Chapter 253 Dragon’s Sorrow
The next morning.
A flag appeared on the cliff platform not far away. The pattern on it was a unicorn's head, which was the emblem of the forest goddess Melikai.
On this winding mountain road, there are still traces of the fighting in recent days.
The corpse of the orc was discarded deep in the mountain abyss. At this time, a group of jackals and wild dogs were eating the corpse. The carrion birds were all over the branches. When they heard the sound coming from the mountain, these beasts raised their heads. Look over.
Brian led Hesiah, as well as a dozen purple dragon knights and war mages who survived by chance, and gradually walked towards the flag of the goddess Melikai.
These wounded people, including Hesiah, returned to Mokou Town through teleportation spells when he rescued them, bringing them effective healing potions.
After a night's rest, everyone recovered very well except for the one who was missing an arm and a leg.
The flag of the Forest Goddess is placed on a stone platform built out of stacked rocks.
When they approached the fifty-meter range of the flag, a mountain man stood on the platform, a warrior of the Goliath race.
This ethnic group of stone held a simple horn and blew a powerful horn sound, and the mountains responded.
This is not a declaration of war or a warning, but a welcome.
On the winding path leading to the cliff platform, there are also a group of Goliaths standing at random. The leader is nearly three meters tall and has gray skin with strange dark markings.
Goliath shamans say that these markings hint at a Goliath's fate.
Because the patterns on their skin have special cultural significance, Goliaths always wear as little clothing as possible so that their patterns can be seen by everyone.
For the same reason that few Goliaths get tattoos, drawing on the skin is the equivalent of trying to change one's destiny.
The male Goliath here has no hair, while the female has braids.
Their eyes are usually a kind blue or green, and appear to sparkle beneath those high eyebrows.
"Sir Brian!"
The leading Goliath warrior strode over, half-crouched down, and hugged Brian fiercely. The gap between their bodies was as big as An adult holds a child.
The Goliath race's torso is wrapped in stony skin, and its neck, shoulders and arms are dotted with pebble-like hard lumps composed of coin-sized bones and skin.
Therefore, at this moment, Brian was being held in Goliath's arms, and he really couldn't say he felt that good. It felt like he was trapped in a massage chair that was all made of stone.
But he knew that this was a way for the mountain people to express their enthusiasm, and he did not show any disgust on his face.
After Goliath leader let go of Brian, he looked at him, his words and expressions were full of gratitude, "My most respected friend, thank you, it was you who killed the soul of the Shadow Wolf tribe. Manhogg and the clan leader Arugao allowed the orc army to retreat without a fight, and our tribe was able to get out of trouble."
This leader has a prominent brow bone, a broad jaw, and lumps scattered on his head. Wearing gold-plated earrings, there are two earth-yellow gemstones inlaid in the gaps between the pebble-like muscles on both sides of the chest.
"Even if I don't come, you will take that road, Lord Vermac." Brian smiled slightly and said with a humble expression, "You will accept the gift from your ancestors and use your own power to drive away the orc army."
When he learned from the believers of Ilmat that Hesiah was likely to come to the town of Skull Rock where the Goliath race lived, he immediately rushed over through flying magic.
When we arrived at Skull Rock Town, we happened to encounter the Shadow Wolf tribe of orcs, launching a fierce attack on the town from another direction.
In this case, he naturally turned the situation around for the mountain tribe by firing two nine-ring "Meteor Explosions". He also learned from the civilians who had fled here that the Iron Princess was acting as a rear guard to cover the arrival of the civilians. Take refuge here.
I have to say that Skull Rock Town, located in the Stormhorn Mountains, is indeed a good place to take refuge.
The terrain is steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack. It can be said that one man can guard the gate and ten thousand men cannot open it.
The most important thing is that among this group of Goliaths who believe in the forest goddess, there is also a legendary shaman who lives in seclusion.
The power of the shaman comes from nature, also known as the natural force.
They do not need to delve into spells like wizards, nor do they need to rely on blood like warlocks, similar to druids.
The spirits of nature empower them, allowing them to see themselves as representatives of the spirits of nature rather than as followers of a certain deity.
