Chapter 251 News from Hesiah
Brian came to Masanbai’s Temple of Knowledge through the teleportation circle.
For three consecutive days, he got up at dawn and walked through forests, orchards and farmland in Heping Town, through small villages, crowded towns, and solidly built manors, until late at night.
On the road leading to Mashanbai, the crowds are becoming increasingly crowded.
No matter day or night, people keep appearing, old and young, big and small, girls with bare feet, and women with babies in their arms.
Some people drive carriages or ride on carts pulled by oxen, but more people ride animals: plow horses, ponies, mules or donkeys, anything that can walk, run or roll.
There was even a lame middle-aged man, who might have been a half-assed ranger or druid when he was young, leading a she-wolf that was so old that even her teeth had fallen out, and gave her little daughter to him On the wolf's back.
Bryan also saw a mountain dwarf blacksmith pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with his trapping tools: hammer, tongs, and even an anvil.
Not long after, he saw another person pushing a wheelbarrow passing by, but lying inside were two babies wrapped in blankets.
Most people are walking, carrying their belongings on their shoulders, with tired and vigilant expressions on their faces.
They all headed south, towards Masanbai.
‘Spice City’ Masamba, located on the coast of Dragon Lake, is the second largest trade export city in the Kingdom of Cormyr and the only port city that has not suffered from the scourge of dragons and orcs.
The fleeing civilians were all heading south, and Brian could hardly find anyone traveling the same way as him.
On the other hand, there was an elderly man who was fleeing holding a baby that was no longer breathing, staggering towards the north like a zombie, muttering to himself: Although there is a way to survive ahead...but...I But there is no way to survive... Now I am the only one left, so let me die close to home.
These fleeing travelers were more or less armed with daggers, daggers, sickles or axes.
There were also people who whittled the branches into sticks or made them into thick canes. Brian occasionally saw adventurers with sharp swords and long knives mixed in the crowd.
When he passes by on his majestic black horse, these adventurers often touch their weapons and keep their eyes on him for a long time.
"I'm looking for an eighteen-year-old girl."
Brian drove his horse to a shrewd adventurer and asked: "Long brown hair, silver Gray eyes, her name is Hesiah, have you seen her?"
"I have not seen her, sir," the adventurer said warily, "but I will keep an eye out for you."
Brian sighed in disappointment and continued northward along with the fleeing crowd.
He set out from the Temple of Knowledge in Mashanbai and walked north along the road for three days.
During this period, he asked countless people who fled. He had never seen the blacksmith, the priest of the rural temple, or the farmer in the vegetable garden.
This made him wonder if something was wrong.
He slowed down his horse, calmed down, and recalled what the female lord Myrcella had told him before leaving.
Hesiah Natalila Obaischier.
In fact, Brian has already doubted Hesiah's true identity since he returned to the surface.
After receiving personal confirmation from Myrcella, he finally confirmed what he had thought in his heart. Hesiah was indeed the youngest child of King Azen V of Cormyr.
Ten years ago, during the Red Dragon Rebellion in Mokou Town, her mother and sister, who was three years older than her, were all killed in the flames of the dragon.
Hisaya, who was only eight years old at the time, was not spared either, but she was discovered in time by the old sword master Balerius and rescued her from the sea of fire.
"Poor child, seeing her burned beyond recognition, I thought she would never survive." Myrcella recalled:
"But I did not give up hope of saving her. I took her with me. I went to the Fairy Wilderness and saved her fragile life with the help of an eladrin. From then on, I changed her name from Natalila to Hesiah."
Bryan did not. He asked Myrcella why she changed her name, and did not ask why she saved Hesiah, but did not send her to the king, his father, immediately, so that everyone thought that the king's two princesses died in the dragon flames. .
Myrcella told him that three years ago, Hesiah returned to the city of Susar under her persuasion and chose to recognize his father.
In Susar City, although she did not disclose her identity, she lived the life of a typical princess of the Obaiszil family.
She received a formal education and was trained in court activities, including etiquette and magic, as well as riding and swordplay.
She studied under Royal Chief Mage Sandra Cote and also learned some political and military strategies from her father.
Until one day, Hesiah had a fierce quarrel with her father. She did not want to become the queen of the Kingdom of Cormyr, and the conversation ended with broken plates and goblets.
For the future of the Kingdom of Cormyr and to have a new heir, Azern V chose to marry the daughter of the Prime Minister.
After being freed, Hesiah decided to go her own way because she couldn't bear the life in the royal family. She wanted to leave the palace and see the outside world as an adventurer.
