It was getting late, the corridor was empty and silent, and the closed doors fell into silence. The bustle of the day seemed like a memory from a thousand years ago, something that had disappeared since Larson became professor of the astronomy room.
A quiet night, a peaceful world, is a rare leisure time before the war spreads.
Of course, the tower was not resting. At this time, the astrologers were busy recording the various changes in the trajectory of the stars during the tides. Just push open these closed doors and the sound will reappear.
But really, he thought, this was Helen or Sabina's treatment, I would just be dragged through the door and join them in their work. After all, he would feel ashamed if he had nothing to do while his colleagues and subordinates in the astronomy room were busy thinking. The little secretary Sabina is busier than the astrologer, but the Witch of Destiny doesn't feel the same way.
But he has nothing to do now.
It sounds absolutely ridiculous. Since Knox kicked off the second demon hunting campaign, the mysterious realm has been plunged into an atmosphere of urgency and panic in preparation for war. No one is afraid of demons, and no one is willing to fight them. Mortals flee to a safe place in their minds. Adventurers spread sensational rumors, but the mysterious fulcrum has nowhere to escape. The astronomy room must not only observe the tides, but also worry about the situation of the war— -In fact, after the Battle of Sky Island started, there was no chance for the Destiny Gathering to start again. But now, the professor of the astronomy room was wandering in the corridor like a ghost, walking towards the stairs blankly.
He still remembered what happened two minutes ago. "Larsen." The tower prophet called in his ear. He woke up from his dream and heard his mentor's unquestionable instructions: "Stop your eyes. The predictions of the past are not good at all."
At first, Larson thought he had forgotten something. He climbed out of the formation diagram and flipped through his notes, only to hear his instructor urging him again.
"I need you to stay awake and give you five minutes. When you get there, go to the observation deck. Oh, remember to bring the seed, don't forget it."
"What happened?" It felt strange that there was no one around. Only then did Larsen realize that the secretary was nowhere to be seen outside the room. "Where's Sabina?"
"She is not at the headquarters." The instructor did not tell him any more information. "Don't alert the others."
It was nothing, Larsen hid his surprise. Even though Sabina was far away in the underworld, I could still get her the final draft of the star map. Of course a prophet can do this. He had no choice but to rush to the observation deck, wondering what kind of trouble would be waiting for him.
As soon as he opened the door, he immediately discovered that he was not the only one whose mentor caught him out of bed in the middle of the night. Damn it, what's going on? What he saw was totally unexpected.
The crystal ball is receiving two guests. Larson was a frequent visitor to the observation deck, and the two men were strangers to the place, but the similarity did not soften their atmosphere.
A wizard stood on the outside. He wore a robe similar to that of the prophet, neat and simple clothes, and held a scroll in his hand. He has a narrow face, a flat forehead, and a square chin. Half of his face from the temples is covered with a thick, neat dark brown beard. Under his thick eyebrows, his eyes are as deep as two slits.
This man has an unpredictable temperament that is already daunting, but compared to the guy opposite him, he seems so gentle and gentle... The most important thing is that he can remain calm in the sinister silence.
Larsen asked himself that he couldn't do it. After all, this guy's appearance on the observation deck has made him terrified. After the war begins, it is absolutely impossible for the Destiny Gathering to invite strangers here! He could only look to the other side, hoping to get the answer.
Unfortunately there is little hope. When I opened the door, the "guest" directly opposite cast a cold look. The foreign minister, who almost never went to the observation deck, and the commander-in-chief who stayed in the tower for less than two weeks throughout the year, now looked like a sculpture. Still rooted in the ground. His face was expressionless and his hands were empty, but the surface of the crystal ball behind him was covered with a layer of white frost.
The stranger glanced at the door and shrugged. "Good evening, Messenger of Ain."
He finally noticed something unusual. Hell, I'd seen this guy in the hallway portrait all the time, but those times were during the day, and right now, Larson had the absurd feeling that the portrait was coming true.
He took a half step back, the notebook in his hand floating defensively in front of him, attracting the brilliance of the stars. "Master 'Second Truth'? Sorry, I didn't know you were here."
"Of course. I hid my mysterious traces. Normally, none of you would be able to detect the problem."
What nonsense? "The problem is that you are currently hosting the Prophet in Moniantoros, and you should not appear in the important place of Croyta."
