Iberia.
The peninsula country that was once separated from Angelou by the sea is now roaring with the roar of the surging waves and the rocks that have been washed out for thousands of years.
On the dark cliff mixed with a large amount of iron metal, a huge earthquake occurred and cracks appeared.
The slender iron piles floated in the air, with a texture like bones. Under the impact of invisible forces, they were wedged inch by inch into the deepest part of the stone mountain.
Through the hole, which is as thick as a human waist, one can hear the dull echo from the deepest part of the earth.
It almost completely penetrated the stone mountain from top to bottom. After breaking through the rock layers, soil and sand, the iron pile with a lapis lazuli core entered a depth of several hundred meters below the sea level.
As if a deep cave had been opened, a deep and cold wind came from the deepest part of the earth.
"The ground vein survey is correct."
The musician who was standing at the entrance of the cave put away the construction drawings in his hands and nodded to the engineer behind him: "The third branch of Iberia is here. The target land exploration is completed and the equipment is ready for entry."
Then, on the sea, the heavy steel ship burst out with a sharp and high-pitched cry.
After smashing through the layers of rocks in the shallow sea, we arrived under the cliff. Soon, the changing musicians on the deck waved their hands and struggled to push dozens of tons of containers to fly up and hang high in the air.
As the container was opened on all sides, the heavy steel contained in it fell into the air and was soon caught by invisible hands. Under the support of the ether, dozens of mass-produced musicians blushed and controlled countless iron materials and machinery in the sky. In the end, they aimed at the cave on the cliff.
The musician in charge of the project took out the terminal from his arms, flipped the module formed by the illusion above, and after quickly verifying his heartbeat and identity, he connected to Avalon, which was thousands of miles away.
Among the chaotic noise, a deep voice sounded:
"This is Stein's Chamber Zero."
"This is the recorded node No. 5684, the site of the Iberia No. 3 branch connection project. The ground vein survey is correct. Apply for the central second-floor interface and construction authorization."
After a short period of silent waiting, the reply came: "The second-layer relay authorization has been opened, and the Iberia mainline project has been confirmed. Gentlemen, you can start the construction. In the name of the Supreme Network, I am here to tell you Authorization.”
Along with the complicated music theory transmitted thousands of miles away, a calm and solemn voice sounded:
"—Erect the foundation of the earth, support the dome of the sky, and the eternal world will be created from this!"
Along with that calm voice, a low movement played from the terminal, and the music theory from Avalon unfolded from it, awakening the sleeping steel in the sky.
Amidst the flying sparks and jumping lightning, steel and iron rub against each other, emitting sharp sounds, interpreting the frantic tide of the movement. When it fell to the ground, it made the earth tremble, forming a low drum beat.
Main pile, foundation, hydraulic damper, ether diverter valve…
Following the pull of invisible gravity, layers of steel fell from the sky and took root in the cave. The rivets were wedged in and the screws were tightened. In an instant, the steel rose from the ground.
Like a sharp skeleton, it wants to pierce the sky.
Immediately afterwards, layers of heavy ancillary facilities were pieced together.
Amidst the long roar, the tens of meters high steel building grew at an incredible speed until it finally became plump with flesh and bones and had a ferocious outline.
"The first bell begins!"
The royal musician in charge of the project shouted the order: "No. 5684, synchronized sequence!"
As a result, the steel tower shook violently, and the huge quake spread from top to bottom, reaching the deepest part of the earth, causing a roar to erupt in the huge cavity under the deep earth.
Across the thick earth, a majestic bell rang once.
The sea is shaking**.
Far away in the realm of heaven on earth, the ether network high in the sky still rotates peacefully, but one of the small modules moves slightly, thousands of miles away, along the ether sea. Through the huge network, a ray of lingering sound spread to the country across the ocean.
Let the blazing light shine on the tower.
"Second bell!"
The musician shouted excitedly: "Verification started!"
The earth shook again, and the bells from the cavities of the earth became louder and louder, conveying their own messages to distant countries and accepting brand-new music theory.
"The third bell!"
The musician roared: "Confirm music theory agreement!"
Fanatical engineers were pulling at cables quickly, waiting for the final response to arrive.
And in the distance, a blazing torrent emerged from under the sea, glowing like a blazing sun. It was the endless flow of ether rushing in the deep sea, and the established track of the earth, guided by the beacons of the sea of ether, rushed across thousands of miles of ocean. The violent light penetrated the thick ocean and formed a golden current.
Until finally, they gathered in the deep earth vein cavity, followed the established trajectory, soared into the sky, spurted out from the top of the Synchronic Instrument, rushed into the sky, and converged with thousands of light streams.
The light was like polar neon, and silver ribbons danced in the night sky, making the sky burned red by the flames appear thrilling and magnificent.
