Pillars of Ita

The comfort of the small boat could not compare to that of a large ship. Even though the wind and waves were not strong near the shore, the cabin was still shaking. Even Elisa and Luo Yu, who had adapted to life on the boat for a long time, showed varying degrees of ether intoxication.

Catherine stood on the deck as straight as a javelin, as if nothing had happened, with her long red hair flying in the wind. Her sharp eyes were looking at the full sails, watching the ship cross the central axis of the archipelago and pass by the three islands of the Drakirim Island Chain near the southwest.

In her eyes, the floating islands, near and far, were reflected. They were covered with lush trees, like emerald gems, but with different heights. The highest floating island was almost a thousand meters above sea level, while the lower ones were suspended on the clouds.

Fang He sat by the cabin door, looking at the profile of the female pirate. She had the typical features of the people from the offshore of Silver Chain Island, with a straight nose and sharp edges. She pursed her lips like a female warrior.

I heard that before they set off, she had a big quarrel with the people brought by Olivia because of what Eleusis said, and somehow some of the information got out.

The sailors were very taboo about this, they believed that the unknown curse spreading in the bay area originated from dragon blood, which was an ominous sign. But Catherine controlled her men very well, but those maesters went crazy for some reason.

It is said that someone had a nightmare one night, and woke up the next day in a frenzy and declared to others that they should return immediately because the fire of Venus fell into dust and was about to rekindle.

The dragon's wings are shrouding this place, and the old enemy is about to return. That terrifying name from the past will once again tower over Attalia.

These irresponsible remarks finally triggered the sailors' pent-up emotions and almost led to a conflict. Fortunately, Fang He and Elisa arrived in time to stop both sides.

Catherine, who arrived later, put her own people in solitary confinement, and Olivia also asked others to guard the guy who looked crazy.

But this sudden change cast a shadow over the subsequent expedition. No one could tell whether this was because the person was overthinking, or was an omen, a warning.

Fang He actually saw Catherine and Olivia arguing in private. The former angrily found the latter and declared to her in a cold tone:
"The Fountain of Youth has nothing to do with dragon blood. I don't know what your intentions are, but I don't want to hear anyone talking about dragons or anything related - at least here, Miss Olivia."

"I'm sorry, that was not our intention."

Olivia just replied softly.

Catherine hit a snag with her and left angrily. It was the first time that Fang He saw the female pirate so angry.

However, he had no idea how the news leaked out. He only found Eleusis and warned the lady not to talk too much in the future, believing that the Duchess was more likely to cause trouble than help.

Eleusis was so angry that she almost died. "Go away, I don't want to talk to you anymore, you country bumpkin!"

Fang He also became serious, "This is a warning, Ms. Eleusis, I am not kidding you."

Eleusis said nothing for a long time before she managed to say, "You will regret this. You'd better hope that the illegitimate daughter can imprison me forever!"

"In other words, that woman can take care of you for the rest of your life!"

"You speak as if you can do anything to me without Alessa." Fang He was also irritated by this bad-tempered woman. After all, he was still a young man. "Try again if you have the guts."

Eleusis was speechless for a moment, then angrily said, "Get out!"

However, after the emotion passed, Fang He realized that although Eleusis was arrogant and had a bad temper, he did not look like he was lying.

But if the news didn't come from her, who else could it be? Tianlan, the other loudmouth on the ship, had no idea about it, and Alisa always kept her mouth shut about serious matters.

In the end, he could only conclude that the lady might have leaked the news inadvertently. After all, given her personality, such a thing was entirely possible, otherwise she would not have been visited by the Imperials in the Gulf.

As Fang He thought about it, he took out his square-mouthed water bottle and drank some of the tranquilizer inside. In fact, he was in good spirits and had gradually adapted to the conditions in the turbulent layer, but Elisa was in a very bad condition.

Because of Eleusis, they had an unexpected member on this trip - Olivia. But Elisa seemed unwilling to show weakness in front of this young lady, and she held on for a whole night, but finally she collapsed.

The combined attack of intoxication from ether and seasickness knocked her down directly, and she even had a low fever. Now she was being cared for by Olivia and a female sailor on the lower deck.

In addition to them, there were four other sailors on the boat. The boat needed two people to watch the sails, so they worked in groups of two. Catherine set a strict shift schedule.

To ensure that everyone has sufficient rest time before landing.

Perhaps because she heard a noise behind her, Catherine turned around. Since she was the one who made the duty roster, she was not surprised who was on duty with her.

"I'm sorry, I was impulsive before." She looked at Fang He and apologized to him first.

Fang He was a little surprised that this female pirate leader, who always behaved very arrogantly, actually surrendered to him and lowered herself to say this to him.

Therefore, he was almost stunned for a moment before he realized why the other party was apologizing.

Things had gotten tense in the camp about the omen, and she had had a big fight with Olivia, and the bachelor lady was still on the ship, which she had been strongly against.