She also asked her father for a Purple Dragon Seal Ring, saying that when her heart suddenly calmed down one day, she would retake Mokou Town as a pioneer knight.
However, halfway through the journey, he was assassinated by a group of assassins from Ximen. In a panic, Hesiah was teleported to the Dark Territory by a chaotic teleportation spell.
What follows is the scene when Brian meets her in the Underdark.
When Hesiah left the Purple Dragon Seal Ring to him and returned to the surface, she chose to stay in the Elf Wilderness and learn the secrets of swordsmanship and magic from an eladrin mentor.
“The adventure in the Underdark made her realize that her strength was still too weak, and she was worried that she could not be of much help to you.” Myrcella explained to him the reason why Xisaya took the initiative to go to the Fey Wilds. .
"So, she wants to practice in the Fairy Wilderness for a while and then return to you. Every time I come to the Fairy Wilderness, she will ask me for any news about you, and she is always thinking about how to meet you again. ”
Hearing the news, Brian felt a little inexplicably uncomfortable.
This innocent, naive, and sometimes enchanting noble lady was so interested in him, which made him feel ashamed.
“Actually, the day you brought the Lord of Silver Moon City to Mokou Town.” Myrcella said with a hint of helplessness, “She had already returned from the Fairy Wilderness and was ready to meet you again. "
When Myrcella finished speaking, Brian realized how much harm his original actions would cause to a simple noble lady.
"I don't want to kidnap anyone in the name of love."
Hisaya asked the female lord to conceal her whereabouts, said a word with an indifferent expression, and left Arabbey City alone.
Brian could even recall the scene when Hesiah tossed her long brown hair, held the rune sword, and left without hesitation and grace.
Three days ago, Myrcella came to the Wizard Tower, and he learned that Hesiah had been active in the Stormhorn Mountains area in the south of the Kingdom of Cormyr for more than half a year after her disappearance.
Now, the orc army from the Stormhorn Mountains has surrounded the city of Susar. While the king was fighting a purple dragon, he disappeared deep into the mountains with the dragon.
Although Myrcella had sworn never to set foot in Susar City, she learned through her intelligence network and the message from the royal chief mage Sandra Cote that Hisaya was not in Susar City. , but led an army to the Forest of Kings to cover the retreat of homeless civilians amidst the ravages of orcs and dragons.
There is no doubt that her army was scattered by a crazy ancient green dragon, and she was missing.
This is also the fundamental reason why Brian appears here. He thought that Hesiah would move closer to Masanbai along with the fleeing civilians.
After sorting out the ins and outs of the incident, Brian suddenly realized what a serious and stupid mistake he had made.
He suddenly clamped the horse's belly, rode at full gallop, and galloped away towards the north.
On the fifth day, Brian hurried all the way to the ferry of Gray Oak River, the only way to the Forest of Kings.
He believed that Hesiah must still be resisting the orc invaders somewhere in the Forest of Kings.
The ferry made waves and headed straight for the shore.
The blunt bow parted the river water, pushing away the dusty grass and leaves on the water.
The rope groaned in the hands of the boatman, and the crowd of refugees gathered on the shore became commotion: women shouted, men cursed, children howled, and cows, horses and lambs brayed...
A monotonous, low song of fear.
"Back off! Give way! Back off, damn it!" a knight yelled, his head wrapped in a bloody rag.
His horse stood in belly-deep water, raising its front hooves in annoyance and causing splashes.
Screams and shouts came from the docks, and soldiers with shields pushed through the crowd and poked around with the ends of their spears.
"Stay away from the ferry!" The knight waved his sword and shouted: "The army has priority! Stand back, or your heads will fall to the ground!"
Brian pulled the reins and stopped the horse.
A group of heavily armed soldiers were marching towards the ferry. The heavy weapons and armor raised a thick cloud of dust, which even floated to the feet of the shield soldiers in front.
It can be seen that this is a defeated army.
Brian was about to step forward to ask about the news about Hesiah, when he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
This is a half-elf wearing a dark purple coat and rose breeches.
His silver hair glowed with a light golden luster in the sun, and the harp engraved with complicated patterns in his arms indicated that he should be a senior bard.
He stood on an abandoned truck on the side of the road. The truck was filled with wooden cages, and the chickens and ducks in the cages kept crowing.
"Ellend Windfall!" Brian raised his voice and shouted at the poet.
After shouting, he suddenly regretted it, because how could the ancient silver dragon Silver Wings appear in the Kingdom of Cormyr at this moment.
