Pillar of Yita

”We have been staying here for more than a week, until yesterday. The Knight suddenly returned from outside and told us that there was some progress. He said he would be leaving for half a day to find something, and if successful, we could leave Idus.”

She suddenly rubbed her eyes.

”But unexpectedly, the Knight never returned. I was worried that something might have happened to him, so I took the servants to the surface. But we hadn’t even gone halfway when Idus fell into chaos... Everywhere were Sky Pirates and some unknown Holy Chosen.”

”From their conversations, I inadvertently learned that the Sky Pirates had captured an important prisoner. I thought it was the Knight, so I quietly sneaked to that place. But unexpectedly, before I got there, I had already encountered the Knight in this state.”

The young girl said worriedly, ”I don’t know why the Knight became like this, but he gave me your contact information, and that’s how I found you. I just didn’t expect that you were actually nearby—”

She looked at Hilveld with pleading eyes: ”Sister, can you treat the Knight here, please? I’m worried he won’t last until then.”

Hilveld walked over and comfortingly patted her shoulder: ”Don’t worry, this is just a curse, not as serious as you think. Miss Tang Xin is a Priest of Milaila and is good at dealing with this, but we need a safe and thorough environment—so we need to go back to the platform.”

She looked at the other, then said comfortingly: ”If you’re not reassured, you can come with us.”

”Really?”

”Of course.”

The young girl looked at her, nodded seriously: ”Alright, then I trust you.”

”You can call me Hilveld,” Hilveld replied: ”Princess Affia.”

”Just call me Affia,” the young girl brightened up again: ”We Istania people aren’t that ceremonious.”

Tianlan wrinkled her nose: ”Hmph, who cares.”

Hilveld amusingly patted her forehead to make her stop. Tianlan hugged her head, looking a bit aggrieved at her.

Then she asked about another matter: ”Affia, do you know what’s going on with that important prisoner? It doesn’t sound like Mr. Diket.”

Affia shook her head: ”I don’t know, but you’re right; the Knight also told me it’s someone else.”

She thought for a moment and then said: ”They mentioned terms like ’Dragon Witch’, ’Nikopolas’, and ’Dragon’s Land’, which I don’t understand.”

Hilveld’s gaze focused.

The others were obviously tense too; it seemed that the important prisoner was related to the Dragon Witch incident. Wasn’t that the clue they had been following all along?

Unfortunately, Ditke was unconscious; otherwise, he might have had more clues.

And Gita thought for a moment, then suddenly asked: ”Miss Affia, did Mr. Diket ever tell you how he got injured or who cast the curse?”

Affia glanced at her. Seeing the Magic Guided Book in Gita’s hand, she was slightly surprised, still holding a basic respect for the Natural Historian.

She nodded and said: ”I did ask the Knight, but he only kept telling me one thing repeatedly.”

Everyone was startled and hurriedly asked: ”What was it?”

”He asked me to remember one word, Aiosarian.”

”What Sarian?” Tianlan was confused.

But Gita suddenly stood up.

Everyone instinctively looked at her. Miss Natural Historian’s fingertips were somewhat pale as she clutched the edge of her Magic Guided Book, her brow furrowed as if immersed in thought.

Then she raised her head and looked at everyone, saying: ”I’ve heard this name.”

”Its... its full name should be Lifegard—Aiosarian, that’s...”

And the Big Cat People also stood up, speaking: ”The name of the Dragon King.”

”Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Luo Hao stood up: ”Are you telling me a legendary story? One of the five Dragon Slaying Holy Swords, drinking deep of the Dragon King’s blood, causing the Golden Star Fire to fall to dust—isn’t this the history of the Aithelin Disaster?”

He joined the team last and wasn’t too clear about the backstory of the Nikopolas affair, just looking somewhat confused at the others:

”What does this have to do with the Dragon Witch? Don’t tell me the Dragon Witch is actually Lifegard’s wife, the Dragon Queen?”

The Big Cat People looked at the chubby man, gesturing at their throat with a claw: ”You dare joke about that, be careful or you’ll have bad luck.”

The chubby man, seeing the other’s eerie expression, shivered with fright and naturally silenced the latter half of his sentence.

”Lifegard.” Hilveld softly repeated the name.

But Luo Yu suddenly frowned and stepped out: ”I heard that the Dragon Slaying Holy Sword has the ability to imprison the souls of Giant Dragons, so the one who wields the Dragon Slaying Holy Sword can completely kill the Dark Giant Dragon—”

He looked at the others: ”Back then, the Fairies made the five Holy Swords for Mortals, which one drank deep of the Dragon King’s blood?”

”Do you even need to ask,” Luo Hao replied without thinking: ”Fairies crafted the legendary Holy Swords with the Root of Ethers, Dragon’s Blood, and Cold Steel; the five Holy Swords are renowned in history—”

Galapea slew the ancient dragon ’Hellfire’.

Foe Slayer severed the heads of seven dragons.

Holy Sword Morning Light thrice entered the Dragon Nation.

Black Steel became famous for the Dragon’s Barrier.

Lastly, the Holy Sword Moa, which drank deep of the Dragon King’s blood.

But after he finished speaking, the surroundings fell silent. Luo Hao was startled for a moment, looked at the others, and asked with some confusion: ”Did I say something wrong?”

But no one was looking at him.

Reed’s expression suddenly turned grim: ”Holy Sword Moa, imprisoning the Dragon King’s soul... Holy Sword Moa...”

”Blood Thistle Woods!” Tianlan jumped three feet high.

The Lion Paladin immediately raised his head, looked at Hilveld, and said: ”Quickly contact Ade, tell him we may have figured out what’s sealed beneath Idus.”

...