Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 436 The Return of Morar
Further away.

Thales calmly watched the executioner's axe blade disappear from sight, along with the dimly lit corridor.

He is slowly rising again.

It's like losing gravity.

But this time, the prince managed to maintain his sanity in the void of unknown time.

He tried his best to recall the anchor point, and followed the teachings to remain true to himself.

I just need to be further away.

No need to knock...

He tried his best to remain calm, thinking to himself.

Countless scenes flashed through his mind: the ruins of an abandoned house, the simple kitchen of the Sunset Bar, the magnificent terrace of the Hall of Stars, the snow falling in the birch forest, the fireplaces in Valhalla...

Leave the Bone Prison, even the Blade Fang Camp, and get as far away from Sakel as possible.

Go further!
But just as he was thinking this, a strange burning sensation surged from his back!
It was as if someone had set his back on fire!

Thales's expression changed.

wrong.

In that instant, he snapped out of his "out-of-control" state!

It was like waking up from a beautiful dream.

The indifferent attitude vanished, replaced by a sense of astonishment.

Do not……

In a fraction of a second, the burning sensation intensified.

It spreads from the back to the whole body, and then slowly evolves into a feeling of tearing and cutting.

In that instant, Thales couldn't help but contort his face and cry out in pain!
This long-lost yet familiar feeling...

Could it be...

Oops.

He remembered something, and a chill ran through him.

While still suffering from the burning and tearing sensation, Thales felt a sudden weight around him, and the next second, he slammed hard into the ground!
"boom!"

With a muffled thud, Thales, ignoring the pain in his knees and forehead, frantically rolled over and struggled to throw off his backpack!
Damn, damn!
It was like a piece of red-hot charcoal.

"Damn it!"

Marina's annoyed voice rang in my ears, as if she had just made intimate contact with the ground: "What happened!"

"Waaaaa axe—ow!"

In the darkness, Kaisen's panicked cries came from beside him.

"Eh?"

A whooshing sound was heard, which seemed to indicate that Quick Rope had gotten up from the ground:
"Is this... the Hell River?"

Thales let out a difficult breath, feeling the burning sensation on his back slowly disappear.

But another sensation spread through my nerves.

pain.

Prince Xingchen, panting heavily, gritted his teeth and said:

"Yes, this is the River of Hell... and I am your ferryman..."

He touched the ground and sighed inwardly.

and so……

They are not out of danger yet.

"Thales!"

Upon hearing his voice, Kuaishou was initially delighted, but then his suspicions grew even stronger.

"But why, why can't we see..."

In a moment of panic, a soft scraping sound was heard, and a sudden burst of light appeared before his eyes, causing Kuaisheng to instinctively shield his eyes.

In the darkness, Marina lit a small torch, cursed as she got up from the ground, and wiped the dust off her face: "Damn it!"

"Where exactly are we..."

But she didn't continue.

The strange smell from their mouths and noses, along with the surrounding environment, allowed her to pinpoint their location.

The red-clad female swordswoman eased the pressure on her neck from the executioner's grip, frowning:
"Are we... still in the Prison of Bones?"

Thales did not reply; his face was pale and he was trembling slightly.

Having regained his vision, Kuaisheng gently lowered his hand, glanced blankly at Marina, who was holding a torch and looking dazed, then turned to the boy lying on the ground beside him, panting, and his expression darkened.

"What just happened?"

He shook off his confusion, helped the clearly unwell Thales up from the ground, and leaned him against the wall:
"Where's that uncle? And, and your masked friend?"

Thales gasped for breath, enduring the increasingly intense pain, and managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"This is a 'minor magic' of the Alchemy Tower. You can think of it as a mechanism in the Bone Prison that can transport you to different places..."

Marina was slightly startled.

Thales tried to force a smile.

But Quick Rope's expression was no longer playful; the rookie mercenary was now squatting in front of Thales, quietly watching the latter.

His eyes were deep and thoughtful.
"A little magic?"

The sight of the rope reminded Thales of the other person's true identity.

"Yes, so I just took advantage of... ah!"