So the bell rings.
Amid everyone's cheers, the musician in charge of the project stared at the sky in silence for a long time, then turned back:
"How many seats is there?"
"Calculating the time, there should be twenty-seven seats, right?"
The assistant flipped through the project plan and smiled bitterly: "According to the schedule, before the end of tomorrow, our six teams will have to build forty buildings in Iberia. It's a big project... It's easy to talk at the top, but break the legs at the bottom." We are trying to save the world, but in fact all we can do is work overtime, right?”
"I'm not asking us."
The musician shook his head, but twitched his chin at the firelight reflected in the sky: "Well, that one."
"Then no one will know."
The bitter smile on the assistant's face stiffened, and he shook his head slightly: "I'm afraid even the executioners can't figure it out, right? The time it takes us to erect a tower here is enough for them to light a hundred fire racks."
"yes."
The musician tilted his head, put the lit match close to the cigarette, took a deep breath and put out the match: "Bringing a glimmer of new order, and then offering a hundred times the same destruction... Sometimes I wonder: What will happen in the history books in the future? How do you rate us?”
The assistant shrugged.
No one knows about this issue.
But if Stone were here, he would probably answer him "the person who saves the world", right
Unfortunately, Stone never paid attention to these boring questions when he was working.
The Inquisition never cared about whether their place in the history books was infamy. All they cared about was their work.
…
Also in the land of Iberia, also under the cover of the sky.
When the royal musicians threw the silver light ribbon representing the new order into the sky, the purification musicians on the ground also threw ten times more fire into the sky.
Stone walked under the stake, his iron boots trampling on the ashes.
Among the countless burning firewood teams, the sounds of crying and whining came, and the dying breath seemed to be entangled in the burning flames.
His steps were steady and determined, not like a dying old man at all. Even though he was holding a fat man by the collar and struggling hard, he didn't move at all.
"No! It's not like that! The Holy City promised me! I am pure!" His expression twitched into a ball, and tears flowed down his face: "I am pious! You can't do this!"
Stone smiled.
"Who, then, can prove your piety?"
He lowered his head, overlooking the man, casting a ferocious shadow on his twisted face.
Against the blazing firelight, the old face could not be seen clearly, but his eyes seemed to be two deep cracks, leading to a world filled with lava and fire.
"Is it this benevolent Cardinal?"
Shi Dong stretched out his hand and pointed at the charred corpse on the torture rack beside him.
The charred corpse was twitching in the flames, as if there was still a trace of life left.
The once luxurious red robe had turned into charred and twisted charcoal during the burning. Only the holy symbol around his neck was still shining in the burning fire.
Immediately afterwards, Shi Dong pointed his finger at another torture rack:
"Is this the prince?"
"Is this the leader of the party?"
"Or is it His Majesty the King?"
He opened his mouth and smiled as if chewing coals.
In the midst of the wailing, the grease-soaked torture rack suddenly shook, and with the crackling sound of pine knots bursting, the flames suddenly shook, completely engulfing the figure on the torture rack.
The foehn wind swept across, dragging the ashes and empty souls with them, sending their screams into the sky. Finally, they turned into flying black dust and fell like drizzle.
Amidst the suffocated screams of the Inquisitor, only Stone's hoarse singing voice was heard.
The hoarse singing voice produced by the steel vocal cords was incoherent, but it was entangled in the flames, accompanied by the crackling sound of pine knots, given to the bone marrow by dust and whine, and gained fullness in the rising of the flames.
It was as if the world of suffering had been stripped of its disguise, and a pious scream was offered in the pain.
As a result, hundreds of people sang in chorus.
Under thousands of torture racks, countless purifying musicians enthusiastically chanted this hymn of judgment, gathering into a majestic wave, as if to shake the sky, whip the souls in the fire, and completely burn all ugliness in the fire. Almost exhausted.
Stone was moving forward, stepping on the fire.
The blazing fire seemed to surge into his veins, turning his pupils into a feverish red.
The grand trial seemed to have given him a new life, making him walk in the hell he had built with his own hands, bathing in the fire, throwing the sinners into the firewood one by one, and making them sing God's hymns in the fire.
The fire disperses the darkness.
The grand bonfire burned the sky red, spreading the flames to the surrounding areas, causing all darkness to recede in the fanatical flames of revenge.
Until dawn, the last person in charge was set up on a huge bonfire.
"I'm not wrong! I'm right! You wild dogs! Don't touch me!"
The man wearing a crown and fine clothes roared at the Witch's Hammer: "How dare you do this! Stone, how dare you! It was the ancestors of our sixteen families who funded you! It was my grandfather who had an eye for you. Add! We have granted you great power and given the Inquisition the highest honor! We signed agreements and covenants under the witness of gods! How dare you do this!!!"
