Stray

“Is she really okay?”

Medes stood in the stone chamber under the tomb. The red in the skeleton’s eyes brightened a bit. After getting Adrian’s affirmative answer, the necromancer rubbed the Tin Soldiers badge on his chest with his skeletal hand and let out a hoarse and unpleasant low laugh.

“I’ll write down the prescription.” The living skeleton sat back down in the mass of parchment piled up like a mountain. He dipped the quill pen in blood from the ink bottle and started scribbling.

“Personally, there’s no problem with Her Royal Highness Delia’s health. Mr. Medes, if there is anything else on your side that needs to be confirmed—”

“No, the danger period has passed, and there will be no more problems with her body.” Medes’ voice was soft and firm. After carefully completing the prescription, he picked up the blood-stained parchment paper and placed it on the thickest pile of parchment beside the table.

With a gentle wave of his skeletal hand, strong waterproof oil paper wrapped around the paper stack, then a cloth rope snake swam up the stone table to bind the wrapped parchment neatly and firmly. The mass of parchment that was thrown on the ground was swallowed by a fluorescent blue flame, leaving only a thin gray powder.

“Mr. Cross, I have a request.” Medes held up the stack of wrapped paper in both hands. “I hope you can bring this knowledge to the outside world and sign it ‘Tin Soldiers’. If possible, please send them to Clementine Academy or similar research institutions… When they have confirmed these theories, it should be able to save many people.”

“These are?” Adrian frowned slightly; he had a bad feeling.

“The results of my research over the years.” Medes’ tone was very calm. “I still have a few dragon breath stones here, and I will pay them to Tumbleweed as a reward. Considering my identity, I won’t go to the Mercenary Guild for the commission.”

The knight commander did not take the heavy pile of parchment.

“Why don’t you go in person?” Adrian asked politely, looking at the big tank not far away.

“I can indeed restore my body.” Perceiving what the other party meant, Medes sighed softly. “But that’s not necessary. Curing a patient with Trent Plague, completely understanding this damn disease, and seeing…”

Medes paused for a moment. The expression on the skeleton’s face couldn’t be seen clearly, but Adrian inexplicably felt that he was laughing.

“It’s enough.” The necromancer shook his head.

The former Knight of Judgment pursed his lips tightly, but still didn’t intend to take the stack of papers.

“Mr. Dylan should be outside? Let me see you off.” Medes didn’t rush seeing as how the other party wasn’t moving. His voice was as light as ashes blown by the wind.

Adrian didn’t refuse.

The necromancer glanced at the furnishings in the stone room. After a moment of silence, he made a gesture— The illuminated skulls hovering over the stone chamber fell one after another and stopped neatly on the inside of the stone table, like some kind of weird bird without wings.

They walked through the long tomb road, burrowed out of the entrance where the corpses were still piled up, avoiding the treacherous traps without saying a word. The paper bag was still firmly held in Medes’ arms.

Until they saw light.

Mr. Dylan obviously didn’t have a good habit of closing the door.

Not long ago, when the two members of Tumbleweed arrived at the tomb, Jesse received a contact from Nemo. It was determined that it was a private conversation, and the knight commander took the initiative to enter the tomb alone— Even if he lost his magic powers, an ancient tomb that had been trespassed once couldn’t stop the former Knight of Judgement.

And now Adrian and Medes were very close to the outermost entrance of the tomb. The stone gate was wide open to the sun. Perhaps the exchange between Jesse and Nemo wasn’t over yet, but in any case…

Adrian stopped.

The moss at the entrance had become yellow and curly when it encountered sunlight and would make a soft ruffled sound when it was stepped on. The terrifying corpse was still lying in the first trap. The warm light didn’t succeed in dispelling any of the gloominess.

“If you want to end it, I won’t stop you,” the knight commander said softly. “It was me who passed through the Lock of Pain. Because of my self-righteousness, I let my best friend struggle desperately in pain for several years, which eventually led to both him and his mother… I have wonder if things would’ve ended differently if I had respected his will and let him leave with dignity.”

Adrian Cross raised his right hand and blocked the dazzling sunlight outside the tomb with his palm.

“So I won’t stop you, Mr. Medes.” He still didn’t seem to have any plans to take the stack of parchment. “I have no right to judge your pain, and I have hesitated on that road— To atone for my sins in the world until the end of my life. If I’m lucky enough to get spiritual peace in advance, then I’ll use this life to repay my final sin.”

