Embers of Embers

Chapter 79 Valkyrie
The flesh and blood of demons linked steam and machinery together, so the armored knights ran wildly on the road of flames created by the dragon's breath. Thousands of demons followed them outside the sea of ​​fire, with ear-piercing roars, like wolves chasing their prey. group.
Shrike's vision had begun to blur, and his willpower was much weaker than he thought. He mechanically removed his armor and gun, and then opened a dragon's breath path on the land full of demons. The high temperature burned The metal of the solid armor was red-hot, even slightly melted.
The hot molten iron melted the complex mechanical structure together, and it was as if Shrike's feet were frozen, making it increasingly difficult to move.
Perhaps when those madmen designed this armor, they never thought that Shrike would march in the sea of ​​fire for so long. Without the vitality of the demon's flesh and blood as a filling and link between the machines, Shrike would have fallen in the sea of ​​fire long ago. middle
It was not the time to stop yet. He stretched his arm to the weapon rack on his back again, but he didn't touch anything. The musket was used up, but in the blurry vision, Shrike was still some distance away from the front of the Glory.
It was a difficult distance, and the demons had been watching the two of them. They were extremely hungry, and it would be the most violent attack. In Shrike's state, he didn't know whether he could hold on.
"Blue Jade..."
The voice was a little weak, but soon the face of Blue Jade was revealed in the narrow field of view of the visor. She crouched on her shoulders, wrapping her arms around his helmet as if hugging him.
"I know what you're going to say, move forward and don't stop."
Lan Jade kept calm, and the rising fireworks ignited her cloak, so now she only had a close-fitting leather coat and armor, like a dark elf.
There was no strength left to speak, and it was difficult to even think. Shrike was silent again, but with enough strength, he rushed out of the sea of ​​fire.
At that moment, countless monsters leaped over. They were like a tidal wave, their twisted arms scratching at the scarred plate armor. Some monsters even tried to climb up by using the bulges on the armor, but they were blocked by the blue jadeite. The gunshots killed them mercilessly, and the burning thermite bullets left charred round holes in their heads, falling from their armors, and then being swallowed by the surging black tide.
It's almost there.
The shrike waved his sword like a machine, cutting grass, killing all the monsters blocking the road. The armor was so heavy that he ran like a rhinoceros, crushing the monsters past.
The front of the Glory was in sight, but only then did Shrike realize the problem. In order to cope with the demon's attack, the entire carriage was not only reinforced. According to the original design, the doors would be locked from the inside after an emergency stop to ensure The safety of the people in the car is also due to this design. The soldiers who fell into dreaming are still sleeping safely in the car.
But this layer of protection has become the last hurdle.
How to open the car door under the attack of demons?Whether it is Shrike or Blue Jade, as long as they stop moving, they will be besieged by demons and die.
This kind of thinking did not last long. Without thinking, the shrike grabbed the blue jade on his shoulder. At first, she was panicked, but then she understood what the shrike was going to do. She wanted to stop him, but he didn't give it to her at all. Taking the opportunity to choose, his legs stopped suddenly, leaving two deep marks on the ground, and then he threw the blue jadeite up with all his strength.
Only an elegant arc could be seen. The blue jade figure swayed in the air, and then landed steadily on the carriage. At this time, Shrike picked up the big sword, twisted his whole body, and waved a huge sword. Arc, with the power of the Original Sin Armor, a gap was opened.
Like a dam between life and death, Shrike stands in front of the demon. He wants to buy time for Lan Jade to open the car door. There is no dialogue in the whole process.
Every second seemed so precious at this moment. The shrike fought and retreated, and the demons came overwhelmingly. His actions began to appear sluggish, and the sharp claws cut into the gaps in the armor. The demons chewed greedily, tearing off another piece. A piece of plate armor and complex machinery were displayed without protection.
This is just like the war hundreds of years ago. A knight wearing armor has an absolute chance of winning on the battlefield. The sword blade will only splash dazzling sparks when it hits the strong armor, but it will not hurt the knight at all, so those People would try to trap the knight, and then stab the dagger into the gap in the armor.
The demons were as numerous as a swarm of ants. They used their flesh and blood to jam the shrike's joints. The joints were stuck and he couldn't swing the sword at all. They pressed on him one after another. Finally, the shrike couldn't hold on anymore and was helpless. He knelt down and his vision was completely filled with demons.
There was only an endless wailing left in his ears, never ending, countless palms tearing at the armor, making sharp sounds as they rubbed against the metal. The armor was being peeled off little by little, and the shrike could no longer swing the sword. Like a dying man, this armor became his tomb.
In fact, he was already at the end of his battle, and he lifted his eyes slightly, and he could see the ferocious face of the demon through the gap in the visor, blood mixed with mucus dripped from the gap with a disgusting smell.
Shrike was about to die, and he could finally rest, but just when he was about to close his tired eyes, he saw once again that Lan Jade opened the car door with force in the gap. She had already opened a small gap, But behind her countless monsters are heading towards her.
