[Western Fantasy] The mystery of life and death

In the back garden of a small mansion on the hillside of Thorn Cliff, Palmer was reclining lazily on the soft bed, looking sleepy and bored.This small but elegant mansion is a reward for his meritorious service.Naturally, no one dared to call "illegitimate child" in person now.Palmer not only got an exclusive private mansion, but also a small piece of territory planted with lush "dead man's dream".

At first Palmer was rather smug.But gradually, Palmer discovered that even with such great achievements, he was still not qualified to enter the power core of Thorn Cliff.His territory is not even as large as his prince's palace in the secret realm of Aranti.After the earthquake that day, there was chaos everywhere in the Cliff of Thorns. At the time of employing people, Palmer didn't get any appointment.As the Duke's own son, the trust and attention he receives is not as good as that of the Duke's steward. Even "Fick", the young guard of the former Guards, has been able to rise to the top. Recently, he has become the steward's confidant, and he has been able to visit many places that Palmer did not have. Where the qualifications set foot.

His father, the Duke, seemed to have completely forgotten him after throwing him into a corner full of "dead men's dreams".

Palmer needs the fragrance extracted from "The Dream of the Dead" to relieve emptiness and depression every day, but he is naturally unwilling to be buried in these wild grasses.Palmer often pondered how to enter the core of Thorn Cliff, and he found that the latest celebrity—"Fick" seemed to appear near his mansion intentionally or unintentionally.Palmer only knew that this "Fick" came from a humble background, but his luck was so good that he was very good at making money. Could it be that he wanted to get something from his illegitimate son?Palmer recalled his cooperation with Altai in the past. Since the other party seems to be observing him, why not repeat the old trick?Thinking of this, Palmer narrowed his eyes, hooked his fingers, and the attendant beside him lit another fragrance refined from "Dead Man's Dream".

Palmer didn't expect that "Fick" would take the initiative to find him soon.

Another night of tossing and turning with difficulty falling asleep.In the quiet morning, Palmer retreated from his attendants and came to a secluded corner of the back garden alone.This is a quiet small cemetery, in which there is only one uncarved tombstone.The stone-paved floor in the small garden is clear at a glance, and there is a kind of plain and clean.This is the resting place of Palmer's mother Christine.He often stays here alone for a while.

"Mom, I avenged you. I heard that a few days ago, that old fellow Abelson died with a mark of shame. Hehe, didn't he think that mark was a sign of a polluted soul? As soon as he came here, I will imprint the mark on his forehead and let him taste it too." Palmer sneered and said to the tombstone, "Mom, do you hate him? You just got this mark accidentally in a bitter battle, okay? It's easy to wait for reinforcements, but you will be killed by your own people. If it weren't for him, wouldn't you have to flee to that shelter? Now you should be a member of the noble ruling king. Hehe, you said I should hate him Or should I thank him? Without him, your beloved child, the real Palmer would have come into this world. How could there be such a illegitimate impostor like me? Humph, speaking of it, I should thank him .”

Palmer looked back, tears rolling down his temples.He smiled dryly, "Fortunately, he didn't notice that you had escaped, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get in. Mom, just watch. I'm going to make this mark on the foreheads of all Aranti people."

The surroundings were so quiet that there was no wind. Palmer stood there for a moment, and when he turned around, he suddenly found a straight and upright figure at the entrance of the small cemetery. Looking closely, it was "Fick" in armor.

Palmer was shocked, and his heart was hit hard by an inexplicable panic.He quickly came back to his senses, with a look of displeasure on his face.It stands to reason that without his order, the guards would not come here to disturb him.However, this "Fick" captain chose to come here at this time, and it seemed that he came here specially to find him in private.What is his purpose?

Seeing Palmer turn around, a proper polite smile appeared on "Fick"'s cold and resolute face, and he bowed slightly, "Master Palmer, the Duke ordered his subordinates to come to you." After saying the last sentence, he Deliberately lowering his voice, he glanced outward, as if implying that this was a private call and it was not appropriate for the outside world to know.

Palmer naturally understood.Anticipation and anxiety pounded in his chest, he cleared his throat, suppressed his excitement, and wanted to show some dignity, but for some reason, Palmer always Unable to put on the air of a venerable in front of him, Palmer's legs even trembled slightly unknowingly.It felt familiar, and it bothered Palmer inexplicably.

