The remaining torches grew weaker, and the prison grew darker.
However, he felt that the dungeon was experiencing an unprecedented peace and brightness.
Even though Barney Junior was still in a daze behind him, Thales knew that he no longer needed to worry about the former vanguard's condition.
And the only problem he had left was …
Thales shook his head. He endured the pain and walked towards the last figure.
It was the long-faced man who had been kneeling on the ground. His body was covered in wounds, and there was despair on his face, as if he had lost his soul.
The Knight of Judgment's silhouette slowly appeared in his dim vision.
His left arm, which had been badly injured by Barney, hung stiffly and powerlessly on his shoulder like a snake shedding its skin.
"So, you're the only one left," Thales said softly.
The moment he finished speaking …
The Knight of Judgment seemed to still be immersed in his own world. He did not react to Thales' words and let him approach him slowly.
But the moment Thales was ten steps away from him, Zakriel sprang up like a cheetah who had suddenly been startled awake. He instinctively picked up the chipped axe beside him!
"Your Highness!"
Beldin cried out in surprise. He instinctively stood up and moved forward.
The others also reacted to the situation. Samel frowned and pressed his hand on his weapon. Tardin, Bruley, Canon, and the others stood up nervously and surrounded Zakriel. Even Barney Junior snapped out of his daze and raised his torch.
But at that moment, Thales suddenly raised his hand behind him!
"Wait."
The prince's voice was hoarse and weak, but everyone subconsciously stopped moving.
In the extreme silence, Thales quietly observed the long-faced man in front of him.
Zakriel did not move. He only breathed in a daze and in a daze.
The weapon in his hand was pointed at Thales from a distance.
It was as if it was instinctive.
The air froze again.
Quick Rope asked with an awkward expression from behind.
"Hey, Wh … Urk, Thales?"
Beldin cast a glance at Zakriel, who looked dazed but still instinctively vigilant. He spoke hesitantly.
"Your Highness, you'd better —"
Before he could finish speaking, Tardin interrupted nervously, "You can't go any further!"
"It's, it's dangerous," said the slightly neurotic Canon.
Everyone reacted differently, but they all stared warily at Zakriel, who seemed to have just woken up from his ravings.
But Thales laughed.
"Thank you, Beldin, and all of you, Tardin, Canon." The teenager endured the discomfort in his body.
"But I need you to wait for me a little longer."
Thales turned around and flashed a tired smile. He raised his index finger.
"In a while."
He turned around, took a deep breath, and continued walking towards Zakriel.
Beldin's expression changed when he saw that they were getting closer to each other.
"Your Highness, for your —"
But an arm stretched out from the side and held Beldin back when he wanted to move!
"He did." Barney Junior had stood up at some point of time. He spoke coldly to the stunned Beldin and Tardin.
"Let us wait."
He seemed to still hold a grudge against Thales. When he said this, he seemed to intentionally lower his head and did not look in the prince's direction.
Barney Junior's rhythmic and forceful tone snapped Zakriel out of his daze. His gaze gradually became clear, and he focused on Thales.
Beldin stared blankly at the vanguard, then at Thales. He wanted to say something, but stopped himself.
But in the end, he did not say or do anything.
She just stood where she was and watched worriedly as the prince walked forward step by step.
Just like the others.
Then, Thales was only three steps away from Zakriel.
Zakriel panted in a daze.
He stared at his former comrades, who wanted to rush up to him immediately, but forced themselves to hold back their footsteps.
'Something's different.'
That was what he thought.
Zakriel looked around him.
He saw that Barney, who was used to giving orders, looked unhappy, but he did not say anything.
Beldin, who had always been calm, so much so that he was a little stiff, also let Zakriel do as he pleased.
Even Samel, who did not like to listen to orders, pursed his lips and said nothing.
As for the rest, be it Tardin or Canon …
These comrades he was once very familiar with …
They stood quietly behind Thales. Aside from giving Zakriel a warning look, they practically watched from the sidelines and allowed the prince to walk step by step towards him, who was covered in blood.
'These people …'
Zakriel turned his head stiffly. His mind was in a mess, and his mind was in a daze. But he subconsciously tightened his grip on his weapon.
"You …"
Zakriel looked away from his tired and gloomy gaze. He stared at Thales in puzzlement, as if he was getting to know the teenager again.
"What did you do to them?"
He asked absentmindedly. It was as if he was asking the teenager, but also as if he was asking himself.