Thales could no longer speak; an increasingly intense pain surged from his chest, causing him to break out in a cold sweat and his lips to tremble.

Oops.

Although lacking other similar mage practitioners for comparison, whether it was the carriage assassination on the Avenue of Rejuvenation six years ago, the mage gun attack at Dragonfall Fortress, the unexpected knocking on Giza's door in Dragonfall City, or Ashida's parting warning, all these experiences taught Thales one lesson:
When faced with a crisis, one should never resort to mysterious magical powers unless absolutely necessary and there is no other way out.

The burden and damage to the body caused by the "out-of-control" state should not be underestimated. In fact, it will gradually increase as the amount of magical energy involved increases. Once it reaches the point of "knocking on the door," the consequences can be fatal.

Therefore, Thales was very grateful to Toros.

This was the most mysterious and kindest mage he had ever encountered.

Thanks to his generous help and patient guidance, I was able to find my "anchor point" and maintain my rationality in the midst of "loss of control" (perhaps too rationally), thus escaping the dangerous predicament of the past where the demonic energy, once unleashed, was unstoppable and bound to knock on the door.

Even though Thales successfully avoided knocking on the door and escaped the excruciating pain and agony of using magic in the past, the cost of "losing control" was still considerable.

Based on his experience with the enemy's drill, he would remain in this strange "out-of-control" state for no more than a few minutes before being awakened by a sudden, intense pain, thus interrupting his extraordinary abilities.

But Thales knew that what had interrupted his escape from Sacel's axe was not the lingering pain of magical energy.

But...

Thales clutched his chest, staring incredulously at the other side: Marina's backpack lay quietly on the ground, a small crossbow arm protruding from its surface.

Time Crossbow.

Legendary anti-magic weaponry.

Damn.

The reason they're still trapped in the prison of bones and haven't been able to escape... has been found.

It seems he absolutely mustn't lose control next time he has this thing in his hands...

Thinking of this, Thales felt another sharp pain, and his expression twisted.

"You look... terrible?"

Marina noticed the prince's unusual pain and approached suspiciously, carrying a torch.

"You were hurt by that madman?"

No.

It's just the aftereffects of forcibly using magical energy, and the rejection from that crossbow.

Thales wiped away his sweat, forcing a trembling smile:

"Yes."

"He hit very hard."

Kuaishou remained silent.

Marina bent down and picked up a silver-bladed longsword from the ground.

"This is Ricky's sword."

Marina's brows furrowed slowly in the firelight.

Thales' heart clenched again.

Marina stared at him intently, her gaze growing colder and colder:

“I saw the brand on that madman’s face, just like Samir’s—what happened to Ricky and the others?”

Thales pursed his lips, enduring the pain while also dealing with the person in front of him, which was truly exhausting for him, and he felt like his head was about to explode.

What could he say?
Sorry, your boss got a hole punched in the head by my friend?

“He…” he hissed.

Just then, Quick Rope cried out in surprise!

"wrong!"

The rookie mercenary stared wide-eyed at Marina, pointed at Thales on the wall, and exclaimed in horror:
"He's...your nose is bleeding!"

Thales instinctively touched his nose, and sure enough, it was wet.

Oops.

That's it again.

He felt dizzy, leaned against the wall, and slid down to the ground, trembling.

Marina frowned.

Quick Rope was shocked and took two steps forward to support Thales.

"What happened to you?"

"This?" the prince said with a weak laugh.

"Ha, the Starry Sky royal family, they are more or less different from others."

Shining Star Royal Family.

Marina's face darkened again upon hearing this phrase.

"No, we have to do something. He doesn't look good."

Quick Rope looked worried and turned to Marina:

"Madam? Could you please point this way? I'll go find his luggage..."

Marina looked at Thales with a complicated expression, then at the sword in her hand, and finally sighed, raising her torch as she stepped forward.

"A prince whose surname is Canxing."

Looking at Thales's pained expression, Marina said softly:
"You just saved my life."

"why?"

