'Lies.'
Thales was stunned for a full three seconds while the platform rumbled faintly.
During those three seconds, Thales stared at Ricky, who seemed to be implying something under the firelight. Many scenes of him coming face to face with his past 'seniors' flashed in his mind.
Asda's calmness and elegance.
'"It's not just me. Every Mystic in the world can use their own methods to easily destroy the world in an instant."'
Giza's horrifying smile.
'"You are walking further down the path of misfortune … Mystics, this is not a gift or a blessing … It's a curse and misfortune."'
Taurus's mysterious figure.
'"Remember, child, stay true to yourself … Even if you think you have it under control … you still cannot let your guard down."'
The rising platform trembled slightly, snapping Thales out of his daze.
"So, what do you mean?"
The surprised Thales asked anxiously.
"The Mystics didn't kill the gods? That's a lie they made up? Or were they deceived themselves? "
But Ricky only sneered faintly.
Zakriel watched them with a profound and silent gaze.
Thales was still indignant.
"Or is it that the calamities have never surpassed the gods, and the gods are far more powerful than the Mystics? Abnormally powerful? "
Ricky did not say a word. He only closed his eyes gently, as if he was chewing on the eagerness and confusion on Thales' face at that moment.
"Haha …"
Under Zakriel's contemplative gaze and Thales' questioning gaze, Ricky's shoulders trembled violently, and he laughed uncontrollably.
"Hahahahaha …"
Ricky raised his head amidst his laughter and looked at Thales, who could not find anything funny about him.
"Kill, surpass, far surpass, and powerful?
"Look at these words you chose."
At that moment, Ricky's smile slowly melted. His gaze was incredibly fierce, as if he wanted to stab Thales in the eyes.
"The understanding of mortals is always poor and narrow," Ricky said slowly, "but they are always self-righteous and do not know it.
Just like you now, my dear. "
Thales was stunned.
"I don't understand," the teenager said subconsciously.
Ricky turned his head away without caring about anything else.
"When you talk about two people who are related, you always imagine a chessboard, right?"
'Chessboard?'
Thales was confused again.
Ricky slowly raised his hands and clenched them into fists in the air. The sound of his joints cracking could be heard.
"Then, the two parties involved will be placed on the two ends of the chessboard in your imagination, and a game will begin. Abiding by the rules that you made up, they will play with each other to decide the winner, the loser, and the stronger one.
He looked at his fists, his tone full of mockery and disdain.
Thales frowned. "Are you talking about the gods and the calamities?"
And maybe …
Demons.
Thales stole a glance at Ricky.
Ricky snorted softly. He looked at Thales, and his fists slowly approached each other in the air before they collided lightly.
"You're like a silly brat who doesn't know how to think and only knows how to nod and smile foolishly. You pick out two characters from a mythological bardic poem and a historical play and discuss who is better. Your standard is, 'Let's see who A or B can lift the big, smelly, and hard rock covered in mud in the gutter at the second corner of his house.'"
His tone was still as disdainful as ever.
Thales was stunned for a second before he shook his head violently, as if he was trying to clear his overburdened brain.
"Wait, wait, wait … Can you, can you stop using metaphors?"
Thales said in annoyance.
"I'm already confused enough. I really can't stand this."
The prince looked frustrated.
Ricky only lowered his fists, narrowed his eyes, shook his head, and clicked his tongue.
But Zakriel, who had been silent all this while, interrupted at this moment.
"You mean, we think that the two sides of the chess game can follow the same rules to compare, but in fact, one side of the chess game can ignore the rules we think of, directly cross the chessboard, and eat the opponent's chess pieces?"
Zakriel stared at Ricky. Thales was slightly stunned, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
'Ignore the rules we think of?
'Does he mean …'
This time, Ricky finally put away his teasing and looked at Zakriel seriously.
"No, I mean …"
The demon and the Knight of Judgment stared at each other for a few seconds before he finally spoke softly.
"Perhaps the two parties in the game should not have been placed on two sides of the chessboard in the first place."
Thales was stunned.
'Should not have been placed on two sides of the chessboard?'
Ricky's gaze froze slightly, and he pointed at his own head.
"What they are playing is not the same game of chess, not the same kind of chess, not even chess."
It is not even appropriate for both of them to appear in your mind at the same time. "
Zakriel's expression changed slightly.
Ricky turned to Thales again, as if he really enjoyed the feeling of teasing the prince.