Fang He didn't quite understand. Catherine seemed to be extremely reluctant to link the Fountain of Youth with dragon's blood. However, Elisa had told him something before, and he seemed to realize what had happened only now.

The ancestor of this female pirate, the great-grandfather of the Pirate King of Silver Chain Island, seemed to be related to the Son of Light, and she has an almost rare elven bloodline.

Although they made a living by doing business for several generations after that, they had almost nothing to do with the Elf Court.

Later, in her grandfather's generation, they became armed merchants, in other words, pirates on the open sea. Her father further developed this business.

As for the origins of the Sons of Light, Fang He had long been aware of it. When the elves and the people of the wilderness parted ways, the ancestor King Quevenlar actually had a large number of Oath Keepers in addition to his own guards.

Only then did he keenly realize this possibility.

Fang He looked at Catherine and suddenly asked, "...Catherine, have you heard the story of the Five Swords drinking dragon blood?"

Catherine seemed to realize what he wanted to ask, but shook her head: "I have heard of the stories of the Oath Keepers, but I have nothing to do with them. I have never inherited those ancient rituals, nor do I know the secrets they guard-"

But it is impossible for ordinary people to know these ancient rituals, let alone the secrets that Oath Keepers carry with them.

In the story that Mazak told them, keeping the oath also meant keeping the secret, which meant that the oath keeper had to remain silent to outsiders.

Those who drink the dragon's blood are also the caretakers of their former enemies. When they appear again, it means that the Dragon King's mad blood has gotten out of control, just like in the story of the Dragon Witch.

Therefore, they concealed their whereabouts, their stories, and their legends. Some of them, like the Mazak people, disappeared in the long river of history, while others became secularized.

The Sons of Light, the Court of the Oath of Flame, belong to the latter.

The story of the five swords slaying the Dragon King has been passed down from mouth to mouth, and the legend of the giant war has been passed down to this day. People talk about the legendary heroes with relish, but the story behind the five holy swords is little known.

How would Catherine know this if the stories hadn't been passed down from generation to generation?
Fang He vaguely sensed that there was another story behind the other party, so he suddenly had an idea: was the port in the fog that this female pirate had been pursuing tirelessly really for the sake of a certificate of overlord?

If it was just for the title of overlord, how could she be willing to give up the greatest gain of this expedition?

If that port is just a symbol, is it worthy of the legendary female pirate's persistence?
He suddenly realized that when Catherine mentioned that port, she always unconsciously mentioned the experience of the pirate king who had found that port in his early years.

Her tone was so distant that people almost subconsciously ignored the relationship between her and the protagonist in the rumor. The pirate king was her biological father.

But logically speaking, she should have resented what that man had done to her, but from the navy to pirates, from pirates to the legendary proof of hegemony, she tirelessly pursued his footsteps——

Is all this just for proof?
The wind from the sea of ​​clouds was swirling around the mast, pulling the sails full and making a rustling sound. The boat was moving very fast along the air currents at the edge of the island, and the clouds and waves occasionally flooded over the side of the boat, bringing with them moist water vapor.

Fang He suddenly realized that this was an opportunity.

He said bluntly, "Would you like to tell me your story?"

Catherine's emerald eyes reflected that gentle gaze, causing her to hesitate.

But the female pirate brushed away the red hair on her temples and nodded, "It's not really a secret, but the disappearance of that man is indeed related to the dragon blood."

A crosswind hit the longboat, causing it to shake. Fang He grabbed the side of the boat to stabilize it. Catherine grabbed the cable and readjusted the direction of the sail before continuing:

"The last time I saw him, he was crazy..."

"I heard that he gave me the right of succession in the end. Of course, the succession rights of pirates are not that reliable. The process of me conquering those people was not just relying on an order. I won't tell you about that bloody process." "Your life is too far away from ours."

"But no matter what, the reason why I can inherit his legacy is because his subordinates on Silver Chain Island have long lost their leader..."

She sat down, resting her other hand on the side of the boat, holding her chin, and looking at the distant skyline. "I actually know his ending, but I didn't tell anyone."

"The pirate king of Silver Chain Island finally died from the curse of Sergios."

Fang He was slightly stunned. This was indeed a story he had never heard of.

"But hasn't he landed on Vor-Salastir? Since he found that port, he must have seen the Fountain of Youth, but how?" he couldn't help asking.

"Because we have never been cursed, but the source of the curse," Catherine replied, "The golden blood flowing in my body is the source of my power, and it is also a sharp blade hanging high."

"My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father all died here. It's like one day, our people will go crazy, turn into monsters, and eventually die at the hands of others."

Fang He suddenly realized that, just as he expected, Catherine was the descendant of the Oath Keeper. The dragon's golden blood was passed down from generation to generation and would not lose its effectiveness due to the dilution of the blood source.

It gives mortals power, but also puts the shackles of fate on them. Those who keep their oaths must die in the blood of the dragon, just like the five holy swords must drink the blood of the dragon and die.