Thales forced a smile, sweating profusely as he squeezed out a few sarcastic remarks:

"Perhaps, perhaps it's because I don't like killing? Perhaps, it's because you're a woman, and a beautiful one at that? So, according to chivalric romances, I'm destined to have my legs buckle..."

Then I'll take you into my harem. Thales felt another pang in his heart, causing him to contort his features and bite down on the ridiculous joke.

But Marina ignored his teasing, and the previously hot-tempered girl didn't get angry.

She simply gazed at him silently:
“You know, we have a grudge—whether it’s from the bloody years or the grudges in the tavern.”

Thales snorted coldly, his tone oblivious to the pain he was in:
"So I have to kill you? Or stand by and gloat as you get killed?"

Marina paused, her face showing struggle.

"But your father will."

The red-clad female swordsman hesitated before saying, "Just like eighteen years ago, when he ordered the hanging of my family."

Now it was Thales' turn to be speechless.

But the next moment, as if she had made up her mind, Marina suddenly looked up and stared intently at the prince.

“Ceber Norfolk,” the girl said softly.
“He was my uncle, a member of the Starshine Legion, a bodyguard of the late Duke John of Starlake—and the man who murdered him.”

Telston was taken aback.

Seber Norfolk.

And the Duke of Starlake.

What do you mean?
Thales stared at her blankly, and with his attention diverted, the pain in his body seemed less unbearable.

"you……"

“Listen,” Marina stared at him, her eyes urgent, as if she were grasping at a straw:
“If you return to Everstar City, Prince Thales, if you are truly different from your bastard father, if you truly care about the blood of the innocent…”

"Please investigate this matter thoroughly and find out the truth."

Marina's eyes slowly reddened, startling Thales into a state of panic.

"To find the truth about Duke John's assassination in Sodala during the Bloody Year."

Duke John...

Thales frowned.

“My father, Lanzar Norfolk, heir to the title of Earl of Norfolk.”

“Until he was hanged, he was secretly serving the Kingdom’s secret service,” Marina said through gritted teeth, her voice trembling.
"On the third day after Eddie's assassination, and on the eve of Duke John's assassination, my father secretly released a raven."

"This is the only clue I've had in years."

Thales trembled slightly.

Kingdom Secret Service.

The third day after Eddie King's assassination...

That is to say...

“I’ve been wandering for years, all alone and helpless. I can only muster all my strength and use every means at my disposal, but I can find nothing and do nothing,” Marina’s lips trembled, her chest heaving, as if she were suppressing her emotions.

“But you are a prince, the future king, and you can certainly do more than I can.”

"I beg you."

Marina practically spat out the last word through her teeth, her eyes red, a testament to the immense struggle and hardship she had endured.

Just then, the sound of a rope came from the luggage area:

“I’ve found something, Thales, you might need this…”

Another wave of pain shot through Thales, who squeezed his eyes shut and tried desperately to wave his hands:

"I'm fine, it's just an old ailment, I just need some rest..."

next second.

"boom!"

A muffled thud suddenly came, causing Thales to instinctively open his eyes!
"Dang Cang."

The flame flickered and fell to the ground along with the longsword.

Marina lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

Beside her, Quick Rope withdrew the hand that had knocked her unconscious, his expression serious.

Thales was stunned.

At that moment, the torchlight shone down from the ground, making Kuaishou's face appear so cold and profound.

"Quick Rope, you..."

Quick Rope didn't answer; he simply bent down silently and pulled up the unconscious Marina.

"Can it hold up?"

Quick Rope said calmly, pulling Marina aside, "Or are you going to die in the next second?"

Thales stared at him blankly.

"Why—" The prince only uttered half of his question.

He saw what the rope was holding.

It was a special black crossbow.

The arrow is nocked and ready to be released.

"You ask why?"

Quick Rope picked up the torch and walked forward coldly.

So you're going to tell me the truth?

"Thales Star?"

Thales gritted his teeth.

truth……

Kuaisheng stood alone, holding a torch, brandishing his crossbow, and coldly stared at him.
"What exactly is that ability of yours?"

