Amber Sword

The long street was silent, and among the crowd, Brand seemed still immersed in the memory of a distant history.

Sword Saint Darius, this name was both unfamiliar and familiar to him. Since the second revival, this name had belonged to one of the three key ministers of the Erune Kingdom during its active times, which were a century ago for Erune, a period that players regarded merely as background in the Amber Sword.

In history, later when the kingdom’s spirit waned, it’s said that Gurekais departed, Turaman returned to Secret Silver Castle, and the Sword Saint then retired. Some say he’s still alive, while others claim he’s dead, yet in Brand’s own memory, he still remembers the moment his grandfather held his hand as he was dying.

He was just a withered old man, although his eyes still burned with a resolve far beyond normal, ultimately he reached the end of life; and in another memory — of Sophie and Brand — in the dream of the Golden Tree, stood an elderly soldier from the November War, nodding and smiling while holding a longsword.

That formed the world of Brand’s memory, where nothing would deviate. He could even clearly sense that expectation, but only today did he understand, the old man had entrusted to Brand not just an elder’s hope for the younger generation.

However, in real history, Brand himself might have perished in Buqi’s old house at that time.

If that’s the case, why didn’t he reveal the secret of the Wind Queen’s Ring to Brand then? What ultimately was the historical Sword Saint hiding?

"My grandfather was the Grand Marshal of the Flame Temple Alliance Army in the last Holy War?" After a while, Brand suddenly raised his head and asked.

"Ah, I thought Lord you’d be more surprised by the old man’s identity as a Sword Saint," Char was slightly stunned: "Indeed, the old man once served as Marshal of the Flame Temple Alliance Army."

No, not at all. In Brand’s memory, in the history of another world, Sword Saint Darius had never served as Grand Marshal of the Flame Temple Alliance Army. Either history was lying, or Char was lying, Brand looked at Char and Princess Griffine, who also gazed at him, but her silver eyes held a sense of recognition.

Sword Saint Darius was also a Royalist, not even a new Royalist, he was a true royal faction. But why did he leave the center of power then, leaving the ever-waning Kerkova Royal Family.

Char and the Princess’s eyes told him they weren’t lying — or they were saying falsehoods at a level so convincing it appeared genuine. But unless they were crafty old nobles, the Princess was only sixteen this year.

"But history has never recorded this," Brand pretended to question.

"Because historically, the Flame Temple has always kept the records of every Holy War confidential."

Falsehoods, Brand mercilessly exposed Char’s lies. Despite the confidentiality of each Holy War’s records, snippets would still be circulated, let alone the notable status of Alliance Marshal, which wouldn’t simply be forgotten by the entire Erune aristocracy.

Moreover, in another history, to investigate the cause of Princess’s death, Brand had the fortune of ’reviewing’ the secret archives of the temple, concerning the history of the November War, Sword Saint Darius never appeared. Unless history had altered, or all related documents were edited or sealed.

There’s a hidden truth.

A part of Brand’s soul belonging to the game suddenly awakened, his memories seemed to come alive in an instant, like a river flowing with language and words, emerging from the depths of his thoughts one by one.

The year Sword Saint Darius retired, First Epoch 325, Ricinus Year, a number flashed through his mind like lightning.

That time point...

Star Gathering Year, Flower Moon 17th, Earl of Atania led the White Lion Infantry to the west entering the Hagang region, providing support to the Cruz people’s flank, launching an attack on the Tuokui Lion-man Black Teeth Tribe.

The Earth Temple then retreated continuously, followed by the Four Great Sanctuaries signing peace agreements one after another within four years; four years after the Star Gathering Year, the Holy War ended.

Brand vividly remembered, the Star Gathering Year was First Epoch 321. Two time points coincided, this is indeed interesting, there’s evidently something amiss.