Chapter 11 Chapter IX Arrested
"Dukesis!" Mosiah took a breath. "That's impossible!" Saryon whispered. "It is absolutely impossible for them to follow us. The Dark Sword has a barrier effect! Can you be sure?"
"Emin's blood, the hairless guy." Simkin was almost exasperated, and stared at them furiously through the grass. "Of course I'm sure! Yes, it's certainly a bit difficult to see things in the dark woods, especially when the pursuers you have to watch out for are all wearing black robes. But if you like, I can go back and ask them—"
Just then, the raven uttered a loud call that sounded like a raucous laugh, and flew away. "Or be smarter and ask it," Simkin sarcastically. "How long has the bird been here?"
Saryon shook his head and sighed.He lay flat on the ground, still feeling that the tall grass did not give him any sense of security. He looked as if he wanted to get into the soil, and embraced the ground with his arms open.The forest was a hundred feet away, and they might have to run some distance to hide in it.
"The name of Emin, what should we do now?" Mosiah asked anxiously.
"Go!" The Catalyst Saint replied hastily. "Get out of here immediately—"
"That's useless!" Simkin objected. "They know we're here, and they're not too far away - in the woods on the other side of the waterfall. There's at least two of them, apparently watching us with that little feathered friend. Where else can we hide from it? Go where you can't see—unless you use the teleporter—"
"No!" Saryon said immediately, turning pale. "That's self-inflicted."
"I agree with the priest this time," Joram said suddenly. "You forget that I am a living dead, and they can lock me up as soon as I enter the teleportation corridor."
"So, what to do?" Mosiah asked, his voice becoming sharp. "Can't run, can't hide..."
"Hush, attack," Joram replied.
The dark eyes became hard and cruel, and the lips curved into a smile.The face that emerged from its hiding place in the grass looked like that of a beast.
"No!" Saryon protested vigorously, trembling all over.
"What a good idea," Simkin whispered excitedly. "The ravens will let them know we're on the alert. They expect us to flee and probably have a plan in place. They don't expect us to go around and attack!"
"We're talking about Duke Xis!" Saryon reminded them anxiously.
"We can surprise, and we have the Dark Sword!" Joram retorted.
"Hei Suo almost killed you!" Saryon yelled softly, clenching his fists.
"I've learned to be smart! Besides, what choice do we have?"
"I don't know!" Saryon murmured dejectedly. "I just don't want to kill anymore..."
"Either they die or we die, Father." Mosiah clasped his hands together and said a few words, a faint light lit up in the sky, forming a bow and a bag of arrows. "Look," he said triumphantly. "I've learned battle spells. In the village we all know them, and I know how to use them. You can give me the life force, and Joram has the dark sword—"
"Better hurry," Simkin urged. "Before they plant traps or charms on the clearing."
"If you don't want to come, Father," said Mosiah. "Then give me the power of life here, and you can stay—"
"No, Joram is right," whispered Saryon. "If you insist on doing such a crazy thing, I'll go too. You may need me...to do other things, I can do more than give life force." He glanced at Joram meaningfully. "I can take it, too."
"Come with me, then!" whispered Simkin.He raised his body and arched his waist, and began to crawl slowly through the grass and crawl towards the waterfall.
"Where are you going?" Mosiah asked him, and Simkin changed the color of his clothes as he crawled.
"When the battle is fierce, you can rest assured with this." Xin Jin replied with a low and piercing voice.He's now wearing snakeskin, which is great for walking through the grass, but unfortunately, the overall effect is completely ruined by a metal helmet, the helmet's visor is buckled over his face, blocking his vision, and looks a bit like a The overturned barrel.
