Embers of Embers

Chapter 503
All this happened so suddenly, some people were still staring at the brilliant light track above their heads, some were still fighting the monsters crawling out from the bottom of the sea, and some were hiding in the shadow corners and shivering...
The complicated sounds completely destroyed the tranquility of Lonely Sea. Shrike didn't know how many people heard the bell-like gunfire, but what he knew clearly was that he clearly heard the bell, so loud, and in its playing. All the sounds in the world seemed to fade away, and in the end only this lonely echo remained.
Lancelot's face was filled with disbelief. The blood started to spread from his chest and penetrated the entire shirt in an instant. The bullet carried huge kinetic energy and pushed him backwards.
His blood was getting colder and his heart was gradually slowing down. Lancelot had already raised the gun in his hand, but he no longer had the strength to pull the trigger, so he fell down.
A brilliant light trail was reflected in the eyes that gradually expanded, and soon there were bursts of thunder and heavy rain pouring down.
"Lancelot!"
Shrike yelled and rushed towards him. He covered Lancelot's chest and tried to save his life, but it was too late. The silver large-caliber revolver smashed Lancelot's chest. The hole came out, and the heart was shattered in an instant. No matter how much the shrike tried to stop it with his hands, the blood still couldn't stop pouring out. It flowed to the deck and was washed away by the heavy rain, as if it had never existed.
Floki glanced contemptuously at Shrike, who was holding the corpse. His body twitched slightly, as if he was crying.
The silver revolver was raised again, but failed to buckle.
The heavy rain blurred Floki's vision, and the icy cold wind gradually made the hand holding the gun lose consciousness. Perhaps there were also erosion effects and other reasons. He felt that he should get closer and take good aim.
The dark muzzle was pointed at the Shrike, and it slowly approached. At this moment, thunder flashed across and roared.
Almost at the same time, Shrike jumped up on the spot, and his bent knees exploded with incredible force, allowing him to move a short distance. The twitching and crying just now just paralyzed Floki. At the time when Lancelot was shot For a moment, Shrike was thinking about how to fight back.
Shrike wants to kill all these Vikings.
But he was still too slow, the bell rang again, and the bullet easily penetrated Lancelot's body and wounded Shrike's arm.When the Shrike took off, he dragged Lancelot's body with him, using it as a human shield to protect himself.
The sudden torrential rain wet the deck, and the Shrike's landing was very funny. He fell to the ground holding Lancelot's body, and rolled several times. down.
His whole body was soaked, his clothes began to become heavy, and the cold touch was constantly tormenting Shrike's nerves. While dragging the body, Shrike also got Lancelot's gun.
Shrike climbed up in embarrassment, moved quickly, and pointed the gun at Floki according to the impression in his memory, but before he could pull the trigger, the tall figure covered Shrike.
"Floki Wilgdason!"
The Shrike yelled at pulling the trigger. This was a premeditated betrayal. Maybe when the Narwhal arrived in the Viking countries, these lunatics had already targeted him.
Thunder and gunfire overlapped, turning into a deafening roar.
Shrike felt an irresistible force coming from the muzzle of the gun. He was forcefully pulled to one side, and bullets were fired out one after another, disappearing into the rain.
Floki grabbed the barrel of the gun and tried to take the weapon away from Shrike, but this was the only weapon in Shrike's hand. Shrike refused to let go no matter what, and kicked Floki hard on the waist. On the abdomen, but the armor has already been put on there.
"It's really troublesome..."
Floki whispered, and slowly drew up the battle axe. The cold edge was illuminated by the light track, and the shrike's embarrassed face was reflected on it, with raindrops streaking across it, distorting his expression into a ball.
Tomahawks fell, metal crashed, and sparks flew.
Shrike leaned against the cabin behind him, holding his bleeding arm and slowly sat down. The broken steel scattered around him.
Floki gave him endless pressure. In such a chaotic and bumpy environment, the Viking stood firm as a rock. His steady steps seemed not to be affected by erosion at all. All of his actions came from his rational mind. judge.
"What are you going to do?"
The Shrike gasped, the cold air rolling in his lungs, causing sharp pains like knives.
Anger, fear, sadness... complex emotions swirled in his mind, and the erosion everywhere acted like a catalyst, accelerating all of this and dragging Shrike's consciousness into the dark abyss.
"Same as your purpose, to figure out the secret of this lonely sea."