"Fick" took out a bouquet of lilies from behind, "Your attendant said that you are probably mourning here at this time, please allow me to pay my respects to Ling Tang, this unfortunate lady."

Palmer couldn't help being stunned, "Fick" didn't wait for him to answer, he went straight forward, put the lily upright in front of the tombstone, and stood upright to salute, which is the etiquette of the Aranti people.The small cemetery was instantly filled with a sense of pity, and Palmer couldn't help being in a trance. He seemed to see his mother weeping in front of the window again, and the soft light fell from the sky on her body. She raised her head, her eyes no longer Frightened, disgusted, and hated, her figure gradually faded away, as if all the sorrows were relieved in the soft light.

Palmer came back from the memory and saw "Fick" walking past him.

"Let's go, follow me." - "Fick" said lightly.

This is not an order, nor a sense of threat, but it seems to be a voice from the heart, echoing in Palmer's entire spiritual world. Palmer followed the figure of "Fick" and left the small cemetery in a daze.He didn't even realize that "Fick" was taking him on a deserted mountain path.

"Fick" led Palmer into the secret passage from a remote entrance.Occasionally encountered patrolling guards on the road, and they didn't have any doubts, they just stopped to salute "Fick" according to the usual practice. "Fick" quickly came to the door carved with pomegranate leaves, and skillfully opened the mechanism.After the two stepped into the hall, the door immediately closed with a loud bang.

When Palmer woke up, he found himself standing under the altar.Palmer quickly recognized where this was.He personally escorted the big iron box containing Mason to the altar.He even watched the whole process as the Duke completed the "Holy Light Contract" with his own hands.But since Mason became "Mr. Murphy", he never dared to step here again.

Didn't you say that my lord father will summon you secretly?How come here?Palmer began to sense that something was wrong.At this time, the light and shadow in front of his eyes distorted for a moment, and Mason appeared in front of him in a purple robe, expressionless, walking towards him step by step.Palmer was startled, and couldn't help taking two steps back, but bumped into the hard armor. When Palmer turned around, a hand covered in cold iron armor was already tightly grasping his neck, "Fick"'s deep blue eyes Like a cold flame burning.

"Lorca, calm down! Don't forget, you have to live." Mason reminded, his tone indifferent, as if he had mentioned in the library how to draw the runes of the magic circle in the library.

Only then did Palmer realize why the blue eyes of "Fick" looked inexplicably familiar.Suddenly, Palmer was covered in cold sweat.

"Okay!" This was Lorca's voice, and he no longer pretended.Loka let go of the hand that clamped Palmer's throat according to his words. Palmer finally got a lot of precious fresh air, and he couldn't help panting. Suddenly, with a "snap!", Palmer was caught off guard by Loka's iron hand. With a slap across the face, Palmer was thrown to the ground by the force, and half of his face was already swollen.

Mason glanced at Loka helplessly, and Loka raised his eyebrows and returned him a look of "you didn't say you can't fight".At this time, the relief shadows of the pomegranate branches and leaves on the surrounding columns have spread over the ground and covered the trembling Palmer.Palmer suddenly found that he couldn't make any sound at all, he couldn't even move at all, but then he found himself standing up from the ground, to be precise, he was "lifted" by the shadows of branches, leaves and vines all over his body, He was suspended without touching his feet, and was sent to Mason.

There was no emotion on Mason's expression, no resentment, no anger, no sadness or hatred, and the calm gaze from the deep purple eyes made Palmer shudder.Mason frowned slightly, as if he was dissatisfied with something. His fingertips brushed over Palmer's swollen face. Palmer was surprised to find that the pain disappeared, and Mason was actually healing him!

"Lorca, come here and do me a favor," Mason ordered, "Use elder-level mana to protect our 'son of the ruling king', and don't let him faint later. Remember, keep him— -stay awake."

Loka came to Palmer's side according to his words, supported Palmer's shoulder with one hand, and covered the center of his back with the other.The powerful and gentle mana penetrated into Palmer's soul, which was still so warm and genial.Just like in the past in the secret realm of Alanti, every time Palmer felt unwell, Roca would cast spells like this to soothe him.At that moment, Palmer returned to the past in a trance.