"They're Dukes, really," Saryon whispered. It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to slide towards the west.The catalyst saint hunched over and hid in the grass at the junction of the grassland and the forest. He could clearly see two figures in black robes.Saryon sighed in despair. He also hoped that this was just another "monster story" of Simkin, the kind of "monster" that others would mysteriously disappear upon seeing. But these two were indeed sorcerers, members of the order of Dukes who killed people.They both stood there motionless, as if they were listening intently.Their hands were conveniently folded in front of their bodies, their faces hidden in the shadows of black pointed hoods.If you still have any doubts, dissipate when you see the raven.The bird was squatting on a branch near the two of them, its eyes gleaming red in the sunlight that leaked through the branches and leaves.Saryon stared at the two men in black robes, and his mind went back to the Holy Mountain, remembering when the two Dukes found him reading forbidden books... "That must be their Catalyst Saint," he whispered, dismissing those frightening memories immediately.Afraid they might overhear him, he raised his hand cautiously and pointed to the figure in a traveling cloak standing elsewhere.Although the cloak covered the man's robe, his shaved head indicated that he was a priest.He and the fourth stood a little further away from the wizard.The two men stood very close to each other, apparently conversing, with occasional gestures of the hand of the fourth to reinforce the tone.It was this fourth man who caught Saryon's attention.He was taller than the other three, and his cloak was of expensive material.As the man gestured, Saryon could still see the glint of jewels between his fingers. Catalyst Saint pointed at him. "I'm not sure who the fourth one is. He's not Duke, he's not wearing a black robe—" "Is he some kind of wizard?" asked Joram.He adjusted the position of the Dark Sword uneasily with his hand, trying to find a better way to hold this heavy weapon, but he almost dropped the sword on the ground, so he impatiently wiped the sweat from his palm on his clothes. "No." The catalyst saint replied, feeling a little confused. "Strange, but from his clothes, I think he's a—" "It doesn't matter, as long as he's not Duke Xis." Joram interrupted impatiently. "There are only two to worry about now, one for me and the other for you and Mosiah. Where's Simkin?" "Here." A gloomy voice came from under the helmet. "It gets dark so fast, doesn't it?" "Put up the visor, fool. You take on the fourth." "What mask?" The reply was pitiful, and the helmet kept turning left and right. "What fourth person?" "Stand-oh, never mind!" growled Joram. "Go away. Come on, Mosiah, you go left, I go right. You stay between us, Catalyst Saint." He crawled forward through the bushes, Mosiah passed in the opposite direction, and Sand Leon followed behind with a pale face. "It wasn't my fault," Simkin muttered despondently under his helmet. "This thing is really a third-rate thing. My eyes are black and black. What kind of old-fashioned knights, what a fucking nonsense, no wonder Arthur wants to make a round table, he can't see anything at all! Probably because he is afraid of hitting it and smashing the corner of the table, I--" Too bad Simkin was talking to himself.
Mosiah nocked the arrow, his hands trembling with fear and excitement, and it took him a few tries to catch the arrow. "Give me the power of life, Father," he said softly. Fear dried the Catalyst Saint's throat, and he chanted hoarsely the incantations that drained the mana around him.He had never been trained to assist a battle mage, that required specialized skills, and he knew none of them.He could strengthen Mosiah's already strong magical powers, and make the young man cast spells beyond his own power, as they did in the village; , it is completely different now, they are fighting against experienced wizards.None of them had been through such a battle, and none of them knew for sure what to do. This is just crazy!Saryon's mind eagerly yelled at him over and over.crazy!It's not too late to stop! "But it's too late." Saryon said to himself. "We have no choice!" "Father!" Mosiah urged him. Looking at Mosiah's face in the sunlight, the Catalyst Saint saw the young man's lips parted slightly and his eyes sparkling.He looks like a kid eating candy for the first time. Saryon became suspicious. "No, Mosiah, wait...you can't—" But he spoke too late.The young man softly recited the spell he had learned from the demon artisan, and shot an arrow at the nearest man in black.He aimed hastily, but never mind, and as soon as the arrow left the string, the young mage spelled it so that it would seek out and kill any warm-blooded living thing.Ancient demon artisans used such spells to turn untrained teams into efficient killing machines in battle. But it is ineffective in the current battle. What caught the wizard's attention?Maybe it was the rustle of Mosiah's clothes against the grass, maybe it was the sound of an arrow leaving the string or the crack of the fletching, maybe it was the warning call of the ravens later. The arrowhead shot straight at the heart