On October 8th, the World Tree standing between the sea of clouds and the mountain peaks finally came into the burning sight of the dead. They quickly crossed the 10-kilometer-wide canyon in the Yahevi Mountains, and finally escorted the Soul Stone to the World Tree Under the cool shade of the Crown—the formation built by an army of 150,000 is like a black python, entrenched in a circle at the end of the chase, waiting for the enemy's arrival.
This is the third month since the undead army left the alliance. During this period, from the city of Taklama to the Glendale River, the entire Fahdod fortification in depth has collapsed under the sword of the death knight. Almost all were destroyed in the defense of the capital, and the whereabouts of the king and the prime minister were also unknown.
The many obstacles in front of Ishutoli were finally removed layer by layer—the only thing left was Luvis, and the decisive battle with her would determine the future of the two goddesses and the direction of the times.
Soon there will be a dawn battle that will determine the fate of the world... Roland stopped the nightmare, looked up at the majestic canopy that covered the sky, and then, a figure with black hair and green eyes jumped into him. mind. Three and a half months later, what was Cattorie Hollande doing now? Can she really come to see me at the summit of the World Tree as agreed? Is she really willing to come to the summit of the World Tree to meet me as agreed
"Master the comeback leader, don't be dazed, this is not a garden." Alsace's frivolous voice reached his ears, "The cleaning of the surrounding area has been completed, the flying griffin scouts, Fah Dodd's remnants and defeated soldiers, as well as those mysterious mountain species in a mess, were all killed."
"Thank you." The death knight nodded, and turned to the lich on the other side, "When will the main force of the alliance arrive at the World Tree?"
"Estimated at the current speed, tomorrow morning." Richard judged calmly, "We still have 20 hours to prepare fortifications."
"Ishutoli said that this time she will personally set up a defensive fortress." When the name was mentioned, Roland couldn't help smiling, "Although I don't know what will happen, but I'm afraid there will be a new aerial fortress on this battlefield." Garden. Want a bet, you two?"
"A prudent mage would not be interested in betting when the information channel is skewed." The Lich waved his hand, "But since the goddess thinks so, let's change the course of action and perform the fusion ceremony first. Come on Everyone, please guide the carrier of the Soul Stone to the world tree."
Led by eight nightmare horses, a black four-wheeled carriage decorated with reliefs and amethysts slowly began to drive. As the wheels turned, death knights and undead moved closer to both sides, but what was revealed in those burning pupils was not awe and worship, but yearning and persistence. In just a split second, a straight road opened up on the black ocean filled with ice chips and cold air.
"Olin, don't I look like a princess in a fairy tale?" Ishutori jumped out of the carriage lightly, holding Roland's hand.
"A princess in a fairy tale wouldn't bring an army of 150,000 across the entire Lorendan." The other party smiled and blinked, then lifted the Soul Stone out with three high-ranking death knights, and moved it carefully. Under the tangled root system of the World Tree.
"Just put it there." The goddess nodded, and then folded her hands and closed her eyes as if praying, her long eyelashes trembling slightly under her breathing. The next moment, the Soul Stone suddenly left the ground, suspended in mid-air and made a crisp sound.
The transparent crystal was covered by the soft golden light from within, and turned into a ball of light with changing shapes, which penetrated into the body of the world tree with a "swish", and then traveled along the sky-reaching sky at a speed that was difficult for the naked eye to catch. The magnificent torso climbs towards the top. In the end, the shapeless light finally stopped at the place where countless forked branches extended outwards, in the center of the huge canopy, and re-condensed into a soul stone with a brilliant luster.
"Richard."
"Yes, His Majesty Ishutoli?" The lich who could see God answered hastily.
"Didn't you keep saying 'hope to witness the birth of the ice crown'? Then you must keep your eyes open now." Ishutoli stretched out his delicate arms, making everyone feel The power gathered in the slender fingers, "Because... the goddess' brush is a fleeting miracle."
Accompanied by the words like silver bells, the Soul Stone shot out countless bright blue rays in all directions, hit the emerald green leaves of the World Tree, and then reflected to the ground. As if they were really being held by the invisible fingers of a master artist, these rays of light in mid-air are sometimes swift, sometimes soothing, sometimes flitting about, and sometimes stopping with strokes. And at their ends, stone walls with grim surfaces were emerging from the unreal, settling from shadowy mirages into palpable entities.