Floki said calmly. He had no intention of continuing to attack. After seeing Shrike give up resistance, he looked away as he spoke.
Shrike's eyes wandered with him. At this moment, he realized that the heavy rain had blocked everyone. Many soldiers were unaware of Lancelot's death. They still insisted on fighting against the monsters at their posts...
Not only that, some soldiers also became like those Vikings, letting out bursts of war cries, looking at the demons with bloodthirsty eyes, and pouring out all their anger.
They were affected by erosion and fell into this endless killing.
In a trance, Shrike had a strange feeling, and he remembered the myths and legends that the Viking had chanted before.
Heavy rain and thunder, crazy warriors and bloodthirsty demons, all of this happened on this big ship. Under the guidance of the light track, it pressed through the ice and headed towards the unknown land.
This moment was so similar to everything described in the myth. It was as if the Narwhal had strayed into a divine realm at a certain moment during its voyage, and everything that happened now was part of the myth.
"We are already in the Hall of Valor."
Shrike heard Floki whisper.
It's not clear what Floki wants to express, and Shrike himself can't understand these strange beliefs and myths of the Vikings, but for some reason, Shrike has a strange empathy at this time, just like beasts of different types. Just like fear of an equally deadly predator.
Shrike felt like he was being watched by something, something was surrounding him.
"I don't want this either, but who told you to give up?"
Floki looked back, picked up the Shrike, and dragged him on the deck, not knowing where he was going to take the Shrike.
"You know? The Vikings call me Floki, the shipbuilder. I spent more than 30 years traveling all over the seas of the western world, drawing every inch of the sea into my chart, but this This chart is not perfect."
"You cannot penetrate the Silent Sea," said the Shrike.
"That's right. After returning from my travels, I devoted all my energy to this mysterious sea. It's so beautiful here..." Floki stopped and looked up at the magnificent light track, "Beautiful And deadly.”
This is a windless place, and long ships can move forward with primitive manpower. However, after going deep into a certain level, they will encounter sea areas full of ice floes, and then this is a place completely covered by ice.
Long boats can’t sail here at all. Even if they are lucky enough to reach the ice layer, the harsh environment is another problem for supplies. This is the country of the dead, and there are no living fish for them to hunt, let alone here. There is something even more frightening hidden under the silence.
All kinds of factors were perfectly combined to become an insurmountable city wall, hindering all those who tried to step into the Sea of ​​Silence... until human technology ignited fire, and the steel ship opened the channel.
"If you were going to explore here, we could have worked together."
Shrike gritted his teeth and said, gathering strength and waiting for the moment to fight back.
"Cooperation? Mutual equal power is called cooperation. In the end, you and I will only become one-sided massacres."
Floki's words were steady, he would not regret this decision.
"Do you think you are hiding well? I have never seen an iron-clad ship, but I have never seen such an advanced iron-clad ship, and you are from Inlvig... and you know these dead, in your words, They should be called monsters."
The heavy bell rang again, and Floki shot a demon that had just climbed up. Its head exploded into a ball of minced meat, which was then washed away by the heavy rain.
"The origin is mysterious, the technology is advanced, and the purpose is so clear. No one has disturbed this place for many years, but you keep chasing it."
The Viking in front of him was smarter than Shrike expected. He was more like an alert wolf than a barbarian.
"Let me guess, the secret agency maintained by the Victoria royal family? Look at you, it is more like a secret mercenary than a legion. You only obey the orders of your master."
Shrike's breathing slowed down for half a beat. He didn't expect this Viking to guess so much, but at this moment Floki's voice changed and he said mockingly.
"I'm not that smart. I just know that many years ago, a group of people went deep into the Sea of ​​Silence, and they came out alive and returned to their own country. Since then, that country has been shrouded in the glory of technology."
Floki turned around, only seeing Shrike's angry and resentful face.
"Don't you understand?" Floki was a little disappointed. "At that time, my ancestors took them deep into the Sea of ​​Silence. They said there was great wealth there and told us to get it, but no one could do it. Once there, these gradually turned into ridiculous legends."
"But it's different now."
Floki said, stopping and throwing the shrike aside.
He stood at the bow of the ship. With the bumps, the solid ice was pushed open by the Hornwhale. They moved forward unstoppably, carving out a black channel on the gray glacier land.
