Deep Sea Embers.

Chapter 751 The Future of Fire

When the world comes to an end, cause and effect will gradually fall into chaos. It is not the last preacher of the end who remains awake who comes to Duncan, but the preacher of the end who finally stays awake "appears" in Duncan's field of vision. .

But for the two parties involved, it doesn't seem to matter who is the cause and who is the effect of these two things.

"What's your name?" Duncan looked at the old man in white robes in front of him, suddenly curious.

Faced with such a simple question, the traveler in a worn white robe frowned deeply. He thought for a while before gently shaking his head: "I can't remember exactly. I used it last time." The name seems to have been a long time ago...but if you want, you can call me Crete."

"Crete?" Duncan frowned, "This is the name of your tribe."

"...Oh, yes, no wonder it's so familiar." The old man looked astonished, with a smile on his face, "That's good, just call me that, I like this name."

Duncan was silent for a moment and nodded slightly: "Okay, Crete. I have some questions now."

"Excuse me, I have a lot of time this time."

"First question, why did you choose to meet me at this time?" Duncan looked into the other person's eyes and said in a very serious tone, "What is the purpose of this 'window period'?"

"...We have actually been looking for opportunities to have direct contact with you - here I mean those 'us' who still retain their senses," Crete hesitated slightly for a moment when answering this question, but still The answer was given quickly, "It's just that it's very difficult to contact you - in fact, we tried once before today, but... we missed that window."

"Your creator...you mean Pilot One?" Duncan responded and nodded, "Yes, he wanted me to take over his authority and take over the world, but I refused."

Crete raised his head and looked at the dark roof above. It wasn't until the surroundings became quiet again that he turned his gaze back to Duncan.

A slight tremor and creaking sound reached Duncan's ears, and a low and uneasy sound echoed deep in the cabin of the Lost Home, but after a few seconds, these abnormal noises gradually subsided. .

"Demonstrating something?" Duncan's expression immediately became serious after hearing this sentence, "What does this mean? What do you want to demonstrate to me?"

"...Before that, I want to confirm a question with you first," Crete raised his head and stared at Duncan, "You have rejected our creator, haven't you?"

The Evangelist (or the Terminus Survey Team) knows the truth about him as the "Fire Usurper" and that he is an alien soul that has taken over the body of Duncan Abnomar - this part of the matter is something he has already noticed. But another part of the truth was completely beyond his expectation——

Duncan quickly clarified the information in Crete's words and gradually came to his senses: "In other words, you didn't originally intend to contact...'him'?"

In the memories of Tirian and Lucretia, those "uninvited guests" who suddenly appeared on the Homeless Ship, those Missionaries of the End who had spent the night talking with Duncan Abnomar... they were originally He actually came to find me! ?

"Yes, we came early," Crete nodded slightly and repeated these words again, "When we found out that it was not 1900, the window period had ended... and that was when we set out The biggest 'linear out-of-control event' I have encountered since that day. From that day on, many things began to lose control, but from the result...it seems that everything has not deviated from the established track. Duncan Abnomar is still embarking on his journey The last voyage - after knowing his own ending in advance."

Because of these few words, a storm of thoughts had already filled Duncan's mind!

"...Missed the window once?" Duncan looked confused, "What does this mean?"

"We are early, Mr. Captain." Crete said calmly.

"Yes, we revealed his ending to a man who died in advance," Crete nodded slowly, "I know what you want to say, but the fact is that when we appeared on this ship, He seemed to already know certain... things. As a great explorer, he had already predicted his fate. Our appearance only surprised him for a few seconds, and after that, until the end of the window period , he was just asking us about how to navigate the border waters."

Duncan was stunned for a moment, and after a very brief thought, he suddenly understood the meaning of the other party's words: "You mean, the three who appeared on the Homeless Ship..."

"After missing that window period, the only chance we have left to contact you is today - or in other words, only when the stability of the sanctuary drops to near the limit, we 'anti-order' existences can may be safely within your sights. And it is because Sanctuary's stability has been reduced to its limits that we have the opportunity to show you... something that will help you understand the fate of this world so far' Destiny."

"...Really, that's great." After hearing Duncan's reply, Crete said to himself.

