Chapter 387

Chapter 387: The Year of Flames

—

The world was pitch black, yet the sunlight shone like a searchlight, casting distinct squares of light and shadow on the ground. The sky was dark, people were rushing about, cries echoed, and objects were overturned and scattered. No one knew what disaster had suddenly descended.

A vase on the table was swept up by the wind and crashed against the wall, shattering into pieces. The scarlet tulips disappeared amidst the chaotic air currents outside the window.

Jack grabbed the windowsill with one hand, his light blue barrier enveloping him, steadying himself amidst the turbulent air currents. Only then did he have the chance to focus on the silver-haired girl across the table.

Her silvery hair danced wildly in the wind, partially obscuring her face and chin. Some strands even entered her azure eyes, causing her to involuntarily close one eye.

Contrary to Jack’s expectations, the silver-haired girl didn’t use a barrier to protect herself; instead, she pulled out a silver pocket watch from her waist.

The cover of the pocket watch was adorned with entwined vines and a crescent moon. When opened, the dial and hands became visible to Jack.

Amidst the chaos and howling winds, she gently tapped the dial. A faint golden light emerged from the inner side of the cover, and the girl seemed to be sucked in, disappearing abruptly.

Finally, the silver pocket watch lay alone on the seat, its hands still moving slowly, making a slight ticking sound.

—

Inside the Fortress Academy, in Lolan’s dormitory.

The gold pocket watch on Keti’s bedside suddenly opened, emitting golden light, and a silver-haired girl stepped out.

The red-haired girl who had been sleeping earlier had already woken up. Seeing the appearance of the silver-haired girl, she finally relaxed her anxious expression.

“Lolan, something’s wrong,” Keti said anxiously.

Even though she had lost her memory, this fire witch still sensed something amiss, but she didn’t know what to do. She could only look at her best friend for help.

“I know.”

As soon as Lolan Hill appeared, she grabbed Keti’s hand, and both leaped out of the window, flying toward the tumultuous high altitudes.

A small black hole appeared in the sky, releasing an uneasy aura. Branches, sand, dust, and debris flew in the wind, being gradually absorbed by the black hole. Under the dim sky, a storm of black sand and dust raged.

Dozens of Sages of Sequence 8 were like colorful morning stars, embedded in the air, ready to assist any student caught in the wind and rescue them.

At the highest layer of the sky, two Sages of Sequence 9 supported a grand dome, protecting all of Emanas, mitigating and isolating the influence of the black hole.

If these two Sages fought the witch, they might not be at a disadvantage, but dealing with such a purposeful and well-prepared self-destructive vortex would be difficult.

Agatha clearly had spent years studying the principles of chaotic phantoms and vortices, which allowed her to trigger new vortex black holes. Once stable, these black holes would become new chaotic vortices, leading to another catastrophic event.

“Keti, do you see that black hole?” Lolan Hill’s voice was somewhat distorted by the wind, fragmented.

“Yes.” Keti nodded.

“Can we destroy it?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head but added firmly, “I can try.”

Thus, a new, magnificent, deep red comet rose from the earth.

Like water droplets falling on a lake, myriad red flames overlapped, forming vast ripples spreading in all directions.

These surging fire streams broke through the layers of air waves, rising continuously. The girl inside seemed to be transforming into light, burning fiercely and blooming.

From outside the starry sky, one could see an orange-red bright spot on a blue and yellow planet. Bright fire waves surged outward like high tides.

At the center of the flames, no complete molecules existed; everything was burned into free particles, scattering like sparks in the wind.

The flames continued to advance inward, gathering and converging along the vortex. All the chaotic auras, phantoms, magical constructs, and all tangible and intangible things were annihilated in the flames.

In the distorted light, the flames poured into the endless black hole. The black hole, like an outlet beneath a drain, continuously absorbed the raging flames.

The briefly opened space-time portal was twisted and chaotic by the flames, creating various space-time currents and slices intertwined.

Under the orange-red fiery sky, the silver-haired girl opened her eyes wide, watching the still unvanishing black hole vortex. Stars began to appear in her pupils, and the butterfly hairpin by her ear emitted a ghostly blue glow.

But just as she was about to enter the starry world and glimpse her fate, a silver beam of light appeared under the starry sky.

A slender silver beam pierced through the sky and the earth like a spear.

A black-robed witch with golden hair and silver eyes appeared in the starry sky. In her hand was a crescent moon wand.

[Close the door, time will cease here.]

The entire crescent moon wand was silver, adorned with intricate patterns. The flowing light transformed into a silver thread descending from the sky, enveloping the tiny black hole and slowly closing it until it vanished.

That must be Tides. Lolan Hill watched the witch under the starry sky, feeling both familiar and unfamiliar.

This phantom witch looked solemn and sorrowful. She watched her former friend being torn apart by the chaotic space-time currents, their souls breaking in the flames, each fragment used to mend and fill the ruptured space-time gaps until they completely vanished.

[Farewell, Agatha.]

May you meet familiar figures like Dorothy, Trinasha, and Edwinna at the end of time.

After the black hole in the sky disappeared, the crimson fire streams dispersed into red particles, slowly drifting down. Another red-haired girl appeared in the sky again.

She looked curiously and nervously at the witch under the starry sky, then streaked across the night sky like a shooting star, returning to the lakeside under the dark sky.

“Lolan, I couldn’t burn it, but another witch helped us solve it,” Keti held Lolan Hill’s wrists, seemingly explaining and seeking praise.

“Mm, I know, thank you, Keti.”

Lolan Hill hugged Keti, her hand gently stroking the warm, fiery hair, then looked up at the phantom witch slowly descending.

—

Third Era, Year 1686, the Year of Flames. On May 9th, a massive flame erupted from the center of the Western Continent, reaching the peak of the world, then sweeping across a third of the continent’s sky. Under the orange-red burning sky, temperatures worldwide soared. That summer was one of the hottest in recent centuries.

Thank you, Xiao Mofei, for the memories like threads, low as dust QAQ, Tangmen Infantry, Sage Gentleman, Gentleman, Cloud Solitary Dream, Worry Not J, Ordinary JY, Shen Dian, Yu Jiao, Tree Growing Backwards, Emergency Food, and 12 book friends for their support.

Thank you very much 0 0/~

(End of Chapter)