“This is the fated hero, the true protagonist of the sixth epoch.”
Standing before the vanished wall, Xia De, still in the Mystic Lock, gasped for breath, clutching his chest. The distance from the top of Sicar Mountain to the City below was actually quite far, and only by being in the Mystic Lock could he see it so clearly.
He had clearly seen the moment Iluna threw that giant Sunlight Gun.
Unless he underwent another deification, Xia De had no way to defeat that undead behemoth.
His exclamation at this moment was not feigned; with Sister Devlin's cooperation, Iluna had achieved victory with just one strike.
Disregarding the gods of tonight, she was the hero most worthy of being recorded under the starlight at this moment.
If Xia De and Iluna were to fight, he had no absolute confidence in winning.
“You are an audience outside of fate, perhaps occasionally influencing the stage, but Iluna Bayas is the fated hero on the stage.”
The Sister said softly, her true body had returned, and Xia De envied this ability.
He nodded, and two Red Butterflies flew from his shoulders, landing on the ground and transforming into Helen and Grace, who stumbled and almost fell.
Xia De and Sister Devlin helped them up, and then Xia De said:
“One last thing tonight, although the Witch Emperor predicted that the Night Watchman is key to sealing the Gap, I can't bear to leave that sword above Middlesburg. It just so happens that the Mystic Lock's power has not yet been exhausted, so I will also seal the Gap. Sister, I need to borrow your flames.”
“My pleasure.”
The surrounding palace scenery receded, and the primeval forest and night appeared around them.
Xia De supported Helen, and Sister Devlin supported Grace, as they sat under a giant tree that had appeared behind them at some point, in front of the bonfire lit by the Sister with First Fire.
Having used three Mystic Locks consecutively, even Xia De in his current state felt a bit overwhelmed.
He tried his best to sit down on the ground, not knowing that at this moment, on the real world's Sicar Mountain peak, emerald green light points illuminated the starry sky, echoing the glow above Middlesburg.
The powers of “Holy Tree Mark” and “Kiss of the Tree” harmoniously merged, as if they were originally from the same source.
Emerald green light flew from Xia De's body, and under the dim giant tree, specks of light danced in a whirl.
“Is it the Tree Father's blessing - the Verdant Blessing? This blessing enhances the sealing of Kiss of the Tree, so it's also considered a power related to nature and trees?”
“Why not?”
The four sat around the bonfire, and as the Mystic Lock dissipated, the surrounding primeval forest scenery gradually vanished, revealing the view from the top of Sicar Mountain.
And the giant tree behind them had actually grown on the summit of Sicar Mountain, its roots spreading throughout the entire mountain, stabilizing the precarious peak, and at the same time, sealing off the crack at the summit, completely blocking the passage to the Gap.
Flames, the flames from the bonfire, spread along the ground in all directions.
The giant tree's canopy extended outwards, until it completely covered the summit of Sicar Mountain.
The effect of the Mystic Lock ended, but the bonfire in front of them still glowed, and the large tree beside them still existed.
“Huh? Why is this tree still here? That's not right, Kiss of the Tree, when did it have the effect of planting a tree?”
Xia De was a bit confused, then guessed that it was probably related to the Tree Father's blessing.
But this was also good; the mountain top lake had long been destroyed, and now with a tree growing there, it could be considered helpful for the greening of Sicar Mountain.
“It's finally over, the matter of Middlesburg, it's finally over. Kiss of the Tree and Holy Tree Mark sealed the Gap, and ninety-nine percent of the souls within the Gap have departed, it's all over.”
Xia De looked up at the starlight filtering through the Gaps in the tree canopy.
Grace supported her sister, Helen watched Xia De, Sister Devlin looked down at the flames, and Mia, bored with the whole thing, was sweetly asleep, her eyes narrowed.
The battle was over, and the Church would surely send people to inspect the tree on the mountain top soon.
But at this moment, everyone sat there, firelight and shadows dancing on them, it was time to rest for a while.
From early autumn in common era 1853, to this late autumn night, the Outsider finally drew a relatively satisfactory temporary conclusion to this part of his story.
From Wednesday night to approaching Thursday morning, Xia De, in one night, broke into the Gap, defended the church, entered death, returned to the past, fought Barton, chased Red Butterfly, defeated the evil god, and guided souls, finally even using three Mystic Locks consecutively, or rather, a massive, three-in-one giant Mystic Lock.
This night was truly too tiring for him.
The battle subsided, the spiritual light under the night sky receded, and the flames in the burning mountain forest gradually extinguished.
The morning glow had not yet appeared in the distant sky, but this night, worthy of being recorded in history and becoming a myth in the future, had ended.
An exhausted Xia De didn't even go down the mountain, instead entrusting the severely injured Helen and Grace to the Sister, asking her to take them to Grandma Cassandra, and then he returned directly to Tobesk from the mountainside.
He really needed to rest for a while.
Although there were still many things to deal with in Middlesburg, he asked Sister Devlin to inform his friends that he probably wouldn't show up for several days.
Xia De really missed his bed.
