"You tell us it's because you're going to die anyway, doesn't it matter?" Flower asked, but Andrux could tell his mind wasn't there. It's just malicious.

"Flowers! Gabi shouted.

In a deep and threatening voice, Agna said, "If you think he's finished, do you want to remember your last days with him like this?"

An unsettling silence followed. After a moment's wait, Androcles said, "I'm just out of politeness. I'm still going to tell you. This is a good example, so please be careful.

"I was 17 years old. It's been two seasons of war. I already have this scar on my neck because I put my shield too low, and I have several scars on my arm because I was too sloppy. I've grown as tall as I can get, although I've gotten a bit wider since then. The summer after the Battle of Trontos, I stopped counting my kills. Looking back now, I also finished second in the running competition at the Olympics that spring. However, he has not yet entered the Pangu circle. I'm telling you, I'm a cocky little bastard. I thought I had conquered the whole world.

"A few weeks before the harvest that year, they called us out again and told us to march. Only two thousand, not all. Originally in Stymphy

A wealthy family of Thus, on the northwestern edge of glory, had a slave revolt that had recruited a band of barbarian mercenaries with their master's money. They have overthrown their city-state and established a tyranny. Most of the nobles and a group of citizens were executed. Liberated a group of slaves and killed a group of slaves who refused to betray their masters.

"Now, a civil war in a city is not enough in itself to attract the attention of the great glorious army, but a slave revolt can. It depends on how long it lasts and how bad it is. Sometimes we just let it go, as long as it doesn't spread beyond the City of London. At least one city, Artersos, where the slaves rebelled and established their own laws, while the Honorable Army was left to its own devices, as they did not accept fugitives from elsewhere and did not spread rebellions to their neighbors. And this place, they are doing everything, according to what the generals told us, they plan to become independent from the republic and start claiming territories from other cities.

"When we crossed their borders, they had at least four thousand men, including horses, slingers, archers, and two and a half thousand infantry, many of whom wore the armor of hoplites. When they heard that we were coming, they retreated behind the wall, counting on us to come and besiege them and give them an advantage. We didn't want to do that, so we started destroying their fields. Cutting down trees and vines, destroying crops, killing livestock, and so on. Just at the time of their harvest, it was a mess.

"It didn't take long for them to realize that if they didn't come out to fight us, they would most likely starve to death, so they picked up their spears and came out. We met in a small valley in the shadow of a large rocky mountain and started talking business.

"Did I tell you a lot about Sewell?" He asked, pausing to wait for an answer.

"He's a god who loves war, but he also loves what grows on the earth," Gabi said.

"He's not a god, he's a giant," said Flower. He came to the gods. He loved soldiers. ”

"Good. These are all true. He is the old giant of the earth, and all the soil comes from his body. The Titans are the fathers of the gods, but they are different. The gods are wiser and more like us, but the Titans are more powerful and unpredictable. Most of them are now dead, but some are still nearby.

"Tauwell is named for his bravery and skill. He carries an axe that can cut down entire armies of gods and demigods in one fell swoop.

"Until Arkos kills his father, the Thunderbolt, and replaces him, the Axe Repairer is unpredictable and vicious. One day, he may crave blood and tear a group of poor peasants to shreds, or he may decide that he does not like what people are building on his land and swallow the whole house, with all the people in it.

"After Arcos ascended the throne and became the oath-taker, he subdued Sewell and calmed him down. Now we can visit Sewell, like the gods, with prayers and sacrifices, and he may respond with blessings. He is in charge of two things: the blood shed in his field, and the crops that grow on the ground. He took care of the soldiers and peasants, especially those who were brave. Part of the reason for the success of Glory is that most of our hoplites are also farmers, and they can sell their crops to buy their own armor. The hoe blessed them twice.

"Well, I mention Sewell for a reason, and that's because he came to watch the battle. We cut down so many crops that piqued his interest and he was curious about what we were doing. Once Stymphy

thusia

The rebels came out to fight, and we attracted his full attention. The battle starts as you think, scramble for the terrain. They sent horses to harass us, but rocky mountains prevented them from making the most of their horses. It wasn't until we raised our shields that they started throwing, and I don't think a single one was hurt. When there was a clash on our front, the rebels held their ground at the beginning, but the simple fact is that we were trained, and they did not. We also have better armor, it belongs to us, which means it fits us, which is different.

"It didn't take long for the tide of battle to turn in our favor. They can't close the line faster before we create a gap, and they're about to throw down their shields and run away.

At that moment, the monk himself rushed out of the rocky hill with a loud thunderous thud. Dirt and boulders flew everywhere. I saw more than one person killed. Lots of broken bones. What used to be a hill is now a huge head made of dirt and stones, moving like skin. He has a thick grass beard, but there is no hair on his smooth head. He smiled happily at the killing, each of his teeth like a flat, shiny stone, taller than me.

"The worst part, though, is not the shock or the fear of seeing something like this. It's his presence. Like my murderous intent, or like Mary's, but a hundred times stronger. Pure bloodlust, not even anger. Just a thirst for blood. I've never felt anything like this. If he wanted to, he could beat us all to pieces in one look. The only reason he didn't kill us all on the spot was because he didn't want to do that - he came to see us fight. He wants to see the blood we shed for him.

"Well, everyone on the battlefield only had two heartbeats before they became cowards and ran away with all their strength. No one held his ground longer than he threw his shield on the ground. Including myself. I threw the shield so hard that it hit the back of the head of another Decaian, knocking him down. I peed my pants before I could turn around and run.

"There was no resistance, no doubt. Not in the face of power. I can't even describe what it felt like. After all these years, the thought of this makes me pale. I usually try not to think about it, but sometimes I do.

"Sewell was furious that his battle ended early, and he told us. When the road rushes out of the ground, he spreads his arms and begins to grab people one by one, throwing them into his mouth, where he will chew up the living and spit into a large mass of blood. Some of them survived, slowly dying on the ground, all their bones broken.

