Castle of Black Iron

One hour before the bloody and fiery curtain, everything was developing towards that merciless track along the fixed cruel trace. In such a dilemma, everybody was exerting their full effort.

...

Sharba was holding tightly his short sword and following the other pioneers with stiff and tense footsteps onto the battle field.

The handle of his short sword was wrapped with a rough cloth strip. At this moment, the cloth strip had been soaked by Sharba’s sweat. Therefore, it felt smooth in hand.

Before going to the battle field, Sharba drank up all of his drinking water.

Since this tunnel completely collapsed along with a terrifying earthquake last week, all the pioneers were sent in a terrifying and despairing situation.

Sharba was only 18 years old. Like how it was described in the popular story among many pioneers, because his father was a pioneer, he was then a pioneer. He didn’t know whom his mom was. Since he was sensible, he joined the team of pioneers along with his father and wandered around the world.

His dad passed away two years ago. Before death, his dad’s last wish was to see Sharba to settle down in a human city, find an average job, marry a woman and live like commoners...

He did not understand his dad’s wish until last week. Although he understood it now but it was impossible for him to live it up this dream because Sharba knew that he was going to die. Even though he could survive today, he would die tomorrow.

The despairing mood had been spreading among the pioneers for one week. This relics was like a cage and a graveyard in the dark which was going to bury all the pioneers here.

Facing such powerful and well-trained army of the allied forces, only after 2 days of confusion, all the pioneers had realized that none of them could leave this graveyard...

The abyss-like despair made the pioneers suffocated. Therefore, they were driven mad for the last time.

One week ago, none of the pioneers could imagine about the outcome to fight the allied forces; but now, the pioneers not only fought the allied forces, but also launched a counterattack towards the allied forces and occupied two water sources.

At this moment, a coarse hand fell on Sharba’s shoulder and slightly patted him.

”Sharba, just follow me; take it easy; we will be free after today...” said uncle Milan, the 50-year odd head of the small team of pioneers. In the past few days, uncle Milan’s lips had cracked due to thirst. The brilliance in his eyes also faded away. He was now full of despair and frustration.

”Will...we die?” a hoarse voice sounded. Another partner in the team asked, who was 2 years elder than Sharba.

Uncle Milan smiled in a frustrated and weak manner, ”In the legend of pioneers, such a relics is a place being cursed. Before Catastrophe, this place had already swallowed numerous spiritual beings and fresh blood. Now the tragedy started once again. Because those who come here to disturb the dead spiritual beings, all of them have to accompany these dead spiritual beings at the cost of their lives...”

”I...I don’t want to die...” someone started to wail in a low voice.

”Don’t worry, we’re together with you. It will be okay for a short while. If we win, we can live some more days...” uncle Milan comforted himself, which was more like a hopeless sigh.

The pioneers moved in the battle field one team after another. They had no fixed formations; instead, they just followed their familiar person and their head towards the death place.

If they joined the battle several days later, they would be too weak to fight. Therefore, no matter what, they had to solve the battle today. On the battle field, to be killed might be better than being thirsty and starved to death.

...

”This is a hopeless battle which is nothing about the sense of honor!” In a place being far away from the battle field, watching tens of thousands of pioneers gathering 1 km away from the allied forces like how moth charged towards flames, Roslav let out a sigh, ”No morale exist in the two armies at all. No party will win the battle. They are all killing people for their own survival. I won’t join such a battle!”

”What a pity!” Waajid also sighed as he turned around, looking at the camp of the allied forces over 5 km away and waved his head, ”Previously, I thought that person might be the one we need, I’ve not imagined...”

”Not all the 17-18 year old teenagers could sustain the stress from the coming death and despair. Many geniuses finally could not grow up. Because they could not bear the huge stress. Even some soldiers in the allied forces could not bear that stress and would be driven mad!”

”Perhaps we have put too much unrealistic hopes on him. That’s why we can barely accept the fact now!”

”Hopefully, he would recover his composure!”

”No matter what, we have to take our huge bear warriors back safe and sound. Their lives and missions belonged to our lord. They should not die here for no reason!” Waajid turned around and glanced at that team of the huge bear warriors behind him.

Roslav nodded in a solemn look.

...

”Pass my order, all the supplies and booty of each soldier in the fight don’t have to be submitted!” Gangula’s voice sounded in the main tent of the allied forces.

Hearing this order, all the heads and officials of other tribes in the main tent became thrilled. Many people ran out to pass the latest order to their own soldiers of each tribe.

Before the war, Gangula caught sight of the bear-killing hammer hanging over a weapon stand, he then instantly remembered Zhang Tie’s handsome movements on waving that terrifying battle hammer. So he asked, ”Where’s Peter, what is he doing?”

”He’s still sitting on that short building!” Nurdo replied in a calm voice.

”Oh!” Gangula peered at Sabrina who looked calm and O’Laura in mask who held her fist tightly when she heard about this question. After that, he revealed a smile, ”Alright, remember to send some food to him after winning the war and bring a doctor to him. Don’t let him be starved to death. No matter what, he’s our guest!”

Hearing this, some heads of small and medium-sized tribes hurriedly responded with a sneer like having heard a joke from Gangula.

O’Laura responded with a cold harrumph as she turned around and walked out of the tent.

”What are you laughing at?” Gangula looked at those guys who mocked just now and asked icily with bloody eyes. Hearing this, those guys’ sneers ceased at once like chicks whose necks were clutched.

...

A place far away from the battle field and close to the camp of the allied forces was not influenced by the tense atmosphere of the coming war in the distance. If this relics was a huge graveyard, that place would be the graveyard of the graveyard.