Ishutoli is drawing an unprecedented magnificent capital according to the gesture in her heart.
The jade city walls, which are more than 100 meters high, connect end to end, forming a huge ring with a radius of ten miles, and countless rows of buildings form a pattern-like pattern on this land. In the center of the city, centered on the standing World Tree, a towering building rises from the ground. The exquisitely carved palace starts to rise from the solid ground, gradually tilts, and finally gathers together to form a cloud stretching into the clouds. The tall octahedral tower envelops the huge torso of the World Tree and its exposed roots. Further up is the sky garden group, with tens of thousands of steps leaning on the trunk of the world tree and winding upwards. The promenade connects countless courtyards with different styles. Invigorating aroma.
And above this dreamlike scenery is the highest point of the city. At this time, the buildings built along with the World Tree have been submerged in the luxuriant tree canopy. The thick branches of the World Tree hold up a sky square full of flowers. Twelve tall towers are evenly distributed on the edge of the square. They pass through the green branches and stab into the deep sky, with colorful lights shining on the top. And in the center of the sea of flowers—that is, the center of the crown of the World Tree—a small and exquisite castle well protected the Soul Stone embedded in the World Tree.
This is my castle, a beacon built to change the vast world.
When the complete work was painted on the earthly canvas, the Soul Stone returned to silence, but even long after the last light had faded, no one made a sound—even death knights and The liches couldn't restore their normal mood in a short time.
"Using this city to accommodate troops, I'm afraid...it's a little bigger..." After a long while, Alsace finally broke the silence. This warrior who likes to play a sarcastic role rarely showed a reverent expression.
"Because it's not a fortress specially built for the Battle of Dawn," Ishutoli opened his eyes and continued with a smile, "But I think this city should be much better than the hastily constructed fortifications Bar?"
"It's much better. The soldiers of the alliance may not even be able to push the gate." Roland turned his head and stared at the two fine gold gates in the outer city, which were 80 meters high.
"This kind of power is really great..." Richard sighed as if no one was there.
"Olin, then I'll go to the Temple of Soul to rest first, and I'll take care of everything here." The goddess stared at him intently, "The god's resurrection ceremony must be performed before dawn, if you miss it, you have to wait It will be done the next day. There is still a period of time between now and the dawn of tomorrow, I hope you can finish the arrangement before then...Because, before going to sleep, I have something that I must say no matter what."
"We will definitely come on time, don't worry, Ishutori." Roland replied firmly.
"Well, I'll wait." Ishutoli waved his hand with a smile, and the next moment, the figure in the dress melted into the air, and went away with the wind like the sound of a piano.
The radius of the city is four kilometers, the outer city wall is 100 meters high, and the city gate is 80 meters high. The tower-style palace built by trees is divided into four areas from bottom to top. The base at the bottom is 400 meters high and shaped like a disc; Octahedral trapezoid. The main tower itself is divided into ten floors, and there are checkpoints between the floors, which are very easy to defend; further up is the sky garden, which is divided into two parts. The building complex where the water circulation system is located is 300 meters high—the The World Tree still maintains the characteristics of a trunk without any branches, while the 200-meter-high courtyard group where the fountain is located has entered the crown of the tree, and the buildings are almost integrated with the branches and leaves, making it difficult to distinguish.
The uppermost air plaza is erected in the center of the canopy, including the twelve crystal towers and the temple of souls. It is the core part of the entire city and the goal of the death knights' swearing-in defense. However, there are obviously very few enemies who can reach here, and even if they arrive, it may be difficult to gain a foothold—the twelve towers are defensive towers made by Ishutoli based on Richard's technology, and their power exceeds No less.
Due to the excessive shock, the death knight didn't think to ask the name of the city, but what is certain is that almost all the adjectives that the bard can think of can be used for it. Not only that, but from a tactical point of view, this city can also serve as a model for defensive fortresses. In addition, the power of the Soul Stone is more reliable than the double magic circle of the Alliance Saint Capital, everything can be said to be perfect.
It took a whole day for the deployment of the 150,000 troops and the urban transformation, and it was already midnight when everything was settled. The clear moonlight sprinkled the earth, casting long shadows on the silent capital of the dead; looking up, the starlight sifted through the dense branches and leaves, as if they were covered with diamonds.
