Chapter 15 Chapter Fourteen

I woke up thinking I heard a sound, but I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from.Lying on the bed, I tried to think about what that sound was, but I had no clue.It was supposed to be the sound of the hinges, as if a door was being opened slowly, or closed slowly so as not to disturb others. Maybe it was Saryon, maybe he needed me, and I got out of bed, put on my sweater and jeans, and walked out of the room, toward his room.Walking to his door, I listened carefully and could vaguely hear his slight snoring.Whoever is walking cannot be my master. "Joran." I had this thought.While his callousness and disrespect towards Saryon annoyed me, I still grieved for the man.He was about to be forced to leave the home he loved and start his life anew.

"May Emin guide him." After I said my prayers, I went back to my room. I knew I couldn't sleep, so I walked to the window, opened the curtains, and wanted to enjoy the night here. Outside the window is one of the many gardens that surround the holy mountain.I don't know what are those big white flowers that bloom in this garden, and now the buds hang down from the stems, making me think they're hanging their heads sadly.I imagined using this scenario as a metaphor for a new book I'm planning.I was about to turn around to record this thought when I saw someone walk into the garden.

Of course a worried Joram would want to come out for a walk—that was my idea.I didn't want to disturb his private time, and I was even more afraid that if he saw me, he would think I was spying on him.So I hurried to draw the curtains.But at that moment, the figure stepped onto a wide aisle, almost facing me.That's not Joram. It was a woman, wearing a cloak and a hood, with a bundle under her arm. "Alisa!" I exclaimed in my heart: "She is going to run away!" My whole body became cold, and my whole heart was tangled together.I stood there dumbfounded, my hands and feet went limp from the tremendous shock.I have to do something, but what can I do?

Run to wake up Saryon and ask him to talk to Alisa?I gave up the idea, remembering my master's weariness and weakness. Wake up her parents? No, I will not betray Alisa.I will go find her myself and persuade her to stay. I grabbed my jacket and pulled it on as I sprinted into the hallway.I don't know the way here, but in desperation, I remembered that I had walked through that garden when I went to the toilet.After taking a wrong turn, I quickly found the door and ran out into the night.When I opened that door, the hinges made exactly the same rattling noise I had heard earlier. The night was quite bright, and I could easily find the vague figure in front of me.The first time I saw her from the window, she was walking very fast.I was terrified that when I arrived she had walked across the garden and over the wall.And now she was indeed at the wall, but the burden she was carrying slowed her down.She put the bundle and another thing on top of the wall.I shuddered again at the sight of that—Teddy.

Teddy, Simkin, was sitting on top of the wall, beside the bundle.Alisa has already begun to climb over the wall, and the cloak and skirt are swinging with her movements.After jumping over the wall, she turned and grabbed the bundle with one hand and Teddy with the other.At this time, she saw me. Against her black hair her face was as pale as the flowers.But her expression was determined. When she saw me, she opened her eyes wide, and then immediately narrowed them into a slit in dissatisfaction. I waved my hands desperately, but at this moment I couldn't express my meaning with gestures.Our previous tacit understanding in spirit no longer exists.She picked up her pack.The load was evidently so heavy that after she lifted it with difficulty she had to drop Teddy (I hoped Teddy's head would hit the ground) and hold it steady with both hands.

The burden hit the stone wall, making a dull sound, much like the steel wrapped in the cloth hitting the stone. Now I know what she's holding, and my breath stops suddenly.I staggered and stopped in place. Alisa reads my mind, but it only makes her go faster.She picked up the bundle and turned around.I heard her footsteps resounding rapidly on the rock. I came back to my senses and immediately chased after him.Must catch up with her! Technologists are bugging us.But according to the information provided by Mosiah, Duke Xisi is watching us! I scrambled up the wall and turned awkwardly over it, watching for the dark figure of Dukexis to emerge from the shadows.As I said, my motor nerves are not very strong, and in the shadow cast by the wall, I can't see the ground below.So I misjudged the distance and fell hard on the ground when I jumped, hitting the wall with my knees and tearing my palms.