Under the torture rack, the old man bathed in the burning wind raised his head.
Look at him.
Laughed.
"Although it is a pity for everyone that things have happened now, I have to say: sixteen families, including your ancestors, with a total of 179 direct members, have already been involved in the Inquisition long before the establishment of the Inquisition. It’s on the first batch of purification lists.”
Stone smiled, staring at his distorted face, his red face full of energy: "Although due to various reasons, an arrest warrant cannot be issued against you, today is really... a day when dreams come true."
He spread his arms like a gift to welcome the New Year and cheered: "Why not sing loudly, my friend? On this day when dreams come true, even the air becomes as sweet as honey!"
On the torture rack, the twisted face twitched, and at the end, it roared madly:
"I curse you! You group of heretics who betrayed the way of God! Beasts of indulgence and killing! You were led by the rebels and went astray. You have already lost the right path! You have violated the covenant! God will spurn you! God will spit on you!!!"
"Ah, maybe."
Shi Dong smiled and raised the torch: "If He really cares about this covenant."
let go.
The firelight swirled from his hand and fell onto the pyre.
In the flames catalyzed by the ether, the special seats tailor-made for the distinguished adults were ignited, burning brightly, and throwing thick smoke into the sky in the ray of dawn.
The light jumped among the firewood, dancing, accompanied by Shi Dong's hoarse humming and clapping rhythm, flashing a wild and beautiful figure, with a fleeting beauty.
Reflected in the pair of bloodshot pupils.
It almost took Stone's breath away.
This is the most dazzling thing in the world.
It has transformed from mortal things, showing its brilliance through pain, turning all ugliness into ashes... That intoxicating brilliance seems to be alive.
Even in this cold and cruel world, it can bring warmth.
"It's so beautiful."
He was like a child, standing between the flames and looking longingly at the dancing light.
Just like countless times in the past.
Only here, only at this moment, could he feel that he was with the dead who had spent a long time with him.
Gather together.
They have never been separated by cruel time.
It wasn't until the fire went out that he woke up from his long dream and felt the morning dew condense on the corners of his eyes, sliding over the ashes and falling to the ground.
"Next!"
he shouted.
In the silence, a calm voice came from behind: "There is no next one."
He turned around in astonishment, saw the young man in the wheelchair, and countless extinguished fire racks, and finally realized:
"Is it... over?"
"Well, it's over."
"So where do we go next?"
"There's nowhere to go, Stone."
Watson looked at him: "Anglo, Asgard, Burgundy, and then from Navia to Iberia, Stone, our journey has been completed."
"Really? The bonfire party is over?"
Shi Dong lowered his head in despair and sat on the steps of the woodpile, as if he finally felt tired, and finally looked like an old man: "It's only been a while, what a pity."
Watson shrugged: "Perhaps you should complain to our boss later and ask him to hand over the next list to me. It will definitely be very long."
Stone said nothing.
He just raised his head silently and looked at the sun rising gradually behind the gray clouds in the distance.
"Watson, do you think it's okay to follow the guidance of private wishes instead of a just tribunal?" He suddenly asked softly, "To this day, I don't know whether my choice was right or wrong."
"It's too late to think about regrets now, right?" Watson couldn't help but laugh softly and shook his head, "Times have changed, old man."
"Yes, I have lived too long and the world has changed so fast. I must have been left in the past long ago."
Shi Dong smiled self-deprecatingly and patted his iron knee: "Looking back now, it seems like it was yesterday when the referee was established. At that time, I would definitely despise my degenerate and ugly appearance now, right? But if you think about it seriously, there seems to be nothing wrong with falling."
He looked at Watson, his cloudy eyes in the past were so clear, reflecting his face, as if he were looking at his former self:
"Isn't it the shadow that likes to chase light?"
Watson was stunned.
"Although I am too old to have the strength to erect the torture rack, and there are still various unsatisfactory conditions, those things are no longer important."
Shi Dong lowered his head and whispered softly:
"What a fun expedition..."
Under countless fire racks, in the refreshing breath of ashes, he smiled and closed his eyes, as if sleeping among the flowers.
The magnificent dream of a century has returned from the passing flames.
"Stone? Hello, Stone?"
Watson stretched out his hand to shake him awake, but when he touched his cold shoulder, he froze. After a long time, he lowered his eyes and smiled reluctantly:
"Did you actually fall asleep here? You're quite old, so you should keep warm, right?"
He pushed the wheelchair forward, carefully covered Stone with the thin blanket on his knees, stretched out his hand, hugged him gently, and said goodbye softly:
"Good night, Stone."
Good night.
May you be able to reunite with the deceased in front of the eternal bonfire in the endless night.