"Put down your guns, slave!" Put it down right away! The scrawny, balding farmer said, holding a sickle in each hand. He didn't dare to leave his companion, but he did his best to look scary.

Androx disagreed. Only eight people? How do they know who he is? If they knew, why only eight? The whole valley is full of farms. There should be dozens of such people around! Only one of them had a sword, and he didn't speak. He was as emaciated as everyone else; His woollen clothes hung loosely over his limbs, and all the fine dyes and embroideries were stained with the dirt of the season.

Androcles looked down at them with all his contempt and took a step forward, and to their credit, none of them backed back. Instead, they squeezed closer and brandished their farming tools at him, more threatening.

They were just a few paces away, close enough that he could jump over and stab at least one before they could react, and they probably knew it. Or at least, if it weren't for his broken arms and ribs, he would have died. The problem is that they can clearly see the thick bandages on their arms, and only a fool does not understand what this means. Even a destitute barbarian peasant, brandishing a wooden axe to greet an old Phile war veteran, could guess how serious the wound was under the layers of bandages.

"Put down the gun!" I don't want to say it again! Said the bald farmer. Is he a patriarch? Do they have patriarchs here? A

d

Okles realized that although he had been a slave to the king for half a season, he did not know how the peasants were organized.

A

d

Okles sighed and said, "I don't know how the news got out in front of me so quickly, but you're trying to bring me back to the king, right?" They didn't explain, but they didn't look like roadblockers.

"We can't tolerate running away from home here. You won't get peace until you return to your place. Lay down the spears and we will not defeat you and them. The leader said, nodding to the Androlls, who were a little further down the road.

"Oh well, how can I refuse? What a generous offer. Andlos said, clenching his spear. He watched them grow strong under his gaze. "If I put down my spear, you promise not to hit me?" Unbelievable. ”

Looking at them, he had to admit that they were much stronger than he thought. They don't have the natural flattery, at least not for him, which is the natural flattery of a lowly man. Andrx knows that he looks dangerous even in the best of times, let alone now. Now, with his tousled hair and beard scattered over his bare chest, he must have looked terrible. However, they didn't back down and didn't joke with each other to boost their courage.

He relaxed his posture. "Listen, kids, I've had a tough few days. I'm not in the mood to play games right now. You can't catch me, we all know. I'm guessing you've heard that I escaped from the king, right?"

They neither relax nor answer. One of them said, "Spear."

"I won't let down my spear, and I won't let you take me. Didn't you hear how I got out?"

"One last chance, slave!" The balding one hissed.

A

d

Okles wished that Ash the Wolf or Bobby the Deer would follow him, so they could at least do something good to help him intimidate these people. Instead, they chose to wander around the carriage and look harmless. Stupid beast.

"Didn't your king warn you to watch out for me?" Maybe he said something I did when I went out? Because if he doesn't like you, he must not like you very much. I killed a room full of his nobles. Even the prince and I couldn't get out after the fight. "He knew he had to share the blame for Flauer, but he didn't want to confuse things, so he didn't do it." Your king ran out like a little boy who was afraid of being beaten, so he was alive after he me off. Good fellows, let me ask you, if none of your kings can remove me from power with his nobles, why would you want to do that?"

He could see in their eyes the movement of their thoughts as they pondered what he had told them. Andlox could guess what kind of stress they were under, living in poverty in a place where the ground was frozen for half the year. Its harvest is certainly worse than the bad soil of the famous "glorious land". Poor women and children toiled in the fields just like men, or they would starve to death. The king is only a distant and uncertain threat – hunger is not. He might as well remind them.

"I only kill those who deserve it. It doesn't have to be you. You are only farmers, not soldiers. Let's go back to farming. Otherwise, you'll all die here, and your women and children will slowly die when your farm goes out of business. Do you think your king will feed them?"

The one who spoke the most was the balding man, and something flashed in his eyes. A

d

Instead of continuing to speak, Okles chose to wait. If this thought stings them, it's best to let it get in a bit.

A man with a round face and slightly darker hair than the others said, "There is another way." The man licked his lips and swallowed as if his mouth had suddenly dried up. He stared straight into Angelus' eyes, but seemed to be looking at his past. There didn't seem to be a single valley man stammering and staring at the ground. "Go that way. You can cross a shoal. Walk back, cross the bridge and follow the road until you reach the end of the fence and turn left into the snow. It will take you along the foothills there, nice and smooth, until you reach the road on the other side. Walk along the clearing, don't get into the woods. The road is a little longer, but you've never met us, and the footprints in the snow prove it. ”

Andlocks looked at them for a moment, and once again saw that they were people who wouldn't flinch. From their hesitation, though, he could guess that if someone found out they let him through, they might anger the king.

"Is it safe to face horses on the ground under the snow?" People stay on the road for a reason. ”

"The fields there are as relaxed and green as you can find anywhere. Your horse will be fine. ”

Andlos stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out his ruse. He couldn't find anything, and fighting in his current state was more dangerous than a detour. He nodded and said, "Then I'll do it." You would be surprised to know that men rarely listen to reason these days," he said. He gave them a sly half-smile - he wanted to show friendliness, but they didn't respond. They were expressionless and cautious. "As soon as I turn around, you're not going to stab me, are you?"

"Let's go," said the bald man. The round-faced man said, "The sooner the better."