Ishutori sat quietly outside the Temple of Soul, stroking the tight strings with his fingers, the waves of music rippling over the sea of flowers again and again following the movements of the goddess, until the familiar voice sounded softly .
"Here we are, Ishutori." Roland bowed slightly, followed by Alsace and Richard.
"So, how do you feel?" Ishutoli asked expectantly.
"It's no exaggeration to say that this would be very boring." Alsace shrugged, "Even if all the Alliance troops turned into berserkers, they might not be able to knock on the outermost door... I thought the War of Dawn would Interesting, only to find out now that shooting arrows with eyes closed is the end."
"Ah la la, that's because I haven't had time to explain. The real enemy of the War of Dawn is Luvis, not humans." The goddess frowned dissatisfied, "The power that belongs to God is not just a sword. I can fight it, that's why I put so much thought into defense, it will be a hard battle for you."
"In the past years, although my strength was not enough to fight against the real god, my body was in the present world, so in reality, it was feasible to restrict Luvis. I interfere with Luvis, and I You fight against Luvis believers, this is God's war, but in the next three days, this problem will be exposed. The 'Resurrection Ceremony' is the will body that desires to become a god in order to review the past, examine itself and finally be with you The dream state created by the fusion of the world trees. The entire sleep will last for seventy-two hours, and during this time, my power will no longer be able to protect you, and Luvis will take advantage of the gap."
"But fortunately, the power of death knights comes from your obsession beyond life and death. As contract believers, you will not be affected, but the strength of ghouls and spider warriors will continue to decline during this period, so please be careful. "
"Is it a power that even the death knight can't resist? I think it's very interesting." Alsace laughed, and then turned to the lich as he remembered something, "By the way, Richard, aren't you in Reina?" People born in Sli? So what was the last Dawn War like?"
"If a lonely mage enters that kind of intense battlefield, he will definitely die without a place of burial, no matter how powerful he is." Most of the material has also been purged by the league, leaving only rumors and legends."
"Forget it," the inquirer snorted, "you can understand what kind of trick it is after the sun rises today."
"Does Ishutori have any clues?" Roland asked from the side.
"I have no experience of becoming a god, so I also know nothing about it." A worried expression appeared on the goddess's face, "But please remember, the most dangerous moment is the last hour, the moment when the god wakes up. That is the whole The focus of all unstable factors in the link, even your physical strength will decrease, the defensive power of the entire city will be evacuated in an instant, and the world tree will no longer be an indestructible existence—if Luvis wants to launch If there is a devastating blow, it will definitely be at that time."
"But if you get through it, you can become a real goddess." Richard's ice-blue pupils flashed an inexplicable excitement.
"That's right, it's up to everyone to succeed." Ishutoli frowned slightly, "It's not my strength, but everyone's own strength that decides the outcome of the Battle of Dawn. The result will definitely be what you hoped for.”
"Is it okay?" The deceased with water-colored pupils was a little worried, "After all...the death knight puts his own wish as the top priority..."
"This matter has been discussed a long time ago, Olin." The goddess blinked mischievously, "Don't worry."
"Then, it's getting late, let's prepare for the final defense, Your Majesty Ishutori." Richard and Alsace quickly exchanged glances, and then said, "There is one more question... this What is the name of the city?"
"If Ishutoli is destroyed along with it, it will be just a mountain of ruins. If it can become a god that can change the world, then I will give it a nice name. Of course, you all need to help out with ideas."
"Hey, it's really an exciting future." Arthas waved his hand, and slowly walked into the corridor with the Lich, "Then, see you in three days, goddess of love of flowers. I hope you can have a good dream .”
"Then I too..." Roland's body moved at the same time, but the next moment, Ishutori grabbed his sleeve.
"Ishutori?"
"Olin, please stay," the goddess' voice was unusually gentle, "didn't you just say it? Before entering the dreamland, I have something I must say no matter what... It is something I want Olin to know, an ancient and Nice story."
The brisk breeze raised the petals flying in the sky, the long silky hair and the black cloak of the dead. Accompanied by the melodious and distant sound of the piano, the sea of flowers in the entire square also rippled, and in the undulating and rhythmic white waves, the girl with emerald eyes began to tell everything that happened with a serious expression .
