Princess to treat her unhealed injuries. Unfortunately, she missed the opportunity.
Her companions thought otherwise. Yvigtte opened the door and her first words were: "You're so lucky to be alive, Lametta. I thought the Holy Knights were here to find you."
"It has nothing to do with me at all. It seems an astrologer died in that damn place."
"It was a witch." Princess Demon Spirit corrected, "And she died in front of the Holy City, not the Black City. Those paladins just came to clean up the legacy she left behind."
"In that case, it's okay for you to stay there. Why not?"
Want to drive me away? Lametta wouldn't let her have her way. She was tired of being kicked around. "I've longed for the scenery of Ogrethal for a long time." But she didn't want to offend Yvigget either. This green elf is undoubtedly Heather's favorite, and I will need her sooner or later. "I happened to have nothing to do, so I went home and took a look."
"Really?" Lord Cangzhimen was suspicious. Don't make me go back to your house, Lametta thought. Fortunately, she didn't make any more sarcasm. "Whitehead asked me to come and check on you. I think it's unnecessary. You'll see him in the evening, we're both busy."
"Is it a plague? You haven't solved it yet?"
"We have eliminated the source of infection. Now the infected people and the lucky ones live at opposite ends of the city, and communication with each other is prohibited. The situation is temporarily under control."
"Sounds like there's only one final step left. Healing the sick is your specialty, my sister?"
"This is where the problem lies." Yveget told her, "Those infected residents are not patients, they are just losers. Transformed losers." She did not want to reveal more. Therefore, it was not until dinner that Lametta learned the truth from the city lord.
"Long time no see, Patchinis. You've really changed a lot." But there was no emotion in Whitehead's tone. Now the whole world knows how unlucky I am.
The "Lord of the Pit" came earlier than everyone else. Lametta and the Demon Princess were led to the restaurant by the maid in advance, but they found that he was already sitting at the end of the table. The man was holding an old book in his hand, and his fingers inadvertently tore the napkin while reading. Lametta saw the cover, which read "The Ballad of the Red Valley" in Elvish.
"You haven't changed much," Lametta responded. She doesn't like people calling her by her first name, but if you make it a big deal, others will realize how hurtful it can be and bring it up more often. "Lord City Lord."
Whitehead nodded in acknowledgement. Naturally, they all wore masks to hide their identities, but this person’s identity and posture were enough to make people imagine his face. He has green eyes, pointed ears, silver-white hair, and a chin four fingers wide. All the nails on his fingers are missing, which distinguishes him from the natural elf. The "Lord of the Pit" secretly rules his people, but still has time to manage a city of unknowns. But even though he is a fog elf, he is still easier to get along with than the black knight.
The table is filled with delicacies. Lametta saw a large plate of buttered pine cones, the intestines of an unknown monster, and a carrot and cabbage soup garnished with flowers. Pickled salmon and shredded potatoes are drizzled with honey, and tomatoes, onions and chunks of cheese are surrounded by cherries and placed on the right side. The furthest thing from her was mushroom soup and roasted chicken stuffed with pineapple, on a silver platter, and the Demon Princess was frowning at them.
"I guess," the fog elf said, "you are probably sitting in the wrong seat."
"I don't need to eat." Uilosnis was the first to express his opinion.
"I'm different." Lametta knocked on the table, and two plates flew across the table with their contents. She cut off a piece of cheese. "But I see you are all tired, so I won't bother you."
"The contagiousness of the plague has been contained." Whitehead, the fog elf, said, "I'm fine, but Lord Cangzhi Forest insists on treating the patients."
"She doesn't care about calling those people 'patients.'"
"The losers," Whitehead said solemnly, "can be considered our compatriots. God bless them."
"What's going on?" When the injury just improved, Lametta inquired about the situation. But the Black Knight kept the news tightly sealed—specifically, the ladders in Byrne and Ogresel were completely closed, and even the mobilization of the Night Watch was temporarily suspended—no one could tell her the truth. "Yvegot mentioned transformation. Is the plague in Ogrethal related to this?"
"Actually, they're the same thing."
"How to say?"
"Do you know anything about alchemical potions?" the Lord of the Pit asked.
"I know what medicine to use when."
"Very well. No clue. Until His Majesty gives us orders, and so do I." Whitehead said. "Ywiggot brought a potion that she got near Byrne. She believed it Possessing certain qualities that can inspire fire..."
"Soul oil?" Lametta interrupted.
"The wizard calls it that." Whitehead put down the idle book, "but its scientific name is 'Sovero', a new type of alchemical creation named after a single magic word. The leader of the association discovered it in Eastman's Four-leaf City .You know how it works, Lametta?”