"Good." He turned, straightened his back, undaunted, lowered his spear, and walked back to his family. He couldn't believe it was happening. After leaving Dikaya, he gave his enemies a chance not to die before almost every battle, but not once succeeded. Not once, until now. He wasn't even quite sure how to feel. Should he be proud, or nervous?" You can lay down your shield, Gorgon. Flowers, roll up the blanket and put it away. Gabi, you go get the fur. ”

There wasn't much to pack, but it was better than nothing, and Andlocles didn't want to lay down the spear in case it was a trap. The peasants don't look like the kind of people who can deceive, but who knows? Since when will he be able to get out of trouble with sweet talk? Most importantly, it made him feel a little more civilized again.

"Gabi, we're leaving. Stop playing with those sticks and go. He said, trying to make his tone sound harsh. Too much and she'll feel bad, too little and she'll sit there. He stared at her until she put down what she was making from twigs and got up to get the fur.

The giant red deer looked at him again, believing it must be his hallucination. They stared at each other for a moment. "And you get her moving." The stag stared at him for a moment, then blew quietly and continued to eat the old leaves of a vine it found in the snow. Ash, the wolf of Galby, ignores him and stares around as usual.

Androxes turned again to let them go, but they had already turned and walked towards the house a mile or two down the road.

Wolf sca

The little head from Agu

E poked out of his collar and looked like he was wearing a sparkling blue necklace. "I'm in charge of the road!" He grumbled. "I'm the one who has the right to say this!"

Aguna patted him on the chest and said, "Of course, you baby." Why don't you go and see if you can find the path they say and see where it leads? We'll have to take some time to prepare. ”

The little fairy crawled out on one leg at a time until he rolled over and sat on her breasts and straightened his wings. "No one is allowed to leave until I return!" He commanded, facing Agunn and Ann

d

Okles shook his finger.

"Then hurry up."

Wolf Scar froze and looked at him nervously.

"I'm kidding. We'll wait. ”

What a morning, O gods. The night was too bad for Andlox. Children are always restless when they sleep, but he is usually not annoyed by this. Last night, however, whenever Flower moved his arm or hit Andrew with his knee, Andrew would wake up from some unpleasant, agitated dream and immediately disappear from his mind. All he could remember about these dreams was the feeling of being balanced on the edges, the feeling that something was crumbling and about to tilt to this side or that at any moment. The constant burning sensation on his arm didn't particularly relax him either. Irritable children, injuries, and disturbing dreams seem to be his fate.

No sooner had breakfast than Gabi's wolf sounded the alarm, causing her eagle to fly into the sky and disappear. When the men heard this, they stopped in the middle of the road, giving Androcles time to get up and take up his spear and meet them. Now that all of this is settled, hopefully, but it feels like the day has started to go downhill and things are only going to get worse from here.

"Aguna, because we're still a little before we leave, I want you to open my arms and see how they're healing." Ancrex said, carefully sitting on the edge of the carriage. He stretched out his arms expectantly.

Agunn gave him a hesitant look, then a quick glance at Gabi and Flower. "Do you think I'm obedient just because you want something?"

"If you knew what was good for you, you would do it, woman."

She stroked her flat brown hair with her hand, and Androl suddenly realized that she had been worried about this. First, she didn't get a quick, unpleasant answer, which is a bad sign.

He barely realized he was doing it as he spoke, and suddenly felt the need to comfort her. "It shouldn't be that bad. They don't hurt as much and I feel much better. Injuries are subsided. ”

"Injured and sick?" Galby asked, tiptoeing into the conversation.

"Yes, a serious injury can make you feel sick, like a fever or stomach problems. You usually won't notice it until it's starting to fade. ”

"What effect does it have on you?"

"It makes me irritable."

Gabi glanced sideways at him, thoughtful, and shifted his weight.

Agunn snorted with a smile and said, "Alright, ogre, let's see how much time you have left." Ga

bi, take your hands away. I don't want you to accidentally pull the stitches apart, so let me do it. ”

Flower casually threw the blanket he was holding into the carriage and crept over to watch from a proper distance. Andlos could tell he was nervous, and he had every reason to be nervous. If there was a mess under the package, the boy would never forget the scene, especially if Andracles died of sour blood in the next day or two. But Andrx can't just tell him not to look, or he'll sit out of sight, imagining things a thousand times worse than reality, and then the whole day will be miserable and possibly nightmares.

However, as Aguna began to untie the bandage, Gabi leaned in and watched with great concern. This is not an easy task - the blood-soaked cloth sticks to the skin and sutures, and it must be peeled off slowly. It tore off the scars, rudely pulling at any knots or threads Gabi had left behind, not to mention the skin itself, which made him acutely aware of every mark the demon's claws left on him. Watching only makes things worse, so Androcles looks away until she runs out of his right arm.

The cold air licked at his newly exposed skin, and a chill pierced through his bones, causing him to shiver suddenly. The flower shuddered with fright, then gritted her teeth and moved closer to see better. The boy's bright red cheeks were stained with a little green, which may have been imagined by Androx.

The wound complained of cold, stinging like vinegar. It reminded him of spider webs, countless icy thorn marks drawing intricate patterns up and down his bare right arm.

"Well, it's not as bad as I expected." Agna said emotionlessly. It wasn't as bad as he thought it was - the stitches were still together, the skin wasn't torn, the redness wasn't deep, it wasn't like a disease. The wound stinks, as one would expect, but not like rot; As far as he knew, not at all. It's like old blood and bandages.

