The final battle.

What a familiar word.

Thales once watched a lot of plays in the Mingye Temple next to the Grand Market - although most of his attention was on how to make money from the pockets of the audience who watched intently.

It has to be said that although the priests in Mingye all look nervous and wrap themselves up in a tight package, they talk about "my lord will return", "the world will eventually collapse for the second time" and "history is all lies" every day.

Crazy things like "The only one who can save the world is the True God of Night" ("Fortunately, they didn't say anything about 'the long night is coming, and there are dangers everywhere'"... Hey, Ryan, watch carefully, that fat sheep is about to turn around! - Right now

Beggar Tails watching the show.).

But the drama they rehearsed is really a good way for illiterate people after time travel to understand the world without spending money.

Well, maybe it's not that good - Tails followed Gilbert, remembering a scene from the play "Ming Ye's true body descended to the mortal world and personally saved the thirty-three princesses", and couldn't help but curl his lips.

Among those plays of various genres, ranging from ridiculous to cautionary, the one that left a deep impression on Thales was a scene called "The Day Disaster Comes, When the World Ends."

That's the final battle.

Thales still remembers that in those mainly black and red sets, there was a masked man in black clothes, holding a chain and a sickle, his steps were heavy, and the sound of footsteps surrounded the entire stage, and the music was always playing at this time.

It becomes gloomy and scary, often making the children watching curiously cry.

Wherever the men in black went, actors wearing various hoods to represent all over the world were crying, screaming, and falling down in droves on the stage.

He still remembers the chilling words in the behind-the-scenes narration like a crow:

"The disaster is coming! The disaster is coming! It will not let anyone go, nor will it let the world go! Until everyone is captured by the disaster!"

"Wake up, my compatriots, wake up, wake up! Disaster sweeps everything, the river of hell pours into the world, the sky collapses on the earth, the end of the world is imminent!"

"The gods are always on our side, the demons are with us, the emperor is behind us, and the heroes are in front of us! Only by fighting hard can we survive, and the dark night is eternal!"

"Compatriots! Disaster is coming! There is a saying in the dark night. The ferryman of the Prison River is not a hateful person, but the evil fruit of the inhuman demon flower can corrode the heart! I would rather hold a sword and follow the hero back home in glory than suffer such disasters.

Servants and minions!”

"This is the final battle, there is no distinction between each other, saints and mortals!"

"The final battle! Dark night covers the earth, and the disaster will surely dissipate!"

In Thales' unclear memory, in the neurotic drama, the so-called "disaster" character holding a chain and a scythe killed countless creatures until he was defeated by the alliance of the entire world.

But until the end, neither the priests nor the actors of the Mingye Temple explained what the 'disaster' was. Some children on the street also asked, and the priests always asked the children to say "Mingye is about to return, I

I was willing to serve" (i_shall_serve_when_the_dark_night_returns) before he was willing to give them a piece of maltose, and then said with a smile, "Disaster is the enemy of the world."

Thales, who was so absorbed in his thoughts, didn't notice that Gilbert had already led him to the steps of the second floor.

The three giant portraits of the King of Stars that he had seen when he first arrived were neatly hung on the wall.

"Lusaka Colvin was a famous portrait painter during the reign of Mindis III. His portraits pay attention to the combination of history, relying on the environment and movements to express the spiritual temperament of each character in the most similar way." Gilbert stood still.

Under the portraits of the three star kings, they were stunned.

"'Three Kings of the Stars', these are a few kings and monarchs in Colvin's masterpiece, just as His Majesty introduced you before."

A work by a famous artist? Only then did Thales raise his head and look carefully at the portrait in the middle of the wall - the young knight holding a gun and riding a horse. Judging from his posture, he should be moving forward and his seven-pointed star badge.

The previous glance was too hasty, and until today, Thales, who had only had time to observe carefully, noticed that this seemingly heroic knight had a curled spear, a damaged crown, and all the armor on

It was covered in blood, and the mounts also showed signs of fatigue. The knights behind them were all injured. Some were charging with shields, some were covered in blood, some had broken armor, some were supporting each other on horseback, and some even had only one arm left.

Under the setting sun in the distance, there are mountains of corpses and weapons everywhere. There are only a few people standing, decorating the tragic battlefield alone, with blood and darkness dominating the remaining tones.

Except for the young Knight of the Seven-Star Crown who seemed to be roaring crazily, the six people behind him all had lonely and sad expressions, but they still showed no hesitation and followed Tormund I, who was roaring with a gun in front, all the way forward.

Seeing this, Thales's heart moved, and he suddenly remembered the words of King Kessel V:

"That was Tormund I, the last prince of the Final Empire, the founder of the Stars, the 'King of Restoration'. His bravery in the Final Battle is still celebrated today."

"He is -" Thales' expression moved slightly and he looked at Gilbert beside him.

