Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 462 Rebirth (Part 1)

hum.

A heartbeat, the sound like a heavy hammer.

pain.

Excruciating pain.

Thales struggled to stand, clinging to the rope, drenched in cold sweat.

No.

hum.

Another heartbeat.

After managing to take Barney's sword, terrible aftereffects struck again, causing him to experience excruciating pain with every breath and every heartbeat.

Each time it got worse than the last.

It was like a ferryman's call, meant to shatter him from head to toe, inch by inch.

But that doesn't matter anymore.

He cannot fall.

At least not now.

Thales, barely breathing, glanced at the nine wounded men before him, their eyes filled with despair.

The former royal guard.

hum.

With the next heartbeat, the nearly depleted River of Sin surged forth again as if reborn from the brink of despair, filling his limbs and rushing toward his overburdened heart and collapsing body.

A strange yet familiar wave swept in, recreating the scene from the Night of Dragon Blood and the battle against the Meteorite:
The Sin of the River of Hell began to consume enormous amounts of energy, accelerating the regeneration and recovery of the damaged tissues within his body.

Accompanied by pain that seemed to grow infinitely larger.

Thales began to tremble uncontrollably.

But unlike before, as he listened to Sacel's confession and Barney's sobs, as well as the gurgling sounds of blood in Naki's throat and Nay's increasingly chaotic breathing, Thales suddenly realized that he could no longer care about the pain that had once brought him to the brink of death.

Sacel's words still echoed in my ears, seemingly from another world, yet incredibly clear.

"The royal guards each serve their own masters, and comrades-in-arms turn on each other with swords drawn..."

"A total of eleven times...fratricide."

hum.

In Thales's increasingly dim vision, the Executioner stared blankly into the darkness.

"We could only watch helplessly as everything happened, powerless and at a loss..."

"Sorry……"

Sacel's empty tunnel.

"I can't do anything."

Thales instinctively tightened his grip on the rope and closed his eyes.

The sins of the River of Hell, like a wild beast that has found its prey, still surge and roar within him.

But at that moment, Thales seemed to be back in that night in the abandoned house, lying helplessly on the dilapidated ground.

He heard Quaid laughing maniacally.

Kelly, Ned, Ensola, the deceased beggars floated in the air, watching him expressionlessly.

Watching Quaid walk past Thales and step by step toward the weak, helpless, and trembling Coria.

And all he could do was...

We could only watch helplessly as everything... happened.

Nothing can be done.

Thales clenched his fist.

Can't do anything?
No.

A voice seemed to whisper in his heart.

No.

hum.

As if commanding his own body, Thales trembled as he released the rope and straightened up in pain.

That night, the clamor and bloodshed of Longxiao City flashed through his mind.

Do everything... no, get everything.

It dawned on him.

What he learned from Toros's teachings was far more than just the use of magical energy, or the "contact" or "object" stage of a magical energy master.

But it's something more important.

Thales suddenly opened his eyes.

"Do not."

The boy's voice rang out softly, steady yet resolute, drawing everyone's attention.

Quick Rope looked in astonishment at the Star Prince, who just a moment ago relied on him to stand, now sweating profusely as he took steps forward.

“It has nothing to do with what we can or cannot do.” Thales staggered past Barney’s sword, picked up the nearly extinguished torch from the ground, and shook it in the air to reignite it.

The light illuminated the dimly lit storeroom.

Sakel stared blankly at him, while little Barney remained lying on the ground, sobbing silently.

Naki, teetering on the brink of death, was losing focus, and Nai's coughs were becoming soft and silent.

"The key lies in whether we make the right choice when that moment arrives."

Thales took a deep breath, forcing himself to shut out the aftereffects of the magic or the pain from the healing of the River of Hell, and carrying the torch, he walked step by step toward the dark pool of blood ahead.

“Whatever you’re going to do now, it’s too late,” Samir scoffed, his tone filled with endless sorrow and mockery.
"This is the truth."

Thales shook his head and simply continued forward.

Naki's neck blood stained the soles of his shoes.

Just like that night, he stepped into a pool of blood in the abandoned house.

All eyes were on the prince.

Thales gasped as he stepped into the pool of blood.