"Do you see pus?" Is it rotten? He asked.

"There are some." Aguna said. She poked at the stinging spot like inflammation and said, "Flower, bring me a piece of cloth."

Despite the anticipation of this, her words made him feel a bit like he had been sentenced to death, and he could not deny the fear that had formed deep inside. He knew that dying from his injuries was a waste, and while his wounds rarely festered and never severe, a person's luck could only last that long. This is a risk that every soldier is well aware of - more of them die of fever than from being pierced by spears in battle. Sometimes gibberish, sometimes silent. Usually accompanied by whimpering wheezing, strange noises came from the middle of the camp at night, as in Nikon. When the noise stops, it's usually a relief, but not this time.

Flower handed the cloth to Agura, who poked it back and forth, absorbing the oozing liquid. Anything thicker or redder than the rest, she would squeeze it to see if it was filled with pus. Most of the time it's not, but it's not always the case. The rot is spreading, but it's too early to tell if he'll survive.

"If it had been so bad in a few days, I might have survived," he said, mainly for the good of the children. However, Aguna's face showed the most excited expression. Her brow furrowed, her brow furrowed, combined with her windswept red cheeks, didn't tell him whether she believed it or not.

"You two take a jar and go to the creek and fill it. Don't fall in! Agnn said.

"I got the cloth," Hua complained.

"Don't say it. Go ahead. Agunn said it wasn't as enthusiastic as expected. The children each took a large kettle and walked towards the stream. They walk so close that they may hold hands if their arms are not full. Flower's tail whizzed behind him, as if he wanted to use it to grab a tail that Gabi didn't have. Poppy the stag and Ash the wolf stood up and followed them.

After they talked for a long time, Andax said, "So what do you want to say?" How bad is it?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you want to say something they shouldn't have heard?"

"Oh? No, it's not like that. I really need water to wash this, I don't want to wash it myself," she said. She seemed so immersed in her mind that it almost sounded distant.

Maybe it was the fear deep inside him, but he found himself upset for her. He wanted to say something comforting, but his mind was a mess. "Our kids are beautiful, aren't they?"

"Oh, that's them, Andrew. Each of them is a whole world. Such a precious little thing......"

"From a distance, they're always that small," he said.

Aguna smiled slightly and said, "From a distance, everything looks insignificant."

"No, I mean—"

"I see what you mean, you stupid brute."

"I mean, when they appear in front of you, they take over your entire field of vision. When Gabi wants to speak, you can barely look at anything else. But when you see them from afar, you realize how small they are. How vulnerable," he said. "Look at them. They could barely move the jars. ”

He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say, and neither was Agern. But she was listening, and the words came from a real place, in a direction of some kind of wisdom. "You know, it's always sad to see a child exposed, even a girl from a poor family. I can logically understand that there is a mouth that cannot be fed, or a dowry that can never be paid. I would be angry for wasting my time. But this is always out of jealousy. Della wouldn't give it to me, and the people threw it out like a pile of rotten vegetables. Every once in a while, I come across a dead baby and I don't know why I'm angry. It happened four or five times. Did you know that I've never seen a live one up close? I didn't even know what to expect. ”

Andlos took a moment to gather his thoughts. The children walked to the creek and filled the jars, despite the fact that it took too much time and effort. It looks like they're trying not to get their shoes wet.

He smiled happily and said, "Aguna, the children look strange too. Gabby's spine is curved, making her look like a sausage with long legs, while Fraul's knees are the fattest and most beautiful I've ever seen. They both looked ridiculous when they ran. The foals who stood up for the first time were more elegant than them. How could you not love these cute little things? I just hope they don't be so skinny. ”

Aguna's face began to lighten. She said, "Sausages?"

"Yes, she is shaped like a sausage from the side. She bent down like this," he drew with his fingers in the air. "Didn't you see that?"

She grinned and watched the children walk back. "I'm going to tell her you said that."

"Do you dare. What do you think she would do? I guess it depends on what you say. Say like you're congratulating her, and she'll take it as a compliment. ”

"I doubt it. She's too smart to do that. She would feel insulted, but not for why. ”

The children had to hold the jar in both arms, which made it more difficult to walk. They can't put their shoes on their legs or stomach because they make a splash with every step. Anyway, they spent some money, just not on themselves. How could they make something so simple seem so hard?

"You know what, gorgon, I really don't want to die," he said. He had said it casually, but the emotion of this sentence was much heavier than he wanted to say, and he could barely speak. He smiled reluctantly and added in a pleasant voice, "I've had so much fun here that I don't want to leave right now."

"Oh, it's feast and festival after feast, ogre. It was a great time. Agnn said, and her snarky sarcasm returned. She sighed and added, "I'm so angry that I haven't been able to see your house." I always thought I had another child. It will never be able to replace the one I lost, but ...... Just one more. ”

"I probably won't die."

Agn gave him an unhappy look, then turned to his other side and began to untie his left arm, as slowly and painfully as his right. This time, instead of looking away, he looked at her face, glancing quickly at his own arm whenever he felt she might grab him. Her cheeks are round and full, like a statue of a goddess, and she is the perfect figure for a suitable woman. They were red from the wind and needed cream and body lotion, but he found this temperament in her to be charming. Her lips were thin and expressive, and they kept moving. Her big brown eyes could glow with both anger and pity, but now they were sneaky and thoughtful.

