Silent Crown

by Feng Yue

  As long as he found King Arthur first, converted him into a dark follower under his command, and took over his body, the advantages of Anglo would be completely undermined.

  Both the Sword in the Stone and the continuously intensifying enchantment of Avalon were all things of the past and the extension of Kingdom Come to King Arthur. In Arthur’s body, these things would no longer be a threat to Hyakume. In fact…they would be useful for him!

  “Stop him!” Maxwell’s face changed but he could not catch up now.

  The shadow struck down. Then, in the city, eight beams of light rose in succession. The first one was Tristan. That burly knight sprang up and waved his sword, dashing toward the shadow. Storms were set off. In an instant, Hyakume’s shadow staggered and dissipated into mist. It fell through Tristan to the earth.

  Tristan’s body shook. Frozen in the air, he was almost engulfed by the evil intentions therein.

  Geraint’s armor was like the flesh and blood of a living thing. Like a beast, it ran on its limbs, roaring and leaping from the earth, and gnashed forcefully. However, even its swift speed could not stop that swift shadow.

  Following were Gareth, Lamorak, and others. They attacked at the same time. The Red Dragon’s shadow flashed and spat out blue fire. However, the dragon lost its agility and its wings were sliced off.

  Traces of cracks immediately appeared on three knights. Their weakness was seized in that blow and they were deeply wounded.

  “In the name of the knight, put an end to all evil intentions!” Under the armor of Galahad, Christine drew her sword and proclaimed seriously.

  Swords clanged. The sound of the sword condensed into something tangible and spread to all directions. Everywhere the sound passed, aetheric connections were cut off and forcibly suppressed. But the shadow’s speed was not reduced. It stretched out a hand and suddenly pressed down.

  Boom! Christine’s sword fell out of her hand, her body was trembling. The face under the helmet was bright red. She vomited black blood from the backlash and was unable to move.

  The breath from the abyss… This was a ubiquitous breath of abyss.

  She could perceive the germination of evil intentions from the heart. It almost took the control of her mind. Murderous intent, greed, lust, and anger that she had never experienced now burst out endlessly. Even the sword of Galahad could not suppress it.

  Anyone infected by that breath would reveal the evil in their nature and they would be eroded by the movement. If one did not strive to contend with that power, the evil intention would possibly be deeply implanted into the heart. It would be unable to be expelled until, one day, the victim would completely degenerate into a follower of a natural catastrophe. It was horrible.

  “Right at this time…” It had to be during this situation! If she was stronger, if she had foreseen this earlier, if her father had not been seriously injured during the early years and could fight now, this would never have happened! Christine gritted her teeth and sank into a deep humiliation.

  Unlike other families, the Lancelot family had been trusted by the royal family since the kingdom was found. What the family inherited was not just one but two titles.

  As early as the first generation, Lancelot and Galahad were son and father, both of whom were among the Knights of the Round Table. Therefore, every generation of Lancelot’s title must be inherited by Galahad after the death of his father. In other words, Galahad was Lancelot’s reserve.

  And in all knights that currently existed, Lancelot’s position was the most exalted. In addition to the lineage, it also required absolute integrity. One needed to have all seven virtues of knighthood to obtain the recognition of the phantom beast and become the legendary Lancelot du Lac.

  Only Lancelot and Gawain had the highest moral standards. They had neither the fear of the natural catastrophe’s infectious breath nor the risk of depravity.

  Unfortunately, the current Lancelot was severely wounded while protecting the royal family from an assassination in his early days. His lungs were damaged. Although there was no harm to everyday activities, he could no longer set foot on the battlefield. Otherwise, such a horrible situation would not have occured.

  “This sucks.” Maxwell ground his teeth under the curse, his expression gloomy.

  The situation instantly grew dire. The Dark Lord’s approaching could almost break the seals on the palace gate. Once he entered, the preparations and planning of the years would all be in vain. So many people’s sacrifice and effort would mean nothing. Now the only one that could stop him was…

  “Charles!”