This was the wounded soldiers division of the allied forces, a more despairing place.

Not knowing how long had he slept. Maxim slowly woke up and gradually picked himself up from the rough bed on the ground. Feeling scorching in his throat, he took out his notebook and pen from his portable bag.

As a trivial logistical secretary in the small tribe of the allied forces, he was injured when he joined the action of the allied forces three days ago. After that, he was sent here for death like many other wounded soldiers after a simple treatment.

He was truly here for death. When they were sent here, their supplies was reduced by 2/3 at once.

After holding the notebook and the pen, Maxim instantly felt hopeful. After dozens of years, his professional habit had already become his instincts and joys of life. As long as he held his notebook and pen and could write words, he would feel as safe and stable as a snail who carried its shell once again.

Maxim moved his body hardly. Finally, he found a corner being close to a fluorite lamp in the circled yard and was going to write something. Right then, a sneer drifted in his ears.

A soldier who was weakly leaning on the ground mocked Maxim at the sight of what he was doing at this moment.

”You’re really diligent, ha. Are you writing your will? If you have time, you’d better check whether Sher on your side is still alive. If he’s dead, call people here to carry him away right now; otherwise, those who are alive would die soon...”

Seeing a lot of wounded soldiers turning around and looking at him, Maxim kindly put down his notebook as he struggled to pick himself up from the ground and came to the side of a wounded soldier who was lying not far from him. He started to check the wounded soldier carefully.

Sher’s lips had been covered with a layer of paste; thankfully, they were still quivering. Maxim lowered his body and drew his ears close to Sher’s mouth. He heard a faint voice, ”Water...water...”

There was a military flume in the yard; however, it was already dried inside and was covered with dust. A huge cheap average-looking tin water bottle was dropped on its side after being excavated out of the relics by a pioneer for the wounded soldiers. After struggling towards the flume, Maxim forcefully took up that water bottle and turned the bottle upside down. After a few seconds, a small water drop finally formed and suspended at the mouth of the water bottle.

”Sher wants water; however there’s no water here...”

Everybody became silent when the despairing and frustrating atmosphere started to spread from that dried flume and the mouth of the water bottle. Even that wounded soldier who spoke with irony to Maxim also lowered his eyes...

After putting down the bottle in a frustrated manner, Maxim didn’t say anything; instead, he struggled back to the corner. Sitting on the ground, he opened his notebook and wanted to write something on it; finally, he only left a paragraph on the paper.

——October 7th, 890th year of Black Iron Calendar. The shadow of death covers the wounded soldiers camp. This is the 5th day since we lacked water. I don’t know how long can I survive...Nobody knows how many days can they survive whether they are in the wounded soldiers camp or not. In this place which could only be brightened by fluorite lamps, each one is breathing despair and fear about death...I know that I’m not pious, neither do I have any belief. However, at this moment, I would exert my full efforts to pray piously. If God really exists in the world, please save these people who are struggling here with despair and fear; please let the humble and mortal people see the manifestation of the God and bathe the honor of the God. Wish our mortals’ awe to the God could make us not that humble and fearful anymore.

The boom of the battle drums in the distance disrupted Maxim’s moods. He stopped his pen, raising his head, he looked at the distance. He knew that many people would die there today. This relatively open wounded soldiers camp might be a crowded flesh and blood market by tomorrow...

...

Half an hour later...

The boom of battle drums and battle calls between the allied forces and the pioneers drifted from that battle field. Having determined to fight to death, those pioneers burst out great potential and were twining with the allied forces. As a result, the battle field was separated into hundreds or thousands smaller battle fields by the terrain of the relics...

Out of the battle field, Roslav, who had been watching the battle situation suddenly felt his heart pounding. He turned around and was stunned by what he saw in the direction of camp of the allied forces.

Several miles away, a huge, eccentric battle-Qi totem slowly appeared above the horizon like a burning banner. It was rising, which brightened the greater part of the sky like a sun in the dark underground.

”What’s that?” after feeling that huge glow from his back, Waajid looked around and was stunned by what he saw.

Even those who were fighting on the battle fields noticed the glow and the burning bloody curtain which brightened the entire space. Facing such an eccentric and rare scene, everybody became shocked and didn’t know what happened...

After receiving the notice, Gangula also walked out of his tent. He looked at the distance when an amazed look flashed across his eyes...

At the sight of this weird scene nearby their camp, all the heads of small and medium-sized tribes widely opened their mouths...

O’Laura looked around and found the place where the bloody and fiery curtain rose. ”It seems...seems to be rising from where Peter was.” O’Laura instantly darted towards there.

”That seems to come from where Peter was!” Sabrina muttered as Gangula’s eyebrows kept jumping...

Being influenced by such a weird scene, the battle calls gradually disappeared. All the soldiers and pioneers looked around and watched that eccentric scene in the distance.

...

”Maxim, what’s up? Is it burning outside?”

”Ah, that must be a big fire...”

”Impossible. There are no firewoods. How come it burns so heavily?” a wounded soldier asked restlessly while lying on the ground and watching the rising glow from the camp on his side. Those who could hardly move still struggled towards here to see what was happening.

At this moment, Maxim had long been flurried at the sight of the figure in the glow in the distance. He saw battle-Qi totem before; however, he could never connect the current scene with those battle-Qi totem he saw before. That felt like a sun rising from his side.

In Maxim’s amazement, that figure slowly walked towards the wounded soldiers camp. Each of his step was full of a sacred sense and made Maxim’s heart race...

...