"And my dear, you arrogantly asked me just now, but what I asked was: Who won this game?"
Thales was stunned and speechless.
Zakriel's expression was solemn.
Ricky's expression was still calm, and he looked a little pleased.
But at that moment, Thales remembered many memories he had neglected for a long time.
A tense confrontation in the Sunset Temple.
'"That's right, I am Liscia Arunde, the Head Ritual Master of Sunset Temple, the only spokesperson of the Sunset Goddess in the world."
The unusual exchange in Bright Moon Temple
'"If the gods truly exist, if they are truly the Creator of all things in the world, how could they allow this to happen?"
In the Black Track under Dragon Clouds City, the light on Silver Shadowman's body shone.
'"I was quite lucky after I died. I received the blessings and gifts from a certain great existence …"'
When he thought of all the history of him dealing with the 'gods', Thales trembled slightly.
"'Mortals often use their own limited imagination to understand the gods in their hearts. They are the gods they look forward to, fear, loathe, revere, love, and worship.'"
Ricky and Zakriel were both stunned.
They turned their gazes and saw Thales, who was in a daze. They subconsciously repeated the words they heard before.
"Mortals always use their own barren thoughts to understand the gods.
"Because their lifespans are short, they imagine the gods to be eternal existences.
"Because they are weak, they presume the gods to be existences with unparalleled might.
"Because they think of themselves as a member of the multitude of living beings, they imagine the gods to be of a higher and stronger kind."
Thales took a deep breath, and a solemn expression appeared on his face.
"The problem is, eternity, power, life, these mortal things …
"If the gods are truly beyond the understanding of mortals and stand in a different perspective, then do they really see these things in their eyes?"
Under Ricky and Zakriel's strange and surprised gazes, Thales' eyes darkened. He stared straight ahead. His tone was grave, and his tone was ethereal.
"'Because the true gods may be far beyond our imagination. They are another kind of existence.'"
Thales exhaled and quietly sank into deep thought.
On the slowly rising platform, Ricky and Zakriel looked at each other in surprise.
"Who said this?" Zakriel asked softly.
"Dragon Clouds City's Bright Moon Temple." Thales did not even turn his head. He seemed to still be immersed in his thoughts.
"High Priestess Jewel."
When Zakriel heard the name Dragon Clouds City, he could not help but frown deeply.
Ricky was silent. Then, he sighed softly.
"Very good.
This is probably the most detailed description of an indescribable god that I have ever heard in my life. "
'An indescribable god …'
Thales furrowed his brows.
He suddenly felt that the seemingly neurotic High Priestess Jewel had said to him in Bright Moon Temple six years ago, on that night filled with blood and conspiracies, might be …
Extremely important.
"Your Highness." Ricky sighed. Even the way he addressed Thales became formal without him realizing it. "You always surprise me."
Ricky's gaze became solemn.
"Bright Moon.
"As expected, when Bright God Church is destroyed, the Church of Holy Sun is divided, Sunset Church is stuck in its ways, Breaking Light Church is corrupted, and the two temples are fighting against each other using Errol's name to cheat each other of their food and drinks, only the seemingly weak and aloof Bright Moon …"
Ricky sighed with emotion.
"Even though the mountains are gone, the Bright Moon is still in the sky. The Northlanders do have their ways."
But in the next second, Ricky retracted his rare solemn tone and changed the topic.
"But … if she said that, are you sure her salary won't be deducted?"
This joke brought Thales and Zakriel back to reality.
Ricky pulled the cloth bag over him and took out a piece of jerky.
"Eat it. There's only one." Ricky smiled and tossed the jerky to the weak Zakriel.
"For the sake of your prince."
Zakriel was slightly stunned. He glanced at Thales.
The prince shrugged and revealed a complicated and resigned smile.
The knight said nothing else. He lowered his head and quickly bit off the piece of jerky.
The three of them were silent for a while. Each of them had their own thoughts.
"You haven't answered my question."
Zakriel's eyes were clear. He put the last piece of jerky into his mouth.
"What are you trying to do?"
But this time, the Knight of Judgment raised his head and looked at the mercenaries around him.
"Also, as an underground demon, how did you become the leader of the traitors of the Tower of Eradication? How did they willingly follow an inhuman existence? "
Zakriel narrowed his eyes and sized up each member of the Disaster Swords.
"Do you trust these people that much?"
Ricky followed the Knight of Judgment's gaze and looked at each of his subordinates.
