Alan still doesn't know what Lydia got underneath Ankland...... Her power was so great that it easily cracked the earth, opening the way to hell, and countless twisted and painful souls poured out of the ground in a frenzy that Celebrian, as a priest, had no time to deal with.

Alan was crushed by the fallen stone pillar as he dodged the horrible shadows, and watched as the old dwarf Ragan wielded his battle axe in vain in the wailing shadows, and finally sat down on the ground—right beside him, his eyes wide open and out of breath as he reached him.

He didn't see what happened at the end, and before he lost consciousness, he thought in despair that they were going to die.

The half-elf priest then told him that Nia had plunged a dagger into Lydia's lower abdomen, and that she had fallen into the crack, and that she had never seen what kind of sacrifice had finally satisfied the rulers of Hell, and that the black flames had been extinguished in an instant, as if they had never appeared. On the ground, which was still shaking, the exhausted half-elf had to cut off one of Eren's legs with Raogan's axe, and use the teleportation ring to return to Chrysers Castle, pulling Eren back from the brink of death.

"I thought Lydia was dead then...... "Allen's hand unconsciously touched his broken leg, and he seemed to feel the pain and despair at that time, "but she didn't. And now, she has become the leader of the necromancers, and her power is far beyond what a necromancer should have, and no one knows what she really wants...... What can she do? ”

He should have warned Sean when Lydia reappeared a few years ago...... But he had too many concerns at the time.

"Tell me, Alan Kavo. Sean's voice was not loud. But with an invisible pressure, "Do you really think you can find the answer in Ankeland, or do you want to use this reason?" Use the power of the temple to save Norwe, Sunstrider, your elven friends?"

Alan frowned slightly—of course, he shouldn't expect Sean to really know nothing.

"Just because I don't ask where Fili Zeri is doesn't mean I don't know where he's gone or what he's trying to do. Sean looked as usual, calmly looking directly at Alan. "Do you know if the elves really take Ankland's secrets so seriously...... You will stir up a strife between two races because of one elf. ”

Now, Alan simply admitted: "Yes. If it weren't for the fact that Norway and Tess were in deep crisis. I'm not going to come and tell you about Ankeland...... and Lydia's secret. We can't stand up to the entire Elven Kingdom with our strength, and I need the help of the Shrine - but I don't think this really leads to any serious conflict. ”

Sean nodded slightly, motioning for him to continue.

"I think you should know as well, the elves who came for this. Some came by boat from Grivar. They went ashore in the city of Visa, and searched around for news of Norwe, making no secret of their intentions, and after finding Norwe, they did not harm him, but only wanted to bring him back to the kingdom of the elves, but partly ...... They hide in the darkness from everyone, even the elves, and wait for an opportunity to assassinate Norvi and even Tess. That leads me to believe, even inside the elves. There is no consensus on how to deal with this matter. I'm not sure they really know what Ankeland is hiding. Obviously, some elves don't think it's serious enough to kill people, and they want to bring Norway back to Grivar to find out, while others think that the secret still needs to be buried until the end of time, even if it comes at the cost of innocent lives...... Judging by the way they act, I believe the former is more dominant. If the Temple can intervene for a legitimate reason, they will seriously consider whether to clash with you by ignoring the necromancer's threat over a thousand-year-old secret. And once this secret is no longer a secret...... The latter no longer had to kill Norvi and Tate. ”

Alan stopped, his mouth a little dry. It wasn't that he didn't think about the consequences of dragging the water god into the water...... Compared to what they might get, he believes it's worth the risk.

But he's not Sean after all...... Unable to meet Felicity in person, he can only hope that Sean Fletcher, who is acting more and more cautiously, has not completely lost his former courageous and even reckless momentum.

The young Sean, even if it was just for Tess's life, would not hesitate to gamble everything he had. But now......

"It's worth a try. Almost without any hesitation, Sean spoke calmly, "I will let Browder go to Grival first to deal with the elders of the Elven Council, and I will also ensure that Norway and Tess are safe and secure in the human realm." If Ankland's secrets are as useful as you say...... We'll find out. ”

Alan breathed a sigh of relief, unable to suppress the relieved smile on his lips: "Anytime there is a need...... You know where to find me. ”

The purpose of the trip was achieved so smoothly that Alan couldn't believe it. It made him almost forget Ed's plea for help, and when he walked out of the door, he suddenly remembered, looked back at Sean, but swallowed back the sentence that had already come to his lips - he didn't want to make a fuss, and besides, he didn't believe that Sean would really hurt Ed...... That kid had obviously learned a lot, and he wanted to escape, probably just because he couldn't endure the hardships.