"I didn't see most of what happened. I ran, like I said. I never looked back. I ran until I was exhausted, and then passed out sometime that night. When I woke up the next morning, most of my armor was gone. I think I took it off piece by piece to run faster, but I don't remember. All I could do was pull myself together and go back to the Dikaya report. I was with a few other survivors, and we walked the rest of the way in silence. I haven't said a word.

"As soon as the priest heard the news, he called the hand of heaven to round us all and take us to a woods to talk. He and some judges and generals made us all swear secrecy for several reasons. First, because if there is news that the Glorious Legion has lost in the war against the slave revolt, we will have a dozen, or even a hundred. Second, because if it were known that Therwell was not really subdued by Arcos, then the religion of the city would be harmed, and if we could not continue to sacrifice to him, we could have a real catastrophe.

That's the story. Most families who have lost their husbands and fathers do not know why, at least not officially. I'm sure a lot of people are piecing it together. But all Dikayans were forbidden to know or talk about the battle in any way. All records were destroyed. No funeral was held. It's just that...... It never happened.

"But I never forget, I've been thinking about it all these years and here's something I've learned. First of all, I know how disgusting it is for me to run away. As long as I'm not as dirty as Therwell, I won't run away. It hasn't happened yet.

"Second, well, I lost Diocles in that fight. Did I say he was there? He is. I should have said it earlier. I don't know what happened to him, whether he was eaten, or killed from behind, trampled on, etc. He may have been killed before Therel appeared. I just don't remember, or I didn't see it, the law forbids me from asking anyone.

"It was the last battle of the year, so I had to sit there and struggle in pain until spring. I felt like I had lost everything. My courage, my pride, and Diox. It was he who took me in after my father committed suicide. I've told you about him before. I don't know how I could live without him, he was always there for me, like a father I needed.

"But...... I figured it out. Life goes on. Over time, I made some new friends and I loved them as much as I loved him. Weeks passed, months passed, seasons passed, a year passed, and I finally got through it. That's another thing I've learned – as long as you live, you have to keep going. Keep alive. You can remember the past, but you can't go back and look at it again. You can't change it. It never goes away, but it never comes back. If you want to remember, if you want to forget, but the past is gone.

"So, Flower, if you're worried I'm going to die, I might. To be honest, I probably would. These wounds will fester, and I'll be done. But now, I'm alive. You are alive. Pepper is still alive and the car is still moving. The sun hasn't stopped yet. The seasons are still rolling as usual. So we move on. Got it?"

Flower didn't nod or say anything, but he didn't look so annoyed. He turned and lay down on his back so he could look up at the sky instead of looking at a bag. As he looked up and stared at the eternal blue expanse of the sky, the light of imagination flickered in his eyes. Perhaps all the boy needed was some entertainment, in addition to protection. The gods knew that he had rarely had such opportunities lately; Even after Androcles rescued him from the king, they rode in silence most of the time, nervous and worried.

Gabi, staring through the woods at a hill, could guess what she was thinking.

After the story was told, Aguna turned to look at the children, she was pleased with what she had found, smiled gratefully, nodded, and continued driving.

By this time, the road had turned southwest, not west, and the evening sun was shining directly on their faces. The sun is brighter than warm, but pleasant. This at least warmed up their clothes. They also did not hear the whistle of the king's men hiding in the road, and several hours had passed. This could mean that the king or his scouts had not yet reached the village.

A

d

Okles said, "Wolf Scar, how far do you think we're from the demon who caught Pepper?" Someday? Ten days? A month?"

The fairy gave him a blank look, then counted the fingers of his remaining hand. After a while, he said, "Five o'clock." Five things".

"Five days?"

"No...... Five, well, five......"

"Five what?"

"Five things! I don't know how long that is. ”

"What kind of thing?"

"It will tell you that this road is for Gabi, that road is for Daddy, and that road is for Pepper. Something like that. ”

Anchors felt his face pale, though he didn't know why. He was just confused most of the time, but a hint of worry also surfaced in his consciousness. "Something pointing at us?" Are you talking about road signs? What do you mean? Is it the king?"

"Oh no, not the king. They are just stuff that lets me know where to go. But don't worry. You can't see them. ”

"What kind of thing?"

"Just something, Daddy. Like a hand. Things like that. ”

Anchors took a deep breath to calm himself down and swallow his frustration. Why is it crazy that the fairy says so many things?

Gabby asked, "Wolf sca."

Do you know how long it takes to fly to a place?"

"No, I just flew over and there I was."

"But how long will it take you to fly there?" How fast can you run?"

"I was back to normal very quickly. But if I'm cold, I won't run as fast unless there's somewhere warm. Then I ran faster because I wanted to get in. ”

Flower sat up as he ate his lunch, his eyes wide open. "Dad, I have an idea!"

"Thank you, Father, for I really don't know. What is this?"

Kitty Hawk's eyes are bright and as lively as ever. He explained: "He will use a stick! He could tell us with a stick. ”

"A stick? Little flower, you are not starting to drink Wolf sca

Got something to drink?"

Flower sat up, frowning only slightly, and pulled his legs towards his chest. His tail suddenly came out from behind him and began to wave in the air. "Wolf sca

Go get a twig. Just a small one so you can hold it with one hand. ”

"I only have one hand!"

"I know, but go buy one."

"But I can only get a small one, unless I bite it. Or with my toes. ”

"It just needs to be small. It's like that," Hana said. He separated his two fingers about an inch.

"But trees aren't that short!"

"Then let's break up. Or find some grass. Go buy one. ”

"But I don't want to walk in the snow!"

Xiaohua couldn't help but laugh, no longer annoyed, but amused. "You don't have to walk in the snow!" Let's go find something. You can do it. I'll even stretch the blanket out so you can be warm when you come back. ”

The wolf scar flew into the air and floated to the side of the road. He looked around, floating back and forth to find a better angle around the woods. Suddenly, he ran away as fast as he could, disappearing.