"Ouch! Oops! Idiot! You knocked all the cotton out of my stomach!" A voice came from under my feet. I was just too busy trying to regain my balance on the steep hill to catch up as quickly as possible, not paying attention to Teddy who had been lost.My foot hit a loose rock, and that rock rolled down the hill, sending a large swath of gravel with it.I slipped and was about to fall when Alisa appeared beside me.She stopped me with her cloak, grabbed my arm with both hands, even digging her nails into my flesh. "Don't move!" she whispered anxiously. "Your noise can wake the dead!"

"This happened once," said a very mournful voice near my arm. "The Duke of Etterhouse died while he was sitting in his armchair reading the newspaper. Nobody dared to tell him they knew what a horrible reaction such a message would make him, so we just left him there .until one day the cook forgot about it and rang the dinner bell—” Alisa was taken aback.She let go of me and sat down on her knees. "You can talk!" she said to me with extreme nervousness.The burden was not with her. Shaking my head furiously, I reached under my aching ass and pulled the fake teddy bear out, rocking it back and forth in front of Alisa.

Alisa looked at the bear and bit her lower lip.Suddenly, she seemed to understand what I meant. "Are you hurt?" she asked reluctantly. I shake my head. "Okay!" she said. "Go back to bed, Reuven. I know what I'm doing." Without another word, she took the bear from me, stood up, and walked forward quickly, the skirt and cloak shaking violently with her movements.She stopped at the foot of the far hill, lifted the heavy load, and then I lost sight of her. She knows where she is going.And I don't know.She was used to climbing and walking among these steep mountains.I can not.I couldn't even yell behind her.The last thing I want is to remind her to take care of herself, and what she carries.I hope I can persuade her to go home before the damage is done.But first I must catch up with her.

If I just blindly stumbled and ran on this hillside, maybe I would never catch up with her.But there must be a path here, otherwise she couldn't have walked so fast.I started looking for that path.My knees felt stiff and my palms were burning.But my patience was rewarded. Not far from my fall, there was a semi-natural and semi-artificial path embedded in the hillside.This is an ancient trail that many Catalyst Saints have walked before me.Much of the trail is hewn out of the face and reinforced with rock and tree roots that go deep into the face. In the starlight at night, the rock shimmers white.The roots have been polished and shiny by many footsteps.I walked down the trail, wondering where I would end up.

