Late at night, in the Holy City, the midnight bell dissipates in the sky.
The hall was dark, and the towering pillars stood as if extending into the darkness.
In the darkness, little bits of silver light were suspended in the air, shining like stars, and when they collided with each other, they burst out with the light of a flame.
It's like the entire starry sky is hidden in this hall.
The old man wearing a red robe sat in the starry sky, looking up intently at the shining stars above his head and gazing at the dazzling Milky Way.
This is the projection of the "Sea of Ether", which represents the endless power that echoes between the sky and the earth.
Every bit of starlight represents a resonant musician, every collision, every spark represents an earth-shaking battle and dispute.
Countless ether flashes illuminated the center of the hall, filled with stars.
Musicians who have not broken through the barriers of knowledge are not even qualified to be included. Resonance-level musicians are just dim light spots at the bottom.
The star field is divided into nine layers from high to low. At the top, there are three huge stars that illuminate the darkness like the sun's rays.
It was the brilliance of the Three Kings, the supreme kingship of the three musicians, Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.
For hundreds of years, they have opened up the darkness, illuminated the human world, and announced the end of the dark age and the arrival of the golden age.
Just like the scorching sun moving in the sky, it never burns out day and night. Beyond their light, there is endless darkness.
That is the dark world, a dark realm that humans have not yet been able to set foot on, and cannot set foot on.
As time passed, the old monk wearing a red robe stopped in the darkness, contemplating something intently.
Until the clanging sound of iron boots and stone slabs was heard in the distance.
The old monk woke up from his meditation, couldn't help but yawned, and asked in a low voice: "It's so late, is anyone else here?"
"It's Father Benn of the Knights Templar. You'll see him in three minutes."
A mature and gentle voice answered him: "Bishop Albert, you should tidy up your appearance and meet a knight commander in this appearance. It loses the dignity and dignity of a cardinal."
"Yes, here we go again."
Bishop Albert's lips curled up, and he raised his sleeves to wipe the drool on his beard: "That's it. We are both serving God, why do we care so much? Besides, in the Knights Templar, who represent the power of God, Up ahead, what dignity can I, a bad old man, have to show him?"
Soon, the distant figure walked in, and the ancient armor reflected the starlight, giving off a cold glow.
"Bishop Albert."
He solemnly saluted the old monk, and then looked at the dark ceiling: "Your Excellency 'Nibelung', long time no see."
"We meet again, Knight Commander Benn."
A gentle voice from the ceiling responded: "We meet again. I have sent the new robes to your residence. Tomorrow is your promotion ceremony, and you should rest early tonight."
"Thanks for reminding me, I will." Ben nodded.
Albert looked at his expressionless face and couldn't help but sigh: "Staying with a serious guy like you always makes me feel uncomfortable breathing. You should smile more, Ben. "
"I'll pay more attention." Ben remained expressionless.
"...Forget it, you should just leave it like this."
Albert shook his head helplessly, raised his hand to fiddle with the sea of stars, and just asked casually:
"You just came back from the Armageddon Line. Tomorrow is your good day. Why are you here in the middle of the night without sleeping? Do you want to talk to a bad old man like me?"
"no."
Ben replied: "Just came to take a look."
"...Has anyone ever said you don't know how to chat?"
"have."
Ben nodded: "There are many."
Albert suddenly felt helpless: It was really hard to communicate with a guy like this who had nothing to say.
"Then look, I'll continue to observe."
He stopped talking, raised his finger, guided the sky of stars to descend, zoomed in to a certain place in front of him, and skillfully retrieved the records in it.
It can be seen that time is moving backwards rapidly, and it will freeze at the end.
In front of Albert, the stars shook violently, bursting into flashes of light one after another. The flashes were blood red and full of ominous aura.
There is a faint mark of an eye in it.
"What's this?"
Ben frowned and asked, "Evil God?"
"Well, these are the remaining traces of the Hundred-Eyed Man."
Albert said: "Those guys have been making big moves recently. I'm afraid that in the end, the Knights Templar will come out to clean up the mess."
Ben stared at the distribution of the star field and compared it with the map in his heart, his expression became slightly gloomy: "Where?"
"Avalon."
Albert said calmly: "Angelou, the source of all evil, has become more and more chaotic recently."
Ben seemed to have remembered something, his expression became more and more gloomy, and there seemed to be thunderclouds in his eyes.
"Are there detailed records?" he asked.
"If so, I wouldn't have to squat here in the middle of the night to do analysis."
Albert scratched his chin, his beard a mess, "Look, this is an image recorded late last night."
He pointed at the moving starry sky in front of him and asked for flashes of light that shone, extinguished and disappeared:
"The Nibelungs first observed an ether tide erupting in Avalon, and discovered that it was related to a ritual of blood sacrifice to the evil god. The level of alert was raised by two levels, and the report was reported directly to me. But because of the Great Tide of Avalon Due to the barrier of the Ether Realm, we have no way to find out what happened. The message sent by the Musicians Association of Avalon today is also vague. It seems that they don’t want the sect to take more control. However, we have passed the investigation of the 'Ether Realm'. ’ observations and found very interesting things.”
