Chapter 351 Sixth Ring Poet, don’t go gentle into the good night (5K)
Golden Lion Kingdom, Lundu.
The mist is thick, and the morning light is like a sword, piercing the mist.
The Lundu Bridge spans the sparkling golden river, and longbowmen with extraordinary aura stand on the bridge towers.
Pedestrians and business travelers were coming and going, and the guards stationed in front of the stone tower were questioning them one by one. Suddenly, they noticed a dark shadow passing above their heads.
The guard raised his head and saw a figure burning with fighting spirit flying over the top of the tower, and he became furious:
"Who is so bold, flying above the royal capital! Where are the gryphon guards?"
A dissatisfied reply came from the watchman above the tower.
"Stop shouting, that cloak has the emblem of honeysuckle on it! Do you know who that is?"
The guard swallowed dryly.
Those who are qualified to serve as Lundu guards all have knight titles. The last one is from a minor noble. They have good land tenants in their families, and they have the confidence to be arrogant even when facing barons.
However, the honeysuckle family emblem has a profound meaning, and the family behind it, even the Earl family, dare not offend it!
The guard felt regretful in his heart. With a sullen face, he pretended that nothing happened, waved his hand and let the business traveler go, wondering secretly.
"Who is that person... could it be Lord Honeysuckle? What is the purpose of his visit to London?"
In the clouds and mist, it was Yeats who was bidding farewell to Helena and rushing back to the capital from Collins Bay.
Previously, Princess Teresa made a special trip to White Night City in order to invite Yeats to stay in London for a period of time, so as to deter the undercurrent of various forces at the critical moment when the Lionheart King was seriously ill.
Once Theresa succeeds to the throne and is successfully crowned, there is no guarantee that the Lannister and Vic families will not be liquidated.
Therefore, the two families began to organize military exercises early, and the atmosphere of civil war intensified.
Yeats was a die-hard royalist and a thorn in the side of those who coveted the throne. However, the two families could not find anything to do with Yeats, so they could only take action against his brother Wilson Blondie.
Both Duke Lannister and Duke Vic tried to win Yeats's brother into their own camp, using the position of 'rear admiral' as a lure.
The former admiral of the Golden Lion Kingdom, Holiday Nelson, is over seventy years old. As early as Lionheart's youth, he was already a prestigious Six-Ring Master. In today's stormy days, Nelson took the initiative He announced his position and supported the Lionheart King and his bloodline.
Wilson Blondie, on the one hand, regarded Nelson as his idol, and on the other hand, his younger brother was a die-hard royalist. He really had no reason to join the Lannister and Vic families, so he stayed at home on the pretext of illness.
Yeats rushed to the capital with two major tasks. One was to understand the condition of the Lionheart King, and the other was to work with Theresa to control the current situation in London.
If the situation deteriorates quickly, Yeats has already made plans to help Theresa be crowned and alone to deter the Lannister and Wick families.
"Neither Lannister nor Vic can afford a six-ringed transcendent, but there is no guarantee that they will not have other back-ups."
"However, it doesn't matter even if there is a Sixth Ring Master..."
Yeats thought to himself, his eyes sharp.
"Now is the time for King Qin to protect you and show off your merits!"
As far as his eyes could see, he saw a towering majestic palace. Yeats activated his fighting spirit and quickly flew towards the Lion Palace.
As soon as Yeats approached the Lion Palace, Colin, who sensed the aura of the Sixth Ring, appeared high in the sky and confronted Yeats.
Seeing that Duke Honeysuckle was visiting, Colin breathed a sigh of relief and said respectfully:
"It turns out to be the Duke."
Yeats nodded slightly: "Take me to see His Majesty."
Ke Lin said: "Her Royal Highness the Princess has been waiting for you for a long time. The Princess will meet with Your Majesty together!"
Lion Palace.
Marble columns stand on both sides of the corridor and are covered with deep red carpets. Sunlight shines through the glass, and the light and shadow reflect the carved palace door at the end of the corridor.
"Ahead is His Majesty's palace." Colin said.
Next to the palace gate, stood an elegant and noble figure. Teresa was dressed in a white dress, followed by two beautiful maids.