  303 Before the End

  “Charles…”

  Charles seemed to hear a moan from hell. He turned around. Jerome’s withered face was in a puddle of blood with its mouth open. The man had withered and dried out under the erosion of the abyss’s breath. He looked like a weathered skeleton but the glow of his soul still remained in his body.

  “Pick up…” He used the last of his strength to grasp Charles’s hand. Ghostly fire burned in his eyes. “Pick it up, Charles! Pick it up! Only you…”

  Only you can stop him!

  “Me?” Charles froze. He looked down blankly at the spear in the pool of blood. This was the replica of St. George’s spear, a powerful ancient artifact. “You w-want me to go?” he muttered.

  Looking up at the incoming black shadow, he trembled. He wanted to say, Can you give me an easier job? I’m innocent. I’ve accomplished things for Anglo, I’ve bled for the Research Institute. I want to see Newton! Why should a researcher go onto the battlefield? I’m not even a f*cking musician! If you can do it then you go! I don’t have a girlfriend yet. I have old and young ones and a junior to take care of. I can’t go, no way. I haven’t showed off my good looks and amazing talent yet. I can’t just die here… But I’ll die if I go or don’t go. Can’t I choose a better death? But neither is a better death.

  “So…I have to go?” he muttered to himself.

  His body followed Jerome’s words. Perhaps it was because it was an order from a dying man, or perhaps his tone was filled with anticipation and power, or…deep down, he was attracted.

  Power. Power was under his feet.

  In the pool of blood, Jerome’s eyes were hopeful. Charles, do you want to be a failure for life and see people’s disappointed eyes or be a hero? Even if just for a moment…

  And so Charles bent down and picked up ‘power.’ It was like holding a piece of burning iron. He yelled in pain and fell to his knees as he convulsed. Fire coursed through his body, trying to burn him to ashes. Immense power surged from the spear and engulfed his mind, shattering it.

  Furious fire emerged from his broken mind, causing him to scream. Like a dying dragon, the tangible power of the dragon burst from his body. It lifted and tore apart every living thing. Jerome was swept in as well but he smiled in satisfaction.

  Yes! Just like this! Charles, you can do it and you must! Jerome grinned before he disintegrated. His remaining strength converged in his blood and flowed into Charles’s cracked skin. A mortal who dared to enter the realm of a deity would be burned by the radiance. Even though this was a backup product, St. George’s spear still contained a large enough power that could scorch him.

  He only needed one moment; one moment would suffice. If Charles could stop the Dark Lord, everything would be worth it, no matter how horrible the sacrifice!

  Scalding blood burst from his body. Charles howled in pain. He was ruled by the power and searing light shot out from his eyes. It was as if the sun was blazing in his body. Power and the scepter, pain, and torture came together.

  Roaring, Charles grasped the spear. Blurry music notes on the spear lit up with blinding light. The spear seemed to have lost its confusion and become a terrifying existence that had been suppressed forcefully. The dragon spirit sealed within roared wildly. The sky and earth shook.

  Charles held the spear tightly amidst the light and pierced forward. All the aether before the spear bur
ned away, creating a vacuum. Everything in this area was destined to die.

  “Don’t you dare!” the Dark Lord bellowed from the wave of darkness.

  He seemed to drag the entire abyss with him—he was unstoppable!

  The power of the abyss and St. George’s spear clashed directly. Even Avalon’s enchantment could not detect the changes of aether. It was just a muddled mess.

  In the turmoil, the abyss’s aura seethed, creating wild ripples. Charles stood within the burning light and screamed in pain.

  “Charles?” In that moment, Ye Qingxuan was taken aback at the top of the Elizabeth Tower. There was no time to hesitate. Clenching his jaw, he pressed the crack on his chest. It resonated!

  The bell rang instantly. With the sub-originator as a fulcrum, he levered Avalon’s enchantment. In the dark cellar, sixteen stone tablets began turning amidst rumbling. They changed their positions and angles, creating a new structure.

  Under the great shaking, the moon in the sky turned. As if time had passed in an instant, the full moon waned and fell above Charles. Moonlight crashed down like a waterfall and encased Charles within the turbid mess.