"Interesting?" Ben frowned.
"That's right, look."
Albert turned the starry sky and put the record back on display.
In that turbulent starry sky, the stars were constantly lighting up and extinguishing, but it was like they were covered with a thin veil, making it difficult to see clearly.
But in that blur, a star suddenly emerged from the darkness, rising slowly with a dazzling light. Compared with it, the light of other stars is like dust.
All the flash and blood were dispersed by that star and disappeared without a trace. Not even the Great Barrier of Avalon could stop it, it broke through and rose into the sky.
In the dark sky, only one star shines.
The light rose and illuminated Ben's eyes, causing his brows to raise slightly:
"What's this?"
"The unique phenomenon that occurs when musicians resonate with the great source. We initially thought it was the wave caused when someone broke through the barrier of knowledge, but it just looks similar, and is essentially something completely different. Its The integrity is too strong…”
Albert freezes the starry sky, making that star magnify, magnify, and magnify again. In the end, both of them were included in the entire star.
Ben looked around and saw countless notes jumping and connecting with each other to form a detailed and complete movement. The movement was constantly changing, breathtakingly fine, and every detail was perfect.
"Did you see it?"
Albert whispered intoxicatedly: "I haven't seen such a unique piece of music in many years. It does not contain any impurities and is as pure as moonlight."
He paused and sighed softly: "It's so beautiful that it's scary, as if it has a soul."
"Could it be a projection left by a certain saint?"
"I've already compared the information."
Albert shook his head: "Nine saints, six open in the dark world, and three more, but none of them have been close to Avalon. I consulted Mr. Haydn for his opinion, and Mr. Haydn seemed to know something, But he refused to say anything.”
Ben was stunned for a moment, "Is there no record of Nibelungen?"
"That's what frustrates me."
Albert curled his lips and looked at the ceiling: "What was your original sentence?"
"The Nibelungs are not everything, sir."
The gentle voice said: "We are just recorders."
Ben frowned. As an inquisitor with many years of experience, he keenly sensed a hint of hidden meaning.
Nibelungen did not answer his question directly, did not say "know", did not say "don't know", and did not even coldly refuse to answer and said "no comment".
This problem has fallen into disrepair.
No matter how many times it was asked, it would only give such an answer, which added another mystery to Ben's mind.
"However, I tried to investigate what happened in Avalon through other channels and found a very interesting gadget."
Albert took out a small cardboard box from his pocket, opened it and showed it to Ben: "Would you like to play with it? This is the 'legendary playing card' that is very popular among gamblers in Avalon."
"legend?"
"Yes, there are many legendary characters printed on the poker cards, and the content will continue to change with the changes of the times, which is unexpectedly interesting. I decided to suggest to the Cardinal Council that the Order also issue a set, how about calling it the Musician Poker? "
Albert shuffled the cards skillfully and pulled them casually in his mouth.
"Don't go off topic." Ben reminded.
"Okay, let's continue talking about this. Some of the content in it is quite good, but some of the content is particularly unreliable. What kind of strange man running naked on a moonlit night actually has a dog? I really don't know what they are thinking. But , this is not the point, the point is that there is a new card in the latest version.”
The cards in his hand changed, and suddenly a card popped out and flew towards Ban. Ben caught it and looked towards the front.
It was a pure black card. In the darkness, there was a vague figure, and there was a hint of ferocity in the silhouette of the dress.
He was holding his cane, his posture and movements were polite, but it made people feel extremely strange. The artist obviously put a lot of effort into depicting that kind of spirit vividly.
"What's this?"
"Sherlock Holmes."
Albert said: "People call him the revengeful evil spirit Holmes. According to our investigation, this man can be said to have indirectly caused the turmoil and became one of the final winners. Now in Avalon , he has become a terrible legend. Those who violate the rules will wake up from nightmares and see him standing at the head of their bed, bringing evil punishment to themselves."
"Black Musician?" Ben asked.
"No, the Silent Agency has read his intelligence and made comparisons. No known black musician's characteristics can match his. Otherwise, we would have put him on the wanted list long ago. Moreover, this guy can be called a black musician. Killer, there is news that proves that the three brothers Green Teeth, Yellow Foot and Red Eyes all died in his hands. But some people say that Sherlock Holmes never kills people... It sounds very contradictory, right? "
"No."
Ben shook his head, "There is a crueler punishment in this world than death."
Albert looked at him deeply and couldn't help showing a self-deprecating smile: "Yes, that's right. That's why it seems even more cruel..."
"Do you suspect that phenomenon has something to do with him?"
"From the perspective of elimination, it is very possible. But elimination is the most unreliable method. We still don't know anything yet. I have asked the Nibelungs to record this melody, and the next time it appears , you can collect more detailed information.”
Albert paused and raised his eyes:
"No matter what, as the Shadow of Avalon awakens, many abnormalities will become more and more obvious, so, Ben, be prepared?"