The wizard raised an eyebrow. "Have you not noticed, this is just my shadow, Lord Eye of Iron."
I finally found out, thanks to you for reminding me, eh? "Why evade the important and take the easy?" Larsen said warily, "I wonder if Lord Sterling is visiting me late at night. Is there anything important?"
"Of course it's important." Bai Zhizhi answered for him, "If you don't visit the master, you will come back."
Bernard Sterling turned his head and sighed. "You really don't show any kindness at all. I helped forge your grades back then. Is it time to repay our feelings?"
The words were obviously not meant for him, but Larson couldn't believe his ears. This night was so magical. The "Second Truth" committed a thief himself and was intercepted by the commander. He did not expect that the commander would actually interact with this person. Besides, what problem did he mention?
"What do you want?" the leader asked.
"What else could it be?" the wizard leader asked. After being caught stealing by the guards, he behaved quite openly, as if he really came for a night visit. Larsen couldn't help but be vigilant, worried that this person might have some countermeasures.
"Whatever you want, sir, the tower cannot provide it for the time being." The "Eye of Iron" closed the door and stared at his every move. "If you insist on having your own way, the entire mysterious realm will know about it."
"Mortal words are like the wind." "Second Truth" didn't take it seriously. "Besides, if the news spreads, people might support me. Now that the demon hunting movement is getting more and more intense, they will support whoever can win faster and quell the war. who."
"Can we rely on the alliance of thieves to achieve peace?" Larson frowned. He was shocked and angry, but fortunately the commander was also present, so he was not helpless. "Could it be that the School of Silence wants to win for the devil?"
"This is the limitation of order. In your eyes, the school is just an enemy, so we cannot cooperate together." The wizard told him: "The prophet is no exception. If he agrees to hand over the secret ritual to me, the Abyss of Ether will be available tomorrow Arrive at the devil's lair. You have seen the fate of Gray Wing Bird Island and Drablay, and I dare say that the devil's association will not be any better than them."
Larsen finally understood his purpose. The Mystery of the Viewing Crystal, which is the platform from which Croita observes the Order of Knox. No wonder he found it here. During the White Night War, the Destiny Assembly cooperated with the School of Silence and used the secret ritual to assist the wizard in launching.
This was a successful cooperative operation. "Aether Abyss" exerted the destructive power of ritual magic, shattering the positions of the Vampires and the Mysteries of Pain with one blow, completely ending the White Night War.
The bottomless whirlpool created by the mystery is still closing the boundaries of order.
Without the help of the tower, the Silent School might not be able to use this powerful ritual magic. At present, the demon hunting movement is re-enacting, and the mysterious field is forming cliques, which are not yet unified. The school is probably also looking for ways to preserve its power, but Larsen did not expect that this group of wizards would first attack the alliance.
"For matters related to cooperation, the Prophet will discuss with the school on behalf of the tower." The facts were before his eyes, but he had to respond in a calm tone to appease the other party.
"We talked about it."
The results speak for themselves. If it were me, Larsen thought, I wouldn't agree. I'm afraid he had already planned today's actions when he invited the prophet to the wizard's headquarters. No, maybe earlier, being able to sneak into the tower under the eyes of the Destiny Assembly would not be easy even for "Second Truth". He probably did something wrong when he came to Bloomnot last time...
At this time, Larson heard the voice of his mentor: "Without the control of an astrologer, your efforts to take away the observation ball will be in vain, Sterling."
"Why keep hiding it? Astrologers are different too. The secret ritual needs someone like you. Well, it's quite rare." Bernard Sterling looked at him, "But it happens that there is such a person in front of me."
Larsen was startled. This matter was also a secret in the Destiny Gathering. He didn't know how the other party knew about it.
"You don't mean Xiaobai, do you?" the prophet asked calmly, "Of course, I have not made any assessment of his astrology talent, maybe..."
"What? Him? You really have no one to choose from." "Second Truth" couldn't help but laugh, not being disturbed by his words at all. "Even your disciples are better than him, I bet. Some things cannot be changed by adjusting fate, Demosis. Have you forgotten? Your White Envoy and I are old friends. His level I know everything."
The commander didn't seem to hear this and didn't even move his eyes. Larson exhaled a breath of white mist, thinking that as long as the prophet gave the order, the commander would definitely draw his sword against the saint. Maybe the two sides had different professions, different mysteries, and the gap in realm was even more difficult to make up, but for a moment, he was hesitant about the outcome of the fight.
