Unique Legend Volume 12 Chapter 11

*supposed to be posted yesterday

Chapter 11: Extra: Memory and s.p.a.ce

Location: Atlantis Time: 4:07 AM

He had a dream.

It was a dream long, long ago, but also seemed not that long ago.

The place in the dream was filled with a b.l.o.o.d.y smell, and the strange b.u.mpy rock was stained with a black liquid. The twisted creatures despairingly writhed and crawled on the ground. When he stepped on the ground, he only felt as if he had stepped into a swamp-like s.p.a.ce. Lifting his foot, long strands of an unpleasant black liquid were pulled up under his shoe, connected and unbreaking.

The person scouting the road ahead signaled them to be careful. This battle is only a surprise attack, not a direct confrontation. Their numbers weren't enough nor much. As long as they break off the attackers' reinforcement, it will be easy to push the forces ahead back.

When they arrived, the white smoke of the bonfire towered in the skies, and the b.l.o.o.d.y color in the river splattered. What they're dealing with wasn't a simple task, but a battle of borders that could easily cause many casualties.

[Andy, your complexion doesn't look that good. Maybe you should wait for us to come out at the entrance?] The leading black robe turned his head to gaze at him, with a bit of worry on his face: [After all, the place of the Ghost Tribe will have a great influence whether it's an Elf or Angel…]

[I'm fine, let's continue walking.] Cutting off the leader's words, he smiled slightly. Having eleven people out of a group of twelve worry about him made him feel too embarra.s.sed, [Our primary task is to destroy the *Panshi site. As long as we break through, there won't be any influences, right.]

[T/N: it means huge circular rock which doesn't sound that nice in English]

After hearing his words, the others laughed too.

[When we break through the Panshi site this time, that group of Ghosts on the front line will probably be running back clenching their b.u.t.tocks. Huo Jing would definitely also want to burn their b.u.t.ts and run over to vent.] It was unknown who said this, and quickly caused the others' response.

[Huo Jing is already incredibly fierce in the first place. This time, he must have held back a lot of grievances that he wants to let out all at once.]

Several purple robes and black robes cheerfully murmured, causing the leader showing the way ahead to curve up his lips, helplessly smiling and shaking his head.

Even during dangerous missions, they still look for something to help themselves relax.

[After we return, let's go over to the Winged Clan's tavern and celebrate. We haven't gone to the Winged Clan for so long. Their little store really does live up to its reputation…]

[Knock it off, you think this mission is so easy that we can just succeed and celebrate.]

[Ha, first think whether or not we can do it.]

Quietly fooling around, the peculiar atmosphere in the pa.s.sage was immediately washed away, as if what they were walking on was just an ordinary little road and the things on the ground, walls were just decorations, unable to do anything to them.

[I think we're almost at the entrance.] The youngest purple robe in the group gripped the weapon in his hand. Then all of them fell silent and held their breath, moving as fast as lightning.

Behind the illuminated entrance was their target.

What the Ghost Tribe's Panshi site really was was just a replenishment area. As soon as it is cut off, they (Ghost Tribe) must retreat, and because there won't be any evil energy provided by the ma.s.sive rock, it will also cause them to quickly weaken or even die in the huge barrier. So to them, this place is considerably important.

Having been in battle with the Ghost Tribe for a long time, they naturally understand as well, destroying the Panshi site is the number one priority.

Andy stopped moving and laid in ambush near the entrance of the pa.s.sage. Beside him was a black robe partner, who was also the chief team leader leading everyone just now.

Although not a senior black robe, his strength was also one of the best among the same robe levels.

[How many are there?] Leaning next to him, that person whispered.

Glancing at the entrance, Andy drew a few patterns on his palm, and a faint blue glow illuminated the slightly dark s.p.a.ce a little: [Not many, only a dozen.]

[A dozen?]

The black robe leader frowned slightly and a strange feeling suddenly spread through his chest.

[Strange, this amount…The Panshi site's guards shouldn't be only a dozen.] Likewise sensing that something was wrong, Andy tried to double the probing range. The enemy side's numbers increased again, but not enough to shock them. Nor was it enough to seem as if they were protecting a place with an important impact on this battle.

The two of them looked at each other, simultaneously feeling that it was too out of the ordinary. This place was completely different from the ones they've attacked before.

[Is Huo Jing really certain that this is the Panshi site?] Because the Guild's information was delayed and couldn't be sent in time, they used Huo Jing's information. However, at present it seems, Andy suddenly felt a rather unexpected uncanniness.

This place, gave them an uneasy feeling.

[…Notify the others to retreat right away.] Instantly abandoning the original goal of breaking through, the black robe leader immediately issued an order.

