After a confrontation that was so silent that it was suffocating, Adelaide's merciless move to West was nothing more than a matter of thought.

Perhaps it was the first time to face the death of someone close to her, and the little girl who had never been in contact with the sinister heart of the human heart could not bear such a sudden blow. Or maybe Elizhe had instilled something in her mind when she brought her, and the scene was too much like an irrefutable murder scene. The girl didn't even open his mouth, and in the moment when his green eyes were filled with hatred and anger, West was already struck by the ability to deprive him of his five senses, and he completely fell into that hell that was silent to the point of horror.

The boy's face contorted in pain.

This wasn't the first time he had faced Adelaide's abilities, but it was the first time he felt a real killing intent in it. In addition, the girl's already extremely chaotic brain waves, and the unconsciously emitted electrocardiogram pierced West's brain like an awl...... That feeling is more terrifying than death, as long as you try it once, it is estimated that you will live in the shadow of that rotten bone and heart for most of your life.

Even from a bystander twenty years later, the body couldn't help but tremble with instinct. West stood beside himself, almost curled up in his memory, his face pale. The smell of blood and sweetness filled the empty room, and the hysterical screams of the girl and the painful screams of the teenager were intertwined, like purgatory on earth. And in front of the door that slowly closed, Yi Laizhe was still smiling casually, just like he had appeared in front of the boy for the first time not long ago, and even his eyes seemed to be quenched with the poison of rotting bones and heart.

Twenty years later, his eyes fell coldly on his old enemy. To this day, of course, it is impossible for West to believe that this qiē was just a heartbreaking coincidence—in fact, the man had already explained to him the superiority of the victor the last time he was pushed onto the stage, and it was just a simple trap.

"Do you think that the little girl will get lost and come to your room that day, is it really just an accident?"

He still remembers Yi Lai's look of pity, condescending, as if looking at a dog about to drown. The cold scalpel slashed across his chest, leaving a long, deep scar on his waist, which should have been painful, but after all, it was not as humiliating as the evil words he sprinkled on his heart:

- This is not the way to tame the disobedient beast. Give enough despair first, and then give you a reason to persevere...... Baby, you are the number of all my real yàn, a hundred times more precious than any real yàn body in this underground base, if you don't want to live, I will be very distressed. ”

“……”

Barely had the strength to glare at the bastard, and the boy closed his eyes in exhaustion. And Elizhe's voice still hasn't stopped:

"I need you to use that ability after the number jù, West...... However, you have always refused to cooperate with me. I transplanted the ability to Abby, hoping that she could push you to the limit and had to use the ability of time to protect yourself, but I didn't expect that it was Adelaide who succeeded in the end...... Seriously, I was just going to take her on a whim to see how you killed her babysitter. ”

- Maniac.

The blood flowing under the skin seemed to turn into tumbling magma, burning with unforgettable hatred. Adelaide's death is like a hideous scar that will remain in the heart forever by a soldering iron, which cannot be eradicated or forgotten, and has become a shackle to be carried for the rest of his life, and there is no possibility of peace from beginning to end.

The self in front of him still can't withstand the double baptism of deprivation of the five senses and the storm of the heart, and begins to be awakened to the bloodthirsty beast that is dormant in his heart. West watched indifferently as time froze around him, and the air currents that had been compressed to the extreme burst and shattered the blue-eyed girl's heart in the blink of an eye, still without any expression on his face.

Although, when you inadvertently see the vague hatred in Adelaide's pupils, there will be a momentary pain in your chest.

As long as you live, you must repent, and he knows it all too well.

So, he was never afraid of the memories of the past.

Even if the Fountain of the Sage presented this scene in front of him a thousand times and a hundred times, it would never shake him in the slightest.

"Did you really decide that?"

With the violent vibration of the space, dozens of lights and shadows suddenly swept past me. He could make out the vague and distant images, countless familiar figures flashing in and out. All of his joys, all his sorrows, and his regrets, all without warning came to another diametrically opposite end, as if tempting him to go back in time and change the misses that still haunt him to this day.

West turned his head, and the light and shadow around him faded, leaving only a dark ocean and the noble gods in it standing quietly above the water. He couldn't make out her face, but it didn't prevent him from imagining the bottomless calm and curiosity on that person's face from her tone.

Legend has it that the ukiyo-e forest is inhabited by the highest white goddess, and everyone knows it. But few people know that to this day, in this era of the decline of the Protoss, she is still obedient to fate, sleeping in this spring of sages to protect all beings.

"What do you mean?"

Of course, he had already sensed the existence of another living consciousness in the spring, and West bowed his head slightly. After all, he had already seen the Norse gods who once only existed in mythology, and now facing the white goddess revered by the Celts, he naturally wouldn't panic anywhere.

"In the past, of course."

