gods and beasts
Adrian Close is convinced that he is dead.
He had seen so many deaths that the moment the pain and numbness in his chest ran down the nerves into his brain, he saw his future clearly. In the second before he lost consciousness, he didn't have the slightest disbelief or hopeless hope.
This is the end of life.
As the Judge Knight Commander, marching hard in blood and fire, Adrian had envisioned his own death many times, and he was well prepared.
Only one thing was different from what he expected, the relief like the end of the mission did not come, but a faint reluctance to give up. It's not that he has any unfulfilled wishes, he just cares a little - what will happen after Jesse Dylan
Darkness followed, engulfing his consciousness.
Maybe after a few seconds, maybe after countless years, the darkness in front of me revealed some orange-red warmth, like the sun shining through my eyelids during a nap.
The body seemed to be floating, and Adrian could not feel his body. I don't know how long this hazy state lasted, and a little warmth came from a distant place.
Something cold and wet unknown was pressing against his cheek, and the warm air slapped his face rapidly.
Why does he still feel his presence
Despite being a fanatic, Adrian himself has always maintained a neutral attitude towards the ideal of the Zealots. He doesn't believe that a human ruler has such ability—morals and laws change rapidly, and the "good" and "evil" determined by a few human beings can really send the dead to the ideal land where God is
Taking a step back, even if the ideal land exists, he does not need it. Adrian had long forgotten that there was any desire in his heart to "belong only to himself" and "to bring happiness".
Taking a step back, even if he really harbored a few subconscious wishes, he was just dragged into the ideal land. It is absolutely impossible for his wish to include the item "being slapped in the face by something cold".
Before he could successfully open his eyes, Adrian waved his hand out, weak but decisive.
Then he grabbed a large handful of hairs.
As if someone had thrown a bucket of ice water, Adrian forced himself to open his eyes.
A large, wet black nose blocked most of his vision, and it spewed warm breath as if it was sniffing its own face. Adrian tilted his head and saw the huge beast head—
The ice-blue eyes shone brightly, the snake-like vertical pupils shrank slightly, and the golden horns almost stabbed the ceiling. The huge beast curled up, half wrapping itself in fur.
Adrian brushed away the cloud-like soft white hair with his hand and stared straight at those eyes.
This time, in addition to the jokes in those beast pupils, there were more emotions that he couldn't understand.
"Mr. Dylan." Adrian's throat was horribly dry, he called almost angrily, "You're going to crush the bed."
Now Adrian has completely accepted reality - for some reason, he didn't succeed in dying. Even though he was lying naked in the middle of the soft and comfortable big bed, and everything around him was as luxurious and exquisite as a dream, this place was by no means an ideal land.
Because Mr. Dylan bit the quilt, pulled it down maliciously, and pressed a huge claw to his chest.
The giant beast did not exert any force, and its claws covered most of Adrian's exposed chest. The former knight commander was very sure that if the opponent used that little strength, it would be enough to trample his chest into flesh.
But now he could only feel the soft pads under the paw, and the tips of the fingernails scratching the skin.
Adrian raised his head helplessly and continued to look at the huge beast looking down at him. His nostrils were filled with the faint aroma of berries mixed with milk, the same smell as he remembered.
"Mr. Dylan... We need to talk." After clearing his dry throat, Adrian said as clearly as possible.
The beast just looked at him in silence, licking the tip of its nose with its bright red tongue. His mouth opened and closed, revealing a row of sharp teeth.
It's amazing that Adrian didn't feel the slightest fear.
Although Jesse Dillon first covered his chest with his claws, Adrian still had time to cast a glance. The skin on the left side of his chest was smooth and smooth, with no scars left, as smooth and clean as if he had never been injured.
But the heart-piercing attack in the memory is by no means an illusion.
Even the wildest dogma never expressly states that God will bring back the lost life from death.
Adrian could feel his heart beating wildly under his ribs.
"Jesse." He changed his name this time.
The beast smacked its lips, and a shimmering cloud of smoke rose from the sunny room. After a few seconds, the smoke cleared, and the Jesse Dylan he was familiar with reappeared.
Jesse's right hand was still pressed against his chest, the other hand resting on his pillow. The beast pupils in the blue eyes have not yet returned to their human appearance, and the long golden hair is completely scattered, sliding across the beautiful face, and sweeping the ends of the hair on the skin of Adrian's chest.