of the black-robed man, and he chanted the spell and shot faster.The flames flashed, and the incoming arrows flew into ashes and smoke. The other dukes move as fast as their companions.He raised his finger to the sky and shouted an order, everything was dark, lightning flashed, and the bright sunny day instantly turned into a dark night.Saryon couldn't see anything, he could only lie helplessly in the bushes, not daring to move.Then, just after his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, the forest was suddenly filled with strange silvery moonlight.The moonlight illuminated everything in the forest, and also made the flesh and blood emit a strange bright purple light.The Catalyst saint squinted his eyes, and when the fourth person and the priest looked in their direction, they clearly saw the astonished faces of the two. Saryon crouched in the bushes, hiding here because of accidental luck, not a well-thought-out measure.Even if the moonlight made his flesh and blood shimmer, he knew that it would be difficult for others to spot him.But Mosiah straightened up in the grass and started shooting arrows. He just let his eyes get used to the sudden darkness, and his whole body was bathed in the pool of silver moonlight, which was clearly seen by the two men in black robes.With a cry he raised his bow. Duke Xisi opened his mouth to chant. The bow fell to the ground, and Mosiah grabbed himself by the throat. "I...I..." He wanted to speak, but the sorcerer's paralyzing magic cut him off and was taking away his ability to breathe.He rolled his eyes, desperately trying to take in a little air, but struggled in vain. Saryon bowed up, and was about to surrender and beg for mercy, when a black shadow rushed towards him, almost knocking him to the ground.Mosiah's eyes gradually protruded, and his face turned purple.Joram jumped in front of his friend with one stride, raising the Dark Sword.The strange moonlight could not illuminate the iron, as if he held a ray of night in his hand. The long sword separated Duke Xisi from Mosiah, and the sorcerer's magic immediately collapsed.Mosiah gasped and fell over.Saryon caught him and laid him on the ground, while Joram stood over them both in a guarding pose, the rough longsword gripped in his strong hands. Saryon gave up his heart and waited for the cold wind to blow up, the blood in his body froze into ice in an instant, and waited for the earth to collapse and engulf the three of them—he thought that even the power of the Dark Sword could not stop such magic, but then he was safe. nothing. Saryon peeked through the grass and saw a fourth man walking toward them.Maybe the man said something, but the Catalyst Saint could only hear the sound of the waterfall not far behind him.However, both Dukes turned their heads to face the tall man, and he signaled them to back away with a gesture, so the two sorcerers bowed obediently and backed away. Saryon's curiosity grew, but so did his fear.Who is this person who can make the mighty Duke Sisi obey unconditionally? "Watch out, Jarod." The man in the traveling cloak stopped him—as Saryon had pointed out, he was a Catalyst Saint. "I think that sword is weird!" "Weird?" The man named Garrod laughed, his laughter was mellow and elegant, as if it had the same rich material as his cloak. "Thanks for the reminder, Cardinal," he continued. "But there's only one thing about this sword that's weird to me—it's the ugliest sword I've ever seen!" "Indeed, sir—" Cardinal!Saryon looked up in confusion, saw the color of the holy robe under the cloak of the catalyst saint, and immediately recognized it—a cardinal of the Holy See!And this Jarod's name sounded familiar, but Saryon was too nervous to clear his mind.Such expensive clothes are also called His Highness... The cardinal continued: "Your Excellency, although this is an ugly sword, it neutralizes your guard's spell." "Because of this sword? Interesting." The man in rich clothes came closer, and Saryon could see him clearly by the magic moonlight.The delicacy of his face matched the melodiousness of his voice, elegant but not weak.The eyes are big and intelligent, the mouth is firm and firm, with smile lines.The jaw is strong but not arrogant, the cheekbones are high and well defined.His brown hair was slightly reddish under the bright moonlight, cut short like a soldier.A lock of hair curled in an elegant ripple inadvertently on the forehead. Jarod took a step toward Joram, holding out a hand in a fine sheepskin glove. "Drop your sword, lad." His tone was neither threatening nor commanding, but he was clearly used to being obeyed. "Go ahead and get it," Joram retorted defiantly. "'Go ahead and take it, Your Excellency,'" corrected the Cardinal in astonishment. "Thank you, Cardinal." Garrod said with a smile on his lips. "But I don't think it's time to discipline the thieves in court rituals. Come on, lad, put down your weapon slowly and you'll be all right." "No, sir." Joram said with a sneer. "Joran, put it down!" Saryon whispered desperately, but the young man ignored him. "Who is this Garrod?" Mosiah asked softly.He tried to sit up, but froze immediately.The elegant man motioned Dukexis to leave Joram alone, but apparently counted Mosiah as one of