Chapter 76
"..." The patrol squad leader subconsciously swallowed, his previous arrogance vanishing instantly, replaced by a fear that his head was about to be pulled up to his waistband.
The sharp shards of the halberd in his pocket were like a blade hanging over his head, reminding him of the fragility and transience of life.
As soon as Chen Ce waved his hand, he immediately scrambled back to the shore, abandoning his weapon.
The other Noxus soldiers didn't dare say another word and all quickly left.
A moment later, the port, which should have been shrouded in darkness, suddenly lit up, and the noise of footsteps and the clanging of metal dispelled the silence of the night.
Chen Ce remained standing quietly on the ship, his gaze fixed on the end of the harbor.
Soon, he saw a tall Vastaya —a veteran of considerable age.
As well as...
A large, menacing group of Noxus soldiers.
"Who dares to trespass on my port?"
The leader of the Vastaya had a loud, deep voice, and his tall stature and muscular build seemed to proclaim the power he possessed.
Illuminated by the firelight, Chen Ce finally saw the full face of this "traitor of Ionia" for the first time.
His once dazzling, sunset-like hair was braided into dreadlocks that hung down his back, though now it was streaked with gray. His proud face resembled that of a large feline predator, and a lifetime of military service had etched crisscrossing scars upon it.
His left side of his face was hairless, and the bulging red muscles were proof of the severe burns he had suffered as a young warrior. A pair of curved horns grew from his temples, each etched with a spiraling rune pattern.
His three tails swept behind him, each covered with segments of plate armor. He wore Noxus black iron armor, an outfit from his second homeland that always made him look sorrowful.
Of course, he wasn't frowning at the moment, but rather furious.
"We were sent by the Pale Lady," Chen Ce finally revealed himself.
But clearly, no one on the shore believed his story—if he truly belonged to the Pale Lady, why would he travel in such a dilapidated and cramped ship? Why would he have come from the continent of Ionia? And why couldn't he produce any token and act so suspiciously?
More importantly, why didn't anyone receive such an important message in advance?
"Pale Lady... I think you're drunk." Kalan snorted dismissively. "Or maybe you heard some legend about the Pale Lady somewhere and are trying to use it to scam people?"
"If someone is planning to cheat or do something shady like stealing, I don't think that person would be stupid enough to openly enter the port from the front." Chen Ce shrugged and looked at the patrol squad leader who had been hiding in the crowd.
"And we will not let anyone who sees him and doubts him get away with it."
"Instead of spouting sophistry, produce some substantial evidence," Kalan said, maintaining a firm stance.
Until Chen Ce actually pulled an envelope out of his pocket.
"If you want proof from the Pale Lady, then I have it—it's a letter written by the Pale Lady herself, bearing the Grand Commander's personal seal."
"I hope this isn't a forgery by someone with ulterior motives." Kalan walked slowly to the side of the ship and stretched out a hand looking down at the ship.
Chen Ce ignored the other party's arrogance and rudeness and handed the letter directly to him.
The latter immediately opened the envelope and glanced at it.
That one glance caused his pupils to contract slightly—though it was barely noticeable, only noticed by Chen Ce, who was only half a meter away.
He has always had a good ability to control his emotions and facial expressions.
He respectfully folded the letter again and put it back into the envelope.
Then, in front of everyone, he gave Chen Ce a standard Noxus military salute—a salute from below to above.
"Please forgive my ignorance and arrogance, sir."
The noisy dock instantly fell silent.
"Now, please follow me to discuss this further..."
Back in the closed room, Kalan took the letter out of his pocket again and casually placed it on the table.
Yes, that so-called "Pale Lady's handwritten letter".
It only had a short line of small print on it:
[The prophecy has changed, the jailer looks back; the prophet speaks truthfully, and a divine connection is seen.]
"Please sit down." Kalan politely gestured for them to sit, his fierce and cold expression turning into joy and anticipation.
Then, he curiously examined the three people before him—a pure human, a Vastaya like himself, and... well... neither human nor Vastaya... a girl...?
"What do you mean by the prophecy changing? Can I leave now? No... perhaps I should double-check... I think you can understand me, right? I know this is presumptuous, but I really need to be careful... You understand, right?"
Kalan was becoming somewhat incoherent—perhaps due to nervousness, but more likely due to excitement.
Every day in Feilor, he longed for his former life; the forest and the hunt called to him every day... but he couldn't leave. Yet he longed to leave so much.
"Yes, I understand," Chen Ce replied with a smile. "If you want to confirm our identities... how about we verify the prophecy with a prophecy?"
What does this mean?
"I can recite the prophecies that the prophet gave you, thus proving that I am truly the one sent by the prophet."
"Ah... that's a great idea! Please tell me." Kalan rubbed his hands together expectantly, like a big boy longing to go out and play.
Chen Ce nodded, then searched his mind for the prophecy the prophet had given to Kalan years ago—of course, this was definitely not something the prophet had told him, but something he already knew.
This is something I knew back when I was on Blue Star.
He cleared his throat and, mimicking the prophet's aged and composed tone, slowly spoke:
"You are faced with two paths, and you can only choose one. But I warn you—both paths lead to sorrow and grief."
"The first path. You fight the invaders. There will be a great battle in Placidium, Navori. Though the cost will be heavy, you will be victorious. You will be hailed as a hero. You and your spirit will live peacefully for many years. You will be happy. However, you are destined to live to see your two young children die tragically."
"The second path is one where you fight alongside the enemy. You will never see your confidant again, nor your cub. They will call you a traitor and curse your name. This path is filled with darkness, bitterness, and infamy. You will be hated by your own kind and despised by your invaders' allies. After their Placidium, you must stand guard in Feilor and protect the Land of Dreams. And then you will remain there."