"I know you won't do anything, Sterling." The prophet raised his voice, still maintaining his composure. "It won't do you any good."
"It is true that I can do it." Larsen followed up, "But I have sworn an oath, so I will never be coerced by you, sir."
Second Truth smiled mockingly. "Poor child, we also swore to the 'victor' to protect his life back then, but now he has been dead for nearly a thousand years." There was something in his words that was creepy.
"This is a sacred oath, which cannot be broken by people without faith. Neither saints nor gods can do such a thing." The prophet snorted, "So don't show off in front of me, boy, there is no point in bringing up old things. significance."
The wizard leader tilted his head: "Veronka, Winona, and Elber Horsham, remember? They are also old friends of you and me. Let me ask you, where are these people now?"
A sword appeared in the leader's hand. "Ask yourself."
His fingers were shaking. Larsen was surprised.
"If you're willing to admit it," Bernard continued without any sense of threat, "they'll owe it to you. This is your medal. Come on, Joey, for what you and I have done..."
"You want the secret ritual?" Bai Zhizhi interrupted him.
The wizard stopped. "Perhaps there is also this young Excellency." He pointed at Larson, "But this would be pushing the envelope. Well, the Fulcrum of Order alliance is coming soon, so we'd better show some mercy to both parties."
Larson couldn't hold it back and blurted out: "Do you think the alliance will continue? After what you did?"
"This is the general trend, Your Excellency." The wizard said lightly. "The demon hunting movement is different from previous wars. It is starting for the second time, and the intensity is unusual. Order needs a united front to fight against the fallen plane Gavash and the demon society. My behavior may be unforgivable in your eyes, but the tower is not headed by a newcomer like you right now. You might as well ask your Lord for your opinion."
For a second, Larson almost asked, but he was not a real young man after all. How can we say no? he thought bitterly. Abandoning the greater good for a lost secret? Only fools would do this. Even if the methods of the school wizards are despicable, we must accept the reality.
The Prophet also did not respond. The instructor may also be weighing the pros and cons. Larson understood him and already knew how today's events should end.
"If you get the secret ritual, what can you give?" Demosis asked after silence.
"The Truth Sect and the Theological Sect will support Sky Island." Bernard said, "We are also responsible for the final attack on the association. As for the other conditions, why not settle the general account? The previous chaos of the Gaia Church, the school can No further pursuit.”
"Until the church breaks away from the school?"
"This is impossible." "Second Truth" rejected it outright. He looked around and gave what was obviously an excuse: "The demon hunting movement is about to begin. Church judges are the backbone of demon hunters. It is really useless to divide them."
"As far as I know, the Church of Gaia has announced that it has left the Silence School." Larson pointed out.
"This is a unilateral statement made by Gandrias. During the period when this person was running the church, serious scandals were reported in the church. Perhaps it would be better for him to step down as soon as possible. In this case, his statement will naturally be ineffective."
The new pope must be a sensible steward, Larson couldn't help but think. With just one word, he made the church's innovations useless. There were no winners in the battle of faith among the monks, and they all paved the way for wizards. The nightingale of the church was greatly weakened, and the judges were integrated into one. These changes undoubtedly strengthened the school's influence on the church. control.
Of course, it's not without its downsides. If Gandrias steps down, everyone will know that it was the School of Silence that intervened. Not to mention that the latter had already lost a Lord Kong Jing in Antuoros, the devout monks may not be willing to surrender to the truth. The astrologers don’t need to do anything else. Due to their affiliation with the Church of Gaia, there will soon be another overt and covert struggle within the school...
"Without the observation deck, the Seven Fulcrums' observation of order will no longer be perfect." The prophet told him, "The return of the Twinkling Pool is imminent, and there is no need to use the 'Aether Abyss'. Overall, our gains outweigh the losses."
"If Jizuk can return to the wizarding world alive, I would be willing to exchange the church for the secret ritual." Sterling responded, "The path of search may involve sacrifices, and no one can avoid risks. The only thing that always gains is victory. We don't have the ability to do it." The man rolled up the paper tube and tapped the palm of his hand. "Besides, even if I am willing to change, you may not agree."
