The City of Marronligar

There has been no boat song on the water of Yinwan for a while, and the sweet lullabies and the candlelight behind the windows disappeared one by one.

In the days of chaos and panic, the boundary between day and night seems to disappear.Most of the night sky was covered by clouds and mist, no matter how graceful the moonlight cast on the ground, no matter how warm the torches burning all night on the pier, people could not let go of the fear in their hearts and sink into a dreamland without war without worry.

Louis sat alone under the lighthouse in Silver Bay, immersing himself in the silence far from human voices.Except for the faint smell of gunpowder around him, it is the cold and salty air of the seaside in winter, the familiar smell of Maren Liga.

No, not pure silence.It's just that the intermittent hoarse voice has merged with the sound of the wind, making it difficult for Louis to distinguish whether it is the message of the approaching snow, or someone's crying or roaring.

The homeless drunk on the edge of the pier did not join other civilians in praying for a chance to board a boat and escape.

He was already homeless, and he was used to living a day-to-day life. Even if the fall of Maren Liga was imminent, he would not think too much about what would happen tomorrow-"worrying about the future" is a privilege only for those who want to survive.During the longest and most disturbing night, he staggered, staggered, and sang songs he used to hear aloud out of tune.

"Sailor of Marenliga - in love with, hiccup - in love with beautiful girls. He dives to the bottom of the sea looking for... yes, shells! To go with the girl's clothes—"

He dragged the end of each sentence very long, and stuffed some modal particles with unclear meanings as if to vent, and even his voice was cloudy with the smell of alcohol, which was really not pleasant.

Before the last stanza was finished, the drunk stumbled and fell to the ground, the decadent singing stopped abruptly, and he simply fell asleep on the ground.From a distance, it is almost impossible to tell whether it is a drunk homeless man or a lonely corpse.

Louis raised his head and looked at the warm firelight from the lighthouse, feeling that this tranquility was almost out of touch with reality.

The sound of footsteps slowly approaching by his ears had the rhythm and timbre he was most familiar with.

Then Adrian sat down next to him.

"It's rare for you to go back to Malunliga, but the situation in front of you is so chaotic, you can't even sleep peacefully... I'm sorry."

Even if he couldn't see Adrian's expression clearly, Louis could hear the strong sense of guilt in the words.

16 years have passed, even if his status is different from before, Adrian will still subconsciously prioritize the feelings of others, always thinking that he should not owe the other party, but he is afraid that speaking like this will appear unfamiliar.

This is called Louis who feels both nostalgia and bitter: "Speaking is an apology ..."

The left hand propped on the ground groped a few inches to the side, just enough to clasp the other person's right hand.

The fact that "I can really feel the other person's body temperature" made Adrian feel a little calmer.Although it was still a bitter smile, there was a little more calmness in it: "My apology has always been sincere."

Just as Louis thought, after succeeding the Patriarch Torresso and taking on the role of the mainstay of the Flying Lion Mansion, Adrian now has the capital and momentum to look up to himself. At the same time, the habit of washing away this inferiority complex and even fear.

Therefore, Louis was able to take advantage of the peace before he was broken, and said to Adrian half-jokingly and half-seriously: "It's not easy to be the head of the clan, isn't it. Like Samuel, you also passed the 'flying lion test'?"

Adrian couldn't help laughing: "That's right, it's just that the trial has been greatly discounted and shrunk considerably. The elders of Heshan Manor are eager to find someone to deal with the mess, thinking of going through a process and not caring about how strict the design is." test."

He sighed, and continued: "After my uncle left, Mrs. Sophia also acted as an agent for a while, but her mind was no longer here. After that, there were two or three temporary patriarchs, but they didn't last long. There were many people in the process. Breaking away from the family, and even changing the surname. When I took over, the hearts of the people have actually dispersed, and the only ones who can really manage it are the one hundred and ten people in the Feishi Mansion."

Just like the Maren Liga not long ago, the Torresso family at that time was also a glamorous mess.In the context of the Kurmans' invasion of the south, no matter how hard Adrian tried his best to restore the decline, he could only try to minimize the loss.

Louis had mixed feelings for a moment: "...so, you just stayed in Marenliga, and you have stayed until now."

Adrian seemed to smile again: "Of course there are other reasons."

