Chapter 227 Alice’s Unique Ability
The village of Furhalla is located on the top of a mountain and is not a prosperous village to begin with.
It is precisely because it is primitive, has a harsh environment and is easy to train warriors that it was chosen as the place where the Svablo sect built the temple.
After being attacked by the Skelligs here, the village of Volhalla is now completely in ruins. There are no complete walls in the village, only ruins.
Against the gray-black sky, the shadows of ruined villages loomed over the dusk. The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the barren ground, rendering it in the hard gaps. The only thing that makes people feel vitality and life is the sound of wind falling silently between the cliffs.
However, in the eyes of the witcher, this desolate ruins showed something else.
Three pairs of amber and one pair of dark gold eyes sparkled.
All pheromones in the surrounding environment are converted into visible visual factors through synaesthesia and are presented to everyone.
It was obviously just a ruin, but Lann and his party seemed to see the people passing by frequently -
"The smell of inferior beer, half-cooked barbecue, and bad breath." Kolgrim kicked a pile of bonfires with only fragments left. , "It should be a homeless man looking for shelter."
"The smell of pine wood, malt bread, and the dry firewood on the ground has traces of ax chops." Cohen stroked a step that was obviously cleaner than the surroundings, "I passed by here to rest. Mountain people."
"But these are not our goals." Lann concluded, shaking his head.
Lann made very few discoveries. When it came to these investigative methods, he was really not as good as these old demon hunters who were used to hunting alone for decades.
"Gede, have you discovered anything?"
Lan's voice came out, but there was no response.
In the distance, he saw a bear-like man and a white wolf getting together, looking at a dark ground.
Seeing that they seemed to be aware of it, Lan also moved forward.
"This is blood." Geralt pointed to the black marks on the ground. "It has been a few days. There should have been more than one person here, and a fight broke out."
In response to Geralt's explanation, Gerd picked up from the ground. A piece of clothing material: "This is leather clothing tanned by wolf leather. It is very tough, even cutting it with a knife is difficult. Although it is not as good as specially processed leather armor, it cannot be easily torn." Lan En thoughtfully
said He took it on the ground and looked around with dark golden eyes: "But it does look like it was torn into pieces, and if it is really that strong, there is only one explanation -" "It's a beast, or a ghoul.
" It's like a monster with sharp claws."
Gede took a deep breath, looked at the different shades of red information factors around him, and added: "But there is no body odor of any beasts around - unless this is a beast that pays special attention to cleanliness. Have you thought of anything?"
The answer is obvious.
Lann showed an excited look and said decisively: "Velka Berserker!"
Lann had sensed it when he stopped those giant bears at the banquet. The giant bears transformed by those Berserkers were cleaner than real wild bears. Quite a few.
After all, no matter how unkempt a person is, he is still a slovenly beast who has no concept of "washing up". This is the biggest difference between a berserker and a real wild bear.
And Gede, who personally killed a giant bear at the scene, was obviously someone who understood this.
He quickly scanned the surrounding traces, looking for useful information.
"There was more than one person at the scene, and a small battle broke out here. But the traces of the battle were very restrained, with only a small amount of...well, a medium amount of blood." Gede analyzed, "No one died, at least
not on the spot. Here, based on the traces here, maybe we can find the people who were fighting against the Wilka Berserkers at that time."
This analysis makes sense.
The demon hunters immediately gathered around and began recording the nearby pheromones.
"There are traces of someone escaping here." Korgrim suddenly made a new discovery and pointed in one direction, "There!" The
ground was covered with a thick layer of dust, but Lann's lion eyes could see little bits of dark red. Spots of light marked a shallow path on the ground.
Time has passed and the traces are about to disappear, but there is no mistaking them - they are traces of blood.
A blurry figure appeared in front of Lann's eyes in a trance:
[He is a mountain man, and he and his companions came here for unknown reasons, and they unexpectedly encountered Wilka's berserkers.
The human body turned into a giant bear in front of him, causing a commotion immediately. He was injured in the panic, so he left his companions and fled here, hoping to find some shelter among the ruins...]
Lann followed the transparent figure forward until he watched him disappear. in a building.
What is in front of you is the temple in the center of the village, the temple built by the Vilka people for the evil god Svablo.
