"Fern, do you remember me?" the girl's shadow in front of him was a little blurry, and he couldn't see her face clearly, but Fern knew that she was Kaya, and he couldn't be more familiar with the voice. br />

"Of course, Kaya, I'll never forget you!" Fern walked toward the girl, trying to see the shadow.

"Really, then why can't you see me clearly?" the girl continued to ask, but there was no sense of anger in her tone.

"It must be too dark, wait for me to get closer. Fern was a little anxious, he clearly remembered Kaya's face, but he couldn't see the girl in front of him clearly.

"Stop, Fern, please, stop. The girl's tone was suddenly filled with sadness. "It's time to forget me, you can't be stuck in memories forever, it's time for you to look forward and pursue your own happiness. ”

"Happiness, my happiness? No, my life is over the day you die, and I don't need any happiness. Fern continued to walk towards the shadow, but the girl's shadow remained about ten yards in front of Fern, as if it could never be chased.

"No, Fern, listen to your heart, you have already broken into a person in your heart, why should you deny your feelings?" the girl's voice faded away, "forget me, Fern, forget me completely, promise me." ”

"No, I won't say yes, Kaya!" Fern reached out and grabbed weakly ahead.

"Fern, what's going on, hurry up!" another girl's voice came into the mercenary's ears.

Fern struggled to open his eyes, and as soon as it was dawning, he saw Ness standing at his side with an angry face. "What's the matter, Ness, I had a dream, did I wake you up by screaming?"

"I don't know what you're dreaming, but maybe you're not dreaming. Ness still stood puffed up, then covered her mouth a little shyly, and poked her other hand at Ferne's side.

Fern looked in the direction of Ness's finger, only to realize that there was one more person under the cloak he was wearing, and the mercenary's eyes widened suddenly. "Quiai!?hell, how could this be?" Fern quickly sat up, lifted his cloak, and his waist was wrapped around Quiai's hand, and he took Quiai up as well.

Quiai rubbed his eyes sleepily, his messy hair scattered over his shoulders and Fern's body, and the mage squinted at Fern's shocked expression. "Fern, morning, I slept really well last night, it wasn't cold at all, it was your body temperature that warmed me. With that, he leaned his head back on Fern's chest.

"Hell, you get me up!" Fern pushed Quiai away and stood up at once. Ness, listen to me, I don't know anything, I slept so hard, she must have sneaked in while I was asleep, we didn't do anything!"

"Fern, you don't have to explain to me, it's your freedom, it has nothing to do with me. Ness frowned, covered her mouth and ran away, tears glistening in her eyes.

The three of them finished their breakfast in silence, and Fern glanced at Ness from time to time, but the mage kept his head down, which made Fern feel very uncomfortable.

"What's your plan for today, Fern?" Quiai looked at the two of them, the corners of his mouth curled slightly.

"If it weren't for the fact that you saved us on the Sadowa bridge, I would have thrown you into the pit in Talheim by now, and from now on I will not answer any of your questions. Fern's stern gaze made Quiai panic, and his hands fiddled with an arrow feather.

"Did I do something wrong? I don't think you have ......" Quiai lowered his head a little aggrievedly, and his eyes turned red.

"I'll take a look around Talheim, and you'll come along, Ness. Fern interrupted Queay and stood up to look at Ness.

Ness hesitated, put down the half-eaten apple in her hand, flicked her cloak, and followed Fern out into the woods.

Outside the woods, the weather was still good, although the wind was blowing, and the cold wind mixed with the blowing snowflakes burrowed into the cloaks of the two.

"I'm sorry, Ness, but I really don't know anything. Fern walked ahead and mustered up courage.

Ness looked at the snow on the side of the road and followed behind Fern. "I was too impulsive, but I couldn't help but be impulsive when I saw that scene...... "The mage turned his head to look at Fern's back. "I've thought about it, there's something wrong with Quiai's enchantment. ”

"Yes, I felt my cloak lifted, but I was so tired that I didn't want to open my eyes at all, I just wanted to continue sleeping. Fern shook his head in annoyance, "I should have been more wary of her, she's even more dangerous than the Dark Tide." ”

Hearing Fern say that Quiai was more dangerous than the Dark Tide, Ness couldn't help laughing, and Fern turned his head to look at her silently, and smiled heartily.

All the way to Talheim, the sun had passed its highest point, and the surroundings had not changed much from yesterday, and Fern had checked the marks he had made one by one, and there was nothing more noteworthy. "It looks like they're not there yet. Fern looked at the south with a grim face.

