The Rock Fortress, Pastor Wright remembers the fortress very deeply – not because of the unique location and historical story of the fortress, but because his childhood was spent in the town not far from the north of the fortress. of.

At that time, he was still an unaccompanied orphan, a small servant adopted by the abbot, and a few years in the northern convent of the fortress was the most calm and cozy day in his life, although at that time He has not yet awakened the talent of the light, has not become a "supernatural" who is awe-inspiring by ordinary people, but at that time, the old dean of the monastery is still alive.

The Rock Fortress itself is a huge city, but it is not self-sufficient. Many of the cost of the fortress depends on the surrounding towns and villages, and the monastery where Wright was living is responsible for providing holy water and holy oil to the knights in the fortress. And talisman. At the end of each month, Wright will follow the old dean, sitting in a creaking old carriage from the town to the fortress, and sending the new sacred objects to the fortress chief.

This huge military facility is full of fierce knights and aggressive soldiers, but they are very polite to those who come from the monastery. In the days of delivery, Wright will be under the eyes of the soldiers. Turning between the walls of the lower part of the fortress, the black-painted walls inlaid with bright copper bars, and the trebuchet placed on the wall were the things that most fascinated Wright.

But this day lasted for a few years, and the old dean was transferred to the central part of the Holy Spirit Plain. Wright also followed the middle, and then a few more years later, the old dean passed away and the new dean took over. The monastery, Wright became a pastor, and was also incorporated into the diocese of the central parish... It took more than a decade to pass.

Once again, I saw the Rock Fortress. Just two years ago, he was kicked out of the church as a missionary pastor by the bishop of the Central Diocese. Then he went down the river along the banks of the Dorgon River, and the small servant who left here once turned into a small servant. The missionary, dressed in the priest's robe, returned to this place.

At that time, Wright did not stay in the Rock Fortress for too long - although there are many places in the city that are worthy of his memories, the familiar faces in the fortress are almost invisible, even the strong and fierce in that year. The feared fortress chief also left the post a few years ago because of the old injury problem, so he just hurriedly stayed, added dry food and water and then left here, stepping into the desolate and barren land of the South.

He did not expect that he returned to this place after just two years of mission time.

Before entering the necessary level of the city, he saw two long civilian troops, one heading for the city, being lined up for inspection and the other from the city. The main members of these teams are business travellers chasing carts, others are mercenaries and adventurers wearing armor with swords. Only a few ordinary people are mixed in the ranks, and most of them are civilians living in nearby towns. - In this era, it is not easy for civilians to get a pass issued by a nobleman. Except for Cecil's large and steady stream of immigrants, few ordinary people will travel long distances.

Wright was honestly lined up in the team. After waiting for a long time, he finally got his turn. He stopped at the table where he registered his name and checked the documents. He was lazy from the arms and proved to the back of the desk. The soldier said: "May the Holy Light shelter you."

Feeling a huge shadow overshadowed, the soldier who was trapped behind the desk stunned his eyes and then he widened his eyes. Then he heard the low voice of "Let the Lights shelter you" and looked up, he saw a A man who is stronger than his sergeant is standing in front of him, wearing an old priest's robes, and two documents from the robes - a seal with the Church of the Light, apparently proving the identity of the priest, The other should be a passport issued by the nobility.

The lazy soldier suddenly woke up, and while he took the paper with ease, he said with some diligence: "The Holy Light shelters you - Mr. Pastor. In fact, you don't have to line up."

Although it is strange that the robes worn by the pastor are slightly old, the pastor is the pastor, the superb, the superior, and this is the pastor of the current strong church of the Light, and he certainly does not dare to neglect.

"Everyone is waiting in line," Wright smiled softly and said casually. "Many people - I don't usually have so many people here."

"Cough, that was last year, this year is different," the soldier said, shaking his head. "A large number of businessmen have started a potion business between the plains of the Holy Spirit and the South, and there are still many bankrupt farmers who don’t know what to hear. Going to the South to discuss the road - many businessmen carry the documents issued by the Grand Duke, and are responsible for transporting these people to the south. Do you see those caravans with three straws? Those are, they are white water. Going to the river pier..."

Wright blinked, and there was some emotion in his heart: Even here, what did the lord do have such a big impact?

During the speech, the soldier had checked the Wright's official certificate and saw the imprint on the passage. The soldier said that half of the words suddenly stopped. His expression was a bit odd: "It is the proof of the Duke of Cecil... ..."

Wright asked curiously: "Why, is there a problem?"

"...Oh, of course no problem, this is the Duke's imprint, there can be no problem," the soldier said hurriedly, and then explained a bit embarrassedly. "Only half of the passports that I saw every day recently have been stuffed. The emblem of Syl..."

"Developing the collar always needs people and materials," Wright said without hesitation. "It’s just that there have been no new pioneers for so many years. I’m afraid I will forget this."

"There is nothing to do with us anyway," the soldier muttered, returning the checked documents to Wright's hand. "You can enter the city, Mr. Pastor."

Wright took the paperwork, put it close, and turned to the heavy door that was familiar in memory and covered with black steel and copper bars.

Through the deep gates, through the strong first and second walls of the fortress, it is the inner city area of ​​the Rock Fortress.

