Gun of Ashes

Listening to the information that could shake the dynamics of the Western world, the man in the grey robe nodded slightly. But then he seemed to have thought of something, like an ancient monster leaping out from under the vast shadows of the sea, bringing with it amazement and fear. He looked at Arthur, and his icy gaze was filled with certainty.

”Wait! Are you talking about the new pope?”

Having anticipated his old friend’s terror, Arthur nodded again and repeated, his voice distant and heavy.

”Yes, the thirty-sixth pope of the Evangelical Church.”

”Sainy Loter.”

The old era is gone, and the new one has arrived with a roar.

...

”Isn’t it a beautiful scene? My father always said I was lucky to be born at the juncture of two eras. The rigid old class will be swept into the trash heap, and everything new awaits the young to seize: steam technology, the Orient, wealth—there’s so much worth pursuing in this new era.”

On the lonely lighthouse, the Red Falcon faced the howling sea breeze, overlooking the twisted and grim land, narrating as if he were reflecting on life.

”You give me the feeling of a frustrated poet, ready to jump off a building to express your resolve.”

Eve said bluntly, but the Red Falcon turned his head sorrowfully, looking at Eve.

”Compared to what’s about to happen, I think jumping to death might be quicker.”

”Ha, instead of thinking about how to die, why don’t you help out? You want to die, but I don’t!”

Eve said angrily.

The two were at the top of the lighthouse. The bright lights emitted a harmonious blazing white; perhaps that eerie green light existed because of the Dream Builder, which was now gradually dissipating with the death of the Dream Builder.

But this wasn’t the end of the battle; rather, it was the beginning of a decisive battle. After killing the Dream Builder, Eve awakened the Red Falcon. As the two were tangled in their next actions, the door at the lower end of the lighthouse was smashed open by demons, like a dense swarm of ants.

Fortunately, the captain, with that massive body of the Dream Builder, blocked a significant portion as it fell, slowing down the infiltration of demons a bit. Then the two emptied everything from the upper floor, throwing down anything they could to firmly hold the rooftop door before coming to the lighthouse’s top.

From there, they could directly see those demons flowing in from the end of the horizon, with numbers beyond counting. With their current armament, the only option was to choose how they wished to die.

”Wait, Eve, this lamp uses kerosene!”

While talking, the Red Falcon suddenly discovered the anomaly of this lighthouse. With the current technology development, most lighthouses are already connected to electricity, but this lighthouse still relies on the old kerosene burn, a complex lens system submerged in mercury, scanning the darkness with mechanical rotation.

Upon hearing this, Eve’s eyes lit up. As long as there was kerosene, they could hold out a little longer; this was knowledge Lorenzo told her, demons fear the flames.

”What do you intend to do? Smash it?”

Having been here for so long, Eve hadn’t seen any spare kerosene. Presumably, the wick contained the last of the kerosene. But once removed, Eve might use the kerosene to resist the demons’ attack for a while, but the pressure of darkness would surely increase.

”Maybe that’s the only way; otherwise, they will climb up sooner or later.”

The Red Falcon looked toward the bottom of the tower. Demons piled up a thin layer, attempting to climb the lighthouse, but inside the lighthouse, due to spiral stairs, they were struggling to push open the heavy door, so there was no immediate concern.

”The choice is yours, ma’am.”

At this moment, the Red Falcon displayed that damned gentlemanly conduct, perhaps people go a bit crazy when at a dead end.

Eve remained silent; she could see the stress on the Red Falcon, his face pale. Unlike herself, who possessed Secret Blood, his will was undergoing a tremendous test.

”Is there really no turning point?”

Eve didn’t want to die; there were many questions she hadn’t figured out, she didn’t want to die here.

”I’m afraid not.”

The Red Falcon handed over his communicator; the indicator light above remained red. The two were on a darkened isolated island, with nothing but those demons below waiting for dinner.

The Red Falcon slowly raised the gun in his hand, pointing at the fragile lens system. As long as they shattered the wick, the kerosene would spill out, burning those damned demons to death. However, given the narrow space here, perhaps before the demons even get burned, he and Eve could die in the blazing fire first.

”Are you ready?”

The Red Falcon asked; this was indeed a difficult decision, they were a hair’s breadth away from death.

Eve hesitated to respond. She looked at her communicator, then closed her eyes, maybe this was her endgame, buried here.

”Let’s begin.”

She said, but at that moment, the red light turned green, followed by a familiar voice amid the noisy electrical current.

”Is anyone there?”

Eve abruptly opened her eyes, staring at the communicator in her hand.

”Hello!”

The voice rang again; this wasn’t a damn hallucination.

Eve was momentarily stunned, then screamed.

”Red Falcon, don’t shoot!”

The Red Falcon didn’t fire; just before he was about to shoot, he heard the familiar and uncanny voice coming from the communicator, staring intently at the communicator held by the girl.

”Is that Eve? Where are you?”

Lorenzo’s voice sounded, friendly like a mother awakening you for breakfast.

”It’s me! We are at the lighthouse, location is... is...”

Eve said anxiously, but then realized she couldn’t report any location, but the voice promptly rang again in the communicator.

”The lighthouse? I see you!”

See them... how is that possible...

Eve thought, but then she understood; this dazzling light in the dark not only attracts predators but those who fight them too. She couldn’t imagine the outcome if she breaks the light; this night was so dark, without it, directions couldn’t even be pointed out.

”Where are you?” Eve shouted, but then quickly added, ”Don’t come here! It’s full of demons you can’t handle!”

The demons were like a sea of sand; coming here was mere suicide. But the voice remained calm and collected as it spoke again.

”Twelve o’clock direction.”

”What?”

Eve didn’t understand; the voice repeated.

”Twelve o’clock direction!”

This time she raised her head and looked towards the end of the vision into the darkness; with the countdown of the man’s voice in the communicator, the rumble of steam became gradually clearer.

”Three!”

”Two!”

”One!”

The countdown finished, and Eve saw it.

Accompanied by the melodious whistle, the large headlights pierced the darkness; it was a creation of steel, heavy carriages moving from the track onto the earth, sparking dazzling flames. The entire train charged forward like a crazed serpent, grinding down one demon after another beneath it.

”Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Radiant Train, and I am the conductor for this journey, Mr. Lorenzo Holmes.”

The Demon Hunter stood atop the frantically swaying engine, slowly opening his arms to embrace the entire world. Blood gushed out from the massive wound in his palm, scattering across the train in the fierce wind.

”Be moved! Cheer! Praise it!”

Inside the communicator, there was some narcissistic and crazy voice; he said.

”This is the great rescue from Mr. Lorenzo Holmes!”

”At a speed of 80 km/hour!”

This is the furious intent piercing despair, incredibly impressive.

Endless blazing white flames erupted from the mingled blood, a train blazing fiercely like the Fire Sword guarding the Celestial Kingdom struck down.