Seeing Yeats, Teresa's sapphire eyes flashed slightly, she nodded, and greeted softly: "Your Excellency, the Duke."
The air seemed to be filled with incense, adding a sense of solemnity and solemnity.
Yeats nodded in return, came to the palace gate, looked at the lion pattern engraved on the door, and took a deep breath.
Dong Dong——
Teresa's maid knocked on the door and whispered:
"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness the Princess, Duke Honeysuckle, come to see you."
After a while, a hoarse and deep voice came from the door.
"Come in."
The door opened a gap, and the smell of herbs came to the face. In the center of the spacious and magnificent palace, there was a four-poster bed. The old and old king was leaning on the head of the bed, with soft eyes on his wrinkled face, and the reflection in his eyes. The figures of Yeats and Theresa whispered:
"Here we come."
Yeats was slightly startled. He hadn't seen him for more than a few months. The image of the Lion-Hearted King in his memory was still that of the old and furious lion during the duel with the Blood Spider.
At this moment, the white-haired old man lying on the hospital bed was already too thin to be human-shaped, his cheeks were sunken, and his fingers were as dry as dead branches. Only in the depths of his gentle eyes could you still see the king's former firm demeanor.
The candlelight swayed slightly, and Yeats felt as if he was lost. Even for the strong man with the sixth ring at the top of the continent, time still passed equally.
Yeats could even smell the breath called 'death', which was an irreversible natural law that filled this invisible realm of creation.
"Your Majesty." Yeats whispered, "I am here to tell you something in person."
"There are no outsiders here."
The old king still understood Yeats' worries at a glance and said slowly:
"It doesn't matter, just say it boldly."
Yeats hesitated for a moment and said:
"I dare not hide it from you. In fact, I have been promoted to Sixth Ring Master."
All of a sudden.
You can hear a needle drop in the bedroom.
Yeats raised his head and looked at the Lionheart King on the sick bed.
I saw him staring at me motionlessly, with a fleeting look of surprise on his face.
In the eyes of the Lionheart King, there seemed to be vibrant flames dancing, and soon, they became as gentle as a deep pool of water.
There are only a handful of Six Ring Masters in the entire Golden Lion Kingdom!
However, such a young Yeats accomplished this incredible deed!
The Lion-Hearted King was filled with emotion, and a smile of relief appeared on his lips.
"Okay...Yeats...ok...I didn't make a mistake!"
Saying that, Lionheart King asked:
"How old are you this year?"
"Just turned seventeen."
"Seventeen years old." Lionheart King murmured to himself, "The seventeen-year-old Sixth Ring Master is the only genius on the continent today!"
Even Hastings, one of the three giants of the Holy See, was far inferior to Yeats at his age!
It is unclear what exactly Yeats went through to achieve such amazing progress.
But what is certain is that Yeats was capable enough to trust him and entrust him with important matters.
The Lionheart King lightly closed his eyes, showed a dumb smile, and shook his head:
"At your age, I am far inferior to you..."
Colin saw it in his eyes and thought to himself.
The Lion-Hearted King, who is as proud as a lion, sighs at himself, which means that the achievements of Duke Yeats have reached a level that even surprised His Majesty.
If His Majesty were one or two years younger, I am afraid that he could not wait to go into battle and duel Yeats himself!
But.
Colin sighed.
Now, His Majesty's face is full of relief, as if a worry has been resolved...
At this time, the Lion-Hearted King coughed and immediately ordered:
"Okay, everyone else goes out, Yeats stays."
Soon, only Yeats and Lionheart were left in the room.
Looking at the young and handsome knight, the Lionheart King's eyes were in a trance, and he sighed softly:
"Every time I see you, I will think of fighting in the north with your father...I was still young at that time..."
Yeats has always been known for his eloquence, but when faced with the critically ill Lionheart, he opened his mouth and fell silent.
"Look at me, Yeats." Lionheart King suddenly said, "Tell me, how did you get promoted to the sixth ring?"
After all, he couldn't tell Lionheart about the Night God's Choice, but Yeats was unwilling to lie and whispered:
"It's because of a miracle, Your Majesty."
"Miracle...miracle..."