Ed sat cross-legged on the cold floor, barely holding back his tears. Even if there is no hope at all, the cruelest thing in the world is probably watching hope slip through your fingers......

He sniffled and made himself something to eat—almost all of the things he had made with spells were a taste, bland and tasteless, and unpleasant, but if he was to go back to that place, he would have to fill his stomach anyway.

The room he was in was so small that it could hardly be called a room. There is nothing but a bed - no, if only there really were "nothing else".

On the wall facing the bed was a large, round mirror, with a soft brass rim on a quaint border, and the mirror was like water, calm and waveless, and Ed couldn't help but feel a palpitation at every glance at it.

This room has a door, but it can only be opened from the outside, and if you want to get out from here, the mirror is the only way out. He managed to escape through the wall once by melting into the rock, and Sean probably wouldn't give him a second chance.

He also thought about simply slumping on the bed and waiting to die, he didn't believe that Sean could really watch him die here...... But after thinking about it, it seems too unproductive......

Ed jumped up as the mirror rippled, nervously grabbing his cane to his chest and shrinking into the corner.

A leg wrapped in steel armor sticks out of the mirror—and Sean Fletche steps over the frame and stands in front of him.

Sean's silence was also like a weapon, forcing Ed to just keep backing ...... He really wanted to melt into the stone again, even if it felt like mud in his blood.

"I have to congratulate you on learning to melt into stone in such a short period of time. But counterspells have already been applied on the walls, so if you still want to escape through a path other than the mirror, it's best to change the spell. Sean calmly suggested.

The corners of Ed's mouth tugged down—as expected.

But Sean seemed to be at peace at this point, and he didn't seem to object to him using "a way out of the mirror" to escape...... A little hope lit up Ed's deep blue eyes.

"You mean, as long as I can get out of this room, it's a success?" he asked tentatively.

"Leave the temple by any means, and you will be free - just lay down the Staff of Eternity. But it is only through this mirror that you are qualified to bear the name of the 'Sage'. Sean looked deeply into Ed's eyes, as if he could see all his fear and cowardice, "If you think you can't pass the trial, even if you ask me to let you go at this moment...... Drop your cane and I'll let you go. ”

Ed unconsciously clenched his cane and looked at Sean in a daze. He really wanted to leave, but he made a promise - to Felicity, or to Nior...... And not Sean.

"The Sage doesn't need your acknowledgment!" a burst of anger came out of nowhere.

Sean nodded in acknowledgement, "Indeed." But do you have the courage and strength to stand before everyone and declare you the Sage chosen by the god of water, ordained to guard the world after Felicity...... When you can't even protect yourself. ”

Ed bit his lip and was speechless.

“...... I hate a person......" Finally he slid down the wall and sat down on the floor, "I don't have to be helped or someone to save me or something, I just hate a person......"

Perhaps the greatest fear is not those monsters hiding in the shadows, unpredictable dangers, or even death again and again...... Rather, he knows that he is the only one in the whole world.

"No one can follow the path of the Holy One. Sean's indifferent voice took away his faint hope, "You don't belong to this world anymore...... Not exactly of this world. Even in the middle of a crowd, you will always be alone. If you can't stand loneliness...... You can choose to give up. ”

He probably wished he had given up. Compared to Felicity, he is so humble and useless, if he changes his position, I'm afraid Ed himself doesn't want to admit that such a guy is someone who needs him to sacrifice everything to protect at any cost.

Abandon...... It's so easy, and it's so hard.

Ed hates loneliness - the thing he hates and fears most in the world is loneliness. But now, is he really qualified to choose to give up?

His fingers clenched spasmodically on the Staff of Eternity, and the slight warmth of his fingertips seemed to give him a little strength. Without saying a word, Ed stood up, took a deep breath, and rushed into the mirror with his head down.

The fine ripples on the mirror surface rise and disappear. Sean faced the mirror, put his hands behind his back, and his cold knife-like gaze softened little by little.

(To be continued......)