Chapter 108: Silence

Chapter 108: Silence

The three old men on the scene left satisfied. When Bran said this was the Northlands, they thought they understood the attitude of the Northlands and Bran’s attitude.

After watching the three leave, Bran habitually leaned against the big tree, closed his eyes, and sat down. Just like back at the Mountain Villa, he gradually merged with the tree behind him and the entire City Manor.

Sophie curiously circled around this newly grown big tree, touching and looking at it. Though the tree now seemed very ordinary, after what had just happened, she couldn’t help but want to stay a while longer and look a bit more. Bran sitting there with his eyes closed made her let her guard down. And as Bran gradually merged with his surroundings, gradually losing his presence, she also gradually forgot Bran’s existence, slowly immersing herself in this rare peace.

In Bran’s Spiritual World, this spirited, tall and straight young girl had thus dropped her guard, circling around this tree, around him, spinning happily. The ornaments on the girl emitted a soft light. They were his creation.

Bran was lost in the girl’s beauty; Sophie was lost in her own desire to explore. Both tacitly enjoyed this hard-won peace. But good times always pass quickly. When the sun slanted westward, high above this big tree, in the not-so-distant sky, the Giant Falcon Feiyu let out a warning cry, startling them both.

Through Feiyu’s eyes, a troop of Knights was surging out from the forest road with a cloud of dust. At the front of the troop was a large banner with a picture of a dark red flame. A black crow perched on the top of the flagpole, constantly swaying its body, trying to keep its balance.

What timely notification, what tremendous help!

Bran slowly drew the Mana back into his body. All Mana Fluctuations in the surroundings began to converge, to fall silent under his will. Then, looking slightly tired, he said to Sophie: “Go back.”

Sophie turned and left without a hint of reluctance, feeling proud inside. She had tricked Wizard Bran. She had made this little pervert lose himself. This time, she had won.

Earl, who was standing by not far away, was startled. She saw the City Manor return to its original appearance. The Great Wizard was completely exposed under the setting sun—an ordinary Northlands boy, with not the slightest trace of Mana Fluctuation detectable on him.

A rare moment of peace, even if it was a deception. Bran sighed, waved at Earl, and then instructed: “Run. Take the wizards in the city, run as far as you can.”

Earl’s eyes clearly dimmed. “I wish to fight for you.”

“You will, but not today.”

“When can I return?”

“After tonight.”

…

Watching the people around him scatter, Bran turned to Danny and gave a wry laugh: “What perfect timing. The people from our Camp have just left, and this group arrives.”

“Should we call them back?”

“It’s too late. They won’t give us the time.”

Danny smiled, pulling Bran into her embrace. She hummed softly by his ear, as if soothing a child. Bran knew this tune. It was the battle song of the Northlanders, and also their funeral dirge.

In the empty courtyard, the sound bounced off the surrounding protective walls, constantly weakening.

…

Wood led his Knights straight across the border, arriving beneath the city walls. No one knew why this foolhardy guy insisted on coming here. Perhaps he wanted to show his contempt for the Green Kingdom, perhaps he wanted to show his superiority. So Wood handed all matters over to his deputy Tirui, while he himself took a portion of the Knights and began wandering this land with an attitude of lording over its owners. With some people’s indulgence, his limited caution and wariness completely vanished.

Wood looked at the wide-open city gate, at the empty walls, feeling very smug and scornful. Was this the Northlanders? Not much to speak of. He nudged his horse’s flank and strode toward the city gate first. Just as he was about to enter the gate, a voice sounded from above.

“You know? This is the Northlands.”

Everyone instinctively reined in their horses, looking up toward the top of the wall. Wood tilted his head back forcefully, even leaning his body slightly backward, trying to see clearly who was speaking.

…

Ever since Bran withdrew all his Mana, the Dragon Riders and the wizards from the Royal Capital had been watching him closely. They watched him cowardly being held in Danny’s arms, watched that powerful female Warrior singing softly in his ear.

This child had given in. He exposed his soft belly to everyone, showing submission. He wanted the people around him to see his crisis, hoping for others’ rescue.

The wizards began to sneer, relaying all of this. This child finally climbed onto the city wall alone and helpless. He gave up resistance, abandoning all his Attendants in the City Manor. The Northlands were truly declining, was everyone’s sentiment.

When Bran walked towards the city wall alone, the Dragon Riders hidden in the distance grew anxious. They were originally there to prevent Bran from escaping, originally prepared to deliver a fatal blow from behind. They would not allow any accident to happen to Bran now, nor would they allow him to fall into others’ hands. This was too different from what they had anticipated. This coward, this man afraid of death, didn’t even have the courage to let his Attendants fight to the death. They quickly readied their gear, climbed onto their mounts, and charged over.

