This world is not only the East, but also the West.
The east and west are connected by a magic node. Normally, this nodule is closed, so people in the two worlds hardly know each other's existence.
The Great Zhou Empire was the most powerful existence in the eastern world, while the most powerful kingdom in the western world was the Kingdom of Valaifahan.
To the north of the Ellen Lore continental plate is a wasteland that stretches as far as the eye can see.
At the end of the wasteland is a red swamp, with steaming light red steam floating on it. The wind direction changes slightly, and the smell of decay will hit your face. Loris pinched his nose in disgust and screamed: "Damn Lando, it's impossible to pass through here. Not to mention humans and horses, not even a crow can fly over."
Sir Vaquel, who was dressed in black robes, took off his hood, frowned and looked at the endless swamp in front of him.
"Lando said there should be a bridge here, leading to the dark forest and bordering the end of the wasteland."
"Hey, the old guy said there is a palace here. Am I going to be the king? What should I use for the crown? Is it a goat's skull or a red wicker?"
Loris turned his head away, trying not to look at the red swamp. It was full of half-rotted cattle and sheep bones, and maybe there were human ones. Hey, what kind of gentleman would be kind enough to build a bridge here?
"Let's continue walking north along the swamp." Sir Vaquel turned his horse's head and stepped out first.
"Hey, maybe we will die of thirst here. The steam here can roast a goose alive. In my opinion, we might as well go back to where we came from!"
Loris's sinister tone completely angered Vaquel. He turned around and grabbed Loris by the collar and picked him up like a chicken.
"Listen, if you don't want to turn into a roast goose now, just shut up!"
Loris' face was as pale as paper. Of course he knew the consequences of offending Sir Vaquel, so he could only nod his head at this moment.
"Billy, let's go north along the swamp!"
Vaquel snorted and threw Loris away like a bag of dry oats.
"As you wish, my lord." The attendant responded respectfully.
To be honest, Vaquier has never left the continent of Ellen Lore, let alone the wild lands beyond the Linman Strait. This is a gathering place for trolls, thieves and low-level alchemists, full of lies and death, and he is a formally canonized knight who only fights for the honor of his lord. However, honor sometimes has to give way to reality, especially when the entire continent of Ellen Lore is in flames of war. Red Lizard William raised troops on Ludi Island, and Madman Mass gathered nearly 10,000 heavy armored cavalry. God knows how he recruited so many people. After all, the entire Moss Plateau only has a population of about 100,000. But the most terrifying thing is Lucius, known as the Soul Eater. It is said that he sacrificed his soul to the devil and obtained thousands of orcs. Lao Wang Luo Er passed away, leaving behind an only son who was only seven years old. So the princes who regarded the Brand family as the Zhengshuo monarchs raised their flags of rebellion and proclaimed themselves kings.
In war, it is inevitable to take sides, even if you are just a knight.
Vaquier smiled bitterly in his heart. Viscount Duby chose to go to Prince Foiaval. Naturally, the entire castle was decorated with the royal flag with a red heart on a black background. As the flag bearer and chief knight of Viscount Duby, he naturally had reason to go on an envoy on behalf of the Lord. South, seeking stronger allies. Oh, legally speaking, he now represents Prince Foiaval!
However, in his opinion, it is not a wise move to form an alliance with the mountain elves. These guys believe in Haoyue as their main god, which is different from the other countries in Ellen Lore. It is simply delusional to try to bribe them with gold coins and silk. Besides, the elves don’t need gold coins and silk!
The wasteland is covered with dark green moss and lichen, but you can't see any living creatures other than that. Ser Vaquil held the reins in his hand and frowned. They had left the town of Dowak for ten days, and their supplies were almost running out. If they could not find the entrance to the dark forest again, they might really die of thirst in this wild place. He looked around at his companions. Sobotu was riding a maroon pony listlessly on the right side. His eyelids were heavy as if he would fall asleep on the horse at all times. Loris controlled the horse with one hand and took out all the money from his pocket. There was not much dry bread left, so he bit it down fiercely, causing a cloud of crumbs to fly. Little Billy was full of curiosity, but it was a pity that he was still a child and did not understand the seriousness of the situation at this moment.
At this moment, a black hawk flew from a distance and landed on Vaquier's shoulder.