Otherwise, this small town with a population of about 2,000 would have been captured by the orcs immediately.
But Goliath is not warlike, and the relationship with the Kingdom of Cormyr is only mutual trade.
Even under pressure from a powerful enemy, they are more likely to pack up and head to a safer place rather than stay and wait.
Of course, this is not to say that Goliaths are cowards, but that they regard every Goliath who falls in the battle as a teammate lost forever, and they are deeply aware of the failure of the battle. , how it would make life more difficult for the surviving members of the tribe.
The fundamental reason why the orcs suddenly regarded the reclusive Goliaths as an attack target was that all the refugees and kings of Cormyr were hiding here.
"Come, follow me into the tribe." Goliath leader Vermac laughed heartily, "I want to welcome you with the warmest ceremony."
"I'm very sorry, I appreciate your kindness." Brian glanced at Hesiah, who was standing quietly beside him, and said in a slightly deep voice, "I want to meet our king first."
Weimak realized something in an instant and hurriedly closed it. With a smile on his face, he nodded to the Purple Dragon Knight and War Mage behind him with an apologetic look, and then led them towards Skull Rock Town.
Brian shook Hesiah's hand and gave her a comforting look.
Hisaya shook his head slightly and smiled reluctantly at him. The strength revealed in those silver-gray eyes made him feel pity in his heart.
Brian and others followed Vermark to a stone house on the edge of the cliff.
This stone house is quite special. The surface is engraved with dark patterns similar to those on the skin of the Goliath race. They seem to be runes and the like, with a faint aura of divine energy.
This is the priest's rune.
Brian guessed the origin of the pattern because it involved a variant of the priest profession - Rune Priest.
He did not dwell too much on this issue. After nodding his regards to the two purple dragon knights guarding the door, he asked the others to wait where they were and walked in with Hesiah.
The fires burned brightly in the fireplaces at two symmetrical positions in the stone house, filling the room with a gloomy red light. It was also filled with the smell of smoke, blood, and the smell of death.
A pale purple dragon knight stood in front of the bed, looking restless.
Another old man dressed as a priest was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand attached to the bed flashing with light green divine energy.
Brian saw the feet of King Arzen V of Cormyr stretched out of the blanket and wearing boots. A purple tabard was thrown to the ground with burn marks on it, and Brownish dirt.
In a trance, he seemed to see magic boiling from the black, sticky blood and then disappear.
Brian knew that this was not an illusion.
Hisaya's hand slipped from his palm, and the old purple dragon knight and priest made way for her.
She knelt in front of the bed, carefully stretched out her hand, and touched the king's pale face, while her other hand tightly held the sword he had dropped on the ground.
"Father?" she asked softly with a slightly trembling voice.
For a moment, the king of Cormyr seemed not to hear it at all, but he seemed to hear it.
He turned his head very slowly, as if he was in a dream, looking blankly at the gray ceiling, with a bitter, or regretful, smile on his lips.
Just as Hesiah was about to speak, the king spoke, and he said slowly, "You are here? My bravest daughter, my little Natalila, my Iron Princess, I have always I'm praying that you can escape the clutches of the dragon and survive."
"Father..." Hesiah said softly, "I am still alive...and you are also alive. You killed the dragon. "
"Lauralei Aravala is not a dragon, I can feel that she has just been sad for too long..."
The king whispered, "So deep... ... So fierce... Her love is as strong as any Obaiszil, just as strong as when I lost your mother and sister ten years ago, but for us Cormyr, the price is too heavy... ”
Before he finished speaking, a painful expression appeared on his pale face.
"Father, do you still feel pain?" Hesiah asked sadly.
At this time, the priest on the side immediately chanted obscure magical incantations, and carefully placed his withered hands on the king's throat, forehead and palms to relieve his pain.
Hisiah made room for the priest. Under the careful hands of the priest, the king murmured incomprehensible words.
A purple flame flashed across the king's body and then disappeared.
Meanwhile, the king twitched, gasped in agony, and closed his eyes.
"What have you done, Master Oden?" Hesiah suddenly turned around, looked at the priest, and asked.