After a while, he returned, and sat on Flower's lap with a plop, holding a thin black thorn nearly two inches long in his hand. He proudly held it to me and smiled and said, "I want one anyway, too."

"Okay, good," Hana said. "Now you're going to do it. Fly up until... Until the cart is as big as your thumb nail. Then, align the thorns with the road. You have to keep the thorn in the same place all the time so it works. All right? So you align it with the road, and then you can see where the tip of the thorn is. And then you fly to that point, go up the same height, uh, altitude, and do it again. From there, you start aligning the thorns with the road and fly to the new place, which is where the point is. Repeatedly. And then all you can do, is tell us how many spines it has. Then we will know how far away the thing is and how long it will take to get there. ”

Wolf Scar looked at the thorn caught in his little finger and thought about it seriously. "How many thorns?"

"Yes," Hana said. "Then all you can do is tell us how many thorns there are in the village we just left. So we know how wide a thorn is. ”

Andrakes said, "Kid, you're so smart. I was very impressed. Wolf sca

Do you think you can do it? Do you understand what he's talking about?"

"I think so. I just have to fly up and see how thorny the road is, and then I'll count...... I'll be right back. "Wolf sca

As he spoke, his wings fluttered behind him. He jumped off Hana's knees and soared into the sky, flying so high that the light on him could barely be seen in the afternoon sky.

Aguna stopped the car and let the horse rest, because the time had come again. She and Ga

Bi got up to feed the team because Flowe

and A

d

Okles haven't been very active lately. The horses haven't started to get into the water yet, wolf sca

And he came down again, standing Flowe

on the knees.

"Well, I'm holding it like this," Wolf Sca

He said, holding up the thorn in front of him like a sword, "This is a thorn in the village." ”

"No, that's not what I meant. Here you go. Flower said, carefully from the wolf sca

Pull out the thorn from your hand. He paralleled it with the ground and said, "You have to hold it down like this, so that it's as flat as the road." Keep your arm outstretched, then look at where the tip of the thorn is. Where is it on the road. Then you fly to that point, but keep the same altitude in the sky, then you hold it down, and do it again. Like this. Does that make sense?"

Lupus Scar was obviously reluctant to give up something so valuable, and he nervously grabbed the thorn back from Hua's hand and said, "Okay."

He flew back into the sky, probably as high as before; It's hard to say. This time he stayed up longer, leaving everyone waiting in silent and interesting anticipation. If this method works, if the wolf sca

Really gives a consistent distance measurement, A

d

The next few weeks of Okles will be much easier.

This time, the wolf sca

It did not fly down immediately, but flew west along the main road, and soon disappeared into the sky.

The moment stretched out to a few minutes. The horses drank their food and water and began to hum as if to see what the end of the road looked like. As she put the feed bag back in the cart, Agnn said, "That little bastard better not lose it."

"We can find another fairy." Androl said. Flower and Gabby immediately cast surprised glances at him.

"Yes," said Agner, "but we already have one copper plate, and I don't want to spend four more."

"What? Flower asked.

"We can't get rid of the wolf sca

!” Gabi said loudly in a voice of serious concern.

Anchors could barely help laughing, and he said bluntly, "We're not going to drive him away." I'm just saying that if we lose him, we can find another one. ”

Gabby looked at Anders, then at Argues, then at Anders, and then at Andyrs, trying to decide if they were serious. "It's not funny at all," she concluded.

"No, it's not funny, but it's funny," Androx said, smiling genuinely for the first time in years.

"What do you mean to be funny?" Ga

Bi asked.

Meaning it's funny, but it's only enough to make people smile. It's not funny enough to make people laugh. ”

"That's all your jokes, except for the ones that aren't funny at all," she said, with a flat, matter-of-fact look on her face. Agunn snorted, and Anchors had to admit that he had failed.

It took longer than anyone expected, but the wolf sca

Finally back. He landed at a high speed, slowing down before landing on Flower's knee, and with a thud, they all took it by surprise. The fairy hurriedly lifted the hem of the boy's shirt and climbed in, causing the flower to scream and squirm.

"Wolf sca

, you're freezing to death!" You're like a hockey! Flowers said. He put his hand on the fairy to keep him still, and then began to tremble, gasping for air, just like Pepper did when she put a snowball on his back.

The fairy said something in response, but her voice was too low to be heard. Hana smiled from ear to ear, even as he squirmed. "Wolf sca

It's so itchy!" Don't move like that. Oh! Don't poke me—ahhhh Flower's screams escalated into laughter that he couldn't control. "He's always ...... Handful...... Toes into my ...... Navel!"

Just when it seemed as if Hana should calm down, he laughed even harder and almost fell. Tears flowed down his face, but he didn't want to wipe them with his hands free—he needed two hands to grasp the wolf scar, which slid like an olive pit into the flower's shirt.

Finally, Wolf Scar poked its head out of the flower's collar with a smirk. Flower looked relieved and disappointed, and he struggled to control his breathing so that he wouldn't laugh too hard.

"Huh?" The dwarf asked, "How many thorns are there?"

Wolf Scar sighed and gave him an annoyed look. "Flowers, lift me up. I don't want to slide down. All right. That's eighteen thorns. ”

Anchors and Argn looked at each other. "We've walked three times," she said, "about 20 miles, right?"

"Sounds good."

Wolf sca

Say, "But! But I don't like it. If I don't go high, there will be too many thorns and too many paths to count. If I fly high, the air will be softer and it will be harder to fly. I only fly that high occasionally to see. ”

"How high have you climbed?" Andlocks asked. Soft air?

The fairy thought for a moment, then said, "From such a high place, the mountain looks small. And the road is just a line. I can't see you at all. That's how tall it is. ”

It's unimaginable. Andlox didn't even have any frame of reference to imagine what it would be like there. "Can you see the whole Earth at once?"

"What?"

"Globally. of the sphere. The earth is round. Can you see everything up there?"

"Is the earth round?" Like a round head or a stone?"

"It's round like a snowball."

