Ember Dragon

"The speech is about to begin. Please keep quiet. There have been riots recently. The Empire is concerned about your safety.
A familiar male voice came from the loudspeaker in the ceremonial square.

In the crowded crowd, Fair couldn't help but clench his fists, veins bulged on his forehead, and his eyes hidden by the hood revealed undisguised hatred.

"Hans, one day, I will kill you." Fair said gritting his teeth.

Count Hans is an imperial official who took office a few days ago. His background is mysterious and he is mainly responsible for maintaining public order in Longshou City, or Collins City.

Soon after taking office, Count Hans showed his swiftness. He learned the specific time and location of the Dawn Crusaders' operation in advance, and set up an ambush accordingly, almost annihilating all the Crusaders who participated in the operation.

Then, Count Hans executed all the captured rebels and hung them on the gallows for three days and three nights. This shocking scene made everyone in Longshou City feel insecure, and even those loyal believers did not dare to lend a helping hand to the Dawn Crusaders.

Fell also took part in the attack and would have been hanged on the gallows, leaving a bloody corpse.

It was his comrade-in-arms and friend since childhood, Nico Gibson, who provided protection at the cost of his life, that enabled Fair to escape from the Empire's dragnet.

Now, when he heard this familiar voice again, the image of Nico hanging on the gallows, a bloody mess, would still appear in Fair's mind, and he shuddered all over.

Thinking of this, Fell clenched his hand and murmured to himself: "Nico, do you see it? The time for revenge is coming soon."

The imperial authorities had issued a notice a few days ago, forcing the public to come and watch the speech. According to the speculation of the Dawn Crusaders, the speaker was most likely the decisive Count Hans himself.

This damn dragon's minion has just completed a bloody massacre. He must have wanted to give all the people in the city, including the resistance forces, a warning in order to fulfill his ambition of enslaving the people of Aesir.

The mission that Fair had to complete alone was to assassinate Count Hans.

Fair knew very well that this was a one-way mission.

Given the quality of the Imperial Guards, if he launched an attack on Count Hans, he would surely be shot to death by the guards, or even shot into a sieve.

But at this moment, Fair had no fear in his heart. He had long since given up on his life. The only thing that kept him going was the belief in revenge.

Every memory of Ingrid's smile, Nico's instructions, and Karen's roar became fuel that made his fire of revenge burn even more wildly.

"Evil dragon, I will fight you and your minions to the death!" Fair looked at the podium in the distance and shouted silently in his heart, with deep hatred revealing in his bloodshot eyes.

The ceremonial square was already crowded with people, including the Aesir people who had been forced to come here, and there were more and more Tiefling guards and wyvern cavalry patrolling around.

Fair knew that the speech was about to begin.

He quietly loaded the Sun God Crossbow in his hand, lowered his hood, and looked around, looking for a suitable position.

Under such strict defense, he only had one chance to strike. If he failed, he would be doomed and his desire for revenge would be out of the question.

There was a crowd of people in the distance. Surrounded by tiefling guards, the dragonblood noble had a fake smile on his face and was waving at the crowd with a cheerful look on his face.

"Hypocritical villain"

Fell looked up and saw that it was indeed him, Count Hans who executed seventeen members of the Dawn Crusaders!

But now is not the best time to take action as there are so many people around. He has to wait until the earl goes on stage to give a speech, and then kill him in full view of everyone, when the other party is most proud and complacent.

Only in this way can the people of Aesir know that the Burning Empire is not invincible and those evil dragon minions will also be killed!

Fel also wants to let them know that the great King Amaunator has not given up on North Ethel!

However, Fair also noticed that next to Count Hans, there was a person wearing an imperial robe. Judging from the graceful curves that could not be concealed by the robe, it should be a woman.

For some reason, the other person's figure made Fair feel somewhat familiar and friendly, but he forgot where he had seen him.

Feier frowned slightly and thought to himself, "Is she also an official of the Burning Empire? Humph, they are all birds of a feather."

But soon, Fair discovered that Count Hans did not stand on the podium as he had expected. Instead, the woman next to him walked up the stairs slowly, looking somewhat reluctant.

Count Hans was still on high alert, did not move, but just stared at the woman with a smile.

Suddenly, Fell's hooded face turned ugly: "It turns out that the speaker is not Count Hans."

But soon, he made up his mind again, checked his hidden crossbow, and looked for an opportunity to kill the woman who walked onto the stage.

Although Fair didn't know her, she was a descendant of the Burning Empire - this reason was enough to put her to death.

It doesn’t really matter who the speaker is. The most important thing is to break the people of Aesir’s fear of the empire and to shatter the statue of the red dragon in people’s hearts.

Fair slowly raised his hand, pretending to adjust his collar, but in fact he was observing the angle and taking aim.

"bring it on."

He licked his dry lips, stretched out his hand, pointed the sharp arrow tip in his sleeve at the woman's forehead, and his finger was already on the trigger.

"The tyranny of the evil dragon will come to an end from this moment."

Once the trigger is pulled, the arrow carrying the sun's rays will be shot out instantly, piercing the woman's head and ending this ridiculous speech.

However, at this moment, the woman slowly took off her hood, revealing her true face.

Suddenly, the whole place was in an uproar.

Fair stood there in a daze, his mouth wide open, his bloodshot eyes filled with confusion, shock and disbelief.

how can that be possible?
The woman with a fair face and long golden hair on the stage gradually overlapped with the haunting figure in Fair's mind.

That figure should only appear in his dreams and in his beautiful memories of the past. How could it appear on the podium in the distance?
Could it be that he is still dreaming?

Or.
In an instant, Fair's mind was filled with thoughts. He felt that the world was shaking, and cracks appeared in the flawless, goddess-like statue in his mind.