This was Floki's purpose. Now he has successfully usurped the Narwhal. As the second-in-command, the first mate had already been killed by Lancelot, and Lancelot himself became one of the dead.
The rest of the soldiers stuck to their posts. Under the pressure of the demons from the outside, they had no extra time to think about anything else. The sound of gunfire and fighting continued. They were so close to the Shrike, but at this moment, the Shrike felt that he was just with them. Like being in a different world.
"For this reason?"
Shrike didn't understand a madman like Floki. In fact, he didn't know this madman for only a few days, and he didn't even have a few words with him. No one could have imagined that this Viking would betray him so quickly.
Thinking of this, Shrike stopped and looked at the Vikings around him. He was also fighting with the soldiers, and no one paid attention here at all.
I have some strange thoughts in my mind.
"This was not premeditated, it was just a temporary idea."
Floki said slowly at this moment, with a look of death in his eyes, he raised his silver revolver and pointed it at Shrike.
Contrary to Shrike's expectation, this was not a long-planned conspiracy, but what Floki had thought of during a brief conversation with Lancelot.
The development of the situation at that moment appeared in Floki's mind, and it was also the thought of betrayal in him at that time.
"This is a rare opportunity. Although I am called a shipbuilder, I can't build such a ship at all. You still have a strong country as your backing, and I...you also know that the Vikings themselves are in constant civil war. Well, let alone other things."
In words, Floki was also extremely dissatisfied with the current situation of the Viking countries, but rather than changing the current situation of the Viking countries, what moved him more was this mysterious sea area.
"What, are you ready to kill me?"
Shrike took a deep breath, slowly moved his body, and adjusted his position. Only his arm was injured. He was thinking about how many seconds it would take him to rush to Floki.
Floki had gotten what he wanted, he had gained control of the Narwhal, and although this guy might not know how to drive a ship, just maintain the status quo and move forward along the light track.
I should be of no use to Floki anymore, right?The fact that Shrike is alive is just an unstable risk factor for Floki. It is not clear why he just talked so much nonsense about himself, but now Shrike should be about to usher in his own death.
The silver muzzle was pointed at Shrike. He took a deep breath and prepared for the last fight, but suddenly the muzzle dropped again, and Floki gave up.
"On the contrary, I need you to survive, otherwise I wouldn't talk to you so much."
No one could figure out what Floki was thinking, and at this time, Shrike also discovered that it seemed that he had never been in Floki's eyes.He paid no attention to the shrike.
"You're a recorder, right? I need a recorder."
Floki continued speaking, facing the strong wind and looking forward solemnly.
Countless monsters woke up from the deep sea. They squeezed each other, built up as high as a hill, and tried to climb onto the deck. The threat of death united the soldiers and Vikings, and the soldiers fired at the bottom. , the Vikings chopped down the monsters that climbed up.
Shrike looked at all this, and the colorful light fell from the top of his head, like the brilliance of stars, illuminating everyone's face, the multicolored faces twisted into a hideous appearance, and they threw themselves into the crazy killing.
This made Shrike shudder.
The Narwhal is like a dying old man. It is being pulled by countless demons. There is unfathomable darkness in the deep sea below. No one knows how many demons are looking at this lonely ship thirsty for blood.
Lone ship!
Shrike stood up suddenly. He ignored Floki's threat and ran to the edge of the fence. He looked behind the Narwhal. The heavy rain was fierce, but the colorful light track illuminated the entire sea area, and the blurred vision changed. It was clear, so Shrike saw the blazing fire behind him.
The armored ship Narwhal was not the only one that entered the Silent Sea. In order to transport supplies, two cargo ships followed the Narwhal. But now those cargo ships were buried in the blazing fire. Only the Narwhal was fully armed. There was only one ship, and they were sinking slowly, and the brilliant firelight illuminated those ferocious shadows.
Like a colony of ants, the monsters nibbled at the steel carcass and slowly dragged it into the deep sea. Shrike also saw some survivors fleeing to the ice. His figure staggered and fled wearily. The palm broke through the ice, grabbed his leg and dragged him under the water.
Shrike didn't dare to look any further.
"This sea is cursed and enchanted. In your words, it is what is called erosion."
Floki seemed to be used to this, and he looked straight ahead, at the end of the light track.
"Do you know that we Vikings? When we enter a windless land and our ships cannot sail, we will sacrifice a brave warrior to the gods, and his blood will flow into the sea, and the gods will hear Our call brings wings to ride on the wind.”