This made him immediately realize that this poet was not Silver Wing pretending to be a poet, but the real half-elf bard Elend Windfall.
"Are you calling me, Your Excellency on horseback?" the poet responded quickly.
"That's right." Brian made the mistake and drove his horse to him, "Your Excellency the poet, I want to ask you something."
"What happened in the Forest of Kings. " Before the poet could speak, he immediately asked: "Why are there so many deserters here? Also, have you seen Xisay... met Natalila, she is the princess of the Kingdom of Cormyr and is leading her The army is protecting the civilians from retreating.”
“Stay away from the ferry!” On the pier, the knight with a bandage on his head was still yelling, “The pier is only for the military now, you guys. This group of country bumpkins who only know how to farm want to take refuge in Mashanbai, so they take their axes to the forest and build themselves a raft! "
"Your Excellency, who likes to ask questions, for the sake of it! For God's sake, you really have too many problems." The poet jumped down from the abandoned truck, patted the chicken feathers on his coat, and said breathlessly, "Gods are merciful, you must be one. I know all the questions asked by Goddess of Luck.”
"Then stop talking nonsense and speak quickly." Brian urged: "After you answer my question, I will use magic to send you across the river."
He stretched out his hand, and a magical light emerged, allowing the poet to His eyes widened in surprise.
"Don't be anxious, Mr. Wizard, let me take a breath." He calmed down his rapid breathing and said to Brian:
"The Forest of Kings has been lost, Morningstar Town, Taotan The town, Shilp, many towns and villages were all occupied and destroyed by the orcs. Mr. Wizard, you must know that I have met many soldiers in my life. I have known marshals, generals, commanders and governors, and have been acquainted with many battles and battles. victors. I've heard their stories and reminiscences, I've seen them stare at maps, draw colorful lines on them, make plans, think about strategies, everything works, everything. Everything is clear and everything is in order, those soldiers explained to me that the army cannot exist without discipline and order.
That is why. , I feel that war in reality is so strange - I have witnessed more than one war with my own eyes - war in reality is less disciplined and less orderly than a burning brothel. Naturally, these deserters appear here. To survive.
You are asking about Natalila. I have met her many times. She is a confident, strong-willed and independent girl. We all like to call her the 'Iron Princess'. She has a very strong belief in right and wrong and is always ready. Defending them at the edge of the sword, because this strong princess believes that rulers like her father simply cannot take care of ordinary people, she..."
"Get to the point! "Brian reminded a little impatiently.
From below came the neighing of the horses being pushed onto the ferry, the sound of horse hoofs trampling on the wooden boards, the screams and commotion of the crowd, and the splash of the fallen carriage. There was the sound of splashing water, and the mooing of cows with their heads out of the water.
Brian saw crates and bales of hay floating on the river hitting the hull of the ferry and moving away with the current. There were only shouts and curses around, and a dust cloud rose from the valley in the distance, and there was a clear howl of wolves, which sounded more like the orcs' warg cavalry was about to chase them.
"It can be seen that you must also be a suitor of the princess. This is understandable. After all, the number of people pursuing the princess is as many as the number of times she swings her sword." The poet continued, "She is a charming girl, tall and tall. Okay, swinging the sword is like dancing..."
Brian's magic made the poet shut his mouth in time, and almost bit his tongue. He broke out in a cold sweat and quickly began to rearrange his words. language.
"May the gods have mercy. In the Forest of Kings, an ancient green dragon attacked the princess's army." The poet said sadly in Brian's unkind eyes:
"Hiding The orc army in the forest dispersed the army again. Gods are merciful. I really can't guarantee that she will survive the dragon's breath. If she is really alive, she must be hiding in the forest near Dao Tan Town. ."
"Thank you for the message, poet."
Knowing that Hesiah was likely to be near Daotan Town, Brian glanced at him gratefully. He raised his hand holding the reins and said to the poet, "Now, it's time for me to fulfill my promise. I will Send you across the river."
"Wait a minute!" The poet interrupted Brian's move to perform magic, and his expression suddenly became serious.
"Master Wizard, haven't you seen it? This is a unique war. Wherever the orc army goes, there are only wastelands and corpses, and corpses everywhere. This is a war solely for killing. The cruelty of the battle..."
"Are you kidding me? What kind of war is not cruel?" Brian looked down at the bard.
"This is nothing to exaggerate. From the birth of the world, war has been about killing, looting, arson and rape, and it has been so until today. This is the tradition of war. From the birth of the world, once When a war breaks out, farmers will hide in the forest with their families and whatever belongings they can take, and then return home when the conflict is over..."