"What is this?"

"Yes, but it's too big for you to ever know. You have to use math to discover it, but no one has ever taught me how to do it. ”

Wolfscar looked up at the sky, apparently thinking about going back and looking. However, he didn't; Instead, he moved a little to make himself more comfortable, and that's the end.

From Wolf SCA

Measuring distance starts, A

d

Okles began to think about the possibilities. Knowing that the king was twenty miles behind and not ten miles could mean the difference between life and death. But the possibilities don't stop there. Map. Military planning. Land disputes.

Their escape seems to be getting smoother. The four horses pulled his cart effortlessly, and each time Agn slowed them from trot to walking, they recovered well. Even now, in real rest and food and water, they seem energetic and eager.

In less than an hour, they were back in action. The sun was already a fist above the horizon, and it looked like they would have to walk thirty miles or so before they could settle down for the night. At such a rate, they could rest at any time to keep their horses healthy – it was unthinkable for the king's army to move nearly 50 miles in a single day, at least not for days in a row.

A loose object landed directly on his lap, waking him up from his thoughts. He jumped up in fright, sprained his ribs, and when he realized that it was an animal that had fallen on him, he almost fell to the ground trying to get rid of it.

After a while, he held it firmly in his hand and found that it was not moving. As soon as he picked it up and examined it and threw it away, Gabi burst into a wild laugh, her voice filled with joy, like a bell in the hair of a god.

Be...... A hare? A big one - gray, heavy, completely dead. He was startled again, and a huge black shadow obscured the carriage, and without warning, a huge golden eagle landed on the railing near where Galby had ridden.

A

d

Okles wanted to curse, but he was so flustered that he only said a bunch of jumbled half-sentences, which provoked Ga

Bi laughed even louder. Flower panicked and wanted to escape, but he had nowhere to go.

Arguna stopped the car and turned around on her bench. With an almost predatory smile on her face, she said, "I see you've already met Queenie." Now you can guess why I asked her to stop. She snapped and grabbed the reins, and drove the horse back to trot.

Andlox tried to turn sideways over the large bird, which was easily as long as an arm, and sat close enough to peck out its eyes. He was still holding the dead rabbit and didn't know what to do.

"Dad, it's okay. That's just Queenie. She's my eagle. Remember when I told you about her? Come here, Queenie. Come on. Galby said. She stretched out her sleeve and the bird jumped over and began rubbing her face with its nose like a puppy. It looks bigger than her. She stroked the brown spotted feathers on its back and gently scratched the golden feathers on its head and neck, and the bird reacted like a cat or dog that leaned over and looked contented.

Gabby whispered, stroking her bird of prey while Anchors stared at her bewildered. Flower knelt up so he could look. His yellow eyes had become larger, something Androcle had never seen before.

"Ah, what a good boy you are!" You brought us a rabbit! Is that for us to eat? Oh, of course, my dear little darling. "The chirping and squeaking of this big bird did not resemble the screams of predators at all and cut through the sky.

He looked at the flower, which had climbed up to his lap and was about to lie on Andokles' lap to look closer, and he said, "Have you seen this before?"

"No," the kit replied simply.

"Xiaohua, do you want to touch her?"

"May I?"

Androx felt the little blood left on his face drain. The blackbird's claws were the size of his fingers and sharper than a sewing needle. Its dark, thick beak ended with a vicious hook that looked sharper than a knife.

"Let the flowers caress you, Queen. Go on. Go over there. Gabby raised his arms several times to chase the bird away, but it didn't move. Maybe later. You can pet Ash, though. Do you want to touch her?"

“Ga

bi, I don't-" A

d

Okles began to speak, but he stopped when he felt the beast's breath on his neck. He slowly turned around and saw that the gray wolf had raised his feet to look at Gabi behind him. It had just turned its head, and at that moment, he felt its breath. It was there, breathing right around his neck.

Its greedy yellow eyes stared at the flower, which slowly retreated from Anchors' lap to the front of the car. "We'll talk about it later," he said. Even to him, the child's face was pale.

Ash spun around in his seat, then lay down again, continuing to ignore them.

The further they went southwest, the more rugged and mountainous the countryside became, and the next ten miles or so were a slight uphill road, for the road zigzagged to the base of the mountain, and an hour after dark, they entered a narrow canyon. The steep, bare hillsides of the road seemed to be approaching them at any moment, as if they were about to crush them at any moment, especially in the unreliable half-light of the fading moon.

Luckily, the mountains weren't as steep as other mountains he'd ever seen, and the road wasn't steep. When Androx asked why he had gone so far up the mountain, Agner insisted that he had enough rest and that the horses were fine.

At last they reached the highest point of the mountain road, and the road turned downward, which even Andlocles could see, and the horses were relieved that their burden had suddenly lightened.

After guiding them downhill for at least three miles, this shallow canyon forms a wide valley in the foothills. The road turned left along the mountainside, leading indirectly into the valley, but it opened up a view in front of them, and they could see dozens of miles away. The snow shimmered softly in the light of Erasteria, revealing a short circle of pine-covered mountains that guarded the small valley from all sides, with only the western horizon turning gray in the distance.

Andrew had seen a sight like this countless times, though never before had so much snow illuminated the night; After all, he spent most of his life marching through rugged and glorious countryside. But the children didn't, or at least not often, and they both whispered their surprise. Wolf sca

Don't seem to understand what's the big deal about this.

A large stream flowed down from the middle of the valley, and even from here, the sound of rushing water told him that there was melted snow everywhere, and it was dangerous to try to wade through the water, or even get closer. The last thing he wanted was for Gabby to be washed away for wanting a drink. Can her stag swim? He should ask. The road leads to the creek and then follows the same direction down to the valley floor, where they seem more likely to find a bridge.

Of course there will be a bridge. There is a lot of agricultural activity there. Their familiar round huts were everywhere in the valley, and the glow of the fire peeking out of the doorway dotted the valley floor like yellow jewels on a blue dress. There is no doubt that many of them are still outside, taking care of their chickens or cows, or whatever will save them from starvation, for a few hours after the sun goes down.