"Yes, 'King_of_renaissance' Tormund Brightstar," Gilbert replied with a profound expression: "In the final battle more than 600 years ago, among the surviving imperial commanders in the Western Front Theater,

The person with the highest status."

"He is also your ancestor, the founder of the Star Kingdom after the war."

Western Front Theater, surviving, commander of the empire, highest status.

Thales immediately grasped the keyword.

"Commander of the Empire? Which empire? What is his identity? In addition to the Western Front Theater, are there other theaters? Who are Tormund's enemies?"

Gilbert had become accustomed to Thales's learning method of interrupting and asking questions (or even refuting) at any time. He smiled unconcernedly and said:

"Of course it's the one and only 'empire' (the_empire)."

"The only empire?"

"Yes," Gilbert took a breath and showed a nostalgic smile: "You know, Mr. Thales, our known world was originally a vast land shaped like an arm. And we, the stars,

The original place is at the position of the wrist——"

Thales raised his head suddenly: "What?"

He interrupted Gilbert in shock: "A—a whole piece of land? The Eastern Continent and the Western Continent separated by the Sea of ​​End—"

But Gilbert just smiled and raised a hand, indicating that he should be quiet in front of the portrait of the late king.

"Listen to me, the answer lies in the final battle."

But Thales had already figured out an answer in his brain that was not far from the truth.

The Battle of the End, wait a minute, the ocean between the two continents is called - the Sea of ​​Ending?

Two continents?

Thinking of this, Thales couldn't help but complain: "Gilbert, uh, you don't want to tell me that a powerful outside creature invaded our world with a legion, and then we were defeated in a fierce battle.

It intended, but accidentally broke a magical well and exploded the world into two continents?"

Gilbert's smile faltered: "What?"

"Then the one to the west will still be called Kalimdor——"

"Shh-" Gilbert smiled helplessly and interrupted him: "My little gentleman, you do have the ability to write novels and make up stories. If it weren't for your identity, you might be able to be an excellent singer.

of a traveler or a poet, but now we are in a history lesson."

Thales shrugged, closed his mouth, and put a piece of newly recovered memory into the depths of his brain - still related to the girl with chuunibyou.

Gilbert looked at him patiently until Thales stopped making any sound and became solemn in front of the portrait of his ancestors before continuing to explain:

"More than three thousand years ago, after humans realized the extraordinary power, super-level and extreme masters emerged one after another, and the military's combat power and equipment continued to strengthen. After many years of friction, wars and alliances, nearly two thousand two hundred years later,

Before that, mankind finally merged into a whole, victorious in wars with other races year after year, and became the master of the known world on the continent."

Gilbert showed reverence and admiration, his eyes wandered, and he said quietly:

"They established a huge country that spanned the whole sea, intimidated the continent, and touched almost every corner of the known land. The Ludor people, the Northlanders, the Nieda people, the Kelunsa people, the Red Earth people, except for a small part of the Far East

People, almost all human beings are under its protection and rule."

"They did not decide on the name of the country or the name of the dynasty. The highest ruler named himself 'the emperor' (the_emperor)."

"That unprecedented country—it's called the_empire."

Thales took a slight breath, but what he felt in his heart was no glory and pride, but only sadness and sighs.

War shapes the state, and the state shapes the war ("war_made_the_state,_and_the_state_made_war") - he silently added in his heart what he learned from the master's book in his previous life.

Integration and war, to put it simply, how much war, how much blood and killing is needed to create an unprecedented giant country?

But Gilbert's expression immediately darkened:

"After nearly a thousand years of empire rule, a new race that was so powerful that it was almost terrifying was silently born among humans."

"They are immortal, indestructible, unparalleled in strength and energy, and even the most powerful ones cannot resist them. Even true gods and demons cannot compete with them. What's even more frightening is that they have completely different characteristics from humans and even other races.

His thinking and behavior principles are unreasonable, unruly and crazy, and difficult to communicate with."

Thales stiffened slightly.

The nervous figure in blue clothes and brown hair seemed to appear in front of him again, his mouth opening and closing: "Stand on the sky, surpass the gods, look down on all living beings..."

Thales came back to his senses and saw Gilbert sigh:

"They are like disasters. When they come to the world, they continue to bring chaos and disaster, blood and killings - the once great empire gradually declined under heavy blows, and even finally perished."

New race?

Born among humans?

Unreasonable?

Disaster?

Thales remembered something, and his heart began to beat irregularly.

"By the time of Tormund I, which was the century when the Imperial Calendar and the Ending Calendar alternated, the Empire had been destroyed for more than three hundred years, and the world of humans and races returned to chaos and division."

"And the 'Final Empire' that Tormund is in is just a remnant built by the remnants, bearing the name of the empire. It is another country with completely different systems, territories, and people."
To be continued...