In the dark hall, Samel listened to Barney Junior's words in a daze. His gaze swept past every corpse in the prison, but there was only emptiness and confusion in his eyes. He looked like a prodigal son who had left home for many years and returned to his home, where he no longer had anything.
"Seven …" he mumbled.
For some reason, as he listened to their conversation, Thales also felt empty in his heart, and he felt incredibly uncomfortable.
In the crowd, Stake coughed softly. He quickly walked to Ricky's side and pointed above his head.
"My people can't control the people above for too long. We also have to prevent any possible accidents …"
Ricky ignored him, but Stake attracted the prisoners' attention.
"Samel, who are the people who came with you?"
Barney Junior moved closer to the bars. He put away his mournful expression, narrowed his eyes, and stared at the Disaster Swords in the distance.
He said warily, "They don't look like people from the government. None of them look like nobles who manage things. None of them look like soldiers from Blade Fangs Camp. They look like … mercenaries?"
Ricky frowned. He extended his hand and waved Stake away, signaling him to calm down.
In another cell, Beldin also became vigilant. "They don't look like the people who escorted you down here to capture the fugitive."
Beldin remembered something, and his expression became stern.
"How did you come down, Samel?"
Samel frowned slightly. He hesitated on how he should answer.
In another cell, Canon, who had been hugging his head and cowering, suddenly shuddered when he saw the large number of people outside his cell. He leaned against the wall and moaned in pain.
"They are helpers," Samel finally said. He calmly faced the scrutinizing gazes of his former colleagues.
"They were the only people who were willing to lend me a helping hand when I had nowhere else to go."
Samel glanced at the Disaster Swords with an indifferent expression.
"Just like us, they are a group of pitiful people who each have their own desires and needs."
Klein snorted softly and patted Josef, who was beside him.
"They are also a group of people who do not want to be mercilessly forgotten by the merciless course of history."
Ricky remained motionless.
"Fate brought us together." Samel turned his head around and stared at the imprisoned Barney Junior. His words were laced with a profound meaning.
"We were able to resist it."
But apparently, perhaps because he had suffered too much, his former companions did not respond positively to him.
Barney Junior tilted his chin, slanted his eyes, and looked at Samel in a rather hostile manner.
"Why are you here, Samir?"
"What identity did you return with? How did you enter the Prison of Bones?"
"A fugitive? Prison breakers? The Savior? "
As Barney Junior spoke, his gaze shifted to the people behind Samir. He began to size up the group of uninvited guests.
"I don't see much light, and my eyesight has deteriorated a lot, but I can at least see … a group of ferocious monsters with all kinds of weapons. They don't look like they came with invitations."
"As for the few who aren't armed … they're the ones they kidnapped, right?"
While Samel was at a loss for words, Barney Junior spoke faintly, and his tone became increasingly suspicious.
"Moreover, who is that young man? Why did you put so many people around him? Why did the people around the man in the hood and the man in the gown subconsciously look at him? "
Barney Junior suddenly gestured with his chin and looked at Thales indifferently, causing the prince to tense up.
Stake and Lasalle, who were mentioned, were slightly stunned. Under Ricky's gaze, they had no choice but to move their subordinates further away from Thales.
But just when Thales thought of something, he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder, and a chill ran down his spine.
"Don't you dare say anything unnecessary, brat." Marina pressed down on the back of his shoulder. The blade of her sword rubbed against Thales' pants.
She said coldly, "You won't have anything down there."
Thales only felt a chill invade his spine. He did not dare speak again.
"No, it doesn't look like protection." Beldin also stared at Thales from the other side of the cell. His frown deepened.
"I can tell. That young man is also someone who was kidnapped."
Ricky's expression turned solemn. The remnants of the royal guards had exceeded his expectations. They had clearly struggled in captivity for so many years, but when they saw the light again, they immediately saw the crux of the situation.
Samel's expression was a little unpleasant. He moved his gaze away from Thales.