The next second, the pain inside his body suddenly intensified!

The boy slipped and could no longer support his weak body, falling to his knees in front of Naki and Cannon.

"Thales!"

Quick Rope cried out in surprise, but was stopped by the prince's decisively raised hand.

"At least now."

Thales took a breath, crawled a few steps closer to Naki, and met the other's almost dry eyes.

"There's one last thing we can do."

One last thing?

Quick rope paused for a moment.

"Naki, the 'idler' of the Guardian Wing, right?"

Thales endured wave after wave of excruciating pain as he watched the man before him lose his life force.

With Cannon's support, Naki glanced blankly at Thales, blood gushing from his neck between Cannon's trembling fingers.

Immediately, Naki shakily looked away, his gaze darting and weak, seemingly unable to face the boy named Canxing before him.

"I see."

“I know what you’ve done.”

Naki trembled slightly.

The firelight illuminated Naki's departing face:

Yellowish-brown, dry, with wrinkles bearing the marks of despair and pain.

Seeing the other person's neck bleeding uncontrollably, Thales gritted his teeth and forced a calm smile, trying his best to make his words sound as steady as possible.

"You were involved in the conspiracy and internal strife."

"In those chaotic times, you wavered between your family and the throne, ultimately choosing to deny the former king, pledge allegiance to another shining star, and choose... the future he represented."

“You have blood on your hands that cannot be washed away, including your own guards.”

Naki, lying in Cannon's arms, began to tremble.

His already dark eyes swept over Thales, filled with regret and pain.

Thales watched calmly, his sorrow momentarily overshadowing his physical pain.

"You paid the price for this: tormented by your conscience, living in guilt, resentment, and anger, branded with sin on your face, never seeing the light of day, struggling for half your life."

The boy sighed:
"To this point, time has slipped away."

Naki opened his mouth in agony, but could only make a gurgling sound of blood flowing from his throat, and his eyes looked at Thales with increasing despair.

The guards looked at the prince with all sorts of different expressions—some of despair, some of sorrow, some of indifference, and some of emptiness.

But Thales ignored them.

He simply smelled the overwhelming stench of blood, staring intently at Naki lying in a pool of blood, as if trying to capture the only remaining part of his soul.

“But I also know,” Thales forced a weak smile:

“I know that you refused to plead guilty back then and were imprisoned not for your own selfish reasons, but because you wanted to uphold your choice and cover up the scandal of the Shining Star royal family.”

"That may be a tragic, but also respectable, choice."

As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of the guards shifted slightly, and Cannon, who was holding Naki, even looked up in surprise.

Naki struggled for a moment, his filthy face contorted.

He looked at Thales again in disbelief, his five fingers clenched into a fist.

The next second, Thales sighed:

"But none of that matters anymore."

The boy looked intently at Naki, his bruised and battered face appearing peaceful and serene in the firelight.

"Because after eighteen years, with the escape from prison just around the corner, and freedom and liberation within your grasp, you ultimately chose to abandon hypocrisy and wishful thinking, to face the nightmare, the pain, the ugliness, and to confront your past self anew."

Sacel, who had been listening silently, swayed slightly, and Barney calmed down as well.

Hearing Thales' words, Naki's breathing, which was becoming increasingly erratic due to the bleeding, began to become erratic.

"Perhaps what I am about to say is insignificant, and belated..."

Weak Thales trembled as he reached out his left hand and gently touched the hideous brand of sin on Naki's face.

Flesh and blood engraved with the ancient empire's letter "S".

His touch seemed to possess some kind of magic, gradually calming Naki down.

Thales clenched his teeth slightly.

"But at least, I want you to know."

"Even if the world doesn't know, even if the kingdom refuses to acknowledge it, even if it can never be clarified, at least I know it in my heart."

Thales took a deep breath and smiled:

“I don’t think you’re a bad person, Naki.”

At that moment, Naki's pupils suddenly contracted!
The way he looked at the prince changed just like his expression.

"You are not a selfish, simple, and evil traitor."

The boy's voice was very soft, barely enough to shake the dust, but it carried clearly throughout the dungeon.

It reached everyone's ears.