As a huge fortress, the Rock Fortress is not just a military building. It is the most important barrier between the South and the Holy Spirit. It is also a place for business trips and gatherings. In order to achieve these functions, it is also to ensure nearly 10,000 in the fortress. The life of soldiers and knights, mages, and the interior of the fortress is actually a city with complete facilities and bustling streets.

The city is still changing.

Wright walked on the streets of the Rock Fortress, and some of the vague pictures in his memory gradually re-clarified in front of these familiar street scenes. He saw his favorite pastry shop when he was a child - the day when he sent goods "every month" here. He has eight coins of pocket money, just to buy a cheap cake or cookie in the store. He also saw the greasy "slaughter square" and saw the tall wood standing on the edge of the square. On the shelf, he remembered that the wooden shelf was used to whipping thieves and deserters - but because there was no war in the South, it was a good errand to be a good servant in the fortress, so its main role was to whipping the thief.

Basically, every month, thieves are tied with hands and hanged on wooden shelves. The whipped skin is fleshy, and the biggest pastime of the residents and many soldiers in the Rock Fortress city is to come to the "Slaughter Square" to appreciate the whipping scene. Wright still remembers that on the second rest day of the annual fire, there will be a celebration to celebrate the completion of the city in the Fortress of Rocks. The main part is to tie the first thief caught in the fire to the whipping. One hour.

If the thief is not caught in the month, replace the slave with the lottery.

The slave owners are happy to send their slaves here to whipping, which seems to be a very good thing for them, and more importantly, the Chief Executive will have money to compensate for it – even if the slave is in the process of whipping If you are accidentally killed, then the compensation is enough for the slave owner to buy two new healthy slaves, so the slaves in the city will even use the celebration of the fire month as a lucky draw, and will be responsible for the whipping. Soldier...

The memories popped up in Wright's mind, and he couldn't help but frown.

He used to think that this is savage and feels cruel, but he has never felt like this is full of sin.

In Cecil, I saw so many serfs, slaves, and slaves who changed their minds after hard work, had their own houses and property, and even went to school to recognize the words and become the same "Cezier citizens" as everyone else. I have seen with my own eyes that those who are regarded as "stupid and stupid" can live as dignified as ordinary people. He finds it difficult to accept the so-called "elegant entertainment of civilized society" in the central region.

And there is this unchanging city... a city that has not changed for decades or even a hundred years.

There is not even a newly built house in sight.

Wright shook his head and turned away from the Slaughter Square, and no longer had the interest to stay and rest in the city.

He simply added some dry food, clear water and easy-to-preserve beer, and quickly left the Rock Fortress, passing through the gates of the northern fortress, and he officially set foot on the plains of the Holy Spirit.

He walked for a long time in the wilderness outside the city, went straight for a whole day, and finally saw a small village before the sun set.

Looking at the sky, Wright decided to rest in the village - his travel expenses are not many, but the villagers usually do not refuse a pastor's accommodation, he can also help people chop the wood for a dinner, which is better than staying in the city It takes a lot of money.

He walked into the village and walked on the pitted muddy road. Beside the low-lying and ruined hut and wooden house, he inquired about the location of the village manager and walked in that direction.

But a sudden commotion came from behind and let Wright stop.

He turned and saw that the pedestrians on the muddy road behind him were spreading, and the two soldiers wearing armor were carrying a man's arm and hair, dragging him out of the nearby house, wearing a worn skirt. The woman ran out of the house and cried and fell down at the feet of the two soldiers. Behind the two soldiers, he followed a priest who was wearing a robes of the gods and wearing a white gold-rimmed bonnet.

Obviously, the sacred pastor who is the extraordinary is the one who controls the situation.

Wright immediately stepped over.

"What happened?" He came to the priest of the Holy Light wearing a robes and frowned and asked, "What sin did this man commit?"

The woman who fell to the ground saw another priest appearing and immediately cried more loudly: "Adult! We really don't believe in evil spirits! It's just an old book--"

The cry of the woman came to an abrupt end, because a law-silenced deity fell on her, she could only open her mouth and squint her eyes, and grabbed her throat, and the sacred priest who released the magic Retracting his hand, a little curiously glanced at Wright's eyes - after confirming that this was a church compatriot, he spoke: "Brother, this is not your business - I suspect that this family is afflicted with the cult."

The man who was dragged to the ground by two soldiers whispered: "Really not... really no..."

Wright frowned at the scene and looked at the pastor with the utmost patience: "What evidence?"

“Searching for a book in his home,” the pastor raised an old book in his hand. “This is evidence of contact with knowledge!”

The man who fell to the ground cried: "That is just an old account book... I just want to teach my mother-in-law to recognize a few words..."

His words were not finished, and the soldiers next to him slammed on him with iron boots, letting him swallow the rest of the words with blood, and the soldier stepped on his head, his tone was very strict: "No confusing people." What do civilians recognize? How can a civilian family have a book?"

"There is a dangerous sign in the collection of civilians' homes. This collection of books is probably the devil's home. Even if the words on the books are normal words, the knowledge will be hidden in the lines, and the illiterate civilians will watch. These books don't look at the words above, but the words of the devil," the priest painted a symbol of the Lord of Light on his chest, and said with a serious face, "This is a warning made by Bishop Mayor. ”