Apparently, Jesse didn't bother to make too complicated clothes for himself. The thin white nightgown was casually placed on his body, and it was wide open at the moment, revealing a large area of snow-white skin on his chest.
Without the huge claw and the long hair covering, Adrian's upper body was completely exposed at this moment. The healthy wheat-colored skin glows with some honey-gold under the sun. Just looking at the picture, the atmosphere is extremely ambiguous.
Adrian's first reaction was a frown - there was no smile on Jesse Dylan's face.
"Jessie, you..." Before he could finish, a cool finger pressed his lips.
"Cross, wake up—" A familiar female voice sounded, the door was kicked open, and the excitement quickly turned into embarrassment.
"...Are you done?" An muttered, pulling her face down, reluctantly spitting out the question that had been stuck for a few seconds. "Okay, looks like you're awake. There's nothing wrong with the circle, but what's up with this guy? Hey, Dylan, are you crazy?"
Ann scratched her short hair irritably. She was still wearing the common cloth robes she used to wear, without a hunting spear. Except for the more calm temperament, the female warrior of the tumbleweed doesn't seem to have changed much.
"Let's not say it's still day." She half-jokingly grabbed the back of Jesse's nightgown and pulled him away from Adrian. "Cross is still the wounded, you keep me away from him."
Look at the luxury and style of this room, as well as the spectacular view from the window. Adrian, who was sober, could guess where he was. This is the capital of Alban, the royal castle where the Alban royal family lives.
Ann Savage being able to walk freely here can only mean one thing -
"It's okay." Adrian propped himself up, picked up the glass jug by the bed, and poured himself a glass of water. "He meant nothing else, His Majesty the King."
"Hmmm." An raised his eyebrows, released his hand, and Jesse, who was dragged in his hand, threw himself back on the bed quite naturally. "If you call me 'Your Majesty' again, I'm going to charge you for the room in full, guest from Garland. Seriously, how do you feel?"
"I'm fine, Ms. Savage." Adrian subconsciously pressed his left chest with his hand.
More than just good.
Vibrant power surges in the blood vessels, bringing the sourness of fullness and the lightness of filling. Adrian took a deep breath, stretched out his hands, and a milky white halo ignited between his hands.
"Ouch." An touched his chin, "This is an unexpected joy. I don't feel the breath of spiritual sacrifice. Is this your own strength?"
"No." Adrian answered honestly, and he took a meaningful look at Jesse by the bed and extinguished the light. "… This is stronger than I was before. Ms. Savage, can you turn around? I need to change."
"I think someone needs to turn around more, but let's do it." Ann rolled her eyes and turned her back. "By the way, do any of you know what happened to Oliver?"
Adrian's fingers rested on the button for half a second, and he looked at Jesse Dillon again. There was still no smile on Jesse's face, and he didn't seem to have any intention of speaking.
"Sorry, I don't know." Adrian had to reply, "My memory is up to the provocation of the fanatic."
"Oh, I heard about that."
After confirming that the other party had put on his pants, Ann turned his head, the relaxed expression on his face dissipated a lot.
"The Bishop of Discipline personally wrote to apologize, but to tell the truth... It's all the usual rhetoric of the Ruddism. I guess only the sentence 'Adrienne Cross was seriously injured' is true. Those fanatical lunatics happened to be in The abyss was infected with a deadly curse, and it happened after attacking Cross? This letter is more like a letter to those nobles."
No, not even that sentence is actually true, Adrien thought. He was indeed killed, right at the entrance of the abyss.
"After all, he specifically emphasized at the end of the letter, 'You can ask your companions for details'."
Ann folded her arms and swept her sharp eyes to the silent Jesse.
"I heard that you returned to the surface, and I specially sent two groups of people to respond. As a result, I only received Bagelmore and you two. Where did Oliver and Nemo go? I tried to find Oliver, but the boy didn't bring the communication. Crystal. Not to mention the Mooney Cult, the Rudd Cult didn’t answer me directly, and the Horizon side couldn’t get in touch. Now, it seems that there is only one person who knows about it—Dylan, you should be clear?”
Seeing Jesse Dylan uncharacteristically didn't reply, the female warrior's voice became a little more nervous.
"Those two guys are as strong as monsters." She continued gritted her teeth. "That unfortunate sheep is all right, the two of them... don't be rude, Dylan. I finally got rid of Salter and preached to the two. Hours of bastard, don't have much time to joke with you."