"She didn't stitch it up, the wound was going to crack open." Aguna said, though before she could speak, Ancrex felt the wound rip open. She found no pus or signs of decay on the wound on his elbow, nor would there be any pus or decay on his arm if the fickle gods had chosen to be merciful today. "I had to re-stitch the stitches. Damn little bastard, dead ......"

"I think for an eight-year-old, she's doing pretty well."

"I mean you!" What are you thinking?" She glanced up at him, her eyes showing genuine frustration. "Why didn't you run away?" She said loudly, pulling the bandage hard.

"Broken ribs."

"Ah, burn it all!" It's the most-" She let out a frustrated growl, flicking a drop of blood off her finger.

He suddenly had an idea. "Burn? I wonder if I can. Can you build a shield around me, and be outside yourself? Can you hold my anger in your heart instead of venting it?"

She seemed suspicious, but he caught her attention. Her eyes twitched, and the corners of her mouth furrowed slightly.

"I remember what happened last time, but I think it might be right-" He looked at them with his arms raised. "This. I can kill birds with it. I'll make a fire. I wonder if it's going to burn the dying part of my wound?"

"Has it done anything like this before, you vicious youkai?" Have you never thought to bring it up before?" He was relieved by the insult. His old Aguna is still there, thanking the gods.

"Long before I killed Mary, I didn't have pus from my wounds. At the time it was not strong enough to burn things. "He knew deep down that it wasn't a good idea because if he lost control, he could get hurt again and he could set himself on fire. Fire is just a measure of the desperation of an injury, as it often leads to infection. But on the other hand, his murderous intent did not harm him, only the things around him. He needed to know if he could still use it in battle, and if the infection spread, he would soon be infected by the rotting gardens of La Foss.

Even so, the thought still made him nervous. Losing control wasn't something he wanted to get familiar with.

"Dad, what did you do?" Mom, why is that? Are you going to do something stupid? Gabby scolded, placing the jar heavily an inch from his fragile toe.

A

d

Okles couldn't help but smile and said, "I never do anything stupid."

Flower placed his pot next to another and stared at Agunn and Ann

d

Okles, apparently trying to figure out what Gabby was talking about.

Aguna sighed and hung the bandage down. "If I wasn't in there, my shield wouldn't be as strong, but I bet I could. Do you want to try it now, where the kids are standing here and watching? I'll tell you, it wasn't pretty. You look like a dead man who is too lazy to get up and learn to dance first. ”

"Then let them see something else. Good luck. The great red deer caught his attention, and it stood six paces behind Gabi, eating a snack on a bush while looking haughtily at him from a polite distance. Stupid beast.

Agnn said, "Now?"

"It couldn't be better. Wait a minute, let me sit down. He carefully got up from where he had sat on the edge of the carriage and sat down on a nearby patch of bare dirt. He tried not to admit how nervous he was. He seemed to be standing on a cliff, a little higher than what he felt comfortable with, and now he was determined to dive and no one knew how deep the water was. "Until the wolf sca

Come back. ”

"If you kill yourself, I won't bury you," she said. She took out a small metal charm from the pouch on her belt and held it in her hand. He still didn't know what kind of charm it was, because she refused to let him see it. "Stay safe," she whispered. The doubts hidden behind those big eyes did nothing to ease his tension.

"I'll be fine." For the benefit of both of them, he muttered to himself.

Ripples rippled in the air, and almost invisible forces appeared around him, enveloping him completely. He had never been on this side of her shield before, and the first thing he noticed was silence. Even the air was still. The sound was suppressed and, above all, he had a sense of isolation from everything else, as if what he saw through the faint flickering light was not real, but a theater.

He sat cross-legged with his hands near his knees because there was nothing better to do. He turned his attention inward, allowing his thoughts to cross the sea of anger that burned within him. He gritted his teeth and held back his fear. What kind of person would be afraid of themselves? Absurd.

He had murderous intent when he called, just a little. Only a little bit. All of his attention was focused on lowering it so he could see what was happening as it moved. It gathered in his stomach and erupted outwards from there, and this time, as before, he felt a hint of pressure on his heart.

The flickering, throbbing red spots of disease and death on the giant's chest lingered in his mind. He felt the anger and bloodshed he had accumulated over the decades oppressing the restraints he had imposed, and especially his heart. It holds. His heart is still there.

He released a little, and then a little more. The air around him warmed and began to whirl, gently caressing his hair and skin. His heart is still there. In fact, it seems to be as sturdy as ever. Was it all his imagination? His anger, however intense, never hurt a single toe hair of his toe, even as it killed all the grass five paces around him. Maybe he just made a mistake and included himself in the effect?

His murderous intent increased, which cleared his mind. He felt something itching in his arm, and he glanced at it and noticed that his vision seemed to be clearer. It's always been like this, but he didn't notice it before? His murderous intent frightened his enemies, emptied his mind, and brightened his eyes

A strange sensation caught his attention near his elbow, and just then, a puff of pale smoke came out from between the stitches. A stench like burnt hair and rotting leaves stung his nostrils. Pus! Ha, it worked! In a flash of hopeful enthusiasm, he further increased his killing intent.

He realized that it felt good to vent. It makes him feel more energetic and energetic. Be more confident. He added one more.

Now his anger is enough to make a person vomit and collapse. It is enough to start scorching the edges of the fabric. The air in Agun's shield swirled, lifting a few strands of whiskers from his chest and setting them on fire. His hair swam like a gorgon's snake. He added again.