Moving almost instantly, the rest of them, who were originally hiding near the entrance, simultaneously retreated back. Before they could take a few steps, another black robe immediately discovered something amiss: [Rǎn! The pa.s.sage is blocked!]

Abruptly looking back in horror, the pa.s.sage entrance they came in from had been covered completely by a layer of unknown darkness, warping nonstop as if something was continuously moving on it.

[Step aside!] Immediately jumping off the stone, Andy pulled out a purple crystal and crushed it in his palm. The powder that pa.s.sed through the purple light was drawn out in an arc in the air like dust: [Barrier-breaking withdrawal!]

The foreign thing stained with the powder suddenly shook, then a large hole was melted in its middle like an icy wall splashed with hot water. But what appeared in front of everyone was something even more shocking…Layers upon layers of the same foreign black wall completely blocked all the pa.s.sages behind, so securely that there wasn't even a gap for wind to pa.s.s through.

[We can't use teleportation arrays and s.p.a.ce incantations.] Quickly, someone a problem that made their current plight even worse.

The surroundings abruptly fell quiet.

They all felt an icy aura. The strange atmosphere pressed down on them like steel being poured down, and the closed-up air was almost suffocating.

This was the deliberately hidden aura of a “person.”

[A couple of inferior guests who broke in, why don't you just come in and have a look?] Just when everyone was silent, a strange voice drifted over from the rear entrance. The voice wasn't loud, but the whole pa.s.sage reverberated, making it unable to be ignored.

[Rǎn, what's the situation?] Another black robe quietly asked.

[…I guess this place isn't the Panshi site.] The leading black robe gritted his teeth slightly, unconsciously clenching his palm hard enough to hurt: [Have Andy, Neil and Rita stay to destroy the obstacles. As long as you have a chance, immediately escape this place.]

[Rǎn! To face the Ghost Tribe, you need my spells. Let *Julie stay.] Unable to believe that his partner would arrange it like this, Andy immediately protested.

[T/N: Think there's a mistake here]

[Andy, work with the arrangement.]

The other person only firmly told him this sentence.

Then, he woke up.

The surrounding air was clear.

He woke up and saw the white ceiling. On it were a few small decorations gifted by the Fairy Clan that swayed every now and then in the night wind. The tiny bell chimes told him that he was currently in the safest place possible.

The dream just now, that most dangerous moment seemed to be nothing more than a falsehood. But a hundred years had pa.s.sed in a flash, and yet it was like it happened just yesterday. In the end, he still insisted on following them, and then watched as red blood spurted out from different bodies. The entire ground was stained with a river of blood.

That shameless Ghost Tribe rushed to lick and devour the blood like ants that smelled honey, revolting enough to make one want to destroy these images.

“Andy, are you awake?”

Interrupting the chaotic pictures was a warm and polite voice. He didn't even need to look to know who was sitting by the bed. Turning his line of sight, the back of a fair-skinned hand was placed on his face, “You don't seem to have a fever. How do you feel?”

Even in his darkest time, he could still clearly tell that the faintly glowing Elf was looking at him with a slightly worried expression, “What's wrong?” Not replying, Andy lifted up the blanket firmly covering him and sat up.

It was already the middle of the night. He couldn't understand why the Elf would be sitting by his bed.

No, perhaps he does know why. The Elf was the dormitory administrator. As long as there is the slightest thing wrong in the dorm, he can freely come and go in anyone's room no matter whose it is.

“Jing Lothian's mark is starting to move again.” Lowering his gentle voice, Restua looked at the other person and faintly said: “You were sleeping too deeply. The mark made you unable to wake up from your dream. The messenger had just left this room.”

“Tsk, that Ghost King is beginning to get involved again.” Noticing that the room did indeed have the slight aura of a Ghost messenger's arrival, Andy immediately narrowed his eyes. He usually wasn't this careless. Even when sleeping, as soon as those things come in, he definitely would have blasted them out at once.

And that dream just now…even in his dreams, his black robe companion will never return.

“You dreamed about that battle a hundred years ago again.” Not using a question, but rather a statement, Restua stood up and left the bedside, then gave him a cup of tea: “Does the mark hurt?”

His gentle tone seemed to melt in the wind. Despite how long they've known each other, Andy still felt that Elves were an inconceivable existence, a race similar to Angels and yet completely different.

Slowly drinking the tea, Andy pulled off his shirt. From the back of his right shoulder to his shoulder appeared a blood-red totem mark. It's usually sealed and doesn't appear easily, but tonight it made him feel a little searing pain.

“This should have something to do with those guys from the Ghost Tribe. The evil energy contaminated the seal, weakening its effect.” Rubbing the hateful mark on his shoulder, Andy coldly said.