It's not that Louis is narcissistic, he can indeed guess Adrian's mind: "Because of me?"

In fact, Louis also imagined that if he returned to Marenliga one day and found that Adrian was missing, there might be a huge hole in his heart.Fortunately, Adrian got himself back first, but the timing was too bad.

"In the first few years, I secretly inquired about your whereabouts, but at that time the city hall was still looking for you, and several surrounding cities also received rumors. But now, no one will pursue what happened back then—you can finally openly and honestly Use your real name."

Louis shook his head: "But apart from you, few people here still remember that name."

Adrian shook Louis' hand back: "There is always. Look at that Mr. Seamus, in the past ten years or so, he has never forgotten you."

Speaking of Seamus, Louis recalled the shockingly romantic decision: "He said he would stay in Silver Bay Tower with the collection of books that couldn't be transported."

Adrian was very thoughtful about the matter: "I have asked someone to prepare enough food and water, and I will send them to Silver Bay Tower tomorrow. Before we leave, we will say goodbye to him."

Don't say anything, both Louis and Adrian know that it is probably a farewell.

At the pier in the evening, Louis had seen the situation of the civilians fleeing [-]% or [-]% of the time: "It is helpless for Liz to release the boat to the civilians. Even if there are a few more ships, I am afraid that some people will not be able to get on the boat."

Adrian has been busy with related matters until just now, so he understands more clearly: "Except for the garrison, about one-tenth of the people stay in the city. Many young and middle-aged people volunteered to participate in the defense of the city, but without training Going to the battlefield is tantamount to dying, and Captain Cynthia asked them to work with the civil craftsmen. As for the ships... sailing at sea has health risks, so we can only hold on to women and children whose bodies can support them first."

After the reunion with Louis, Adrian always pretended to be full of things to say (and indeed said a lot), but the pressing business took up most of the space for talking about personal relationships.

And when Adrian vaguely felt an ominous atmosphere coming from not far away, the vigilance engraved in his bones instantly blocked the desire to talk back to the bottom of his heart.He subconsciously straightened his body, and said in a low voice, "There is a situation in the fishing village."

Immediately afterwards, a high-pitched flute sound suddenly came from the southeast. The treacherous melody was more like a code word than a melody.Louis stood up immediately, and his gentle gaze instantly returned to the sharpness of the past: "It's an enemy attack."

The two were ready to rush into the battlefield almost at the same time.

"Do you remember how to fight, Adrian?"

"How could it be forgotten?"

After receiving the military information from the watchtower, Cynthia stayed on the gate tower almost all the time, observing the movement of Kullman's army through the telescope.

The enemy had camped in the outer suburbs, temporarily out of range of ballista and artillery.The round or square tents are connected into a large piece, just looking at it makes people dreadful.

Earlier, following Adrian's suggestion, the garrison blocked the sewer exit on the outskirts of the city in advance.After the Kurmans had encamped within sight of the defenders, the same measures were taken at several gates.

Not only piles of heavy stone bricks supported the gate—several nearby stone sculptures were also moved over. The god statue leaned on the pile of gray and red interlaced bricks. With the gate made of iron, it seems like a god came to the world in the form of stone, and guarded the city in person.

At the same time, in order to prevent the enemy from sending a small group of troops to infiltrate and harass through the fishing village, the garrison demolished most of the bungalows near the southern city wall.The villagers who originally lived here have either fled or hid in the city, leaving the former fishing village in a mess.The huts that have not been completely demolished have open doors and windows, like hungry mouths.

The darker the night, the more we must always beware of the enemy's sneak attack.According to Cynthia's arrangement, Louis placed his mercenaries in the buildings inside the city wall and the gap in advance.With the idea of ​​competing with Louis, Oshim also volunteered to Adrian, lurking with the mercenaries.

There is no longer a night watchman on the belfry of Marenliga.At midnight when the hour was supposed to be announced, the people of this city could not hear the bell that symbolized the peaceful years, and such silence made it impossible to sleep.

Most of the moonlight was covered by thick clouds, and even the light from the lighthouse was foggy.

The sneak attackers sent by the Kullman army took advantage of the indispellable darkness to reach the flanks of Marenliga from the army camp all the way without a torch.Fortunately, the guards took precautions first. After the fishermen's houses were demolished, the night raiders had nowhere to hide, so they had no choice but to rush directly into the city without stopping.