"Ryan and Stan will come, I'm sure they're going to come. Ness tightened her cloak to keep out the cold wind.

Fern suddenly remembered something. "Is the mark Rui made on me still useful?, can she feel me?" the mercenary's eyes flashed with excitement, as if he saw hope.

Ness shifted uneasily. "Actually, Fern, I never told you that Rui didn't make any marks on you at all, she lied to you, of course, for a good purpose, so that you don't risk it alone. ”

Fern's mouth opened in surprise, but he immediately regained his composure. "Let's go back to the woods first, it's not safe here, maybe another tide will pop up from somewhere.

When the two returned to the woods, Quiai was practicing archery, and on a thick tree trunk, Quiai carved two nesting rings with a dagger, and several bows and arrows were inserted around the smaller rings in the middle.

Seeing Fern and Ness return, Quiai was distracted for a moment, and then focused on the bow and arrow, and with a whoosh, a bow and arrow were stuck in the ring.

Fern found some food and piled it up beside the fire that had long been extinguished, picked out a piece of dry and hard bread to fill his stomach, and simply lay down on the ground and took a nap.

This time, the mercenary slept lightly and clutched his cloak tightly in his hand.

In a daze, Fern heard the voices of Quiai and Ness, followed by a long silence, and then a hurried cry from Quiai.

Fern sat up from the ground, sword in his left hand, and took on a fighting position. "What's wrong? Is it a dark tide?"

"It could be, but there could be something else. Quiai was arranging his long hair as he carried his long bow. "I was watching the path to Talheim by the woods, and just now I saw four men running towards Talheim, and not long after, a faceless man with a large group of ghouls chased after them. Seeing that Fern was a little confused, Quiai added, "In Tampey, we call the Demon the Faceless. ”

"Four? Isn't it Ryan and Stan? Is there a woman among those four?" Fern asked quickly as he sorted out the food on the floor.

"Yes, there's a dark-haired woman who looks like she's also a mage. Quiai was ready, his hair neatly tied up on his head.

Ness is ready too. "That's Rui, let's go and support them. ”

Quiai snorted. "A faceless, a horde of ghouls, I estimate at least thirty, how can we support them?"

Fern picked up the package and looked up at the deep blue sky. "It's getting dark, and maybe the danger is the only hope we have now. ”

"You mean the ghost of Talheim?" Ness's frown suggests she doesn't think it's a good idea.

"That's the only way we can do it now. Fern picked up the sword from his belt in his left hand. "Follow me, don't run away!"

The three of them ran quickly towards Talheim, and when there was still the last light in the sky, they saw the demons and ghouls who had stopped in front of Talheim in the distance, and the four men who had been cornered to the edge of the pit.

Fern and his companions bypassed the path leading to Talheim and ran straight into the ruins from the side. "Ray, Stan, is that you?" Fern shouted at the four figures as it was almost dark.

"Fern!" Stan's surprised voice came, "where did you go, we thought you were being ...... by these demons Solved. ”

"Ry-Stan! It's really you, that's great. Ness had already run to her long-separated companions, and in the faint light, she could see Stan and Ray's faces.

Rui glanced sideways at the three new joiners. "You're here at the right time, the others will introduce you later, and now we're in big trouble. Although Rui was reminding his companions of the gloomy tide in front of him, his tone was clearly full of morale. The rendezvous with Fern and the others gave them a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation just now.

Fern drew his sword and looked at the dark tide in the distance, and in the darkness he could only see a large shadow standing outside the ruins. "Why didn't they attack, and ......" The mercenary realized that he was not afraid when he looked at the demon. "Why, I have no fear?"

"I'm not sure, but it has something to do with Talheim, or rather, the ruins here. Rui kept his eyes on the dark tide on the other side.

"It's getting dark, the ghost is coming, let's take care of ourselves first. Queai raised his bow and mounted an arrow.

"I'm afraid it's already here. Fern pulled out his sword in the stone and set himself up.

Within the confines of the ruins of Talheim, one after another white or purple figures with a faint glow gradually became clear, silently, as if they appeared out of thin air. In the faint light of their bodies, they were vague figures, vague as if they would disappear at any moment, and on the heads and shoulders of all the ghosts, there was still an aura like smoke.

A miserable neighing of horses was heard, and the demon mounts guarding outside Talheim became restless, and the ghouls even began to growl. The demon grabbed the reins and slapped the horse on the horse's back, and even he felt a strong sense of oppression.