  “Please work, please work, please work…” Clenching his jaw, Ye Qingxuan closed his eyes and prayed. He used his will to guide the enchantment’s strength from the sky, transform into moonlight, and enter Charles’ body. Using his own experience of constructing the sub-originator inside him, he suppressed the wild aether within Charles. It felt like he was trying to block an erupting volcano.

  Ye Qingxuan paled and spat out a mouthful of blood. He was only shouldering part of the pressure but practically collapsed from it. Charles was not even an official musician but he could control that strength and keep his body intact. How talented was he actually?!

  With the support of the tuning instrument, Ye Qingxuan transported all the pressure to the enchantment through the sub-originator without hesitation. He utilized all the strength he could and instantly fought into the chaos through resonation.

  Moonlight wrapped around Charles’s limbs. It evaporated from the fire but reappeared as soon as it disappeared. Ye Qingxuan endured the intense pain that flared every moment and forcefully maintained the connection and resonance between the two.

  “A mere replica…” Deep in the dark abyss, the Dark Lord ground his teeth. He changed his shape and the oddly-shaped skeletal shell opened its hands, gripping St. George’s spear, which was being stabbed at his chest.

  His hands scraped against the light; sparks flew and different music theories constantly tangled, twisted, and destroyed, creating abnormal aftershocks. He angrily studied Charles and looked past him. He seemed to be able to see the youth’s mind in the moonlight. In the abyss, pure evil intent rushed into their minds along with the moonlight. “I didn’t expect…it’s you two…”

  “This trick doesn’t work!” Ye Qingxuan shielded Charles. The formless river in his mind welcomed the various images from the abyss. It broke at the touch but a moon rose in the defeated river and withstood the momentary attack. Then he opened his mouth and used all his strength to yell, “Maxwell, what the f*ck are you still waiting for?!”

  A blazing sun descended from the sky. Whistling, the Sword in the Stone pierced the darkness, destroying everything. Sixteen layers of feathers broke through the air. The Sword in the Stone had been filled to the brim and now it sliced down! It had been a millennium years since this was last seen!

  The Chapter of Golden Victory burst forth. It created an immense vortex in the aether sea. All power that it could touch was swallowed and shot out from the sword blade, forming the ultimate formula of the School of Modifications—the Elemental Vacuum!

  The sword descended from the sky and hacked off the abyss and head. It also pierced the incarnation’s core, cutting apart its brain. After a muffled boom, all was silent. The chaos dissipated; the abyss dissipated. St. George’s spear pierced the Dark Lord’s chest and destroyed his last attack with an explosion of power.

  “So…it is…” The Dark Lord’s face had shattered as if weathered by wind. However, it was still vicious and furious. “Ye Lanzhou, so you already…” With his last strength, he reached out to strangle the youth in the moonlight. However, his trembling hand shattered and fell apart. His entire body was pulled at by the Sword in the Stone’s power. It caved in and distorted. Wailing, it was sucked into the blade. In the end, it became a wandering shadow in the clear blade.

  After it was sealed, Genesis’ power scattered as well. Haydn resealed it into the codex. He sat tiredly onto his wheelchair; he had clearly aged. Everything returned to how it was.

  The enchantment quickly weakened until it was close to nothing. The tuning instrument in the dark cellar broke apart. The reborn music score returned to silence. It came from death and returned to death.

  Maxwell stood still as his wings of light faded and his halo crumbled. Half-kneeling on the ground, he vomited broken shards of light. However, he looked at the fading ancient sword with satisfaction. “A success. All those lives lost were not in vain.”

  No one replied because they were all dead. No one knew if happiness and satisfaction waited for them in the underworld.

  Maxwell—no, the Shaman—closed his eyes and murmured, “I hope they found their value while they were alive…”

  Crack. As St. George’s spear shattered, Charles stumbled back. His entire body was red with burns. Strands of blood seeped from his pores. He doubled over and spat out fresh blood.

