Amidst the vague roar of the platform, Thales was stunned for three seconds.
In those three seconds, looking at Ricky pointing in the firelight, many scenes of face-to-face encounters with his "predecessors" flashed through Thales's mind.
Aishida's calmness and elegance.
Not just me, but every magician in the world can use their methods to easily... destroy the world in an instant or with a flip of a palm.
Giza's scary smile.
You are going down a path of misfortune...Magician, this is not a gift or a blessing...it is a curse and bad luck.
The mysterious figure of Toros.
Remember, kids, watch your back... even if you think you have it under control... don't let your guard down.
The rising platform shook slightly, waking up Thales who was in a trance.
"So what do you mean?"
The surprised Thales asked urgently
"The magician didn't kill the gods? Is that a lie they made up? Or were they themselves also deceived?"
But Ricky just sneered slightly.
Sak'el stood aside, looking at them deeply and silently.
Thales is unwilling to accept it
"Or is it that the disasters have never surpassed the gods, and the power of the gods is far greater than that of the magicians? Extraordinarily powerful?"
Ricky said nothing, he just closed his eyes gently, as if savoring the eagerness and confusion on Thales's face at this moment.
"Ha ha……"
Under Sak'el's thoughtful gaze and Thales' questioning eyes, Ricky's shoulders shook violently, releasing his uncontrollable laughter.
"Hahahahahaha..."
Ricky raised his head with a long smile and looked at Thales who couldn't catch his smile at all.
"Kill, transcend, far above, powerful?"
"Look at these words you chose."
At that moment, Ricky's smile slowly disappeared, and his eyes were extremely sharp, as if they were about to pierce into Thales's eyes.
"Mortal people's understanding is always poor and narrow," Ricky said slowly, "but they are always self-righteous without knowing it."
"Just like you are now, honey."
Thales was stunned.
"I don't understand." The young man said subconsciously.
Ricky turned his head to himself
"When talking about two related objects, you always imagine a chessboard, right?"
checkerboard?
Thales was confused again.
Ricky slowly raised his hands, clenching them into fists in the air, and there was a snapping sound in the joints.
"Then the two parties involved are placed at both ends of the chessboard in your imagination, and a chess game begins. They abide by the rules you made up and play against each other to determine who wins, who loses, who is higher, who is lower, and who is lower.
Stronger and weaker?"
He looked at his fists, his tone full of ridicule and disdain.
Thales frowned, "Are you talking about gods and disasters?"
Maybe there’s also…
demon.
Thales glanced at Ricky secretly.
Ricky snorted lightly, looked at Thales, and slowly approached his fists in the air, touching each other lightly.
"You are like a little kid who is too stupid to think and can only nod and giggle. You picked out two characters from a mythological bard and a scene from a historical drama and discussed who is stronger. The standard is 'Look at A and A'.
b. Who can lift up the big, smelly and hard stone covered with mud in the gutter under the second corner after turning left outside his house?"
His tone when he said this was still so disdainful.
Thales was stunned for a second, and then shook his head desperately, as if trying to clear his overwhelmed brain.
"Wait a minute...can you, can you stop using metaphors?"
Thales said annoyedly
"I'm confused enough as it is, but I just can't stand this."
The prince looked frustrated.
But Ricky just put down his fists, narrowed his eyes, shook his head and clicked his tongue.
But Sak'el, who had been silent, interrupted at this time
"You mean, we think that both sides of the chess game can follow the same rules for comparison, but in fact, one side of the chess game can ignore the rules we think of, directly cross the chess board, and capture the opponent's pieces?"
Sak'el stared at Ricky closely, while Thales, who was listening, was slightly stunned and thoughtful.
Ignore the rules we think about?
He means……
This time, Ricky finally stopped joking and looked at Sak'el seriously.
"No, I mean..."
The devil and the punishment knight looked at each other for a few seconds, and finally spoke softly.
"Perhaps the two sides of the chess game should not have been placed on both sides of the chessboard from the beginning."
Thales was stunned.
Shouldn't they be placed on both sides of the chessboard?
Ricky's eyes narrowed slightly and he pointed at his head.
"What they are playing is not the same game of chess, not the same kind of chess, or even chess."
"It's inappropriate even for them to appear in your mind at the same time."
