Whispers of the Gods

Chapter 71 Nalanni IV (1)

"The holy king is not a god, he is just a mortal, but this is just a secret between you and me." She whispered to the girl in front of her.

Nalanni sat on a black oak chair, holding the "Book of the Sun" in her hand.

The book is made of parchment that absorbs water easily, and the pages have swelled somewhat due to the years, making the spine much thicker than the front edge of the book.

The Book of the Sun has thick oak planks front and back, the cover is engraved with images of holy days, and is bound together by flexible string threaded through the strong front and back of the book.

The scribes wrote the contents of the book evenly on the pages of parchment, and printed gold and silver leaf on each page with red clay and colorful tree sap, which shone in the morning sun outside the window.

"But Lord Nalanni," Nakia's gray eyes were full of doubts, "if the sage is not a god, then why does he still have so many magical abilities? He is always young and handsome, and neither fire nor ice can harm him." Inflicts harm, his words soothe anger, his touch heals all ailments..."

Nakia wore a loose, unadorned white linen gown held by woolen cords.She was sitting on the bed, with her feet hanging in mid-air and moving from side to side.

Nalanni cut her black hair to a length of about two inches, no different from that of a farmer's boy.

"What did I tell you before?" Nalanni closed the book and asked lightly.

"Never trust them." Nakia tried hard to recall with her immature voice.

"That's right, never trust them." Nalanni nodded, "Whether it's what they said or what was written in the book, you have to keep them firmly in your head, but absolutely don't believe them."

"Why?" the girl asked.

"Because this is how we survive." Nalanni replied gently but firmly, "You need to learn to bury your true feelings deep, learn to lie, and learn to pretend to obey... because only by doing this, can you survive in this place." Survive in an empire ruled by the Holy Sun."

"Is that why you are also a member of them?" Nakia's face was full of grievances, "Because of survival?"

Nakia's naive question made Nalanni feel ashamed and uneasy.

Because of her so-called way of survival, she ordered Ragnol to execute the girl's father, making her an orphan like herself.

"It's not just for survival," Nalanni hid all her apologies in her heart, "I will completely disintegrate this empire."

The girl couldn't understand the weight and significance of it, she just hung her head in frustration.

"Are you still having the same nightmare?" Nalanni asked with concern.

Nakia nodded silently.

"It's not going to go away, kid."

"Sadness, remorse, anger, they don't fade with time," Nalanni said.

I still have frequent dreams of spring 21 years ago, of being dragged from my parents' arms by knights.

Days, weeks, months, years passed and I wished that would be the last time I would be sad, but it didn't stop, it never ended.

Every night, I cry weakly into my pillow, tears streaming down my cheeks, choking in pain.

But I try my best to suppress my voice, I don't want my enemies to hear my vulnerability.

I ask the gods all the time, when will this all end?
Why did these painful things happen to me, why did my family suffer from these misfortunes?
But gradually, I started to stop asking myself why, and instead asked how, how can I stop the brutality of this hypocritical holy empire.

The Book of the Sun was edited by the so-called holy men of the church who praised forgiveness, but many people did not deserve mercy. "

After all, Nalanni shook her head, what was she talking about with a little girl?

"I just want you to remember, Naqiya, from now on you will not be hurt again, because I will always protect you." Nalanni promised.

"Master Knight Commander," there was a banging sound on the door, and it was Ragnol's voice, "The other adults are all ready, and they are all waiting for you."

"I see," Nalanni agreed, "Let them wait, I'll be right there."

These people really have no patience at all. Blood Vow Castle has waited for them for 15 years, and it doesn't matter if they wait a moment longer.

"Today Pastor Farrell will teach you how to write Hastza," Nalanni stood up and touched Nakia's forehead, "Learn everything they teach you, arm yourself with knowledge and force, but always Remember what I said."

"Friko etom ri tita," the girl murmured.

"Friko etom ri tita. Never trust them," Narani repeated.

Nalanni lifted her sheathed long sword hanging on the stone wall, raised the latch with her right hand and pushed open the door. Ragnor was waiting outside.

He wore white soft armor with a layer of chain mail over it.His face was black and shiny, and his large brown eyes stalked the room behind her offensively.

"Ragnor." Nalanni stood in front of him.

"Master Knight Commander." Ragueno hurriedly bowed.

"Let's go."

Nalanni closed the wooden door and left the room. She and Ragno walked through the slate corridor. The Harmon Fort was crowded with people, and the air turned into an even more unpleasant smell of sweat.

As she walked across the training grounds, a soldier of the Knights of Prophecy was adjusting his equipment. He was wearing chain mail and a visor nose helmet, looking down to check that the iron buckles covered every part of his upper body. .

Everyone was preparing for the battle that was about to begin, but Narani hadn't put on any armor yet.She wears a red tunic over a silver silk cloak.

The war with Solman Salas' rebel army has lasted for 15 years, and this is also the tenth year she has predicted the Knights. She has long lost her sense of novelty, and this large-scale attack will most likely come to a stalemate .

The emaciated slave, wearing only a pair of battered shorts, was replenishing hay for the warhorses in the stables, his skin reddened and dry with rough, scaly patches.

The slave lowered his head and tried his best to avoid Nalanni's gaze, while the white war horse beside him was wearing gorgeous horse clothes.

The linen jacket under the saddle was red and black with rhombus patterns, and Nalanni couldn't help sighing that the horses of the Holy Empire were better dressed than humans.

She walked to the Kalin Tower between the armory and the kitchen. The granite brick tower had five floors, the upper four floors were suites for guests, and the first floor was the living room.

In the living room, several knights, including Weigel, were discussing around the round oak table with a map. Nalanni's arrival made them stop temporarily.

(End of this chapter)