When the priest faced her angry gaze, his old face remained as calm as ever. He said slowly:
"This is the best treatment I can do, Your Highness Princess. . Your Majesty used the Purple Dragon Sword to seal the soul of the evil dragon, and the evil dragon cursed Your Majesty with its own blood before it died. We must rescue Your Majesty from the blood of this evil dragon, but I don’t know why. , the blood of the evil dragon actually has the effect of distorting magic... or even worse."
"What's worse?" Xisaiya asked eagerly.
In order not to let the king hear, the priest deliberately lowered his voice to the level of a whisper, "The curse of the dragon's blood will burn your majesty's flesh and blood until only bones are left."
Hisaya read it Looking at the unconscious king, he stood up suddenly and rushed to Brian's side, looking at him with pleading eyes.
She was about to speak, but was interrupted by Brian.
Brian sighed, shook her hand, and said softly, "I'll give it a try."
In fact, when he learned the specific situation of the king from the priest, , have realized that any attempt is doomed to be in vain.
When he came to the bed, the priest gave him a suspicious look and made way for him.
When he touched the blood seeping out of the blanket, he felt a sting.
No, but a slight burning pain.
Brian frowned. For the first time in his life, he felt that his request to others was so powerless.
He could feel the blood in the king's body, all stained with the curse of the dragon's blood.
This blood has even penetrated into the soul, and it is obviously impossible to save the king's life.
Brian shook his head slightly and said in a tactful tone, "Carry him outside, so that he can overlook the Kingdom of Cormyr that he saved with his life on the cliff."
< br>After saying this, he stood up and in time helped Hesiah, who was almost unsteady, and let her lean into his arms.
A long, trembling sigh came out of her mouth, and she shivered unconsciously as if a chill rushed through her body.
In the end, Hesiah nodded with difficulty, raised his head and showed a bitter smile to Brian.
He felt reassured that she didn't blame him.
She left his arms, stood in front of the bed, and said firmly to the white-haired Purple Dragon Knight, "Do as he says."
King Ya of Cormyr Zen V was lying on a creaking bed. The Purple Dragon Knights carefully placed him on a shield wrapped in a blanket and carried him outside the stone house.
While walking, the king showed a painful expression.
Wisps of strange purple smoke rose from the cracks in his armor.
The once bright armor was destroyed in the dragon's rage, and the purple cloak with the dragon embroidered underneath him was soaked in black blood.
When the king turned his head, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes, brightened by pain, kept staring at Brian's face, as if he didn't see everything around him.
But he seemed to see something else, so the king's eyes became sharp again, and the corners of his mouth twisted, looking like a cynical smile, or maybe just because of pain.
"It seems that I am still alive for the time being." He sighed and said an inexplicable word to Brian.
Brian nodded to the king, not knowing how to answer.
"Your Majesty!"
After walking out of the stone house, the Purple Dragon Knights and Battle Mages of Skull Rock Town lined up in two rows, all paying tribute to their king.
They no longer wore helmets and became a group of worried rough men, wearing scarred and tattered armor, with sweaty hair sticking to their faces or stained with blood.
The king was carefully placed on the edge of the cliff of Skull Rock Town. He suddenly struggled to sit up. His violent movements awakened the blood of the evil dragon that was devouring him.
A small fireball transformed from blood sprang up from his limbs, rose to the top of his head, and exploded into wisps of smoke that drifted in the wind.
When the king propped himself up on one elbow, the shoulder pads were like leaves burning in a fire, curling and turning black at a speed visible to the naked eye, falling off his shoulders and releasing smoke.
The king ignored the fallen armor. He stood up straight and stared at Brian with his painful and bright eyes.
"Lord Mage of Mokou Town, I didn't expect that we would be able to meet again in this form." He took a deep breath, and the pain of trembling and spasming shoulders did not weaken his voice in the slightest. "I want to know about the situation of Suzal and the queen, and I beg you to fulfill my last wish."
Brian nodded slowly.
At this moment, the imperial capital of Susar, with the help of the magic dragon, has been besieged by the army led by the orcs' spiritual leader, the Great Sage. If the king had not lured the magic dragon out, it would have been breached long ago.
