Now she'll finally listen to me. Thank you, Tancellus. I know it's hard for you. ”

"It's uncomfortable," Robert said. "I should be honest, Girsenas - I love her, I really love her. It's just—"

"Please, don't say any more. Let it end here, maybe we can't be friends, but at least we can respect each other. Gilsenas's face turned pale in the sunset of the western sun.

"You and your friends should be ready. When the silver moon rises, there will be a feast, and the father will then hold a meeting.

A decision will be made then. “

He left. Robert looked at his back, then sighed and began to wake up the others.

"Really?" asked the old mage in a low voice, his eyes suddenly no longer as sluggish and lazy as usual. He looked at Robert with a sharp gaze that seemed to carry a hint of menace in his eyes;

Robert involuntarily took a step back, and suddenly felt an astonishing aura emanating from the old man's body. The old man's voice was soft but irresistible. "In this world, I can go wherever I want.

This time, I want to come with you, half-elf Robert. ”

The banquet in Quilenos reminds Scarlet Moon of the celebration at her mother's funeral.

Like this feast, the funeral should be pleasant: because Tearsong has finally become a goddess. But it was difficult for everyone to accept the fact that this beautiful woman had died, so the Quissu people mourned her in a way that was difficult to believe.

The funeral of the Tear Song is arguably the grandest in the history of the Quesu people. Her grief-stricken husband didn't save a penny.

Just like today's banquet, there was so much food at the banquet that everyone couldn't finish it. Although no one was in the mood to speak, everyone still chatted about the story. Occasionally, someone will be sad and unable to restrain themselves and be forced to leave the table.

The memory was so deep that Scarlet Moon couldn't eat anything today, and the delicious food tasted like chewing wax to her. River Breeze looked at her with concern. His hand squeezed her hand firmly under the table, smiling as he let his power flow through her body.

The feast of the elves takes place in the southern garden of the Golden Tower. This large crystal and marble platform, built on the highest hill of Quellingnos, has no high walls next to it.

The view is immense, with a clear view of the glittering streetscape below, the black forest in the distance, and the Sadhakon Mountains at the end of the sky.

But most of those who attended were blind to these beauties, or even saddened to know that they would soon be gone forever.

Scarlet Moon sat on the right hand side of the chant. He politely tried to talk to her, but soon his inner worries kept him from talking.

To the left of the chant sat Lorana. She didn't eat a mouthful of food, just sat with her head bowed, her honey-colored hair on her shoulders. When she looked up, her eyes were only on Robert, and her eyes were full of her thoughts.

The half-elf also clearly felt the heartbroken gaze, and the eyes of Gilsenas looking at him coldly.

He ate without an appetite, his eyes fixed on the plate. Stone, who sat next to him, had a plan in mind to defend Wellington.

Hubble felt uncomfortable and had no sense of belonging, like every dwarf among elves.

He didn't like the taste of elves in the first place, so he didn't eat anything at all. Rodrith absentmindedly nibbled into his food, his golden eyes looking at Aven. Lena felt incredibly clumsy among these graceful elven women, and could not eat anything.

Caramon knew why the elves looked so slender: the food was mostly fruit and vegetables, cooked in very delicate sauces, served with bread and cheese, and very talkative, accompanied by a spicy wine.

After four days of starvation, the food did not satisfy Karamon.

There are only two people in Quilenos who enjoy the meal happily, and they are Wade and Aven.

While the old mage fell to the ground and quarreled with a poplar tree, Wade simply enjoyed it all, and later he unexpectedly found two golden spoons, a silver dinner knife, and a small dish made of shells, which had run into his bag by himself.

There is no red moon to be seen tonight. Nurintari, a silver crescent, appears in the sky. As soon as the stars appeared, the Sun Singer nodded sadly to his son.

Gircenas stood up and walked over to his father's place. He began to sing, and the ancient Elvish language poured out of the elegant tune.

As he sang, Gilesenas held a small crystal lamp in each hand, and the candlelight inside illuminated his deep outline. Robert listened to the song, closed his eyes, and tucked his head into the palm of his hand.

"How, what do the lyrics mean?" asked Stone softly.

Robert looked up. He whispered in a broken voice: "The sun's shining eyes belong only to the celestial realm and the obedient sky slowly sets, leaving the sky that is about to fall into a deep sleep, and slowly turning gray with the fireflies. ”

The elves at the table now stood up silently, their crystal lamps in their hands, and joined in the chorus. Their voices were muffled, weaving with the sorrow of no progress.

"Go to sleep, our oldest friend, who wanders in the woods and calls to us.

The leaves of the trees slowly turned to ashes in the cold flames, and it was not in this year.

The birds, with the wind, fly south, at the end of autumn.

The sky was getting darker and the weather was getting more and more severe, but we waited for the green fire of the sun to burn again in the trees.

Little by little, the light of the fire spreads outward from the garden like ripples in a pond, through the streets, and into the forest.

Every time a light came on, a voice joined the chorus until the whole surrounding forest seemed to sing a sad harmony.

"The wind blows all day.

Season after season, month after month, the great kingdom finally looms.

The sound of fireflies, birds, trees, and humans disappears in the long river of time.

Go to sleep, our oldest friend, who wanders in the woods and calls to us.

Over the years, people's countless stories have all entered the tomb together.

But we remember them, with verses, with glory, with songs. Girsenas's voice grew lower. He gently blew the lamp in his daughter-in-law's hand. One by one, as at the beginning, the people at the table stopped singing and blew out the candles in their hands.