Thales sucked in a deep breath and forced a smile.
"Nothing."
The teenager said slowly,
"Just some things you want to do, but can't do."
Zakriel was stunned for a moment. He felt dizzy.
'Things I want to do, but can't do …'
A few seconds later, the heavily injured Knight of Judgment shook his head forcefully.
"Is that so?"
He snorted softly and lowered his gloomy gaze. He seemed to have understood something.
The Knight of Judgment let his empty left arm swing. He gritted his teeth and raised the weapon in his right hand.
"You know, before I came here, I was Constellation's permanent hostage in Eckstedt. I ran all the way back from Dragon Clouds City," the teenager's voice rose into the air.
Zakriel's axe blade froze.
'Dragon Clouds City.'
Zakriel's dazed mind stirred slightly, as if he was stabbed by something.
Thin and chaotic memories once again filled his overburdened mind.
'Is that so?
The Jadestar Royal Family's hostage in Dragon Clouds City. '
Zakriel tightened his grip on the axe blade.
'So, in the years after that tragedy, the kingdom has …'
"I met a lot of people on the way." Thales' tone was very calm, as if he was talking about family matters. "One of them especially touched me deeply.
"He said that after more than ten years of disguise, when he looked at the mirror again, he no longer recognized the person in it."
Zakriel's axe blade trembled slightly.
Thales averted his gaze from the Crossbow of Time in Quick Rope's hand and sighed.
"He has forgotten why he put on that mask in the first place. He let the mask capture him, occupy him, and control him."
Thales stared at the man in front of him seriously.
"Just like a warrior who forgot his duty to protect, and became a slave to victory.
"Just like a king who forgot his duty to rule, and succumbed to the vanity of achievements."
The Knight of Judgment's body began to sway slightly.
Thales stared straight into Zakriel's eyes.
He had seen this gaze before.
More than once.
In Vine Manor, when the Phantom Wind Follower dragged his crippled body and struggled in pain.
In Renaissance Palace, when Val Arunde shook his head desolately and revealed the conspiracy.
In the Hall of Heroes, when Administrator Mirk picked up his daughter's body absentmindedly.
In the Land of Barren Rocks, when the dying Raven of Death laughed madly and admitted everything.
They were equally gloomy, equally despairing, and equally … numb.
Those were the gazes of a person who had lost the thing he treasured the most.
And the Zakriel in front of him …
'What is the thing he treasured the most?'
When he thought of this, Thales' chest sank, and he sighed softly.
"But, Zakriel.
"When and why did you put on this mask?"
Zakriel froze.
He stood where he was, and there was a complicated look on his face.
The silence lasted for a few seconds.
"I am very sorry, Your Highness." After a long while, he squeezed out these words with great difficulty.
"But we … we have to end this."
The moment Zakriel finished speaking, the weapon in his hand swayed slightly, as if he had once again confirmed his determination.
Thales raised his eyebrows.
"Ah, I know.
"You still want to kill me."
The teenager's tone was light, but it made the Royal Guards behind him tense up again.
"And none of us can stop you."
Zakriel frowned and did not speak.
But he seemed to have a talent. His silence alone was enough to make the atmosphere around him turn cold and solid.
However, the prince immediately broke into a smile.
"I have to admit, when you were still the heinous traitor who hunted me down, I could at least feel at ease when I faced you.
But now … "
Thales sighed.
"The stories you told me: You discovered the truth, so you were dissatisfied with the late king, so you planned the rebellion in the palace alone, and framed everyone. You were the traitor and the culprit for eighteen years …"
He sneered and shook his head.
"At least half of it was fake."
The Knight of Judgment's cheeks twitched slightly.
Thales looked straight at him.
"That was the mask you wore for others to see."
Zakriel pursed his lips tightly. His face was stiff and gloomy.
"You made it up to hide the truth, to protect both the dead and the living."
"So that your Royal Guards would no longer have internal strife and division, so that the survivors would no longer have to suffer, and so that your old friends who sleep underground would no longer be unable to rest in peace.
"For this, you are willing to be the sinner and traitor who created something out of nothing, and bear the resentment that should not be directed at you. Is it better for them to hate you than for them to hate each other?"
The Knight of Judgment closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Barney Junior stared at Zakriel. His gaze was a mixture of hatred, resentment, confusion, and helplessness.
The others sighed one after another.
Only Samel shook his head in disdain.
Thales curled up the corners of his lips and continued.