When Layton heard that Bran was walking towards the city wall alone, he couldn’t help but shiver. He glanced around at the people gloating, then gently pulled Sophie and quietly withdrew.

After exiting the tent, he dragged Sophie quickly towards the stables, instructing as he walked: “Leave immediately. The sooner the better.”

“Why?”

Layton pointed north. “That time, he also walked out of the Mountain Villa alone. He doesn’t need Attendants when he kills.”

“And you?”

Layton began quickly saddling a horse, continuing to speak: “If it’s just a child, they might let him go. Be careful on the road.”

…

As the words “This is the Northlands” fell, Bran jumped down from the top of the wall. He landed heavily, stomping on Wood’s head with his foot, crushing it so it hung backward. At the same time, a blade light flashed in his hand. Two heads flew up with startled expressions, and a spray of blood gushed from the necks, dyeing the nearby people red.

The sudden change instantly caused the already dense troop to crowd together in a chaotic mess, giving Bran a chance to perform. He utilized his short stature and agile Short Blade to the extreme, turning into a blur of light and shadow within the gaps of the crowd. Accompanied by screams and the flying and falling of severed hands and feet, the space around him began to clear.

When the change occurred, the charging Dragon Riders could no longer check their momentum and crashed into the Anya People’s ranks from behind. The glow of Mana began to light up in both groups’ formations. Bran’s Magic Field also suddenly expanded violently along with these glows, enveloping everyone within it.

Grew was shocked and cried out involuntarily: “It’s a trap!”

Too late. Bran’s Mana had already tightly entangled with that of all the wizards in the field. His Magic Field vibrated intensely. Along with his blade light, along with the despair of all the wizards, his eyes turned pitch black. As the devouring ended, Bran, with no more reservations, made his Magic Field vibrate faster and faster. First, a low hum sounded, then the sound began to grow sharper, more shrill, like thousands of Fairies shrieking.

Amid the piercing shrieks, the mounts became frantic. They twisted and struggled madly, throwing the Knights off their backs. The Knights dropped weapons they had long regarded as their lives, desperately covering their ears. But it was useless. The sound rang in their minds, rose from the depths of their hearts. They began to collapse, began to wail along with the shrieking. When the vibrations of the Magic Field gradually subsided, all living creatures were curled up on the ground, breathing weakly.

Hall watched Bran walk up to him, then watched Bran walk quietly past. It all felt like a dream. Warm blood flowed over, slowly enveloping him, then gradually cooling. Hall, having regained some strength, struggled to stand up. He scanned his surroundings and saw another figure not far away, swaying unsteadily, likely to fall again at any moment. It was a young Hell Knight. He saw that Knight’s mouth open and close several times, but he couldn’t hear any sound.

In this dead silent place, amidst the corpses of companions and mounts, the two stood desolately, staring at each other.

…

When Bran’s Magic Field expanded, the Royal Capital’s Camp had already fallen into panic. The change came too fast. What was the outcome? People turned their gaze to the wizard who had just been speaking animatedly, hoping he could explain everything in detail as before. But this wizard just muttered: “I don’t know, I don’t know.”

A long while later, he screamed again: “Dead! They’re all dead!”

After another moment, his face began to contort, and he shrieked: “He’s coming! He’s coming!”

As his words fell, people rose in panic, rushing out to escape. But Layton shouted loudly: “Sit down!”

Under the confused and terrified gazes of everyone, Layton said: “Can you run? Rather than die like a dog in disgrace, it’s better to die with dignity.”

Someone sighed and sat down dejectedly. Someone cursed and rushed out of the tent.

Several lines of blood splashed onto the tent. One person, clutching his neck, staggered back in with a horrified look, “A cat, a Black Cat…”

Blood continuously flowed from between his fingers. Finally, under everyone’s watchful eyes, he swayed and fell face down.

Layton sighed. Sophie was finished. The beasts would only faithfully execute orders. Since those who fled would be killed…

He didn’t want to think further.

…

Danny sat silently in the City Manor, watching Zack, Mary, and the others. Several people who had wanted to charge out were already lying unconscious at her feet.

Finally, Danny’s voice seemed to come from a great distance: “It’s over…”

…

On a dark forest path, the girl Sophie ran desperately. She began to hear panting sounds coming from the woods behind her, the rustling sound of fur brushing against shrubs. Until two pairs of huge, green-glowing wolf eyes appeared on either side of her…