Perhaps in this case, only he can reach Susar City through teleportation spells and find out the specific situation inside. He looked at Hesiah beside him.
Xiseya immediately took out a silver bracelet engraved with a dragon pattern and whispered to him:
“This bracelet allows you to teleport directly through teleportation spells. Go to the Royal Mage Sandra Cote in the city of Suzal, but you will not be allowed to return."
"I know." Brian nodded slightly and said to her, "I'll be right back."
In the teleportation light of the magic circle, he disappeared into Skull Rock Town.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a bedroom. The bright room was filled with the fragrance of lavender and the faint smell of blood.
A young woman lay on the bed, her face pale and lifeless.
Beside her, in addition to an old man dressed as a noble, there were also royal mage Sandra Cote, and...Kalena, the priest of the Church of the Mother Earth.
"Brian, why are you here?" Karina quickly came over and asked.
The female pastor’s eyes were red and she had obviously just cried.
Brian did not answer her question, but stood there and thought for a moment, and immediately understood who the two strangers who appeared in front of him were.
The old man dressed as a noble should be Fefaril, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Cormyr. As for the young woman lying on the bed, there is no doubt that she must be the queen.
It’s easy to guess why Kalena appears here.
Fefaril was supposed to be her father, and her sister the queen.
After all, he had already guessed that the identity of this female priest was extraordinary, but he was just too lazy to ask.
As for Sandra Korte, he has learned from Hesaya that this legendary wizard shoulders the important task of protecting the city of Susar.
Even so, the current situation is precarious for Susar City.
"Queen Tesili." Brian went beyond the opening remarks, sorted out his words, and said seriously:
"Your Yazen is dying. I can see that I can't expect you to recover. The magic in his body has been torturing him and making him very dangerous. But when he finally regained consciousness, His Majesty said to me , how precious your love for him is, and gave you his last greetings. He also ordered me to find out the fate of the child and tell him."
"The Mage Lord of Mokou Town." A clear, cold voice came over, and the speaker was the queen's father, Fefaril, the prime minister of the kingdom.
“My eldest daughter is just like Your Majesty. She is brave and fearless. In order to save the Kingdom of Cormyr and the child in her belly, after giving birth to the child, she sacrificed her life and killed The possessed evil spirit. She is a qualified queen and a qualified mother."
"This is the sixth evil spirit of Cormyr."
Royal Mage Sang. Delacorte sighed, "This belongs to the magical curse of the Cormyr royal family. Since the establishment of the kingdom, no one can escape this disaster."
"Gods have mercy, and there is one last one..." he whispered tiredly.
"The gods are merciful, kind-hearted mage lord." With the support of Kalina, the queen sat up from the bed and said weakly:
"Please tell your majesty, I The child is still alive, a boy, another Yazen of Cormyr. I beg you, if your wisdom allows these words of ours to remain secret, do not burden his heart with the news of my impending death. "
Queen Tesili's voice trembled, almost sobbing, but after a while, she became firm again and made up her mind, "Please tell him how much I love him. Farewell, my Ya. Zayn, when our bodies cannot bear it, our love will last forever."
Her voice paused for a moment and whispered, "If you can, can you take my child to see him. ?”
"I'm very sorry, Queen Tesili."
Brian said apologetically, "He was only a few days old and too weak. I dare not try. Even if there is only a one percent chance, I I can't guarantee that he can pass through the magic flow safely. You know, I can't bear this responsibility. If the magic gets out of control..."
"I understand," Queen Tesili whispered. Said, "Gods above, bless my child...let my Yazen depart safely."
Brian nodded to everyone, waved his hand tiredly, cast a teleportation spell, and disappeared in Su Sal city.
When Brian returned to Skull Rock Town, many people appeared out of thin air, and they confronted the Purple Dragon Knights and War Mages.
His expression changed, and he immediately rushed over and came to Hesiah's side.
This is a group of priests and temple knights from Susar City.
It can be seen from the emblems they wear that they are Lathander, the Lord of the Morning, Tom, the God of Truth, the priests of Tymora, the Goddess of Luck, and... Mara, the God of Hunting. The hunter.
He judged from the teleportation energy remaining in the air that this group of priests arrived here through teleportation magic.