Sak'el's color changed slightly.
Ricky turned to Thales again, as if he was particularly enjoying teasing the prince.
"And my dear, what you just asked me self-righteously was who won the game of chess?"
Thales was stunned and speechless.
Sak'el's face was solemn.
The expression on Ricky's face was still calm and slightly comfortable.
But at that moment, what Thales remembered was many memories that he had ignored for a long time.
A tense confrontation in the Temple of the Sunset.
That's right, I am Lysia Arend, the chief priest of the Sunset Temple, the goddess of the sunset, and the only spokesperson in the human world.
Unusual exchanges in Haoyue Temple
If God really exists, if he is really the creator of everything in the world, how could he allow this to happen?
Even in the dark path under Longxiao City, the light from the Silver Shadow Man flickered.
After my death, I was lucky enough to receive blessings and gifts from a great being...
Thinking about all the history of dealing with "gods" to one degree or another, Thales was slightly shocked!
"'Mortals often use their own limited imagination to understand the gods in their hearts, which are the gods they expect, fear, hate, admire, love and worship.'"
Ricky and Sacher were both stunned.
They both turned their eyes and saw Thales who was in a daze, subconsciously repeating what they had heard.
"Mortal people always think about gods with their own barren thinking."
"Because life span is short, gods are imagined to be eternal beings."
"Because their power is weak, the gods are preset to be existences with unparalleled power."
"Because I consider myself a member of all living beings, I imagine the gods as higher and stronger beings of the same kind."
Thales took a deep breath, his face showing seriousness.
"The question is, eternity, power, life, these mortal things..."
"If the gods are indeed beyond the understanding of mortals and stand in different perspectives, do they really take this into their eyes?"
In the strange and surprised look in Ricky and Sak'el's eyes, Thales lowered his eyes and stared straight ahead, his tone was heavy and ethereal.
"'Because the real gods may be far beyond our imagination and are another kind of existence.'"
Thales exhaled and pondered quietly.
On the slowly rising platform, Ricky and Sak'el looked at each other in surprise.
"Who said this?" Sak'el asked softly.
"The Bright Moon Temple in Longxiao City," Thales said without looking back, as if he was still immersed in the thoughts just now.
"Priest Priest Jewel."
When Sak'el heard the name of Longxiao City, he couldn't help but frown deeply.
Ricky was silent, then sighed softly.
"very nice."
"This is probably the most detailed description of the indescribable gods that I have ever heard in my life."
Indescribable gods...
Thales frowned.
He suddenly felt that what the seemingly neurotic Archpriest Jewel said to him in the Bright Moon Temple on that night full of blood and conspiracy six years ago might...
Extremely important.
"Your Highness," Ricky sighed, and even the title unconsciously returned to the formal word, "You always surprise me."
Ricky's eyes became serious
"The bright moon."
"Sure enough, when the Myojin Church perished and the Holy Sun Church split, Sunset remained steadfast in its self-proclaimed ways, and Sunrise became corrupted, and the two major temples used the guise of Errol to cheat and drink against each other, only those who seemed weak and isolated from the world could
The uncontested bright moon..."
Ricky sighed with emotion
"Even though the mountains have disappeared, the bright moon is still in the sky. The people from the North really have some skills."
But the next second, Ricky regained his rare solemn tone and changed the subject.
"But...she said that, are you sure she won't be deducted from her wages?"
This joke brought Thales and Sacher back to reality.
Ricky pulled the bag and took out a piece of dried meat.
"Eat it, there's only one," Ricky smiled and threw the dried meat to the weak Sak'el
"For the sake of your prince."
Sak'el was stunned for a moment and glanced at Thales.
The prince shrugged, showing a complicated and helpless smile.
The knight said nothing more. He lowered his head and bit off the piece of dried meat.
The three of them were silent for a while, each thinking.
"You haven't answered my question yet."
Sak'el's eyes were clear and he put the last part of the dried meat into his mouth.
"What on earth do you want to do?"
But this time, the punishment knight raised his head and looked at the mercenaries around him.
"And, as an underground demon, how did you become the leader of this group of traitors in the Terminus Tower? Are they willing to follow an inhuman existence?"
Sak'el narrowed his eyes and looked at each member of the Sword of Disaster.