He felt the tingling of finger taps up and down his arms, and saw a dozen puffs of pale smoke, then more than twenty, then more, squeezing out of his wounds. The air stinks like Raphael's own egg bag on a hot day. It made his eyes moisten. His faith was shaken; Was it all the result of decay, or did he want to set himself on fire?

No, it's not like that. He didn't feel any pain, at least no new pain. When the smoke comes out, the wound stings a little, but that's about it. Will he-

A flame rushed up to their arms, engulfing them in flames, and in an instant, they vanished. It roared, like someone had thrown a handful of flour into a fire, and it quickly disappeared, but the stench in the air now included burnt cloth. He raised his right arm and took a closer look, and saw that the stitches on his body were filled with small black holes emitting from smoke.

He turned his arm, and wisps of smoke loosened, and countless tiny smokes, smaller than fingernails, quickly disappeared.

By that time, he had burned all the stitches! Damn, he could have done so many stupid things! Why? Why is this happening! They had to stitch him, which took up time he didn't want to spare and it hurt.

His intent to kill became even stronger because he was genuinely frustrated and angry. Just outside the faint ball of light, Agunn looked at him calmly, perhaps a little worried. Flor's eyes widened, staring nervously at him, biting her lip, and Gabby must have screamed in shock, covering her mouth with her hands. He knew what she was thinking—all her efforts were wasted in an instant.

The air in the shield spun even more violently. His hair was wrapped around his head and face like a bandage, so he closed his eyes. Why does it do this? He had never noticed the wind before. Ripples in the air are like heat, but what about the wind?

There's no reason to care. This is good. He can fight like this. The money was enough to protect his women and children. Who can resist the wrath of the giant killer, Androcle, son of Paramonos of Dikaya? Except, of course, the king's demons; Those were creatures from Ther's own nightmares.

He smiled. In the past few days, he has tried to ignore a tormenting fear that, for the first time since he was a child, he was completely helpless and in danger. But now, when he discovers that it was a false fear and that he is still as dangerous as ever, all his fears are washed away with the first fear. Pepper will do. Everyone will survive. He survives. Before the summer solstice, he would pour wine over the fireplace in Dicaya. Maybe Gabi will let him sacrifice her deer?

He took his murderous intent to the extreme. Outside, Aguna's forehead was covered in sweat, and her face was tense with focus and effort. He shouldn't have gone on like this. The dirt beneath his feet burned, mingling with his own scent. Why is his clothes mostly good? Some of the fur began to burn, and the edges of the trouser legs began to burn. So why just stitches? Maybe it only hurt what he wanted to kill? No, it can't be that way. He didn't want to kill his family, that would hurt them. He saw it. He also didn't want to remove the stitches.

So why did you burn him last time? Somehow, did you follow his train of thought? He never tried to move it or direct it; It always blurts out, it's there, that's it. Will he be able to move it? How could he try?

If he concentrates, he can feel the pressure on it. It touched the shield and turned back, and he could feel the barrier where it had happened. It burrowed from under him and into the ground, sealing him up like an egg.

He still has a half-wrapped bandage on his left arm. Why not try burning it? Anyway, he had to wash it and use it again, after all, it had absorbed so much of his blood. He raised his arm so that the end hung close to the ground, and took a deep breath that made him almost taste the stench of burnt hair and rotting in the air, and he focused his attention on the end of the bandage.

Burn it, you dog-faced. Burn! He thought, trying to focus his murderous intent on that place. He could feel it around him, pressing against the shield, but he couldn't grasp it. He tried again, frowning intently, focusing all his hatred on that God-cursed bandage.

Something was moving in his body, and the pressure on his heart increased. Mary's words echoed in his mind a hundred more times. "It's a wound......" he turned his inner eyes to gaze more clearly at the feeling in his chest.

A sharp pain, a bursting sensation, had a blast on his brain, like lightning striking the heartwood of a tree, slashing a hundred steps in all directions.

“A

d

His long-dead mentor Tys shouted. "Come back! My ......"

The man's voice died out in the thunderous roar of the earth erupting and the screams of thousands of people. Ancrex tries to force himself to open his eyes, but finds that he can't. They weigh as much as a house.

“A

d

Tess shouted again, even more frantically, but only a faint whisper in the chaos. Despair. In pain.

As he struggled to escape, his legs burned from the force he pressed the shield into the enemy's line, and his left arm became heavy and numb from holding the shield. He tried to open his eyes again, but he couldn't. He could smell the battlefield, the dry sand deep in the dirt, the urine and the blood and the blood. He inhaled hard, trying to fill his meager lungs, when his nostrils tingled. He clenched his chin in horror and couldn't open his mouth to scream.

Roaring over his head, the Titan's voice was huge and terrifying, like a thousand holiday trumpets and a thousand stamped bulls. Completely inhumane. He runs.

A

d

Okles couldn't open his eyes. His fingers grabbed the air, grabbed a dragged leash and held it in his hand. He ran blindly, jumping desperately on his legs. The man leading him stumbled and fell, and Anders tripped him and stepped on the man's outstretched arm. The bones under the soles of his feet cracked, and as the skin and muscles loosened and separated, the bones began to slide.

Death was all around him. The words seeped into his senses and paralyzed them. It licked his neck and plunged the knife into his stomach. That primal feeling, that emotion, that power; Death seeped into his body

“A

d

Agunn shouted in despair.