The voice is like a clear stream, and the tail of the white goddess rises slightly, revealing a bit of surprise in the master's heart:

"Carrying it for twenty years, almost every inch of flesh and blood, has even become the reason for your survival...... But now, are you determined to forget all of it? ”

"Not to forget, but to no longer be at the mercy of it." Saying this, the boy tapped the corner of his forehead, "If you just forget, that kind of thing can be done in a second." But accepting what has happened, and no longer living only for memory, will take twenty years of hard work. ”

Holding on to the thorny, spiky past, he had indeed been wounded to the point of flesh and blood, but he refused to let go. However, after writing down the proof that he is still alive in pain, even if the wound has never been healed by time, he is gradually able to get used to this heart-rending choice.

"Because there's someone else you want to protect?" The god tilted his head and seemed to smile.

"It's hard to say who protects whom, after all, I've never underestimated their magicians." Helplessly pressing his eyebrows, West pulled the excessively long broken hair on his forehead with some distress: "I just think that I can't use the hand holding the thorn to get close to him......"

Otherwise, even the most powerful of Amoris would have been stabbed.

"I see."

I don't know if it's an illusion, but with the plain tone of the white goddess, the thick darkness around her seems to have been blown away by the wind, revealing the magnificent and gorgeous appearance of the Sage's Spring. As if pulled by something, in the center of the spring, the sword scabbard of the king, forged by fate, rose through the water, without a single ripple, and slowly floated in front of West.

He didn't hesitate to reach out.

"To pick up Excalibur is to pick up your destiny and his fate. I think you should be well aware of that. ”

The white gauze skirt was rippled by the floating water, and the god, who had not woken up from its slumber for a long time, turned around. Out of nowhere, wisteria petals swirled and fell into the spring, swaying the light, swaying time, and likewise, swaying people's eyes.

"The three-faced goddess weaved his destined end for Amoreris, and for the revival of the ancient religion, he did not hesitate to fulfill it with the death of the Eternal King. But now I allow you, West Xavier, to choose for Merlin of your will...... But in the same way, as a creature that does not belong here, the moment you change your life for your own selfishness, you will never be qualified to step here again. ”

The White Goddess's voice was flat, or rather cold, but that didn't stop West from hearing a slight sense of relief. He was stunned, his hand gripping the scabbard tightened, and when he came back to his senses, he was already standing on the grass outside the temple, and even though the undead were roaring around him, they didn't dare to approach him for half a minute because of the divine aura of Excalibur.

- So, is this a judgment for me?

For the first time, a wry smile appeared between his eyebrows. The boy was silent for a while, and then finally sighed slightly, and the tail note drifted far and wide through the air.

Perhaps, he has this kind of helpless fate.

Every time, it was destined not to get what he wanted.

……

The rest is simple.

Carry the unusual-looking Excalibur scabbard back to the agreed location. Looking at the blinding vine cage on the flat ground, and his companions who had been glaring at Vivien, it was really not surprising that Merlin was able to break free from the witch's bewitching spell with his unique demonic resistance, and then was locked up without the slightest help.

- Magicians are good at everything, but their hands-on skills are too poor.

Headache pressed the corner of his forehead. That's the perk of playing games with Cyclops and a whole bunch of teenagers until midnight, and he really feels that he should be considerate of Merlin's melee skills right now.

"Where's the stuff?"

Obviously, Vivien also knows where the weakness of these two guys is. A dagger from her sleeve was drawn and compared to Merlin's chest, and the witch narrowed her eyes, and although she asked, her gaze was fixed on what the boy was holding in his right hand.

Raising the scabbard from the goodness, West was very stunned:

"You're going to have to let me catch my breath and comfort my roommate before I say I'm safe or something, miss."

After all, I may not have much time, this kind of opportunity is missed once less, I have to educate your ** teacher, some women such as snakes and scorpions are better to avoid, otherwise next time I accidentally fall into the plot, let people take advantage of all the advantages, not to mention what should I do if I completely pit my friends?

Of course, most of the last half of the sentence is just a thought. If you really want to talk about it, let's not talk about Vivien, I'm afraid Merlin will tear that broken cage with his hands in a few minutes to settle accounts with him.

"Give me the scabbard, or watch him die, you can choose one."

Speaking coldly, only to hear West's muttering, Vivien's dagger came closer to Merlin.

has never suffered such a great humiliation, and the ** division is now so angry that even his hair is shaking.

"Calm down, Merlin."

Grip the scabbard tightly and approach with a little caution. Although West really didn't want to play any tricks, looking at the state of the two wizards, one was stunned and the other was excited, and he was really afraid that one of them would die together if he couldn't think about it.

