Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 350 Never Lost Your Way

Thales frowned. "Is that possible? What would the consequences be?"

The Silver Shadow remained silent for a long time.

After a full ten seconds, he finally answered coldly:
"This has nothing to do with you, Shining."

Thales was taken aback and felt somewhat embarrassed.

But he still took a breath and looked sternly at the Silver Shadow Man:
“I…I have friends up there, in Dragon City. I want to know, I should know.”

Thales thought of Selma, of Grivell, and even of the entire Shield District, which had been reduced to dust in the great war of the Magisters.

Shield zone.

Thinking of this, Thales couldn't help but tense up.

The silver figure seemed to be observing him, and after a few seconds, he slowly spoke:
What happens to this curse in the future is not something you should worry about, nor is it something you can control.

“At least as you can see, I can maintain the current situation, preventing the curse from worsening and the number of dead from increasing,” the Silver Shadow seemed to find this unconvincing and subconsciously added:
"We can maintain the status quo for a long time."

Thales frowned deeply.

"A very long passage?"

How long?

He watched as the silver light emanating from the shadowy figure noticeably diminished after that attack, and couldn't help but sigh:
"If, as that general said, powerful beings like yourself are constantly dying and weakening, then the power you rely on to maintain your self and sanity is continuously disappearing..."

The Silver Shadow's dark eyes flickered briefly in the silver light.

“Once you can no longer suppress this curse, and can no longer ‘maintain the status quo’... I don’t know what the curse will do, or what the consequences will be, but above is Dragon Sky City, is Exter, is the Western Continent…”

The Silver Shadow Man remained silent.

Thales stared intently at him: "Isn't there any other way?"

"For example, to completely eliminate it, once and for all?"

The silver-clad figure seemed momentarily lost in thought, then murmured, repeating the prince's words: "Once and for all?"

The other person's features immediately sharpened, and their tone turned cold: "No."

"You, all of you."

"Get as far away from it as possible," the silver-clad figure abruptly turned around, his face displaying a profound and dazzling contrast between light and shadow, sending a chill down Thales's spine.
"Leave the rest to me, that's enough."

"This is the best solution I can think of right now," he said decisively.

Thales frowned for a long time before finally shaking his head.

"I don't know."

The silver-clad figure gave a soft snort.

You don't need to understand.

“Because you are powerless to change this, Starlight,” he directly refuted Thales’ concerns at their root:
Even if you're worried, there's nothing you can do.

"At least, right now, you, the weak you, the young you, the immature you, are powerless."

Thales was speechless.

The surrounding darkness reflected a faint, cold light under the glow of the silver figure, and a chill crept back down Thales's spine.

The two were silent for a while.

"how about you?"

"You're going to block the Black Path, but..."

Thales asked quietly, "Are you just going to... stay here all the time?"

"Can't you just leave? Go where you're supposed to be?"

This question left the Silver Shadow in a daze for quite a while.

“You know, no longer living in a ‘dead knot’,” Thales said quietly.

The Silver Shadow seemed to be in a dilemma.

"I?"

He seemed to be considering this question for the first time, lowering his head and pondering it for quite a while.

"I have been dead for a long time."

The Silver Shadow replied calmly.

"A very, very long time...so long that I don't even remember how long it has been."

"But I, who have long since died, am still able to survive to this day without relying on a physical body. Besides that great being, I also rely to some extent on the effects of this curse."

Thales' expression turned cold.

The Silver Shadow's voice turned somber: "Irony, isn't it?"

"I can only stay here, eternally guarding this curse, until I perish with it," the Silver Shadow murmured.
"Or let it conquer me, enslave me, and assimilate me."

Thales felt a pang of sadness.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a little cold.

In this place, in this dark, damp, cold, deathly silent place...

The man before me...

And so, from death until now, they have tirelessly and endlessly steadfastly remained here.

"But that's not all; I am the only force here capable of restraining it," the Silver Shadow's tone returned to its firm and resolute tone, leaving no room for doubt:

"I have stayed here to prevent new souls from being dragged into the curse, causing tragedies, and becoming new puppets and nourishment."

"As long as I am here, it cannot continue to deteriorate—that is the reason I am here."

Seeing the other person's determination, Thales couldn't help but blurt out:

"And what about yourself? When will you be freed?"

"You will be trapped here forever, all alone, facing these dead souls day and night, facing the rocks, facing the darkness, facing the curse..."

"Day after day, year after year, century after century, must one live in constant fear and trepidation, lest one lose one's sanity and fall into the hands of the enemy?"

"what would you do?"

This time, the Silver Shadow remained silent for a long time.

"I see, Canxing..."

The silver-clad figure nodded slowly, his words slow and profound:

"In this respect, you're quite like Thor."

"Thor?"

Thales didn't react for a moment: "Who is Thor?"