Despite the rocky roots to hold on to, I was walking slowly on the steep trail.I can no longer hear Alisa's footsteps, she must be far away from me.What a stupid idea to go this way, if I slipped and fell I would probably break a leg or an ankle and be forced to lie there all night without help. If only I could walk a little faster!I can imagine that the Catalyst Saints dug out this road and walked on it every day, jumping as nimbly as a goat... I also started to jump down.Although not like a goat, at least it looks light and agile.I wore a brown robe tied around my waist, sandals on my feet, and a sack with a scroll swinging from my shoulders.The sky was clear and the sun was bright, and I ran down the mountain road in the warm sunshine.All young Catalyst Saints, and occasionally some older Catalyst Saints, take this path when they miss their classes.There is direct access to the University from this trail. The sight was strange and startling to me, just like the visions I had seen before - I was wearing a brown robe, Alisa was my queen... Of course, as a writer, I am used to living in my own In fantasies and daydreams, it all seemed very real to me, but not every time as real as it is now.Once again, I lifted the curtains, looked out the window, and saw myself standing outside, looking back at me. But... can I take advantage of this?Dare I? The exhaustion and the thin air in the mountains made me feel like I was losing my ability to think.I was almost breathless with worry about Alisa, otherwise I am sure I would never have allowed myself to do such a thing.I let go of my attachment to the present life and plunged into another life.I became a Catalyst Saint, was late to class, and was sure to be punished by the teacher, so I ran up the trail on the side of the mountain. My feet know where each rock is, my hands know where to hold on, I know where to glide safely over, and which rock's edge to jump to.It's crazy, but it's also exciting.If I don't keep the present thought, I will be frozen in place, unable to move half a step. When I finally reached the foot of the hill, I gasped and looked up the hill.The me of the Catalyst Saint disappeared.I realized what I had just done, and it made my stomach shudder.But I immediately started looking for Alisa.In the last moment of my fantasy, the catalyst saint ran in the opposite direction from my current one.Some part of me is sad that he is gone. I came to a wide, flat road of white flagstones, which must have been the avenue of the Holy Mountain.It leads all the way to the foothills, and to the long-abandoned city.The purpose of that city is to support the Holy Mountain and the university here.At that time, the main road must have been full of vehicles flying with magic wings and all kinds of strange means of transportation, transporting nobles to worship, petition, or visit their sons and daughters studying in these universities in an endless stream. Now the highway was a coiled white ribbon in the night.I walked down it, and not long after, I saw a black figure appearing in front of me.She kept going along the side of the road without taking any other precautions.Now she is not too far away from me, and she is not going fast.I figured her load must be heavier than she expected when she set off.I was so glad to see that she was still alone.Of course, she has Teddy by her side. I hurried to catch up.Now I run much easier than her.She heard my footsteps and knew I was approaching her.She was a little powerless and wanted to speed up, but she couldn't hold on for too long.Realizing that it was impossible to escape, she stopped and turned to face me.Under the starlight, her face was ghastly pale, like a ghost, and her black eyes under thick brows shone with anger and challenge.But I could see that she was tired, maybe a little scared, a little relieved that she wasn't alone anymore. I grabbed her arm under her cloak and pulled her into the shadows of the roadside ruins. "What are you going to do?" she asked, shaking my hand. I pointed to the shadows, then to the shiny white pavement, and shook my head. "He wants to tell you that we stand here like the mole on Countess Diarepe's back. Her back is so smooth and fair." Teddy helped me explain. "I don't see why you should hide," Alisa said angrily.She tucked the bear under one arm, and lifted the heavy bundle awkwardly in the other. "Nobody around is paying attention to us." "At least Emin is listening," Teddy said.Anyway, I did have that thought too. I took Alisa's arm again, and this time she allowed me to lead her down the illuminated avenue and into a nearby clump of trees.She still held the bundle, and I didn't try to take it from her. After hiding in the shadows, she threw the bundle on a pile of leaves, then slumped against an overturned low wall, looking at the bundle in front of her. "I didn't know it was so heavy," she said. "It wasn't that heavy when I first picked it up, but now it's getting heavier. It's clunky and hard to hold." I took the tablet out of my jacket pocket.Thanks to Emin, I put the tablet in my pocket beforehand.When I chased it out, I had completely forgotten about it.I typed out a line: Dark Sword. "Yes." Alisa said, looking at the line. What are you doing with it?Where are you taking it?I asked. "Take it to the base of that army," Alisa replied. I am confused.I looked at her and forgot to type. "My father was wrong," she said in a low, sure voice, looking at the sword. "But it's not his fault." She glanced at me, defending Joram faithfully, as if I were accusing him. "You don't know him! If he can't trust those people, can you blame him for that? He's been betrayed time and time again by people he trusted." It's not that simple, but I respect her defense of her father. "I'm going to take the sword to the army base, give it to the Border Patrol, and let them take it to Earth. Those people will leave us, and we'll be at peace again. As long as there's no