Handed Excalibur's scabbard to Vivien, watched her slowly put down the dagger, and disappeared directly in place without knowing how to do it, and West didn't bother to pursue it. It's not that he doesn't know the value of that thing, and it's not that King Arthur might be able to escape that fateful catastrophe with it. But there was no way, as long as Merlin's safety was at stake, he really didn't dare to take the slightest risk.

Cut off the vines and set Merlin free. After thanking him, the mage's face at the moment was not very good-looking. However, West estimated that it was also true, if it were replaced by the toss of being taken advantage of by someone like this and imprisoned to play, it is estimated that the Ukiyo Forest would have been razed three times, and Merlin has not yet gone to lift Avalon, and the elves are really grateful that he has a very kind and gentle character.

――Perhaps, should I be comforted first?

Thinking a little dazedly, West hesitantly reached out and patted his companion's emaciated shoulder: "I'm here, don't be sad." ”

I don't know what was in his head at that time, but anyway, he did just say it. A fluttering sentence sounds perfunctory, but it leaks a little melancholy and worry in the end note.

And Merlin's reaction was even more unexpected.

After a moment of stiffness, the mage turned around abruptly and gave the boy a punch without mercy. The force was not too great, but it still made the boy hold his cheeks and stagger, and took a few steps back.

"What the are you doing...... Merlin?!! ”

No matter how good his temper is, he was angry by this inexplicable punch. West frowned, and before he could stand firm and ask the master, the mage dragged him over with red eyes, and the force was so great that the two of them stumbled and fell to the ground as they tangled with each other.

"The next time you encounter something like this, you can just kill me."

Firmly pressed against West, Merlin lowered his head slightly, staring at those crystal blue eyes. Like a heavy rain in the middle of summer, it only takes a moment to drench people.

One drop, two drops, as if some hot temperature crossed his cheek and into his collar, and burned his heart, which had never been covered by armor.

West turned his head almost wolf-likely.

"I can't do it."

His eyes seemed to be filled with astringency, and it might not be as easy as he thought it would be to explore the Fountain of the Sage. At a time when the past and reality are tightly intertwined, some words, some feelings, are as unstoppable as a flood that bursts its banks.

"You can't imagine what you mean to me, Merlin...... I can endure death, I can endure the loss of a qiē, except to watch you die. ”

I thought that this feeling had dried up and could not be given, but I inadvertently sowed my thoughts again. When you have someone you want to protect, you do have the most powerful armor in the world, but you also inadvertently add new weaknesses.

- He said that he didn't want Merlin to become like he once was, to lose his love and to live in fear. But in fact, it's just that he doesn't want to repeat the same mistake himself.

"But do you think I'll be able to watch you die for me?"

The voice was very soft and soft, more like a mumbble than an inquiry. Merlin quietly looked at West, who was evading his gaze, for a moment, his expression unchanged, but his eyes gradually became fierce.

"I really want to kill you right now......"

The faded tail notes disappear between the overlapping lips and teeth. The mage didn't close his eyes, and West forgot how to react. The damp breeze blew from the depths of the forest, brushing his sideburns, and he only touched the young man's lips so lightly that he slowly straightened up and remained silent.

Consciousness gradually awakened from the trance. In fact, West wasn't surprised by the mage's sudden movements, nor did he take it for granted. It was as if Merlin had just kissed a lifeless boulder, and he had only been lightly touched by a handful of floating water, without any ambiguity, let alone charm.

――What is this?

He looked at him for a long, long time, so long that the insects chirped and held their breath, and the twilight gradually rose.

At the bottom of my heart, there is no longer any hidden qiē.

Feeling that the heel in his head finally broke, West sat up suddenly, grabbed Merlin's saliva pocket, and pressed his other hand behind his head in his direction. The lips slammed together, and the tip of the tongue seemed to taste the taste of blood. He paused, but still did not let go, but pried his lips and teeth more ferociously to plunder.

Without misestimating the slightest young man's reaction, Merlin was not to be outdone and kissed back. They are like two beasts, evenly matched, almost instinctively wanting to devour each other completely. Sharp teeth cut through the soft inner walls, leaving mottled scars on each other's bodies. The panic of separation, the humiliation of being hostage, the fear of entering the temple alone, and finally the frank but irrational anger, they hurt each other and became more entangled. Such a kiss is not so much affection as a confirmation, or, a vent.

Nearly tore Merlin's saliva pocket, and the mage strangled a bruise on West's shoulder. It was as if they were fighting to see who could do more harm to the other, and they never stopped even if blood was running down the corners of their mouths. Teenagers have never had such crazy feelings, and neither has Merlin, but when all kinds of catalysts are intertwined, brewing such painful but inseparable feelings, they will also give up their reason in such a moment and lose control recklessly.

And it was much later that they realized that, perhaps, this was also a kind of fear of the future.

After all, it's time for fate to come to an end.