"But this war is different, Lord Wizard. After this war, no one can go home. They are homeless. The orcs will only leave rubble. Their army is rolling forward like lava, and no one can escape. Gallows and pyres are scattered along the roadside, and the sky is cut into pieces by pillars of smoke as long as the horizon. You have to understand that the orcs are crossing the Stormhorn Mountains to completely destroy the entire kingdom."
"This is ridiculous. . What good will it do to them to destroy the kingdom? The purpose of war is not to destroy. There are only two reasons for war: first, power, and second, even the orcs understand this."
"Don't do it anymore. Great truth, Lord Wizard! Didn't you hear what I said? Why don't you understand? Believe me, Gray Oak River can't stop the orcs from advancing. Build the bridge and keep pushing forward. No one can escape by then."
"It seems that fear has made the poet lose his mind."
Brian looked at him meaningfully." Is the purpose of your nonsense so that I can help these fleeing people safely escape the Gray Oak River?”
"Aren't you willing to lend a helping hand to them?" The poet looked at him and prayed: "For you, this is just a piece of cake."
Wolves howled one after another deep in the forest, Foreshadowing that the orc wolf cavalry was approaching quickly, fear instantly filled the entire dock like a dark cloud.
"Come one by one!"
The knight with a bandage on his head rode into the group and shouted: "In order, you sons of bitches! You can only get on one at a time. !”
“Give me a reason to save them.” Brian said coldly.
"We are Cormyrs, and we will stand proudly on this land until the day we die, Lord Wizard." The poet's slender fingers played a tragic melody on the harp, and his voice was sweet and pure. , even in the noisy crowd filled with fear, it still reached Brian's ears clearly.
“Because no matter which king the order comes from, we are still the warriors of Cormyr, and we will still fight for the kingdom of Cormyr, Your Majesty the Wizard.
——“Psychic Advanced Ghost Craftsmanship ! "
Brian waved his hand, and thick trees rose up from the ground along the dock.
Under the control of mysterious energy, these trees turned into a tree at a speed visible to the naked eye. Brand new rafts are suspended on the river bank.
"What are you still doing?" the knight with a bandage on his head yelled, "country bumpkins! Why don't you run up and paddle to the other side!"
In an instant, the fleeing crowd swarmed towards the raft. The water surface splashed with turbulent waves, and there were countless unlucky people who fell into the water. They struggled in the water and approached the raft.
Without looking back, Brian turned the horse's head and rushed towards the dusty forest to the north.
Fireballs exploded.
The screams of the pursuing orcs and wolf cavalry sounded one after another, and the crowd heading towards the other side looked at the exploding fire, and the long-lost cheers finally appeared on their haggard faces.
"May the goddess of luck favor you!"
The half-elf bard Elend Windfall stood on the raft, staring at Brian's disappearing back, and whispered: "I didn't expect that we would do this in this way. We meet again, Mage Lord of Mokou Town, you impress me as always..."
At dawn on the seventh day.
It started to rain. Unlike the violent storm yesterday, the sky just turned leaden gray, and then raindrops fell.
Brian rode eastward, quietly passing through the forest paths like a ghost.
He did not choose to fly. Not wanting to become a target for the enemy was only one of the reasons. Even so, even he himself did not remember how many orcs, ogres, goblins, gnolls and many other cruel forest encounters he had killed through magic. who.
And walking on horseback will allow him to track down a lot of useful information through the traces left by the forest trails.
He passed villages engulfed in flames, passed billowing darkness and red rubble, passed villages and settlements that were filled with the pungent smell of rain-soaked carbon ash and had long been reduced to scorched earth.
His appearance scared away the crows feasting on the corpse.
He also saved groups of farmers from being chased by a group of gnolls.
They had just escaped war and fire, were confused, exhausted physically and mentally, and responded to any question with fearful and confused eyes. The misfortune and panic even made them lose the ability to organize words.
Brian continued to ride eastward, in the forest kingdom, passing through the flames and thick smoke, through the drizzle and fog, the picture of the war unfolded before his eyes, and he was overwhelmed by all the tragedies.
In the ruins of a burned-out village, a black pillar stands.
A naked corpse hung head down on a pillar. Blood flowed from the bloody abdomen to the chest and face of the corpse. The blood-congealed hair hung down like icicles.
