Gun of Ashes

Arthur fell silent, then picked up the communicator and asked.

”How’s the battle going, Gawain?”

After the harsh sound of static, Gawain’s voice came through. He sounded calm, extremely dependable amidst the howls of the demons.

Gawain was that type of person. Rather than a knight, he was more like a simple soldier, simply executing every command of his commander.

”Still under control. The enemy is mostly ordinary demons. Although they are numerous, with our current firepower, we have a slight advantage. As long as we maintain this, we can annihilate the enemy.”

This was a rare piece of good news; the defense line had not been breached.

”What about Percival?”

”I am approaching the research zone. The demons are blocking the road. We are struggling to clear the way.”

The communicator buzzed with the sound of demons roaring and gunfire. The usually unreliable Percival became unusually dependable at crucial moments. Arthur looked at the others and continued.

”Merlin, you were right, but among the enemies, someone carries inferior Secret Blood. Our patients have been turned into demons by him, and here... there are more patients in the critical ward...”

”Do you think they would turn those people into demons too?” Merlin asked.

”I suspect so. Otherwise, this attack would be too laughable, wouldn’t it? Gawain’s firepower alone could control it... Something else is waiting for us, and there’s the new Order...”

”Most patients are in the safe house,” Abigail said at this point. ”We shouldn’t need to worry about them for now.”

Hearing this, Arthur’s eyes changed, becoming increasingly gloomy and dark.

”No, never underestimate your enemies, especially those connected with Lawrence.

The patients are concentrated in the safe house. If the defenses hold, they will be safe. But once breached, the patients will have nowhere to run, and those patients themselves are victims of corruption, more prone to mutating into demons and becoming our enemies... Evacuate those patients, evacuate all of them.”

Arthur said, looking at Abigail and Merlin.

”You as well, evacuate together, there’s no time to wait for Percival. Blue Jade Swift and I will assist you in the evacuation while the demons have yet to breach Gawain’s line.”

”What about Lorenzo?”

Abigail didn’t understand why Arthur did not mention the demon hunter, clearly he was possibly the primary target.

”Lorenzo...”

Hearing that name, Arthur couldn’t help but recall what Lorenzo had said to him before.

Lorenzo has not lost yet... So what does he want to do? What else could he achieve in this situation?

”No, don’t worry about the demon hunter, just unchain him and let him escape on his own. Among all these people, he’s the least of our worries, but recapturing him again will be nearly impossible... We may never know what the Pseudo Holy Grail truly is.”

If Arthur were Lorenzo, he would flee all the way, leaving Old Dunling, leaving Ingwig. Given Lorenzo’s abilities, it wouldn’t be difficult for him.

What should be done?

”Wait... Lorenzo!”

Merlin suddenly shouted, and everyone’s gaze shifted over. It was unclear when it happened, but the flickering lamp had long since gone out, and Lorenzo hung his head as if unconscious, voiceless.

”The plan has changed; it seems we have to take Lorenzo with us during the evacuation.”

Merlin said as he grabbed the previously printed data, then spoke to Arthur.

”Act now, Arthur. Eve is also in the safe house; as the final product of the Ranger plan, she’s of extraordinary value.”

”And what about you?” Arthur asked.

”I have to shut down the Aviary, get Lorenzo out... That damned machine is a pain to start, and a pain to shut down as well.”

Merlin said to Arthur, shaking his hand vigorously. With a crisp sound, a Folding Blade was in his grip.

”Go quickly, Arthur, don’t worry. In my generation, swordsmanship was a compulsory course for Alchemists.”

His gaze then turned to the demon hunter in the Aviary, Merlin’s voice devoid of emotion.

”Besides, there are some things I’d like to discuss with Lorenzo.”

...

This feeling was somewhat odd, yet familiar, as if he had plunged into a deep sea, enveloped by the slightly cool and dark blue sea water.

The announcements and tremors were muffled by this invisible ocean, becoming blurred, sounding to Lorenzo like meaningless murmurs of dreams.

As the machine activated, that initial intense pain gradually waned, and simultaneously, the world in Lorenzo’s eyes was losing its light, until finally, everything returned to darkness.

It seemed as if he had plunged into an abyssal sea bottom, surrounded by an untouchable darkness, a boundless darkness.

”Ah... It’s so dark...”

Lorenzo suddenly made such a remark.

Only he remained in the darkness, along with that damned chair. In this prolonged darkness, human senses became blurred, as if only a few minutes had passed, yet it also felt like many years.

Just as this darkness was nearing eternity, a golden line sliced through the darkness from top to bottom. The light revived Lorenzo a bit, arousing his curiosity. He rose and walked towards the light, and as Lorenzo approached, the light began to spread, growing larger and larger.

No... It was a slowly opening door, with the so-called light spilling out from the gap.

Lorenzo pushed open this dusty door and stepped into the brilliance.

All the coldness and darkness were driven away, and warm sunlight shone down on him. Slowly lifting his head, a sky of utmost blue unfolded beyond the window.

He stared blankly at all of this, and after a long time, a smile appeared on his stiff face.

Lorenzo had not seen such a beautiful sky in a long time. Having lived in Old Dunling for too long, where the skies were always gloomy, he had almost forgotten what the normal world was supposed to look like.

His gaze moved around the room. Upon closer examination, it was a cozy little room, not large but equipped with all the necessary items. Judging by the clothes stacked to the side, this was a boy’s room.

Lorenzo found this all somewhat familiar, but couldn’t recall where he had seen it before. Just then, a noise came from outside the door. After a moment of hesitation, he pushed the door open and followed the sound’s direction.

This was a residence tucked away in the mountains and forests, concealed by the shade of trees, and filled with the songs of birds and scents of flowers—an earthly paradise in Lorenzo’s view. It was truly ideal for retirement and seclusion, far better than that dreadful place, Old Dunling.

Yet strange it was that Lorenzo saw no one here. The beauty of it all felt abrupt, like a finely crafted dream.

He continued forward, and the sound gradually clarified into the swift swish of a sword.

There was a boy wielding a sword. Lorenzo watched from afar. The boy had a seemingly timid face, but each time he struck, the speed of the sword was swift as thunder, and at this moment, Lorenzo could glimpse a hint of fierceness in the boy’s expression.

He didn’t seem as timid as he appeared; quite the contrary, this seemed to be a violent child, only he himself was unaware of it.

Everything appeared harmonious until sudden footsteps echoed from behind Lorenzo.

Just like being discovered by a monster, Lorenzo bizarrely lost all his strength, unable to move, like a statue standing there until the sound grew closer and then passed by him.

The sound belonged to an old man, slowly advancing with the aid of a cane. Time had left scars as dry as tree bark on his face, and it seemed he could not see Lorenzo, continuing forward regardless. The boy seemed to notice the old man’s arrival, ceased his swordplay, and walked towards him.

”Good morning, sir!”

The boy called out while waving.

Lorenzo de’ Medici did his best to put on a smile, responding to the boy.

”Good morning, 042.”