The Lion-Hearted King murmured Yeats's words, leaning on the bedside, with a bitter smile:
"I have never believed in miracles, but until death comes, I look forward to miracles..."
"Until now, I discovered that I am not fearless. I am afraid of death. Like everyone, I am afraid of the day that will eventually come..."
The old man closed his eyes lightly, his chest heaved, and he let out a sigh.
"I'm afraid...my ending will be to die on the hospital bed, and my soul will fall into the cold and desperate underworld..."
The soul can be reincarnated.
But after reincarnation, is the soul still its original self?
This is like a philosophical problem like the Ship of Theseus: If the wood on Theseus' ship is gradually replaced, and all the wood is not the original wood, is the ship still the same one?
Yeats was thinking silently, and suddenly heard a self-deprecating laugh from the Lionheart King. "Did I tell you that the Plantagenets were actually barbarians in the north a long time ago?"
Yeats shook his head.
"The Plantagenet family was originally a branch from the north that lived in the northern part of the Roland Kingdom. They were ridiculed by the Roland people as northerners. Later, the northerners occupied the Golden Lion Kingdom and accepted the Golden Lion's culture."
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The Lion-Hearted King paused and said hoarsely:
"But in my bones, there is still warlike blood... Yeats, you are smart. Tell me, what are the people in the north afraid of?"
"Afraid of not being able to die in battle."
Yeats whispered:
"Death in a hospital bed is a shame to the people of the North."
"That's right." The Lionheart King said bitterly, "I'm afraid... I'm afraid that a lifetime of vicissitudes will only lead to a humiliating ending."
"But..."
The Lionheart King shook his head, looking sad, and said no more.
The implication is that he is no longer able to fight anymore and can only lie on the hospital bed as he is now, facing his fate.
Yeats' eyes flickered.
In the legend of the Northerners, only by dying in battle can the soul return to the [Hall of Valor].
Until the end comes, hold high the battle flag to the eternal destiny.
Once again, Yeats thought of [Apocalypse], the day of destruction recorded in the mythology of the Holy See.
For the coming of the apocalypse, both gods and demons are accumulating their own power.
The demon god who defected from heaven to hell is waiting for the day when he will counterattack heaven.
The war madman sitting on the throne of the Hall of Valor is waiting for the end to come and plays a war song.
Yeats suddenly understood why Lionheart felt sad that he did not die in battle. Instead of feeling helpless due to old age, suffering from pain and despair due to aging, it is far better to die in battle, which is more glorious and heroic, than to die helplessly.
This is the ambition of an old lion, and Yeats has no intention of commenting on it. Regardless of whether it is going to the [Underworld] or ascending to the [Hall of Valor], after death, the soul will eventually find its destination.
"Death is the fate that every human being will eventually face."
Yeats slowly said: "But how we react in the face of fate divides people into different forms..."
Looking at the old man on the bed who was breathing weakly and closing his eyes as if falling into a coma, Yeats gently put his hand on the back of his rugged hand and whispered:
"Old age should burn and roar at the end of the day... rage against the passing of the light..."
The Lion-Hearted King was startled, understanding the meaning of Yeats's words, and a relieved smile appeared on his lips.
"That's very well said."
In front of his eyes, he seemed to see the flames bursting out from the falling meteor, and the Lionheart King opened his shining eyes:
"Yeats, I only ask you one thing."
Lionheart didn't speak, just watched silently.
Looking into his hopeful eyes, Yeats already understood his thoughts, nodded and said:
"I'll do it."
It wasn't until Yeats nodded that the Lion-Hearted King showed a peaceful smile and sighed:
"Tomorrow, I will take you and Teresa to Avalon...not the fake island before, but the real wonderland..."
"Only the previous Golden Lion Kings are qualified to go to Avalon, but... you are Teresa's knight, a noble, dazzling, and loyal knight like the sun."
"In Avalon, the elves in the lake will baptize you, which will be beneficial even to you who are in the sixth ring."
Avalon is said to be the burial place of the Great of Lorraine, where the legend of the Sword in the Lake spreads.
Lionheart had a premonition that his big time was approaching, and wanted to give Yeats a last helping hand.