Actually, his home was not peaceful either; when he returned from death with Barton and Hendel, because he illegally used the traveler's travel door, not only was the relic about to go out of control, but even the Gap on the third floor had a big problem.
Xia De, who was in a hurry to return to Middlesburg at the time, could only ask Miss Jialinna to handle it.
That was three hours ago, and when Xia De, accompanied by Mia, wearily climbed the stairs again, the situation on the third floor seemed to have been handled.
In the peaceful home, warm yellow gas lamps were lit.
There was no battle noise, no roar of beasts.
As he walked up the familiar stairs, the emotion of gratitude in Xia De's heart was truly difficult to express:
“Home is truly the best.”
On the second floor, Luvia sat on the sofa, talking with Miss Jialinna, while Tifa and the maids were in the kitchen preparing supper and tea.
The gas light in the living room was warm and cozy.
Returning to his own house and seeing the familiar ladies, the tired Xia De stood at the entrance of the second floor, even somewhat unwilling to disturb the current atmosphere.
“What's that expression?”
The Red-haired Witch turned her head, holding a teacup:
“Tsk, tsk, look at you, covered in dirt, looking exhausted, your clothes torn, but your skin looks clean. Is the Middlesburg matter over?”
“Yes, it's all over.”
Xia De nodded, and Luvia stood up to support him, also noticing his poor mental state at the moment; the purple-eyed girl softly said:
“We asked Barton some questions, and then, as you said, let The Lady and the souls leave together.
They will probably stay at the Three Cats Inn tonight, and then leave Tobesk by steam train later.”
Xia De didn't believe that Miss Jialinna wouldn't send people to follow them, but that was no longer his concern.
“Also, the third floor… there was a small problem.
You never have to worry, the boundary of the third floor went out of control, but your traveler's travel door is also scrapped.”
Xia De shook his head:
“All good news, I want to sleep now.”
“Go on, then.”
Miss Jialinna put down her teacup:
“I've already had Tifa prepare your bed, go to sleep, Knight.
I just hope that when you wake up, I can hear the story of tonight from your lips.”
She also stood up, glanced at Luvia, then lightly kissed Xia De's lip corner:
“I hope it's a wonderful story.”
The Witch looked at the purple-eyed girl, and Luvia also looked at her:
“Yes, Xia De, I hope it's a good story.”
She also lightly kissed Xia De's lip corner, and because of drowsiness, Xia De's consciousness was already somewhat unclear, and he completely didn't want to think about what they had just said.
Luvia suddenly frowned, then leaned closer to Xia De and sniffed, before smiling and asking:
“Something's not right, Xia De, why do you have so much perfume on you? At least, at least four kinds.
What exactly did you go and do…?”
She stopped speaking, as Xia De had already tilted to the side from extreme exhaustion, and was then carefully supported by Tifa.
Mia jumped onto the back of the sofa, meowing, and apart from her, the ladies all fell silent.
“Tifa, help Xia De to the bedroom to rest, he's truly exhausted.”
A moment later, the Witch softly asked, and Tifa nodded:
“Yes, Miss, do you need to change him into pajamas?”
The Witch glanced at Luvia, and the purple-eyed girl also lowered her voice and said:
“You change him.”
“Okay.”
Tifa helped Xia De towards the bedroom, and the small orange cat immediately followed.
The Witch and the female Diviner returned to sit on the sofa again.
It was four in the morning, and they both seemed to have no intention of resting:
“Luvia Annett, what do you think happened in Middlesburg tonight?”
The female Diviner looked at the night sky outside the window:
“Around midnight, all the light suddenly disappeared for a second, and then with my stargazing equipment, I saw the Road of death above Middlesburg.
This is probably a night that will still be remembered for thousands of years to come.
It's a pity we could only sit here and not witness it all firsthand.”
“The experiences of the Chosen Ones are part of the epic.
Now that the Chosen One of death has appeared, anything is possible.
First Tobesk, then Coldwater Port, now Middlesburg, I wonder where it will be next.”
The Witch chuckled, raising her teacup and gently shaking it towards Luvia:
“You have great ability and talent.
Are you interested in accepting the Witch's power?”
Luvia shook her head:
“Sorry, I don't have that thought for now.
However, the entire material world can probably observe the terrifying phenomenon above Middlesburg around midnight.
After all, most astrologers were observing the star whale there tonight, and their telescopes are probably shattered just like mine.
I wonder if the academy will reimburse for these equipments.”
“Yes, the descent of a god…”
The Witch put down her teacup, her eyes slightly narrowed:
“But why? Why would a god appear in Middlesburg? The commotion caused by the Chosen Ones is really getting bigger and bigger.”
She looked suspiciously towards the side bedroom where Xia De lived, and Luvia smiled, continuing to look at the night sky outside.
The warm yellow gas light illuminated the two ladies, their figures reflected in the window glass, elegant and intellectual ladies each pondering the significance of tonight:
“This was destined to become an epic poem.
As for the reason for the god's appearance… who knows?”
“Meow~”
This was Mia meowing, because Xia De was being undressed by Tifa.