The person in charge of the sentry heard the movement.

The hand-to-hand combat had begun long before Jasper's whistle sounded.

Bows and arrows are not practical at this time because it is difficult to distinguish between friend and foe.The dark post of the Greystone Comrades in Arms Group lit torches, and the narrow and secluded alleys inside the city wall were filled with dazzling fire and knife lights.During the street fighting, the overturned torches ignited the wooden houses, and the spreading fire dyed a small piece of night sky overhead into a turbid dark red.

"Kill them!"

The battle cries in different languages ​​express the same meaning, but on the one hand, it is still easy to handle, and on the other hand, it is a tragic battle with the last stand.

There is no retreat and no future for Marunliga, and this group of mercenaries and garrison troops are making futile but indispensable efforts—the battle itself has become "meaning."

Because of the bloody siege of Winter Valley 16 years ago, Scarface had an early enmity with the Kurmans.The sorrow and anger surging in his heart were like strong wine, washing away any cowardice that might remain, and refining the purest hatred and killing intent.

He knew that the Kurmans who attacked were probably planning to set fire to the house or poison the well water, which was what Winterdale City had experienced back then.The overlap between the past and the present made his blood surge, and the hideous scar on his face also became hot.

Even though the army called "Prairie Death" has changed several times, they are still their enemies. Most of the mercenaries who lost their homes due to Kullman's invasion have the same idea.

Oshim's mind is much simpler.Since it is Adrian's enemy, "what to do" is obvious.

Adrian once taught him that intuition and instinct are important, and intense emotions can also unleash immeasurable potential in people, but everything cannot be bet on factors other than technology.Between the scorching fire and blood, an unshakable calmness is as precious as a long sword that will never be heated by the flames.

But young people still need to be tempered with real knives and guns in order to personally understand the meaning of those words.Just as Aoshim missed the attack from the side and rear because of his blood, a sword deftly deflected the Kullman scimitar aimed at Aoshim's back, and the other sword immediately swung at the scimitar owner's throat.

It was Louis and Adrian who came rushing from under the lighthouse.

The swords in their hands were still so sharp, with the sound of howling wind, the blades slashed at the enemy's body like lightning, making a hoarse roar for the city that was about to burn.

The battle didn't last long, and the Comrades and the City Guard soon teamed up to wipe out this small group of enemies.Most of the night raiders were killed on the spot, and the guards captured several wounded Kurmans alive, and took the prisoners to the garrison camp for disposal.

The defeat of the conspiracy did not bring much joy to everyone: they all knew that the real confrontation had not yet begun.

In the barracks, Cynthia's iron-cold gaze swept over the blood-stained and ashes-stained faces of several prisoners one by one.

She didn't intend to interrogate these people, let alone release them—the other party was the enemy of Marunliga, and the Kurmans had no tradition of negotiating and exchanging hostages.And there are precedents in the north to prove that the surrender of the whole city and the death battle have the same ending in the end.

Unlike the nobles and merchants who chose to leave when the city-state was at a critical moment, the garrison had no choice.Since she was destined to be buried for Maren Liga with her innate mission, Cynthia didn't mind staining her grave with the blood of the enemy.

As the knife fell, the heads of Kuleman's captives fell one after another, and the lower half of the executioner's armor was quickly splashed with blood.

Soon, there was only the last prisoner with his hands bound and kneeling on the ground left in the open space.

"You are not from the Kullmans," Cynthia said condescendingly, looking at the face that did not belong to the northerners. "Wearing their clothes, and attacking our cities for them."

The prisoner raised his head hastily, wanting to beg for mercy: "I, I, like you, are also a Marenliga! I was caught by them, and they forced me to lead the way, so I—"

Cynthia's lips moved, and she whispered, "That's even more damning."

She drew her sword and pierced the captive's throat with her own hands.A shrill scream was cut off by the sharp blade, leaving only blood foam mixed with air bubbles gushing out like a spring.

After executing the enemy prisoners and traitors, Cynthia was silent for a long time facing the heads, the crooked corpses and the blood on the ground before looking up at Louis and Adrian who were standing aside.

The three of them didn't say anything, or didn't need to say anything.

At this time, a ray of sunlight just broke through the dark clouds and mist, crossed the calm sea of ​​Silver Bay, and slanted on the city wall of Marenlica.