“Somewhere at that time, that was what I thought.”

The necromancer was silent, neither admitting nor denying.

“But now I won’t think about it that way anymore.” Adrian turned around and turned his back to the light. “Mr. Ramon doesn’t mean to pursue you. King Sampson is dead, and Mr. Lopez tried to stop you from hurting yourself. I hope you… think for a few more minutes.”

“Since you know this pain well, why did you change your mind?” Medes clung to the paper bag with one hand and the Tin Soldiers badge on his chest with the other.

“I thought I could no longer be happy, but I was wrong.” Adrian lowered his gaze. “Even if it’s only a brief moment of joy, it’s still… good.”

He politely stretched out his hands to Medes.

“If you are sure that this will give you ultimate peace, then you can hand it over to me, Mr. Medes. If you still have a trace of attachment, I believe you can leave this quagmire one day. I hope that one day, you can hand over a more comprehensive record to the outside world— with your own hands.”

Medes stood quietly in place while the knight commander watched him patiently.

“One day.” The red light in the skeleton’s eyes was extinguished, as if he was experiencing a struggle. “At dusk a day later, please come here… If the tomb door is closed, then you can come to the door and take this information. I won’t appear again.”

“If the tomb door is open…” Medes let out a low smile, “Maybe it will be refined a little more.”

Medes watched Adrian Cross leave.

Adrian’s blond companion was waiting for him outside the tomb. As soon as they met, his blond companion waved his hand up and was yelling. After the two said their goodbyes, they left very relaxed— Jesse Dylan was still noisy, but Medes could see a faint smile at the corner of the knight commander’s mouth.

The necromancer stood in the long-lost outside world for a while.

However, after everything fell silent, the only remaining warmth gradually disappeared. The silence struck again, and the hell he was in did not change a bit. Medes shook his head with a bitter smile, the impulsive fervor of his heart once again eroded and cooled by pain.

Dusk was about to end, and night was coming.

But this time, as soon as he stepped into the tomb, he found an uninvited guest— A dirty, thin, little boy who was nestling inside the stone gate. He was so scared by the sudden appearance of the necromancer that he didn’t dare to move, but there was a strong hostility and unwillingness in his fearful eyes.

This wasn’t an uncommon situation.

The tomb was located in a remote area, and most of the surrounding villages weren’t wealthy. Many poor families would abandon young children who were sick, or they cannot afford to raise nearby, and the nobles would also throw away the sick and weak children born from slaves. Usually, the beasts wandering around will help them get rid of these troublesome burdens.

Medes usually only saw the chewed bone residue, and it was the first time he had seen one still breathing. Half of the child’s face was covered with poisonous sores, and he looked like he was about to starve to death, and the corners of his mouth were still stained with worm shells.

Perhaps he was influenced by the knight commander, or his current mind wasn’t clear. Carrying the parchment full of his life’s work, Medes leaned forward—

“Do you want to live?”

“…” The little boy nodded inexplicably and rolled his eyes, with an air that clearly thought he was asking nonsense.

“Do you want to become stronger?” Medes got closer.

“Want,” the little boy said hoarsely, swallowing and spitting. “You, are you a demon? I want to make a wish. I want revenge! What price do you want? My soul? I can do anything…”

Medes covered his face with a bony hand and suddenly let out a burst of laughter.

“Yes, I want a price.”

Medes snapped the stack of parchment paper in front of the little boy. “I will heal you, give you food, and teach you everything— And you need to promise me to use these things to save people. Well, let me think about it, at least a hundred lives.”

“Is there no contract?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know I won’t betray you?” the little boy stared hard at the pile of parchment paper and boldly asked.

“I won’t.”

Medes turned his head and looked at the blazing sunset again.

“…But before you betray me, I’m willing to believe you. How about it?”

The sunset sank completely.

Nemo tightened the reins of the horse and walked with Oliver on the way back to the camp.

The woods near the capital were dense. The sky where dusk and night met reflected the golden and green leaves of early autumn. The scenery was completely incompatible with the war, but Nemo wasn’t in the mood to see it.