"Barney Junior, Beldin, as expected of the vanguard and penal officer. Your observational skills are still astonishing."
Barney Junior snorted coldly and stared at Thales.
"Just who is he —"
"Oh, right!"
At this moment, Stake suddenly interrupted their conversation.
"Honorable Crassus, is your plan to help this former Royal Guard catch up?"
Ricky's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Stake and his two subordinates walked forward with smiles on their faces. They stopped the former Royal Guards from talking about Thales, and at the same time, slowly approached the prince.
"Due to many reasons, I don't think it is a good idea for your subordinates to pour their hearts out to these gentlemen." Stake winked at Ricky. "Perhaps I can escort our sensitive goods back first …"
Thales stared at Stake's outstretched hand. He was on guard.
Then, a longsword that was hollow blocked Stake's path at lightning speed.
"Touch him, Stake." Klein grabbed his Dark Light Sword and stopped Stake from approaching Thales. His tone was hostile.
"Don't even think about keeping that hand of yours."
Stake's smile froze.
Lasalle coughed awkwardly. He had no choice but to mediate the situation.
"Everyone, I think Stake's suggestion is that it's time for us to speed up our progress." The Northlander silently pushed Stake back and gestured for the two assassins beside Stake to put away the weapons they had brought out at some point in time. He reminded them solemnly.
He reminded them solemnly, "Accidents can happen at any time. Don't forget our situation."
Ricky shifted his gaze from them and snorted.
"Of course."
"Samel," the leader of the Disaster Swords said softly.
"Focus on the mission."
Samel nodded.
"As for you," Ricky looked at Stake and said in dissatisfaction, "we need time."
Stake raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was thinking about something.
But in the end, he still smiled and slowly stepped back. "Very well, of course."
"Then I will wait for you outside. Anyway, I am very concerned about the situation above. I need to confirm it."
Stake raised his hands and took two steps back. Then, he walked out of the hall with his subordinates while the Disaster Swords glared at him with hostility.
Lasalle gave Ricky an apologetic smile.
"They can be impatient sometimes."
The mercenaries who had surrounded Shadow Shield unknowingly let go of their sword hilts and put away their murderous gazes.
On the other side of the hall, the prisoners and Samel watched the small conflict in silence.
Samel inhaled, as if he was adjusting his emotions.
"Barney Junior, I am very happy to see …"
But Barney Junior rolled his eyes.
"Who is that?"
The prisoner in the cell stared at Stake's back from a distance. "That hooded man? He doesn't give me a good feeling. "
"And that man with the nose so high." In another cell, Naer stared straight at Lasalle and gritted his teeth.
"That damn Northland accent … It's definitely not from Cold Castle, but from further north, from Eckstedt."
Lasalle instantly froze.
As he looked at his two doubtful colleagues, Samel sighed.
"That's not important …"
But a panicked shout suddenly broke the oppressive atmosphere!
"No!"
Everyone tensed up. Their first reaction was to grip their weapons, and then, they snapped out of their daze. The person in the cell was shouting.
"No, no, no! Barney Junior! "
Barney Junior frowned and turned his head.
In another cell, Canon, who had previously reminded the prisoners that the iron curtains had been lifted, was still hugging his head and curling up on the ground. He could not stop trembling. As he twitched, he shouted in pain.
"Barney Junior, I can, I can hear it, just like how I see it in my dreams every day …"
His roommate, Nalgi, who had been acting lazily just now, quickly walked forward in a very experienced manner. He put his arm around Canon's shoulder and comforted him in a low voice.
"It's okay, Canon, it's all over, it's all over. Everything is fine, everything will be fine. Those terrifying things in the past don't exist anymore. We're fine, that's all …" As Nalgi spoke, he became absent-minded as well. He stared at the ground with a dazed expression.