"Hey, Gaul, come on, old man, what did you find?"
Vaquier is very proud of his falcon training. Whether it is an enemy or prey, it can always detect it immediately.
The black hawk flapped its wings and flew up again. It only circled in the air for a few weeks before heading north.
Waquier shouted: "Follow me guys, maybe we won't have to camp next to the fire tonight!"
Vaquier kicked his spurs, and the black horse neighed and galloped away.
There is a smell of blood in the air, and the farther north you go, the stronger the smell becomes. Gaul stopped on a centaur statue and whined. Vaquel dismounted and stepped forward. This centaur statue is thirty feet tall and is made of marble. What surprised Vaquier is that the entire sculpture including the base is carved from a huge stone. Looking around, there is no trace of stacking or splicing. Mark of. He took a deep breath. Seeing such a miracle in the depths of the wasteland could at least prove one thing - they were not far from the dark forest.
"Gaul, what else did you see? Where are you taking us?"
The black hawk flapped its wings again and soared into the sky, heading north.
Vaquier gritted his teeth and thought, now that the matter was at this point, they had to find out what was going on.
He turned on his horse, and with just a slight tap of his spurs, the horse was in pain and ran wildly. Although Loris and others were annoyed by Vaquier's impulsiveness, they had to catch up.
The sun had already set halfway when they reached the dark forest. This ancient forest contains elm trees, poplar trees, tamarisk trees, and hundreds of unspecified tree species that have grown for many years. Together with the sun, moon and stars, they support thousands of living things in this forest. Vaquier stared at the wooden bridge in front of him, feeling anxious. According to Mr. Lando, the chief bachelor of Viscount Duby, this forest in the extreme south is the jurisdiction of the Alpine Elf Kingdom. Unlike their phratry, the Lake Elves, the Mountain Elves are more willing to work with dwarves, giants and even humans. Their commissions are high but they will never disappoint their employers. However, this kind of creature is very mysterious. It is said that only no more than 500 knights in the entire continent of Ellen Lore have seen their true appearance.
"Sir Va... Vaquier, you don't really plan to enter the forest, do you?" Loris stared at Vaquier with a pale face, his expression almost collapsed: "This is the black forest that has been cursed by magic!"
"Shut up!" Vaquel was really fed up with Loris's noise. He turned his horse's head and roared at the coward: "Don't forget your oath, the oath to the Doubey family!"
"Well, my oath to the Doubey family seems to have been stuck here in my life. Hehe, why didn't I become a hedge knight?" Although Loris was full of complaints, he had to continue to control the horse and move forward. , this is completely intimidated by the prestige of Sir Vaquier.
Little Billy was only twelve or thirteen years old and was thin, but he was a competent attendant. The little guy didn't express any opinions, but waited for Sir Vaquel to dismount. As a squire, obeying the knight's orders is the first priority. The road ahead is not easy to walk, and the bushes are so low that they not only obstruct the view, but sometimes can even be fatal. Doria, the personal guard of King Kell, was dragged over when his cloak hit a branch during an autumn hunt in the Falcon Valley, and was eventually trampled to death by his horse. Therefore, the safest way to travel in the jungle is to walk.
The old knight Sobotu fell off the maroon pony in just one leap. As the most prestigious knight in the continent of Ellen Lore, the old guy has too many past events worth showing off. Every St. Giotto's Day, he would put on the same outfit as when he was young and go to a wine shop at the entrance of the village to get drunk. When he met young people who dreamed of becoming knights, old Soboto would always have a hearty chat over ale. Memory is like a gate. Once opened, the past will pour out instantly. He will recall that he narrowly defeated the evil mass at the last moment in the contest on Ivar Island and finally won the glory of the golden scales. He will also unforgettable the victory between one against three at the banquet of heroes in Vernalin and won the applause of thousands of people. At that time, even the Dragon Knight Black Gold Polka could not hope to get a share of the admiration of noble ladies for him.
However, time flies like water, and the past is like wind. Now Sobotuo is just a waning old man. If he were not wearing a pair of iron armor, not many people would think that he could have been a knight.
So when Viscount Duby sent an envoy to visit the south, he decided to try his luck. Hey, if he can reach an alliance with the mountain elves before the war breaks out across the continent of Ellen Lore, he will definitely be regarded as a hero.
