Gede looked down at his burned hand and quickly said, "I don't know what I am." I had the power, but I think it's gone now. ”

"No, the power is not gone! Or, you will gain ten times as much power. You're safe here, don't be afraid of the thing that's driving you here. The tower is surrounded by solid walls, some of which are not yet made of stone. You can recuperate here and regain your strength. You may also find a different kind of strength here, finding a cane that will not burn to ashes in your hands. After all, bad deeds can also lead to a good death. Now you come with me, and I'll show you our territory. ”

Her words were so pleasant to the ear that she could barely hear what she was saying, but moved with her voice, and followed her as she spoke.

His room was indeed very high above the ground, because the tower where it was located was like a tooth protruding from the top of a mountain. Gede followed Xi Rui through the large winding stone staircase through the splendid rooms and halls, past a number of high windows facing east, west, south and north, each overlooking the earthy brown hills. There were no houses, no trees, and no changes on the hills, and the scene was unobstructed under the winter sun. Only in the far north can you see a few white peaks clearly lined with blue sky, and in the south, it can be guessed that the sea is shining in the sun.

The servants opened the door and immediately stood aside, allowing Gede and his wife to pass. The servants were cold, white-skinned Ou Si Ke. Madame was also white-skinned, but unlike the others, she could speak fluently in the Het language, and even had a bow accent to her ears. Later that day, Madame led Gede to meet her husband, Lord Tie Ruoneng Bandeske. Bandersk was three times the age of Xi Rui, and he was also white-skinned, skinny, and had cloudy eyes. He welcomed Gede and said that it didn't matter how long he wanted to be a guest, and that his attitude was polite but stern and cold. He said nothing more, not even asking how his journey was, nor about the enemy who had pursued him here—not even Madame Sire.

If this is strange, then this place, and why Gede is here, is even more strange. Gede seems to have been in a state of confusion and unable to see things completely. He came to the main tower by accident, but the accident was all designed, or rather, he was designed to come here, but the implementation of the design was purely accidental. He had sailed north, and a stranger in the port of Oromeh had instructed him to come here in search of help. Then, an Ousco boat was waiting for him to board the boat, and then Skisswood was in charge of leading the way. How much of this chain of processes was done by the dark shadow who tracked him? Or maybe it's not right, but he and the black shadow that tracked him were pulled here at the same time as other forces. That is, Gede follows some kind of lure, while the Dark Shadow follows Gede. As for the use of Schipwood as a weapon, is it a coincidence? It must be so, because as Xi Rui said, the black shadow was indeed hindered from entering the Iron Ruoneng Palace. Ever since Ged woke up in this tower, he had not felt any signs or intimidation of the shadow lurking. But, if so, what brought him here? Although Gede's mind was still in a dull state, he could see that this place was not something that ordinary people could come to if they wanted to. It's a remote place with tall towers. Inner Genjo is the closest town to here, but the tower faces away from the road that connects the city. So, no one was in or out of the tower, and from the windows, there was no deserted land all around.

Alone in the towering tower, looking out of the window every day, day after day, he felt sluggish, depressed, and cold. The tower had always listened, and even though there were many blankets, tapestry paintings, fur-lined clothing, and a wide marble fireplace, it was still cold. That cold penetrates deep into the bones and spinal cord, and you can't get rid of it. And in Gede's heart, too, dwells with a cold shame that cannot be driven away: every time he remembers that he once faced the enemy face to face, but was defeated and fled, that cold shame rushes up. All the masters of the Rok Academy were gathered in his heart, Archmage Gencer was frowning in the middle, Ni Moore was with them, and Ogian, even the witch aunt who taught him the first spell, everyone was staring at Gede. Got knew he had failed to put their faith in him. He argued to the crowd, "If I don't run away, the shadow will take possession of me." It already had all of Schipwood's strength, and some of my strength, and I couldn't fight it, it knew my name, and I had to run away. The corpse puppet and the wizard will become a terrifying force of evil and destruction, and I will have to flee. But none of those who listened to him in his heart would answer him. He could only look at the fine snow outside the window, and it kept drifting to the open space and wilderness under the window, which made him feel sluggishness and coldness expand in his heart, and at last he felt nothing but fatigue.