Crassus of the Disaster Swords was silent for a while.
"Do you know, Knight of Judgment?"
Ricky's gaze was profound, but there was a hint of pity and sentimentality in his tone.
"Do you know why we are always short on manpower, and why we even need to rely on Shadow Shield for this operation?"
Zakriel did not answer. He only waited quietly.
In Thales' eyes, Ricky supported his chin with his hand, sighed softly, and pointed not far away in a very human-like manner.
He pointed not far away, "Salander Klein."
Thales and Zakriel's gazes followed the direction of his finger and turned to look at the middle-aged Disaster Swordsman who wielded his sword extremely quickly.
"He comes from the Tower of Reformation, and he is one of the dishonorable products of the Northlanders' land expansion war decades ago. His father is a Northland noble with a title, and his mother is a barbarian who was kidnapped in the mountains. Because of this, he will never be accepted as a member of either side of his parents. "
Klein, who was not far away, turned his head around in alarm. When he realized that Ricky and the others were looking at him, he immediately cast them a questioning look.
Ricky waved his hand at him, indicating that everything was normal.
"On the surface, the Northland nobles in the Tower of Reformation treated him as a chess piece to appease the barbarians after the war and pretend that they were at peace. But behind their backs, they only felt that he was a dirty, ugly bastard. The barbarian elders relied on him to negotiate and bargain with the Northlanders, but at the same time, they despised him as a sign of their own subjugation, and the shame of their tribe's defeat due to their rape."
Ricky's tone became a little sad.
"No matter how much he honed his skills, Klein's identity will always be before his abilities. But he will never know who he is, because he is neither a Northlander nor a mountain barbarian. He will forever be a homeless orphan who wandered between two tribes." Thales spoke with a smile.
Thales and Zakriel did not speak. They only looked at each other.
Ricky snorted softly and turned to the other side.
"Falken Josef. He is a Kelunzani from Thornland. He once served as a special agent for the royal family in Alumbia Kingdom."
Thales recognized the person resting by the stone platform. He was the spy the mercenaries had sent to the Prison of Bones beforehand.
"Like many of his peers, he lived in a muddled and muddle-headed world in Alumbia's laughable and pitiful political struggle. For the sake of the kingdom's mission, which he did not know was real or fake, he blindly obeyed his superior's orders. He did not hesitate to betray his conscience, and he was stained with blood. He captured, tortured, interrogated, and persecuted batch after batch of 'enemies of the kingdom'. He thought that by doing so, he could gain a stable life in the world, so that he could lie to himself every night when he held his wife and children in his arms that he only wanted to support his family."
Ricky's gaze was complicated. He shook his head at Josef, who also sensed something and turned around to look at him.
"Until one day, his father-in-law was also labeled as an 'enemy of the kingdom' and was imprisoned.
And Josef's superior, who also wanted to support his family, turned Josef's wife and children into bargaining chips to extort confessions from him.
"From that day onwards, the excuse he used to deceive himself shattered."
Zakriel did not know if he had triggered something, but he sighed softly after he finished listening.
Ricky's emotions seemed to have been stirred up. He turned to Thales, and his gaze became slightly gloomy.
"And Shawn, who unfortunately died in battle, was a Nedargian from Ligudan State in the Eastern Peninsula."
Thales remembered Shawn, who used an axe and was eventually killed in battle against Barney Junior. He could not help but be stunned.
"That's right. He used to be the most promising and representative occupation among the Nedargians — a bandit. He was quite good at it, and his results were outstanding. Until one day, he fell in love with a lady he kidnapped."
Ricky stared at Thales in a daze, but it was as if he was looking at another person.
"Shawn gave up on everything. He only wanted to marry her, get married, and have children. For this, he did not hesitate to fall out with his gang and become enemies with them. He killed them repeatedly."
Ricky sighed softly. There was an indescribable pain in his voice.
"But after going through countless hardships, everything settled down, and he was happy. He had children and lived a stable life. But his kidnapped wife poisoned herself, her daughter, her son, and everyone else's food except Shawn's …"
Thales widened his eyes.
Ricky's words continued.
"… As a weak woman who could not control her fate, she took her final, most miserable, most helpless, and also the cruelest revenge."
Ricky said slowly,
"From that day onwards, Shawn understood that perhaps the world had already decided that he did not deserve happiness. He only deserved to sink into hell."
Zakriel pursed his lips and said nothing.