those to watch.Mosiah saw the twinkle in the eyes of the sorcerers staring at him, and saw the slight movement of their hands clasped in front of the black robes, he immediately did not dare to move, and did not even dare to breathe. Saryon shook his head, and looked at Joram and Garald who took a few steps closer.Joram changed position and raised his sword. "Very good." The elegant man shrugged. "I accept your challenge." Jarod flung his cloak over his shoulders, drew his sword, and made a professional stagger into a fighting stance.Saryon's throat tightened.The sword was ancient, exquisite and beautiful, and as strong as its wearer.The moonlight ignited a cold silver flame on the blade, danced on the edge, and shone on the hilt carved into the shape of eagle wings. eagle.A thought swirled in Saryon's mind, but he could not take his mind off Joram's business to notice what it was.Compared with the tall and luxurious nobleman, Joran was in shabby clothes, and he could be regarded as downcast, but he still had a kind of arrogance, and the fearless courage in his black eyes was comparable to that of his opponent, as if telling Saryon that he and The opponents also bleed the blood of nobles. Joram clumsily imitated his opponent's combat readiness, knowing nothing of combat except theories he had read in books.His clumsy appearance obviously made Garrod feel ridiculous, but the cardinal who had been staring at the Dark Sword shook his head, reminding him softly again: "Your Excellency, I think maybe—" Jarod signaled the Cardinal to be silent, and at this moment, Joram jumped forward, relying on the protection of his sword, but dissatisfied with his opponent's arrogant attitude, he shot first. Saryon forgot that Duke Sis was watching, and jumped up. He couldn't let Joram hurt this man! "Stop—" the Catalyst Saint yelled, but the rest of the words died out. With a flash of cold light and a scream, Qiao Ran stared blankly at the blood-soaked sword as the Dark Sword soared into the air and landed at the Cardinal's feet. "Grab him, and that one." Garald ordered indifferently to Duke Xisi who was on the side, and the latter used magic without hesitation as soon as he got permission. The two uttered a word, and used magic cleansing to take away all the magic that ordinary people depend on for survival in the captive.Mosiah yelled and fell down on the spot, while Joram still stood upright, contemptuously looking at Duke Xisi with a sullen face, while rubbing the hand holding the sword that had just been numb from the shock. "Excuse me, sir," said one of the Dukes. "But that youth does not respond to magic, he is a living dead." "Really?" Jarod looked at Joram with a look of cold pity that hurt Joram more than any sword wound.The young man blushed and pursed his lips furiously. "Use a stronger spell." The elegant nobleman said, looking at Joram. "However, be careful not to hurt him. I want to know about the strange sword." "How to deal with that catalyst saint, Your Excellency?" the sorcerer asked with a salute. Jarod glanced aside, at Saryon, and then his eyes widened. "Emin's blood, Cardinal," Jarod said in astonishment. "Here's a member of your Order! I'll help you, Father." He politely extended his hand to the bewildered Catalyst Saint. The words, though very polite, were not an invitation but an order, and Saryon had no choice but to obey.Gallo took Saryon's arm, and kindly helped the catalyst saint out of the dense bushes. Seeing that Jarod was not paying attention to him, Joram tried to get the sword back, but he stopped immediately.Three rings of fire appeared out of nowhere and hung around his body—circling around the elbows, waist and knees respectively.The wheels did not touch Joram, but they were close enough that he could feel the scorching heat, and he was too scared to move. Duke Xisi was satisfied to see that the prey was temporarily under control, so he looked expectantly at the leader, silently asking for further instructions. "Search the clearing," Jarod ordered. "There might be others hiding in the grass. Oh, first - get rid of this nasty darkness, right?" Du Kexi obeyed.The night suddenly dissipated, returning to the daytime scene, and everyone squinted their eyes in the bright afternoon sun.When Saryon's eyes adapted to the environment again, he found that the wizard who seemed to be the embodiment of the night also disappeared along with the darkness.He looked around in bewilderment, then realized that Jarod was talking to him. "I believe you are not with these young thugs, Father," he said firmly, but there was a certain coldness in his voice. "But I heard that there are rebellious Catalyst Saints going into exile." "I'm not a rebellious catalyst saint, Your Excellency... Your Excellency." Saryon just said something, and then he blushed again when he remembered what happened before, and didn't continue. "Yes, maybe I am," he trembled. "But listen to me." He turned to the approaching cardinal. "I...we are not bandits, absolutely not!" "Then, what is the intention of breaking into our open space and attacking us?" Jarod's voice became colder and angry. "Please listen to my explanation, Your Excellency." Saryon said desperately. "It's a misunderstanding—" Two Dukes suddenly