The Amber Sword

v3c359
Requiem(9)

The hills to the north of Ampere Seale connected the gently sloping terrain around the bay with large pine forests on rolling hillsides and densely packed woodland. The woodland edged downward and the view from the slope was extremely wide. If you looked towards the huge and dusky harbor today, you would see a scorched piece of land, with three huge portals standing on it like three great golden rings of fire.

Peering through the portals, you could see a world of flowing lava. To be precise, that was the Sulfur River beneath Jorgendy Ridge, in which some legends believed that it was connected to the Scorched Prison of the Fire Elemental Plane.

Numerous devils swarmed around the portal, including red-skinned imps and the more fearsome Longhorn Devils. These low-level devils of lesser status and intelligence fought each other by the portal while tearing at the human limbs in a sickening fashion.

Then Brendel also saw hundreds of Hellhounds resting on the side of the hill, led by a couple of Hellhound leaders with three heads. There were also several Devil Warlocks by the portal with reddish-purple skin that looked almost like humans except for the long horns on their heads. These more cunning and higher-ranked devils were watching with interest as the lower-ranked devils fought each other.

Such a fight would often turn into a bloodbath and sometimes, one side would brutally kill the other. However, that wasn’t something uncommon among the devils. On the contrary, it was a sight that they were used to.

They were a bunch of chaotic and twisted devils after all.

Brendel, wearing the cloak handed to him by the princess, hid in the bushes and calmly observed it all. He was the only one who didn’t need Brass Binoculars to see the whole port of Ampere Seale very clearly turning into hell.

“So, are you willing?”

“Yes, I would very much like to. Lord Archbishop, Mr. Brendel, thank you very much for choosing me!” The expression on Dilferi’s face was not fake in the slightest and Brendel knew that the young lady was so naive that she would be able to fake it either.

Still, is this something to be happy about? Brendel couldn’t help but be slightly puzzled, wondering if the lady had been brainwashed with the idea of chivalry, like Eikkel.

Looking at the Countess’ wistful blush, he was too embarrassed to continue undermining her self-confidence. He turned his gaze to see Garlock and Ciel talking at the side.

“You’re Ciel of the Peloche family?” Garlock didn’t seem the least bit worried about what was going to happen next. Rather, he looked nonchalant as he asked this.

“Exactly,” Ciel replied nonchalantly as well.

“Genius of the Highlanders, I’ve heard of you, but it is a pity that you’re a Highland Wizard. I would have had you as my apprentice otherwise. Unfortunately, Aouine people don’t get to choose their own destiny.” Garlock said softly.

“It’s all in the past now, and I’m no longer that Ciel. I am dead, but I now have a new life,” Ciel replied and smiled slightly. “Besides, the Aoine people may not necessarily be unable to choose their own destiny.”

“Is that so? I heard that you did end up back in the mountains of Alkash, what did you see there? What exactly did the Lord Marshal end up seeing back then?”

Ciel smiled. “That doesn’t matter, does it?”

“Indeed.” Garlock seemed to have thought of something. He froze for a moment, before nodding slowly. Hearing their conversation, Wood frowned slightly as he turned back to Brendel.

“Brendel, I’ve gathered all the men you asked for, except for Mr. Nigel, who unfortunately has been killed in battle,” Wood replied.

Really? Brendel was slightly startled. He didn’t expect the famous Unshakeable Sword to die here. History said that the old general would only fall after the Second War of The Black Roses.

It was only at this moment that he deeply felt the change in history. He looked at the two remaining Paladins and was about to nod, but it was at this time that a voice came from the other side of the crystal.

“Since the Unshakeable Sword is dead, then as a soldier from the same era as him, I will be the one to take over his task, right?”

It was a loud, old voice that said that, and then a tall figure pushed open the door. “What do you think, Archbishop?”

Wood looked up, surprised to see the former leader of the White Lion Legion, but the old man had removed the White Lion’s armor and was merely wearing an ordinary uniform.

“Captain Leider?”

“As I said, I’m no longer the head of the army, Archbishop.”