His mind woke up from the nightmare, and he snapped open his eyes and took a deep breath, as if he had been rescued from the shipwreck at the last moment. Even though the morning sun was bright, he could only vaguely see what was around him. Something obscured his vision, and he blinked, then blinked.

There was darkness in Agun's shield; It flows slowly, like oil in an oil drum shaking. He could only make out the vague outline on the other side, but he recognized the outline of Arguern. He could no longer smell the burnt pus. The terrible stench was cleared and replaced by a faint earthy smell, a strong smell. Old.

Then he noticed the pain. With his heart at its center, a sharp pain shook every nerve in his body. He felt his soul being torn apart, and the juice of shadows flowed from the wound. Looking down, a strip of black smoke as thick as two fingers emerged from the center of his chest, melting into the black mist that surrounded him.

Androxes screamed in horror and slammed into the smoke. His hand passed right through it, and where the funnel came into contact with his skin, he felt a bone-deep, trembling pain.

A face appeared in front of him, sliding out of the black mist, as if floating to the surface of the sea. There are only contours, contours, shapes; There is no color. There is hardly anything obvious. But its mouth is open and its eyes are upward. Then came the other, its face tense in pain. and another. Another place.

The face of death. He didn't know any of them; He instinctively knew that it wasn't even a real soul at all, just images and illusions. They surrounded him, and they did not listen to him, and they went up and down.

The pain in his chest kept pounding against his body, a helpless pain like surgery, unforgiving.

His murderous thoughts eagerly and desperately pressed against Agern's shield, which began to sag and succumb. It starts to bend.

Suddenly, with sheer will, he instinctively shut off the source of his anger. His murderous intent vanished, and the air immediately cooled a little. The pain in his chest deepened, but it no longer spread like a wave throughout his body. It grabbed him tightly and squeezed him with its heavy fingers, feeling like it was hungry.

The narrow serpent of darkness still erupted from him. It leaked through some elusive, invisible opening in his chest. His mind couldn't remember; He didn't understand what it was, and he didn't know what was going on. It reminded him of Wolf SCA

Always insisting on the crap he saw, but no one else saw. Is all this true?

Then, moment after moment, the pain began to lessen. As the black smoke swirled and contracted, it slowly and steadily disappeared.

The smoke that curled up on his chest was finally extinguished, and he felt the impossible door close in his heart.

He was so exhausted that he almost fell into a puddle. Even the skin on his face seemed to droop under the thick beard. However, the black fog remains; An enemy that he no longer had the wisdom to face. It oozes like oil in gentle waves, and faces appear and disappear in front of him.

“A

d

Say something, you week-old bastard! Agunn shouted. Her voice sounded scared and tired.

He almost laughed at this charming woman; He opened his mouth to answer, but the first time he spoke, he couldn't speak. He swallowed, swallowed his cough, and tried again. "I'm alive! He said in a rough voice.

"Good. Turn it off now!"

His murderous intent stayed deep within him, a calm and raging sea of rage patiently waiting to break through its boundaries. It's not him she's still trying to control.

"That's not me!" I don't know what it is. Everyone stands back. Can you hold it?"

"No, it burns like acid!" I don't have anything left!"

"Then drop it and run. Run, Gabi, Flower! Get the hell out of here!"

Although he had no intention of killing, he couldn't feel Aguna's shield beside him, but he saw the moment she lowered it. Black smoke curled up, rising from the ground and from his clothes, into the cloudy morning breeze. It gathered into a loose ball above his head and floated upward. When he could see clearly, he spotted Galby and Flower huddled together behind a tree thirty paces away. Agunn was almost there for them. The woman was running fast.

Ash the wolf and Bobbi the stag stood guardfully between Anchors and the others, as if to chase him away from them. Poppy seemed to glare at him with angry eyes, and Ash snarled with her mane erected as if he had cornered her and her cubs.

Above him, he heard the cry of a bird of prey, which boldly and triumphantly pierced the morning air. He looked up just in time to see Gabi's beautiful golden eagle darting from behind him in the direction of his master, fearlessly flying into the loose black mist and swooping towards her.

The momentum alone took it to the other side, and it fell to the ground without grace, turned into a mess of feathers, and died. Gabi's eyes widened in shock and she began to yell frantically, trying to break free of Agun's hands and run to pick up her pet. She will be sad later, poor girl, once this emergency has passed. Now, she thought, she was a kid who had lost her mind. Aguna pulled her closer, blindfolding her before she left. Even if something else happens, A

d

Okles still felt a little guilty about it.

He watched as the black smoke ball rose a little higher in the air. Why hasn't it dissipated? What is it? How did this come out of his mouth? Why didn't the shadow cast?

Anklex glanced helplessly at Agun. She looked as scared as he had ever seen. Even more frightened than when they fought her goddess - at that time, she looked brave; Maybe a little resigned. It was different, and it didn't help his own fear, which he tried to ignore. They stared at each other wordlessly from a distance.

The orb hovered five paces above his head, about an arm's width apart. The faces are still there, but much more blurred; The bright sunlight seems to deprive them of the ability to manifest.

For a moment, no one moved. The only sound was of the animals roaring and threatening, stomping their feet in the dirt.

Wolf Scar appeared a foot away from him and suddenly flew in a direction that Angelus hadn't noticed. He was so surprised that he almost screamed, if it weren't for such an extreme moment, one might feel stupid.

The fairy innocently asked, "Why is it here?" He seemed more confused than scared. Indeed, he was not afraid at all.