Fair's face was pale, his lips moved, and he finally uttered a few words slowly: "Ingrid."

The people of Ethel around were also talking about it.

"Oh my God, she's still alive!"

"It's Bishop Ingrid!"

"Is it really her?"

"Wasn't she killed by the evil Majesty Cassius? Was that just a rumor?"

"Even Bishop Ingrid has submitted to the Empire?"

The church once held a very high status in the city of Corinth, and as an honorary bishop, Ingrid's reputation was self-evident.

Under the gaze of countless people, Ingrid glanced at the familiar faces with different expressions, revealing a somewhat forced smile. She clutched her robe and said in a gentle voice: "Everyone, long time no see, I am Ingrid Garces, the former honorary bishop of Collins Diocese and the current..."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Imperial Court Chaplain."

"what?"

"Bishop Ingrid taught her, she really submitted to the Empire!"

Felton's pupils suddenly dilated in the audience, and the statue of god in his heart suddenly collapsed.

Everything he did seemed to be in vain, even a joke.

"No, this is impossible!" Fell in the audience kept shaking his head, looking almost crazy. He collapsed to the ground, still shouting, "This is all fake! Lady Ingrid will not be a slave to that evil dragon!"

Fair simply lifted up his sleeves, revealing the crossbow on his wrist, and almost pulled the trigger in panic.

Seeing this scene, the people around hurriedly moved away for fear of causing trouble, and some people recognized this member of the "Crusaders of the Dawn".

"Enemy attack! Maintain order at the scene!"

The surrounding Tiefling guards immediately rushed up from all directions, raised their rifles, and surrounded the "madman".

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"He has a weapon in his hand!"

"This man is on the wanted list. He is Fell from the Dawn Crusaders!"

"Catch him, don't let him escape!"

Fell was pinned to the ground by the tiefling guards and handcuffed, but he continued to struggle, crying out in tears: "Lady Ingrid will not surrender!"

Ingrid on the stage was also attracted by the noise. She looked over in shock, only to see a familiar face, but one that looked more haggard and tired than she remembered.

"That's Phil?"

Fair was also a former member of the Church of Amaunator. He was originally a poor blind man, but was healed by her divine magic. From then on, he converted to the Church of Amaunator.

In Ingrid's memory, Fair had always been a taciturn, gentle young man who came early to every service and was extremely pious to the gods.

She could not connect the quiet young man with the "thugs" in the distance who were behaving wildly and speaking vulgarly.

How could he become like this?
Listening to the other person's angry shouts as he was dragged away by the guards, Ingrid wanted to save him, but felt powerless and could only say silently in her heart: "I'm sorry."

Ingrid felt guilty about these former members of the Church of Amaunator, but she had no other choice.

Having lived in Istalia for many years, she was well aware of the empire's military strength and knew that with the strength of the Aesir people, they would never be able to resist successfully.

All she could do was to reduce the losses and save as many lives as possible.

"I'm sorry, but this is my only choice."

Thinking of this, Ingrid took a deep breath and picked up the manuscript that Count Hans had prepared for her.

“I came here to tell everyone that I am not dead, and the rumor that His Majesty Cassius killed me is completely false.

Ladies and gentlemen, the goal of the Burning Empire is not cruel exploitation and oppression, but to establish a more peaceful and advanced new order.

His Majesty Cassius once said that social change often provokes a fierce counterattack from the old forces."

Just like that, under the gentle sunshine, Ingrid explained the empire's policies and ideas, and the people of Ethel in the audience listened quietly.

The scene was just like it had been more than a decade ago when Ingrid had conveyed Amaunator's teachings and recited scriptures to the people.

In the dark dungeon of Longshou City Prison.

"Impossible, impossible
Lady Ingrid is dead, she is dead, this is all fake."

Fair was disheveled, hugging his knees, huddled in the corner of the cell, trembling all over, and muttering constantly.

People said he was crazy, but Fair knew that if he chose to believe it, everything he did would be meaningless.

When the faith in his heart collapsed, he chose to deceive himself and use the broken fragments to build a tattered statue.

"Da da da"

The sound of footsteps came from far to near.

Fel raised his head tremblingly, and saw that the man was wearing a standard imperial suit, with a dragon-blood noble badge on his chest, and looked to be in his thirties - this was none other than Count Hans.

Enemies are extremely jealous when they meet.

Fell's eyes turned red. He grabbed the railing tightly, banged his head against it, and cursed, "It's you, the damned dragon's minions! You deceived me!
Lady Ingrid was brutally murdered by you a long time ago!"

Hans shook his head and said, "Fell, stop playing crazy. This will only make you more ridiculous. You should know the truth, but you just don't want to face it."

"you--"

Feier collapsed to the ground in despair, his eyes were lifeless, and he was still muttering: "Impossible, impossible, this must be fake"

He raised his head, rubbed his face randomly, then leaned on the railing and said with tears in his eyes: "Where is Lady Ingrid? I want to go see her myself!"

"Fell Gray, you have launched rebellions many times, causing serious losses to the empire and great damage to social order. According to the laws of the empire, you should be hanged and have no right to meet with Ms. Ingrid.

However, Ms. Ingrid gave you a chance to make amends out of old friendship. As long as you hand over all the information about the Dawn Crusaders and related organizations, you can see her again."

"But."

"Nothing but."

Hans walked to the iron fence, stood in front of Fair, and looked down at him.

"His Majesty Cassius once said that smart betrayal is better than foolish loyalty. You should know what this means."

Fair fell silent for a long time before he spoke: "Can I ask one last question?"

"of course can."

"Are you talking about Lady Ingrid herself?"

"What do you think?" Hans bent down, and a meaningful smile appeared on his half-man, half-dragon face - but this smile was more terrifying than the devil in Feier's eyes. (End of this chapter)