Brian glanced behind him. New flames and light burst out around the king's body. He was twitching in pain on the shield bed, and the curse of the dragon's blood was still in effect.
"Get out of the way!"
The high priest of Mara, the god of hunting, roared: "We arrived here when Cormyr needed to heal the king most. If we don't get out of the way, the vultures will come soon. "
"This is not a matter of direct healing." Brian held Hesiah's hand and motioned her not to be impulsive. He stood on his own side and warned the clergy:
"Everyone, I'm afraid there is nothing you can do here. The only thing we can do now is to let the king of Cormyr die with the dignity he earned with his life."
Purple Dragon Knight and War The mages stood beside Brian, blocking the only way to prevent the group of priests from approaching.
The priest of Lathander, Lord of the Dawn, looked at Hesiah suspiciously and whispered: "Isn't the king unwilling to heal himself? Is this betrayal?"
The Hunting of Mara, the God of Hunting The person raised a hand, which was covered with a furry gauntlet. The fingers of the gauntlet had big cat claws on the tips, and the outside was covered with the bone hooks of wild beasts.
He pointed at Brian, with a sneer on his face.
"In this matter, wizard, you have no right to speak. You are just an ignorant, meddling courtier. Stand back, put away your little spells, and you have to believe in the sanctity of Mara Power will heal your king. As always, it will always."
At this time, a bright light appeared in the sky behind the hunter.
Several clerics turned around quickly out of fear, their faces tense.
The light of the teleportation circle outlines the outline of a person, and then quickly turns into flickering sparks.
A middle-aged man with a resolute face appeared in everyone's sight.
He was not wearing a helmet, his rough face was weathered, his muscles were rugged and his shoulders were broad. It seemed that he had not trimmed his beard for many days. The black beard had covered the outline of his face, and his green eyes were hidden in the wrinkles. Under the eyebrows.
The only flaw is that his full body armor and the purple cloak hanging behind him are covered with varying degrees of battle wear and tear.
At the same time, Brian also noticed that the dark red spiked iron glove he wore on his left hand was engraved with the emblem of a hot silver sword.
Oglas, the war lord of Tempus, the god of war, and the supreme leader of the Purple Dragon Knights of the Kingdom of Cormyr.
"Let him try it, Mage Lord." The War Lord said calmly: "I assure you, he will not dare to make a mistake."
"It can be seen that the king has suffered The curse of the evil dragon's blood." Mara's hunter said, "I am a believer in the Lord of Blood, and I have a way to contact his curse."
Brian was persuaded and talked with Xisay. Together with Ya, make way for the hunters of the God of Hunting.
Mara, the god of hunting, is a god of the chaotic evil camp. The reason why he appears here is said to be related to the orcs destroying their hunting temple hidden in the Stormhorn Mountains.
Obviously, their hunting targets did not exclude the orc tribe.
Mara’s hunter walked over, knelt on the ground, raised his scarred face, raised his hands, and shouted:
“Oh, Mara, the god of hunting , great lord of blood, master of all hunts, as this brave king hunts the dragon, grant me your true favor in this kingdom's hour of greatest need! The flexibility, the endurance of the white bear, and the wisdom of the night owl flow in my body. When this brave king needs help, let me touch him!"
A touch of divine brilliance emerged.
Mara's hunter shot up white flames from his hands, and the flames spread to the shield bed, creating a divine wave that suspended the king's body in mid-air.
Just when Brian thought he could really save the king, a phantom of a purple dragon suddenly shot out from the fading flames, roaring towards the hunter.
Mara's hunter looked startled, and was hit in the chest by the dragon's shadow. His whole body flew backwards, and his head hit hard on the chest of the priest of Lathander, Lord of the Dawn. Both fell to the ground.
When the hunter was helped up, his face was deathly gray, a trace of fear appeared in his originally ferocious eyes, his teeth kept chattering, and his legs could not even maintain balance.
"Your concern and loyal service to the king are worthy of appreciation." Brian said to the clergy with a solemn expression:
"Now all step back and be a witness. Your god also wants you to live in the present and pray devoutly. The king will disappear soon. Please don't deprive him of his last moments."