"Don't touch it!" Androx whispered sharply. "It just killed Gabi's bird."

"There's too much of that stuff." Wolf sca

Say. "Where did it come from?"

"What's the matter?" Androx said. He didn't dare to move, for fear it would float again...... So what will it do?

"Oh, that's just, um, that's what happens when the parts of your body separate, uh, something that happens when something dies. Wait, can you see that? How can you see it?"

"I don't know, wolf sca

, but I don't like it either!" How do we get rid of it?"

The fairy looked around curiously, then stopped, pointing to a grove. "Can you see that over there?" There's more, but only a little. ”

"I didn't see anything, but—"

"So, how's that over there?"

“Wolfsca

Focus. Will it hurt the horse? food? What's the use of it?" Ankrex said softly, standing up cautiously. The black fog ball hovered in the air, unaffected by the currents, and its slow-rolling surface was only occasionally broken by a person's face.

"If you don't listen, why are you asking me questions?" Wolf sca

Yell. "You can listen more now!" You never let me say what I wanted to say!"

"Wolf sca

and no one can shut you up. But go ahead. ”

"So, listen!" It's all over, but only a little! The gods don't like it because it makes them sick, I don't like it either, even though it doesn't get sick, it's just ......"

The glowing little fairy stopped halfway through and stared at Androx's chest. He drifted closer, putting his fingers in his mouth and thinking.

Andex said, "Miasma? That's a miasma, like the one on a corpse?" His surprise at the discovery was diluted by his fear, but not entirely.

Wolf Scar muttered to himself, "Oh, I see. I thought it was just...! Oh...... This shouldn't be like this, right?"

"Like what?"

The fairy looked up and met Anchors' gaze. His expression was like he was going to do something that would get him in trouble, a blank and indifferent expression that begged to be ignored but never ignored.

"Wolf sca

, how are you-"

Before Andlox could finish his sentence, Wolfscar rushed in and slammed it into his chest, just above his heart.

"Let's take them all out." The fairy pretended to be nonchalant and said.

A

d

Before Okles could react, the fairy closed his little hand to grab something unseen. Fingers gripped a part of Andlox's soul like Agunn had grasped his arm.

And then the wolf sca

Turn your head and pull. In a bout of soul-destroying agony, Androx felt it ripped open.

The world is gone.

"Euphemios, ah, Euphemios," he cried. He hugged what his dearest friend had left behind to his chest, tears raining down, and he couldn't see anything. Attempts were made to raise his arm and lift him off the battlefield so they could continue to bury the dead, but Androcleus was unmoved.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. His limbs were pitch black. The sound and feeling were soaking wet and numb. There was nothing but hopeless grief in his heart.

"Why, why ......" he cried. Tears flowed down his cheeks like a river from his closed eyes. Death is all he has. A person who accepts death and lives in pain. Father, Theis, Arcolius, Nikon, and now Euphemios. Gamblers, drunkards, gentle good people, lose.

Death was everywhere, and the feeling of death haunted him and permeated him. He could smell the corpses of the soldiers around him, their sweat, the coagulated blood, the entrails that began to rot in the sun. The stench filled his nostrils and throat, and he was head-up, mouth open, and crying

"Dad? Wolf sca

Say.

The dream vanished, leaving Anders dazed, half-awake. There was a sharp pain in his chest that throbbed through his nerves with a sharp crackling sound.

"Oh! He hissed. He clenched his chest, feeling some cold liquid running between his fingers.

He looked down and saw that the smoke was coming out of his body again, but it was thicker, like black oil. It erupted from the front of his shirt like a stream as wide as a palm, but it only gathered on the ground in front of him, without splashing or making a sound. It's not so much a puddle as it piles up and condenses into a ball. The water flowed through his hands, leaving nothing behind.

"Oh! He said it again, harder. He could feel his heart beating in every lightning-pounding pain. It was the sharpest pain he could remember; Not because of its sharpness, which is considerable, but because it touches the parts of his mind that cannot be grasped, those parts that should not exist, and which should definitely not be painful. It was a whole new kind of pain, and he had not dealt with this painful experience.

"That's a lot, huh...... Malaria. "Wolf sca

Said gratefully.

"Let it stop!" A

d

Okles hissed. The pain brought tears to his eyes. He felt like he was about to cry. He was accustomed to pain; Accustomed to fighting it, erasing it from his mind, ignoring it with willpower and courage. It's another matter. The pain is unbearable. Unstoppable.

"That's good. Now everything will come out and then you will feel better. I think. The fairy said. But don't step into it, because that's ...... There are a lot of them. ”

"It's not ...... Alright!" Anchors tiptoed back, dodging the puddle of muddy black ooze that was pouring at him. He wanted to look up at Agn and the children, but his eyes were filled with stinging tears and he couldn't see them. He gasped, the dull throbbing tingling deeply in his chest, and his spine itched. His lungs twitched and his head was dizzy.

"Let it stop!" He whispered, trying to shout, but to no avail. He didn't want to scream in pain in front of Aguna. The gods are above, and he is about to collapse. The soul, the body, and the shadow are to be separated, and his life will end.

"Is it up? That's only half of that, I think. "Wolf SCA

Say. He wandered to get closer, but wasn't close enough to venture into the water gushing out of Androx's chest.

"Please!" A

d

Okles could barely keep their balance. His legs lost all strength, and his knees trembled, loose and wet.