"What preparation?"
"Preparation against 'acts of God'."
Albert's words stunned Ben.
"What's the meaning?"
"That's what it means literally. Don't forget, the Shadow of Avalon is the weapon and power that King Arthur left behind to fight against the sea demon. Its awakening can only represent: one of the 'Four Living Creatures' that transcends many natural disasters. , the sea demon Leviathan will also be resurrected."
Albert stood up from the ground and said softly: "If the Anglo royal family cannot complete the mission of our ancestors, then we can only take over. By then, Avalon will become another 'Armageddon', another human being A battlefield to fight the God of Disaster. This is the Nibelungen’s decision.”
Ben looked at the dome in silence. Above the dome, the gentle voice sounded, "This will be a tragic sacrifice, but we have no choice. It is foreseeable that this possibility will happen in the near future." .”
Ben was silent for a long time and nodded slowly: "Since it is the prophecy of Nibelungen, then the Knights Templar should obey it."
"If you are here today, please don't spread the news. The Cardinal Council has not made a formal decision yet. We can only wait and see for the time being."
Albert patted his shoulder: "Go and rest early. Don't think about these too heavy things. From tomorrow on, you will be the third commander of the Knights Templar."
Albert gave him one last look, and the red robe disappeared into the darkness.
Ben raised his head and stared at the starry sky. After a long silence, he suddenly asked softly.
"Nibelungen."
"I'm here, Lord Ben." The gentle voice responded.
"Have you received any response to the questions I asked a few days ago?"
"There is already news."
Nibelungen told him, "The child you adopted lived a happy life in Avalon. He was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music and became an apprentice with excellent results. As you hoped, he had a child. A trustworthy teacher, he also has a new life, and there are occasional bumps in the road, but it’s normal.”
"It would be great."
Ben's eyes became relieved.
"In another day, you will receive the letter he wrote to you." Nibelungen said, "But if you can't wait, I can read the content for you."
"No need."
Ben shook his head, "With all the hardships and sufferings in the world, there must be some good news for tomorrow."
He turned and left just as he came.
In the darkness, only the stars shine.
…
…
Under the starry sky, in the foggy city.
The long dark street was quiet and deserted.
"Is this right here?"
Ye Qingxuan stood in front of the old mansion, looking through the iron fence and the thick fog at the faint buildings behind.
According to his imagination, the professor might live in a sewer or a gutter, or at worst, it would be a hidden room in a slum. In short, it must be full of evil, darkness and secrets.
But he never expected... The professor actually bought an old house with a garden near Queen's Road, the busiest street in Avalon.
Ye Qingxuan secretly calculated the exact cost, and immediately shed two sad tears for being so poor.
Why is this woman so rich? !
After thinking for a long time, he finally raised his hand and rang the doorbell.
Ding~
Behind the iron gate, the clear sound of a copper bell came, echoing in the white mist.
Soon, in the white mist, a rickety figure holding a cane slowly emerged. He limped over, raised the wind lantern in his hand, and illuminated the young man's face. His voice became gloomy and complicated, and he couldn't help but reveal a hint of hatred:
"Oh? What a rare visitor... Long time no see, Mr. Holmes."
Ye Qingxuan tilted his head and looked at him. Through the light, he could clearly see the ugly face. It looked like he had a layer of blisters and measles. The face was extremely ugly, but he could still vaguely recognize its original appearance. .
"Rat King Sam?"
Ye Qingxuan thought for a moment and understood what was going on. He couldn't help but laugh: "It's been a long time. How have you been lately?"
"follow me."
The Rat King ignored him, just took out the key and opened the iron door.
"—Master has been waiting for you for a long time."
…
Ye Qingxuan saw his master again at the back of the ancient house.
In a huge library, there is only one lone lamp.
In the light, you can vaguely see the densely packed ancient books on the surrounding walls. They filled almost every inch of space, extending upward into the darkness where light could not reach.
"You came later than I thought."
Next to the lonely lamp, a cold voice came.
She was leaning on a soft chair, with a blanket covering her knees, as if she had just woken up from a short sleep, with a lazy and charming expression.
When she noticed that the young man was sitting opposite her, she raised her hand and pointed at the tea set on the table, "Pour the newly arrived scented tea yourself, and take a cup for me as well."
Ye Qingxuan looked at her, and she looked at Ye Qingxuan. After a long time, Ye Qingxuan sighed, picked up the teapot, and poured her another cup.
Steam rose from the delicate enamel tea cup, blurring the beautiful face like a phantom mist.
"Finally we meet again."
Ye Qingxuan looked into her eyes and asked softly: "Should I call you Miss Moriarty, or... Professor Laura Kraft?"
"Just call me Laura."
Miss Lola Kraft, a genuine visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, "a rising star of the Revelation Faction," a "famous historical scholar," and a "sickly sick and incompetent" aristocratic lady, smiled:
"Now it looks like your frown is exactly the same as the teacher's back then."