It's easier to walk down the valley at night than it is during the day. Now that they had walked out of the canyon, the full light of the moon could shine on them, and it looked almost as bright as day. Gabby asks why it's so bright, and Agunn says it's moonlight reflecting off the mountain, which sounds good. Whatever the reason, the horses found their footing effortlessly and even picked up the pace.

Once they reach the valley floor, the ground becomes flat and the surrounding scenery is as comfortable as a blanket, with tall hills surrounding everything and masking the steep mountains in the distance. They rested at a sharp bend in the road, where the road turned a bend and followed the creek instead of crossing the river.

By this time, Flauer had become impatient, and she got out of the car and limped to feed the horse, while Gabi deigned to get out of the stag to help him. Wolf sca

Hovering above both of them, A

d

Okles noticed that the moonlight was so bright that it drowned out the shadows cast by the fairy.

Androcles decided that he should get out of the car and walk around to warm up, as they could walk a few more miles before settling in for the night. He got out of the car clumped out, not hiding his cringe. He walked to what could have been a bush not far from the main road and carefully unbuttoned his pants. His arms were bandaged, his fingers froze, and he held back for hours to prevent others from helping him take out the stick, but it wasn't. He could barely move them, but he washed up enough water to make the horse feel ashamed.

It was much harder to get back in the car than it was to get out of it, and even Agn had to come and help. She couldn't do much, though; He was too tall and heavy, and she was too short.

"I peed so much, I thought you'd have more ease," she said. "If you fall and can't get up, we'll leave you here."

"This isn't the first time my woman has run away with all my money," he replied. "No, don't push there, that's ——!"

"Oh, stop complaining, you crying child," she said, but she stopped pressing his ribs and let him breathe again. She gently patted his lower back, like a gesture she might give to the children with a caressing. Her hand still felt it after a long time of moving.

Flower and Wolf Scar tugged at his shirt in vain, and Aguna tried to push him up without grabbing his ass, and they eventually succeeded in pulling Anders back into the car. After a while, they were back on their way.

However, when they rounded an unusually sharp turn, the wolf sca

Fly a little in front of the horse and ask, "Where are we going?"

"What do you mean?" Agnn said.

"I want us to go that way." Wolf sca

Pointing to the stream thirty paces away, pointing to the snow. "That's how you get to where Pepper is."

"We can't, dear." Agunn said. "We can't ride in snow like that, we can't be in the dark. That river is too dangerous. ”

"Then hit the road," he replied, glancing at her as if he thought she was an idiot. He pointed to the snow and said, "Just go this way!"

"There's no road there. We can't walk on the snow. ”

"Then don't walk on the snow!" Let's go! He shouted, starting to get frustrated. "Don't you want to catch Pepper anymore?"

"Of course we do, but-"

"Dad told me to look everywhere until I found him, even though it was cold, so you have to look for him now!" I did what I had to do!"

Andoks said, "Wolf sca

We can't build roads as we please. We will cross the road at the next bridge. Will find it somewhere. ”

"You don't have to go!" Right there! The fairy shouted, and she began to fly around very excitedly. Anchors and Arguna looked at each other with concern, but tried not to distract themselves in front of the children. There is no reason for them to panic.

"Are you feeling okay?" Agnn asked.

"Nope! I'm crazy! Follow this path! Don't put!"

"We're going to keep going. I promise, my little darling. Come and sit down. Agunn said. She exudes a little love, which contrasts with Androx's anger. The soothing warmth welled up in their hearts, as if she had wrapped them all in a blanket.

Wolf Scar flew up to one of the horses and tried to pull its mane to make it turn around, but it just yelled at him. "This way!" He said sternly into its ear. It ignored him.

"Gabby, can you go call him?" See if you can calm him down. Androx said. Gabi looked paler than usual, almost as pale as a flower, but she jumped off the stag and walked over to find the fairy.

He glared at her and shouted, "No! Don't lie to me! This way! That's a bad road, so don't go down!"

Galby reached out to pick him up from the air, but he ran away from her and ran a few steps toward the river.

"Come here, wolf sca

。 Her voice trembled, her fear almost palpable. Okay?"

The fairy wiped away the tears of frustration from his eyes, then clenched her fists firmly and said, "No! Then come and pick me up!"

A trembling Galbi took another step towards him, then another. As soon as she walked out of the road into the snow, she screamed in surprise and froze.

“Ga

Agunn and Ann

d

Okles shouted at the same time. Agunn stepped down from the bench and walked up to her, and the girl turned, her eyes wide in shock.

"Mom, there's a way!" I'm on the road!"

Wolf sca

shouted: "Of course you are stepping on the road!" What do you think it is? A loaf of bread?"

Galby turned, ashamed, his face flushed. She reached for the wolf sca

, and this time he let her catch him. She kissed him on the head, and between his pointed ears, he seemed a little calm. However, she still looks confused.

By this time Arguna had reached their side, and when she crossed the threshold set by Gabi, she turned around, her chin flab, her eyes wide open. "There's a way!" She walked back and forth on the threshold several times, staring at her footprints in the snow in confusion.

"I said there was a way." Wolf sca

Muttered. "You're all mean enough."

"Oh, wolf sca

No, we don't!" I just can't see it, so I don't think ...... I'm sorry," said Galby, distraught. "I'm sorry, wolf sca

。 I know I should trust you. Please don't get angry. ”

"Well, you shouldn't say there's no way! Wolf sca

Say. "Why do you all say that?"

"We can't see the road unless we stand on it. We could only see snow from behind. Let's calm down and don't let Gabby cry. Agunn said.

"Why can't you see that?" Wolf sca

Ask. His unhappy demeanor was replaced by confusion. "Right here."

"Tell me, you flying mouse!"

Wolf sca

Pushed away Ga

Bi's fingers, with his fingertips in his mouth, flew over. He stopped near the threshold and looked up and down. "Is that the thing?" He asked, pointing to nothing.