Ultimately, the value of the Church of Gaia is so far removed from the observation deck that people don't care. Larson thought to himself that if it were Huoklin, the result would be different.
He could not continue to consider it, and "Second Truth" gradually lost interest in entangled interests. "I have wasted most of the night, and it's time to end it." The wizard said displeasedly, "Your problems should be solved by yourself. It has nothing to do with me."
He walked towards the viewing crystal, and the prophet remained silent. Rather than bargaining and planning ahead, they all know one fact: no one in the Tower of Croix can stop a saint at this time...
...a "click" sound. Larson stared at the White Envoy in astonishment, and saw that he withdrew his hand from the broken crystal piece, and the blood dripped between his fingers and gradually solidified.
And this is just the beginning.
There are nearly a hundred rooms in the observation deck, in which large and small crystal components are installed for astrologers to observe order. Although the large crystal here is the heart of the mystery, the components still have some power. Just when this thought came up, a series of shattering sounds came to Larsen's ears, and he had no time to stop it.
Frost spreads across the surface of the floating platform. Ice crystals and crystal shards sparkled together, mysteriously eroding the runes until the arcana was completely dimmed.
"What else do you want?" the commander asked.
Everyone was shocked. The moment he finished speaking, Larson almost didn't realize the provocation in his words. In fact, all his attention was focused on the scattered, cracked crystals. He broke it! The secret ritual of the observation deck may be ineffective.
A wave of dizziness came over, and Larson couldn't help but hold on to the door handle.
"Protect yourself," came the prophet's warning.
Larson forced himself to take a deep breath to relieve the sudden rush of blood to his forehead. The one who really needs to worry is Bernard Sterling, who feels that the other party will be more annoyed than himself. Ordinary people are just stamping their feet and cursing when they are angry, but when a saint is angry, we are likely to die together.
"Second Truth" narrowed his eyes and stared at the crystal fragments. The air vibrates suddenly, conveying mysterious images. Larson couldn't help but feel relieved.
But at this heartbeat moment, things did not get out of hand as expected. The mystery appeared in the remains of the crystal, and the fragments were suspended and flying, then put back together again, returning to their smooth original appearance.
He then went to look at the observation deck. There seemed to be a kind of heat in his eyes. The frost melted rapidly and the snow water seeped into the carpet. But at this moment, the White Envoy pressed his palm on the rune on the platform. The white frost instantly turned blood red, and a chill spread in the air. The mysterious wrestling reached a stalemate. Larsen held his breath and watched this scene with mixed emotions, not knowing which side to pray for victory.
Finally, Sterling looked away and lit the candlestick next to his desk. There was a smashing sound behind Bai Zhizhi, and the crystal fell into pieces again. He frowned and didn't look back.
"Still the same old thing." "Second Truth" commented, "You can't be expected to learn magic words, can you? You are just like a warlock, not like an elementalist."
"Now his mystery is only lower than that of you and me, Sterling." The prophet responded, "The blood spell can effectively use his talent. It is enough to deal with your disciples."
"None of my students are Silver Song Knights. They only specialize in studying the way of truth, which is different from him. Haven't you thought about helping him take a further step?"
"This is very dangerous." The Tower Prophet said coldly, "I can't help him, and neither can you. The soul is the source of fire, and it cannot be repaired easily... Any attempt must be made with caution."
"I'm afraid you refuse any attempt."
"It was back then, and the situation was different. Besides, he himself also existed..."
"You've lost your spirit of enterprise, Deimos. A thousand years have aged you, and I dare say you won't be able to wait for another thousand years. Things are different, yes. The tables are turned, aren't they? When you With these great astrologers huddled in the tower, the order was being overturned.”
"If you still have memories, this demon hunting campaign was initiated by the tower."
"And you approached the Holy Council of Radiance. I'm not sure whether you did this out of senility or dementia." "Second Truth" pointed out angrily: "That woman is not of my race, and the agent is a religious lunatic. Look at the good things they did fifteen years ago! If you ask me, since you decided to take action, you should do it thoroughly. Do you regret it? Have you remembered your oath, Master National Preceptor? "
"We were not the ones who broke the oath in the first place." The prophet responded, "You are too impatient."