sword, there will be no Someone has come to hurt father." I saw tears glistening in her dark eyes.She seemed to foresee her future life, a life that left her feeling empty and lonely, alone in this abandoned world.At this moment, I saw her generous and noble soul.I love her.I can't tell her it's not fair to her to tell her at this time.But I have sworn that my heart and soul are hers, just as in another life I, the Catalyst Saint, gave my heart and soul unreservedly to his Queen. How much do you know about army bases?I type with a digital tablet. "I've been there," she smiled at my surprised expression. "Sinkin took me to see it. It was his idea to send the sword tonight." She played with the bear, stroked its head. "Nobody in the base saw me, I'm sure of that. Simkin used his magic to make me transparent, and I could sit on the crate in there and watch the people come and go and hear them talk. I could be in the There for a few hours, and my parents thought I was reading in the library." She laughed mischievously. "Often I'd watch the spaceships take off, the great tongues of flame and the whistling like the roar of thunder. Simkin said they were going to Earth. I'd imagine sitting in those spaceships. Yesterday, when you and Father Saryon showed up ,I thought……" Her smile faded.She is determined to erase her dreams. "I was wrong," she said, standing up. I stop her.I have many questions, mostly about Simkin.The strangest, and perhaps most terrifying, thing is why Sim Jin suggested that Alyssa hand over the Dark Sword.But those questions can wait until later. The army base is far from here, I told her.There are several miles.You can't get there tonight, and you won't be able to get there tomorrow.Especially with such a heavy sword. "We're not going to walk all the way," Alisa said, avoiding my eyes. "We can't use the normal magic path, because the Dark Sword will destroy the magic. But Simkin said, you... um... have a flying car, we just need to borrow it. I will drive it back, I will Knows how to drive. I've driven a flying car before, though no one knew." Daughter of Prospero.That brave new world was already very familiar to her. Please go home, I wrote, it is not your duty to carry it, so you feel it so heavy.Only your father can decide whether you should give it up or keep it.Also, you may be in danger. "What?" She stared at me with hesitation and disbelief in her eyes. "How come? There are only Father Saryon, my parents and us outside the border!" I don't think I can explain it to her.Let's go back!Speak with Father Saryon.And, I added, your mother told us that Joram would change his mind by tomorrow morning.Now he's reacting with too much hurt and anger.When he thinks hard, he knows what is necessary.You shouldn't make decisions for him. "You are right," said Alisa, after a moment's reflection, "that I found the sword by accident. One afternoon Papa disappeared. The dreadful Smither had just arrived, so Mama was very worried, I'm going to find him. I've looked everywhere and I can't see him. When I finally find him, do you know where he is?" I shake my head. "At the altar, I saw him as soon as I walked in the door. At first I thought he was praying, but it wasn't. He was sitting on a chair under the altar, with this... dark sword across his lap. He was staring at the sword as if hating and loathing it, yet as if loving it and being proud of it." Alisa trembled, wrapping her cloak tightly around her body.I moved closer to her, in order to warm her and myself.The scene she was describing definitely didn't make one feel any good. "The look on his face scared me and I couldn't say a word because I knew he was going to be very angry. I wanted to leave and I knew I should. But I couldn't. I slipped into a small closet next to the door , looking at him. He sat for a long, long time, just staring at the sword. Then he sighed heavily, shook his head, wrapped the sword in this cloth, and opened a Small secret door, hid the sword in the altar, closed the door and left. I didn't dare to come out of the closet until long after he was gone. I felt ashamed because I knew I saw things I shouldn't. That was My father's secret alone. And now, he is going to know." Alisa lowered her head. "He's going to know I'm spying on him. He's going to be very, very disappointed." Maybe not, I wrote, and we could return the sword to where it was hidden.Your father will never know it was taken. "Are you sure it's the right thing to do?" Alisa asked me nervously. "Is this considered cheating?" There's no point in letting him know about it, and I'm only going to hurt him by continuing to type.When this is over, you can confess to him what you have done. Alisa liked the idea.She agreed to go back to the holy mountain with me, but she refused to let me take the sword. "It's my burden now," she said with a slight smile, "at least temporarily." I'm honored to hold Teddy though.I held it in my hand, trying not to look at its button eyes that were blinking at me frequently.I'd love to ask Alisa when she knew that Teddy was Simkin, or conversely, when she knew that Simkin was Teddy.But at this time, Little Bear suddenly spoke, his tone was completely different from before, he looked serious and panicked. "someone is coming!" "What?" Alisa stopped and looked around. "Who's here? Is it Dad?" "No, not Daddy! Quiet! Don't move! Don't breathe! It's too late," Teddy groaned. "They've heard us." Silver light flickered in the night.Two silver figures appeared, covering their faces, walking along the road.Now they are only twenty steps away from us, and they are still approaching rapidly.Alisa opened her mouth, and I pressed my finger to her lips, warning her to be quiet.We stood in the shadows, barely daring to breathe, as Teddy warned.Those figures continued to approach, and when they came across to us, they stopped and turned around slowly, their faces without facial features turned towards us. "That's where