Ricky sucked in a deep breath and looked into the distance as if he had snapped out of his daze.
"Of course, there was also your comrade in the Royal Guards, whom you knew the most. Colin Samel, who lost everything after the tragedy eighteen years ago, and his old acquaintance's daughter, Marina Novork, who was born a noble but ended up in a corner of the world."
When he heard Samel's name, Zakriel's expression became gloomy. He said out of the blue, "I'm sorry."
Thales did not know who he said it to.
'Samel.
Marina. '
Thales stared at the two people in the distance in a daze. He then looked at Klein and Josef.
'These are … Disaster Swords?'
Ricky stared at the knight for a few seconds and shook his head, unbothered.
"Every person who becomes the scion of the Outer Tower has their own story," Ricky said. As he spoke, the light in his eyes became serious.
"Every person is an inhuman existence rejected by this world."
'Rejected by this world.'
At that moment, Thales remembered the lonely figure who only had a sword a long time ago.
"There is a reason why it is called the Sin of Hell's River.
"We should have left the mortal world forever, but we deceived the ferryman of Hell's River time and time again, and avoided death's summons at the last moment.
"So, our existence is the sin of Hell's River. It is proof that it did not manage death responsibly."
Thales was lost in his thoughts.
"Do you understand now?"
Ricky raised his head with a stern expression and answered the Knight of Judgment's question just now.
"They are not following me.
What they are following is the resentment and anger that comes from despair and injustice in their hearts. It grows stronger because of it, but they have nowhere to vent it. They can only burn in their empty wounds. "
Zakriel's gaze froze.
At that moment, Thales clearly felt that the Ricky in front of him was different.
The Power of Eradication in his body boiled again, and it gave the teenager a premonition of extreme danger.
Scorching.
Oppressive.
Heavy.
Thales shuddered. The scene of the Disaster Swords and Shadow Shield fighting against each other in an oblivious manner appeared before his eyes.
Ruthless, crazy, and merciless.
Zakriel clearly felt something. The Knight of Judgment's entire body stiffened. His right arm trembled slightly, as if he was suppressing his desire to attack.
But Ricky did not care about the Knight of Judgment's abnormality at all. His gaze was like a blade, and it coldly cut through the air before him.
Even his voice had gained a little more of the chilling vibe from before.
"This is far from what those so-called Swordsmen of Eradication in the Tower of Eradication, who have been corrupted for many years, are used to fawning over the children of nobles from various countries, and who seek benefits from both sides of the powerful forces. They are hypocritical and aloof."
In the next second, Ricky stared straight at Zakriel, as if he could see through his soul.
"Join us, Knight of Judgment."
His tone was firm and brooked no argument.
"We have too many similarities. You are a powerful warrior, but just like the other pitiful creatures, you cannot escape the cage of fate.
You may not understand what we mean, but you will. We will let you see that fate is not inescapable. "
Zakriel remained silent.
Ricky's expression was still terrifying. He extended his right hand to the Knight of Judgment.
"In this dark world, we found each other alone, just so that one day, you and I can see the tomorrow we hope for, and walk towards the palace of rest."
Thales arched his eyebrows. He felt that Ricky's words had an inexplicable meaning.
But Zakriel only shifted his butt, cradled his injured left arm, and turned his head away.
"Sorry, I made a vow.
"This sword will only be swung for the Emperor's Order." The knight's voice was hollow and hoarse, but there was a calmness and firmness in it.
"It has no other use."
The knight's words were simple and straightforward. It made Ricky's expression stiffen, just like the palm he extended.
'This sword will only be swung for the Emperor's Order.'
As he listened to the unique words translated from the Ancient Empire, Thales' heart sank a little. He remembered how Nalgi and Naer looked before they died.
Ricky frowned as he stared at the stubborn Zakriel, who refused to budge.
In the end, with disgust and resignation, he shook his head.
"Damn the people of the Empire.
The Emperor's Order, hmm? "
The demon then turned to Thales.
Thales, who was burned by the flames of war between the two, subconsciously twisted his butt, changed his sitting position, and straightened his appearance.
The teenager quirked an eyebrow.
"Erm, ahem, maybe you should look for that red-haired guy over there with a crossbow … He should be helpful for your group's promotion and recruitment —"
But before Thales could finish speaking …
"No."
Ricky did not care about what he said. He only looked away and waved his hand in disappointment. "You can forget about it.
