When Gwen quickly and discreetly glanced at Noretta, the senior agent from the Mithril Vault, who temporarily replaced Melita Pânia, also took a second look at Gwen. She was indeed curious about this human. Resurrected from the dead, a legendary pioneering hero, overturned a kingdom, and established a new order … In her long life, Noretta had seen many 'legendary' figures in the human world, and Gwen was quite a special one even among them.
She controlled her gaze and expression, and with a faint smile, she asked, "So, what do you want to ask?"
"Strictly speaking, it's not a consultation. I want to confirm something with the 'Dragons' behind the Mithril Vault." Gwen waved his hand, looking serious. "Not long ago, a large magical device we set up in the Plains of the Holy Spirit captured some mysterious signals. After many comparisons, humans, elves, and even sirens could not figure out the source of these signals, so now I suspect that these signals are from the Dragons.
"Considering the development of magical technology, and to avoid any misunderstandings between humans and Dragons in the future, I think it is necessary to … confirm with you."
"Mysterious signals?" The woman in the white dress, who called herself Noretta, raised her eyebrows, and then her expression became more serious. "What … is it about?"
"We haven't cracked it yet. It's a series of very short tremors and echoes, the structure is unprecedented, and the scholars are confused, but we have recorded a copy of it with the magic crystal." As Gawain spoke, he waved his hand to the side, and a palm-sized pale blue crystal sheet on a shelf not far away silently flew into his hand.
This was a recording medium modified by Kamel, and its prototype was the memory crystal commonly used by traditional mages. After the optimization of the etching structure in the crystal and the implementation of more advanced standardized production, similar recording media were more and more used in the magic network terminal and immersion chamber.
"It's in here," Gwen said. "But I don't know what equipment you Dragons usually use to read something like this, this may require some conversion …"
"No need. I can sense its magic structure." Noretta interrupted Gwen. She reached out and took the crystal sheet. Her fingers gently caressed the fine rune engravings on one side of the crystal. Her pair of light-colored eyes shone like stars. In this short moment, Gwen felt that the magic around this young lady suddenly became very active and complicated. It was as if an extremely high-level magic was compressed into an inch and completed in an instant.
In just a moment, Noretta had finished reading and recording the storage medium. She handed the slightly warm crystal sheet to Gwen and said, "I've recorded it and will pass it to my superior for further analysis. Thank you very much for your timely information and sincere attitude. It's really beneficial for us to maintain a good relationship. "
Gwen took the crystal sheet and could not help but take a deep look at the woman in the white dress in front of him. "Excellent magic skills — Melita has never shown it in front of me."
"In fact, she's not good at it either." Noretta smiled slightly. "I'm usually responsible for handling paperwork in the rear or engaged in command and support work. This is just a 'little trick' used in some work."
"It seems that there's a set of complicated and effective post structure inside the Mithril Vault. I'm a little curious about this." Gwen smiled and said casually, "So, I'll just wait for the news?"
"You won't have to wait too long." Noretta nodded. "We'll finish the signal analysis and comparison as soon as possible. Also, although I can't give you a clear answer now, just based on the content I've just read … this thing is most likely not sent by Tarlonde. "
"… It's not the Dragons?"
"We're using another communication technology that doesn't produce this characteristic signal." Noretta nodded. "But this world is very vast, and there are many corners and secrets that even the Dragons don't know. Some of these things are only known to my superiors, so I still have to report it. Maybe the Mithril Vault's treasurer and high-ranking councilors can find out where this thing came from."
"Thank you very much."
…
Braveheart had been on the desolate coast for almost a week.
Other than some rare beasts that were not commonly seen on land and were not afraid of humans, there were only lush plants, moist and warm sea breeze, and the ruins of the town covered in shrubs and vines.
Earl Owen Dyson stood on a reef by the coast. When the glorious giant sun gradually rose halfway, he took out a gold-plated mechanical watch from his pocket and pressed the cover to take a look.
Almost at the same time, several figures appeared on a path leading to the depths of the island on the coast. Several sailors came out of the path covered by shrubs and tall grass.
"Half an hour later than the scheduled meeting time," Earl Owen said calmly when the sailors came up to him. "Are you in trouble?"
A sailor with a red headscarf stood up straight and saluted. At the same time, he reported meticulously, "Reporting to the captain, on the way back, we encountered a huge python. It may have mutated under the magic environment, but it has been dealt with."
"Well," Earl Owen nodded. "Did you find anything?"
"There's only an abandoned manor. Like the town in the center, there are traces of it being renovated twice," the sailor said as he took out something from his pocket. "Also, we found this in the manor."
Earl Owen took the thing handed by the sailor. He saw that it was a badly worn amulet. The symbol on the front of the amulet was completely illegible, but judging from the material, it should have been a magic item. Owen Dyson had seen something similar not long ago.
"It was left by the Children of the Storm. It should have been thrown here for more than a decade," the noble of Typhon quickly determined when the amulet was abandoned. "It seems that at least a decade ago, the Children of the Storm still occupied these islands near the boundary between the offshore and the distant sea, but then they gave up these strongholds near the human world and went to the deeper sea …"
"These cultists have been occupying the Empire's property and treating the facilities on these islands as their own." Braveheart's first mate, who was behind Owen Dyson, could not help but grumble in disgust. "They have left their deranged graffiti all over the town, and then they just left without a care in the world. I really hope that they will be swallowed by the deep sea and sacrificed to the monsters in the deep sea by their fanatical behavior. "
"I don't care about the fate of the cultists," Earl Owen said casually. He put away the amulet and looked at the first mate. "How's the situation on Braveheart?"