"A long time ago, the Arete Mountains in the northern continent were still sleeping in silence. Even the most vigorous climbers could not get a glimpse of her face, and even the aurora of the gods could not awaken her sweet dreams. Until one day, Everything changed—a girl fell from the sky. She sat on a blue transparent star, burning with a flame that would never be extinguished. Riah, and the riders are thus stepping on the unmelting snow of the Arret Mountains."
"The girl's name is Mengliu. She has long pure black hair and emerald eyes. She is very beautiful, but at the same time, she will also bring unimaginable dangers, so she must take various measures to ensure her safety. Mengliu then Using imagination to create luxurious palaces and blooming flowers for herself, so that she doesn't have to worry about being discovered by the same kind who have become gods, and she doesn't have to worry about the soul stone being destroyed by the forces of nature. However, such a result is not what she intended. desire… "
"Mengliu longed to realize her father's dream and pursue a perfect world, and becoming a god is one of the necessary conditions. So she ignored the danger of being discovered and destroyed, and began to guide those persistent wills with her own power, and tried to bring They were tempered into swords. But... the death knight she created was nothing special, just a fragile and sharp razor, but it couldn't stand the baptism of war. At this time, Mengliu realized that she was incomplete, Have to wait."
"Waiting to find the fragments of the heart lost in the world—'Beginning' and 'End'."
"Many years have passed like this, the liches attracted by knowledge built towering magic towers next to the palace, and the death knights who fulfilled their wishes opened up a perfect base in the valley. The former awakened the Arete Mountains, and the cold snow field suddenly became lively, and the moment Meng Liu was looking forward to came—she heard a familiar song from a distant continent, a beautiful song sung by a girl who was also black-haired and blue-eyed. The melody, that is the 'Siyuan' that I lost in the world."
"That girl is~!?" The listener widened his eyes, looking at Ishutori in disbelief.
"Olin guessed it? But please listen to me to continue, okay?" The goddess put her finger on her lips, and then showed a mysterious smile.
"Yes, yes." Roland stared at the other party with complicated eyes for a while, subconsciously grasped the pendant on his chest, and retreated to the harp again, surrounded by the sea of flowers.
"That girl is called Jiuyuan. She has the same face as Mengliu, and she also fell from the sky. But Jiuyuan has not established a connection with the Soul Stone. Before she awakens, she can only survive as a human being, and she needs food just like a human being. Like people, they will feel pain, and they will die like people. Lu Weisi, who also noticed the singing, knew this very well, so she suppressed the immature Meng Liu with one hand, and planned a trick to destroy Jiu Yuan with the other hand. Lu Weisi After choosing for a long time, four people were finally selected from the vast crowd—the king with a happy family, the priest who yearns for power, the conservative and cowardly prime minister, and the ignorant and passionate paladin... Their destinies have been intertwined since then, and they have become a picture of love. to catch the prey, but... no one realizes that they are just pawns in the hands of the goddess."
"That beautiful man with water-colored pupils is called Roland. He is childish and self-willed, but he is gentle and considerate, and he is willing to give everything for what he yearns for—like a stone thrown into the water and causing ripples. The long-lasting world Great changes have taken place because of Roland's arrival, many things have happened between the two, and the two hearts are gradually getting closer... But they don't know that what awaits at the end of the journey is only destruction and death."
"In order to prevent Meng Liu from gaining the power to compete with her forever, Lu Weisi designed an extremely evil ceremony—the Blood Ritual. When the dagger inlaid with Lu Weisi's curse is inserted into Jiu Yuan's body, her blood will be consumed Pollution, her soul will be melted, and the power she possesses will be sucked into the Twisting Nether after being broken into countless pieces, becoming food for demons or demons themselves."
"But... this almost perfect plot failed, and the scheming conservative shot himself in the foot. Lu Weisi would never have imagined that the destruction ritual she carefully planned would eventually achieve the perfection of the greatest enemy A faint blush appeared on Ishutoli's fair cheeks, "Because of Roland."
"Jiu Yuan's persistence and longing for love awakened her strength at the last moment, her soul returned to its original appearance and became 'Shiyuan', easily breaking away from Louise's shackles, and flew to the ice crown thousands of miles away .Mengliu and Jiuyuan, the two clones of the same will finally meet and merge into one based on the same goal. Now, they can no longer call themselves by the name of the fragment, but are eligible to use the name of "Ixiuto" Leigh' is the name of God."
