Endless Debt

Aisha looked out the window at the dim sky. Thick, lead-colored clouds continued to spread towards the end of the horizon, until they completely covered up the blue in her memory, leaving only a golden outline on its edge.

Its daybreak.

The last time I saw dawn was more than ten years ago.

Aisha comforted the baby in her arms and murmured to herself, "I think a person's life should be lived for a certain thing or idea."

"I can understand that this is the pursuit of the value of life, but you have to understand, Aisha, the reason why human beings stubbornly pursue certain things is precisely because their life span is short, and they must do something before facing death, okay? Satisfy their empty hearts, and when death comes, they will be able to say with relief and peace of mind that they have lived a wonderful life.”

Sere sat next to Aisha and stroked Aisha's back, "But we are different. We are undead. There is no need to pursue anything deliberately to satisfy our hearts. After all, we have almost unlimited resources. time."

Elsa fell silent. She looked straight at the golden skyline, as if recalling the days when she had been bathed in the sun. A layer of mist covered Elsa's eyes, and her expression was full of sadness. .

"Do you hate me? Aisha," Sere whispered, "I thought you were different."

Looking at those almost broken eyes, Sere thought of the women he had experienced one after another in his life, and those curse-like words rang in his ears, which he had said to others.

"A long time is enough to change many things. No matter how passionate love is, it will eventually turn into lingering hatred."

Aisha shook her head, with a kind smile on her face, "No, I don't hate you, Sere, I'm just... just a little troubled."

As she spoke, she reached out and stroked Sere's hair. Little bits of blood solidified in the hair, sticking them together.

Sere asked, "What are you worried about?"

"It's distressing that you are acting like a child."

Aisha's eyes seemed to penetrate Sere's soul, "Do you think I am the same as them? No, the problem is not that I am the same as them, but that my ideas conflict with yours.

Even after living for so long, you are still a naive person. What you long for is not some kind of love, but a kind of pet that is under your control and will never change your heart...? "

As if the dark side of his heart was revealed, Sere suddenly panicked. After a brief moment of confusion, he laughed at himself in a low voice. He was afraid of Aisha, but he was the Lord of the Night Clan, a powerful Glorious One. As long as he wanted to, Aisha would turn into ashes in an instant...but he was actually afraid of what she would say next.

"The long time makes you feel almost desperate and lonely. You long for someone to fill your heart. For this reason, you look for one woman after another, just like a game. When you completely understand a person, they are like a woman. A finished novel makes you lose interest in it, like a consumable product that brings you intermittent satisfaction.”

When saying these words, Aisha still maintained that calm smile. Sere spent decades getting to know this woman. He thought he knew Aisha well enough, but suddenly he found that he still didn't seem to have stepped into this world. A woman's heart.

Maybe he stepped in and just turned a blind eye to some things.

Sere struggled to control his emotions, "What exactly do you want to say?"

"I want to say... Since I have no pursuit and am just wasting my time, what's the difference between living and dying?"

Elsa said sadly, "The long time is enough to dilute many beautiful things into paleness and barrenness."

After saying this, Aisha remained silent and said nothing more. The oppressive atmosphere made Sere unable to help but escape. He felt that he was losing Aisha bit by bit, but there was nothing he could do.

Serei slowly backed away. He looked at Aisha and then at the child in her arms. It was his own heir, his daughter. But when he saw the curled up figure, Serei didn't feel anything. Emotion looked at her like a piece of meat.

"No...no no, Elsa, you are not a pet."

Suddenly, Sere stopped retreating, stepped forward to hug Aisha again, and murmured to himself, "I'm already trying to make changes."

"You're growing up too slowly."

"I can't help it. Who calls me the undead?" Sere shook his head helplessly, "We are always so slow."

Because of the short life, human beings will be eager to do certain things, just like busy worker ants, eager to glow with more colors in a limited time. But the immortal will not have such troubles. Under infinite time, there is nothing Chasing them, for which everything went so slow.