Duncan was a little curious: "...What does this have to do with what you want to demonstrate to me?"

Crete did not answer directly, but stepped forward until he came to the door leading to the subspace, which was tightly closed at the moment.

"Have you ever opened this door?" "No," Duncan came over, his tone immediately wary, "This door leads to subspace, and opening it in reality is not a good idea."

"It's okay, you don't need to be nervous - I won't open it, and I don't have the ability to open it." Critter noticed the change in Duncan's tone, and a smile appeared on his face, "I'm just taking you to take a look. .”

Duncan said cautiously while paying attention to Crete's actions: "Take a look?"

"Everything will be reflected in the subspace... As long as it is the possibility of this shelter, the answer has already been imprinted in the endless sea of ​​chaos, and we..."

Crete murmured softly, and suddenly stretched out his hand and patted the door frame twice.

"...We have always been good at fishing out the glimmers of time in the chaos."

The next second, under Duncan's surprised gaze, the door suddenly shattered like an illusion - light and shadow beyond the limits of human intelligence rushed towards him like a storm, and then reorganized around him in the blink of an eye.

He almost took action, but at the critical moment he controlled his impulse and stood calmly on the spot.

Because he didn't feel any threat or hostility, and he could even clearly feel that the door was still standing intact - Crete's aura was also nearby, without any change.

He looked around and found that he was standing on a dark high mountain. The chaotic and dark sky enveloped everything, and a dim light was hidden deep in the clouds. Under the high mountain was a vast wilderness, and on that boundless land , vaguely city-like ruins can be seen, as well as dried up and broken elevated water channels.

In addition, there is the cracked and dry earth. A certain kind of fine "ash" covers everything in sight, filling the ruins and canals, and is blown up by the wind in the valleys, like mist. Blowing away in the direction of the plain.

A biting chill filled the world, as if even the flying ashes were about to be frozen.

Duncan watched all this quietly, and after a long time he spoke softly: "What is this?"

"This is the age of fire, Mr. Captain." Crete's voice came from the side - he was already standing there at some point, still wearing the shabby white robe, but the white robe seemed to be getting more and more tattered. A few points.

After a moment of silence, Duncan asked again: "Is this a certain branch of history?"

“This is the only historical strand on which the sanctuary exists,” Critter said.

Then the "Preacher of the End" paused for a moment, as if he was organizing his words, and then continued:

“In the beginning, you reshaped the earth, and all the grand plans that had not been realized in the blueprint were realized. Vast lands that humans had never imagined rose from the sea, city-states were connected, and resources became abundant-and then , you calm the sea and breed more vitality in the sea. The sea water is purified in the mountains and rivers, and turns into rain and snow falling on the earth.

"Then, the world began to prosper. For a while, the prosperity of this new world even surpassed all the beautiful poems of the Deep Sea Age - powerful countries emerged on the earth, developing and growing day and night, and new technologies Discovered, new poetry, literature, and imagination about the future - steam trains crossing mountains, forests and wilderness, huge pipe installations connecting factories and steel jungles of cities...

“Many stories, many lives, heroes and heads of state, knights and philosophers, legendary adventurers, and ordinary people working hard to live in the city.

"Mr. Captain, believe me, if I didn't show you this scene directly, but showed you those glorious days, then even you would be a little shaken - even the most willed person in the world. Strong governors and guardians will be willing to sacrifice everything to exchange for that world, even if it is only glorious... for a short time."

Duncan didn't speak. He stood on the top of the mountain, quietly overlooking the dry and broken land at his feet. It took a long time before he broke the silence: "Is there anyone alive at this moment?"

"No more, the ashes have swallowed up everything - have you seen the ruins of the city? The tallest church in the center of the city... That's where the last refugee breathed his last. Now there is only an empty soul in that building. Wandering in the church, she held a big sword in her hand, but that sword could not protect anyone at this moment."

Duncan raised his head again and looked at the dim light in the sky: "What is that?"

"A... very, very small sun. When the world began to cool down, she tried to reheat the earth and sustained it for a long time."

"Where's my flame?"

"Extinguished, Mr. Captain," Critter said slowly, "after you burned everything in the world."

(End of this chapter)