The silver shadow shook his head.

“You don’t need to worry about me,” he replied in that icy tone.

“I am already dead, so living will not add anything to me, nor will leaving will not diminish me.”

"I only do what I am willing to do, want to do, and am willing to do, that's all—don't think of me as so pitiful, and don't think of me as so selfless and great."

Thales stared at him blankly.

But the other party immediately changed the subject:
“But you are alive, a young star, and it is not yet your time to join us. You should not die today, nor should you die here.”

His tone was somewhat somber:

"We must eventually go our separate ways."

The small cave was quiet for a moment.

“I understand,” the prince sighed deeply, glancing at the expressionless silver figure, “but…”

"But there's always a way, right?"

Thales suddenly remembered something, and his eyes lit up:
“I may not be able to do it, but I know some people, some… beings with unimaginable power, vast knowledge, and sharp thinking. Maybe he… maybe they will have a way.”

This time, the Silver Shadow Man stared at him for a long time.

After a while, Thales couldn't take it anymore.

“You’re not the only one who thinks that way,” he said softly, the words echoing in Thales’ ears.

The other person didn't look at him again, but slowly stepped forward. As the silver light flowed, he appeared even more unique and dazzling.

"But just as the Iron King's deeds marked the beginning of humanity's rise... here, the Iron King's curse is also the origin of all disasters."

The silver-clad figure raised its head, its deep features gazing at the surrounding enclosed, locked, dark, and monotonous rock walls.

The origin of everything?
The silver-clad figure slowly shook his head: "If you knew how much the mages had paid to remove this curse and eliminate its effects..."

"If you knew how many so-called powerful, knowledgeable, and sharp-minded people have tried to get close to this curse and unravel its secrets."

"And how many of them, born with extraordinary talent, have lost their way on this path, gone mad on this road, and collapsed along the way..."

"And in this process, how many evil consequences have they spawned, given rise to, and brought about..."

"Many of its consequences continue to plague people to this day..."

"I doubt they would say something like that so easily."

Thales listened to the other man's story with a puzzled look in his eyes, but he couldn't understand what the Silver Shadow Man was saying at all.

What do you mean?
"Kindness doesn't always guarantee good results," the other person's words became harsh and unforgiving.

"Some soil is destined to produce extremely evil flowers."

They fell silent again.

"Is that so?" Thales lowered his head, remaining silent, only letting out a soft sigh.

Neither of them spoke until the light on the Silver Shadow's face flickered slightly.

"but."

“If you really want to do something,” the Silver Shadow looked at him, slowly raised his right arm, and gently clenched his fist, “then go and get ready first.”

Thales forced a smile, looked up, and scoffed, "Prepare what?"

The silver-clad figure nodded slightly, then gently shook his head: "Now, all you have is blood." Thales' smile vanished.

"What do you mean? 'Only bloodline'?"

The other party's dark features twitched: "Young star, your mind is still immature, your future is still unclear, and your awareness is far from sufficient."

"I heard what you said. Calamity still lingers in the world, ruthlessly reaping lives and brewing tragedy, isn't that right?"

Thales was slightly surprised: "Huh?"

The light on the silver-faced figure flickered, gazing eerily at Thales.

The prince suddenly realized that what the other person was hiding behind that silvery appearance was probably a passionate emotion far beyond his imagination.

“Tormond failed to keep his promise,” the Silver Shadow said slowly, gazing intently at Thales.
"But I can see that he left his hopes to future generations."

The silver figure gently opened its palm, and a few strands of silver light appeared on it, flowing back and forth like a crystal galaxy, which was incredibly magical.

A moment of silence.

Thales' pupils contracted slightly.

“Tomon…” he murmured, “You mean…”

"Go," the silver-clad figure said calmly, but the echo was particularly clear, startling Thales.

"Find the mission that belongs to your ancestors and family, take it on, and become a man worthy of trust."

The Silver Shadow, whose identity was special, swayed slightly, as if revealing the quietest smile: "Only then will you be qualified to come back and fulfill the long-cherished wish that Thor and I failed to achieve."

In the deep darkness in his eyes, it seemed as if the entire world resided: "Only then will you be qualified to end all of this, to end the disasters including this ancient curse."

"End them from beginning to end."

Thales stared at the Silver Shadow in this state, his mind in turmoil. He seemed to have grasped something, yet he also seemed to understand nothing at all.

In the end, the prince frowned and honestly shook his head:

"I...I don't understand."

The other party swayed slightly, and ripples of silver light appeared on their face.

"Then I hope you never understand."

Thales was somewhat surprised.

The silver figure slowly raised the flowing silver light on his right palm, watching the light recede back into his body.

"A young, shining star."

As he slowly approached Thales, he said softly, "Thank you for giving me such precious, interesting, and joyful hours in the Dark Watch, a place without measure, without end, without future, and without direction."