"It helps us a lot. But it's actually a type of fire potion that mortals use to try their luck."
"Because Sauvero can activate souls," Whitehead told her, "it is used in fire rituals. I have to say, even with it, the success rate for mortals is not high. Only the mysterious apprentices have a chance. Knowledge is still An indispensable foundation, now I realize it.”
"What? Yvigget can't solve the problem and needs to use soul oil?"
"She is a master in this field, Lametta. At least her judgment is more authoritative than mine. We have already put the collected potions into use, and the results are good." The fog elf picked up the book again, "The results are remarkable."
Lametta was not happy to play charades with him. "What's the meaning?"
"The plague has been contained. But the patients have escalated into more difficult losers - the way those potions help nameless people get rid of the disease is to light a fire, and those who fail will naturally not be saved."
"As far as I know, if the fire ritual fails, you will die faster." The dead never cause trouble.
"I don't know. There must be some accident here... Anyway, these people survived." The fog elf demon lord hesitated for a moment, "The key is that most of the losers are not our compatriots."
There is a difference between Ogleser and Byrne, Lametta knew it early on. The City of Reflection is the center of the association. Although it cannot eliminate the possibility of being mixed into Nightingale, it is enough to block the news and keep secrets. The basis for achieving such protection is strict control over the residents. She almost never saw ordinary people in Byrne, and the few among them were either children or locals who grew up in Byrne.
Ordinary people who are related to the Nameless Ones are placed in Ogrethal. "You use fire potions on ordinary people?"
"Hard choice, eh? So we put it to them." Cunning idea. "Some people chose to try, and there are currently only four people alive. But after they stepped into the ring, they all showed the characteristics of the unknown ones. I am afraid that these people themselves have potential talents, but they have been missed by us."
"In other words, ordinary people can only wait to die if they are infected?" asked the Demon Princess.
"Yvigget is trying her best to relieve herself and prolong her survival time after taking the magic potion. But it can only last for three weeks at most, which is four days longer than the death time of the plague." The Lord of the Hell said, "Maybe there is a way to do it elsewhere. .I can’t help it anyway.”
There is indeed a special mysterious place, but it makes no sense. Far water cannot quench near thirst. Lametta felt a headache. No wonder Oglessel and Byrne are closed to traffic until now. Whitehead aside, Yvigtte, as a master of potions, was unable to deal with this plague at all. "How bad is it?"
At this time, Lord Cangzhimen opened the door. "When I came last week, many patients could still be saved, but now we can't." Her face seemed to be seriously ill, and her exhaustion was palpable. "I dare say that even if Heather came in person, she would be helpless to do anything about their situation. Mortals have no resistance! The weak magic power in their bodies is the fuel that promotes disease factors. I can't even deprive them of this magic power. They need it. To breathe, you need water and bread. How can you isolate the magic in these things? Without the control of fire, everything is empty talk. I can only watch them being tortured and getting closer to death day by day." So you agreed to use the magic potion? It's not difficult to understand.
"This is a necessary measure." The city lord of Ogresel comforted. The mist elf brought her the plate of pine cones. "Just have something to eat."
Magic is the fuel for disease agents. Rametta thought about her words. There is no doubt that these diseases are extremely harmful to mortals, and even unknown people are not immune to them. She had never seen a similar disaster before, so this was probably something new. With the waves of the elements, more and more things old and new are appearing in Knox. If the Black Knight is really unable to contact the king, then the association is about to face a major crisis... adding insult to injury. She found herself powerless.
"How did the plague appear?" Demon Princess Uillosnis spoke again. She seemed quite interested in it.
Yvigtte didn't answer. The Mist Elf Lord suddenly threw the book onto the empty chair behind him, and the paper made a sound. It was obvious that mentioning this issue made him feel very unhappy. "Appeared out of thin air." He said softly, "I saw it with my own eyes. Sisters, I didn't leave at all during that time. Later, when I looked back on the trivial matters in the city, I found nothing." He picked up a mushroom with a fork. "The incident happened suddenly. I can only ask His Majesty for help."
"What did he say?" Lametta asked knowingly.
Whitehead swallowed the mushroom and did not answer her question. "The Black Knight has brought news, as well as our savior Yvigot."
This performance is no different from the answer. Lametta understood.
He knows the secrets of the palace, and he knows that the king is not in Bain! Both he and Lord Ao no Mori knew that I was the only one who looked like a fool. She narrowed her eyes and considered using magic to shove mushroom soup in their faces.
"It's probably Nightingale's handiwork." Fortunately, Yvigget gave an explanation. "His minions infiltrated Ogrethal, spreading the blight to weaken the Order."