"It was only when I saw what you did that I finally understood that this is the real Zakriel."
Zakriel's eyebrows twitched violently.
But Thales continued.
"Eighteen years ago, as the watchman who protected the legacy, you could not bear to choose a side. You could only watch as your comrades turned against each other, killed each other, and blood flowed like rivers.
"After the tragedy, for the sake of the royal family's reputation and dignity, you could not speak of the truth. You could only watch as the innocent Royal Guards were imprisoned.
"But in the face of their misfortune and tragedy, you could not forgive yourself for not doing anything and keeping your mouth shut. You voluntarily isolated yourself from the outside world and buried yourself deep underground as punishment for yourself."
Thales stared at Zakriel with sorrow.
Every time he finished speaking, the pain and conflict on the knight's face deepened. His chest rose and fell more violently.
The complicated and conflicted looks in the Royal Guards' eyes also deepened.
Their gazes on Zakriel had always been chaotic and ever-changing. Now, there was a hint of obscurity and hesitation in them.
"So, Lord Zakriel," Thales said with a sigh.
"Regardless of whether you wore a mask or not, you never forgot your beliefs."
Zakriel suddenly opened his eyes.
"Are you done?!"
His right hand, which held his weapon, trembled as much as his voice. "I can't help you —"
Thales interrupted him.
"Soon.
But before that … "
Thales exhaled softly.
"Before you do anything, I want you to know, and I also want them to know."
He turned around and looked at the group of former Royal Guards, who were confused, perplexed, nervous, and puzzled.
"Zakriel, you are not a traitor, nor are you an evil person.
On the contrary, you did not hesitate to shoulder a groundless injustice and bear the stigma that you should not have in order to protect the reputation of the deceased and the reputation of the royal family.
"You would rather keep your mouth shut and bear all the misunderstandings and hatred behind the tragedy than watch your brothers turn against each other and kill each other."
Thales stared at him indifferently.
"You are even willing to sacrifice their trust, friendship, respect, and admiration for you. These are the things you once cherished, and the only things you have left now, as long as this can protect and save them."
The underground prison became quiet again. Only the sound of the people's breathing could be heard. Some were fast, some were slow, and some were not even.
At this moment, the Royal Guards looked at Zakriel with complicated and indecipherable gazes.
Zakriel glared at Thales. The red in his eyes could be seen clearly in the firelight.
"You can't shake me."
The Knight of Judgment's voice was very low, and there was a hint of bitterness in his words.
"Of course." Thales chuckled. "Because regardless of whether it was eighteen years ago or eighteen years later, from the beginning until the end, you have always been that noble knight who does not care about reputation, who is selfless and fearless, and who can be said to be a role model.
"The watchman who protects the inheritance of the Royal Guards."
Thales sighed softly.
"You were just unfortunate enough to be swept into the torrent of the times. You lost your way, and you cannot wake up."
'The torrent of the times …'
Zakriel trembled even more violently.
Terrifying memories surged into him like a tidal wave.
Zakriel gritted his teeth and forced himself not to look at the other people's expressions.
Because he was afraid.
'Afraid …'
But just when Zakriel's thoughts were still surging endlessly …
"Everyone here …"
Thales turned his head around and glanced at the people around him. He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.
He seemed to have made up his mind about something.
He knew what to do.
Everyone looked at the prince in unison.
Thales lowered his eyes and said softly, "All of you know why Zakriel wants to kill me.
Do you know why Zakriel wants to kill me? "
At that moment, Zakriel's erratic thoughts were instantly cut off.
'What?'
He was completely stunned.
He was not the only one who had such an expression on his face. Everyone in the room was also stunned.
From the still awkward Barney Junior, to the worried Beldin, to the vigilant Samel, as well as Tardin, Canon, and Bruley … Confusion, puzzlement, doubt, and all sorts of other emotions filled everyone's hearts.
Only Quick Rope's expression changed drastically when he realized something!
Thales calmly adjusted his breathing and raised the corners of his lips.
"Because he knows.
Because Zakriel knows what I am. "
'What I am.'
The prince was very calm and at ease, as if this was an extremely ordinary answer.
The silence in the underground prison lasted for a few seconds.
'Wait.'
Zakriel's expression slowly melted. He stared at Thales, who looked extremely ordinary, and an indescribable surprise appeared on his face.
'He …
'He wants …'
"I don't understand." Samel narrowed his eyes as he watched from the side.
