Release that Witch

With his hands trembling, Astrologer of Dispersion Star thought it was not the right time to make the news public.

”When the scarlet star, or the Bloody Moon, befalls, the world will fall into a disaster beyond redemption.”

He admittedly understood the meaning of this prophecy.

Taking a deep breath, the chief astrologer raised his head meticulously, for fear that the hard-won star would lose due to his unnecessary movement of touching the astrolabe.

Even though he could find the position of the star once again with his eyes closed.

”Write it down, East 3 Area, early summer, between Hexagram and Blazing Star.”

”Yes,” Yun replied, groping for his logbook, and then drew a circle at the corresponding position. That meant another star was included in the stellar map. ”What’s the name of the star ?” he asked.

”No name now.”

”Master?” Yun startled slightly and said.

”Just do as what I’ve said, and there’s no need to write the name down. Besides, gather the astrologers in the observatory and ask the apprentices to leave... right now!” Dispersion Star said.

His last sound sounded like a growl.

”I’ll do it at once.” Shocked by the growl of Dispersion Star, Yun ran to summon the other astrologers.

”May the deities in the heaven bless us!” Dispersion Star thought.

Soon, all the astrologers flocked together around the chief astrologer.

They seemed to realize something from his solemn look. The rumor about Star of Extinction was not a secret among the astrologers anymore since Roland had paid his visit to the Astrology Association. The young king had even suggested the chief astrologer show the patrimonial gold plaque to other astrologers, as it could enable them to feel responsibility and honor in their jobs and would encourage them to focus more on observing the stars. At that time, Dispersion Star somehow had felt that His Majesty had made light of the doomsday.

”Chief Astrologer... Do you?”

”I found a scarlet star,” Dispersion Star nodded and said.

The astrologers all gasped out upon these words.

”But I’m not sure whether it’s a light spot or just an illusion... Such a phenomenon is common in star observation, so...” Dispersion Star waved his hands and said.

”So you need us to re-check,” Void Star said.

”That’s right,” Dispersion Star nodded and said, ”and let’s start with you.”

...

An hour later, eight astrologers completed the stars observation. To rule out the instrument problem, twice changes in telescopes and the one time change in the old-fashioned astrolabe were made.

All the astrologers had got a clear look at the dim light no matter which telescope was used, except the old-fashioned astrolabe.

Maybe a blurred vision or an illusion would occur to one people, but it was impossible that eight astrologers were all in blurred vision.

The Astrologer of Rose Star, one of the eight astrologers, whose eyesight was the most excellent, even claimed she had caught the sight of star profile.

There was no doubt about the existence of the ”scarlet star”.

Subsequently, a moment of unusual silence pervaded in the Astrological Station.

Was it the blessing or the punishment of the deities? It was a question. What Dispersion Star could make sure was that all their efforts, from the day they joined the Astrology Association, were aimed to find Star of Extinction, which heralded the misfortune and disaster. Yet when they really found it, a burst of fear struck them.

Their hard work was paid off. To know beforehand about the disaster could save tens of thousands of lives. It was the moment that the Astrology Association had totally outmatched the Alchemist Workshop. The significance of the event could not even be measured by the gold royals. Their warning, however, was also tantamount to the most vicious curse to some extent.

Doomsday prediction would be a profound responsibility for those astrologers.

”What should we do next?” Someone asked afterward.

”Under the normal circumstance, we should report it to the king.”

”Do you mean Prince Roland Wimbledon? Will he believe us?”

”The star won’t disappear even if he doesn’t believe us.”

”No! I mean he won’t believe in the prediction on the Star of Extinction.”

”Anyhow, it’s worth a try. It was he, after all, who delivered these instruments to the Astrological Station. It was impossible that he would turn up his nose at our words.”

”Who knows? He’s famous for his stubbornness in King’s City.”

”He wouldn’t leave us if he was as stubborn as he’s said in rumors.”

”Stop! Just keep the message about the scarlet star confidential, we still need some other days to observe.” Dispersion Star raised his hands and interrupted the discussion.

After looking at each astrologer around, Dispersion Star said, ”It’s far from enough to only know about its existence. We need to learn about the scarlet star’s operational orbit, speed and the possible time to befall the world. The more clues we can collect, the more convincing our prediction will be. Understand?”

”As you wish, Chief Astrologer,” All the astrologers made bows together and said.

...

Dispersion Star felt that the scarlet star was increasingly fathomless after one week’s observation.

It should be motionless.

All the stars moved inevitably, which, sometimes, was in parallel with the skyline, and then raised in the mid-air; sometimes, they would fade away after midnight. Such changes were of regularity. Otherwise, the statement about the orbit could not hold water.

However, no signs of movement about Star of Extinction could be captured.

Hexagram tilted slightly in 7 days. As the autumn fell, the 6 transverse lines would change into 6 vertical lines, and the scarlet star would be moving away from the center between Hexagram and Blazing Star.

By contrast, Dispersion Star realized that the scarlet star did not move as if it was not a star but something fixed on the background of night.

Now that it could not move, it was impossible that the scarlet star would get close to the four kingdoms.

As the prediction revealed, Star of Extinction must befall into the world. In other words, the disaster would strike only when all the people could observe the star with their naked eyes. Did it mean the doomsday would never fall if what engraved in the gold plaque was true?

Besides, the light of the scarlet star kept changing.

This conclusion was drawn by the Astrologer of Rose Star, whose logbook revealed that the star was brightening gradually.

When the Astrologer of Rose star had first noticed such a phenomenon, Dispersion Star had not taken it seriously given the stability of the stars. A star would not constantly change its shape and luster like the moon. In the seventh day, however, the Astrologer of Brightsky Star who had just recovered from illness had put forward the same idea. Given that the Astrologer of Rose Star and the Astrologer of Brightsky Star were of the most excellent eyesight among the astrologers of the Astrology Association, their points of view had finally caught Dispersion Star’s attention.

After a heated discussion in the night, the whim of the Astrologer of Rose Star, a female stargazer, made all the astrologers shiver with fear.

”If the advent of Star of Extinction refers to being seen by the people, is there a possibility that the scarlet star will come into people’s eyes even though it keeps motionless all the time? Will the increasingly brightening light make it surpass Phospherus and become a torch hanging over the sky?”

Like a thundering roar, her remarks struck into Dispersion Star’s mind.

The ordinary people did not know how to identify the constellation, but that did not mean that they could not see the stars.

The brightness of some stars was a match for crescent, which could be easily seen on the night of the sunny day.

How about the star being of unique eye-catching color?

The answer was clear.

”I’ll write a letter to His Majesty Roland now, hoping it’s not too late,” The chief astrologer said with cold sweat dripping.