Lorca nodded slightly, indicating that he was ready.Mason raised his hand and snapped his fingers, and the branches, leaves and vines covering Palmer's body instantly glowed purple. Mason's vast mana penetrated directly into the muscles and bones to carve symbols on his bones, viscera, and even blood vessels all over his body. The text is not just covered on the surface, but deeply engraved on the bones and internal organs of the whole body.

If you dissect Palmer later, you will find that all his internal organs are engraved with geometric runes, as if they were naturally generated.If all the flesh and internal organs of his body were removed, he would find that his whole body was densely engraved with ancient runes.

Palmer "stands" under the restraint and support of branches and vines all over his body.His whole body was dressed neatly, without any scars on the surface of his skin. His delicate face was completely distorted in the indescribable pain. He wanted to scream with all his might, but he couldn't make a sound. Originally, with his fragile mental strength, this The pain from the pain would make him faint at the beginning, but Loka's strong mana continuously protected his soul, and even enhanced his body's endurance to a certain extent.On the verge of collapse, Palmer never fainted, remained awake, and endured all sensations with incomparable clarity.

Under the pressure of the shadows of branches, leaves and vines wrapped around his body, Palmer couldn't even struggle to move a bit, he could only twitch silently and fiercely under the strong restraint.This scene was so weird and penetrating that Lorca could hardly bear to watch it any longer.However, with his rock-solid state of mind, the discomfort did not affect his stable spellcasting at all.

With Mason's ability to instantly cast magic circles, these runes can be completed very quickly.But he deliberately slowed down so that Palmer could slowly "enjoy" the whole process.There were even brief pauses in stages to give Palmer a break, and then just when he thought it was over, he continued abruptly.

When all the formations were completed, Palmer's clothes were soaked in cold sweat, strands of light-colored blond hair stuck stickily to his pale face, Palmer's eyes were full of shattered fear, and he was waiting for the next attack at any time. When a torture came, he panted silently like a fish out of water.At Palmer's feet was a puddle of foul-smelling black water.Lorca couldn't help frowning slightly, he didn't expect Palmer's level of cultivation to be so low.Theoretically, with the improvement of the cultivation level, the physique of the Alandi people is constantly purified. When they reach the level of high-level priests, they can directly ingest the aura of nature, and the food they ingest can be completely absorbed and transformed into spiritual energy, and they will no longer Generate dross.Even if Palmer is a mixed race, as long as he redoubles his efforts, it will take a longer time to reach the level of a high priest.Maybe it's because he has been addicted to psychedelic potions these years, his cultivation base has been deteriorating, and his physique has weakened to the level of an ordinary person in the outside world.

Loka only found it ironic and pathetic, and this was the instigator of everything! ——

Leaking the entrance of the secret realm many years ago led to the crisis of the secret realm, and the destruction of the homeland, so that the whole family had to migrate to find a new habitat; all these disasters were actually started by the so-called 'son of the ruling king'.

Loka was so self-confident that he was so powerful that he almost died in his hands during the investigation of the secret crisis; and the magic circle taught by Kedile San Miluo that he left after murdering Loka was the evidence that Mason was innocent. It almost made Loka fall into suspicion; he secretly cultivated Yimi flowers in the secret realm of Aranti, which has been peaceful for a long time, refined ecstasy-magic potions, and kept murdering and killing people, causing panic. In the end, the elders had to let Mason, who is the most suspicious, bears the panic of the entire group.

His position is so close to the high-level, because of his betrayal, most of the forces that Alandi has operated in the mainland for many years were destroyed, and countless compatriots died, which directly led to the entire Sunset Town being slaughtered. Even Abel Elder Sen was also captured and humiliated.Died unexpectedly.

Both Loka and Mason are rare masters in the world, and the elders, priests, and guards in the secret realm of Alandi are all powerful people. Such a heart-wrenching sacrifice and such a tragic fate were manipulated in such a way. In the hands of such a humble person.

Loka looked up at Mason, only to see that Mason was also silent, and there was a touch of sadness in the calm.Originally, the misunderstanding between them still had room to be resolved, but who knows, that day was only half a day, and Mason fell into purgatory from then on...

Mason was only silent for a moment, quickly restrained his emotions, and returned to his usual calmness, "Lorca, first help me get a pot of 'dream wine'. Before the action starts, I will check whether the 'key' to open the dawn is still there. Is there something missing." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers again, but this time he didn't cast any mana, but Palmer was shocked and his whole body shook violently.