The guard at the gate of the barracks also raised his head involuntarily, following the golden beam of light devoutly with tired eyes, and muttered to himself: "The sun has finally come out."

After sunrise, Kullman's army officially launched the offensive.

More than a dozen cannons and catapults seized from the Kingdom of Boyce fired at the city wall of Marunliga at the same time, and the deafening noise overturned the remaining thatched cottages in the fishing village.Between the dust that covered the sky, the sun trembled with the earth, and the rising smoke dispersed the birds that once flocked to the city.

The old city bricks were blown away by the incoming shells, and the city wall of Marunliga was quickly blasted with several gaps.Some of the shells that landed in the city hit civilian houses, some hit the spacious stone avenue, and some fell into the blood-stained Pearl River.

The arrow towers, ballistas and artillery on the city wall immediately began to fight back.But Kuhlman's siege team stopped at the edge of the range of the arrow tower, and the fierce artillery fire made it impossible for the defenders to take the lead. The long-range battle showed an unequal situation from the very beginning, and the commander had to raise the command flag to signal to everyone Pause the counterattack and save the arrows until the enemy approaches.

Although the giant cannon is powerful, it takes longer to reload the shells than ordinary artillery.The herald on the city wall took the opportunity to bend over and ran from the city gate tower to the arrow tower next to it in the gap between two rounds of artillery fire.The tinnitus caused by the shelling made it extremely difficult to "deliver orders". Only by shouting loudly could the comrades in arms hear their own voice clearly.

At this moment, the second round of artillery fire suddenly struck, and a shell cut half of the arrow tower where the herald was located. The crossbowman who was struggling to hear the military order just now was instantly buried in the steaming ruins.

No matter what kind of brushstrokes later generations use to describe this battle, the most profound fragments burned in the memory of the penultimate day of the herald's life are the constant echoing of the gunfire in his mind, and the blood red spreading under the rubble.

After several rounds of shelling, the Kullman heavy infantry, under the cover of the ballista, pushed the siege vehicles and approached the gate of Marunliga.

The defenders on the walls found an opportunity to fight back.

"Fire the arrows!" The commander ordered, and the remaining ballistas, together with the light crossbows and heavy crossbows used by the individual guards, sprinkled a dense rain of arrows, effectively weakening the momentum of the Kurmans' attack.

Then, Kuhlman's army temporarily withdrew the siege engines and infantry, and replaced it with another round of fierce shelling, until the walls seemed to be silent.

Then, taking advantage of the enemy's cessation of long-range attacks, Marenliga's defenders repelled several Kurman charges with arrows, thermal oil bombs, and rolling stones.

This kind of tug-of-war was repeated several times, and corpses quickly piled up all over the city and under the city.The strong smell of blood paralyzed everyone's senses and blurred the boundary between life and death, but it made the city's totem extraordinarily vivid, as if the face of a god could be seen in the blood mist.

The crossbowman aimed at the enemy soldiers pushing the siege engine, and let out a majestic and hoarse cry from the depths of his throat: "Long live Maren Liga!"

Emotions hotter than the barrel of a gun infected the rest of the sergeants.Everyone shouted: "Long live Maren Liga!"

Amidst the overwhelming sound of artillery fire, their shouts could be swallowed up at any time, but they were so powerful that even the people boarding and escaping on the pier could hear their heart-piercing shouts.

"Long live Maren Riga! Long live Maren Riga!"

The fighting continued until dusk.Nearly one-third of the defenders of Marunliga were killed, and several large holes were blasted out of the city wall, but the Kurmans never made it any further.

Thick smoke dragged the setting sun over the scorched treetops, and the entire sky was dyed blood red.Watching the retreating Kurmans from a distance, the officers did not feel relaxed—they had no time to fill their stomachs, so they led the surviving soldiers and craftsmen to repair the damaged city walls and weapons, preparing for more brutal battles.

The last ship parked in Marunliga is about to set sail, carrying the Greystone Comrades and the fleeing citizens to places where the war has not yet spread.

Before lifting the anchor, Louis and Adrian came to Silver Bay Tower to bid farewell to Seamus who decided to stay here.

