"You will know everything you want to know."
Xia De was still lying down at this time, so he barely supported the ground with his left hand. He raised his right hand to touch the flame, but the severe pain in his arm made this action fail.
Sister Defulin held the flame in one hand and tried to support Shad, but was rejected by Shad.
He tried to change his posture, trying to kneel on one knee to make his body more stable. But then he remembered that the nun in front of him was also kneeling on one knee:
"Sister Devereine, please stand up."
After the nun stood up, he knelt down on one knee. Sister Defulin knew what he meant and carefully extended the flame in her hand forward.
Because of the severe pain, Xia De was unable to raise his head, and he could only instinctively stretch his palm upwards.
The bonfire illuminated the silhouettes of the two. Shade only wanted to use the flames to fill the emptiness in his soul. Sister Develyn was unusually serious, but her voice was very gentle. She asked softly in the old grammar using the Delarion language:
"Shad Sulen Hamilton, are you willing to take on the power and will of the First Flame and help me collect the flames and light the firewood? This is a contract between the nun who guards the flame and the hero who bears the flame."
Promise her.
This is very rare, "she" gives Shad the answer before he makes a choice.
"Yes I do."
Shade said softly, beside the campfire, beside the road where thousands of souls left, under the boundless galaxy, his palm rested in Sister Defulin's palm.
The shadows of the two men shook violently on the cliff, because the flames followed Shade's arms and swept all over his body, as if to completely burn Shade. But the fire did not hurt Shade, because cracks appeared on Shade's body.
The divinity had disappeared, and the golden light was no longer in the cracks. The flames of the First Fire penetrated into the exposed surface of Shade's skin and the cracks in his clothes. The blazing flames gradually converged, just like Sister Defulin in front of him.
When the night wind blew, the flames on the two people dragged fire marks in the same direction. The fiery embers drifted into the darkness with the wind, and Sister Develyn's face showed a clear smile that she had never seen before. Behind the silver eye mask with fine patterns and made of mithril from the ancient Death Cult, the eyes were definitely looking at Shade:
"As expected, you are the hero who can bear the first flame."
The soul felt warm and full, as if it had just eaten a delicious meal. The horrible emptiness caused by the loss of divinity was slightly reduced, but the pain and weakness of the body as if it was about to collapse still existed. This flame filled the void of divinity, but Shad was still seriously injured.
Outsider, you have accepted the power of the primordial fire.
The primordial fire burns the body, purifies the soul, removes the curse, and protects the will. Your fire resistance ability is greatly improved, the soul strength is greatly improved, and the physical quality is comprehensively improved.
The trend of the divine afterglow gradually disappearing due to the lack of divinity has slowed down, but once the divine afterglow disappears, the First Fire can no longer fill that power.
It seems that the First Fire can be regarded as an extremely degraded version of divinity. Unfortunately, it is not divinity after all. It can only be regarded as a substitute before Shade finds the next drop of divinity.
The ancient sound is triggered, and you learn the story of the primordial fire—
Fire and the nuns who guard it have always existed since the beginning. The primordial fire is a symbol of civilization, and the nuns who guard it carry out the will of the primordial fire. This is a contract, a contract created by the world itself for the continuation of civilization. The ancient flame comes from the very beginning, and is even older than this world.
The life ring appeared behind Shade amidst the faint sound of whistles and bells. The flames spread towards the life ring. Because of the severe injury to Shade's soul, the life ring seemed to be cracking, showing mottled marks. But in the cracks of the brass, there were faint traces of gold.
The flames enveloped the life ring, and the primitive and simple power was enriched with miracles, blasphemy, enlightenment, and whispers. As the life ring spun at high speed, the fire left a bright mark of the fire ring behind Shad.
But bathing in the first fire did not allow Shade to obtain spiritual runes, magic or spells.
"I'm sorry, but the power of the First Flame is no longer enough to provide you with greater strength."
Sister Defulyn quietly expressed her apologies.
"It doesn't matter. The power of this fire is enough now."
Shad tried to smile, but he fell down because he couldn't maintain the kneeling position on one knee. This time Sister Defulin supported him.
"Sister, how did you find me?"
"My clone was fighting above Middleburg, and my real body ventured to the shore of Lake Bena where the gods appeared, wanting to get the truth. When I saw the Red Butterfly Twins and the cat, I knew it."
"Then... do you know what I just did?"
The nun still shook her head gently:
"I don't know what your relationship with the Godcaller is, but since you have been bathed in the First Fire, we are unbreakable allies. Please rest assured that everything that happens tonight will be spread according to your version of the story."