Yes, Shrike has fallen. No one can restrain the demon for her, and she is going to die too.
As if recalling something, the Shrike heard another voice.
【You want to save her, right? 】
【Accept me. 】
【Become one with me...】
A strange voice sounded from his ears, as if someone was whispering to him. The demon's face began to distort, and then became consistent. It seemed that some ancient existence was talking to him... No, it was this damn armor.
The level of erosion of Shrike has reached the critical value, and the Original Sin Armor is coming back to bite him and dominate him.
He should refuse, even if he died, he could not join the demons, but he suddenly thought of Lan Jade, what would be her ending?Being torn to pieces, or becoming one of the demons?
For a moment, Shrike was moved by the deal. He stretched out his hand in the darkness, and just when he was about to hold the devil's hand to conclude the contract, his burning anger saved him.
The demon howled in pain, and the boiling flame burned everything in an instant, and the oxygen was rapidly consumed. The painful lack of oxygen made Shrike wake up for a few minutes, and then a scarred hand quickly enlarged in his sight.
"So I'm just saying, men are not trustworthy!"
In the midst of burning anger, Lan Jade threw away the spent spear in her hand. Her slender hair was twisted and burned in the high temperature. The blazing fire light illuminated her resolute face. She fell from the sky like a Valkyrie. After saving the shrike, thousands of demons were reduced to ashes.
"get out!"
She cursed angrily, obviously the deal was about to be concluded, but Shrike couldn't help but listened to Lan Jade's words. The emergency switch of the Original Sin Armor was activated, endless steam gushes out from the gaps in the armor, and then the machine that bound Shrike was Bounce one by one.
In the fatal temperature, Lan Jade endured the pain caused by the steam, and dragged the shrike out of the broken armor. She stepped on the burning molten iron, as if she could not feel the pain, and threw the shrike on a piece of plate armor. above, and then dragged him towards the open car door.
This is the escape of iron and fire. There is no time to worry about the pain. Pure will drives the body. Countless demons bypass the dead armor and chase the two of them.
Shrike only felt the whole world shaking, and then turned to pitch black steel. Her breathing mixed with the violent heartbeat, followed by a metallic sound, cutting off all the chaos.
The demons beat the car, and the heavy metal shook slightly. Shrike tried to get up a little, and looked to the other side of the darkness. Lan Jade was leaning on the car door, paralyzed in place as if he had lost all his strength.
No one can figure out why she turned back to save the shrike in the end, nor can they understand how much fear and pain she endured. The arm that dragged the shrike out of the armor had been burned, and her clothes and skin were stuck together. The large and small blisters looked extremely hideous.
After a while, it seemed that she had finally pulled up a little bit of strength, Lan Jade tried to say optimistically.
"Look, we survived for a few more minutes."
She tried a cheerful laugh, but there was only a scratchy sound in her throat, like a cracked blower.
"You shouldn't have done this. If you didn't save me you still had a chance to leave."
Shrike lay weakly on the ground. If Lan Jade didn't save herself, she still had a chance to make the Glory move, but now both of them had lost their ability to move, and whether they could stand up was a question.
"It's hard to stay sane, so just think of it as a act of kindness."
Lan Jade said casually. In the dim space, Shrike couldn't see her face clearly. It was an invisible shadow.
"Ah...I have been thinking about what to do in the last days of my life."
Shrike looked at the dark roof of the car, and his ears were filled with the vague sound of the demon. He finally found the answer, but he wanted to laugh a little.
"I think...it's better to be in a daze. After all, it's the last moment, so don't make yourself so tired. It's not bad to be in a daze."
His pupils were slightly dilated, and he seemed to be really in a daze.
But after a while, Shrike turned over with difficulty, then pulled out a crumpled letter from his chest and slid it towards Lan Jade.
"what is this?"
Her voice also sounded weak.
"My will, please give it to Arthur if you survive. He knows where my home is."
While in the armor, Shrike regretted not handing over the will, but in the end his wish came true.
"Do you think you're going to die?"
"Am I not going to die?"
After a long silence, Lan Jade's voice sounded again.
"You owe me another favor."
Shrike smiled, "Don't you even spare the kindness of the dead?"
This was not a funny joke, and the atmosphere fell silent again. The demons scratched the carriage. Although it was reinforced, it was obviously unable to withstand it for a long time. Coupled with the strange erosion, the two of them would die sooner or later. Or become one of the demons.
"Perhaps you survive, Shrike."
Lan Jade's voice suddenly sounded and she said.
"If I had known better, I would have written a will. This profession is really high-risk."
She also smiled. If she had known this, she might as well have gone to prison. With Lan Jade's fierceness, she might even be able to become a big sister there.
"Shrike, actually I lied at first."
Blue Jade said again, which made Shrike a little more energetic.
"What do you mean?"
"My past, my will."
Her beautiful eyes revealed nostalgia and memories of the past as she continued to speak.
"Some people have to remember some stories. If no one remembers him, he is really dead."
"Who?"
"my father."