"You can ask Oliver Ramon himself." Jesse finally put on his usual smirk, he didn't look at Adrian again, just looked at the door.
Ann took a deep breath, looking like it took a lot of effort to resist the urge to punch. "I just said-"
The door to the room was opened again.
Oliver Ramon came in. Ann looked behind Oliver habitually, but there was no one behind him.
Something is wrong, she thought. Even with advance notice, his own people would not stop Oliver from entering the castle. However, there are countless magic circles inside the royal castle to suppress detection, and the whereabouts of the king will not be easily exposed. How did Oliver find it
An narrowed his eyes, looked at his head, and decided to keep this issue in his heart first, to make room for more important issues.
Oliver was wearing black armor without a cape, and the skeleton helmet was firmly pinned to the armor. He glanced roughly at the situation in the room, and finally nodded to Ann.
"I'm going to the Holy Land of the Rad Sect to give a mission report." Oliver hesitated for a few seconds, and finally said dryly, his facial muscles a little stiff.
The head of the tumbleweed lowered his gaze, his throat rolling up and down. He seemed to have a lot to say, but he didn't know what to say first, and finally picked the least important one.
However, this could not be hidden from Ann Savage.
The relaxation on the female warrior's face completely disappeared, her hand holding her arm tightly squeezed the flesh of her upper arm, and she raised her face seriously. She had never seen Oliver look like this before, an ominous premonition gripped her lungs, making her breathing a little harder.
"Oliver, where's Nemo?" Ann asked, word by word.
Oliver didn't answer her, he just took off the black badge on the front and pressed it on the table beside him. The task light screen that had not been seen for a long time appeared. After being enlarged by Oliver, the prompt text on it was particularly dazzling.
[To Oliver Ramon, the head of the Tumbleweed: We have received testimony from both the Rad Sect and the Horizon Mercenary Corps. Nemo Wright has been confirmed dead during the reconnaissance escort mission.]
[If you do not register new members within a week, your team will be deprived of names due to insufficient personnel, please also pay attention. It is recommended to replenish members in time and go to any branch to register.]
"I don't believe it." Ann responded almost immediately, her voice fluttering uncontrollably. "Nemo is the superior demon, and the abyss is that kid's home ground. Oliver, in the end—"
"He's not dead." Oliver's voice was very steady, but his smile was reluctant.
Oliver looked at the former Judge Knight Commander, his eyes stopped on Jesse for a moment, and finally stopped at Ann.
Something was different, the Queen of Albans took a deep breath. When she first picked up the two little bastards, Oliver Ramon's eyes were clear and clean, with a carefree joy. There is no happiness left at the moment, only the sad vicissitudes of life are left, like two deep wells.
Oliver took back the black seal, closed his eyes, and exhaled slowly.
"If you are free, I would like to hold a team meeting immediately. Ann, is Bagmoru here?"
"Yes, it's not quite right, and I want to ask you something - it keeps stuffing itself under the sofa, doesn't speak, and doesn't want to come out."
"I know you have a lot of questions to ask, Ann... But now, please tell me where it is first, and I'll pick it up and it won't refuse."
"While I'd love to say 'Yes, Commander, I'll have the room and table and chairs ready,' Oliver Ramon, please answer my question head-on—what's up with Nemo?"
"I don't know how he is." Oliver spoke slowly, as if every word was draining his strength. "This is where the problem lies."
"Ann, I've made an appointment with Nemo... When he gets back from this mission, he wants to have a good talk with you, and I'll be with him."
Oliver put his hand on the doorknob, his back to Ann, his voice soft.
"Now I'll fulfill this promise for him."
Ann didn't ask any further, she took a deep look at Oliver: "... Since you're talking about this."
Oliver went to pick up Bagelmore, and the Queen went to prepare the room. And Adrian Cross tightened the buckle on the high-collar monk's uniform and stood up a little unsteadily.
"I guess we still have a little time before the meeting." The former knight commander stood in front of the window, his dark brown pupils were like clear amber in the brilliant light.
"I have a question for you, Jesse."
After that, he smiled and spoke again.
"… No, I have a question for you, Channi."
The author has something to say:
Furry Jessie, Furry Danny.
Natural fur with incense.
Knight Commander: It feels fine.
—
Grey parrot: I'm not happy TAT