Sere remembered that he had wanted to climb the ridge of the mountains, but this idea had happened decades ago.

Aisha kissed Sere's cheek gently. Sere thought that he had comforted Aisha, but he never thought that this was just the beginning of the countdown.

Since then, life has returned to normal. Elsa has raised Olivia, who is growing up. The war has also continued to expand and intensify as Olivia grows.

Sere was running on the front line. Under his sword, more and more territory and population were included in the Eternal Night Empire. The dark iron curtain also spread. In the lightless world, patches of forests died, and flowers and plants died. The vegetation has become dry and barren as far as the eye can see.

Aisha did not abandon Sere and followed him all the time. However, as time went by, Aisha became more and more haggard. She was obviously an undead, but her body was filled with a weird sense of death.

"I remember this, Sere."

Aisha sat on the wide terrace and looked at the wilderness not far away, "We have been here before, probably a few decades ago."

Sere walked out of the house and gently put his hand on Aisha's shoulder, "Oh? Really? I have no impression."

"It's normal that you have no impression." Aisha pointed to the desolate wilderness, "There was once a sea of ​​flowers there, which was very gorgeous. We lingered here for a long time and even asked someone to paint an oil painting."

Elsa remembers all this. This was the land she had personally measured. "Unfortunately, with the cover of the dark iron curtain, the life on the earth has been cut off, and even the sea of ​​flowers in her memory has withered into this look." It looks like only the cracked earth is left.”

Sere said nothing.

A burst of laughter came from inside the house, and a small figure staggered over and threw himself into Aisha's arms.

"OK OK."

Elsa picked up Olivia and rubbed her head vigorously, making her giggle endlessly.

Sere looked at this short-lived beauty quietly, until Olivia was tired and fell asleep in Elsa's arms.

"Do you know? I had planned before that when Olivia grows up, I will take her to walk the same path I took and take her to see the world I saw."

Aisha looked at the desolate wilderness and said, "I'm afraid that before she grows up, the world I have seen will disappear under the dark iron curtain, right?"

"Aisha..."

Sere wanted to say something, but was directly interrupted by Aisha.

"Serei, are you doing what you promised me?"

"Um."

"Then have you found it?" Aisha asked, "In the past few years, have you found something that you can live for?"

Sere said uncertainly, "I'm still looking."

"oh."

Aisha did not question Sere too much, but just moved her gaze away from the wilderness and looked further away, where there was a familiar golden skyline. In the blurry scene, densely packed figures like ant colonies could be seen rushing forward. .

It was a battlefield. A large number of bloodthirsty people were rushing out from under the dark sky to fight with the soldiers standing in the sun. The swords were broken, the flesh and blood was chopped into pieces, and endless blood spilled all over the ground, soaking the earth. .

At first, Aisha resisted such a sight, but as Sere advanced the battle line, she, who had been following Sere, gradually became numb to all this.

After rounds of bloodthirsty attacks, the elites of the Night Clan will attack under the shadow of the dark iron curtain. They ride on horses that have been transformed by alchemy, interspersing through the cruel battlefield like a torrent.

Elsa asked, "Are you leaving?"

"Hurry," Sere whispered, "we will move out after the cavalry have replenished their blood."

Before she finished speaking, heart-rending screams came from below the terrace. Aisha watched all this with a blank face. She knew what would happen next. Such things had happened countless times in the past few years. times.

The night tribesmen wearing armor dragged a group of ordinary people to the open space in the atrium. Rows of gallows were arranged neatly. The wood was repeatedly soaked in blood, with a strange bright red color, as if it was alive flesh and blood. , and like guards standing in line.

The ground was covered with accumulated blood stains. Even if the Night Clan kept splashing water and washing it repeatedly, the color could not be washed away. It seemed that they had penetrated into the earth.