But Canon still struggled desperately. His eyes were shut tight, and he shouted madly,
"Their footsteps, they pressed down on the soles of their feet, and they tiptoed like cats … Those footsteps, those voices, those people who only appear in the dark … Just like, just like those … people! Those people! "
Samel looked at Canon's outburst with a dejected expression. Barney Junior furrowed his eyebrows tightly.
"They're here, Barney Junior, they're here!" Canon shouted in pain. His dirty hair flew everywhere.
"They're coming to kill them!
Just like in the past … "
Canon's pained cries lasted for nearly a minute. Then, just like how Nalgi comforted Naer earlier, he hummed a tune softly. Canon finally quieted down.
Samel exhaled quietly. He stared at Canon, whose eyes were wide open, and his chest was heaving in shock.
He said in a pained tone, "When did he become like this?"
Barney Junior shook his head in a mocking manner, but his eyes were filled with doubt.
"I don't know.
I felt like he was already like this when he woke up one day, but that's not important. Canon's symptoms are considered mild. "
Samel was silent for a while.
"Listen, Barney Junior, you shouldn't be here." Samel gritted his teeth. His gaze was firm.
"You are all respectable warriors, valiant fighters, fearless warriors, and sharp knives. You shouldn't stay here and die of depression …"
Barney Junior slowly raised his eyes, causing Samel, who had been slightly agitated, to instantly freeze.
"Come with me, join us, and I can give you back your freedom. Perhaps you will even have enough power." But Samel still insisted on making his suggestion. He looked at the others with hope.
"To make up for our past mistakes.
To even change this f * cked up world. "
Samel's tone was forceful.
"What do you think?"
Once he said this, the prisoners were silent for a moment.
Barney Junior stared at Samel faintly. Tardin and Bruley frowned. Nalgi was still comforting the trembling Canon. Beldin and Naer did not react.
"Freedom, freedom?"
Tardin shook his head, making him look like a clown in a circus. He raised his hands in a dramatic manner and waved them in the air. His lips curled up in an exaggerated arc as he laughed loudly. "Everyone, he said that he will give us freedom!
"Hahahahaha …"
His laugh was very exaggerated, and even a little fake.
Samel stared at his former colleagues in confusion.
"What's wrong?"
No one answered him. Only Barney Junior shook his head and exhaled slightly.
"You know, Samel.
"That year, each of us insisted that we were innocent." Barney Junior lowered his head and said in a cautious tone, "We refused to admit our guilt, so we were sent here."
Samel's breathing changed slightly.
"Unfair treatment and judgment." He nodded, and an indignant expression appeared on his face. "This is what they forced on us that day …"
But Barney Junior suddenly raised his head!
"No, listen to me, Samel!
"We are at fault. We failed in our duty. His Majesty and the crown prince died under our watch … But we did not collude with the enemy. We are not traitors. The Royal Guards did not betray the late king … I have always believed that we are innocent in this regard."
Barney Junior stuck close to the bars, almost touching the dangerous magic creation.
But he still widened his eyes and stared at Samel outside the prison cell in a rather neurotic manner. "Everyone, including me, believed in this. So we gritted our teeth, and no matter how much we were tortured, we refused to give in.
"So we were unyielding. We shouldered the blame and slander, but we still walked into the prison with our backs straight, just like tough men.
"Because we did not do it, we did not do it. Innocent is innocent."
Samel stared back at him in a daze. He was puzzled.
Until Barney Junior's next sentence.
"Until you, Samel." Barney Junior's face suddenly contorted. He stood up abruptly and gritted his teeth. "Until you escaped from the escorting team and disappeared from our 'firm belief'."
Samel's eyebrows rose and fell. He clenched his fists tightly.
"Barney Junior …"
Barney Junior suddenly pounced forward and grabbed the bars with both hands!
Everyone, including Samel, was shocked. Samel even subconsciously took a step back.
"Barney, you …"
"Tell me, Samel." Barney Junior gripped the bars tightly. His fingers trembled non-stop, as if he was enduring great pain, but he still glared at Samel with resentment. "Why did you run away that year?