"Well... After I left Cassandra's Auction House, I wanted to go up the mountain, but you stopped me. I stayed with you the whole time, and we both saw the Godcaller appear on the top of the mountain."
"Yeah, that's what happened tonight."
"Well, give me the leaf in the pocket watch."
The emptiness in his soul was gone, but the weakness and pain in his body remained. Last time, Iluna had to give Shade a whole bottle of "Holy Water No. 1" to save him, and now he only had Holy Water No. 2 from the Narrow Church. The difference between No. 1 and No. 2 was too big, so he could only use the only two remaining leaves of Youth Eternal Youth in his hand.
Sister Defulin reached for the pocket watch on the ground, but suddenly stopped and "looked" at the deep night sky:
"I don't think so."
"What are you going to do... Oh!"
In an instant, brilliant white light rain under the sea of stars poured out from the small path of broken light, and the star-like lights, like fireflies on a summer night, sprinkled on the cliff on the top of the mountain.
Under the deep night sky, under the sea of stars and the tranquil waters, the rain of light is so dazzling.
Those jumping white lights flowed into Shade's body like a waterfall of light, completely illuminating the cliff on the top of the mountain.
Warm power poured in, but this power was not violent at all. Instead, it moistened every wound on Xia De's soul and body. It was like sliding into a hot spring in an extremely cold situation. Xia De even couldn't help but want to moan:
"Oh~"
He gradually gained control of his body, broke free from Sister Defulin's support and stood up, bathing in the white light under the night sky, raising his arms and stretching his body.
He bent down gently, picked up Mia from the ground and held her in his arms:
"What's this?"
Reaching out to touch the brilliant light that was gathered together, the white light seemed to cover Shade in the galaxy.
"A thank you gift that is more sincere than the tears of the soul. This is the gift that the soul gives to the helpers before leaving."
The nun said softly.
Shade stood by the bonfire, in the white light that healed him continuously, and looked up at the sea of stars. He saw countless souls, standing on the path of broken light, waving goodbye to him, he saw the corporal who died in the narrow space, he saw Professor Higgins, the spy of Carsenrick, he saw the innocent ladies murdered by the serial killer Henry Val, and he also saw the third nail, Count Darak.
At the end of the Shattered Light Path, they all turned around, smiled and waved to him, then walked onto the water and headed towards the Dark Moon.
The Dark Moon did not guide all the souls to leave, but at least ninety-nine point nine percent of the souls in the narrow space were heading towards the end through this starry sea road.
"teacher!"
There were voices coming from behind. They were Grace and Helen. The pale-faced girls woke up, supported each other, passed Sister Defulin behind Shade, stumbled to Shade, and looked at the nearby path with him.
The five people who had attended the cocktail party in the year 3014 of the Fifth Era met again under the thick night sky at the top of Mount Sikar in the late autumn of the year 1853 of the Sixth Era.
"It really feels like a dream, and we are always the little butterflies on the wine table."
However, the witch and the armored old man turned into ghosts, the twins turned into relics, and only Shad was still Shad.
The middle-aged witch smiled and waved to the twins while standing on the path. The armored old man looked at Shade with satisfaction and nodded slightly as a farewell:
“Don’t forget us.”
They didn't say anything else, but turned around and walked with the thousands of souls along the path in the sea of stars into the distance. This was the direction they should have left thousands of years ago.
Souls poured out continuously, and white light points continuously entered Shad's body, healing his body and soul that were injured by the burning of divinity. The expanding spirit gave him the illusion that he was about to level up again. He was also waving at the sky, waving to the souls who were willing to say goodbye to him. He knew he was doing the right thing.
All mortals will die, and all things will eventually perish. This is the real end.
Mia the cat stood on Shad's shoulder curiously, looking at the white spots of light around her, and even stretched out her little paws to touch them.
Outsider, the quality and weight of your soul have been greatly improved. No spiritual creature will actively attack you, and at the same time, fate will favor you more.
"The ascension of the soul can be understood, the favor of fate... why?"
This is the world’s gratitude.
Xia De put his hands in his pockets and wanted to smile, but he found that red butterflies were flying on the star-lit path:
"Hmm? Where did the butterfly come from?"
Looking around in astonishment, Helen and Grace stood in front of him, one on each side, closer to the edge of the cliff and the path of broken light. Their bodies were becoming transparent, and the colors in their bodies turned into red butterflies, flying into the deep night sky along with the white shadows.
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