In that instant, Thales felt his body stiffen and his tongue feel heavy.

In a daze, even the aftereffects of losing control no longer felt so bad.

He simply gazed silently at the solemn rope.

Quick Rope also silently looked back at him.

After a while, Thales sighed in the firelight.

He turned his head away, and under the dual pressure—physical pain and the piercing gaze of his companion—he said with difficulty:

"As I said, this is a rare kind of magic. After the Star Kingdom seized this place for themselves..."

Quick Rope gave a cold laugh.

"magic?"

"Magic my ass. As far as I know, no magic can teleport us from one place to another instantly—not even six hundred years ago."

His cold retort shut Thales up the rest of his words.

“Listen, Thales.”

Quick rope stared intently at him:
"I may have been foolish when I was young, but I was still raised with the education of a lord's family, and I'm more than ten years older than you, maybe even more..."

“Especially after becoming the heir, I learned a lot of unusual knowledge.”

Kuai Sheng squatted down gently, his eyes filled with utmost seriousness.

The firelight drew closer, and the intense heat of the torches made Thales feel uncomfortable.

But his heart was ice-cold.

“I know who that man is, and I know what he meant by those words.”

The fast rope was calm and breezy.

It was as if this were just a casual conversation.

But only Thales knew that at this moment, the aura emanating from Quick Rope was so cold, the tone so sharp, and the eyes so terrifying.

"I also know why you suddenly went from a frail boy to a cold-blooded killer."

“I even know why you are in so much pain right now.”

At that moment, Thales felt as if he no longer recognized the person in front of him.

It's as if this optimistic, open-minded, and slightly humorous mercenary, Quick Rope, has transformed back into the compassionate, decisive, and resolute enemy prince who has abandoned everything.

Moral Walton's return.

"How do you think I recognized you when we were in the desert?"

Moral’s tone was so cold and resolute that Thales couldn’t help but hold his breath.

"More than 600 years ago, there was an extremely terrible calamity in the final battle. Wherever it was on the battlefield, our ancestors were bound to suffer repeated defeats and have no hope."

"Because that calamity can foresee the future and understand the unknown."

Moral sneered:
"From the weather the next day to the angle of the sunrise, and the enemy's every move, the future of the world is entirely in its grasp."

Predict future.

Thales breathed in a daze.

Is there such a being among magic users?
Moral shook his head and said:

"How do you defeat an immortal monster who holds all futures and possibilities in his hands?"

At that moment, Thales' breath caught in his throat.

"Until the creation of this weapon."

Moral examined the black crossbow in his hand, his eyes revealing an unreadable emotion:

"Its user was a northerner who, after the war, pledged allegiance to Ext and King Necaru."

"So many years later, this crossbow eventually came into the hands of King Nunn I, who presented it to the most remote and arduous of the ten territories, Qiyuan City, as a testament to the 'Nekharu Oath'."

"This is the most unique and legendary anti-magic weapon in the Dragon Spear family's records."

"The Crossbow of Time".

The next second, Moral stood up coldly.

He gripped the trigger, raised his trembling arm, and aimed the crossbow at the boy in front of him.

Thales' face was ashen, and he clutched his chest tightly.

“You are a mage, Thales.”

Morar's eyes flashed, and he spoke in a cold voice:

"A calamity."

"Just like the catastrophe that destroyed everything six hundred years ago."

Thales gently closed his eyes.

at last.

The day has finally come.

“Just like six years ago,” Moral’s voice trembled slightly:
"That person who destroyed Dragon Sky City and killed my father..."

"Disaster."

Let's break this chapter for now, and then I'll update with a shorter one.

The new editor threatened Wujian with his pectoral muscles: "No daily updates, no featured spot!" (Wujian runs away crying)

(Frustrated) So who exactly is "Geng"?! I really don't know her!
Also, I've been brainstorming plot ideas these past few days, and I haven't really gotten hooked on "Apocalypse Paradise" or earned seven monthly passes because of it (sincere face) -- By the way, anyone want to exchange monthly passes? I have seven!

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(End of this chapter)