Chapter 1099： Dim palace and mirror cave

Between that layer and layer of winding stairs, behind one after another ancient door, countless majestic and gorgeous floors are stacked in the depths of the silent tower, and the dark palace stands on the ground like layers of heavy scrolls. Each floor seems to be the epitome of the memory of the ancient, remote, and hidden kingdom of Violet, and the further you go to the deepest part of these floors, the feeling of ancient and hiddenness will become deeper-until you cross the bottom floor and enter the dark palace The underground structure of this tower will continue to extend toward the depths. In those underground floors, all the items that can represent the "modern" atmosphere are finally completely gone, only the weird magic that does not know from which age The creation moves in its depths, guarding certain things that are too old, or even old enough to be mentioned.

Layers down, the atmosphere in a hall that I don’t know how deep underground is already—says it’s a hall. In fact, this space is already similar to a huge karst cave, with primitive stone domes and rock walls covering the ground. Hollow, and at the same time there are many simple and huge pillars with obvious artificial traces supporting some of the fragile structures of the cave. Between the rock layers of the dome, you can also see the artificial roof made of slate, which seems to be fused with the stone Generally, they are deeply "embedded" into the top of the cave, and it can only be seen vaguely that they should be a higher floor or a partial structure of some kind of "foundation".

Stalagmites hang down from the dome, water vapor condenses among the rocks, and cold water drops fall, dripping into this underground cave-it falls on a layer of mirror surface, causing the solid mirror surface to ripple layers.

Nearly half of the "ground" of the entire underground cavern is in a mirror-like state. It is a dark and pure plane, abruptly "inlaid" between the stones on the surface, extremely smooth and flat, but at this moment It is not calm—it seems that there is some hidden power surging in the depths of this dark mirror. On the ink-like plane, you can occasionally see certain ripples appearing, or some places abruptly bulging, and Some light from an unknown source swept across the mirror surface. In the reflection of light and shadow, some pale faces were reflected on the edge of the mirror surface.

The owner of one of the faces stepped back slightly. He was wrapped in a dark robe, and the top of the long-handled wooden staff in his hand exuded a very dim magical glow-this weak light could theoretically not even illuminate his side The range of two meters, but in this weird cave, the faint light seems to be enough to reflect all the details, so that the whole space has no corners that the naked eye can't recognize.

And around this black-robed mage, there are many guards dressed like him, and the top of each person's staff also maintains the same dim gleam. Under the faint light, the mage is slightly pale. The faces looked at each other until someone finally broke the silence: "This time the duration has exceeded all records... Counting the previous time, it is already the sixth ups and downs."

"There are more shadows crossing the boundary than before," another black robe mage whispered, "and it seems more difficult to communicate than ever..."

"They are restless, it seems that their minds have awakened from their deep sleep. This is not a good sign," the black-robed mage who spoke first shook his head, then frowned, "Is anyone going to send a letter to the upper level?"

"Guards have been sent to inform Prince Nash," a female mage said in a low voice, "He should be soon..."

"I've already arrived."

Before the female mage's voice fell, Prince Nash Nalt's voice came out of thin air, and accompanied by this voice, there was a smoke vortex that suddenly rose up in the cave-Prince Nash's figure went directly through the dim court The stacked floors and staggered magical barriers, like a shadow falling into the abyss, directly "falling" into this cave space located deep underground. His figure condenses and forms in mid-air, and then floats weightlessly. Towards the edge of the "mirror", came among a group of guards.

When Prince Nash landed on the ground, the "mirror" at the center of the cave suddenly changed again, and a large number of ripples were generated from the mirror surface out of thin air. The plane that originally looked like a solid suddenly surged like a thick liquid. , Along with this weird and chilling surging, there were bursts of low, vague, dreamlike whispers from behind the mirror, echoing in the entire space!