In every corner of the city of Quilenos, the sound fell silent, as if darkness had surrounded the entire city. In the end, only the distant mountains echo the final song, as soft as the leaves of a tree falling to the ground.

The Chanter is still standing.

"Now," he said heavily, "it's time for us to have a meeting." We're going to hold this meeting in the Firmament Room, Tancellus, and bring your friends with you. ”

The Hall of the Firmament, as they later discovered, turned out to be a huge square illuminated by torches. A ceiling adorned with stars shrouded them. But the northern horizon has lightning and terrible black clouds.

The Chancellor motioned for Robert to bring the group to him, and all the people of Qulingnos surrounded them. There is no need to silence everyone. When the chant spoke, even the wind fell silent.

"You all know our situation by now. He pointed to something on the ground. The group saw a huge map beneath their feet. Wade stood right in the middle of the Great Plains of Abanisia, and he took a deep breath. I feel like I've never seen anything like this in my life.

"There's Willow!" he shouted excitedly.

"Yes, Kande," replied the Chantler. "It's also the place where the dragon army gathers. In Willow,"

He pointed to a point on the map with his cane, "And in Haven."

King Fernana made no secret of his plans to invade Wellington. He was just waiting to assemble his troops and secure his supply lines. We have no hope of coping with such an army at all. “

"Of course Quilenos can hold it," Span began. "There is no direct road to get here.

We crossed a suspension bridge across the canyon, and once the bridge was cut, no troops could pass through. Why don't you stand up to it?"

"If it were just a simple army, we could defend Wellington," replied the singer. "But what are we going to do with the dragon?" said the singer, spreading his hands helplessly.

"Nothing, according to legend, the great Shuma defeated the evil dragon with the help of a dragon slaying spear. Now there are none, at least we don't know who remembers the secrets of this weapon. ”

Evan was about to speak, but Rodrith stopped him.

"There is no choice," the chant continued, "we must abandon this city and this forest. One is that we plan to go west, into unexplored lands, hoping to find a place for our fellow citizens

。 We don't even rule out going back to Sivanasti, the earliest homeland of the elves. Until a week ago, our plans were going well. It would take the dragoons three days to march hastily to get his troops into attack readiness.

When the troops leave Willow, the intelligence officers will notify us. We still have time to flee to the West. But then we learned that Paktakas had a third army of dragons, and that it was only a day's journey away.

Unless we stop that force, we're dead. ”

"Have you thought of a way to stop them?" asked Robert.

"Yes. The singer looked at his youngest son. "As you all know, Gatwe, Willow and the people of the nearby villages were taken to Paktakas and enslaved by the Dragoons.

Meng Minna was very clever, and in order to prevent the men from defecting, he took the women and children and threatened the men to submit. We believe that once these hostages are freed, they will rebel and destroy their masters.

Gilsenas' mission is to lead these men in an uprising, fleeing to the mountains to the south, and diverting the forces of these dragon-men so that we can have time to flee. "What about the humans?" asked River Wind hoarsely. ”

It looks like you're just throwing them to an army of dragons, like a desperate person throwing meat to a wolf pack in hot pursuit. “

"We suspect that the Fierce King won't let them live much longer. The ore is almost all mined. He just tried to squeeze out the last drop of resources, and then these slaves were of no use to him.

There were many valleys and caves in those mountains, and humans could easily repel them. Especially when winter is approaching again, they will definitely be able to hold the population of the mountains. I admit that maybe some people will die, but that's the price that has to be paid.

If you had a choice, a man from the Great Plains, would you rather die as a slave or die a fight?"

River Breeze didn't answer, just looked gloomily at the map at his feet.

"Gilthenas has failed in his mission," said Robert, "and now you want us to incite this rebellion?"

"Yes, Tancyrus," replied the Chancellor. "Girsenas knew there was a way into Paktakas Slamory.

He can lead you into the bunker, and not only will you have a chance to save your own people, but you will also have a chance to escape," the singer's voice became stern, "a chance that many elves have not had in the cataclysm caused by humans!"

River Wind frowned and raised his head. Even Shi Ben's expression was gloomy. The singer took a deep breath, then sighed. "Please forgive me," he said. "I didn't mean to threaten you by going through old accounts.

We are not in vain for the survival of mankind, and the reason why I have sent my son, Gireenas, to follow you willingly.

He knew that if we parted like this, we might never see each other again. I have made this sacrifice so that my people, and yours, can live. ”

"We've got to take time to think about it," Robert said, even though he knows what choice he's going to make.

The Singer nodded, and the elven warriors cleared a path from the crowd to lead the group into a flat land surrounded by trees. They left the group here alone.

Robert's friends surrounded him, and everyone's faces were covered in the night. After all this time, he thought.

I've worked hard to keep everyone together, and now it's time to separate. We can't risk bringing the Platinum Disc to Paktakas, and Crimson Moon won't leave it behind.

"I'm going to Paktakas," Robert whispered. "But friends, I believe it's time to break up. Before you speak, let me say a few words.

I want Lena, Crimson, Riverwind, Calamon, and Rodrith, as well as you, Aven, to follow the elves and hopefully bring Platinum Mou to safety.

The Platinum Disc is too precious to take with you to raid Paktakas. ”

"Perhaps, half-elf," said Rodrith from the depths of his throat. "But Crimson Moon won't find the person she's looking for in the elves of Wellington. ”

"How do you know?" asked Robert, surprised.

"He doesn't know anything, Robert," Stone interrupted disdainfully. "It's just—"

"Rodlis?" Robert asked again, regardless of what Stone said.

"You heard the knight too!" the mage hissed. "I don't know anything!"

Robert sighed and decided not to pursue the question, he looked around.