With the intention of dispersing risks, the books and collections that could not be taken away were locked in different darkrooms, and the few boxes of books and official files that Seamus sorted out by himself were also moved into the side tower. After that, they were indispensable dry food and water.As for how long it can last, no one can say for sure.

Seamus stood behind the secret door leading to the side tower, his disheveled hair was already grey, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were haggard.

Liz and the rest of the Silver Bay Tower had already left on the Varina, carrying the regret and blessings of the old curator to the harbor where the fire of knowledge could continue to burn.Now, he is the only "administrator" left in the huge Silver Bay Tower.

Cynthia also came to Silver Bay Tower.Her injured eye was simply bandaged, and her splinted left arm was hanging over her chest. Her body was covered in smoke and blood, but she appeared to be holy in a different way.

Seamus nodded to her: "Captain Cynthia, I didn't expect you to take the time to come."

Cynthia held the sword and gave Seamus a military salute of the highest standard - he had never received such a salute in his life.

Louis said: "You look like the embodiment of a Valkyrie."

Cynthia shook her head with a wry smile: "It's a pity that victory won't be on our side."

She turned her gaze back to Seamus.

"Thanks for your perseverance, Maren Liga," she said solemnly. "We will die, and those who leave will die, but Marunliga - every brick of this city will stay here, forever."

The gravekeeper of Yinwan Tower was silent for a long time, the gloom in his eyes gradually turned into a firm light, and a desolate and heroic smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "No. This city will die and be reborn under another name; the people who left will live, and civilization will endure. One day, the glory of Maren Riga will return to this land."

Louis hugged the old friend heavily.

"Seamus, take care... take care."

Then, he slowly let go of his hand, and watched the secret door slowly sink side by side with Adrian.A wall separated Seamus' figure and his farewell eyes, like sealing a heavy coffin.

At sunset, Louis and Adrian boarded the Beacon.Oshim stayed in the captain's room and assisted Chloe in arranging food supplies for the civilians on board.Most of the supplies confiscated by the garrison from speculators were left on ships carrying civilians to ensure that they could reach their new homes alive (preferably in a state of food and clothing).

On the other side of the city, the gunfire rang out again.Standing on the trestle bridge, Cynthia, who watched the last ship leave the port, immediately turned around and ran to the battlefield favored by death without looking back, to the vortex formed by flesh, steel and fire.

In this thick, icy twilight, the surrounding tumult was saturated with pathos.Perhaps nature is also inspired by the world. When the beacon passed the lighthouse that had not been extinguished, the first snow of the year fell in Marunliga.

Amidst the sound of artillery fire and shouts of killing, amidst the sobs and prayers of the refugees, the snow fell silently.

Whether it's scorched earth, pools of blood, buildings that haven't been destroyed, or dry grass, sandy beaches, or the sea surface that has been pierced by sailing ships, it just generously buried the mess and witnessed the end of the city quietly and reservedly.

But Lewis said softly: "It will come back to life one day."

Adrian beside him was silent.

The two stood at the stern of the boat, looking back at the bruised Maulliga.

The Beacon sailed out of Silver Bay slowly, the shimmering light of the Pearl River, the evening bell of the temple, and the ditties in the tavern were getting farther and farther away from the people on board, and finally there was only a backlit black shadow left.

The female mercenary Rilla sat on a corner of the deck, lowered her head and wiped the clarinet left by Jasper.

When the Kurmans attacked at night, it was Jesper who sent the signal with his flute, but he became the first target noticed by the enemy.In the early morning, the mercenaries of the Greystone Comrades buried Jasper's body in the open field of the fishing village.

She doesn't know how to play the clarinet, but she vaguely remembers how the original owner of the clarinet played it.Soon, the sad flute sounded.Although the troubled minstrel hasn't opened for a long time, he knows how to respond to the intermittent jerky tunes with his own singing, mourning the familiar city and those strange victims.

"Even if thunder swallows up my song, even if mud stains your face. When the lost goddess returns, she will bring the grace of the gods again. You will wear a crown full of pearls and clothed with brocades. Wear your best clothes, pass through the city gate made of gold, and step onto the fertile soil covered with white jade, this irreplaceable glory will always belong to you."

The author has something to say: Fallout4MainTheme('Spinner'Mix)-InonZur/You Will Come Back Like Lightning-StamatisSpanoudakis (←Spiritual Divine Comedy, my source of inspiration)