The Throne Under the Starry Sky Chapter 5: The Wings of Steam (Part 1)

Jonah stood in front of the mirror, remembering the prophecy of Segles the Betrayer.

"On October 6, Gamaliel descended from the sky with all the selected pagans. Ayala could not see him, Ayala could not hear him, but he lived in the palace of bones and did not feel Panicked.'Don't approach the mirror', Gamaliel gave him advice."

The prophecy has been fulfilled. A demon descended from the sky and entered his body. He could not resist, facing the power of evil, as weak as a newborn lamb.

The memory after the evening yesterday was very clear. Jonah knew that he touched every utensil in the room with curiosity, walked down the stairs in an awkward posture, tasted a bland dinner attentively, and talked and laughed with Mr. Koshava. The person is definitely not himself.

Another soul occupies his body and walks in the world. Gamaliel becomes the master of Ayala's body. Unlike the prophecy, Jonah feels extreme despair and panic.

After opening his eyes in the morning light, Jonah spent half an hour standing in front of the mirror, verifying that the thin, pale and helpless guy in the mirror was not himself.

There is the smell of sulfur and rosin in the air, and the sun illuminates the quill and calculator that he is so familiar with on the desk. The steam puppet stands quietly in front of the telescope, with an opened book "Straight and Broken Lines" on the bedside. : The Multiple Connections of the Power of the Stars", this is the introductory textbook for the Astrologer, the last book read before the Adventer goes to sleep,-Stupid Devil! He remembered all the contents of this book six years ago.

Jonah clenched his fists, and his body trembled involuntarily. In addition to fear, a huge sense of humiliation enveloped his seventeen-year-old soul. A drop of tears slid over the corner of his mouth, and Jonah wiped it away with the back of his hand, staring at his red eyes in the mirror.

Calm down, I want to be calm. The young astrology apprentice said to himself.

Having oneself proves that the person who descended has not erased the personality. Where is the devil now? Hiding in a gap in another world, smiling, or sleeping in the depths of my thinking? No matter what, at least now, I am the master of my body.

Jona's hand stroked his undulating chest, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

The prophecy is correct. This is an omen, a test, and a beginning. The endless night sky is above, and it must be the power in the dark that needs me to do something. I want to accept an exciting spirit and feel sober like never before. .

When I remembered that when I was four years old, the teacher took him from the mother who covered his face and wept and the father who bowed his head and was speechless. , The future astrologer, please remember: what to sow and what to reap."

Jona's impression of his biological parents only ends here, and he can't even remember the appearance of the two of them, but this simple proverb of the farmer of St. Boren is still fresh in his memory.

Jonah turned and walked into the sun, opened the shutters, and looked at the vast and deserted red earth plain outside.

Since he was a child, he believed that humans have an innate mission. He once thought that his mission was to reveal the truth of the starry sky; a few years ago, in that dimly lit room, unknown books buried deep in his heart. Doubt, now, everything has been fulfilled. Segris the Betrayer, the mysterious prophet who has never met, is the giver of his mission, and his unknown life will begin at this moment.

Jonah has a strong foresight that disaster is coming, and he also has a strong foresight that he will push the heavy gear of fate into operation.

He clenched his fists again.

Yes, Segles, the all-knowing betrayer, will guide him. He will follow the prophecy and sow the seeds to change the future, even if the prophecy guides him to betray his original faith.

Jonah seemed to feel the heat from the untitled pages of the untitled book he had kept close to his chest, giving him strength.

Yesterday was the "Day of Advent". I don't know how many souls were captured, and it is not clear when the Adventer will come again. His time is tight.

Jonah carefully took out the pages of the book, put them on the table, and drew a circle with a quill pen to mark the next prophecy.

Writing on the papyrus with fire marks:

"On October 29th, the flames landed and the river was polluted. Ayala said to her partner: ‘I will wait elsewhere’."

October 29.

Jonah frowned.

The date of advent indicated in the previous prophecy was October 6, which was yesterday, April 3, 2305 in the unified calendar. If the calendar in the anonymous book has the same rules as the unified calendar, then the next prophecy will occur on April 26 of the unified calendar, three and a half weeks later.

Jonah took out a piece of white paper, and Sha Sha wrote down the day.

The river has been polluted. Jonah rummaged, digging out a tattered "Geography of the Western Continent" from his bookcase. This is a publication of the Association of Bachelor of Mathematics and Science, and it can be regarded as an after-school book for astrologers. The title page of the book is a topographic map of the mainland painted by hand in magic ink. Only people wearing the emblems of the five associations can read the magic patterns with their fingers. This is a small confidentiality measure within the association.

According to the Bachelor of Mathematics and Science, the Western Continent is a fan shape. "Cut the pancake on your plate into four pieces in an X shape. The piece on the left is the land under your butt." Teacher Koshava hadn't been there yet. Such an old age, easy to forget and nagging, can be regarded as a qualified mentor.