"We have repaired the anti-magic shell, the shield group, and the two magic engines, but there are still some problems with the transmission mechanism connected to the engines. The technicians said that those big guys need professional facilities in the port to be completely repaired. On this beach, there is nothing they can do, so they can only 'fix one leg.'"
"How far can they be repaired? Can they sail? "
"It's not a problem to set sail, but the speed will only be about two-thirds of the previous speed. And once it encounters the 'chaotic turbulence' of the previous level, the entire transmission shaft will be broken," the first mate said frankly. In the end, as if to strengthen his persuasion, he emphasized again, "100% will be broken."
"Since this is the result of the technicians' best efforts, we can only accept it. We have to return. I believe that Braveheart will overcome this difficulty, and we should not be lucky enough to encounter disordered turbulence twice in a row near the coast, "Earl Owen said. He looked back at Braveheart, which was docked not far away. The beautiful and advanced magic ship was lying quietly in the gentle waves. The hull covered with magic metal and the high-power magnetic storm crystal on the bow of the ship were shining under the sun. After a brief look, the earl withdrew his gaze." Inform the machinery group to make the final adjustments to the engine. We will set sail in three hours. "
The first mate nodded and took out a short staff inlaid with many gems from his waist. As the gems on the staff lit up one by one, he released a communication spell and conveyed the captain's order to the personnel on duty on Braveheart.
After watching the first mate do all this, Earl Owen nodded and looked in the direction of the depths of the island. "Take a few people with you. We will go to that town again."
The first mate glanced at the earl and did not ask anything. He quickly selected the capable and alert sailors and set foot on the path that led to the center of the island with the earl.
Walking on the old stone path that had obvious traces of repair but had been abandoned again, Owen Dyson walked toward the depths of the former imperial territory. The sailors who were responsible for exploring the path had cleared the bushes and vines blocking the way with spells and swords. The entire Tasos Island was not very big, so he quickly passed through the path covered by trees and came to the edge of a quiet and lifeless town.
This was the largest human building complex on Tasos Island. Seven hundred years ago, it was also the first springboard of the Empire's coastal waters. During that prosperous but too short period, countless diligent builders, ambitious captains and merchants, and adventurers who pursued their dreams gathered here. Spices, gold, precious minerals in the distant sea, and rare things that were rarely seen on land all circulated here. All of this made this inconspicuous Tasos Island become the "Land of Flowing Gold" at that time.
After the short golden age ended, this place ushered in a longer period of decline. The former sea protectors became crazy and depraved cultists in the blink of an eye. The Land of Flowing Gold became the territory of the Sons of Storm, and the wealth of the Empire became the nutrients for the cultists to multiply themselves. In the end, those who did not have time to evacuate …
Earl Owen looked up and glanced at the deserted houses and towers. Obscure runes left by the Sons of Storm could be seen everywhere on the houses. The emblems of the Typhon and the Dyson family were long gone.
At the end of the road, in a small square, Earl Owen saw a pile of ashes that were still smoking. In the ashes, he could vaguely see some broken sculptures and ritual utensils. Those were the relics of the dark cult that the sailors had found all over the town. The cultists who once occupied this place had left, so the sailors could only burn the things they left behind.
Earl Owen bypassed the pile of ashes and the small square, and came to the Town Hall.
On the steps in front of the hall, a tattered dark blue flag with a twisted symbol of storm and lightning was thrown on the ground.
Earl Owen looked down at the flag and stepped forward. He and the sailors stepped on the steps, passed through the open front door of the hall, and came to the empty town hall. Finally, he stopped in front of the wall in the deepest part of the town hall. There were only two empty hooks and some moss growing along the wall.
The earl looked up for a while, then lowered his head and fumbled in his arms. Soon, he found a neatly folded piece of cloth and carefully unfolded it.
It was a very old flag, so old that it had faded. But because the fabric was mixed with magic threads and had been carefully preserved, it was still intact after seven hundred years. On the solemn black background, the emblems of the shield and crown were still clearly visible, although they were dim.
After carefully looking at it, the earl raised his hand and solemnly put the flag of the Typhon back in the town hall of Tasos Island.
Then he untied another thing from his waist. It was a sword that had been passed down in his family for generations.
The hilt of the sword was engraved with a pale golden harpoon pattern. It was the coat of arms that the founding king of the Typhon gave to the first Earl Dyson 700 years ago. This sword represented the inheritance of the Dyson family and the glory of the first generation of builders of Tasos Island.
The sword and flag were taken away by the ancestors of the Dyson family when they evacuated from Tasos Island. The ancestor did not leave any last words to bring these things back to Tasos Island, because he died at sea when he organized the second evacuation. But after that, the relics left by the ancestor became the long-term responsibility of the descendants of the Dyson family.
After putting the sword under the flag, Earl Owen finally breathed a sigh of relief. He returned to the sailors, turned around, and quietly looked at the sword and flag on the wall with everyone else, just like the people in this hall 700 years ago.
A few minutes later, they left the town hall and set foot on the way back to Braveheart.
The light of the giant sun shone on the ruined town. Unknown birds and beasts whistled in the nearby dense forest, and lush plants continued to grow quietly on this land. In the direction of the distant coast, the loud and melodious sound of the flute of Braveheart urged the crew to return to the beach to gather.
…
In the study of the Obsidian Palace in Oldenheim, Emperor Rosetta Augustus put down the document in his hand and looked up at the two mages sitting opposite him. There was a smile on his face.
"After going through so many hardships, Braveheart has finally sent us the good news that we have successfully landed on Tasos Island. Today is a day worth celebrating, masters."
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