"On the contrary, you are a respectable person."

"You made your choice, and then you accepted the consequences without complaint and upheld your principles."

Naki's breathing began to quicken, drowning out the sound of blood flowing from his neck.

He looked at Thales, his lips moving as he mumbled intermittently.

But his slightly agitated words were buried in the surging blood.

Thales smiled.

“I know, Naki, I understand.”

The prince gently pressed Naki's forehead, closing the distance between them.

Naki's mutterings continued, but grew increasingly weak.

“So, at this moment, in your last breath,” Thales realized his voice was trembling, even more so than Naki’s dying shudder:

"Tai Naki".

Thales breathed heavily, and Naki's haggard face began to blur before his eyes.

"In the name of the second prince, Thales Star, the legitimate bloodline of the Star Family and the sole heir to the Nine-Star Crown."

The boy heard himself speak in a trembling voice:

"I forgive you."

At that moment, the dungeon was eerily quiet.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the boy who was holding the injured person and speaking softly.

"I forgive you for all your sins and mistakes, whether you have them or not."

The prince finished speaking.

At this moment, it was as if nothing had happened; the dungeon remained as silent as ever.

But a fraction of a second later, Naki's chest began to heave violently, as if he was struggling to get up!

"Woo-"

Finally, like a dam that had been holding things back for so long, Naki collapsed at the last moment.

His eyes had lost focus, yet he still stretched out his weak left hand, trembling violently, and futilely clawed at the air.

His lips twisted and twitched as he made loud sobs and whimpers to Thales, as if trying to say something endless.

“Wuwu——”

Naki's violent reaction caught Cannon off guard as he pressed on Naki's wound, and he could only do his best to control Naki and prevent his already hopeless situation from worsening.

Thales put down his torch, ignoring the blood all over his body, and tightly grasped Naki's empty, helpless hand, bending down to embrace the dying man.

"No matter who you betrayed or who you were loyal to."

"No matter what your heart desires or what your actions are."

"No matter how you conduct yourself in the past or present."

He pressed his cheek against Naki's forehead, letting the other's struggle gradually subside with his voice:
May you no longer be trapped by sin, contradiction, torment, and guilt.

"Freedom from this moment on."

Thales gasped for breath, fighting back the stinging sensation in his nose:
May your past vanish like smoke, may your nightmares end here.

"Rest in peace."

No one spoke.

At that moment, the only sound in the dungeon was Naki's slowly calming and weakening breathing.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

After an unknown amount of time, Naki's struggles finally subsided.

Thales breathed a sigh of relief, patted the frozen Cannon, and released Naki.

He lowered his head in bewilderment.

Before I knew it, the person in my arms had closed their eyes.

It stopped moving.

he's gone.

Thales said bitterly to himself.

After eighteen years of torment...

gone.

But Thales immediately moved.

Endless streams of crystalline liquid slid down Naki's lifeless face.

Tears welled up, even more so than the blood flowing from her neck.

Thales felt a pang of sadness.

"Thank you," Cannon sobbed, still holding his comrade's body.

"Thank you, Your Highness... Naki... Naki..."

Thales looked up and stared at him in a daze.

Naki's tear-streaked face was contorted in pain, as if he were suffering terribly.

But Thales knew.

That is not pain.

Instead, it was something Naki hadn't revealed for a full eighteen years...

smile.

Thales paused for a moment in bewilderment, then staggered to his feet and raised the torch again.

He then realized that, without him noticing, everyone in the room was staring at him intently, some with surprise, some with excitement, some with sorrow, and some with grief.

It was as if the boy was the protagonist of this moment.

Even Sacel stared blankly at Thales, motionless.

Quick Rope remained silent, his gaze towards Thales carrying a deeper meaning.

Thales took a deep breath and looked away from Naki. He stepped to the other side.

Whether it was the aftereffects of the magic energy that spared him, or the Sin of the River of Hell that was finally repaired, the pain in his body began to numb and was insignificant to his current state.

Thales, with weak steps, approached Belletti, who was holding Nai.

Nai coughed painfully, but the firelight reflected in his eyes as he looked at Thales brightened.