"Do you really believe in these people?"
Following the punishment knight's gaze, Ricky also looked at each of his subordinates.
Crassus, the Sword of Disaster, was silent for a while.
"You know what, Punishment Knight."
Ricky's eyes were deep, but his tone contained a bit of pity and emotion.
"Do you know why we are always short of manpower, and even this operation requires the help of Shadow Shield?"
Sak'el didn't answer, just waited quietly.
In Thales's eyes, Ricky put his hand on his chin, sighed very humanely, and pointed not far away.
"Saland Clay."
Thales and Sak'el's eyes followed his fingers and looked at the middle-aged Sword of Disaster with extremely fast sword speed.
"He comes from the Reconstruction Tower and is one of the disgraceful products of the Northlanders' pioneering war decades ago. His father is a knighted Northland noble, and his mother is a barbarian who was robbed in the mountains. For this reason, he will always
Will not be accepted as a member of either parent."
Clay, who was not far away, turned around alertly, and after realizing that it was Ricky and the others looking at him, he immediately cast a questioning look in his direction.
Ricky waved his hand to indicate that everything was okay
"On the surface, the northern lords who rebuilt the tower regarded him as a pawn to appease the barbarians and whitewash peace after the war, but secretly they only thought he was a dirty and ugly little bastard. The elders of the barbarians relied on him to negotiate with the northerners.
Bargaining, but at the same time despising him is a sign that you have been conquered, and it is the shame of defeat for the tribe due to adultery."
Ricky's tone became a little sad.
"No matter how much he hones his skills to perfection, Clay's identity will always precede his abilities, but he will never know who he is, because he is neither a Northlander nor a mountain barbarian, but will always be a wanderer.
Homeless orphans between two ethnic groups."
Thales and Sak'el didn't speak, just looked at each other.
Ricky snorted softly and turned to the other side.
"Falken Josh, he is a Kelunsa native from the Thornlands. He once served in the royal spies of the Kingdom of Allenbia."
Thales recognized that the person resting beside the stone platform was the spy sent by the mercenaries to the Prison of Bones in advance.
"In the ridiculous and sad political struggle in Allenbia, like many of his peers, he lived in a confused world, blindly following the orders of his superiors and betraying his conscience just for the sake of the 'kingdom mission' that he did not know whether it was true or false.
He was stained with blood, arrested, tortured, tortured, and persecuted batch after batch of 'enemies of the kingdom', thinking that in this way he could gain stability in the world, so that he could deceive his wife and children every night.
'I just have to support my family'."
Ricky's eyes were complicated, and he shook his head at Josh who looked back with similar feelings.
"Until one day, his father-in-law was also designated as an 'enemy of the kingdom' and was imprisoned."
"And Josh's boss also turned Josh's wife and children into chips for torture to extract confessions in order to support the family."
"From that day on, the excuse he used to deceive himself fell apart."
Not sure if he touched something, Sak'el sighed softly after hearing this.
Ricky seemed to be aroused. He turned to Thales, his eyes dimming slightly.
"As for Sonny, who unfortunately died in the battle, he was from Nieda and came from the Ligudan Kingdom in the Eastern Continent."
Thales couldn't help but be startled when he thought of Sonny who used an ax and was eventually killed in the battle with Barney Jr.
"Yes, he used to be the most promising and representative professional robber among the Nieda people. He was quite proficient and achieved great results. Until one day, he fell in love with a girl he kidnapped."
Ricky stared at Thales in fascination, but he seemed to be looking at another person
"Sonny gave up everything. He just wanted to get married with her, have a family and have children. For this reason, he did not hesitate to turn against his gang and fight each other."
Ricky sighed softly, his tone revealing unspeakable sadness.
"But after experiencing countless winds and rains, everything settled, and he was completely happy, and he had given birth to children and lived a stable life. His kidnapped wife was with him, his daughter, and his son, except for Sonny.
The family’s food was poisoned..."
Thales opened his eyes wide.
Ricky's words continue
"...As a weak woman who cannot grasp her destiny, she takes the most bleak, helpless and cruel revenge in the end."
Ricky said slowly
"From that day on, Sonny understood that perhaps the world had destined him not to deserve happiness, but to sink into hell."
Sacher pursed his lips and said nothing.