It is also the sturdiest building in the entire village. It was repaired by the strongest warriors carrying the strongest stones in the mountains. This is why it was able to barely preserve its outline under the attack of the Skelliges. It won't be like other buildings in the village, with only two or three walls left at most.
The target everyone is looking for is inside.
Gede was about to rush inside, but was suddenly grabbed by Lan.
"What's wrong?"
"For some reason, I am particularly sensitive to the existence of demon spirits." Lann pulled out the Lake Lady's Sword with his right hand and made a seal gesture with his left hand. "I have a companion from the Cat Faction who has similar abilities. , I can introduce you to him later."
"You mean... there are demon spirits inside?"
Upon hearing this, Gede immediately stopped and looked inside along the hole in the wall of the temple.
It was getting dark at this time, and the remaining light barely allowed people to see the irregular stones scattered everywhere in the temple. The broken stone pillars stood in place, and the roof that needed to be supported had already collapsed.
There is no light in more places, and only eerie darkness can be seen.
This is indeed like a place where you will encounter a demon spirit around the corner.
Lan squatted down slightly and was about to cast a seal that could cover the entire temple; the demon hunters behind him also drew out various silver swords, preparing to smear their long swords with [Ghost Oil] specially designed to restrain these illusory monsters. 】.
However, at this moment, the black magic scimitar behind Lan suddenly lit up.
The soul in the painting, wearing a plain gothic black dress, appears in the dilapidated village on the top of the mountain. Her hands are folded in front of her belly, her face is covered with black gauze, and her temperament is empty.
And her gentle voice seemed to be exuding a delicate fragrance: "Let me do it."
After her words fell, bright emerald flames enveloped her body; the next second, something seemed to light up in the dilapidated temple.
Behind Lann, Ged was stunned.
The bear-sect demon hunter covered his trembling badge, looked at the black magic scimitar behind Lan, and then looked at the ruins of the temple, not knowing where to point with his hands.
"Just... was that a demon spirit? No, it seems very different. No matter what kind of demon spirit it is, it will not be so beautiful." "
That is not a demon spirit." Lan pointed out the meaning in Gede's language very seriously. The mistake was, "It's a 'soul', a beautiful existence left in the world due to a strong emotional connection. Don't compare her with that kind of monster's name." Gede shrank his fingers: "Why are you so angry...
I Just know it."
...
Lann was not worried about Alice's combat effectiveness at all.
Among all the current followers, Alice has the highest comprehensive basic attributes. She even masters a large number of advanced skills, as well as the talent [Chun] that Lan still doesn't know how to use.
Especially now that the enemies inside are still demon spirits, Alice, as the unique [Soul in the Painting], will deal with them, so the suppression effect should not be too obvious.
However, even though Lann already overestimated Alice in his heart, when he entered the temple, the scene inside still surprised him.
...
If someone could figure out a way to bury flames in nephrite, the light that would be emitted would definitely be what it looks like in the temple now.
Alice stood in the center of the temple hall, exuding warm emerald light; four ghosts were crawling at her feet, and the lanterns burning with green flames were thrown aside by them.
Lan En could still faintly sense the emotions from those evil spirits at this moment: there was fear, reverence, and a hint of unreachable longing and shame.
Alice faced these demon spirits, keeping a dignified expression on her face, and she didn't reveal a faint smile until she saw Lan coming in.
The emerald light in the room also became softer.
She pointed to the demon spirit with its head buried the lowest and said: "It is the islander you are looking for who was attacked by the giant bear - or in other words, it 'used to be an islander'." Lann looked at it quickly
. Looking around, there were several skeletons in the corners of the temple, and the freshest one happened to match the pheromones memorized in his demon hunter senses.
This is it.
Alice continued: "Its memory is very vague. It only remembers coming to Forhalla Village with its companions. As for why it came and how it came, it can't remember anything." "The clearest
memory is that of a giant Bear. Then he ran here in a hurry, hoping to hide temporarily, but he was killed by the demon spirit here."
In addition to this demon spirit, there were four demon spirits crawling next to Alice, and their colors were even brighter. Deep, obviously older.
They should be some of the priests who died in the Skellige attack. Because of their lingering resentment, they turned into demon spirits.
And the islanders Lan and the others were looking for apparently joined them after their deaths.
"This kind of information is not enough for us to find the Wilka people." Lann pointed to the old demon spirits, "Since they were all from the temple in the past, can we ask them? Maybe it will be enough. Give us some information?"