Holding the last trace of luck, he avoided Oliver, and asked Jesse to confirm the prophecy of the Hero, and then got a positive answer. Nemo could understand Jesse’s reason for not telling them— Not to mention how they were previously, even the them now, he couldn’t digest this fact well.

Oliver was most likely, no, it should be said he was definitely the swordsman who would end everything.

And he himself was about equal to “everything” that was about to be ended. If he didn’t know the identity of Jesse Dylan, or if Jesse Dylan did make a mistake in the prophecy… How great would that be.

But escape couldn’t change the facts. Considering their possible emotional outburst, the present circumstances were just right.

They were passing through the densest trees, and Oliver was a few steps ahead of him, looking at the novelty of the mushrooms growing on the roots of the trees. The Rest in Peace was insert in the ukulele behind him, not giving off any semblance of hostility expected of a weapon.

His Oliver.

Nemo stopped.

Realizing that the sound of the other party stepping on the fallen leaves disappeared, Oliver quickly retracted his gaze from the mushroom. “What’s the matter, Nemo?”

“Ollie.” Nemo closed his eyes and tried his best to make himself sound calmer. “Remember that prophecy?”

Oliver opened his mouth. He seemed to be keenly aware of something. The leader of Tumbleweed just nodded slightly and didn’t answer.

“Remember its content?”

“Nemo…” After a moment of silence, Oliver obviously also considered the worst possibility.

“I checked with Jesse. It’s what you think,” Nemo added softly.

After the sunset disappeared, the autumn sky darkened quickly. Oliver was silent for a long time, standing quietly opposite of Nemo. When he spoke again, the whole forest was already soaked in night.

“I see,” he said with difficulty. Nemo could hear that his lover was trying to make himself look cheerful, but obviously, Oliver didn’t succeed.

“It’s almost dark, so let’s camp here tonight.” Nemo’s voice was dry, trying to dilute the gradually icy atmosphere with other topics. “I’ll tie the horse and set up an array. You start the fire, Ollie, we can… have a good chat about this.”

“Okay,” Oliver replied quickly, his tone as steady as ever. “Don’t worry, we’ll solve this.”

Nemo pursed his lips, he should have felt relieved, but his chest was a little inexplicably blocked.

Confident that his magic array would not be destroyed by any monsters, in order to ease the horse’s temper, Nemo led the horse with strange eyes away and tied it firmly to a taller tree nearby. After laying down a protective array, he specially strengthened the reins with magic.

All this didn’t take as much time as he thought. The darkness not far away was illuminated by fire, and Oliver should have successfully ignited the bonfire.

Nemo walked silently through the woods and approached the fire.

Then his heart twitched suddenly.

Oliver was sitting by the fire, hugging his knees, and burying his face between them. The sturdy young man shrank himself into a ball, his breath was a bit chaotic, and he looked sad and helpless. The brilliance of the flame swept across him, but there was no warmth. Nemo knew that purely in terms of strength, Oliver could now be called one of the strongest on the surface…

But in these few seconds, he looked so vulnerable and in pain.

“Ollie.” Nemo cleared his throat.

Perceiving his lover’s return, Oliver quickly raised his head, the expression on his face was almost calm. “You’re back, Nemo. That prophecy… Don’t worry, I won’t—”

But Nemo didn’t sit by his side like usual.

“…Nemo?”

“Tell the truth, Ollie.”

“What truth?” Oliver licked his lips and took in a breath, speaking very quickly. “I just want you not to worry. I promised you that I will never hurt you… Even if it is a prophecy approved by Dylan, there should be room for reversal—”

“…Say you’re in pain,” Nemo took a few steps closer and continued almost cruelly. “I’m telling you this because I need you to know— If you are the destined person, you may be part of the ‘before me’ plan. If something happens, I might even attack you. From now on, you have to be vigilant to me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” Oliver smiled reluctantly. His face was a little pale. He stood up and tried to grab Nemo’s arm. “I just didn’t react for a while. Nemo, I know you are very… upset right now.”

Nemo waved the hand away uncharacteristically.

He breathed out tremblingly, reached out his right hand, and pressed Oliver against the tree. There was no intention of harm, but it also had an aura of inadmissibility.

“I’m very angry now,” Nemo hissed.

“We’ll work this out,” Oliver stared at those beautiful silver eyes and repeated firmly. “Nemo, I don’t understand—”

“Every time,” Nemo’s voice trembled a little, “Every time you’re the one pulling me along, telling me you’re okay, telling me everything will be fine. Yes, we can solve these problems, we can always fix them… but what about you?”