“Your Highness, we…” Looking at Naki who was no longer breathing, Belletti suppressed the emotions in her chest and had just started to speak when Thales raised his right hand to stop her.

"Wait a minute." The boy shook his head.

Belletti immediately closed her lips, offering no objection whatsoever.

It was as if this was his calling.

Perhaps influenced by what had just happened, no one wanted to interrupt Thales.

As before, Thales knelt on one knee in front of Nai, watching the man who still had a smile on his face cough incessantly.

“The massive internal bleeding from the blunt force trauma is irreversible—as a logistics officer, I know that very well.” Nai said with a strained smile, his face pale and covered in cold sweat. Beletie, standing beside him, closed her eyes in despair.

Thales looked at him sadly. “Sass Nye, Second Chief Logistics Officer,” the boy said earnestly.

Nai subconsciously pushed away Belletti, who was hugging him, and straightened his chest.

It seems she wanted to be more proper.

The prince spoke softly:
“I don’t know what you’ve been through in these eighteen years, but I do know that what you’ve been through has not been fair.”

Nai calmly gazed at the prince, her severely injured body gradually becoming numb.

Thales suppressed the anger in his heart:
"For eighteen years, you have been suffering injustice and pain, bearing consequences that are disproportionate to your actions."

“I know that you have nowhere to seek justice, you have unspeakable pain, and the justice and innocence you deserve... may never come.”

As Nai listened to the prince's words, her eyes gradually became unfocused, filled with a sense of sorrow.

But Thales grabbed his hand.

Nai's palms were icy cold, as if blood had never flowed through them.

"But you, logistics officer."

"Do not worry."

Thales' tone fluctuated slightly:

"Because at least, at least I will remember your innocence and justice."

Nai's icy hands began to tremble.

"I will remember: There was a man who, no matter how much pain or injustice he endured, whether in the past or present, before or after his death, believed in and cherished his teammates and brothers from beginning to end, for ten years without wavering."

Nai's vision was already blurred, but he managed to give the prince a smile with all his might.

This brought Thales considerable comfort, easing his heavy heart after Naki's death.

Thales took a deep breath, suppressing his sadness.

“Sass Nye”.

Thales said, pressing his forehead against Nai's:
May the journey along the River of Hell be smooth.

Thales said softly:

May you rest in peace.

Nai's body trembled slightly, even though he was no longer alive.

The dungeon remained quiet.

But right now.

"No, Your Highness..."

Thales released Nai and looked at her in surprise as she spoke up, tears streaming down her face.

“We made a vow,” Nai said, trembling, her lifeless eyes staring at the empty ceiling, yet with tears in her eyes and a forced smile.
"As the Emperor's guards, our souls... do not enter heaven, nor do they go to hell, but are forged in... the mighty empire."

soul?

Thales was slightly taken aback.

Amidst the continuous stream of tears, Nai's smile grew even brighter.

Thales felt a pang of sadness upon seeing this.

"Just like the brothers we used to be..."

Nai could no longer see the scene before him, but with the little strength he had left, he still trembled as he turned towards each person.

"Royal Guard, Second Chief Logistics Officer, Sass Nye."

Boom!
He struggled to clench his right fist and slammed it heavily against his chest!

He completely disregarded the heavy burden and pain this action brought him.

Thales looked at him in surprise and suddenly noticed that the guards around him, whether it was Sacel and Barney, Belletti or Samir, all unconsciously straightened their chests and straightened their faces.

Just like the most solemn occasion.

"Everyone!"

Nai opened his eyes, which only highlighted the darkness, and said hoarsely.

"My sword is broken, my mission is over."

He seemed to be forcing his weak lungs to breathe, struggling to squeeze out the words from his mouth, speaking clearly and resolutely.

Every word sent a shiver down the spines of the guards.

Nai took a deep breath:

"I have...I have fulfilled my duty..."

He was halfway through his sentence when he ran out of breath and had to gasp for air several times.

But Nai recovered and quickly continued:
"I will..."

"I will surely find peace at the Emperor's side..."

Nai, on the verge of death, paused in his speech and loosened his fist in his chest.

"Do not."

Nai shook her head.

He trembled as he touched Thales's disheveled face.

