Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong nodded, the icy winds of the Black Forest lay beside Tais to the north, nestled along the winding coastline to the west of the Ancient Tower. The brief summer, with its mountains and fields filled with purple flowers, was the only memory people had of that place.

There was also the resting place of the ancient king. To this day, ancient rumors still circulate within the forest. The Rogsel Family originated from Scepter Coast, and the harsh winters there also shaped the strict character of the nobles in that area.

Fang Hong fiddled with the silver snuff bottle in his hand. He also knew a rumor, a folk tale that the guardians of the five Dragon Slaying Swords, one of whom eventually retired into that ancient forest, could it be the Sword Bearer of the Mo’ya Holy Sword?

And what is its relation to the owner of this castle?

Elisa had little interest in the snuff bottle and did not pay much attention. She then turned the conversation to describe the other spoils of war — they were in fact relics of the Undead Wizard. Though the items were good, they could not be used with Magic Guided items, Fang Hong wasn’t very interested and asked her to pack them up to be distributed and sorted later.

”By the way, how is Lady Kuisu?”

”It’s hard to explain...” Speaking of this matter, Elisa’s face became serious: ”We found the body of her son in a secret passage beneath the Holy Sanctuary. The corpse was nearly frozen, at least for one or two weeks, the starlight depleted... Luo Yu said he looked somewhat like Miss Atira’s brother.”

”Does that mean he had a chance of being resurrected before he disappeared?”

”Of course, the child was only fifteen, never been in trouble before, it was when his starlight was at its brightest...”

Fang Hong rubbed his chin.

Another incident like this.

”Where is Lady Kuisu now?”

”She is still there, I left Luo Yu to accompany her.”

”Let’s go see her.”

”Okay.” Elisa nodded gently.

The two returned to the Holy Sanctuary and met Kuisu. Under the ruined hall, there was only a dim campfire, the lady sat on a fallen pillar, while Luo Yu stood beside her, feeling a bit drowsy, and only noticed Fang Hong with a nod of his head.

The lady kept her head down, the firelight illuminating her profile, silent.

Just as Fang Hong was about to speak, she raised her head first, her thin face pale, eyes swollen, and her voice hoarse as she spoke: ”... there’s no need to worry, what you promised me has been done, next I will fulfill my covenant...”

There were a few woodcutters in the hall, warming themselves by the campfire. Kuisu’s voice drew the attention of the others, who all looked this way uneasily. They were the ones who collected the bodies from the secret passage, so they naturally knew what had happened below.

The faint flames flickered, and no one spoke, a silence pervaded the hall.

Fang Hong did not reply; he came for the task, but unlike others, he cared about more than just completing the task.

”Can I take a look?”

Kuisu looked at the young man, nodding weakly.

Fang Hong turned his gaze aside, where several bodies shrouded in white cloth lay quietly in the shadows beyond the firelight, in the dark corner of the hall.

He didn’t actually go over to uncover the shroud, but softly asked: ”Are there more than one person?”

”There are five.”

”The others are the Invokers.” Elisa quietly answered him.

Fang Hong walked over, having asked beforehand, thus he didn’t directly uncover the shroud of Kuisu’s son, instead, he uncovered another body. The body was cold and stiff, like an ice sculpture, its expression frozen in the last moment before death.

The deceased was not terrified, probably thinking there was still a chance of resurrection.

Fang Hong covered the shroud again, and asked Luo Yu behind him: ”Is it the same as back then?”

Luo Yu gently nodded.

”Apart from not being frozen, completely the same.”

”Such as?”

”The starlight disappearing, and the expression of peace.”

”Peace?” Elisa took a gentle breath, feeling a bit eerie.

”Regardless of whether they can be revived, people are always surprised before they die, unless they anticipated it, or committed suicide, or perhaps didn’t encounter any pain before dying.” Fang Hong replied calmly.

”The Big Catfolk said the same thing at the time.” Luo Yu nodded.

Fang Hong cast a final glance at these bodies before getting up and walked back.

”Who were those Invokers?” Elisa asked softly.

Fang Hong shook his head, he also didn’t know, there were many possibilities, but none could be ruled out one by one.

Luo Yu, standing behind them, replied: ”Lady Kuisu believes they might be the Invokers who left the Masongke Creek camp with her son at the time...”

”That can’t be ruled out.” Fang Hong turned back: ”Were they the only ones at the time?”

”Probably not.”

”Then where are the others?”

Luo Yu shook his head.

”Can Lady Kuisu recognize those people?”

Luo Yu shook his head again, fearing it would be difficult.

The three walked back to Kuisu’s side. She looked a bit better, fiddling with her hair as she replied: ”There is no need to comfort me, I actually had foreseen it before setting out, but until I saw it with my own eyes, I couldn’t let go...”

She sighed: ”... since his body has already been found, staying here is not a solution, Blood Thistle Woods is not safe... I suggest we leave this place overnight... a short break at the Masongke Creek camp, and we can set off for the south.”

Although she spoke these words, Fang Hong saw her true intention was not so — the pain of losing a son is not something that can be easily resolved in a few words. Although he could not feel her emotions, he could imagine it to some extent.