appeared in front of Jarod. "What?" he said. "What did you find?" "There is no one in the open space, sir, only this." One of the black robes reached out and took out a large wooden barrel. "Strange thing in the wilderness, but I don't think it's weird enough to deserve your attention." Jarod glanced at the thing without interest. "A very remarkable cask, sir," said Dukes. "No, no." Wooden Barrel said hastily. "Just an ordinary wooden barrel, I'm nothing special, absolutely nothing." "The name of Emin!" Garald gasped, while the cardinal quickly took a step back and muttered a prayer. "Humble barrel, old oak barrel." The barrel continued in a rough voice. "Good sir, let me hold water for you, soak your feet and hair—" "Damn it!" Jarod yelled, leaping forward and snatching the barrel from the wizard. "Simkin!" he said, shaking the bucket. "Simkin, you stupid fool! You don't recognize me?" Two eyes suddenly popped out from the edge of the barrel hoop, and focused on the tall man in front of him for a while.Those eyes widened, and then, with a laugh, Barrel transformed into a bearded young man in his beloved stinking mud suit. "Jarrod!" He put his arms around the elegant man. "Sinkin!" Jarod patted him on the back. The Cardinal seemed less pleased to see Simkin than he was to see a talking barrel.The priest turned his eyes to look at the sky, put his hands into the sleeves of his robe, and shook his head. "I didn't recognize you." Xin Jin took a step back and happily looked up and down the nobleman in front of him. "What were you doing the damn years apart? Oh, wait." He seemed to remember something. "I have to introduce you to my friends." "Joran, Mosiah." Simkin turned to look at the one who was trapped by the steam wheel and the one who was cast down on the ground by the spell. "Let me introduce His Royal Highness, Garrod, the prince of Saraken."
"They're Dukes, really," Saryon whispered. It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to slide towards the west.The catalyst saint hunched over and hid in the grass at the junction of the grassland and the forest. He could clearly see two figures in black robes.Saryon sighed in despair. He also hoped that this was just another "monster story" of Simkin, the kind of "monster" that others would mysteriously disappear upon seeing. But these two were indeed sorcerers, members of the order of Dukes who killed people.They both stood there motionless, as if they were listening intently.Their hands were conveniently folded in front of their bodies, their faces hidden in the shadows of black pointed hoods.If you still have any doubts, dissipate when you see the raven.The bird was squatting on a branch near the two of them, its eyes gleaming red in the sunlight that leaked through the branches and leaves.Saryon stared at the two men in black robes, and his mind went back to the Holy Mountain, remembering when the two Dukes found him reading forbidden books... "That must be their Catalyst Saint," he whispered, dismissing those frightening memories immediately.Afraid they might overhear him, he raised his hand cautiously and pointed to the figure in a traveling cloak standing elsewhere.Although the cloak covered the man's robe, his shaved head indicated that he was a priest.He and the fourth stood a little further away from the wizard.The two men stood very close to each other, apparently conversing, with occasional gestures of the hand of the fourth to reinforce the tone.It was this fourth man who caught Saryon's attention.He was taller than the other three, and his cloak was of expensive material.As the man gestured, Saryon could still see the glint of jewels between his fingers. Catalyst Saint pointed at him. "I'm not sure who the fourth one is. He's not Duke, he's not wearing a black robe—" "Is he some kind of wizard?" asked Joram.He adjusted the position of the Dark Sword uneasily with his hand, trying to find a better way to hold this heavy weapon, but he almost dropped the sword on the ground, so he impatiently wiped the sweat from his palm on his clothes. "No." The catalyst saint replied, feeling a little confused. "Strange, but from his clothes, I think he's a—" "It doesn't matter, as long as he's not Duke Xis." Joram interrupted impatiently. "There are only two to worry about now, one for me and the other for you and Mosiah. Where's Simkin?" "Here." A gloomy voice came from under the helmet. "It gets dark so fast, doesn't it?" "Put up the visor, fool. You take on the fourth." "What mask?" The reply was pitiful, and the helmet kept turning left and right. "What fourth person?" "Stand-oh, never mind!" growled Joram. "Go away. Come on, Mosiah, you go left, I go right. You stay between us, Catalyst Saint." He crawled forward through the bushes, Mosiah passed in the opposite direction, and Sand Leon followed behind with a pale face. "It wasn't my fault," Simkin muttered despondently under his helmet. "This thing is really a third-rate thing. My eyes are black and black. What kind of old-fashioned knights, what a fucking nonsense, no wonder Arthur wants to make a round table, he can't see anything at all! Probably because he is afraid of hitting it and smashing the corner of the table, I--" Too bad Simkin was talking to himself.