Thales gently lowered his head and rested his cheek against the other's palm.

Nai touched the prince's face and gazed deeply in Thales' direction.

The next second, Nai smiled, her face pale yet gentlest.

He said firmly:
"I have now found peace at the Emperor's side."

My sword is broken.

The mission is complete.

I have done my duty.

I have now found peace at the Emperor's side.

The prisoners in the guard listened blankly to each dying word, some moved, some sighing.

Nai stared intently into the void, holding his breath as if waiting for something.

Finally, with a rustling sound, little Barney, his face ashen, seemed to wake up from a nightmare, clutching his aching right arm to his chest and leaning against the wall.

"Secondary Logistics Officer, Sass Nye."

“You have done your duty,” Barney said in a hoarse voice, trying to suppress his trembling.

"You will surely find peace by the Emperor's side."

Finally, Thales saw that Nai's pale smile relaxed, as if he had let go of something.

Thales looked up and saw that all the guards had pressed their hands to their chests at the same time, and in unison, with varying degrees of solemnity, sorrow, or emotion, they began to recite the royal guard's funeral dirge:
"Only by continuing the tradition can we achieve our goals."

"Witness eternity."

The words fell.

The next moment, Nai loosened her grip on the boy's face.

It drooped down abruptly and limply, only to be caught by Thales.

Thales lowered his head and saw that Nai's pupils had completely lost their luster.

he's gone.

Once again, Thales whispered to himself.

Belletti let out a painful sob in her throat, and Cannon began to weep softly.

Barney closed his eyes tightly and spoke in a trembling voice:
"The...thirty-eighth..."

He paused for a moment, then glanced hesitantly at Naki's body across from him.

In the end, Barney lowered his head and shook it in despair.

"The thirty-ninth."

Sacel pressed his face back into his hands, his shoulders trembling.

After seeing off their two brothers, the guards were unusually quiet.

After a few seconds of silence, Thales gently released Nai's body.

It's not over yet.

He dragged his weakened body and said to himself.

not yet.

Thales turned his head and scanned the figures:

"Chief Penal Officer Luton Belletti."

"Second Chief Standard Officer Colin Samir."

Belletti bit her lip.

Samir's expression was complicated.

The prince swayed as he stood up, holding the torch.

His figure was incredibly clear in the firelight.

"I understand you, and I know you."

Thales said in a hoarse voice:
“But I don’t have the power or the status of my father. I can’t exonerate you, I can’t clear your name, and I can’t plead for you.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Barney, who was utterly despondent and silent.

“I also know my father’s personality—even if I return to Yongxing City, I will still be powerless and my words will be worthless and even meaningless.”

Belletti's expression was grave, while Samir shook his head and scoffed.

"I cannot erase your mark, wash away your stain, change your circumstances, or heal your wounds."

Thales took a deep breath:

“But at least, I can, and only can, say this to you as Thales Shining Star.”

He lowered his head and said quietly:
"sorry."

Belletti and Samir moved simultaneously.

“Like Nai, I know your injustice, I know your past, and I know your innocence.”

Thales tried to make his tone sound calm and sincere:
"I am aware of your perseverance."

"And I will remember it for the rest of my life."

"Regardless of what others are like."

At that moment, Belletti forced a bitter smile and shook her head, while Samir looked at the prince with an indescribable gaze.

"Like Nai, you have long been cleansed of your stigma in my heart."

Thales tried to shake off the sorrow in his heart and forced a smile:

"You are an excellent royal guard."

"thank you all."

Belletti's voice faltered, unable to speak: "Your Highness..."

Samir turned his head away, burying himself in darkness, his expression unreadable.

Thales forced a smile and, despite his weakened state, turned to the other three people again.

"Jonah Cannon, the vanguard scout."

"The Guardian of the Wings, Saul Brie."

"And you, Guti Tardin, who comes from a prestigious family."

When his name was called, Cannon, who was holding Naki's body, trembled and dared not look up, while the huge Brie whimpered a few times in pain.

Tardin even turned his head away in shame.

“You were involved in, or even participated in, the conspiracies and chaos of that time.”