"Although I will forget it soon."

"Returning to the past."

Thales stared intently at the other person, his feelings a complex mix of emotions.

The next moment, the silver-clad figure placed his right palm on Thales's face, leaned forward, and pressed his own silver-light forehead against Thales's forehead, silently gazing into his eyes.

Thales felt a slight coolness on the center of his forehead where the silver light had flowed.

He stared blankly at the silver figure gazing intently at him, feeling that the person before him shone with a silvery radiance that made it impossible for him to look directly at him, forcing him to squint.

But those eyes were incredibly deep.

Thales had never looked into the eyes of this extraordinary silver figure so closely before. He even had the illusion that the other man's dark eyes contained the stars of the entire universe.

May the mountains embrace your footsteps, and may the earth protect your journey.

The silver figure shone with light, and with each syllable he uttered, the silver light on his body trembled.

At that moment, Thales heard a faint ringing in his ears.

"Beep..."

It was lighter and gentler than ever before.

It was as if there was no sound.

"May you..."

"Never lose your way."

As the last few syllables faded, Thales felt the gentle tinnitus gradually disappear.
The light on the Silver Shadow suddenly dimmed in the next second!
Before Thales could react, the Silver Shadow released him.

The cooling sensation on my forehead disappeared.

"What is this?" Thales stared blankly at the other person.

But the Silver Shadow simply shook his head and did not answer.

“Thank you,” the silver-clad figure said silently, “for bringing her greetings.”

The next moment, before Thales could even react, the silver figure turned around and walked towards the seamless, dark rock wall.

The silver footprints behind him, as always, shimmered brilliantly.

"The spirits of the dead will not bother you again."

"Turn around and move forward, and you will find a way out."

"Forget today, go back to your life."

The other person's words echoed in my ears.

Thales felt a sudden jolt; he had a feeling that this was goodbye.

An inexplicable impulse compelled the prince to take two steps forward and shout at the retreating figure of the silver-clad man:
"Will we meet again?"

The silver-clad figure paused slightly, and the light emanating from his body trembled gently.

“Of course,” he said softly.

Just then, the silver light suddenly flowed to the top of the silver-clad figure's head, transforming into a line of text:
【Won't】

Thales was stunned.

The silver-clad figure stood still, seemingly oblivious to the strange occurrence above him: "One day, we will surely meet again in hell, just like all the souls who rest in peace."

"Instead of here, in a curse of last resort."

"A young, shining star."

The Silver Shadow took a new step, walking back the way he came.

His body, composed of light, slowly merged into the rock wall.

A burst of silver light flickered, and the characters formed once more:

He's lying.

Thales stared blankly as the silver figure disappeared into the rock formation.

Watching the silver light gradually dim.

The silver light dimmed and continued to form a text:
You will never see each other again.

Thales frowned.

Finally, the Silver Shadow's body completely disappeared into the rock wall.

The silver light vanished, never to be seen again.

The almost dim, silvery light uttered its final words in mid-air before vanishing without a trace:
Farewell

The next second, everything went black before Thales' eyes—the entire cave was plunged into complete darkness as the silver shadow figure left.

Thales was left alone, returning to the lonely, deathly darkness.

Facing the cold air, the hard rock formations, and the boundless silence.

In the darkness, Thales could see nothing.

But he remained blankly staring in the direction the silver-clad figure had left, until a strange feeling welled up inside him.

Not long ago, the Silver Shadow Man delivered a powerful punch, conjuring up armor and casually mocking himself, as if the scene was still vivid in his mind.

I am already a dead man...

I can only stay here... until I perish with it...

[A very, very long time, so long that I don't even remember how long it has been...]

Thank you for watching over this darkness, a darkness without measure, without end, without future, and without direction...

We will eventually go our separate ways...

【Goodbye...】

Thales clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, feeling an impulse surge up in his heart and seep into his veins.

"boom!"

His arm slammed hard against the solid rock wall!
But Thales was oblivious. He spoke with difficulty, whispering in the boundless darkness, "But I will remember."

The surroundings remained deathly dark, with only his low murmurs drifting through the air.

No response.

“Even if you’ve forgotten everything,” Thales whispered in the pitch-black cave, his head bowed and resisting the urge to turn away.

"Or it may no longer exist."

"At least, there will still be someone in the world who will remember what you did here."

He seemed to be talking to himself.

But he hopes that this message can reach behind, to the other side of the rock strata, to the other side of the lonely nights.

To that person who, though dead, cannot find peace, yet still smiles and watches alone in the eternal night, a few glimmers of light.

"Did you hear that?"

In the unfathomable darkness, the prince, feeling distressed, took a long breath and suppressed the strange sensation in his nose.

“Naikaru…”

“Ex”.

(End of this chapter)