"How do I know?" Agnn asked. "What are you referring to?"

Wolf Scar gave her a blank look, which usually meant that he was lost in thought and had no expression on his face. Once, when Flower asked him what sound a fish would have if they could sing, Androcles had seen him do so. The fairy had just left, lost in thought and forgot to answer. Before he got lost, Flower had already gone after him.

After a while, he asked, "What does this look like?" Is this the thing?" He pointed to the outside air again.

"I only saw snow, then the river. There's no bridge or anything. There's nothing to see there. ”

Wolf Scar's eyes suddenly widened, and he jumped up and down in the air excitedly. "Did you see that snowy thing?" The snow thing? Can you see that? How can you see it?"

The fairy began to jump around in the air, talking to herself. Most of the time, he flies up and down on the threshold, high and low. "You can see this thing!" How can you see it? He paused in front of Galby for a moment and asked her.

Androcs had had enough - he had to see it. Flower seemed too nervous to investigate, but Andrix said, "Kid, help me down." Let's take a look. ”

Sure enough, as soon as he got there, he crossed the line himself, and a path magically appeared under his feet. This filled him with ambivalence of wonder and fear, but it was the case. From one side of the road pass a fork in the road, which leads to a sturdy wooden bridge that crosses the creek. From the other side, there is no fork in the road, there is no bridge. He can even leave footprints on snow that doesn't exist at all, if he stretches his feet over the line.

Flower did what everyone else was doing – shuttled back and forth online to watch the spectacle. It's hard to say what he thinks, but he doesn't complain about his leg being cut. He seems to be looking at this illusion from another angle, to see if the trees have changed; Things like that.

"Wolf sca

What is it?" Andlocks asked.

"It's a ...... Well...... Well, you can't see them, so I don't think there's a word. "I don't know if there is, but it comes from, um, so I can make one if I want to, and it's not just me. A lot of elves can too, and, well, other things like me that don't have names, you can't see...... Some of them are elves, but not most, and I can make one of these anyway—" Wolf Scar announced waving his hands in the air. Nothing happened. "And then there's one there, and it looks just like I want it to. Some will stay for a long time, but most won't. Other goblins, huh...... Other people can see them, if they don't want to, they can not see it, but ......"

"I didn't see anything."

"I know! So how can you see this? It looks a bit like snow, but you can see it! At least, I think you can. Seems to have seen it. I think you can see that. I want to make one like this!"

"Why can't I see them, wolf sca

?” Gabi asked. She seemed a little disappointed.

"I don't know. I still don't know everything you can and can't see. You're all so confused! Although, you just can't. Except for this one!"

"Wolf sca

Come here. Come and sit on my hand. Anders said, sca

Stretch out your palm. It's time to put an end to all this nonsense. "Get down on your knees and show that you're paying attention. Don't look at me like that; You're not in trouble. ”

The fairy left Gabby's hand and hummed into the air. He sat down on Anchors' hand with a thud as instructed, and looked up with a slight fear.

"What you say doesn't make sense, wolf sca

, so help me. Are you saying there's something everywhere that we can't see?"

Wolfsca

Nodding. "It's over. A lot. It always has been. ”

"Big or small?"

"It's not the same size."

"Will they move?"

"There are some, but not these."

"Are they ghosts?"

"No, it's made by elves. and fairies. There are others, well, things. ”

"Are they dangerous?"

"Not for you. At least I don't think so, because you can't see them. ”

"Can I touch them?"

"Nope. Well, I guess not most people. ”

At this time, Flower was leaning against An

d

Okles was beside him, hugging him and listening to him, as Gabby walked to the other side of him. Her wolf appeared beside her, rubbing against her legs.

"Can you touch it?"

"Sort of, but only for ...... Well...... No. "Well, yes, but no."

"What do they look like?"

"It's all different things, but sometimes I don't like anything. Something just now. But sometimes they look like trees say words, but differently, or steam, or jumping, or laughing. Etcetera. They usually put them there when there's something that makes them happy or have a big feel for what they're doing. ”

"Who are they?"

Wolf Scar pointed at himself and said, "My kind." Fairy. Other things. Something like me, but something different. ”

"So, are there a lot of people around you?" Agnn asked. Andlox couldn't tell what expression was on her face. Excited? Nervous? But she had a thought in her head.

"Well, not a lot like me, no, but there are some fairies, it's just that they're different. There aren't many people like me. Ever since I met Ga

I haven't seen it since BI, but I know there were more before, and I forgot about it. When I became young again, turned into a flower, I forgot a lot of things. But here and there are small, or different. There's one here, there's one here, and there's a few ...... "wolf sca" on the road

Start pointing around.

"Wait," said Androx, "what are we talking about?" Is it something we can't see, or is it your own kind?"

"Oh well, both. But I'm referring to my kind, those who don't like me. There were some stones, this one was wood, that one was rain, but it was asleep, and there was other rain, and there's one, um, one, I don't think there's a word to describe this. Or is it that. Or that. ”

A

d

Okles couldn't help but feel a little lost. One of the things that was taught as a child is that all things, big and small, have souls and that God rules over all things. That's one thing. If a fairy points to a bush on the side of the road and tells you that there are ghosts inside, it's a different story entirely.

Gabby's eyes widened in surprise, and it was clear that she didn't suspect any part of the story in the slightest. "Are you talking to them?" What do they say?"

"No, not usually. Not most. ”

"Why not? She asked.

"Can you talk to stones?" No. So why would I do that?"

"Sometimes I feel like when I'm singing, the rocks are listening," Hana said.

"Well, that's different!" The stone can be listened to, but do you think it has anything to say? No. It just has rock 'n' roll stuff to say. Like this, there. That, you can't see it. But here it is. ”

Hearing this, the fairy jumped up from Anchors' hand and zipped between the stag's antlers, causing it to retreat a few feet. He stopped in front of a small stone, which was half-buried in the snow, and the smooth ice must have formed after nightfall. He pointed to the stone and said, "There's something on this stone, it's made of stone, but it's just a hard painting."