"Abandon all your comrades and brothers?"
* Slap! *
There was a flash of light from the bars. Barney Junior cried out in pain and fell to the ground.
But he did not care. He only raised his smoking hands and stared coldly at Samel. "Why did you use cowardly actions to deepen the brand of our crimes?"
"To prove our crimes?"
Samel stared at Barney Junior's actions in disbelief. He turned to look at the other prisoners, but found that they were all looking at him with unfamiliar expressions.
'To prove our crimes …'
Samel stared at the countless skeletons and closed his eyes in pain.
"I …"
He stuttered. He wanted to say something, but stopped himself. In his hesitation, he said through gritted teeth, "I'm sorry.
"You know, Barney Junior, you know."
Samel trembled and lowered his head.
"Eighteen years ago … I could bear all the consequences of that tragedy, be it demotion, punishment, torture, exile, or even death.
"But this?"
Samel opened his eyes abruptly. He raised his torch and illuminated his surroundings.
Skeletons, prison cells, and ashes.
"To stink, rot, and be forgotten in a bottomless dungeon? Then, to remain here forever, without even a splash of water?
To bury our humiliation and stigma deep underground forever, never to be remedied? "
Samel's expression became more and more twisted, like a drowning man struggling in the water. After a long while, he gritted out his next words through his twitching teeth.
"No.
I refuse, "he said firmly.
He stared straight at Barney Junior. His eyes were full of pain and resentment.
"Just like what you said, we didn't do it, we didn't do it. We shouldn't have to bear such torture. This is the reason."
Unexpectedly, Barney Junior smiled.
He smiled very happily.
"Is that so? You just said 'I refuse' and ran away without any hesitation. But now, you even came back to break the prison.
"So, where is your pride, dignity, and honor as a Royal Guard?" Barney Junior raised his hand and shook his shoulders.
He said sarcastically, "Where is the passion you once poured into the oath of the Ancient Praetorian Guards?"
Samel was silent for a moment again.
After a long while, he slowly opened his mouth.
"I stopped being a Royal Guard a long time ago." This time, Samel's voice was low, and his tone was dejected, as if he was talking about a humiliation.
"After our dignity and honor were trampled to nothing by the high and mighty new king and nobles on that day," Roland said with a sigh.
Samel clenched his fists, and his arm muscles tensed.
"Kessel, before he ascended the throne, he was just a playboy. He can't push the entire Royal Guards into the abyss with just a hasty trial. He can't use the so-called 'collaboration with the enemy' to turn everyone who was once loyal to him into a traitor. He also has no right to deprive us of the right to wash away our grievances with our own hands."
When Thales heard the familiar name, his heart became gloomy.
Samel's breathing quickened.
"He did not."
Samel raised his head and looked at his unrecognizable, sallow, and emaciated colleagues. Indignation appeared on his face.
"He had no right to turn us … all of you … into what you are now."
The Disaster Swords looked at each other at a loss. Klein was about to interrupt him, but he was stopped by Ricky again.
The silence in the cell lasted for a long time.
Then, Barney Junior chuckled.
"Like this?"
Barney Junior stood up and took a few steps back with a broken smile. He spread his arms, as if he was showing off his home.
"Hahaha, you know nothing."
With a chilling smile, he slowly said, "Nonsense."
Samel was stunned. "What?"
Barney Junior snorted coldly.
"You have no idea what kind of life we have been living here."
Barney Junior took a step forward and said with hatred,
"You haven't endured the boundless silence and darkness. You haven't heard everybody's desperate wails and cries. You haven't seen your companions die in the sunless cells. You haven't eaten the stinky cockroaches that crawled out of the dead bodies. You haven't tasted the food that stinks of feces.
Every time he said a sentence, the prisoners reacted differently. They gritted their teeth, clenched their fists, twitched, or pounded the wall in pain.