Priesthood The followers hesitated for a moment, and finally all retreated.
Bryan nodded to War Lord Oglath and came to the king with Hesiah.
"My lord," he said, and for a brief moment a hint of sadness came to his voice.
“I obeyed your command, and in doing so, received good news. Queen Tesili gave birth to a son. When the time comes, the new prince of Cormyr will be crowned with a A worthy name ascends the throne ”
He hid the news that the queen was dying.
"Very good." The king gasped, his bright eyes locked deeply on Brian for a long time, and said slowly, "I want my child to ascend the throne, but... yours Wisdom, can you understand what I want to express next?"
"I understand, Your Majesty." Brian looked at Hesiah beside him and nodded slowly.
The king smiled with relief. After a sudden attack of pain, his body sagged and his face turned gray.
The Purple Dragon Knights all ran over and tried to help their king.
He refused anyone's help and struggled to maintain his balance and sit upright.
He looked at Hesiah who was suppressing her sadness, then looked up at the sky, and said to her, "My child, I don't regret doing this. After all, my efforts are meaningful."
He stood up unsteadily and almost fell to the ground several times.
Brian stopped Hesiah who wanted to help him, because he knew that doing so would undoubtedly insult the king who had defeated the dragon.
Just as he thought, the king finally stood firm. He stood on the edge of the cliff of the Stormhorn Mountains and gazed at the territory of the Kingdom of Cormyr for the last time.
He turned around slowly and looked at the faces of the Purple Dragon Knights and Battle Mages. His lips trembled and he showed a smile.
His hand fumbled on the hilt twice, and then with long-practiced skills, he elegantly drew out the Purple Dragon Sword, which symbolized the Kingdom of Cormyr, and raised it.
Even if he noticed that he was shaking like a blade of grass in a strong wind, he showed no sign of it.
“I will not say goodbye!”
Arzen V, the ruler of the Kingdom of Cormyr, said to the people around him: “Because I will be here, in the night wind, Guarding the land I love, wielding cold weapons against her enemies and whispering comfort to her defenders.”
Blue flames flickered across the king's body, then swirled into a deep, billowing purple.
Finally, a ghostly dragon silhouette emerged.
Although it was only a moment, it was long enough. Everyone swore for the rest of their lives that they witnessed the dragon wrapping its claws around the fading Purple Dragon Sword and looking down at them.
When the bright purple flame disappeared as the dragon disappeared, the king also disappeared.
“For the beautiful Kingdom of Cormyr!” In a trance, everyone heard the words echoing on the cliff, “Eternity!”
"I will always love you, father." Iron Princess Hesiah's voice trembled, holding back tears, and leaned into Brian's arms, "Be remembered forever!"
The clouds disappeared, revealing Deep blue clear sky.
The long silence gradually subsided, and the purple dragon knights and battle mages shed tears of sadness.
The priests also faced the direction of the cliff, holding their respective holy symbols and praying silently.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu individuals people people"
The Goliath warrior standing on the top of the cliff played a low and sad trumpet sound to see the king off.
Brian walked with heavy steps to the place where the king disappeared. He picked up the crown that fell on the ground, and then faced everyone.
“The king is dead,” he said.
That was all he could think about, for the queen was dead too, and the new king was a baby less than five days old.
Although the king did not say anything clearly before his death, the words he left to himself meaningfully made him understand what he really wanted to express.
The king worries about scheming nobles seizing the child's paternity to challenge his throne, as well as trouble from Sembia, the Dark Lord Bane, and others hoping to seize Cormyr.
In the days to come, Cormyr will need a strong monarch.
He walked to Hesiah, slowly raised Cormyr's crown, and said to her, "I need to give this to you."
At this time, the queen had already Having passed away, Hesiah is the only suitable candidate to bear the crown.
"To me?" Hesiah's face turned pale. She shook her head and said with a trembling voice, "No, Brian, I'm not..."
"This is your responsibility, and it is also your father's last wish. Hisaya Natalila Obaiszil." Brian said seriously, "I'm afraid you must serve as regent until your brother takes the throne. King.”
…………
(End of this chapter)