Anders waved for the fairy to sit down, and after a few more and more insistent attempts, Wolf Scar finally gave up pointing out what was unseen and sat down again. "Okay. So everywhere there are things that are not visible, and you make them. Very good. Right now. There's one on the road, so we can only see snow? Is that so?"

Wolfsca

Nodding.

"You don't know we can see it, because we can't see anything else. Right? But it's it that blocks the way. ”

Wolf sca

He nodded again.

"And how did it come about?"

As he fell into deep thought, the fairy's face became dazed again. He sat motionless, his eyes like empty cups. In a disturbing silence, everyone shifted several times, eagerly awaiting an answer. After that, Wolf Scar stood up, jumped up, and flew back to the invisible threshold.

He slowly circled it around and around it. Everyone watched as his faint blue lantern flickered in the snow beneath his feet.

Hana asked, "Can someone like us do it?" Is it the king?" Where the idea came from, Androcs doesn't know, but it's a good question.

Wolf sca

Suddenly stopped in mid-air. For a moment, he forgot to flap his wings and almost hit the snow before he started flapping his wings again. He looked back at Flower, his mouth and eyes wide open. "Can he do it?" He asked.

Argne said, "Well, damn it, now that you've pointed it out, it's obvious. He thinks he's smart enough to fool the cute little Agura, doesn't he?" She rummaged through the pockets tied around her waist, looking for charms, powder, or similar sorcery.

"What do you think?" A

d

Okles asked.

"I bet it's a charm. I've never seen it, but I've heard of it. ”

Andlox didn't quite know what charm was, but he thought he probably did, and he didn't want to appear ignorant. He nodded wisely and said, "That makes sense." What are you doing?"

"I'll see if I can break it," she replied with a mischievous giggle.

"Let's leave it to those who are chasing us," he said.

She stopped rummaging and glared at him. He realizes that he ruined her fun. Oh. It's too late now, because he's right.

Aguna closed her bag angrily and said, "Wolf sca."

Can you distinguish this from the others? If you see another one, will you recognize it?"

"Yes, because it doesn't ...... Well, it doesn't ...... I can't...... If I try, I can. Wolf Scar continued to hover slowly around the illusion, staring intently at it. He stopped, hovered forward a few inches, reached out, and gripped something that no one else could see. He jerked, and the fake image rippled like water, forming a circular perturbation at the edge of the illusion.

"Oh! He shouted. "Oh! See! It has two things! They were the same, so I didn't notice. He jerked, and the picture rippled again, this time more vividly.

"Don't break it." Androclus said it was partly because he wanted to confuse those chasing him, and partly because he didn't want to know what it was like to see the world ripped open right in front of him.

"Look at this!" Wolf sca

This time he waved his hand and flew into the air. The apparition flickered, bursting with light brighter than the moon.

Andlock narrowed his eyes and looked out through his fingers, the glowing mass growing in size, taller than a tree. Its brilliance illuminates the steep hills surrounding the valley, obscuring the light of the stars. Near the tip of the flickering pillar of light, Wolf Scar danced in the air, singing a joyous song without a key, like he had tasted figs for the first time.

Suddenly, the glittering pillar dimmed and turned into a behemoth taller than any temple. A

d

Okles only reach the ankles. It was dressed in thick, loose fur and a long black beard, and stood motionless, as motionless as an eternal mountain.

In size, it reminded him of Sewell. However, it didn't resemble the old giant at all; Thank you, gods. Still, even though he knew in his heart that it was a trick of the fairies, he was deeply disturbed. The sight bruised the primitive part of Andrekles' mind that could not be expressed in words.

"It's you, Daddy!" Look, Ga

Everyone! This is my dad! If you're my size! You can see that, don't you? You can see it! Wolf sca

Screaming, he slammed back to the ground.

Aguna clapped her hands happily and said, "Now this, I have to take a look." Hurry up, Gabi, let's go back and have a look, so we can see better. "She behaves as if the giant standing above her is just a novelty, like a dancer at a carnival or a cat with three eyes. She walked back into the road as fast as he had ever seen before, waving to Gabi. "Flowers, you too!"

"What about me?" Anchors said, carefully getting out of the car so as not to rip off all the stitches.

"I'll never take the liberty of telling you what to do," Aguna said, laughing in her voice.

Wolf Scar sped thirty paces down the road, floating in the air, somehow he looked impatient, though his body language was hard to read from that distance. Gabby jumped off the stag and ran after Agun, the flower not far behind, her ears upturned and her tail flicking excitedly behind her.

As soon as Agnne walked to Wolf SCA

Beside her, turning around, she couldn't help but laugh. "Looks just like him!" She threw up in laughter.

"Mom, his eyebrows!" Gabby screamed, though her laughter sounded a little forced.

Hana giggled and covered her mouth. His sparkling eyes swept over the giant, then over Andlox, and back again.

"I'll regret seeing this, won't I?" Andlox said he was almost out of breath when he walked up to the others. He must have been more tired than he realized.

Then he turned around and looked, and once again his primitive part was trembling with fright. Looking up at something so big and so close made him dizzy, and he had to look away, take a deep breath, and focus.

The giant's eyebrows burned with flames, and his eyes glowed red in the flames. He frowned viciously through a mess of unkempt black hair. His beard was dark and thick, with sparks shining inside and out. The fur on the giant's body is not so much clothing as a stinking animal carcass; The exposed skin on his hands and cheeks was more of a cracked rock than a scar. Thin, shimmering bands of light weaved back and forth over the illusory cherubs like a net, tangled in several places, brighter than others.

What unstruck him the most, however, was a mass of red and purple condensation that hung over his heart like a fire cancer. The little flickering pillars of light all seem to end there, like all the roads lead to Dikaia.

"That's him!" Arguna shouted in a burst of laughter.