"What do you mean by 'what I am'?"
Soon, while everyone was puzzled, the incredulous Quick Rope was the first to open his mouth wide in shock. He subconsciously extended his arm!
"Hey, about that … I mean Thales?"
But Quick Rope soon noticed his surroundings. Under the suspicious gazes of the people around him, he did not even manage to finish saying Thales' name. He awkwardly withdrew his arm, and his voice also became weaker.
Thales' expression was indifferent. He did not care at all.
"You …"
Zakriel stared at Thales in shock and bewilderment. He could no longer suppress his reaction.
"You can't … Are you crazy?!"
Many people did not understand what Zakriel and Tardin were saying. They exchanged puzzled gazes back and forth between Zakriel and Thales.
Barney Junior stared at Zakriel's expression and Thales' back. He sensed something different.
'Something's wrong …
'What other secrets does the prince have?'
Thales curled up the corners of his lips slightly. He shook his head and smiled at the Knight of Judgment.
"I already understand you, watchman."
Thales smiled.
"But you don't understand me.
You don't know what I've been through since I came to this world. "
Thales raised his right hand and slowly opened his palm. He looked at the bloody wound at the center of his palm, which had not healed yet.
It was just like what he did before he came to the Prison of Bones.
Zakriel stared at the current Thales. He was so shocked that he could not speak.
In front of him, the teenager's expression was very calm, very relaxed, and even …
Very pleasant.
Quick Rope frowned as he observed Thales.
'No.'
He suddenly realized that this was not one of Thales' schemes or tactics.
'No.
He's really going to … '
Quick Rope suddenly felt an incomparable sense of panic.
"Death might make me unhappy, but it no longer terrifies me." There was a rare sense of relief in Thales' tone.
"And what truly terrifies me is …"
As Thales spoke, his gaze became perplexed.
Asda's arrogant face and Giza's crazed expression flashed before his eyes.
"'Thales, in this world, they don't hate us.
"'They are afraid of us.
"'What they are unwilling to forgive and find difficult to accept is not our actions, but our very existence.
And … Taurus' mysterious figure. '
Thales sighed softly.
"What terrifies me is the fear, anxiety, and anxiety I cannot shake off when I carry that secret. Even my nightmares are filled with its shadow, and I cannot escape from it.
"I'm terrified of the moment when this secret is discovered. I'm nervous about the fate and the unknown that I'm about to face. I'm nervous about how the world will treat me. I'm terrified that everything I'm familiar with might leave me."
Thales slowly raised his head. His gaze slowly focused.
"Today, that moment has arrived."
Thales turned around and found Quick Rope staring at him in a daze.
The young man smiled back at him, and then let out a long sigh.
'Thank you.'
"And that is not that bad."
As he stared at Quick Rope's dazed expression, Thales clenched his fists tightly and felt the pain in his palms.
"On the contrary, the moment I truly face it and face the consequences …
"I truly understand."
Thales turned around and calmly raised his gaze.
"The only thing that is pestering me, torturing me, punishing me, and refusing to let me go is not that secret, not my impending fate, not the unknown that I cannot grasp, and not anything else.
"And it is me.
"What I need is not to trap myself in shackles." Thales clenched his fists and pressed them against the spot on his chest that was once burned by the silver coin. "I need to let go of my past self.
"To be reborn … from the ashes."
Zakriel was completely dumbfounded.
"Your … Your Highness?" Beldin seemed to have realized that something was wrong. His face was filled with worry and puzzlement. He spoke as a reminder and a warning at the same time.
In the face of the group's puzzlement, Thales only smiled in relief.
"That's right, everyone."
He closed his eyes and tried not to look at the reactions of the people around him.
The prince's voice echoed in the dungeon, accompanied by Zakriel's almost frozen expression and Quick Rope's uncontrollable breathing.
"I, Thales Jadestar, am one of the greatest taboos in this world, which has been passed down by word of mouth for generations.
"I am the same as the culprit who Zakriel believes caused trouble in the kingdom in the past."
In the next moment, Thales took a deep breath in the dead silence and opened his eyes.
"I am a Mystic."
The teenager used the calmest, most indifferent, and most indifferent tone in his life to say the answer that made Zakriel, Quick Rope, Barney, and everyone else suck in a sharp breath.
"A calamity."
'I know that I have not finished writing' Rebirth '… but I promise you that the next chapter will really be the last!'
(End of this chapter)
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