Pillars of Ita

"By the way, this is for you." Adni threw something over. "He wanted to escape with this thing. I guess you will be interested in it."

Fang Plover took the thing and realized that it was an object he was quite familiar with - a blue crystal embedded in a precision mechanical structure - the Star Device, which he had obtained from Ash Lynn. One is exactly the same, except that the star device uses ordinary crystals, and this blue crystal is only unique to Jed Ram so far.

He couldn't help but look at Adni, but the latter turned around and was silently looking at the first mate's body in a daze.

After losing the starlight, the once arrogant leader of the pale pirates has now become a mere mortal, no different from the innocent people who died under their swords.

The first mate's body was hunched, huddled among the cold rocks, and the black blood was almost dry.

He looked away from the corpse and didn't rush to look at what Adni gave him, although he might have come here just for this. But the battle on the other side was coming to an end. Luo Hao and Miss Nightingale were cleaning the battlefield. The others captured three or four pirates alive, but none of the Nagas survived.

So far, they have not captured any living Naga. These fanatical and cruel dark creatures are enough to make them troublesome.

The three of them also captured a pirate. Marigold threatened to burn the guy's hair with a bunch of flames, hoping to make him spit out some useful information, but outsiders knew that she was probably venting her previous anger. The pirate trembled, but refused to say a word.

Fang Plover stopped her, and then said to the other pirates: "I know you probably think death is relief, but I have to tell you, unfortunately it is not the case. At least on this island, you can't escape."

"When you come here, you should have heard some legends. The facts are just as you guessed. There is something different about this island. After passing through the storm outside, your stars are blocked in the sea of ​​light. Besides, I don’t care whether Adrian, who is in charge of the storm, will forgive your sins, but here, the old raven can’t see you—" Fang Plover asked Miss Nightingale to step forward.

Alyssa understood it and pulled out the gun from the waist of the Papalar man on the side, and put it against the pirate's head. Before the latter could react, she had already pulled the trigger.

There was a loud bang, a ball of sparks burst out, and the guy fell straight to the ground, with a hole in his head.

The others were shocked.

"That's my gun!" Parker was also startled.

Miss Nightingale turned the gun over and handed it to him, smiling and saying, "Then give it back to you."

Marigold looked at this scene in a daze.

A white light emerged from the pirate's body. Fang Plover looked at the remaining prisoners with a rare seriousness on his face, "I know most of you are doubtful, but it doesn't matter. You will understand in a while."

The pirates looked a little confused. But Fang Yu didn't explain, and only asked others to escort these people onto the boat.

By the way, the treasures found by the pirates filled several boxes, which were filled with eagle-head silver coins minted during the reign of Stuart IV, amounting to one or two million lisels. Fang Plover also had people move them to the ship. , and gave Ian about one-fifth of the three.

This was a huge reward, but the three of them were not very interested. Although they suddenly made a fortune, the tragic scene outside weighed heavily on everyone's heart. Marigold waited for them to finish their work before suggesting that the corpses in the village be buried, which was unanimously agreed.

It’s just that the Seven Seas Brigade didn’t have time to bury everyone one by one, so they could only dig a big pit and bury the bodies. There was no full-time priest of Mirela on the ship, so Miss Mei could only serve as the knight of the sun god Orli. Prayers were recited.

Fortunately, Miss Knight is always serious and precise.

Cold rain fell from the sky. When she pressed her sacred contract and watched the water flowing along the metal leaf of the sacred contract, she ended the eulogy in a low voice with a vow text, and then Fang Yu ordered several dragon hunters to fill it with soil.

Marigold and Lark stood aside, watching this scene in silence, and there seemed to be an endless chill in the wind and rain. Luo Hao stood leaning against a tall palm tree and turned to look at Ian who was not far away. In fact, the two were not far apart in terms of age.

But as the captain of three people, the young warrior obviously seemed much more mature.

Luo Hao suddenly asked: "Do you think all this is too unfair?"

Ian looked back at him, was silent for a moment, and shook his head: "I'm not sure...but it is indeed a lot different from what I imagined. The Hill of Giant Trees is much better than here, where fairies and elves govern it. , I have never been exposed to such a thing in the past..."

"This is the empire. In fact, many places in Kaolin-Ithurion are similar. This is still the present. In fact, the world in the past was even more different from ours." Luo Hao said softly, "Hey", "Aitalia It was once incompatible with our world, but what we see today is the result of the efforts of countless people. Different civilizations have gone through wars, and until the end there is dialogue and integration."