Shrike was stunned. He remembered that Lan Jade's relationship with her father was not very good. She owes much to her father for getting to where she is today.
Seemingly understanding Shrike's doubts, she shook her head and said.
"I'm referring to my biological father, not the social stepfather."
That is a deeper past, and Blue Jade has never talked about it.
"After the Glorious War, he and my mother had me. It was a pretty happy story at first, but then he started drinking and violently abused my mother."
With confusion in his eyes, everything seemed to be quiet. Shrike couldn't help but hold his breath. This mysterious woman showed her true past to others for the first time.
"My mother thought he would get better over time, but things just got worse and worse. He stopped working and the family's financial situation deteriorated."
“The turning point of all this came from one winter, the winter that changed everything.”
Lan Jade spoke quietly, and slowly raised her hand. Because of the force, the scalded blister burst, and the light yellow liquid dripped, accompanied by pain.
"He drank too much again and fell in the snow. It was snowing heavily at the time and a shallow layer was piled on him. I saw him. Normally I would wake him up and take him home, but That day I suddenly had a strange idea.”
She said and laughed.
"What if...what if I just pretend that I didn't see it? Just pretend that nothing happened and go home. With such heavy snow, he will freeze to death before dawn. No one will beat my mother anymore. Buy The wine money can be used to do more things, and the family's plight will turn around."
Perhaps due to her injuries, her voice sounded extremely hoarse.
"Later at night, my mother found that my father hadn't come home yet, so she went out and searched frantically, but she couldn't find it. Of course she couldn't find it. The snow was so heavy that even a giant bear would be covered up if it fell there. Then she When I got home, I didn’t say anything, but she seemed to see through me and knew what I was thinking.”
Lan Jade showed an ugly smile.
"Of course she knew, she was my mother, she knew intuitively what I had done, so she asked me to take her to find my father, but I kept silent, pretending I didn't know anything, she then started to call Me, scolded me, and finally knelt before me and begged me.”
Something seemed to be tearing apart, exposing fragile parts.
"That was the first time I saw her cry, but I remained silent. In my opinion, she was a stupid woman, hopelessly stupid. It was obvious that everything would be fine as long as he died.
Then he really died, and we found him when the snow melted in the spring. My mother never spoke to me again after that, and after a simple funeral she married my stepfather.
Life didn't get better, it just got worse. I don't understand why. No one beats her anymore, and no one uses her money to buy alcohol..."
"I didn't do anything wrong, right?"
She looked at the shrike, the Valkyrie-like kingfisher looking so sad for the first time.
"On the last day I escaped from that place, I returned to my old home. Just like taking a last look, I saw a lot in the dusty cabinet, such as the Medal of Honor of the Glorious War, such as a family photo... I looked inside When it came to my father, I had never seen the other people in the photo.
Later, when I arrived at Old Dunling, I learned a lot, such as what exactly the Glorious War was, and what some soldiers would go through... It seemed that everything in the past had answers, but it was too late. "
Lan Jade fell silent. In the strange silence, only the roars of the demons were left, but the voices sounded so relaxed at the moment.
"Someone has to remember, right?"
After a long time, she said again. The shrike paused for a moment, and then nodded seriously.
Some stories need to be remembered. As long as they are remembered, they will remain in their hearts like thorns of self-punishment. This is the secret of Blue Jade, the last secret, the only secret.
She didn't know exactly why everything turned out like this. The only person who could give her the answer had already slept in that winter, and she would never get the answer.
"So this is my will. If you can survive, please remember this story."
The fragile little girl disappeared. She became fierce again and stood up slowly, enduring the pain on her body.
"But, nothing is reliable, just like you, so if you can survive hard, you still have to try."
Lan Jade gasped and held on to the carriage. Her feet were severely burned, and every time she walked, she felt severe pain.
The control station of the Glorious was right in front, and the unlucky pilot was still sleeping comfortably on the side. She was moving hard, but suddenly it was like thunder struck her nerves. She looked directly at Shrike, and Shrike's eyes had the same meaning as hers.
They all noticed that something disappeared, and the strange thing that had been trapped in the entire area disappeared.
That weird dream!
At the moment of despair, there was finally some hope. There was hope in the eyes of the two people, but the next second all the wailing of the demons disappeared. In the dead silence, there were only the sound of heavy footsteps approaching here, like drumsticks. A knock on the heart in the chest.
Lan Jade gritted her teeth and pulled out the folding knife from her waist, pointing with trembling fingers in the direction of the car door, but suddenly the footsteps disappeared, and the thing had arrived in front of the car door, and then the dark sword penetrated along the gap in the car door. .
The blade was twisted, and with the harsh friction of metal, a gap was pried out of the indestructible car door, and blazing white fireworks burned brightly behind the gap.
"Hey, Shrike, he's not dead yet."
The dark armor opened the closed carriage, and the demon hunter smiled at the shrike who fell on the ground. Behind him, corpses were scattered all over the ground, and blood flowed like a river.
(End of this chapter)