As soon as Oliver was about to open his mouth, Nemo cut him off. “Don’t say you’re okay.”

“We grew up in the same damn town. Even if we don’t know each other well, I know what level of person you and I are. The affairs of the Alastair family, the truth about your parents, the Withered Castle… and the ‘Demon King’ and ‘prophecy’. Look into my eyes, Oliver Ramon, tell me you’re not in pain at all.”

Oliver’s breathing became short.

The sadness that Nemo felt just now finally returned in the firelight.

“I don’t want to lose you, okay?” Oliver’s eye reddened a little and he clenched his teeth. “I just fell in love with someone and want to go on with them. It’s not an excessive wish, is it? But I’m not strong enough. I’ll never be strong enough. Although you and Mr. Cross have been teaching me, I’m… No match for you. I know that.”

“So you tried your best to appease me— Even if you are in extreme pain, you have to act as if nothing happened?” The trembling in Nemo’s voice became more obvious.

“Because like you said, we grew up in the same damn town! I also know what kind of person you are, and I feel the power of losing control!” Oliver raised his volume. “I should have shared it with you, but now I can’t do anything. Nemo, listen, when you are about to suffocate, do I have to add some more weight to you? I—”

“Do I look so fragile?” The two yelled at each other at the same time.

Time stood still for a few seconds.

For the first time, they looked at each other out of anger and sadness.

“…I don’t want to lose you either.” Nemo closed his eyes. “Ollie, I hope you… can tell me. Let me know clearly that you have been tormented by nightmares, and that you are so sad that you are about to collapse, even if we can’t do anything about it.”

“You may destroy the surface, compared with this, my pressure…”

“And you are probably destined to kill me.” Nemo trembled his lips. “If our feelings are similar, then it is difficult for me to distinguish between ‘destroying the surface’ and ‘killing you’ which makes it more painful.”

Oliver covered his eyes with one hand and let out an unpleasant chuckle.

“Maybe if you express your pain, I will blame myself for bringing you this pain. But Ollie, you make me sadder. Don’t keep it from me, okay? We will solve these problems, but your pain… Promise me, don’t hide the wound too deep.”

“I promise you, but to be honest, we’re not much worser off from each other.” Oliver reluctantly showed a difficult smile. “Destroy the Tin Soldiers, killing Abbas, the Great Demon King walking on the surface, the wounds you’re hiding is estimated to be dozens. We really…”

“Are fools,” Nemo added hoarsely.

“It’s pretty good.” The smile on Oliver’s face disappeared. He looked extremely sad, but there was a trace of relief mixed with that sadness. “We’ve had our share of fights. They say that couples who have more fights are more likely to last.”

“It’s good to share despair occasionally, isn’t it?” Nemo no longer forced himself to smile. “My… Great Hero.”

Oliver suddenly hugged him with unprecedented force.

“I’m very sad, Nemo,” he said, “You are right, I…”

He choked as he hugged his lover with all his strength, like a person about to drown catching the last straw.

The night completely enveloped the woods, and the bonfire buzzed behind the two of them. Nemo stretched out a hand, touched the corner of his lover’s slightly moist eyes, and then bit Oliver’s shoulder without hesitation. His strength was a bit strong, and a little blood oozes from the wound.

Maybe they all need a little pain… A little pain, and a little warmth.

Then the night will end, and it would be followed by the early morning.

“Nemo.” Oliver didn’t cheer up this time, but he sounded strangely calm. “What are you doing?”

“Attacking you,” Nemo replied, stretched out his hands and slithered them down into Oliver’s clothes, feeling the taunt muscles on his lover’s back.

Being hugged tightly, he couldn’t see Oliver’s face clearly, but it was fine, Nemo thought to himself. At least this time, he knew it wouldn’t be an overly reluctant smile, and he felt at ease and peace like never before.

“Now fight back, mY Great Hero.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

The author has something to say:

There will be no cold war. All quarrels that are not premised on deepening feelings are hooliganism (×

Ah, the turning off the lights in the wilderness that I wanted √

Jesse, looks next door. This has been three times already!

Kinky Thoughts:

More like couples who communicates last longer, not quarrel.