"So, Catherine," Fang He couldn't help asking, "Why are you looking for Wo-Salastir?"

"Because my father," she said this for the first time, "he went up to that place, and someone promised him that he would loose the shackles of fate that had bound my family for generations -"

"But he was deceived?"

"No," Catherine showed an indescribable expression, as if the man who made her taste all the suffering was still in front of her, "it came true."

She paused. "On me."

Fang Plover's eyes widened.

Catherine clenched her fists, her cold eyes showed that she had never bowed to any fate. She had broken free from the shadow of the pirate king and her own fate.

From the Naval Academy in Corin-Ishurian to returning to this path, she gradually gained everything her father once had through her own efforts.

Become one of the most legendary female pirates on this empty sea.

But fate still left her with a question in the end.

"I want to know what he saw there," she said, calming down again, "what he promised, and why this curse of fate failed only on me."

Fang He almost fell silent.

He didn't expect the truth to be like this, but the female pirate seemed to have a reason to return to that place, but not just her.

Even he began to wonder what was in that port and what kind of power could break the curse of the dragon's golden blood.

And if that kind of power can even lift the curse of dragon blood itself, then it doesn't seem so strange that the fountain of youth associated with it can erase the curse of blood magic.

The truth of the matter seems to be coming to light little by little.

"Ms. Catherine," Fang He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you uneasy?"

"Yes," Catherine did not shy away from saying this, probably because she had figured it all out after calming down, "I don't want my fate to be arranged."

"I don't want to think that all the shackles I have broken free of are pre-designed. I don't allow myself to follow in the footsteps of another person forever."

"Especially, I still hate him deeply."

"That's why I hope that the curse of the Fountain of Youth has nothing to do with dragon blood. The so-called giant dragon, golden blood, and past enemies are all nonsense."

She said calmly, "But I've come to terms with it. The world won't change because of a little girl's willfulness. My hysteria is just because I'm uneasy. You're right, Ed."

"So you still want to find it, Lady Catherine?"

"Don't you want to?"

Catherine rolled her eyes at him. "Although you keep saying you're here to help me, I know that the port in the fog is right in front of you. Don't you want to go and take a look?"

Fang He couldn't help scratching his head. Indeed, at this point, if he gave up and turned back to Perlachwen immediately, it might be safe, but he absolutely could not do such a thing.

"See," the red-haired female pirate looked at him and sneered, "I knew it, because we are the same kind of people, Captain Ed."

Fang He also smiled awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed that his thoughts were seen through. "But I actually think that what you said is not entirely right. I have experienced all of that. The branch of Attalia's fate is not as important as you think."

Fate chooses every possibility in the future course of events. What is important is not fate itself, but people's choice.

He had witnessed with his own eyes that every branch and every choice on the white tree led to a completely different future. That was the promise that the goddess of fate gave to mortals.

The fallen leaves from the golden tree hang over the lake of fate, and whose fate it truly reflects depends on the efforts and struggles of mortals.

"Ms. Catherine, do you have another name?" Fang He suddenly asked an unrelated question.

"Don Estamba Catalina?" Catherine smiled. "That's the name your people gave me. I used it as an alias for a long time."

The Spanish female pirate who was as famous as her in history had indeed been a legend in the sky sea of ​​Ataria for a long time, so much so that people thought that the red-haired female pirate was an imitator from the other side of the star gate.

That was her title of fame.

And history is such a coincidence that fate favors two different women from two different worlds, both of whom have exactly the same long hair like flames.

Catherine suddenly understood the meaning of Fang He's name:

"Are you comforting me?"

She shook her head gently, "I'm not that weak. Everything that belongs to me was of course earned by myself. I have come to where I am today step by step, not because of the charity of that invisible force."

"I may learn to be grateful, but a beggar cannot become a king, and when you take that path, you have already said goodbye to your past identity."

Fang He listened quietly at the side without saying a word.

Because what he said was not actually comfort, but another reflection of himself. It was as if he saw himself in a mirror, from the accident, from his parents, and from the moment he came into this world.

His fate was a deliberate arrangement, but was fate really like a puppeteer, guiding his every move? If he thought so, then wouldn't his encounter with Sylvie, the Seven Seas Brigade, and all the adventures before that be meaningless?

When he began to think about that question, he realized that he would never think so. Fate can determine the beginning, but it can never determine the outcome.

Because it doesn’t really matter where a person starts his journey, the beautiful scenery is already on the way, and he will decide his own destination.

The longboat sailed on the empty sea for two and a half days, and only arrived at its destination on the morning of the third day - an island reef built by air-dwelling plankton. Sailors passing by called it the Ring Island on the Long Tail of Drakirim.

The people in the bay call it Pacrus, which means the tail of the dragon. Both have similar meanings. In fact, Drakirim himself is a famous dragon in the history of Hill of the Giant Trees.

A red dragon.

...(End of chapter)