Alice shook her head: "The demon spirits themselves are created by resentment and hatred that have not dissipated. Even if they have any sanity, they will not be too clear. Especially those who have been dead for a long time, and those who have died for a long time. There is actually no difference between beasts."
Alice stretched out her slender and misty fingers and pointed at the demon spirit transformed by the islander: "It is the only one that can barely communicate with people now." It seemed that
Alice felt it. Feeling distress, the demon spirit on the ground suddenly moved.
Immediately afterwards, the green flames on its body became more solid.
Alice raised her chin slightly, closed her eyes and concentrated, as if listening to something. After a long while, he said to Lan: "It said it had forgotten everything else, but it could not forget the village where it was born. We can go there and have a look. If its companions escaped successfully, we might be able to find it. , and then learn the details of what happened at that time."
Lann showed a look of surprise: "What is the name of that village?"
"Aigloo Village."
"What is the specific location?"
Alice closed her eyes.
After the beautiful eyebrows trembled slightly for a few times, the soul in the painting said helplessly: "It forgot..."
Okay.
Lan let out a long breath, at least now he had a new clue, which was much better than the previous headless state.
Without further ado, he was about to call his companions to leave. When he turned his head, he saw Alice's hesitant expression and hesitated to speak.
"Lan." Alice bit her lip lightly, "I'm wondering if we can help these demon spirits... be freed?" "Huh?" "
I
am called 'Chun' by you demon hunters because of my special ability. What exists as a phenomenon, what maintains my feelings and provides me with strength now, is 'love'." "
But even so, I lived in pain during those years when the world in the painting was sleeping." Alice He lowered his head and held the clothes on his chest with his right hand, "And these ordinary demon spirits rely on 'resentment' and 'hate' to maintain their existence... They are in pain, I can feel it." "So you want
to Give them relief?"
Lann and the demon hunters looked at each other, and naturally they would not refuse this request.
Even if Alice didn't say anything, Cohen himself planned to let these demon spirits escape after asking questions.
They used their demon hunter senses to search for the dead skeletons of these demon spirits in the temple. Several of them had been broken into pieces at this time, mixed with the gravel and dust on the ground, and it was almost impossible to tell that they were still in human form before.
The four hands took out the [Igni Seal] together and aimed at the bones on the ground.
Alice's eyes changed.
Because in addition to the demon spirit that Lan En and others were looking for in the form of an islander, the long-standing demon spirits that were originally in the temple suddenly roared and turned into green flames and disappeared.
Judging from their posture, they were actually going to attack the demon hunter.
It is indeed painful for the demon spirits to rely on resentment and hatred to survive, but the demon spirits that have lost their minds have the survival instinct of monsters. At this moment, seeing the demon hunters trying to eliminate themselves, they reacted instinctively.
Struggling in resentment while maintaining such pain, sinking forever without relief, this is a demon spirit.
Fortunately, everyone present today is a demon hunter.
In the eyes of Alice asking for help, Lan made a strange gesture with his left hand, and the seal that had been prepared from the beginning was finally struck by him.
[Yaden Seal]!
The entire temple was shrouded in a magic circle surrounded by hourglass runes. As soon as the demon spirits appeared in mid-air with burning green flames, they were immediately clinging to their bodies in purple brilliance.
What greeted them was the demon hunter's silver sword, which had been prepared long ago.
The shrill howl resounded in the temple, and was carried to the cliffs and cliffs by the cold wind on the mountain top, intimidating the mountain people who might appear there.
The four demon hunters slowly sheathed their swords, leaving only powdered alchemical materials in front of them. If they were lucky, they could also see small pieces of mutation-inducing substances.
Lan turned around and looked at the last demon spirit lying on the ground.
Until Lan burned his bones into ashes, it did not get up, but kept trembling, and the green flames on its body flickered.
"It spoke, Lann." Alice suddenly said, "It said: Thank you." The
emerald brilliance was as bright as the sun, projecting from the ruins of the temple that had been deserted for a long time.
If the mountain people passing by see this scene and this light, I don't know what new legends will be extended.
...
After searching the village of Fulhara for the last time with his fellow demon hunters, and making sure that there were no other missed clues here, Lann and others turned around and went down the mountain.