Not far away, the Night Clan dragged the cold corpses one after another and threw them into the cage. The bloodthirsty people who had been hungry for a long time swarmed in, scrambling to eat the corpses cleanly, leaving no flesh or blood. Pass.

With the consumption of flesh and blood, the bloodthirsty people were awakened with a strong desire for flesh and blood. Their own hunger drove them to obtain more flesh and blood. They were restless, roaring like wild beasts, and making weird whistling sounds. , endlessly, echoing under the dark sky.

In the expansion of the Eternal Night Empire, the screams of the bloodthirsty ones were regarded as the horn of charge. With a deep hatred and desire for flesh and blood, they roared and broke through the enemy's lines, followed by the armored cavalry. Finally, eliminate all living creatures.

Everything went as Aisha expected. After a short meal, the draft horses pulled the prison cart and transported the groups of bloodthirsty people to the front line.

The sound of horse hooves sounded, and the cavalry lined up neatly, walking two by two, passing between the gallows. With their arrival, the Night Clan hung people upside down on the gallows. Under their heads, there was a Another dark vat.

The sobs and desperate screams were cut off by the dagger and ended abruptly.

Blood gurgled from their throats and spilled into the vat. At first, people could still struggle for a while, and then their bodies gradually calmed down. After draining out the only blood, the Night Clan put down the corpses and threw them to the addicts. The Blooders ate, and then escorted a new batch of humans to cut their throats and squeeze their blood.

The vat was gradually filled up. When the cavalry passed by, they bent down, scooped up blood from the vat, and poured it into their mouths. The blood dripped down their throats. The night tribesmen were also inspired with terrifying murderous intent, and they galloped on their horses. .

Like a cruel cycle, people are slaughtered, broken down and used, dragged around like livestock.

Aisha couldn't help but wonder, if she hadn't met Sere, if she was lucky enough to survive until now, would she have become one of them... It's unlikely. By then, she should be an old lady. According to Ye Depending on the clan's rating of blood, he would probably be fed directly to the bloodthirsty, or thrown into a machine and crushed into dregs, becoming part of the blood tax.

"Do you like this kind of world?" Elsa asked calmly, "Answer my question seriously."

Se Lei hesitated for a moment. He had vaguely remembered the flower field in the past, and the tip of his nose seemed to still remember the sweet fragrance. Everything in the past no longer existed, and all that existed was endless corpses.

"I prefer the ones in memory."

"Then why are you doing this?" Aisha didn't understand. "Isn't the empire's territory vast enough?"

"This is my father's will. We need more territory and population to replenish the gradually depleted blood tax."

"Father! Father! Damn it, Sere, don't you have any self-will at all?" Elsa scolded uncontrollably, "You are just like a mindless puppet! You are at his mercy!"

Sere was speechless by Aisha's words. He tried to refute, but he couldn't think of any reason to refute.

Aisha's aura weakened, and she murmured to herself, "So you are just a child, a child who is controlled by your father, has no mind, and can't even distinguish between good and evil..."

"I have to go now."

Sere put on his helmet and left Aisha's side as if running away.

The cavalry marched towards the front line of the battlefield, walking on the blood. Sere appeared in the team, followed by the attendants on horseback. They raised bloody flags to indicate the arrival of the Night Clan lord Sere. .

Aisha sat there like a sculpture, watching all of this quietly. The girl in her arms moved a few times, and Aisha lowered her head and apologized.

"Did I disturb you?"

"No...nothing."

Olivia had already woken up when Elsa and Sere were arguing. She acted very calmly and was used to such things.

Olivia asked curiously, "What is the flower field you are talking about?"

Aisha explained patiently, "It's just that many flowers are gathered together, as vast as a wilderness, fragrant and colorful."

"Like in the painting?"

"More beautiful than in the painting."

"It's so good," Olivia said with fascination in her eyes, "Where can I see it?"

Elsa silently hugged Olivia and looked up at the endless dark sky. She comforted, "You will see it, but it's just not the flower season yet."