"On the periphery of the circular world are endless mountains, so high that no birds can fly over; in the center of the world is a large lake that never dries up, because the water of the Sifang River originates from the endless mountains and flows into the lake. Thousands of them are poured into the lake every year. The fool of Ji lost his life in the mouth of Warcraft for a glimpse of the scenery of the Great Lakes,-remember, no matter which continent, we all live in the position of sausage and mushroom: the outer ring of the pancake. The closer to the center, the denser the Warcraft, think Don’t be curious about adventure when you live to my age."

Jonah recalled the words of the mentor.

The Western Continent is separated from other continents by two large rivers. The prophecy mentions that "the river is defiled", which must be the "outside" the holy river in the south.

This river is the widest, most turbulent, and most difficult to cross among the big rivers in the four directions. The northern bank of the holy river lives in Colombo, a primitive people who worship the river water. They do not belong to any country, and they are protected by strong force year after year." The other side's sacred. Any reduction (drawing water from the river) or increase (throwing items into the river) is considered a blasphemy against "the other side." The anger of the Colombo tribe is expressed by the overwhelming flying spears. They have the strongest spear thrower in the Western Continent. .

The only ferry on the west side of the sacred river is called Cherry Ferry. It is an anarchic and lawless chaotic zone. The ferry is only open twice a year. It uses the Colombo people’s spring and autumn hunting festivals to send a ferry to the opposite bank each time. In the South Continent, receive a ship on the opposite shore.

In other words, unless it is favored by the owner of the steamship "Clap Henry" that travels around the world, the only way to cross the holy river is to buy or rob a ticket at Cherry Ferry and wait patiently The hunting festival is coming.

"Western Continent Geography Survey" accidentally mentioned that the Spring Hunting Festival is based on the Colombo calendar and usually arrives at the end of April and early May.

That's right, it must be so.

Jonah turned the pages of the book with a little excitement. The next prediction must happen at Cherry Crossing.

The territory of the Kingdom of Saint Boren occupies the southern plain area of ​​the central western continent. It borders the Zawi Empire in the north, and is surrounded by more than ten small principalities of vassal on the east and west sides. It is adjacent to the long and narrow kingdom of Bazelal on the south. .

The southern border of Bazelal is the occupied area of ​​Colombo on the northwest bank of the Holy River, and a special area in the occupied area: Cherry Crossing.

If you start from the red soil plain now, you can reach the ferry in two weeks at a walking speed.

Thinking of this, Jonah tore off the magic map, put it close together with the untitled book, opened the door, and walked along the sloping stairs to the research room of the Koshava teacher at the top of the tower.

The knock on the door sounded for a long time before the old man’s manic shout came from inside the oak door: "Come back in three hours! Young impolite young man, I told you a few years ago that you should be hung up when disturbing the old man’s sleep. On the gallows!" Jonah turned obediently and went downstairs, feeling a little settled: at least for now, the tutor is still the tutor himself, not controlled by the descendant.

He returned to his hut, planning a long way to Cherry Crossing, and playing with the steam puppet. The joystick behind the puppet was a combination he was unfamiliar with. Jonah cursed a little annoyingly. The coming descendants reset the handles one by one.

The white smoke of chick rose, and the puppet waved his arms and stepped away. Jonah looked at it for a while, and realized that he should prepare some luggage for himself.

Growing up in this narrow tower, he has never been farther apart except for the three-hour journey to Redstone Fort. Once a month, the supply team sent by the association drove a carriage to the astrology tower soot. Jonah wanted to ask where the leader of the wind and dust had been to fun places. Of course, the restraint of the apprentice of the astrologer made him never Can speak.

Food. water. clothing. As many crystals and gems as possible, engraved star arrays, a few gold coins, small magic items that can attract flames and condense water vapor, and a cane. Of course, it is best to have a letter of introduction from the instructor to the Association of Astrologers. In this way, he can get more privileges in the offices of the Astrologer Association of various countries that he cannot enjoy only with the apprentice badge.

Jona filled his deerskin bag with blank spar, engraved gems and magic props, and took some crusty bread, beans, dried meat, personal clothes, and a change of robe from downstairs** *I took a big package, and finally found out the cane that Mr. Koshava gave him last year. The top of the cane is inlaid with a red crystal and engraved with a simple illuminating star array. This is specially prepared by the old man for his night journey. .

Thinking of leaving the mentor, Jonah suddenly felt a little vain, but the great sense of mission was hot on his chest. He took out the untitled book and the map, looked and looked at it, carefully placed it in a deerskin bag, and sat down. , After thinking about it, took it out again and put it back into the close-fitting pocket on his chest.