A flock of crows flew over everyone's heads, causing a commotion. Gaul tried to chase these uninvited guests, but was stopped by Sir Vaquier. He hovered in the air for a week, and finally landed on the horse's back, letting out a cry.
After passing the wooden bridge, you will reach the dark forest. It is adjacent to the Lingman Strait and is often visited by merchant ships selling silk and tobacco to the East. But even the most experienced captain will only rush through the waters a few nautical miles away from Black Rock Point and will never stay here for a moment. It is said that the trolls here will disguise themselves as humans and lure passing merchant ships to stop. Those sailors who are greedy for the fragrant "ale" on the shore will be drunk by the trolls, and will eventually be stripped and skinned to make scarecrows to guard Blackstone Point. The flesh will be pickled into dried meat and left for the newly born baby beast. If you are lucky and encounter a thief or a black shop run by an alchemist, you will lose some gold coins, but at least you can save your life.
Loris took off his leather jacket but still felt stuffy. He glanced at Sir Vaquel and the old man Soboto next to him. Both of them were calm and composed. Even Billy, a kid who was less than half his age, They all tried to "pretend" to be calm.
What a hell! Loris took out the cowhide water bag from his waist, drank it all in one gulp, and then threw the water bag into the dense forest like a revenge.
"Hey, if we don't find any water tonight, we're going to die of thirst here."
Sir Vaquel frowned, but said nothing this time. To be honest, even he found this weird weather a bit uncomfortable. Spring and autumn are connected in Ellen Lore continent, and autumn and winter alternate. Although summer is slightly longer than the other three seasons, it is generally considered average. But since arriving in the south, the humid and hot weather has always been there, and sometimes Vaquier thinks that maybe there is no winter here at all.
"How can elves survive in a place like this? I think even the worst horse thieves and alchemists would look down upon this place... Didn't the old bishop always say that the origin of all civilization comes from a suitable environment? In my opinion, this place is quite good. Suitable for the slave trade…”
"The Bishop also said that everything unknown comes from the heart. Saint Sylvia is with us." Sir Vaquier glanced at Loris and reminded softly: "Civilization and enlightenment come from people's hearts. Where are people?" Wherever civilization is."
"Damn Saint Sylvia, I am a Pugian, and the Pugians do not believe in your god." Loris glared at Vaquier with a bitter look, and insisted to himself: "We believe in steel and war. Ships and Poseidons, acquisition is the truth, Giugage! Maybe next time you go to the Ironstone Islands, sir, I can treat you to an afternoon of amaretto-flavored wine."
"Keep it for yourself, Loris, but please be careful with your words. You are now in the land ruled by the descendants of Allen's ancestors. Please maintain the most basic respect for the gods."
The old knight Soboto, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up, startling Loris.
"This is not the land of the ancestors of Allen. After the Lingman Strait, not a single bit of the land here belongs to the ancestors anymore. Only the stupid Brand family would draw it on the map. ." Loris didn't want to let it happen. In his opinion, he was just succumbing to Viscount Duby's castle. If he had the chance, he would definitely buy a ship and hire about a hundred crew members from Ludy Island to do it. The last big vote. Hey, go to the Issa Peninsula, or the East, wherever the hell he wants, as long as it's not in a damn place like Ellen Lore, he can go anywhere.
"Maybe this place does not belong to the ancestors of Allen, but it certainly does not belong to the Ironstone Islands." Sir Vaquier stopped under a banyan tree and said in a deep voice: "If you don't want to die of thirst here before sunrise tomorrow, Maybe the water bladder should be filled.”
Loris looked in the direction pointed by Sir Vaquel, and his cloudy eyes immediately shone brightly. Ah, by the blessing of Poseidon, this ghost place actually has a small pond.
Loris rushed to the pond impatiently, taking off his clothes and throwing them away as he ran. When he reached the shore, he was already naked.
"I need to take a good shower, fuck the water bag!"
Loris jumped deep into the pond and made a huge splash.
"Hey, may God forgive him." The old knight Sobotuo shook his head, lowered his head and prayed. In the continent of Ellen Lore, the land of the ancestors, every time a water source is found, no matter how big or small, one must first take out a handful and sprinkle it on the ground, and recite a prayer. The ancestors believed that only in this way would this land be blessed by Saint Sylvia.
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