He looked up at the dark rain curtain. The raindrops in the sky were like starlight and the boundless universe after that. "The strong assimilate the weak, as if this has always been the case in history, but the Star Gate restricts our power and it chooses us, Aitali." Ya is not a gift.”

"But the influence was mutual. The war subsided and we had to adapt to each other. It was at this stage that we developed myths and various countries launched initiatives to try to bridge the wounds between the two worlds - that was the first era."

"Not only between us and Aitalia, but also on this side of the Star Gate, including ourselves, we have also begun to re-examine the relationship between countries. For what purpose should we get along? And what values ​​should we use to do so? Measuring each other? In the end, we came to an agreement in one big discussion after another - because the star gate is there and we have to cross it."

"When we formulate a program and gain consensus, it will finally be up to the first generation of free forerunners who pass through the Star Gate to implement it all."

"And that is the Stargate Declaration," Luo Hao replied, "We once believed in the coming of an extremely glorious era. Two worlds, different cultures and civilizations would blend with each other, bridge disputes, eliminate differences, and we would calm down the war. , resolve differences, and create that true golden age with a moral outlook that is ahead of any previous era."

"We once believed in win-win cooperation, and we almost achieved it. No, it should be said that they almost achieved it - erecting a stone monument in Falkansa to let Aitaria remember those descended from the sky who helped them resist the disaster. Joining the front line of the confrontation between darkness and light has helped Aitaria and even ourselves complete the transformation.”

The sound of wind and rain fell silent, and almost everyone was listening to him.

It was those people who left the names of the Chosen Ones in this world and achieved the integration of the cultures of the two worlds.

"Before that, the empire was much more strict than it is now. Corin-Ithulian did not have any beautiful qualities. Different countries expressed each other's will with the flames of war on the sea and the sky, including ourselves. , we are also participants in the war."

Luo Hao said: "But they still opened up a path and left behind those better things. In fact, all our honors come from that era and from the observance of the oaths of the three generations of forerunners in half a century. People call that For a kind of nobility, and engrave it on the golden oath wall."

All the qualities of the people of that era are the most beautiful symbols of civilization. Those memories full of ideals did indeed open up an era.

The second door opened.

Two different civilizations both stepped out of their original worlds to explore new unknowns. The civilizations began to move towards an upward stage, the disputes were resolved, and everything was prosperous.

The Super Competitive Alliance was born. Countries no longer talk to each other at the cost of iron and blood, but use fairness and competitiveness, hard work and faith to win honors. Of course, there are still differences between different countries, but at least they are contradictory. No longer seems so sharp.

"And that is the source of all our dreams," Luo Hao pointed at everyone around him, "You, me, and our leader are also the same. We grew up in such an era and witnessed the heavy aura accompanying it. How can we not be yearning for the birth of a hero?”

He smiled bitterly, "I also hoped that one day I could embark on the same path, but reality gave each of us a heavy blow, but this is also the reason for our frustration. Dreams will eventually be shattered. The facts It proves that the establishment of order requires endless glory and faith, but the collapse only makes people see that there is no hope for the future. The second world is only one-third the size of Aitaria. When we finish dividing this cake, everything will change. Back to square one.”

"The halo that transcended this era burst in such a huge bubble. Everyone knew that everything was over, but they still tried to grasp the afterglow of the old era. It was nothing more than some people really fantasizing about saving everything, and some people I just want to get more benefits before the ship sinks."

He laughed at himself: "In this era, everything has become worse. Even the Star Gate quota is no longer sacred. If you don't believe it, you can ask the people around you? Miss Jita and Luo Yu, what are they holding? What kind of qualifications did you come to this world with?"

"And Ian, don't you and Miss Lark deserve a better opportunity, but you are still here as free electors, and everyone knows how precious free quotas for society are. As for me "Myself," Luo Hao laughed, "You may not believe it, but my father obtained my quota through special means. To put it bluntly, I spent some money... Of course, the military has its own selection channels, but they We can’t point fingers at the Super Competitive Alliance, because it’s called the initiative of the Star Gate. Look, this is the Gate’s Choice.”

"As for the leader..."

"Okay," he wanted to say more, but Fang Yu had already interrupted him.

Maybe what they see in front of them makes people feel touched, but they have actually seen the unevenness of the world as early as in the north. He is not here to listen to people complaining about all this. Maybe as Luo Hao said, he is the unrealistic person. Fantasy people who want to catch the tail of the old era.

But he didn't want to listen to those dreams and murmurs. He just believed that the ship was far from sinking and that the history of civilization was just going from one spiral to another.