"You participated in the bloodshed of that year, which led to the royal family's misfortune and the kingdom's calamity. Your sins are hard to atone for."

The three of them became even more depressed.

Cannon buried his face in Naki's body, sobbing uncontrollably.

Brie knelt on the ground, his face blank.

Tardin bit his lip, seemingly ready.

Thales looked at the three people, his emotions incredibly complex and difficult to describe.

But in the end, he took a deep breath and shook his head.

"but……"

Thales gave a faint smile:

"I forgive you."

Deathly silence.

Belletti's eyes widened, and even Samir frowned.

The three people involved—Taldin, Brie, and Cannon—were completely stunned for a moment.

“Your Highness…” Tardin said instinctively.

Thales didn't let him continue, but instead gazed at Naki and Nai's bodies, and said softly:

"Like Naki, you have made your own choices among many paths."

"But in today's world where things have changed and people have changed, it is no longer important to look back on the rights and wrongs of the past."

As Thales finished speaking, Tardin trembled slightly.

The prince spoke calmly, without a trace of resentment or contempt:
"More importantly, you have already paid the price—whether it is the loss of your brothers and sisters, the punishment of your conscience, or the eternal guilt and nightmares that will accompany you."

The three of them still stared at Thales in disbelief.

"And I've also seen what kind of people you are."

"Whatever choices you made back then, today you did not leave Sakel to bear the sins alone, but faced your past and stood up to admit what happened."

Many people looked at Sacel, but the heavily injured Knight of Punishment remained silent.

Thales sighed.

"Moreover, you saved my life today, and even though you know the truth, unlike Barney, you know in your hearts that this will not grant you forgiveness."

As he spoke, whether it was because the time had come or the power of termination had taken effect, Thales felt that the pain in his body had completely disappeared.

All that remains is weakness, confusion, and emptiness...

And an unprecedented sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Thales raised his head, forced a smile, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Therefore, I forgive you."

"I forgive you all."

"I forgive you, I forgive you from the torment of the past, I forgive you from eternal guilt."

"May you be reborn at this moment."

This is……

My choice.

The voice in Thales's mind whispered.

Compared to power and status, this is what truly matters...

What I should truly cherish, care about, and hold onto.

It is my true anchor.

silence.

There was a silence that lasted for several seconds, broken only by the sparks and the sound of breathing.

Finally, Cannon was the first of the three to give out.

He braced himself against the pool of blood on the ground with both hands and wept bitterly.

Cannon's reaction seemed to unlock something; immediately afterward, Tardin knelt down, covering his face in anguish and remorse:
"Your Highness...I...I..."

He burst into tears.

Brie trembled slightly, but no sound came out.

He simply closed his eyes tightly, facing Thales, and lowered his body and head to the lowest possible position.

Samir sighed.

Belletti laid down Nai's body and stared intently at Thales.

Thales smiled at them.

“I’m sorry, I can only say these things in my own name—after all, I am not the king.”

"That's all I can do."

He added, somewhat disappointed.

Belletti shook her head and greeted the prince with her most grateful yet most restrained smile.

No.

You've done... much more than that.

more than.

After finishing speaking, Thales took a breath and looked at Barney on the other side.

Quick Rope, standing to the side, stared blankly at everything:
In the dark dungeon, two bodies lay peacefully on the ground.

Sacel knelt on the ground, bewildered, looking at Thales.

Barney leaned against the wall indifferently, motionless.

The other five prisoners, in a sorry state, were either excited, sad, sobbing with their heads covered, or kneeling and sighing.

Only the boy holding the torch stood among the crowd, a relieved smile on his face.

His slender figure appeared tall and strong in the firelight.

"What is he doing?" Samir muttered to himself, standing to the side in a daze.

Belletti heard what he said.

"did nothing."

The executioner watched Thales walk away towards little Barney, and spoke softly, his voice tinged with bitterness and hope:
"He simply... raised a torch."

then.

Belletti gazed at Thales from afar, silently thinking to herself:
It illuminated our darkness.

The next moment, Belletti could no longer control herself.

The tough and ruthless warrior on the battlefield suddenly turned his head.

She covered her eyes to stifle the tears that welled up in them.

(End of this chapter)