303 Before the End (2/2)

”Please work, please work, please work…” Clenching his jaw, Ye Qingxuan closed his eyes and prayed. He used his will to guide the enchantment’s strength from the sky, transform into moonlight, and enter Charles’ body. Using his own experience of constructing the sub-originator inside him, he suppressed the wild aether within Charles. It felt like he was trying to block an erupting volcano.

Ye Qingxuan paled and spat out a mouthful of blood. He was only shouldering part of the pressure but practically collapsed from it. Charles was not even an official musician but he could control that strength and keep his body intact. How talented was he actually?!

With the support of the tuning instrument, Ye Qingxuan transported all the pressure to the enchantment through the sub-originator without hesitation. He utilized all the strength he could and instantly fought into the chaos through resonation.

Moonlight wrapped around Charles’s limbs. It evaporated from the fire but reappeared as soon as it disappeared. Ye Qingxuan endured the intense pain that flared every moment and forcefully maintained the connection and resonance between the two.

”A mere replica…” Deep in the dark abyss, the Dark Lord ground his teeth. He changed his shape and the oddly-shaped skeletal shell opened its hands, gripping St. George’s spear, which was being stabbed at his chest.

His hands scraped against the light; sparks flew and different music theories constantly tangled, twisted, and destroyed, creating abnormal aftershocks. He angrily studied Charles and looked past him. He seemed to be able to see the youth’s mind in the moonlight. In the abyss, pure evil intent rushed into their minds along with the moonlight. ”I didn’t expect…it’s you two…”

”This trick doesn’t work!” Ye Qingxuan shielded Charles. The formless river in his mind welcomed the various images from the abyss. It broke at the touch but a moon rose in the defeated river and withstood the momentary attack. Then he opened his mouth and used all his strength to yell, ”Maxwell, what the f*ck are you still waiting for?!”

A blazing sun descended from the sky. Whistling, the Sword in the Stone pierced the darkness, destroying everything. Sixteen layers of feathers broke through the air. The Sword in the Stone had been filled to the brim and now it sliced down! It had been a millennium years since this was last seen!

The Chapter of Golden Victory burst forth. It created an immense vortex in the aether sea. All power that it could touch was swallowed and shot out from the sword blade, forming the ultimate formula of the School of Modifications—the Elemental Vacuum!

The sword descended from the sky and hacked off the abyss and head. It also pierced the incarnation’s core, cutting apart its brain. After a muffled boom, all was silent. The chaos dissipated; the abyss dissipated. St. George’s spear pierced the Dark Lord’s chest and destroyed his last attack with an explosion of power.

”So…it is…” The Dark Lord’s face had shattered as if weathered by wind. However, it was still vicious and furious. ”Ye Lanzhou, so you already…” With his last strength, he reached out to strangle the youth in the moonlight. However, his trembling hand shattered and fell apart. His entire body was pulled at by the Sword in the Stone’s power. It caved in and distorted. Wailing, it was sucked into the blade. In the end, it became a wandering shadow in the clear blade.

After it was sealed, Genesis’ power scattered as well. Haydn resealed it into the codex. He sat tiredly onto his wheelchair; he had clearly aged. Everything returned to how it was.

The enchantment quickly weakened until it was close to nothing. The tuning instrument in the dark cellar broke apart. The reborn music score returned to silence. It came from death and returned to death.

Maxwell stood still as his wings of light faded and his halo crumbled. Half-kneeling on the ground, he vomited broken shards of light. However, he looked at the fading ancient sword with satisfaction. ”A success. All those lives lost were not in vain.”

No one replied because they were all dead. No one knew if happiness and satisfaction waited for them in the underworld.

Maxwell—no, the Shaman—closed his eyes and murmured, ”I hope they found their value while they were alive...”

Crack. As St. George’s spear shattered, Charles stumbled back. His entire body was red with burns. Strands of blood seeped from his pores. He doubled over and spat out fresh blood.

Staring at the broken pieces of the spear, he reached out as if he had seen a nonexistent hallucination and dream.

”Don’t go…” he said. But the hallucination and dream dissipated. He closed his eyes and sank into darkness.

Maxwell reached out and caught him. He handed Charles over to a Round Table Knight. ”Contact the Church’s Choir musicians for emergency treatment. After this case is reported to the Queen, seal it for eternity with the Sixth Seal.”

”Yes.” Lamorak nodded and carefully walked toward the exit with Charles.

In the silence, Maxwell gazed at the city that was cold and dark again. He sighed. ”It’s finally over.”

”No, not yet.” The youth’s hoarse murmur traveled in the wind. Maxwell looked up in confusion but he saw no one atop the white tower.