"What is the flower season?"

"The season when flowers bloom."

"Oh... when will it arrive?"

"I don't know either, but don't worry, we are immortals and have plenty of time to wait."

"oh."

Aisha hugged Olivia hard and covered her ears gently. The sound of fighting in the distance came slowly. The bloodthirsty people were rushing out of control, and the cavalry followed closely behind, one after another. The etheric reaction rises, and in supernatural phenomena, the flag of blood advances with the clouds.

"Olivia, do you like this kind of world?" Elsa whispered.

"well enough."

Olivia doesn't know much about the concept of the world. Since she was born, she has followed Elsa and Sere and followed the ever-advancing front lines.

The world in her eyes is just the usual wars, continuous blood sacrifices, and terrifying and brutal bloodthirsty. Olivia was also very scared at first, but under Elsa's care, she gradually became stronger and had the courage to accept this. everything.

Elsa told Olivia the notes she had left on her adventures when she was still a human. That was Olivia's favorite thing. Those distant and strange stories, to her, were like those on the horizon. Intangible golden skyline.

Unfortunately, no matter how interesting Elsa's story is, there are many things in it that Olivia cannot understand at all.

For example, waterfalls that are blown up by the wind and cannot fall, vast forests of giant trees, warm town festivals, drama performances... flower fields, etc.

As the dark iron curtain advanced, everything in the world was crushed and destroyed, leaving only ruins.

Suddenly, Elsa said, "I'm sorry, Olivia."

"What's wrong?"

"Sorry, I thought your arrival would make him change."

Olivia looked at her mother blankly, not understanding what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so selfish..."

That day, during the fighting in the distance, Elsa said sorry to Olivia repeatedly, until the sound of fighting gradually stopped, until the golden skyline dimmed, and darkness completely enveloped the earth.

…

"I was confused for a long time and didn't understand what she was talking about. Then a long time passed. One day, I suddenly understood."

Olivia stabbed the fries repeatedly with a fork, like a vulture gnawing on the broken carrion, and she murmured, "I realized that my mother may not love me...she really does." Me, but beneath this love, she hides other emotions.”

"She saw me as a tool."

Olivia spoke calmly, "A tool that can control Sere and make him realize the beauty of the world."

When she first realized this, Olivia was extremely sad, but by then Aisha had already left, Sere was nowhere to be found, and the Eternal Night Empire was gone. It took her a long time to let herself accept this. Everything until there is no more ups and downs in my heart.

"Use family affection to influence Sere, make him find the existence of self-worth, and prevent the expansion of the Evernight Empire?" Bologg whispered, "Aisha is too naive, she actually places her hope on Sere's conscience. "

"There is no way. In the final analysis, she is just an ordinary person with her own limitations. This is the limit of what she can do."

Olivia missed it, "What's more, she did her best to give me a perfect childhood."

"She often told me about the adventures of her youth, telling me that this world is not just about gloomy fortresses and cruel blood sacrifices. She told me that such a world is at the end of the golden skyline."

Olivia continued, "Since then, I have always longed for the end of the golden skyline, and I have secretly escaped several times, wanting to cross that line and see the world in her mouth.

Later on, I miraculously succeeded. I passed through the tight guards and rugged roads, and I got closer and closer to the golden skyline. Just when everything was about to be within reach, I saw... war . "

A person is the sum of his past experiences, and in this experience, there are always a few crucial turning points that become the cornerstone of personality.

The edge of the dark Iron Curtain is the golden skyline, and that is also the front line of the war. Bologna guessed that it was there that Olivia met the first major turning point in her life.

"I saw the brutal bloodthirsty men and cavalry advancing. I saw towns being burned to the ground. I saw groups of people being beheaded. Blood flowed all over the ground and gathered into streams."

Olivia's eyes were out of focus, as if she had returned to that distant nightmare again.

"In my past life, I was very well protected by my mother, and her almost fairy tale-like stories shaped me into an innocent mind. That was my first contact with the real world and the cruel world.