Lann and his team moved very quickly. At this time, they had completed the entire process of "climbing - searching - fighting - searching - descending the mountain." The Skellig soldiers responsible for looking for clues about the Wilkas were still in the mountains. groping among them.
They saw the mobile troops stationed at the foot of the mountain from a distance. Lann and the others were about to go back to exchange the intelligence they had obtained with East and the others, but they found that the number of troops at the foot of the mountain had increased.
If you look carefully, you can see that there are more than just soldiers from the East and Kratz families present. There is also another army on the scene. They are holding shields with different styles engraved with the family crest.
"Look at that mark...is it the Drummond family? The leader is...Mad Lugo?"
Lann suddenly became happy. Does this man still owe him a boxing match?
...
There is a bit of a feud between the Drummond family where Crazy Lugo belongs and the Klett family where Kratz belongs.
The cause of the conflict between them was the land dispute. The origin of the matter is actually very obvious: from the perspective of the normal development of events, it must be the Drummond family who came from out of town and settled on the Great Skellige Island without any greetings.
But they are unreasonable and strong-willed.
Therefore, the Clete family was also particularly angry.
However, for the purpose of uniting the seven major Skellige families, even a powerful family like the Klett family cannot rush into war when facing their "companions" and can only keep the fight at a relatively restrained level.
In the end, this dispute actually caused anxiety for several generations.
And the contradictions are getting worse.
Just like Kratz at this time. Originally, he was preparing to enter the mountain with his people, but after knowing that Crazy Lugo had actually arrived at the bottom of the mountain, he directly handed over the command to his adjutant, and ran straight over with three people, and started with Crazy Lugo Face to face.
In the distance, Lan could hear the roar of a group of people.
...
"Go away, madman, you thief without honor! You are not welcome here!"
Kratz already had the ax in his hand.
"Every inch of Great Skellig Island belongs to the Drummond family. It's only we who don't welcome you, Kratz!" Madman Lugo roared and drew his weapon without giving in.
On the contrary, the family soldiers behind them were more restrained and just put their hands on the hilts of their swords, not as tense as their two family heads.
East looked at the angry madman Lugo with cold eyes, and said coldly: "No need to act, Lugo. You came all the way here, definitely not just to have a fight with Kratz, you and I both You know what time it is and what you want to do."
"Be happy and act like a real islander."
Madman Lugo laughed hard and spat at his feet: "Why did I come here? ?Everything that happened on Great Skellig Island cannot escape my eyes, especially the traces of Kratz." "
Easter, I respect you because of your previous achievements. But past achievements are not enough. Let me make concessions to the future."
The madman looked at East and Kratz with fierce eyes. The combined power of these two families was astonishing, and even he was quite afraid of it now.
The only person in the entire archipelago who dares to confront their two families at the same time is probably this madman.
East suddenly asked: "Are you afraid of Nilfgaard? Are you unwilling to let Skellige and the Black Sun Empire become enemies in the future?" "
Ha!" Madman Lugo seemed to have heard something funny. "Being able to rob Nilfgaard Fugard is the exciting thing, isn't it? That's the empire that integrated the south! The screams of their citizens must be more pleasant than the fishermen in the average village, and their gems must be more shining than the average small country." This is true
. It fits the thinking of a madman.
"But!" Madman Lugo suddenly emphasized his tone. He still had something to say. "If I were to lead such an exciting robbery team, wouldn't it be even more intoxicating?" "So
you I want to be the king." East looked at the madman and retorted, "I admit your ability to fight at sea, and even I am not sure that I can completely suppress you. But you are not suitable to be the king, you are not Know how to govern a country. Skellig is a country, not just a pirate family."
Unexpectedly, Madman Lugo suddenly became excited after hearing what East said.
"I'm not qualified to be a king. I'm not suitable to be a king. Then you are qualified. Are you suitable?" Lugo shouted, "You may have been the 'Sea Knight'! I once followed you. , supported you as king. But you gave up your honor! You went to the north to become the husband of a queen, giving up the sea and the mountains!" "
Bran is your brother. I thought he could take on your responsibility. Responsibility, so I voted for him at that time. But I didn't expect that he was the same as you! He also used the honor of the king as a child's windmill to play with!" "I will never trust you guys again,
Qida There is no one else in the family who can win my support! The only one who can lead Skellig into the mainland is me - Lugo Drummond!"
(End of this chapter)