Chapter 1264 - Dying Out (2/2)
“The power of the keeper’s blood is an important safeguard in maintaining the boundaries of Order because only the blood can light up the Sunscorch Tower. Now, the Sunscorch Tower is burning out. The efficiency of the tower is decreasing day by day, and we can now feel the impact on the whole kingdom.” Alfred’s old voice sounded weaker than before. “The output of all the fires in the kingdom is decreasing synchronously. It is only a matter of time before this situation reaches the Spire of Flames. The forces of Chaos are penetrating inland from the west and north of the kingdom, which is also a sign of the weakening of Order. Now, we must prepare for the ignition ritual of the Sunscorch Tower as soon as possible.”
Hao Ren took a few deep breaths and looked at Rudolph III. “It’s true that the heirs of various countries have lost the power in their blood, but the situation shouldn’t be so bad. What about you kings and queens who are still in power? Your blood power should still be present. Can you light the tower?”
“We’re almost running out of it,” Rudolph III said and laughed.
After a pause, the old king continued, “It’s not difficult to maintain the Sunscorch Tower because we just need to make sure it doesn’t extinguish. But when the Tides of Chaos come, every Sunscorch Tower must operate at full power. The Tides of Chaos last 10 years at a time, but almost no one can keep burning for 10 years. This year is the seventh year of the tides, and I have been powering that tower for seven years, as have the rulers of other kingdoms. With mortal bodies, this is our limit.”
Then, Rudolph III joked, “The Frost Dragon Queen of the continent of Fimbulvinter may fare better. She’s a powerful dragon, so she can burn longer than the rest of us can…”
Hao Ren did not find the joke funny at all. “That is to say… the kings of all the countries have used up their blood power, and the next ignition ritual must be carried out by their heirs?”
“But the heirs of all countries have lost their blood power,” said Rudolph III lightly. “Perhaps Veronica is the only exception.”
The ancient magic, which did not belong to ordinary humans, was injected into their bodies through genetic technology. The ancient power came from an extraordinary race that had already disappeared. Even if the power was diluted, an ordinary human body could not bear it. Therefore, the power that an ordinary person could produce and contain in his life was limited. A king had to exert all of his powers to keep the Sunscorch Tower running, but it was not enough to survive a decade.
The last three years had to be taken over by the heirs.
The cultists used thousands of years of preparation to accurately and fatally destroy the most vulnerable link in the process of keeping the Sunscorch Tower running.
Taros was perhaps the only kingdom where the situation was not so bad. The kingdom still had an heir with the power of the ancient blood. Veronica survived because of Hao Ren’s intervention. She was now the only person in the mortal world who could light the lighthouse.
The other kingdoms were facing a desperate situation.
Rudolph III and most of the people in the chamber knew this, so they were not at all smug about their kingdom retaining the last keeper’s blood. If all the other kingdoms were extinguished by Chaos, how long would Taros be able to illuminate the darkness on its own?
The atmosphere in the chamber was gloomy, but just then, the jewel from a ring on Rudolph III’s hand suddenly flashed.
The king put the ring by his ear, and a moment later, he looked up and stared at Hao Ren.
“Guardian, I have bad news.”
“Yes?”
“Lavinia Turson Kant managed to escape with the help of a large group of cultists. Before she fled, she turned back and attacked Veronica’s standard bearer and took the divine weapon you brought with you.”
Hao Ren was speechless.