In the next second, something was suddenly condensed in the undulating mirror surface like slime. They floated up quickly and constantly recombined with the invisible energy in the air, quickly forming hollow "human bodies". These shadows Draped in something like a rune cloth strip, the amorphous black smoke inside its body is bound by the cloth strip into roughly limbs. These uninvited guests from the "other side" murmured, roared, and left the mirror unconsciously, toward the distance. Their nearest guards were staggering-but the guards had already reacted. Under Prince Nash’s order, shadow burning rays shot out from the top of the wizards’ scepters, penetrating those from The "cross-boundaries" of the shadow world, their rune cloth belts flared silently under the rays, and the black smoke inside was neutralized and disintegrated instantly. After just a few seconds, these shadows were decomposed into energy and The shadow sank into the depths of the mirror.

Everything happened in the flashlight and fire, and it was done under the almost instinctive muscle memory of the guards. It wasn't until all the transgressors were expelled back that a group of black-robed wizards finally took a breath. Layered black "mirror". Prince Nash's gaze also fell on the dark mirror surface, and his gaze moved slowly on the surface, monitoring every slight change of it.

At this moment, a silver light and phantom that suddenly flashed under the mirror suddenly came into his eyes-the thing was so blurred that it was completely unrecognizable, but it made people think of a cold "line of sight".

Nash Naert's complexion instantly changed, and then he withdrew half a step. At the same time, he whispered in a low voice: "Extinguish the light source, time yourself!"

In the next instant, all the light sources in the cave disappeared, including not only the shimmer light on the top of the wizards’ rods, but also the flash of runes on the ancient stone slabs on the top of the cave and the glowing moss in some damp corners-the light of the wizards. Obviously it was extinguished artificially, but the light in other places seemed to have been swallowed by some invisible force, and the entire cave fell into absolute darkness.

In the darkness, everyone’s heart was beating, faintly, as if there was some kind of fine friction sound coming from some corners, and then there seemed to be footsteps breaking through the silence, as if some The guard left his position and was groping to pass among his companions. Then after a while, the cave finally calmed down again. It seemed that someone took a long breath, and his voice was silent: "Yes. Now, light up the staff again."

In the darkness, there was no sound response, and no dim light lit up.

After a while, suddenly there were a few short screams from the guards' densest place. Amidst the painful shouts, a guard who seemed to be struggling snarled, "Quick, light up the staff. , I am entangled in something! I am..."

The only response to this shout was darkness and silence.

Finally, these weird voices disappeared again, and Prince Nash Nalt’s voice broke the silence: "The time is over, each light up the staff."

There was still no response in the darkness, and no light lit up. There were only some slight and long breathing sounds that seemed to be blocked by a thick curtain and far away from the world. These breathing sounds were mixed with a trace of tension, but there was nothing. The human voice sounded flustered-after about ten more seconds, a faint light finally appeared in the cave.

The first mage guard lighted up his staff, and then the rest of the guards also released the "darkness and silence" state, and the staff was lit up, and the dim light around the cave was restored. Prince Nash's The figure reappeared in the gleam of these dim light, he looked in the direction of the guards for the first time, counting the number of people among the slightly pale faces.

"One less person." He suddenly said in a low tone.

The guards immediately began to confirm each other, and after a short internal inventory, they focused all their sights on a vacancy at the front of the crowd-there was an empty spot, which apparently used to be a standing individual, but the corresponding guard had disappeared.

The black-robed wizards watched the empty place nervously, and then, a small flash of light suddenly appeared in the empty place. The flash floated on a place about one person high, bright and dark, sometimes reflecting in the air. The silhouette of the hazy silhouette in the middle, as if an invisible mage is standing there, trying to light the staff in the "darkness" that belongs to him, trying to reflect his figure in the real world again Come out—he tried again and again, but the flash became weaker and weaker, and the silhouette of the figure that was occasionally reflected became more and more blurred and thinner.

Some of the black-robed mages couldn’t help but mutter softly: "Come back... back to this world... come back... don’t give up, come back..."