"The goddess Ishutori was born."
"With the support of Siyuan's power, the knights of Ishutoli have gained power far stronger than ordinary death knights. The troops of the Ice Crown can now not worry about the attack from Luvis, and begin to move towards the land that was once inaccessible With the help of Mengliu and Jiu Yuan, his father's dream has finally taken its first step, and Ishutoli knows that he will go further in the future—with Reinas and Lu Wei who are still standing still. Nothing is the same—she will seek out and embrace the last of the powers, 'The End'."
"And three years later, when the army of undead swept across the Northland, Roland, who betrayed Luvis, refused to live a stable life, and yearned for revenge, finally came to the Ice Crown and pulled out the sword pointed by Mengliu. The great sword of transformation. That weapon was forged to attract more obsessives to come, but from the beginning, the person who can draw it has been determined - the person who can understand the song of the goddess will be its use Roland, who is in love with Jiu Yuan, naturally became Olin of Ishutori."
"The burning soul called out the long-awaited name the moment it saw the goddess, and the memory you and I shared started from then." Ishutoli closed his eyes, as if recalling the moment In this situation, the old story gradually fades away with the distant sound of the piano, leaving only the rustling sound of petals rubbing against each other.
"This kind of thing is too sudden for me, but" after a long silence, Roland suddenly retorted loudly and shook his head vigorously, "... Ishutoli and Jiuyuan are different~!"
"Olin is right. Ishutoli is not Jiujiu, but ah... Jiuyuan is Ishutoli." The goddess pressed her hand on her chest, as if confirming whether she had a mortal heartbeat, "Long memory Infiltrated into my memory, the precious experience shared by her and Roland is deeply hidden in my mind; the long-term personality affects my personality, and her love and longing for Roland are integrated into my soul. Taken back as a copy With the power, she has become a part of Ishutori, affecting this world and everything between you and me through the phantom in front of Olin's eyes."
"Why?" The burning flames in the death knight's pupils began to tremble, revealing a look of confusion and confusion, joy and sadness, "Ishutori, why are you telling me this at this time?"
"Because Olin is leaving." The girl with emerald eyes approached Roland and stared at him intently, "Originally, I hoped to keep Olin... no matter if it's for a long time or Ishtoli, whoever They don't want to play a tune that no one is listening to. But there's no way, because Olin has changed, the kind of change Ishutori expects, but... it's also a change that will make him leave, right?"
"..." Roland silently avoided the other party's gaze.
"This is the last chance, so I choose to tell the truth." Accompanied by the soft voice, the goddess' eyes, tone of voice, and smile all changed, and the Ishutori familiar to Roland disappeared, replaced by Ling The girl for whom his soul also boiled.
"... long?"
Except for the first time seeing Ishutori, Roland has never mistaken the goddess for the person who supported his soul—they have the same face, but they are completely different individuals, death knights who are familiar with both He knew this very well, but now he couldn't tell the difference at all.
Maybe that beautiful figure is just a posture imitated by Ishutoli based on his memory, but Roland can feel very clearly that every smile and frown from the other party belongs to the past—the one standing in front of him is no matter the age No matter how time passes, I will never forget the long time.
"Before saying goodbye, don't you want to hug your beloved Jiu Yuan?"
Sustained silence enveloped the sea of flowers rolling in waves. The death knight stared at the black-haired and blue-eyed girl wordlessly, then slowly approached her, his outstretched right hand seemed to caress that pure black long hair. But when he was about to touch it, he suddenly withdrew his hand as if awakened.
"It's not like this..." Roland bit his lip subconsciously, as if making some decision, he suddenly raised his head and stared at the other person, "There is no need to go to this level, and... if I have to say goodbye, I should Say goodbye to Ishutori."
"Roland?"
"I've been thinking, why did Ishutori choose me—a death knight who lost his goal, who is not worthy of being called a persistent person—to complete the most important task? Because I can enter the capital of stars? Because I am a goddess Orin? Or because my luck is particularly good? But those are only secondary reasons, which can’t explain anything. Until now, I finally understand everything.” The man with water-colored pupils stretched his brows, and then smiled, "Ishutoli wants to fulfill his long-standing wish. This is the most important reason, right?"
