Chapter 1033 — The End of Eternity
Blade of Dawn · Page 3 of 5
Hragor's voice was very low: "One million eight hundred seventy thousand years ago, this place failed to hold Him off, and today, one million eight hundred seventy thousand years later, it still cannot — but it doesn't matter. Everything has changed. History will not repeat itself here."
As they spoke, they had already passed the last ring of metal circles around the "tower" and drawn near a certain platform on its upper half. They descended toward it, and the dragons' forms began to change in midair — in the blink of an eye, their enormous dragon bodies became human shapes.
Hragor landed steadily at the edge of a crescent-shaped platform. Beside him, Anqian's figure came down as well — but the aged Speaker stumbled, nearly falling on the final step of his descent.
Hragor hurriedly reached out to steady him. Once the other man had found his footing, he shook his head with a smile: "I haven't flown in far too many years... It was fine when Omega was controlling me before, but now I can barely land smoothly."
Hragor only patted his shoulder, then raised his head to look toward the end of the platform.
A figure draped in a pale golden robe stood there. As Hragor's gaze went to it, the figure seemed to turn its head back toward them — but it was only an illusion. The next second, the figure silently dissolved into the air.
That was him from one million eight hundred seventy thousand years ago — leaving only a phantom behind in this place.
Anqian watched the scene quietly. He seemed about to speak, but in the end all his words became a soft sigh. He shook his head and strode forward, Hragor following close behind — they crossed the front of the platform, crossed the place where that long-dissolved figure had once stood.
A few minutes later, they had walked the curved passage at the platform's far end, and following the route remembered from long ago, they came at last to the end of a staircase near the highest point of the "tower."
A massive gate stood quietly before them. Beside it stood a middle-aged man with short gray hair, a high nose bridge, and a resolute face — none other than the ruler of the Holy Dragon Principality, Grand Duke Bayang'er Kerner.
"I didn't expect you'd already be here," Hragor said, a hint of a smile appearing on his face at the sight of him. "It's been a long time."
"It has been a long time," Bayang'er's gaze moved between Hragor and Anqian, and on that ever-too-serious face there even surfaced a rare smile. "I thought you might not be able to find this place anymore — when I saw you flying in, I even wondered whether I should light the lamps here to guide you."
"To be honest, I thought I wouldn't find it either..." Hragor closed his eyes gently, a faint smile on his face. "But when I close my eyes, everything here is still so clear."
"That's enough reminiscing — we still have the final step to complete," Anqian's aged, low voice came from beside them, cutting short Hragor and Bayang'er's "catching up." "Bayang'er, have you checked?"
"While waiting for you, I made a rough inspection of the situation inside: the power of the Eternal Storm and the power of the gods have together held everything here in stasis. The years have not destroyed our life's work — it remains in as good a condition as back then, without even a trace of aging. I managed to start the lift leading to the deep levels just now and activated the deep-level power assemblies. That has loosened the current space-time somewhat — I believe that should count as making ready for departure."
Hragor gazed into Bayang'er's eyes and could not help saying: "After all these years, you are still the finest machinist..."
"You flatter me, Chief," Bayang'er said, stepping half a pace aside and gesturing in invitation. "Come — the three of us have been away from our posts far too long."