“The dorm's barrier has just been reconstructed and is still being stabilized, so it didn't purify the evil energy in time.” Looking at the red totem, Restua also sensed the ominousness that made one shrunk back overflowing from it: “I'll help you purify the evil energy and redo the seal.”

“Please.” Laying down on the bed, Andy listened to the soft song coming from behind.

He doesn't understand the Elf's ancient language, and simply felt that this sound was very soothing. Like singing with the wind, twirling around the wind as you walked, bit by bit, it drifted into his ears.

A subtle shattering sound rang out. He saw some transparent powder being swept out the window with the wind in the room, and the remaining light went away in the direction of the moonlight, opening a beautiful halo.

Then he remembered, the Elf had actually partic.i.p.ated in battles as well.

Even further back than him, the war with the Ghost King a thousand years ago.

They all have a history with the Ghost King.

Restua's hand pressed on his shoulder, cold not painful, it was a feeling that made one feet at ease.

The mark on his body slowly started to withdraw the pain, and the crimson color was steadily hidden amid the song, gradually disappearing in the air as if color was fading.

He remembered that Angels also love singing, but they aren't able to leave as deep of an impression as an Elf's voice.

The Angels' hymns are beautiful, beautiful enough to make one want to cry. However, the Elves' voices penetrate the body and are engraved in the soul. After a long, long time, one day, it would once again bring to mind that sound that seems to leisurely come with the wind.

Distantly, a clear voice accompanied by the years.

“Restua, the war you partic.i.p.ated in…what kind of scene was it?” Unconsciously, he merged Restua with the comrades who broke into the great of the Ghost King at that time, and asked this.

“Nn, maybe it's the same as what you saw.” Ending the song, without any dissatisfaction, Restua's voice was still very gentle: “At that time, I was too young. I'm already starting to forget what sort of scenes they were. All I know was that white and black smoke from both sides danced in the air. Sinya was wearing armor and patted my shoulder; we used to exchange new songs in the trees of Firefly Forest. The night we went to war, the forest was filled with sorrow. Every Elf who stayed behind grievously decorated the road with flowers. Far away, those little flowers filled a long stretch of road.”

He was too young. When he walked among his team, there were other companions who had similar ages to him.

They pa.s.sed through the scattered glowing flowers, long and far away. One after another, the Elves who weren't partic.i.p.ating in the war continuously chased after them to put flowers on the roadside, hoping to illuminate the path of their leaving clansmen.

The Firefly Forest, Ice Fang, Aridore…He's starting to almost forget just how many places there were of the Elven companions who came to join the war.

The memories are fading.

Looking back, it already seems like an unreal memory.

Angels are good at remembering, Elves are good at forgetting.

Andy closed his eyes, and several faces that he still hasn't forgotten from memory clearly floated in front of him.

Then how did that battle later end?

The smell of blood was heavy.

[Andy, if you have a way to escape, just go.] In front of his black robe partner were even more corpses. Of the ten purple robes, only two had escaped. The other black robe's neck had just been snapped under the hands of the Ghost King.

All around them was blood.

The Ghost King and his seven experts stood before them, very interested as they watched them struggle to move.

The ones who came to help were unable to resist the dark atmosphere; they failed overwhelmingly.

[Rǎn Jing, the Guild is in more need of black robes.] He made up his mind. At any rate, the incantations of the Ghost King and those subordinates of his don't seem particularly strong, so if he uses all his strength, he will have an opportunity to send his partner away, [The robe levels' bodies can't be drained. I'll stay to make a barrier.] He will never have a chance to resurrect them again. The medical team blocked outside has no way of coming in to save them, and the medical team that came in had already become corpses.

So they need to make a final plan.

The corpses could reveal too much information, and it's very likely that they would be remolded into members of the Ghost Tribe by the Ghost King. So, during the most desperate moments, their priority is to completely destroy the corpses.

Realizing their intentions, the Ghost King waves his hand, and his subordinates abruptly rushed out and began stealing the corpses.

Rǎn Jing tsked, gritting his teeth as he brandished the weapon in his hand to destroy the body of the nearest friend, [Andy, we're partners, right?] He said this, then smiled, [I'll have to trouble you with my corpse.]

Then, his partner faced off against the seven experts.

Andy was already unable to remember how he had turned his friends into ashes at that time. He stood in the protection of the ring upon ring of arrays. The clamor from the Ghost King and the Ghost Tribe suddenly became far away, and their voices seemed almost inaudible.

So, why is he here?

From the twisted form of the dark s.p.a.ce, the Ghost King stepped out and started to break his incantations, closing in on him.

He heard the sound of the barrier cracking, then saw the Ghost Tribe standing before his eyes.