"Nightingales do more harm to us than that," Whitehead also said. "Until it is confirmed, even our companions have to be on guard."
Is this the reason why you concealed it? Can't confirm whether I am his accomplice? Lametta found them disgusting. Now, she was finally no longer a threat in their eyes. This is not over yet. Just wait and see.
"Traitor," Lametta said the word in the sweetest tone, "I have seen many. Such a man will be killed on a spear. His descendants will not escape! I guarantee you that he will suffer The torture will only be more severe than that of our companions."
"Of course I believe this." Whitehead said lightly. "After discussing the fate of the enemy, is it time to discuss business? There are still many people in the city who have no place to settle and they need to be dealt with as soon as possible. Do you have any reliable suggestions?"
"Wait until they die." Lametta said indifferently. Just mortals. What she wanted to see most now was the death of the nightingale. "Or get rid of them."
"There will be turmoil in the mysterious realm soon, and we can't wait too long." Whitehead rejected the first suggestion, "As for relocation, Fife Tanner is closest to the Blue Forest."
"There is also trouble in my territory." Yvigtte quickly refused. No need to ask, you can't even accept me, let alone a lot of dying plague-infected people. Lametta was tired of the topic.
"Let them return to their homeland." Princess Demon Spirit suggested, "Even if people die, their souls will return to their homes."
"The meaning of Nagawash's existence is gone. Dead people will only go to hell." Rameta said casually. But suddenly, she discovered the other party's real suggestion: "Wait, you want these people to go to Gavash?"
"There's no one alive there anyway."
It is true that the demon princess Uilosness is a "similar" to the Black Knight, but she is not the leader of the Guild, so they did not consider her. This ghost woman isn't even a nameless one. Her territory is in the fallen plane of Gavash and is ruled by the "King of the Dead Sea". In Hell Outpost, living humans are probably a rare species.
The Lord of the Hell leaned forward: "So, he has decided?"
"who?"
"Our undead lord." Whitehead told them, "I revealed the situation of Ogrethal to him before. The Black Knight sent men... but Nin Aiel thinks that those people are hopeless, so it is better to give them What a pleasure." He tapped his nails on the table. "After Yvigette arrived, I no longer doubted her judgment. However, no matter what, the death of these people is a serious loss to the city, and the association is in a troubled time, and each department needs a large number of manpower to supplement. "
Did you already have a plan? Lametta didn't ask. She knew that was the way it was supposed to be. The Black Knight not only manages Byrne, after all, the title of Acting City Lord itself means authority within the scope of the secret society. But she became interested in it.
"Things can be solved in order." Lord Cangzhimen said softly, "There is no need to pursue efficiency too much."
"'Solution' itself is difficult."
"There should be a better way." Yvigget insisted, "Don't give up easily."
"I completely understand your feelings, dear sister, but this is the fact. We don't have time to torture our consciences, distinguish between right and wrong, and make difficult choices. To put it bluntly, the association is facing life and death! Ogletheir has to think about the dying people. We have to plan for those who are lucky enough to survive, and the number of the latter is ten times the former. We have no other way."
Yveget, the lord of Cangzhi Forest, did not speak again. She stared silently at the grease stains on the pinecones.
"So you decided to move?" Lametta asked.
"Nightingale spread the news. After learning that the king is no longer in the association, the mysterious fulcrum will soon take action against us." No one doubted this. "Fortunately, Garvash will also return in Tides of the Elements. The Black Knight arranged the show in advance to attract their attention."
Lametta understood: "These people are bait." Simple and crude, but most likely very effective. "Even if it doesn't succeed, it can alleviate the pressure on medical care in Oglethel." What a clever idea.
“You kill two birds with one stone,” Whitehead said.
"Maybe the baits are not very happy." Princess Demon Spirit pointed out.
"The Black Knight promised to resurrect them. I think this is a pretty generous offer, especially for those who still have relatives and friends alive. Is it true that the undead are at the mercy of the caster?"
Uilosnis nodded.
"Very good. If you ask me, it's time for mortals to be useful. Associations are not free protection after all. They should be grateful."
"It is better to die a worthy death than to die in vain." Lametta agreed. In this way, Oglesel regained his strength, which was enough to restrain Byrne's momentum. The Black Knight can no longer dominate the society. "The time they buy may be the key to victory. Only if the association continues to exist can the unknown people maintain their hard-won life."
"That's exactly the truth." "Lord of Hell" Whitehead picked up a cherry, put it into his lips with a reserved smile, and then picked up the wine glass. He seemed to have a huge appetite. "To our Majesty."
"Your Majesty." The lords raised their glasses.