The moment I heard these words, Ishutoli couldn't help avoiding Olin's gaze, and subconsciously lowered his head to hide his complicated expression.
"The fool who was deluded by revenge has never been able to understand Jiu Yuan's true wish. Not only that, he also ignored the advice of others, so he finally committed a sin that cannot be repented." Roland sighed softly, "Until When encountering Katoli, the avenger discovers his own ugliness and stupidity in the dazzling mirror—reckless revenge is just a poison that paralyzes the soul, destroying not only himself, but also others.”
"Catori Orlande is a good girl, she made me wake up." When the name was mentioned, the corner of the death knight's mouth slightly raised, "However, if there is no agreement with Ishutori, the Dark Eagle would have It would have disappeared completely eight years ago; without Ishutori's trust, Roland would never have met Katori, and the undead who lost his soul might just get lost in the flowers... So... "
"I want to thank Ishutoli, and I want to say goodbye to Ishutoli." Roland stretched out his arms and embraced Ishutoli who was still speechless.
The hugging movement was very light, as if he was afraid of waking the sleeping beauty in his arms; the duration was also very short, as if he was afraid that his determination would melt. The overlapping time of the two figures is only a short moment, but the girl being hugged feels the warmth from the soul of the other party—neither the hotness of revenge, nor the coldness of confusion, but the reassuring warmth.
It can no longer be hidden, and there is no need to hide it anymore. Ishutori put his hands on his chest again, feeling the non-existent heartbeat.
"I have always been unable to let go of the long-term death, but now at least I feel at ease." The death knight stepped back to the distance of an arm before, and then said in a relaxed tone, "Although I don't know if it is appropriate to say that, anyway... in the future, Jiu Yuan also begs you."
"En." Ishutoli responded in a low voice, and a faint red cloud floated on his beautiful face again, "Is Olin leaving?"
Roland nodded, showing a gratified smile: "All these years, I have been taken care of. Ishutoli, please take care."
"Oilin too." The goddess finally raised her head, staring at the other person's familiar and gentle face with clear eyes, "Please take care, no matter where you are..."
In the next instant, the beautiful phantom in a dress shattered into countless crystal powders like snowflakes, and melted into the dawn air with the breeze. The soul stone in the center of the square tightened like a heart, and then the surrounding space was like ripples on the water surface, bursting out round after round of ripples. The branches, leaves and veins of the entire World Tree glowed with a faint pure white light amidst the ripples, and these lights gradually converged into streams, which began to flow wave after wave to the center of the tree crown and the interior of the Hall of Souls— In the pulsating soul stone.
"Finally, Ishutori's revival ceremony has begun." Richard stared intently at the brightly lit crown of the World Tree.
"The alliance army has also arrived." Alsace pouted from the side. Looking down from the 100-meter-high city wall where the undead are stationed, the 220,000 troops composed of the three major holy knight orders and the armies of the six countries are like an endless and dead forest. Above the forest made of flags, countless faint blue fluorescent lights are circling and flying at high speed, looking like a vast ocean suspended in mid-air.
"I can feel some kind of strange soul fluctuations, what are those?" A voice came from afar, and when the Lich turned around, the nimble Nightmare had already rushed to his side.
"That's the power manipulated by Luvis, and the liches are analyzing the specific situation." Richard stared at Roland for a long time, and then replied slowly, "They haven't materialized yet, maybe when Ishuto Lu Weisi will launch the main attack after Li has completely fallen asleep, and I am afraid it will take a few more minutes."
"That's now." Roland turned his head to look at the World Tree. The morning sun on October 9 was gradually rising from the far east behind the crown of the tree. The pale golden light first cut a clear outline for the majestic Yahevi Mountains, and then crossed the barrier built by the cliffs, like an unstoppable rushing tide, sweeping across the entire land, illuminating the entire canyon, sharpening the bloodthirsty blade, Wash the eyes of soldiers. Almost at the same time, the piece of blue light floating in the air began to stir.
"There are still seventy-two hours before dawn." The death knight clenched the halberd in his hand, and the sharp tip of the weapon radiated a brilliance in the sunlight.
The Dawn of Ishutori has entered the final countdown.