The other side said, it's rare to see an interesting Angel, so just stay behind to be our companion.

The twisted Ghost Tribe and dark s.p.a.ce. He sneered and abruptly sent an attack that landed firmly on the Ghost King's face. Without stopping his movements, the second attack immediately put himself to an end.

Instead of talking nonsense with the Ghost Tribe here, why not destroy himself and the corpses in one shot.

Vaguely, he saw someone rushing over, knocking down an expert of the Ghost King with a punch. The strong force made that Ghost unable to get up for a while.

And so, he saw a certain colleague, who was proclaimed to have not undertaken a mission for a long time and to be an army from the heavens, rushing over.

Not wasting time at all, that person dragged him away, directly attacking the Ghost King without any fear. At the same time, before the Ghost King could react, he had already dragged him far away.

Amid the chaos, he felt the back of his shoulder being struck by Jing Lothian.

Then he was rescued out of the land of the Ghost King.

After they were a long way from that place, there were already several members of the medical team and intelligence team on standby. He could see two purple robes who had escaped first receiving treatment. They also saw him.

[Teacher, is there anyone else inside?] A member of the intelligence team approached them, asking that senior black robe.

[Not a single one. Immediately report back to the Guild.]

What they later chattered on about, he didn't pay attention at all.

The flame-red mark, was like a raging bonfire branded on his body.

Then, it was quiet.

It was a distant memory but also seemed as if it was yesterday.

Restua's singing re-echoed in the room. If you listened closely, it was no longer the ancient Elven language but rather the language used by modern Elves, wishing for the air to still with the sound of the sleeping.

Then, the voice fell silent.

“Andy, we…because we have lived for a long time, there are many things we no longer remember.” The Elf sat by the bed, softly saying: “I may have once experienced the story incorporated into the story myself, but it wasn't that kind of truth either. Time is always changing, but everything that has happened before will not be erased.”

Angels are good at removing, Elves are good at forgetting.

“However, deep within my memories, the war a thousand years ago sometimes seems as if it happened yesterday. The impact it had on the Elven Clan later, for some of the clans the impact was so far-reaching, it still extends to today. The sorrowful trees of Firefly Forest are still sad; the long white flower road still sends off every leaving traveler.”

The distant memories are still continuously pa.s.sed down through songs and stories.

Elves are good at remembering, Angels are good at forgetting.

They remember differently, nor do they forget in the same way.

Andy flipped himself up. The mark on his shoulder had disappeared completely, and he offhandedly put his clothes back on.

In the early morning hours, a gray glow faintly appeared outside the window, and the birds outside the Black Dorm slowly woke up on the trees and issued a tweet or two.

He could hear the sound of morning dew falling on the treetops.

The wind blowing over seemed to be singing a poem praising the Lord, then wandered in the room for a long while before leaving.

Oh right, from that day on, he has never set foot in the residence of the Wood Angels again.

The evil aura of the dirty mark, who knows how much longer it will take to get rid of it and return to his former residence.

Memory and s.p.a.ce are still interlaced. He suddenly thought of the hymns his friends sang in the trees, when he had just stepped out of the Wood Angel Clan.

A cup was soundlessly handed to him from the side. The aroma that drifted over was an Elven drink that was difficult for many people to obtain. The refreshing smell dispelled the pent-up feelings of the night.

Subconsciously, he accepted the cup.

The Elf smiled at him, then stood up and walked over to the balcony to open the window. The early morning wind wantonly swept in, blowing the decorations in the room until they issued many clear, pleasant sounds.

“Such an irresistible morning. The wide-awake and cheerful sound of the trees and the invite of the wind. I wonder if you would like to go to the morning campus for a little walk together?” Squinting slightly, his light golden eyelashes trembled with the wind, and his slender hair scattered a lot of light for the wind.

Andy forgot who said it before, an Elf's invitation is always very difficult to refuse.

Sure enough, he didn't even have a desire to refuse at all.

He drank the drink in his hand and got off the bed. Watching as the sky overhead started to shift, the morning that was about to arrive was performing color changes on the clouds.

Beautiful sounds, and an awake landscape.

“To commemorate the friends who were in the wars, let our yearnings reach that side with the morning breeze.” The Elf told him.

Andy knows he's probably smiling.

“Alright, let's go.”

His memories, all of a sudden became far-away in this s.p.a.ce.

Maybe soon, they will become incomparably clear once more.

Angels are good at remembering, and are likewise good at forgetting.

[Rǎn Jing, then who am I going to trouble with my corpse?]

The partner in his memory smiled, then patted his shoulder as usual.

[You can still live for a long time, so it definitely isn't me.]