Chapter 53: Embrace Your Future

"Because you are born for war, Jeanne, just like our clan leader, I find your opinions quite intriguing," Si said, gazing down at the monsters holding a carnival-like night party below. "From beginning to end, our race has provided you human with a cautionary tale. Although war never ceases, we have still imparted to you the wisdom of how to gain freedom from war. The Forkrul have almost completely vanished from this world, while we have never attacked them; the Ant Monsters have been exterminated by internal strife and the invasion of the Elves—the Frost has sealed their fate."

"In this matter, every word I say, all the ideas I toss out, ain't nothing your clan leader can't whip up," Jeanne snorted.

The Bonecaster smiled faintly, "But it allows me to identify you to some extent and evaluate you." Jeanne's expression turned slightly displeased; the idea made her uncomfortable, or perhaps it was the word 'evaluate' that bothered her.

"Your praise does not honor me, Bonecaster; I don't buy into the idea that I am born for war. It was just payback, pure and simple."

"Then what are you born for, burning corpses?"

Jeanne followed Si's gaze behind her. She raised an eyebrow, her cold smile less twisted, showing a certain immunity to this person's words: "You got that right, my knight, I sure as hell was born to roast heretics and dark wizards on a stake."

In public, such exchanges laden with sarcasm often unfolded, as if they had an extraordinary enthusiasm for these personal attacks that others found hard to understand.

In a sense, the Bonecaster's assessment of Jeanne being born for war was not incorrect. Although she had an unusual aversion to literacy, much of the education she received from the Church was related to war, and she indeed demonstrated strong adaptability during the campaign against Britain.

Despite her greater enthusiasm for eradicating heretics, she maintained an exceptionally cold and focused mindset when commanding battles.

She held the banner of divine authority, acting like an executioner to clear out fence-sitting nobles and deserters. She personally supervised the interrogation of captured Celtic prisoners, teaching some brutal methods from the Inquisition to the French interrogators accompanying the army. She was adept at leading troops in relentless surprise attacks, even bringing along cartographers to redraw and survey rough maps, seeking ideal ambush and assault locations. She also frequently consulted with commanders in the legion about the progress of the campaign, and without reservation, sought advice from local nobles who had engaged in plundering, gathering their insights.

Fortunately, Jeanne was overall loyal to divine authority. In her crusade against heretical rituals, the knights under her command came and went, with many perishing. Moreover, she herself lacked desire for power, relinquishing all secular military authority after the treaty was signed and obeying Church's orders to move to station in another continent.

In this Warren, during the day, she would usually consult with the Bonecaster about the current situation or occasionally ask Chavazon, who seemed to randomly brush off like ashes, about what he observed in the city. After sunset, or when Salser's sleep schedule coincided with her wakefulness, she would command the Dark wizard, treating him like a giant insect of the Moranth, to carry her into the sky to observe the monsters reveling on the streets below and record the environments of the Warren exits in the memory of the witch Elaine, carefully considering which positions would be easier to escape from in case of unforeseen events.

"I ain't got a clue what's gonna go down when the Moon Goddess descends, and I sure as hell can't promise that little girl'll be safe," Jeanne told Sassel, who was looking none too pleased about being her free ride, "So keep it steady up here, I gotta figure out the best way to bolt if things go south."

"By the truth! You're more like a fugitive on the run for seven years than I am."

"After getting screwed over by folks I thought were on my side, blocking me outside the city gates, I ain't gonna repeat that mistake, nor will I entertain any delusions," Jeanne told him in a flat tone, "I'm clear-headed—when it comes to their priorities, the T'lan Imass won't spare a thought for our well-being."

"What was it like, getting stuck outside the city gates? Dish out your misery to brighten my day."

"Once I can connect to the Warren of Light, I'll give you a damn good time," Jeanne told him.

A brief pause.

He coughed a couple of times, "Haven't you noticed the moon is drawing nearer?"

Although aware that Salser was changing the subject, Jeanne nodded:

"You got that right, the moon has started to turn red."

Indeed, the moon in the clouds had indeed taken on a dull crimson hue, making its light somewhat tainted, like a network of deformed blood vessels spread across the ground. Starting from an unknown day, a hazy mist began to rise from the cracks in the corners, spreading randomly through the desolate city.

Just by looking at the corners, she knew that the opening passage would be waiting for them along with the monsters wandering the streets at night. The T'lan Imass warriors flew day and night in the sky, appearing as mere dust, but in reality, they were an undead army. However, the T'lan Imass's battlefield was in the sky, while Jeanne's was on the ground, and possibly underground.

......

"Young human, your name is Viola, and you have great potential as a mage. You will inherit your teacher's surname in the future. But your future will not always be under your teacher's protection," the Bonecaster, Si Yibel, who was only slightly taller than Viola, told the confused golden-haired little girl, "I am certain that you will become friend and companion with a witch of your age under the gaze of the Moon's Spawn. You will experience death, you will experience war, and suffer pains far beyond what you can imagine. You will witness the destruction and rebirth of life, witness the tearing of two oaths, you may end up with nothing, or you may..."

"What are you filling a little girl's head with!?"

Si shrugged. She turned her face to Salser and smiled, "Reminding her to accept pain and embrace the future."

"Damn it, I had no idea Bonecasters could be so senseless."

Salser stood up from the carpet, lifted the Bonecaster by her armpits, as if picking up a disobedient child. He greeted Viola and then carried Si out the door.

"Everyone should accept their destiny, Salser. If you want her to survive into the three hundredth millennium, you should let her face reality sooner," Si said calmly as he carried her, "We have witnessed the extinction of countless races over time, we have been pushed to the south, although we are immortal, not all races are. The summoning will soon come, and as the flesh shatters, the T'lan Imass clan will perform a ritual to select more Bonecasters. Time itself will become meaningless. Salser, the summoning created the T'lan Imass clan, the summoning created your First Empire, the summoning also brought the Outer Gods from another realm here."

Salser carried Si into the banquet hall amidst her rambling and placed her on the table.

"How did you manage to find your way here?" he asked, looking at Si.

"Because of the call," she said casually, swinging her legs on the table.

"Is everything in your world triggered by this 'call' you speak of?"

"The whispers of this land are the voices of the Outer Gods, and the whispers of this building—they come from a soul imprisoned in a gem," Si adjusted her deep red hair, her small brown face marked with two white lines, looking like two short bandages, "I followed the whispers of this building to the black and white world, and followed the whispers of the black and white world to the room belonging to the Outer Gods, which is not surprising."

"Well, you've convinced me, Bonecaster," Salser grinned, "I find it harder and harder to respect you."

"I think this might be a sign of friendship."

"Are you jesting?"

"If I want to, Salser," Si looked at him, "In the near future, I might need a male to impregnate me and give birth to another Bonecaster. If you're still alive by then, you might be a good choice."

Salser coughed so hard that wine came out of his nose.

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