But it never returns to the starting point.

Fang Yu said calmly: "It's far from the time to express your feelings, let's get on the boat."

There are some ideas that he won't give up without trying them out himself.

Only then did he behave like a group leader. Luo Hao glanced at him, but didn't say anything more. In fact, his pessimism about super sports has been clearly revealed in the community, and he never believes that people can change anything.

He originally just wanted to have some fun, but he didn't expect that he would become a part of the fun. However, he did not regret coming to the Seven Seas Traveler. Not to mention that it was an order and a mission. It was rare for Fang Plover to be able to shut him up. people.

"You guys," Marigold looked at them blankly, obviously Luo Hao's words had a big impact on her, "Are you Twelve Color Irises?"

Tianlan couldn't help coughing twice, "Of course, is that still false? That guy Halsey is my brother. If you are interested in the twelve-color iris, I can introduce you to him-"

"Okay, Sky Blue," Alyssa interrupted her, "Don't cause trouble for Mr. Halsey."

She couldn't stand it anymore.

"They are the Dragon Alchemist," Lark looked at Fang Plover and suddenly said. Then he realized there was an ambiguity in his words and changed his words: "They are the Dragon Alchemist's team, the Seven Seas Brigade."

Seeing Fang Plover looking at her, the girl met his eyes and said softly: "I just saw your efreet."

Only then did Fang Yu realize that he had missed something, but he didn't care about it. "But I'm not the only one with efreets in this world."

"But only the Dragon Alchemist would answer like this," Lark said, "So you also admit it, Mr. Ed?"

Fang Plover nodded. The current situation is a bit special. Besides, Luo Hao has made this point, so there is nothing bad to admit.

But this is not Luo Hao's fault. All of this now makes him feel a little angry.

The Chosen Ones were originally obliged to prevent this from happening. They were the chosen ones, but the Empire ignored the Northern Territory, and the Super Athletic Alliance did not play any role, or that was exactly the role they played.

Not just in the first division, he believed that it would be no different if it happened in the third division. Isn't that what happened at the Crow Temple? Su Changfeng said the same thing, super sports has lost its original function.

No wonder Luo Hao was disappointed, why wasn't he?

He said: "We actually didn't want to deceive you, but we have a special status and we don't want to involve others in the dispute between us and the empire. Can you understand?"

Lark and Marigold nodded.

"Then you," Lark looked at Luo Hao. She wanted to ask if what the other party said was true. Although those words sounded a bit self-defeating, if the empire also abandoned this place, then what was the point of them staying here? What is it again?

If Fang Plover and his team are really the team of Twelve Color Iris, then there is a huge guild behind them, and they even represent the judgment of the Second Division Super Competitive Alliance to a certain extent, but they are not.

Although the Seven Seas Troupe is famous, to put it bluntly, it is just a free team.

Fang Yu did not answer her words.

Because he didn't think about what he should do. The abilities of the Seven Seas Troupe were not unlimited. He could only hope that the goddess still had means, and they could only do what they could.

Marigold finally realized what she was doing and gasped, "Are you from the Seven Seas Brigade?"

Her voice rose several times, causing Ian to look over, but the female wizard suddenly remembered something and pestered Jita to ask her if she was a naturalist, "That's a magic book, right? I saw you that day." Used.”

"It turns out that you are really the Seven Seas Troupe. Recently, legends about you have spread even in our second division. They all say that you are another successor after Loofah. The Grand Guild extended an olive branch to you, but you dismissed it. I’ve heard of you, you’re Miss Naturalist in this group, right?”

Jita was not good at dealing with overly enthusiastic guests, so she had no choice but to nod awkwardly.

"Speaking of yearning for freedom, don't you also?" Luo Hao asked her, "I heard Ian say that there are also big guilds that have recruited you."

"Ours is different. They are interested in the lark, but Ian and I can't. Of course, I won't say that we won't drag down the lark. We are partners and should be together." Jinzhan Hua Lalie replied. Fang Yu looked at the mage lady and felt that what the other party said made sense. He liked her character very much. There may be many setbacks in reality, but not everything needed to be thought about. He preferred to be direct. Some ways of thinking.

He looked at the three of them and suddenly asked: "Do you want to join us?"

This question is not a whim. Although the Seven Seas Traveler has Miss Goblin, it still requires a lot of manpower for an aerospace ship to exert its full capabilities. Not to mention the distance, many positions on the ship are still vacant.

Sylvide, for example, not only serves as the ship's officer, but is also the ship's navigator, cartographer and communications officer, and is also responsible for logistics.