  Staring at the broken pieces of the spear, he reached out as if he had seen a nonexistent hallucination and dream.

  “Don’t go…” he said. But the hallucination and dream dissipated. He closed his eyes and sank into darkness.

  Maxwell reached out and caught him. He handed Charles over to a Round Table Knight. “Contact the Church’s Choir musicians for emergency treatment. After this case is reported to the Queen, seal it for eternity with the Sixth Seal.”

  “Yes.” Lamorak nodded and carefully walked toward the exit with Charles.

  In the silence, Maxwell gazed at the city that was cold and dark again. He sighed. “It’s finally over.”

  “No, not yet.” The youth’s hoarse murmur traveled in the wind. Maxwell looked up in confusion but he saw no one atop the white tower.

  304 Before Dawn

  Not until the real riot was over did the city begin to be dazed and fearful. Emergency police officers rode horses on the streets to maintain basic order. There were even more troops running on the street under the clanging of metal armor. They were following the Queen’s orders to catch traitors.

  The silence of the uptown district was broken by the heavy footsteps. Lights dimly lit up in the dark, mixed with faint discontinuous cries and chaos. The sounds were quickly strangled as soon as they were born. So, it was still vaguely quiet.

  All the manors and mansions involved with the parliament were surrounded. Soon a figure with a black wig was escorted into the carriage and sent to the nonexistent Fifth Department.

  People who cooperated with the arrest could still keep their last bit of dignity while those who dared to rebel would be killed on the spot. Thus, all members of the parliament were uprooted in this suffocating darkness.

  For a long time, the Fifth Department had been silently searching for clues and was ready for this day to come. These nonexistent figures suddenly appeared on the street like illusions and brought the prisoners into the nonexistent place. The prisoners disappeared from the world silently.

  It could be expected that soon after the secret trial was over, countless corpses would be hung on the Traitor’s Gate. They wound sway in the wind like chimes, paying the price for what they have done before.

  The tower stood in the white palace, glowing with the only light at the top of Avalon. The light silently overlooked its own territory like a dragon’s cold eyes. It watched the group of rebellious officials struggle against death.

  “It’s all over.” Gavin staggered out of the sc
arlet vortex. Leaning against the wall, he coughed violently. He looked up at the lights in the sky, his eyes flashing with resentment and gloom. Gritting his teeth, Gavin ran home.

  He had to completely get rid of all the clues before the Fifth Department found out about his situation. Fortunately, he had sent all of his family to another location at the beginning, and arranged backup and escape plans for himself, just in case.

  He only needed to trigger the prepared equipment and leave a little spark. Everything would go up in flames.

  Suddenly, he knelt on the ground. He vomited out a large mouth of rancid blood and felt the power disappearing quickly in his body. This was the penalty from the god.

  Hyakume, who had lost his incarnation, was very furious. As a priest, Gavin had lost all the providence. If he had not prepared precautions beforehand, he would have died like the scapegoats in those chambers.

  Stooping, he threw up the deadly green poison. He took out a silver needle and stabbed it into his neck and head. This sealed up the evil in his body temporarily. Now, it was a race against the clock. He did not have much time now.

  Gazing at the distant firelight in the tumult, he ground his teeth. He climbed over the walls and fell into the garden of an old house. The chamber contained Robin’s puppet, his correspondences, the password of his secrete lines, and the deployment that he arranged before. All of this must be destroyed. He must destroy as much as possible. Otherwise, he would spend the rest of his life being chased by the Royal Musician Division. What a pity… He had planned for so many years but lost everything overnight.

  Gritting his teeth, he regained his composure from the rage and pushed the door. And then he froze.

  “Father…”

  He saw the man in the wheelchair in the hall. The old man still wore his respirator and his breathing sounded like water sloshing in his lungs. He was still here; he did not escape.

  “Father, why haven’t you left yet?” Gavin looked at him in astonishment. He quickly went forward, reaching for the frail old man. “It’s too late. Let me take you away…” But his hands stiffened in the air. After two steps, Gavin lost all his strength and collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.