In this way, Gede spent a few days alone miserably, and when he finally had a chance to get out of the room and down the tower, he was still silent and inflexible. The beauty of the lady of the main tower made him feel distracted, and he felt even more like a shepherd through and through in this strange palace of richness, comfort and order.

When he wanted to be alone, they let him be alone; When he couldn't stand his inner thoughts and didn't want to see the falling snow anymore, Xi Rui would chat with him in a curved hall on the lower level of the tower. There are many such halls on the lower floors of the tower, with felt on the walls and blazing fires. There was no joy to be seen in the Lady of the Tower, who smiled but never laughed. But all she needed was a smile to make Ge feel comfortable. After Gede got along with her, he gradually forgot his dullness and shame. Soon they saw each other every day, leaning against the fireplace or window of the tower's high room and chatting at length, quietly, casually, somewhat avoiding the maids who were always at Xi Rui's side.

The old man was mostly in his room, and only in the morning would he wander back and forth in the white-covered patio of the tower, like an old warlock who spent the whole night brewing spells. In the evening, when he dined with Gede and Xi Rui, he also sat silently, sometimes glancing up at the young lady, with a stern and gloomy gaze. Gede took pity on the lady, and the white deer in the iron cage, the white bird with folded wings, and the silver ring on the old man's finger were just one of the treasures of Bandersk. After the old man left, Ged always stayed with her, trying to drive away her loneliness and make her happy, just as she drove away his loneliness and made him happy.

"What is that gem that named this tower?" Ged asked Madame. The two of them were still sitting in the empty candlelit dining room talking, the golden plate and golden goblet empty.

"Haven't you heard? That gem is famous. ”

"I haven't heard of it. All I know is that the landlords of Ousco Island have a treasure trove of great reputation. ”

"Oh, this gem is more brilliant than all the ores. Come on, would you like to see it? ”

She smiled, with a sneering and brave look on her face, as if she was a little worried about her decision. She led young Gede out of the dining room, through the narrow hallway on the ground floor of the tower, to a locked door in the basement. Ged hadn't seen the door yet. Madame used a silver key to open the lock, and when she opened the lock, she looked up at Gede with her usual smile, as if to encourage Gede to continue to follow her. The door was followed by a short passage, followed by another door. This time she used a golden key to pick the lock. After this door, there was the third door, and she unlocked it with the Great Spell of Untying. Inside the last door, the candle in her hand reflected a small room, which looked like a dungeon, with floors, walls, and ceilings all rough stone, empty and unequipped.

"Did you see that?" Xi Rui asked.

Ged looked around the room, and his wizard's eye saw a piece of the stone. It was a huge floor paving, as rough and damp as the others. But Ged could feel its power—as if it were speaking to him loudly, and his throat twitched, his breath choking, and his whole body was in pain for a moment. This is the cornerstone of the tower. It's the center of the tower, but it's cold, bitterly cold, and nothing warms up the little room. It is an ancient stone, and an ancient and terrifying spirit is imprisoned in the stone.

Gede didn't answer Xi Rui, just stood quietly. After a while, Xi Rui quickly glanced at Gede curiously, and at the same time pointed to the stone: "That piece is the Iron Ruoneng Gem." Do you wonder why we lock such a precious gem in a collection room at the bottom of the tower? ”

Gerd still didn't answer, just stood silently. Maybe she's testing him; But Gede thinks that Xi Rui is not at all aware of the characteristics of this stone, so he will talk about this stone in a casual manner. She didn't know enough about the stone, so she wasn't afraid of it. "You tell me what power it has." Ged finally said.

"Long before the rise of the world's land from the open sea, this stone was created, born at the same time as the world, and will live forever until the end of the world. Time is insignificant to it. If you put your hand on it and ask it questions, it will answer questions according to the amount of power within you. As long as you know how to listen, this stone has a sound.

It can talk about the past, the present, and the future. Long before you set foot on this land, it already mentions that you have come. Do you want to ask it a question now? ”

"Don't."

"It will answer you."

"I don't have a question to ask it."

"Maybe I'll tell you how to defeat your enemies in a moment." Xi Rui said softly.