The last flash of light finally disappeared, and it did not light up again.

Someone among the guards couldn't help cursing in a low voice, which was vague and unclear.

"He's gone," Prince Nash's gaze stayed for a long time at the place where the flash finally disappeared. After several seconds of silence, he said in a low voice, "May this respectable guard find peace on the other side of the dark."

The guards lowered their heads, and said in unison with solemnity and sorrow: "May he find peace on the other side of the dark..."

"Let’s notify the family as soon as possible and send the spare uniform and staff used by the guardian...There must always be something for burial," Prince Nash said softly, "His family will be generously treated, everyone will Will be taken care of."

The leader of the guard bowed and saluted: "Yes, my lord."

Nash Gnar nodded his head and looked back to the "mirror" in the center of the cave. This terrifying dark mirror has completely calmed down, as if all the visions that had just happened were everyone's dreams-Nash The prince can even be sure that even if he steps directly on the mirror surface at this moment and walks on it at will, nothing will happen.

"The restlessness is over," the "Mage King" sighed softly, "I'm afraid this barrier is no longer so stable."

"This change must be related to recent events," the guard leader couldn't help but said. "The gods have fallen or disappeared one after another. Talrond, who had been stagnant for millions of years, suddenly broke free from the shackles, and the mortal kingdoms were in unprecedented intensity. The state of change, all minds have lost the order and stability of the past, impetuous and turbulent thoughts have caused ripples in the deep sea-this time the scale of the ripples is larger than ever before, and it will surely affect the entire deep sea... It will inevitably disturb the dreams of the sleeping person."

While speaking, the leader turned his head and looked at the huge dark mirror with nervous and vigilant eyes.

"What should we do to maintain his sleeping state." Another mage guard couldn't help saying.

Prince Nash Nalt quietly looked at the black-robed mage who spoke, and asked softly: "Why?"

"This..." The mage guard was taken aback for a moment, and replied in a daze, "We are guarding this dream..."

"We are just guarding this entrance to ensure that evolution occurs naturally. As for whether this dream will continue, whether it will wake up early, and under what circumstances... These are not things we can interfere with, but involve the whole The world, the changes in the entire age...that shouldn't be our intervention," Prince Nash said quietly, "All this is a natural historical process, and the violet is just a bystander."

Speaking of this, he shook his head slightly.

"Don't underestimate the power of this historical evolution, and don't be blinded by the too high sense of mission. We are just a group of guards at the door."

Nash Nalt transformed into a plume of smoke, and once again passed through the stacked floors, through various protections of indefinite depth, he returned to the room on the upper floor of the tower, and the bright light appeared in the field of vision. Dispelling the entangled black shadows of the mage king-those shadows dissipated in the light like evaporating, making a faint noise.

Nash came to a crimson high-backed chair and sat there thinking quietly. After such a peaceful time passed for an unknown period of time, a soft footstep suddenly came from behind him.

On the wall not far behind him, an oval magic mirror with a gorgeous light gold frame and a height of one person suddenly appeared brilliant, and a beautiful woman wearing a white court dress quietly appeared in the mirror. , She looked at Prince Nash: "You are in a bad mood, the guard has suffered a loss?"

"A very experienced guard was lost at the border," Nash shook his head and sighed, "Nothing left."

"Why does this happen?" The woman in the mirror looked surprised, "How can an experienced guard get lost on the border?"

"...The mirror surface briefly lost control and the boundary became blurred. The guard resisted all temptations and deceptions and resisted the urge to light up the staff in the dark, but did not return to the light in time after the boundary was restored. As a result, I failed to return to our world smoothly."

The woman in the mirror fell silent, and sighed softly two seconds later: "It's a pity."

"...May he find peace on the other side of the dark." Prince Nash said calmly.

"As we all know, there is nothing on the other side of the darkness-there is only an extremely empty dream."

"That is the ultimate peace."