"I didn't expect so much. Too much! Are you sure you want to stop? You can do the rest later. ”

“Wolfsca

!”

"Okay. Be still. I'm—" The little fairy rushed in, and grabbed Androl's soul with his little hand, writhing and tugging, making him dizzy. With a snap, the door slammed shut. The pain is gone, leaving only a vague memory of the pain. A

d

Okles fell to the ground, gasping for air. He vomited profusely.

After his internal organs were emptied, the wolf scar flew under Anjax's face and reached out to pat the tip of his nose to comfort him. "Are you alright, Dad?"

Andlocks closed his mouth and hid his answer behind his teeth so as not to become an enemy. It's not easy.

The miasma balloon in the air, much thinner and more invisible, touched it and sank into a cloud of black fumes on the ground. The pile began to spread out and sink, from about waist-high and as wide as an arm, to ankle-high, and much-wider. It emits tentacles of smoke, and thin, swirling black lines stretch in all directions. They move slowly, waving their hands softly, as if in the wind. If there was only one, it would seem natural, but it is deeply disturbing that so many people are together, each reacting to a different air movement.

Finally, he replied to the wolf sca

Say, "I'll be fine." He spat out the last bit of stomach acid, took a breath, and read a book trying to get up.

The fairy patted his nose lightly again, an action that was always annoying rather than comforting. "I see it hurts, Dad. I saw all the lines. But sometimes what you have to do really hurts, but you still have to do it. He lifted the stump of his severed arm as if to illustrate the point.

The lost arm is now back between the elbow and wrist. The crow takes away the pox fairy and his strange secrets. He refused to say how he had lost it, and now he waved it as if it meant something, and it grew back. Between the highest toe of the Oath-Father's and the Necopter's mid-hole, no creature can grow new arms, apparently except for the wolf sca

。

"Daddy! A sad and frightened flower shouted, breaking free from Agun's hand and running over.

"Don't touch it!" Back off! Androx said. He exhaled to relieve the pressure on his ribs and stood up.

"Dad, what's wrong with Queenie?" Gabby shouted sadly. Agn gave up trying to stop her and followed her.

"Don't touch it!" It's miasma. We had to leave her where she fell. Don't come any closer!"

The children stopped not far from the wisps of smoke from the black puddle, and Agn grabbed them by the collar to prevent them from thinking about it. Gabi covers her mouth with her hands, and Hana gives her a hug, even though he looks just as upset as she is.

Agunn took a deep breath and shouted, "The gods bear witness, you dirty, half-wise, half-crippled goat prostitute, you'd better give an explanation!" Her eyes were on fire, and in his opinion, it was a helpless rage.

He laughed; He couldn't help it. She is a very interesting woman. What would he have done without her? He thought about what to say to her, which was not an easy task, for he only had a little idea of his own. However, it didn't take long for him to hear.

Whisper.

The puddle seeped out of the ground and sank into the dirt, leaving nothing, not even a trace of gray on the snow on the side of the road. The abrupt disappearance of the miasma was filled with a quiet and eager voice, sounding like a hundred ghosts whispering to each other.

"Let's get out of here." Anjex said calmly.

This time, no one argued. A few minutes later, everyone was in the car. Aguna drove, and Gabby sat next to her. Flower climbed to the back and sat with Androl. With trembling hands, he picked up a fresh roll of bandages that Arguna had prepared, apparently determined to bandage his father's arm.

As soon as Anders was seated, Agunn pulled the horse up. They seemed to be in the same hurry to leave as everyone else, and ran briskly without further urging. Ash the Wolf and Gabby jumped to the front together, resting their hind legs on the last palm of the bench and lying on the girl's lap. Poppy the stag followed the horse and followed the carriage. Is it to stay behind to better spy on him? No, that's not... Stupid beast.

Only now, when everything was settled, did Anchors begin to take inventory of the wounds on his arm. Even though he felt it all happening, he was still surprised to see that all the pus and rotting skin burned out in his desire to kill. Although the stitches were gone, leaving countless small black spots, possibly small tattoos, his skin bonded very well. Most of the cracked wounds were dry, he was only bleeding in a few small places, and when walking around, he had to pull the wounds too large.

"Hah! He said out loud, trying to brace himself to share. "Argon, you bunch of dead rats, you can't send me away so quickly. The rotten stuff is gone. It's all burned out! The wound was much cleaner than when I first cut it. All I have to do is get happy and angry every few days so I can survive. Sorry to disappoint you!" After all the horrors, the smile in his voice was pale, but sincere.

"Really? Flower asked, his eyes wide. His entire body seemed to have been given a new lease of life. After a while, he really understood, he was wiping his tears.

A

d

Okles pulled the boy over and kissed him between the ears. He wanted to hug him, but the bandages had to be bandaged first. Within half an hour, Anchors' heart ached for the second time, but this time it was sympathy for his son and relief that he had been rescued, and he felt precious, so he let it be.

"I'm so happy," Hana whimpered, almost sobbing.

For a while, everyone was quiet. Gabi turned to look, tears welling up in her eyes. She reached out and grabbed Andrekles' hand, as it was the only thing she could do. She sniffled and covered her eyes with her other hand.

The only sounds were the rapid breathing of children, the stamping of horses' hooves, and the sound of stag behind them.

The flower froze, her eyes wide open, and she became frightened again. And then Ga

bi。 Then Andlos heard it too—a whisper followed.