Mosiah nocked the arrow, his hands trembling with fear and excitement, and it took him a few tries to catch the arrow. "Give me the power of life, Father," he said softly. Fear dried the Catalyst Saint's throat, and he chanted hoarsely the incantations that drained the mana around him.He had never been trained to assist a battle mage, that required specialized skills, and he knew none of them.He could strengthen Mosiah's already strong magical powers, and make the young man cast spells beyond his own power, as they did in the village; , it is completely different now, they are fighting against experienced wizards.None of them had been through such a battle, and none of them knew for sure what to do. This is just crazy!Saryon's mind eagerly yelled at him over and over.crazy!It's not too late to stop! "But it's too late." Saryon said to himself. "We have no choice!" "Father!" Mosiah urged him. Looking at Mosiah's face in the sunlight, the Catalyst Saint saw the young man's lips parted slightly and his eyes sparkling.He looks like a kid eating candy for the first time. Saryon became suspicious. "No, Mosiah, wait...you can't—" But he spoke too late.The young man softly recited the spell he had learned from the demon artisan, and shot an arrow at the nearest man in black.He aimed hastily, but never mind, and as soon as the arrow left the string, the young mage spelled it so that it would seek out and kill any warm-blooded living thing.Ancient demon artisans used such spells to turn untrained teams into efficient killing machines in battle. But it is ineffective in the current battle. What caught the wizard's attention?Maybe it was the rustle of Mosiah's clothes against the grass, maybe it was the sound of an arrow leaving the string or the crack of the fletching, maybe it was the warning call of the ravens later. The arrowhead shot straight at the heart of the black-robed man, and he chanted the spell and shot faster.The flames flashed, and the incoming arrows flew into ashes and smoke. The other dukes move as fast as their companions.He raised his finger to the sky and shouted an order, everything was dark, lightning flashed, and the bright sunny day instantly turned into a dark night.Saryon couldn't see anything, he could only lie helplessly in the bushes, not daring to move.Then, just after his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, the forest was suddenly filled with strange silvery moonlight.The moonlight illuminated everything in the forest, and also made the flesh and blood emit a strange bright purple light.The Catalyst saint squinted his eyes, and when the fourth person and the priest looked in their direction, they clearly saw the astonished faces of the two. Saryon crouched in the bushes, hiding here because of accidental luck, not a well-thought-out measure.Even if the moonlight made his flesh and blood shimmer, he knew that it would be difficult for others to spot him.But Mosiah straightened up in the grass and started shooting arrows. He just let his eyes get used to the sudden darkness, and his whole body was bathed in the pool of silver moonlight, which was clearly seen by the two men in black robes.With a cry he raised his bow. Duke Xisi opened his mouth to chant. The bow fell to the ground, and Mosiah grabbed himself by the throat. "I...I..." He wanted to speak, but the sorcerer's paralyzing magic cut him off and was taking away his ability to breathe.He rolled his eyes, desperately trying to take in a little air, but struggled in vain. Saryon bowed up, and was about to surrender and beg for mercy, when a black shadow rushed towards him, almost knocking him to the ground.Mosiah's eyes gradually protruded, and his face turned purple.Joram jumped in front of his friend with one stride, raising the Dark Sword.The strange moonlight could not illuminate the iron, as if he held a ray of night in his hand. The long sword separated Duke Xisi from Mosiah, and the sorcerer's magic immediately collapsed.Mosiah gasped and fell over.Saryon caught him and laid him on the ground, while Joram stood over them both in a guarding pose, the rough longsword gripped in his strong hands. Saryon gave up his heart and waited for the cold wind to blow up, the blood in his body froze into ice in an instant, and waited for the earth to collapse and engulf the three of them—he thought that even the power of the Dark Sword could not stop such magic, but then he was safe. nothing. Saryon peeked through the grass and saw a fourth man walking toward them.Maybe the man said something, but the Catalyst Saint could only hear the sound of the waterfall not far behind him.However, both Dukes turned their heads to face the tall man, and he signaled them to back away with a gesture, so the two