Barney Junior stared at Samel with resentment and pointed at the corpses piled up neatly in the cells.
"You have never tried, as the vanguard, as the highest-ranking member of the guards in the prison, to stand here through the bars and give a farewell speech to your dead companions."
Barney Junior clenched his teeth so hard that they almost cracked.
"Thirty-seven times."
"Thirty-seven!"
The prisoners stared at Samel with dead, emotionless eyes.
His face turned pale.
Barney Junior adjusted his breathing and shook his head indifferently.
"In the end, when I sent off the few people closest to me, I had nothing to say." Barney Junior turned his body sideways and revealed a few "tombs" that only had bones left before Samel's eyes.
"It was not just because I had nothing to say, but also because I was already numb. Their voices and smiles in the past gradually faded and faded away under the sunlight. All that was left in my mind was their mournful cries and absent-minded wails before they died.
"I can't, I can't watch another person sink into this boundless hell."
Barney Junior stood where he was in a daze.
Thales lowered his head and sighed soundlessly.
"And you …" Barney Junior raised his head in a daze. The absent-mindedness in his eyes slowly turned into hatred.
"You? You're a coward who ran away halfway and made us even more speechless.
"What right do you have to come here and 'save' us as a savior?"
Samel looked as if he had been punched heavily. He took a step back with a dazed expression.
He took a deep breath.
"Barney Junior, I can only say that I'm very sorry.
And I can still make up for it now … "
But Barney Junior suddenly roared angrily, "No!
"No, Samel." As he stared at the dazed Samel, Barney Junior lowered his voice and shook his head slowly.
"It's been more than ten years. I've thought about it for a very long time before I finally figured some things out. And just now, you reminded me of some things."
As he spoke, he walked to the wall absent-mindedly.
"That trial eighteen years ago might have been unfair to some people, but it was not without reason …"
Samel frowned slightly.
"What do you mean, Barney?"
Barney Junior snorted with the ghost of a smile. His face was filled with indifference, as if he had lost all interest in life.
"Canon might have gone mad. He became sensitive, paranoid, crazy, and irritable. He kept bothering us all day, and we couldn't sleep well. He was really f * cked up."
Barney Junior pointed at Canon and Nalgi's prison cells.
"But you can't blame him. It's been eighteen years. Almost every time he dreams, he dreams of that day … The assassins tore off their disguises and jumped out of the crowd. The killers invaded the palace, revealed their blades, and fought against us …"
Barney Junior said faintly, "Just like a shadow."
He deliberately enunciated each word and repeated,
"Shadow."
Thales suddenly realized what he just said. 'What he just said is …'
As Barney Junior spoke, Canon shivered again. Naer scratched his hair in pain. Bruley whimpered indignantly, but he was held back by Tardin. Only Nalgi and Beldin remained silent and listened to Barney Junior's words.
"Barney Junior, you —"
Barney Junior shook his head gently and interrupted the puzzled Samel.
"Canon dreamed for a total of eighteen years in the endless darkness." Barney Junior leaned against the wall and sighed listlessly.
"He was originally a cavalry scout in the Royal Guards. His ears and eyes were sharp. He lived in the darkness for eighteen years. His vision might have deteriorated, and his mind might have been so sensitive that it would explode at the slightest touch, but his hearing might not have been the same."
As Barney Junior spoke, he suddenly turned his head around. His eyes shone with a fierce glare. "And I believe that he had a deep impression of the killers. He could recognize their footsteps even in his dreams."
Canon hid in his palms and let out a cry that sounded like a sob.
Samel seemed to have figured something out. He stared at Barney Junior in a daze.
"Now, tell me, Samel." Barney Junior supported himself against the wall and stood up straight again.
"Why did you and that hooded man …"
He raised his head coldly and walked forward. When he was only one column away from Samel, he slowly extended his hand and pointed at the Disaster Swords in the distance.
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