"Okay." King Lionheart waved his hand gently, "You go out and let Teresa come in..."
Yeats nodded silently, stood up and walked to the door. He glanced back at the frail old man on the hospital bed. His heart was touched, and he opened the door and left.
Outside the door, Theresa's eyes were slightly red. She seemed to have heard the conversation between the two. She raised her eyes to look at Yeats and said softly:
"Your Excellency, I have a request."
"Your Highness, please speak."
"I would like...to ask you...to write a poem for me."
Teresa's voice trembled and she said with a smile: "Father...he will definitely like it."
Yeats was silent and whispered: "I can give this poem to you now, Your Highness the Princess."
Theresa's eyes flashed with surprise, and then she nodded lightly and said softly:
"Sorry to trouble you..."
The breath of space disappeared in a flash, and Yeats took out his quill and parchment. It seemed as if the divinity of art spilled down, immortalizing his masterpiece on the parchment.
Dylan Thomas, "Don't Go Gentle into That Good Night."
When he stopped writing, Yeats felt something in his heart, digesting the divinity of art that came from the creative field, and was filled with emotion.
The bard's career path, successfully promoted to the sixth ring!
The newly understood blessing, called the 'Unyielding War Song', can not only inspire fighting spirit, but even those who are on the verge of death can continue to fight under the encouragement of this blessing, but it cannot save the fate of death.
Yeats stopped, handed the parchment scroll in his hand to Teresa, watched her gently close the door, and then asked Colin beside him:
"What's going on with the Lannister and Lord Vic?"
Colin shook his head and said solemnly: "Friction is about to turn into war, Your Excellency the Duke."
"Danger is also an opportunity."
Yeats said: "As long as the dispute between these two families is resolved, no one will be an obstacle to His Highness."
Colin nodded and said: "I hope so."
In the bedroom.
Hearing the footsteps, Lionheart King's drooped eyelids opened slightly, showing a soft smile.
"Teresa, my daughter..."
"Father..." Theresa's voice was choked.
"I have done many things that I am sorry for you, but I have also paved the way for you a lot..."
The Lionheart King's voice was low and he said slowly: "Yeats, Colin, and Nelson are all people capable of great responsibilities. Especially Yeats..."
"He will become the pillar of the Golden Lion Kingdom, and you, Teresa..."
"Don't be suspicious of him." The Lion-Hearted King smiled, "For rare treasures, there shouldn't be too many carvings. Just placing them there will make the crown shine even more."
"I will, Father..." Theresa nodded lightly.
"What is this?" King Lionheart noticed the parchment in Theresa's hand.
"The poem I prepared for you... I asked Duke Yeats to ghostwrite it..." Teresa said.
"You..."
The Lionheart King laughed dumbly, closed his eyes lightly, and murmured:
"Read it to me. It's right here. If you think about it, you won't let me down..."
Teresa unfolded the parchment in her hand and read softly.
"Do not go gentle into that good night,
"Old age should burn and roar at sunset;
"Rage, rage at the disappearance of the light.
As the poem was recited, a glimmer of light shone in the eyes of the Lion-Hearted King. He looked at the ceiling, his lips moved, and countless pictures flashed before his eyes.
"Serious people, close to death, use dazzling vision
"Seeing that blind eyes can shine with joy like shooting stars,
"Angrily, angrily at the disappearance of the light..."
As she read the second half, Teresa's voice trembled, and her tears wet the parchment.
"You, my father, in that sad height.
"Curse me now with your hot tears and bless me. I beg you
“Don’t go gentle into that good night.
"Rebuke, rebuke the disappearance of the light."
The Lionheart King's face was touched. The majestic lion-like man's eyes were red, tears rolled down his eyes, and he said hoarsely:
"Teresa..."
Hearing the call, Teresa's nose became even more sore, and she choked with sobs: "I am here, Father."
"I want to carve those last two sentences on my tombstone."
The Lionheart King put his hands on his chest, closed his eyes, and murmured softly:
"A new era is coming..."
"And you, my daughter... you will be the leader of the times."
"The era that belongs to me, washed by big waves and scattered like sand, gave me you...my daughter."
Lionheart King smiled and said:
"This feeling is not bad."
(End of chapter)