Not far away, there was a gray horse wrapped in a black horse clothing, staggering on the edge of the battlefield, wandering among the piles of corpses and broken spears embedded in the soil, neighing pitifully and dragging holding the intestines hanging from the abdominal wound.
Brian used magic that didn't cause any pain to help it end its pain.
A girl was lying near the burned farmyard, her limbs spread out, her naked body dripping with blood, and her dull eyes staring at the sky.
He unleashed flames that reduced her to ashes with dignity.
Not long after, he passed a tar workshop and Brian vomited out almost everything he had eaten that day.
In that workshop, a group of Purple Dragon Knights were executed.
It was difficult for him to discern the exact size of the group.
Because in this massacre, they used not only bows and arrows, long swords and spears, but also nearby logging tools - axes, planers and cross-cut saws.
He summoned a group of digging badgers and buried them.
In the next two days, he couldn't even walk fifty kilometers.
It rained non-stop, and the earth, which had been dried by the intense heat, absorbed water like a sponge, making the forest trails become muddy and difficult to walk.
The dense mist prevented him from seeing the rising plumes of smoke, but the smell of burning houses reminded him that the orc army was nearby, still setting fire to anything they could.
He didn't find any refugees. It seemed like he was the only one in the forest, at least that's what he thought.
When he arrived at the ruins of Daotan Town, the sound of pious chanting gradually filled the woods.
Brian saw a group of dirty and dirty refugees appearing at the source of the sound.
The leaders all have big beards and wear coarse robes. Some are barefoot and some wear casual shoes. On their chests, they wear holy symbols with pale hands tied with red ropes.
Behind them walked about sixty ragged men, women, and children, as well as a large spotted sow, a few sheep, a few men carrying axes, and many more carrying rough wooden clubs.
Among them was a two-wheeled trailer made of gray scrap wood, which was piled high with skulls and scattered broken bones.
Seeing Brian, they all stopped and the singing gradually died down.
"Dear Wizard." One of them said: "May the mercy of the God of Suffering protect you."
"Ilmat also protects you, friends."
Brian turned over and dismounted, replied with a respectful expression, and asked: "I would like to ask where the Iron Princess of the Kingdom of Cormyr went with her troops."
El, the God of Suffering Matt.
A god who holds the priesthood of endurance, suffering, martyrdom and perseverance.
This is a lawful good god, who is also known as the 'God of Weeping'.
His followers include the disabled, the oppressed, the poor, monks, paladins, slaves and serfs, and the lowest and most humble people.
Although many people misunderstand the teachings of the 'Crying God', and some even mock his teachings, his church has many staunch followers throughout the main material world.
In this cruel and realistic world, many victims, patients, and poor people rely on the aid of the Ilmat Church to survive.
People in many areas respect the Church of the Weeping God, and its pastors often receive a lot of generous assistance when practicing medicine for free everywhere.
Some people cannot understand why there are people in the world who would willingly endure torture, so they often misunderstand the Ilmat Church.
Those who despise the weak probably think that the followers of the Weeping God are a group of hopeless weaklings.
However, it is obvious that these tyrants and scoundrels underestimated these kind believers.
Because the God of Weeping seems to have a very gentle personality, but when He is angry, He will also show an extremely violent and cruel side.
Especially for the evil ones, He cares deeply about all children and young lives in the world, and attacks those who dare to harm those He protects.
It can be seen from the fact that this group of priests are wandering here that their strength is by no means as simple as it seems on the surface.
"Your Majesty the Wizard, the Princess Natalila you are looking for traveled with us two days ago." The priest who spoke had a lean and angular face, with a short, sparse beard of grey-brown. Her hair was combed back and tied into a knot, and her bare black feet were as hard and rough as tree roots.
"When she saw a purple dragon falling in the town of Skull Rock in the Stormhorn Mountains, she led her followers and rushed over. May the God of Suffering protect the strong Iron Princess of the Kingdom of Cormyr."
"Your Excellency, Wizard, Ilmat has seen the suffering you are enduring for others. Please remember that no matter what kind of pain and danger you suffer, you must adhere to the correct principles without wavering."
The priest of the God of Suffering held the Holy Emblem and said with a pious expression: "Because the mercy and compassion of our Lord will provide you with the courage and strength to carry on."
"Thank you for your blessing, thank you for your suffering. God gave me the courage.”
Brian returned a salute to the priest with a sincere and respectful expression, then dropped his mount, used the flying technique, and flew high into the sky.
After he locked onto the Skull Rock Town on the edge of the Stormhorn Mountains, he immediately opened the protective shield and flew over as fast as possible.
(End of this chapter)