Ricky took a deep breath and looked into the distance as if he had come back to his senses.
"Of course, there are also the Royal Guards colleagues you know best, Colin Samir, who lost everything after the tragedy eighteen years ago, and his old acquaintance's daughter, Marina Norfolk, who was born in a noble family but fell into the world.
"
Hearing Samir's name, Sak'el's expression turned gloomy, and he said "I'm sorry" without thinking.
I don't know who I was talking to.
Samir.
Marina.
Thales stared blankly at the two people in the distance, then looked at Clay and Josh.
This is...the Sword of Disaster?
Ricky stared at the knight for a few seconds and shook his head indifferently.
"Every person who becomes a successor outside the tower has his own story," Ricky said, the light in his eyes becoming serious.
"Everyone is an inhuman existence that is rejected by this world."
Rejected by this world.
At that moment, what Thales thought of was that lonely figure with only a sword a long time ago.
It's called the Hell River Sin for a reason.
We should have left this world forever, but we have deceived the ferrymen of the Hell River time and time again, evading the call of death at the most critical moment.
Therefore, our existence is the sin of the Hell River and the proof that it does not take charge of death responsibly.
Thales was lost in thought.
"Do you understand it?"
Ricky raised his head seriously and answered the question that the Punishment Knight just asked.
"It's not me they're following."
"What they follow is the resentment and anger in their hearts that originates from despair and injustice and is even stronger because of it, but has nowhere to vent. It can only burn in the empty wound and live forever."
Sak'el's eyes narrowed.
At that moment, Thales clearly felt that the Ricky in front of him was different.
The power of termination within his body steamed up again, giving the young man a premonition of extreme danger.
scorching hot.
Depressed.
heavy.
Thales shuddered, and the scene of the Sword of Disaster and the Shield of Shadows fighting selflessly appeared in front of his eyes.
Harsh, crazy, no room left.
Sak'el obviously felt something. The punishment knight's whole body was stiff, and his right arm was shaking slightly, as if he was suppressing the desire to take action.
But Ricky paid no attention to the strange behavior of the Punishment Knight. He just cut open every inch of air in front of him with his eyes like knives.
Even his voice had a bit more of the chilling tone it had before.
"This is far beyond the imagination of the so-called swordsmen of the end who have been corrupted for many years in the Tower of the End and are accustomed to flattering and currying favor with the nobles of various countries. They play tricks on the major powers, whitewash peace, and are hypocritical and noble."
The next second, Ricky looked straight at Sak'el, as if he could see through his soul.
"Join us, Punishment Knight."
His tone was firm and left no room for doubt.
"We have too many similarities. You are a powerful warrior, but just like other miserable creatures, you still cannot escape the prison of fate."
"You may not understand what we mean, but you will, and we will show you that your destiny is not inescapable."
Sacher was silent.
Ricky's expression was still terrifying, and he extended his right hand to the Punishment Knight
"In this dark world, we find each other alone, just because one day, you and I can see the tomorrow we hope for and move towards the palace of rest."
Thales arched his eyebrows, feeling that Ricky's words had some inexplicable meaning.
But Sak'el just moved his buttocks, hugged his injured left arm, and turned his head.
"Sorry, I swore an oath."
"This sword is wielded only for the emperor's order," the knight's voice was hollow and hoarse, but it also had a calmness and determination.
"No other use."
The knight's words were simple and direct, which made Ricky's face become as stiff as his outstretched palm.
This sword is wielded only for the emperor's orders.
Listening to these unique words translated from the ancient empire, Thales sank slightly. He remembered the appearance of Naki and Nai before they died.
Looking at Sak'el, who was stubborn and stubborn, Ricky frowned.
Finally, with disgust and helplessness, he shook his head
"Damn Imperials."
"Emperor's order, huh?"
The demon then turned to Thales.
Thales, who was burned by the flames of war between the two, subconsciously twisted his buttocks, changed his sitting posture, and straightened his appearance.
The young man raised his eyebrows
"Um, cough, maybe you should go find the red-haired guy over there with a crossbow... He should be helpful in promoting and recruiting your gang..."
But he didn't wait for Thales to finish speaking.
"No."
"Forget it," Ricky didn't care what he said, he just turned his eyes away and waved his hand with a disappointed look on his face, "Forget it."