The Seven Seas Traveler will definitely not be what it is now in the future. As she further expands, the responsibilities placed on everyone will only become heavier and heavier in the future. This situation is unlikely to last long.

Letting Cui Xisi board the ship was actually based on the same consideration.

At least except for Luo Yu and Jita who were on duty, the mages on duty were still short of manpower.

For example, they captured the sailboat of the pirates before. Although it was only a small boat smaller than the Seven Seas Traveler, there was still no one to lift it into the air. They could only hide it where it was and wait for someone to lift it later. Drive away.

However, Marigold quickly waved her hand, "Us? No, no, our levels are too different. I still prefer the unrestrained way we are now."

Fang Plover nodded and did not ask any further questions. He admired the three of them very much. In the three of them, he could see almost the same qualities of the Seven Seas Brigade. As for the level issue, it is actually not important. Anyway, the Seven Seas Brigade still has a second group for them to experience.

But since the other party is unwilling, he won't force it.

"Ed," Sylvide suddenly said, "look over there."

Fang Plover turned around and saw that the lightning had turned the whole world into white, the violent storm seemed to have opened a hole in the sky of the island, and heavy rain poured down.

The rain is like a silver arrow, passing over the mast and deck of the Seven Seas Traveler. Behind it, the storm is forming a cyclone spanning hundreds of miles. The sea outside Hanrui is extremely spectacular, and the dark cloud wall stands like a giant's arm. ——

But looking at such a scene means that the power of the goddess Odais surrounding the island has been extremely weak. The storm has actually entered the fjord, but there are other things in the darkness that is so thick that it cannot be broken away. Turning back, I saw dots of silver light appearing in the clouds——

"An Imperial fleet!"

Trixis was the first to recognize that she was from the Empire herself.

But at this moment, the imperial fleet was not stable. They were advancing in the stormy waves and firing at another enemy group. The fire of the naval guns lit up those weird eight-clawed warships from time to time.

"It's Naga." Marigold lost her voice.

It's Naga, and there are quite a few of them. The empire's fleet is not small, but the Octopus warship emerging from the clouds is even higher than them.

Ian's face changed suddenly when he saw this scene, and he realized something, "The Nagas on the island don't have so many battleships, their support has arrived!"

"And I'm afraid they are the main force," Miss Nightingale said softly, "They came with the storm."

The Naga are fighting the Imperials.

Although they had the advantage in numbers, the firepower of the imperial fleet was not inferior. Although there was nothing they could do to each other, it was difficult to tell the difference for a while.

"It's the fleet of the Court of Swords," Adni appeared on the deck at some point, looked at the fleet, and said to the others.

Fang Yu suddenly thought of what she said before. Although he didn't know where this imperial fleet came from, the appearance of the Sword-holding Court fleet here at this time always gave him a bad feeling.

The Imperials would never come for the aboriginal people on the island, and certainly not for the Chosen Ones. Then they could only have other purposes for appearing here. Judging from the conversations between the pirates and the Nagas, they also Came here for the Pirate King's secret treasure.

What about the Imperials?

The storm was still gathering and brewing, and the three of them quickly figured this out.

"Avoid them first and see what their purpose is," Fang Plover made a quick decision. "The Imperials and the Nagas are not the same group. This is at least a good thing. Let's return to the valley first. No matter what their intention is, we will take the initiative It never hurts to have it in your own hands.”

Ian, Marigold and Lark nodded.

Others will naturally not object.

The sailboat quickly returned to the valley where Odais's temple was located. The current situation was extremely critical - no matter why the imperial people came, there was no doubt that the main force of the Nagas had landed on the island, which proved that the great battle The storm is imminent.

Fang Yu led a group of pirates to Odaisi's temple, where he saw the pirate who was shot by Alisa, and saw the guy whose face was as pale as a ghost being escorted by a group of islanders. The remaining The pirates collapsed immediately.

"We surrender," the pirates immediately begged for mercy. "We will tell you whatever you want to know, as long as you spare our lives."

"of course."

Miss Nightingale took back her gun, narrowed her eyes and looked at these people, "Only the one who speaks out first will survive."

Tianlan couldn't help but whisper to Sylvester, "Brother Ed doesn't really want to let these people go, does he?"

Sylvide shook her head: "We are not qualified to forgive anyone on behalf of those people. Those whose relatives were killed are still here."

She looked at the islanders, including Danielle and her sister.

"That?"

The ship officer smiled slightly, covered her eyes, and turned the poet's head to one side.