sorcerers bowed obediently and backed away. Saryon's curiosity grew, but so did his fear.Who is this person who can make the mighty Duke Sisi obey unconditionally? "Watch out, Jarod." The man in the traveling cloak stopped him—as Saryon had pointed out, he was a Catalyst Saint. "I think that sword is weird!" "Weird?" The man named Garrod laughed, his laughter was mellow and elegant, as if it had the same rich material as his cloak. "Thanks for the reminder, Cardinal," he continued. "But there's only one thing about this sword that's weird to me—it's the ugliest sword I've ever seen!" "Indeed, sir—" Cardinal!Saryon looked up in confusion, saw the color of the holy robe under the cloak of the catalyst saint, and immediately recognized it—a cardinal of the Holy See!And this Jarod's name sounded familiar, but Saryon was too nervous to clear his mind.Such expensive clothes are also called His Highness... The cardinal continued: "Your Excellency, although this is an ugly sword, it neutralizes your guard's spell." "Because of this sword? Interesting." The man in rich clothes came closer, and Saryon could see him clearly by the magic moonlight.The delicacy of his face matched the melodiousness of his voice, elegant but not weak.The eyes are big and intelligent, the mouth is firm and firm, with smile lines.The jaw is strong but not arrogant, the cheekbones are high and well defined.His brown hair was slightly reddish under the bright moonlight, cut short like a soldier.A lock of hair curled in an elegant ripple inadvertently on the forehead. Jarod took a step toward Joram, holding out a hand in a fine sheepskin glove. "Drop your sword, lad." His tone was neither threatening nor commanding, but he was clearly used to being obeyed. "Go ahead and get it," Joram retorted defiantly. "'Go ahead and take it, Your Excellency,'" corrected the Cardinal in astonishment. "Thank you, Cardinal." Garrod said with a smile on his lips. "But I don't think it's time to discipline the thieves in court rituals. Come on, lad, put down your weapon slowly and you'll be all right." "No, sir." Joram said with a sneer. "Joran, put it down!" Saryon whispered desperately, but the young man ignored him. "Who is this Garrod?" Mosiah asked softly.He tried to sit up, but froze immediately.The elegant man motioned Dukexis to leave Joram alone, but apparently counted Mosiah as one of those to watch.Mosiah saw the twinkle in the eyes of the sorcerers staring at him, and saw the slight movement of their hands clasped in front of the black robes, he immediately did not dare to move, and did not even dare to breathe. Saryon shook his head, and looked at Joram and Garald who took a few steps closer.Joram changed position and raised his sword. "Very good." The elegant man shrugged. "I accept your challenge." Jarod flung his cloak over his shoulders, drew his sword, and made a professional stagger into a fighting stance.Saryon's throat tightened.The sword was ancient, exquisite and beautiful, and as strong as its wearer.The moonlight ignited a cold silver flame on the blade, danced on the edge, and shone on the hilt carved into the shape of eagle wings. eagle.A thought swirled in Saryon's mind, but he could not take his mind off Joram's business to notice what it was.Compared with the tall and luxurious nobleman, Joran was in shabby clothes, and he could be regarded as downcast, but he still had a kind of arrogance, and the fearless courage in his black eyes was comparable to that of his opponent, as if telling Saryon that he and The opponents also bleed the blood of nobles. Joram clumsily imitated his opponent's combat readiness, knowing nothing of combat except theories he had read in books.His clumsy appearance obviously made Garrod feel ridiculous, but the cardinal who had been staring at the Dark Sword shook his head, reminding him softly again: "Your Excellency, I think maybe—" Jarod signaled the Cardinal to be silent, and at this moment, Joram jumped forward, relying on the protection of his sword, but dissatisfied with his opponent's arrogant attitude, he shot first. Saryon forgot that Duke Sis was watching, and jumped up. He couldn't let Joram hurt this man! "Stop—" the Catalyst Saint yelled, but the rest of the words died out. With a flash of cold light and a scream, Qiao Ran stared blankly at the blood-soaked sword as the Dark Sword soared into the air and landed at the Cardinal's feet. "Grab him, and that one." Garald ordered indifferently to Duke Xisi who was on the side, and the latter used magic without hesitation as soon as he got permission. The two uttered a word, and used magic cleansing to take away all the magic that ordinary people depend on for survival in the captive.Mosiah yelled and fell down on the