"It's really surprising that you look at me like this." The wizard looked strange. "Aren't you the one who should be worried the most? The longer time passes, the older you become, and we are still young, and so is he! Or do you think he Can you see clearly the formality and surrender? Oh my God!" He shook his head. "It's better to leave it to me, Demosis, I'm sure to follow his..."
"Stop dreaming!" The voice suddenly became louder, making Larsen's heart beat faster. "You and I both know what that's about. Come on, Sterling, your behavior was outrageous enough tonight! I will remember today. I will not forget."
Larsen had never seen his mentor speak in such a tone. The tower prophet could always foresee crises and see through traps, but at this moment, he felt his anger.
However, his anger came not only from Bernard Sterling's wanton actions, nor from his own mistakes and omissions... Larsen could not pretend that he was not aware that there was a deeper reason. They mentioned the "Victors" and many others, as well as the oaths of the Grand Alliance of St. Mirend.
What's the meaning? He thought to himself, who broke the oath?
But the instructor had no time to answer his questions. "Let's go, Sterling, I won't agree to any of your conditions. Since you are eager for success, alliance is not necessary for you." "Dark Night Qiming" issued an expulsion order, "Wait until Evangeline returns, and we will see After the Silent School’s style, she will probably reconsider.”
"People tend to think that if they do something over again, they will do better. A fool's fantasy. Look, if I had to do it over again, I would still do it," Bernard told him.
"Get out of here. Go!"
The wizard leader dropped the scroll, and densely packed runes spread out in the air, emitting a faint light. After landing, the page burned, and his outline faded and disappeared.
When the fire went out, Larsen waved his hand, and the night wind blew away the ashes, and the "Second Truth" did not appear again. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Bai Zhizhi also relaxed. The frost melted and the smell of blood filled the air. He moved his hands away, but clung to the edge of the observation deck to maintain his balance.
He was injured, Larsen finally realized. "How is it? It's... uh." The candlelight swayed, exposing the commander's left arm. It seemed to have been bitten by sharp teeth, and the skin was covered with wrinkles and scars. After the magic was lifted, the wounds were like slender eyes, with bright red tears constantly flowing out.
Otto is on top. Larson felt that his arms were extremely itchy. If the commander is not here tonight, I may be the unlucky one. Now that "Second Truth" is seeking an observation deck, it will never change its mind easily. He finally understood why his mentor didn't allow others to be alerted. At this juncture, it is useless for anyone to come.
He was about to call the medical department staff on duty to come and deal with it, but "Dark Night Qiming" stopped him.
"Give the seeds to...forget it, you should know how to do it?" the prophet's tone was very tired.
"I will try my best." It would be safer to make some preparations in advance, but the situation is urgent now. "Damage to the observation deck..."
"Use it first for emergencies. As for the secret ritual, I'll take care of it when I get back." The instructor ordered. Larsen opened his notes nervously, trying to recall the process as quickly as possible. "Don't worry, it's just a superficial injury."
"It's hard for me to judge what method Master 'Second Truth' used, teacher."
"Witchcraft. What else?"
"I won." The commander suddenly said, "It's just the mystery of the Sky Realm."
Larson couldn't help but slow down in turning pages. Bernard Sterling did not show the realm of a saint, but only used the law of the sky realm. Obviously he was worried that the observation platform would be damaged twice in the collision, and as the custodian, our commander-in-chief But I have no such concerns...
"You didn't have to do this." The prophet turned to the commander, but he didn't really blame him. "Bernard Sterling has clear goals and never does unnecessary things. This kind of person is not difficult to get rid of. Since he wants the glass ball on the observation deck, we can negotiate slowly and wait until the matter is over. Take back."
"With me?" Larson muttered. Deep down in his heart, he was extremely grateful for the appearance of the White Envoy.
"The best Sterling can do is scare you, otherwise I will pack up the Wizard's End stuff and throw it into the inner sea of the earth. He has to take risks for playing this kind of trick." The prophet said briskly, "Yes, you won't Injured. I can guarantee this...especially you, Commander-in-Chief, you came earlier than Larsen. To be honest, you shouldn't be keeping an eye on his movements all day long, right?"
Bai Zhishi said nothing.
The Prophet did not force anything. "I have said before that he will pay the price for his unscrupulousness. It seems that we don't need to invest more energy in observing the Silence School. As for the observation deck." He smiled humorously, "You really admire me. Heart. Although we have suffered some damage, in general, the other party has not gained anything."