"What do you think, Daddy?" Wolf sca

As he spoke, he flew closer to ask the question.

"I ...... Is that a statue when I'm angry?"

"Oh, that's not the case when you're angry. That's what you normally look like, all the time. Should I make you angry when you're angry? I think I have a little left. Just—" The little fairy flew back into the sky and stopped somewhere above the giant's head.

After a moment of stillness, the cancerous fireball on the giant's heart burst out in a thousand flickering lights. The giant was surrounded by a hazy red light, like a stormy sunset, but darker and bloodier. Shapes emerged from the smoke, as if on the surface of an unsettling pool of carrion—skulls, teeth, grasping hands, claws, torn pieces of flesh. They writhed to the beat of an unknown drum, the red mist expanded, and the Well of Evil in the giant's heart energized it, spinning like a thunderstorm about to turn into a whirlwind. The dangerous, churning miasma of scorching carrion surged outward, growing larger and larger, engulfing everything they could see.

The laughter of Androcleus's family faded away, and Gabi stepped back and hid behind her mother. Hana shyly reached out to pull Agn's hand, and the joy on her face vanished.

The giant's face was flushed, bright and fierce. Its skin was scorched, revealing the giant's facial muscles and bare teeth. The giant's eyes turned into glowing balls of fiery yellow and white. The sparks on its beard turned into lightning bolts, as if it had been thrown in all directions. Its hair scurries around like a gorgon snake, trying to grab something.

"No wonder... A

d

Okles spoke, but his mouth was too dry. He swallowed. Over and over. "No wonder they pee their pants all the time."

He looked back and found that after the initial shock had passed, there was little trouble for his family. Gabi stepped out from behind her mother, and Hana let go of Agun's hand. He smirked and said, "Daddy seems to have just discovered a hole in the grape skin."

"He looked like he was normal." Agunn said.

After only a heartbeat or two, the giant was completely gone, leaving only the wolf SCA

A man faces a hollow in the air. The little fairy circled down and grabbed something from the ground with her remaining hand, something as small as a pebble. It emitted its last faint flashes of light, and then vanished.

"Huh? Wolf sca

Said proudly, puffing out his chest. "Do you like it?"

"Very nice, wolf sca

, but I guess once will be enough. ”

"Looks like him, doesn't it, princess?" Mom? It looks just like him! The fairy said, not noticing everyone's uneasiness.

"I don't think Dad looks like that...... But everyone could tell from his tone that he was lying, and it sounded as if he knew it.

"No, he does!" I guess even the parts you can't see! Well, there are some, because I didn't play all the roles. ”

"Well, no matter what he tells you, of course there are places where you don't need to dangle around the valley." Agnn said.

Androxes smiled slightly, but it was half-hearted. He was distracted and had no sense of humor. Did the fairy see the inconspicuous truth in him? Is he really covered in rotten blood, as in the painting? Or is this an artist's interpretation? He needs to ask Wolf SCA

More questions, but not now, not in front of everyone.

Wolf sca

Put his fingertips in his mouth and slowly move back and forth, trying to gauge his audience. "Don't you like it?" He asked.

"Very good. Unforgettable. I'm just tired. Ancrex said in a dull, gray voice that matched his feelings. Where did it go?"

"It's running out, uh, nectar." Wolf sca

Stretch out your hand and say. There was nothing in it. "Oh. Yes...... It doesn't matter. But I still keep it. It's sticky, so I keep it. I can do more in the future. I want to show you more. ”

The walk back to the carriage was much longer than he should have been, and he seemed exhausted. A long day, a terrifying Abraxia dreamer himself could not have imagined, and he finished. Enough has been done. A

d

Okles didn't know Flowe

Will you want to sleep next to him, or will the kit be too scared now. Androcs himself was too scared. It's going to be an on-again, restless night. A place full of nightmares and fears. Who can sleep peacefully after that? Even if it was just its size, even if it wasn't his own poor soul, even if it was just the size of the giant, the terrible majesty, the blood and the rot...... It was a sight that mortals should not see.

Gabby leaned down and whispered a few words to Flor, who laughed, covered his mouth with his hand, and then looked back at Androx, his yellow eyes glistening. The kit whispered to Gabi, and she giggled.

A

d

Okles snorted and looked down at the ground. Very good. If the children are not disturbed, let them out of the plague. Obviously, if they could see him like this and laugh out loud, they wouldn't have a good opinion of him. He should sell them all and buy a dog.

In fact, why should he bother with it? He hadn't seen Sewell again. He forgot how many people he had killed - his soul looked like Raphael the Necro's lunch, and he shouldn't be surprised. The gods let him wander around and corrupt the earth, and that's the real mystery.

As his annoyance with his heartless family fades away and turns into a calming anger, he realizes that there is one thing that still haunts him, and that is the giant. The glowing red tumor on his heart reminded him of the pain he had caused earlier from not being able to control his anger. Mali calls it a wound. Wolf SCA

Also. Could it be that he had aggravated some kind of damage when he was angry, and now he was beginning to show his true colors? Earlier, he was almost killed by it because it swirled inside him instead of radiating outward. Wolf Scar had said it, but he couldn't remember what it was. Ridiculous stuff.

Once back in the car, they walked another mile or so and found a good place to spend the night. Children spend their time talking about hallucinations and imagining all sorts of crazy plots, and it is clear that, in fact, no one is as haunted by giants as Androcle. Even Aguna doesn't seem to care, she might be more able to imagine what it represents. Their cheerful mood led them to finish dinner and go to bed.

It was nice that Flower sat next to him as usual, because the cloudless nights were getting colder and colder, and Andrx didn't want to sleep alone. Wolf sca

And even climb in with them, and not with Ga

bi together, he rarely does.

Tomorrow, Androx decides to do something he's been putting off for too long: he's going to know his own power. He would ask the wolf sca

A hundred questions to find out the truth once and for all.

As he floated into the arms of Abrazia Dreamweaver, the last thing on his mind was whether anyone had ever seen a giant