the sound comes from, sir." One of them seemed to be speaking into an intercom. "They're all around us. Yes, sir, we'll search right away." Alisa huddled beside me.With one free hand she grabbed me, and with the other she hugged the Darksword tightly.I wrapped my arms around her, thinking desperately what to do if caught.They're about to find us.Should we act first?us…… "Ai Min's blood!" Xin Jin said impatiently, "It seems that I must help you out of trouble." The bear disappeared from my hands.A young man as flashy and noble as Louis XIV appeared in front of the technologist—this translucent shadow was more like a wisp of smoke. "Hey, listen to me! What a lovely night for a walk, isn't it?" Simkin waved his orange silk scarf slowly. I must give those technologists considerable credit.If they could not be frightened by the sudden appearance of the shadow, they must have been extraordinary people, and now they are even more surprisingly calm.One of them reached into the metallic silver clothing, and as if tore a piece from the clothing, the object became a device in her hands. "What is this?" Another technologist asked.Judging from the voice, it was a male.His featureless face was still staring at Simkin. "I'm analyzing it." The female technologist replied. "Analyze me? With that?" Simkin shot a pointed glance at the device and smiled smugly.He seemed to find the idea amusing. "What does it say about me? Souls? Ghosts? Specters? Ghouls? Wraiths? I see, creatures! No, it should be better, boisterous ghosts." He went around and poked his head to take a good look at the device. "Maybe I'm not here at all. Maybe it's just your hallucinations, or the effects of sleep deprivation, or a psychedelic trip. Maybe you've gone crazy." He looked eager to help appearance. "Residual magic." The woman seemed to be giving a report.She turned off the device and put it back in her clothes.The installation seemed to merge with her clothes again. "We think there are bits and pieces of magic left all over Simharon." "Residual magic!" Simkin shuddered.His voice was angry, almost speechless with so much agitation. "Me! Simkin! Dear companions of kings, dolls of emperors! Me! Remnants of magic! Like one of those unfinished moldy sandwiches?" The technologist made another report. "Sound checked. Don't worry, it's residual magic, an immaterial hallucination, perhaps an echo. We've been warned of this possibility. It's not threatening." He paused, as if taking instructions over the intercom, and said, "Yes, sir." "What are our orders?" the woman asked. "Continue. The other team is in position and moving forward." "How should we dispose of this thing?" The female technologist pointed to Xin Jin and said, "It has a voice and may warn the target." "Improbable," replied the Andrologist: "Echoes unconsciously repeat what they have heard. Like parrots, they can only imitate; like parrots, they can only show a semblance of intelligence. " I can't describe Sim Jin's expression.His eyeballs bulge, his mouth opens and closes.Perhaps for the first time in his life (considering that he may be immortal, it must be the first time in a long, long time) he has been mute. The male technician was already walking away, but the woman was obviously suspicious, and her silvery face turned to Simkin again. Simkin floated in the air, looking even more indistinct than when he first assumed human form, like a puff of smoke clinging to an orange silk scarf, which would blow away with just one breath. "I think we should dismantle it," said the female technologist. "This is disobedience." The male tech disagreed. "Maybe someone will see the flash and sound the alarm. Remember, those damn Dukes are here too." "I think you're right." The woman nodded cautiously. The two technologists quickly walked along the road to the holy mountain. Alisa and I remained motionless and waited until the two could no longer hear us.Alisa wanted to talk, but I told her to keep quiet.Judging from the quick and light movements of the two technologists, they should have some kind of night vision ability.I'm concerned that they've also enhanced their hearing with some technology. I waited until they disappeared in a valley on the road before I carefully moved to a position with a better view.From their conversation, I can guess where they are going, but I need to confirm with my own eyes. In different places on the hillside, silver figures kept flashing past.They formed a skirmish line surrounding the holy mountain, moving unstoppably towards the holy mountain, gradually shrinking the encirclement. "Who are they? What are they going to do?" Alisa asked. "Evil people." I told her in sign language.She doesn't need a translator to understand. "They're here for the Dark Sword, aren't they?" Alisa asked terrified. I nodded, thinking of the bug that glowed orange in the living room. "They..." Alisa paused before gathering courage to continue: "Will they kill to get it?" I nodded reluctantly again. "Even if Papa said he didn't have a sword, they wouldn't believe it," said Alisa thoughtfully.I'm also thinking about this question.She added: "They will think he is lying and don't want to give them the sword. If we give the sword, maybe they will let us go. We must catch them! We will take a shortcut." I agree.Because I can't think of any other way.But even by that path, if we still carry such a heavy dark sword and have to stay in the shadows all the time, by the time we get there, the Technicians will have stormed Joram's house. Simkin!Sim'jin could warn Joram, and he could tell Joram that the Darksword was with us, and we were on our way back. I turned around and looked for the erratic figure on the road.And the words of the remaining magic hit my face like a hot wind in the desert. "No threat? Yeah, we'll see!" bellowed Simkin. "Merlin? Merlin! Where are you? Of course you disappear every time you're of any use. Old fool!" said After that, he disappeared.