Floki has stepped into the Sea of ​​Silence countless times and returned countless times. During the long and bloody time, he has gradually figured out some patterns in the Sea of ​​Silence.
"Is this a...sacrifice?"
Shrike stared at Floki with wide eyes.
"probably."
Floki didn't know that the gods were too illusory. He raised his gun and pointed it at the bottom of the Narwhal, and then pointed at the far end of the sky.
"We are left with two choices now, die here or get there."
Floki said, looking into the unknown.
Furious blood filled Shrike's chest. At this moment, Floki turned his back to him, looking at the beautiful land in the distance, and Shrike asked in a hissing voice.
"What exactly is there?"
Shrike couldn't understand. Everything that happened tonight was too fast and too sudden for him. His original world was torn to pieces almost in an instant.
Before being incorporated into the operation, Shrike had only seen a few demons, and only a handful of demons had died in his hands. But now he fell into hell in an instant. The strange things that once frightened him were here. There are so many of them, they wake up from the deep sea, scratching the Narwhal, as if they want to drag the Narwhal into the deep sea, or they seem to pick up the Narwhal and push it to the end of the light track.
"What is there?" Hearing Shrike's question, Floki was stunned and smiled helplessly, "I don't know either."
"do not know!"
Shrike yelled, he felt like he was being tricked, it was ridiculous that Floki had done so much and he didn't even know what his purpose was.
The uncontrollable roar exposed Shrike's actions. While roaring, he also took advantage of the opportunity to launch an attack. Floki turned his back to him, and with the paralysis of conversation, he stabbed out the broken steel in his hand.
It was a cut-off gun barrel that Shrike had secretly hidden before. He held the barrel with his palm and stabbed Floki with the sharp edge.
Thunder and heavy rain became his best cover. Rather than knowing what was at the end of the light track, Shrike wanted to kill Floki in front of him and avenge everyone.
Only the howling wind was heard, and Floki's face was illuminated by thunder.
In the previous negotiations, Shrike, as a recorder, had always stayed very far away. The battle just now was also blurred by the rain. When he was approaching Floki infinitely, Shrike could really see his appearance clearly.
It was a weather-beaten face, with scars between the beard and the skin folded together by the years, but the pupils were as clear as gems.
Floki turned around suddenly, his wrist armor resisted Shrike's thrust, and then grabbed Shrike's hand. It felt like it was clamped by pliers. Shrike was dragged up, and Floki raised his knee and hit him hard. Shrike's belly.
Shrike screamed and retched his stomach juices. Floki held the silver revolver in his other hand and slammed his elbow hard on Shrike's arched back.
It felt like being struck sideways with a hammer, and the Shrike fell to the deck, curling up and shaking in pain.
"I won't kill you."
Floki repeated it again, but this time he gave his reasons.
"Many years ago, we Vikings would hire some bards when we went to war. We might die in battle, but what is more precious is that we need someone to pass on our bravery."
"You think I'd be your bard?"
Shrike endured the pain and got up again. He had no chance of winning against Floki. He also hoped for the other soldiers, but now the crazy erosion was devouring everyone.
"You will," said Floki sarcastically, "not only that, but you must remember all the details of this moment, only then can you go back to work, no?"
Floki had thought everything out and was cunning, but the next moment he shouted excitedly.
"This is a scene that only exists in myths, and we are all honored to be part of the myths now...I need someone to record this, take it out and tell other people."
Floki smiled, this time he smiled from the heart, with a ferocious expression like a wolf.
"As for what's at the end of the light track that matters?"
he said calmly.
"Like those first navigators, when they charted the sea, did they ever think about what was out there?"
Floki seemed to be asking Shrike, but it seemed like he was talking about himself.
"No, no, it doesn't matter what is there at all. If I have to give a reason, it's just because there is a vacancy there on the chart, that's enough!
Floki laughed loudly, he had not been so happy for a long time.
"Full speed ahead!"
he growled.
Brilliant light shines on the cold earth. It looks at everyone and paints everyone's face into gorgeous stars. Nameless songs are carried in the wind, making people indulge in a beautiful fight.
The blood and corpses fell into the deep sea, offering devout sacrifices to the gods, and a huge shadow squirmed under the ice until it covered the entire Narwhal.
(End of this chapter)