Screams soon sounded in the hall, and the pirates fell one after another in the hall.

"What are you doing?" Tian Lan was a little dissatisfied, "I'm not a child anymore, Sister Sylvide."

"It's better not to look at things like reneging on one's word." Sylvide smiled slightly.

"That's not a renegade," Alyssa walked over and handed the gun back to her. "We were not the ones who killed them. We have forgiven them. In other words, a group of dead people have nothing to be resentful about."

Sylvester looked at the little blood stains on her gun.

"I didn't kill that man," Miss Nightingale said indifferently. "He will die twice more later, but since they believe in the law of the jungle, they will not be spared. I don't hate this, but double standards are not allowed. In addition, , I really asked for some important information..."

Her face darkened, "The Nagas' purpose is the same as ours, but, or rather, not exactly the same."

Tianlan pushed away Sylvide's hand and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Go and ask the leader. The goddess wants to see us. It's a long story, so I won't waste my time." Alyssa looked outside the hall, "I still have to make preparations. We will meet soon. Gotta go.”

"Set off?"

Miss Poet was puzzled.

But Fang Yu had actually seen the lady again - he didn't know whether she was a god, but the nature of the power was very similar. Odessa was still standing in front of her icon - except for him In addition, the indigenous people cannot see this goddess.

The female warrior looked back and looked at them, "You are back."

Now is the time for her to fulfill her promise, but Fang Plover asked first: "Goddess, why are the Nagas here?"

"Don't you already know," Odais said, "When you let me keep that pirate's soul, they can no longer keep secrets from you."

Fang Plover was silent.

The pirates did reveal the purpose of the Naga family's visit. Their purpose was to obtain information about the ether node in the entire Campa area. That node fell into the hands of the pirate king William at some point.

And he also asked for more information. Behind every big storm in Campa in the past twenty years was the fall of an Ethernet node. The storm was approaching step by step, and behind it was the fall of the Ethernet node in the northern part of the empire. collapse.

No wonder this storm surge is getting bigger and bigger. After the Ethernet veins melt, the flow of magic power north of Xinta'an is completely in the hands of the Naga clan. The dark sage, Narsuyu, the God of Nagas, may He was planning all this behind the scenes.

But do the Imperial people have no idea about this and have no response at all?

Fang Yu suddenly thought of the scene that took place in El Paxin. Su Changfeng asked him to come to the empire to find the missing crystal node, but the crystal tower seemed to have disappeared mysteriously and did not exist in the empire at all. within the crystal network.

In the Empire's Craftsmen's Association, the information on the crystal network is open to every craftsman, and it is impossible for a crystal tower to remain undiscovered.

What's more, he has also been to the Great Crystal Vein, where the information about the flow of ether is even clearer——

But still found nothing.

However, he suddenly thought of something. The empire built such a fortress under Nozpiz to monitor the great crystal veins. Then every ether node in Xinta'an should be under the supervision of the Oshurs, including naturally. Campa region in the north.

In other words, the Oshurs may not be ignorant of the dissolution of the ether node here, but it may have happened with the tacit approval of the empire?

why?

In fact, he had already realized that terrible possibility when the pirates revealed that fact.

Is the power that the people of the Empire injected into the great crystal veins really meant to raise Xinta'an as they thought?

Although the Empire found ideas from the research of the three geniuses, in the final analysis, the research itself had been rejected by Helinwell, Jeldham and Friston. Even the most persistent among the three Friston——

Finally, I realized it in the Tower of Winter Solstice.

Using the power in the Ethernet veins to eliminate the elements and burn the stars will eventually lead to a common ending. It is impossible for the Imperial people to be unaware of the problems in that research, unless——

Unless that's their original purpose.

Fang Yu suddenly had a cold war.

What if all the magic that has flowed into the great crystal veins in the past twenty years finally converges not in the crystal network of the Artisans Association, but flows to another place?

It's actually very simple to not notice all this, but he didn't think in this direction at all at first - as long as the destination of the magic power itself has died, there is still such a crystal in the disappeared ether vein. Tower words.

Then it all makes sense.

No wonder he couldn't find the crystal tower.

The Imperial people retreated north of Campa and abandoned many ether nodes. Perhaps it was not because the Oshu people turned all their attention to the rainforest in the south. The war just happened in the near future.

But the big storm started more than twenty years ago.

What happened during these twenty years?

What is the purpose of the Imperial people, what is the purpose of the fleet in the Court of Swords coming here?

Fang Yuan's mind was racing like lightning, and he felt that he was almost close to the answer.

……