"Not the time."
Thales, who was still looking forward to it inexplicably, didn't even finish the joke, and he didn't even have time to retract the smile at the corner of his mouth.
An indescribable and faint embarrassment welled up in his heart.
Am I that bad?
At this moment, the punishment knight added, "By the way, no one except madmen is interested in self-hypnosis cults."
Ricky was silent for a moment.
"You mean crazy? Self-hypnosis?"
Ricky chuckled and returned to his calm and profound leader's nature.
"You know, a long time ago..."
"I mean, when the two magic queens weren't queens yet," Ricky leaned back on his stone platform with an unsettling smile on his face, "they had another nickname among the mages, and the other one had been
A nickname that people forget.”
The Queen of Magic’s…
nickname?
Thales' nerves became tense and he subconsciously raised his ears.
Sak'el was also slightly startled. His eyes bypassed Thales and returned to Ricky.
"Queen of Magic?"
Ricky was not in a hurry to answer. He tilted his head and looked at the Punishment Knight with interest.
"Sacher, tell me."
"When you purchased the core of the magic gun from the Empire, didn't you really find it strange? Why are only the queens possessing that kind of technology? Does it affect the situation of the entire world?"
"Eighteen years ago, your colleagues, your kingdom, your past... when you look back, will you feel that the world is so unfair?"
The next second, Ricky's tone became deeper, as if he was a mysterious soothsayer
"Do you think fate is so... ruthless?"
destiny?
Ricky's series of questions almost confused Thales and Sak'el.
Thacker frowned
"What are you implying?"
Ricky smiled.
He looked around, as if he was worried about something.
"Listen up, honey."
"Just like Brother Truth, before becoming the 'Queen', the two magic masters Bloodthorn and Black Orchid were called by the mages..."
At that moment, the demon looked at Sak'el and Thales, with mockery and warning in his eyes at the same time.
"Twins of Destiny."
Thales and Sak'el were both stunned.
destiny……
Gemini?
Wait, combined with what he said before...
Is what he is implying what I think?
In astonishment that was almost unable to think, Thales saw Ricky saying in the most complicated and incomprehensible tone.
"Knight, your king is very great."
"But he failed to defeat fate."
Sak'el stared at the demon blankly, his face changed suddenly, and he shook his head subconsciously.
"Believe me," Ricky raised his head and looked at the dark surrounding walls in the dim light of the fire.
"The prison of bones is not the end, destiny is a bigger prison."
Destiny is a bigger prison.
The confused Thales breathed in a daze.
"And we have the key to the prison..."
Ricky took out the green crystal in his arms and looked at Thales. The eagerness in his eyes made the latter feel cold.
"Perhaps...the only key."
For a moment, both Sak'el and Thales were speechless.
"Now," Ricky smiled
"Who is the madman and who is self-hypnotizing?"
silence.
There was a long silence.
Amidst the endless noise, Sak'el finally sighed.
But he finally lowered his head.
"You, your name is Ricky, right?"
"My name is Ricky now."
Ricky changed a relaxed posture, retracted his sensational expression, and raised a smile, "Consider my proposal again?"
Sak'el raised his head, his eyes clear again.
He looked straight at Ricky
"I suddenly have a feeling that you... don't look like a devil."
"Instead, it's more like...human."
At that moment, Ricky was stunned.
His gaffe and Sak'el's words made Thales suddenly wake up. The guy in front of him was an alien.
What he said...can't be believed at all.
"interesting."
Ricky remembered something and smiled
"How do you know what a devil looks like?"
Sak'el didn't speak immediately. He stared at Ricky for a long time.
"In many records, the demons from hell are cruel, harsh, and violent," Sak'el said in a deep voice.
"Inhumane."
Ricky raised his eyebrows slightly.
He stroked his chin, seeming to be deep in thought.
"Well, this, the real devil is indeed inhumane."
The next second, Ricky suddenly leaned forward and put his hands on the ground, lowered his gaze, and looked up at Sak'el and Thales.
He smiled mysteriously at the two of them
"For example, they can be so inhuman that... you think they are human."
Thales trembled slightly.
Looking at Ricky's rather human smile and chewing on the deep meaning behind these words, the young man felt an inexplicable creepiness.
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