It was also at that moment that I witnessed the golden skyline with my own eyes, and outside the golden skyline, I saw the so-called...sun for the first time. "

Olivia showed an expression of surprise, her expression became a little excited, and she looked at Boluogo with joyful eyes.

"The sun, I heard about it in my mother's stories, and fantasized about what it was like countless times, until that time, I saw it for the first time.

It was so huge, warm, and brilliant that it was impossible to look at it.

The ocean-like sky, the emerald green fields, and the flowers were things I had only seen in books and paintings. Now they all appeared in front of my eyes. I saw the city in the distance, and saw...see arrive……"

Olivia's voice gradually weakened. It was a rare beautiful moment in her life. Every memory moved her deeply, and her already cold heart began to beat again.

"Boluogo, until now, it is still difficult for me to describe my mood at that time. It was like a blind man who had eyesight for the first time and could see the various forms of the world instead of the monotonous gray.

It was also at that moment that I suddenly understood why my mother was always depressed. When you live in the sun, you can no longer tolerate life in the darkness. "

Olivia whispered, "I forgot my mother's warning to me and walked towards the sun. I wanted to step into that beautiful world, but the moment I crossed the dark iron curtain, the sun fell on me, It was the first time I'd ever felt anything so warm... and then it scorched my skin, broke my bones, and set my body on fire."

As if her self-awareness collapsed, Olivia had never had a concrete concept of the Night Clan. When the fireworks invaded, she realized how ugly and evil she was.

"It's amazing. At that moment, I knew what the real world was like. It was also at that moment that I figured out what my so-called Night Clan was."

…

"If it hadn't been discovered in time, and if Olivia hadn't been a pure-blood Night Clan, she would have almost died under the blazing sun," Sere recalled with great effort, "After repeated blood treatments, Olivia recovered. Very quickly, but after that, she seldom smiled, and when no one paid attention to her, she would just stare blankly at the golden skyline."

"As the war progressed and she grew older, she often escaped from my sight and sneaked to the edge of the dark Iron Curtain, where she stayed all day long. Secretly, she was still looking for some alchemy that could hide her from the sun. Armed..."

Sere felt a headache and pinched the bridge of his nose hard. He felt very tired, just like fighting. Every word he spoke consumed a lot of energy.

"I have seen all this, and actually I also understand what Aisha said.

Decades ago, Aisha and I traveled around the world and saw all kinds of beauty. Decades later, I led the cavalry and burned the beauty one by one...

I know that I am a coward who is afraid of my father. Even if I don't want to be like this, I don't dare to disobey my father. "

Sere murmured, "Elsa was extremely disappointed in me, until she no longer had any expectations from me, and then... that happened."

Sai Zong guessed, "Did it cause you to subvert the Night Clan and become like this?"

"About that, Aisha met a wandering scholar," Sere narrowed his eyes, "She entrusted the scholar to help her build a weapon that could wipe out the Night Clan."

Sere added, "It's a coincidence that I didn't know about this at first, but at the end of the Dawn War, I also met the scholar, and he took the initiative to explain this to me. Later, he also served as a witness, Witnessed the signing of the Dawn Pledge.”

To this day, Sere still remembers the scholar’s ​​name, Wolfgang Gold.

"Talking back to Aisha's story, she was disappointed with my cowardice and despaired of the world ruled by the Eternal Night Empire. She did not allow the world she once loved to be shrouded in the dark iron curtain, so she picked up the scholar's The weapon she made, the dagger called the Blood Dagger..."

"What did she do?"

"One thing I couldn't even imagine. She was so brave. That's when I discovered that Aisha actually had such a tough side. It was like getting to know her again," Sere whispered, "As expected of Aisha, I seem to never be able to understand everything about her."

Sere's explanation was not needed, Sai Zong had already guessed what Aisha had done.

Assassin the king and kills the driver.