"But your little ones will survive."
"They will rise to power. If not in this land, then elsewhere. But you will never see their faces again, and if you stray from this dark path, they will perish."
"I'm sorry, my child, you have to face this terrible choice."
That concludes the prophecy.
Kalan lowered his proud head.
His voice became slightly choked, but he didn't shed tears or show any signs of distress.
"No," he repeated the answer he had given the prophet years ago, "The choice is simple."
A moment of silence fell over the room, as if the air itself had frozen.
Finally, Kalan raised his head again, his eyes filled with anticipation. "You said the prophecy has changed... Does that mean I can leave this place?"
He even unconsciously started using honorifics. He really wanted to go back to the land he loved so much.
There was laughter and joy, friends and family, and his two little boys whom he missed most... Everything he loved was there.
He was eagerly awaiting a positive response from Chen Ce.
And Chen Ce did not let this great expectation fall into despair:
"Yes, Mr. Kalan."
"You will eventually be exonerated of the 'traitor' label. From now on, no one will speak ill of you behind your back. You can stand tall and proud in the forests of Ionia. You will bask in the sunlight and be hailed as a hero in the darkness... All of this is what you deserve."
"You have suffered enough, Mr. Kalan. The Spirit of Ionia will not forget anyone who has contributed to this land."
Chen Ce's tone softened further, and he placed a hand on the shoulder of the burly man who was choking back tears.
"Now, the prophecy is for you; lead us to the 'prison'."
Chapter 88 Black Silk Leader - Syndra
The Fae'lor Island is picturesque under the night sky, with ripples spreading across the dark sea. Noxus patrols move back and forth around the harbor, vigilant for every suspicious vessel and every suspicious person.
Kalan stood on the deck of the Scarlet Huntress, her gaze once again fixed on the other side of the strait.
There was no moon tonight, but everything was as bright as day, and he could see it all. His feline pupils were wide open. Sometimes, these eyes would be illuminated by torches and reflect a piercing light—the eyes of a nocturnal predator.
He had seen this scene countless times, but each time he experienced something different—sometimes sorrow, sometimes melancholy, and sometimes sadness.
Without exception, all of them were negative experiences.
But today is different.
Today's experience was positive—he felt joy and anticipation. He couldn't wait to return to that beautiful land. He deeply loved the land that gave him birth and nurtured him, and even more so, he loved the people of that land.
The three people behind him will help him get back there.
The three companions who came from the distant Hirana Monastery at the behest of the prophet.
Ah... companion, that beautiful word... how long has it been since I've heard of it?
On the Fae'lor Island —under his command were over a thousand Noxus warriors, a mix of veterans from various remote corners of the Empire. They all obeyed his orders, but none of them could be called "comrades."
Those two words have been gone from him for a long time.
A patrol marched past along the crenellations. They saluted Kalan, striking their breastplates with their Riot Games, and Kalan nodded in return. He didn't miss the darkness in the sentries' eyes. Their hatred for him was no less than that of the Ionia, but they held a mixture of fear and respect for him, and that was enough.
"It will all end... tonight, won't it?"
Kalan's slightly trembling voice could only be heard by the three people behind him.
"Yes, tonight." Chen Ce nodded. "After tonight, everything will be alright."
"Besides taking you to 'prison,' what else do I need to do?"
"That's all, this is enough."
What do you plan to do to 'that person'?
"This is a secret that cannot be told, Mr. Kalan." Chen Ce bowed slightly, performing a traditional Ionia greeting under the cover of darkness. "I hope you can understand."
"Hmm..." Upon hearing this, Kalan felt a little uneasy, but didn't say anything more.
He longed to return to the First Lands... and for that, he would pretend to be deaf and dumb, and remain indifferent to everything.
Just like when he accepted the prophet's prediction and betrayed his own country to Noxus.
He only needed to follow the prophecy.
Whether he understands the process or not is not important; what matters is the result.
If it doesn't understand, then let it not understand.
"Let's go, Mr. Chen Ce..."
[Dalye Asila]
That is, the Dreaming Pool.
The name lingered in Kalan's mind every day, but in reality, he hadn't been there for many years.
Twenty years ago? Or thirty years ago? Probably thirty-three years ago... maybe. Anyway, a long, long time ago, he walked out of the ruined temple for the last time, and then never went back in.
There once stood a great temple... Talented young people from all corners of Ionia would come seeking the methods of tranquility and enlightenment from the mentors within.
But now, everything has changed.
Everything is ruined...
The embodiment of hatred and power took her mentor's well-intentioned advice as a malicious lie... Her hatred erupted uncontrollably, turning the entire temple into ruins in the blink of an eye.
If it weren't for the intervention of the Spirit of Ionia to imprison her, not only the temple, but the entire Fae'lor Island would likely have been torn apart...
She's terrifying.
Her threat to Ionia even surpasses that of the Noxus invaders.
"Stay close to me. When you encounter Noxus soldiers, try not to speak, and absolutely do not communicate in the Ionia dialect..."
Kalan walked at the front, flanked by three "companions sent by the prophet" on each side and behind him.
He knew better than anyone how terrible that person was, which was why he had been stationed on Fae'lor Island for many years. And today, he was about to end it all—this life of being misunderstood and vilified as a "traitor" could finally come to an end.
Finally... finally I can stand in the sunlight and be a person with my head held high again...
"Hmm." A soft reply came from Chen Ce.
Kalan continued forward with anticipation; they were now quite close. On the other side of the courtyard ahead, a cliff stretched into the night sky, and Kalan's gaze fell upon its summit. A jarring building stood out against the starry sky; that was their target.