spot, while Joram still stood upright, contemptuously looking at Duke Xisi with a sullen face, while rubbing the hand holding the sword that had just been numb from the shock. "Excuse me, sir," said one of the Dukes. "But that youth does not respond to magic, he is a living dead." "Really?" Jarod looked at Joram with a look of cold pity that hurt Joram more than any sword wound.The young man blushed and pursed his lips furiously. "Use a stronger spell." The elegant nobleman said, looking at Joram. "However, be careful not to hurt him. I want to know about the strange sword." "How to deal with that catalyst saint, Your Excellency?" the sorcerer asked with a salute. Jarod glanced aside, at Saryon, and then his eyes widened. "Emin's blood, Cardinal," Jarod said in astonishment. "Here's a member of your Order! I'll help you, Father." He politely extended his hand to the bewildered Catalyst Saint. The words, though very polite, were not an invitation but an order, and Saryon had no choice but to obey.Gallo took Saryon's arm, and kindly helped the catalyst saint out of the dense bushes. Seeing that Jarod was not paying attention to him, Joram tried to get the sword back, but he stopped immediately.Three rings of fire appeared out of nowhere and hung around his body—circling around the elbows, waist and knees respectively.The wheels did not touch Joram, but they were close enough that he could feel the scorching heat, and he was too scared to move. Duke Xisi was satisfied to see that the prey was temporarily under control, so he looked expectantly at the leader, silently asking for further instructions. "Search the clearing," Jarod ordered. "There might be others hiding in the grass. Oh, first - get rid of this nasty darkness, right?" Du Kexi obeyed.The night suddenly dissipated, returning to the daytime scene, and everyone squinted their eyes in the bright afternoon sun.When Saryon's eyes adapted to the environment again, he found that the wizard who seemed to be the embodiment of the night also disappeared along with the darkness.He looked around in bewilderment, then realized that Jarod was talking to him. "I believe you are not with these young thugs, Father," he said firmly, but there was a certain coldness in his voice. "But I heard that there are rebellious Catalyst Saints going into exile." "I'm not a rebellious catalyst saint, Your Excellency... Your Excellency." Saryon just said something, and then he blushed again when he remembered what happened before, and didn't continue. "Yes, maybe I am," he trembled. "But listen to me." He turned to the approaching cardinal. "I...we are not bandits, absolutely not!" "Then, what is the intention of breaking into our open space and attacking us?" Jarod's voice became colder and angry. "Please listen to my explanation, Your Excellency." Saryon said desperately. "It's a misunderstanding—" Two Dukes suddenly appeared in front of Jarod. "What?" he said. "What did you find?" "There is no one in the open space, sir, only this." One of the black robes reached out and took out a large wooden barrel. "Strange thing in the wilderness, but I don't think it's weird enough to deserve your attention." Jarod glanced at the thing without interest. "A very remarkable cask, sir," said Dukes. "No, no." Wooden Barrel said hastily. "Just an ordinary wooden barrel, I'm nothing special, absolutely nothing." "The name of Emin!" Garald gasped, while the cardinal quickly took a step back and muttered a prayer. "Humble barrel, old oak barrel." The barrel continued in a rough voice. "Good sir, let me hold water for you, soak your feet and hair—" "Damn it!" Jarod yelled, leaping forward and snatching the barrel from the wizard. "Simkin!" he said, shaking the bucket. "Simkin, you stupid fool! You don't recognize me?" Two eyes suddenly popped out from the edge of the barrel hoop, and focused on the tall man in front of him for a while.Those eyes widened, and then, with a laugh, Barrel transformed into a bearded young man in his beloved stinking mud suit. "Jarrod!" He put his arms around the elegant man. "Sinkin!" Jarod patted him on the back. The Cardinal seemed less pleased to see Simkin than he was to see a talking barrel.The priest turned his eyes to look at the sky, put his hands into the sleeves of his robe, and shook his head. "I didn't recognize you." Xin Jin took a step back and happily looked up and down the nobleman in front of him. "What were you doing the damn years apart? Oh, wait." He seemed to remember something. "I have to introduce you to my friends." "Joran, Mosiah." Simkin turned to look at the one who was trapped by the steam wheel and the one who was cast down on the ground by the spell. "Let me introduce His Royal Highness, Garrod, the prince of Saraken."