Now is not the time. "
Thales, who had been looking forward to it for some reason, did not even have time to finish his joke. He did not even have the time to retract the smile on his lips.
An indescribable, faint awkwardness surged in his heart.
'Am I that bad?'
At this moment, the Knight of Judgment added, "By the way, aside from lunatics, no one is interested in cults that engage in self-hypnosis."
Ricky was silent for a moment.
"You mean lunatics? Self-hypnosis? "
Ricky chuckled softly and returned to his calm and profound nature as a leader.
"You know, a long, long time ago …"
"I mean, before the two Magic Empresses were empresses," Ricky leaned back against his stone platform, and an unsettling smile appeared on his face. "They had another nickname among the wizards, another nickname that has been forgotten."
'Magic Empress's …
'Nickname?'
Thales tensed up, and he subconsciously pricked up his ears.
Zakriel was also slightly startled. His gaze moved past Thales and returned to Ricky.
"Magic Empress?"
Ricky was not in a hurry to answer. He tilted his head and sized up the Knight of Judgment with great interest.
"Zakriel, tell me."
"Didn't you find it strange when you purchased Mystic Gun Cores from the Empire? Why did only the empresses have that kind of technology? Why did they affect the situation of the entire world? "
"And eighteen years ago, your colleagues, your kingdom, your past … When you look back on the past, do you feel that the world is so unfair?"
In the next second, Ricky's tone became deep, as if he was a mysterious fortune-teller.
"Do you feel that fate is so … heartless?"
'Fate?'
Ricky's series of questions almost made Thales and Zakriel dumbfounded.
Zakriel frowned.
"What are you hinting at?"
Ricky smiled.
He looked to his left and right, as if he was worried about something.
"Listen carefully, my dear.
"Just like the Truth Brothers, before they became 'empresses', the two Mystics, Blood Spike and Hellen, were known by the wizards as …"
At that moment, the demon looked at Zakriel and Thales. There was mockery and warning in his eyes at the same time.
"The Twins of Fate."
Thales and Zakriel were both stunned.
'Fate …
'Twins?
'Wait, combined with what he said earlier …
'Is he hinting at what I am thinking?'
While he was so shocked that he could barely think, Thales saw Ricky speak in the most complicated and incomprehensible tone.
"Knight, your king is very great.
But he could not win against fate. "
Zakriel stared at the demon in a daze. His expression changed drastically, and he subconsciously shook his head.
"Trust me." Ricky raised his head and looked at the dark walls around him in the dim firelight.
"The Prison of Bones is not the end. Fate is a bigger prison."
'Fate is a bigger prison.'
Thales breathed absentmindedly while his heart was in a mess.
"And we have the key to open the prison …"
Ricky took out the green crystal from his bosom and looked at Thales. The fervor in his eyes made the latter feel a chill in his heart.
"Perhaps it is … the only key."
For a moment, Zakriel and Thales were speechless.
"Now." Ricky smiled.
"Who is the lunatic here? Who is the one hypnotizing himself?"
Silence.
A long silence.
Amid the endless noise, Zakriel finally sighed.
But he lowered his head in the end.
"Y-Your name is Ricky, right?"
"My name is Ricky now."
Ricky shifted into a relaxed posture. He retracted his sensational expression and smiled. "Why don't you consider my suggestion again?"
Zakriel raised his head. His gaze became clear again.
He stared straight at Ricky.
"I suddenly have a feeling that you … don't look like a demon.
Instead, you look more like … a human. "
At that moment, Ricky was completely stunned.
His loss of composure and Zakriel's words made Thales suddenly realize that the man in front of him was an anomaly.
'What he said … cannot be completely trusted.'
"Interesting."
Ricky remembered something and snickered.
"How do you know what a demon looks like?"
Zakriel did not speak immediately. He stared at Ricky for a very long time.
"In many records, demons from hell are cruel, harsh, and tyrannical," Zakriel said in a low voice.
"Inhumane."
Ricky raised his eyebrows slightly.
He stroked his chin and seemed to be deep in thought.
"Hmm, about that. True demons are indeed inhumane."
In the next second, Ricky suddenly leaned forward with his hands on the ground. He lowered his gaze and looked up at Zakriel and Thales.
He flashed a mysterious smile at the two of them.
"For example, they can be so inhumane that they make you think that they are humane."
Thales shuddered slightly.
As he stared at Ricky's rather human-like smile and mulled over the hidden meaning behind his words, the teenager felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
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