For Whom the Bell Tolls (1)

When the war situation in the north and east sections stabilized a little, Alex realized that Inger had not returned from the southern territory for half a month.

Because the miasma did not spread from one direction, but along the entire front to the west, Inger had to run around to get help.

These days, it was the messenger soldiers who conveyed messages through communication tools, not him, and the two of them had not even had a voice communication.

The signalman's reports were all formulaic battle information, with nothing about Inger himself.

Originally, Alex thought that Inger was still angry, but no matter how angry he was, Inger would discuss strategies with him. He was not the kind of person who let emotions override business. At the same time, he never cared enough about himself.

Alex couldn't sit still any longer. Every day when he came back, he had to ask someone to turn on the mirror.

This happened dozens of times before the call was finally connected.

What is reflected in the mirror is the red tree also.

He asked Inger to take Alsophila with him, as it had been proven that she was also immune to the demon's toxins. In addition, she had learned some basic medical knowledge, so she could take care of him and help him.

Of course, I can also keep an eye on Inger for him.

It was just that he contacted her very late.

Alsophila first glanced around a few times, then went straight to the point and said, "Come quickly, or you'll be late."

Alex asked anxiously, "Why did you contact me now? What happened?"

Alsophila looked unhappy, and her eyes were always looking in one direction. She said, "He took my mirror away. I finally found it today. Archbishop Vito finally came today. It was with the help of Archbishop Vito that I was able to... Oh, I don't know what happened. I'll go check it out. Your Highness, you hurry over."

Alex stood up and rushed out.

When he met Ola on the road, he just said hello and said, "I'll go over there and take a look."

Ola had to quickly arrange for reinforcements. Fortunately, the battle situation has been relatively stable recently.

Before Alex left, he took Fantine with him. Fantine's natural speed was faster than his full speed. This was his talent. He would take Fantine with him in every battle recently, and he would be more efficient in rescuing people or killing enemies.

Fantine asked him on the teleportation platform, "Are you going to find your friend?"

Alex clenched his hands, "Yes."

Just one word.

Fantine sensed his anxiety and asked no more questions.

He understood the feeling; he had been there before.

The torment you have to endure until you actually lose that friend.

The side of the teleporter is filled with magic stones.

Light surged, and the next moment, they appeared on the teleportation platform in the southern territory.

There were unfamiliar faces all around him, but they recognized him and saluted him hastily.

Alex grabbed a man and asked, "Where is the great wizard?"

The term "great wizard" is originally a general term, but on this battlefield, it generally refers to a certain person.

The soldier was startled by Alex's anxious expression and movements, and quickly pointed in a certain direction and reported the tent number.

"Master Wizard...over there...he just..."

Alex climbed onto the deer's back.

The soldier rubbed his eyes, and the man and the deer were gone.

A knight next to him ran over and patted him hard: "Have you forgotten?! The wizard said! Don't let His Highness know about this! He is receiving treatment now!"

The careless soldier widened his eyes and covered his mouth.

In a personal tent.

Vito put away his wand and Inger spat a mouthful of black blood into the bucket.

Vito shook his head and paced back and forth in the tent. "No, it still doesn't work. This will happen sooner or later... There must be another way..."

Alsophila took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of Inger's mouth, and Inger took it away when he passed it to his mouth. He said, "Thank you, I can do it myself."

Inger said to Vito, "Don't worry. As long as I'm alive, I can try everything."

There was even a hint of smile in his tone.

Vito felt his blood pressure rising sharply. He said angrily, "You don't take yourself seriously at all! Why didn't you call me earlier?!"

Inger folded the handkerchief neatly and said softly, "I didn't pay attention. I thought it was just a sore throat." He put the folded handkerchief under his nose again.

The blood soon dyed most of the handkerchief red.

Alsophila was washing a towel in a basin. Looking at the basin that had been stained with blood, he sighed and said, "I'll go out and take care of it."

When she went out, she lowered her head and lifted the curtain, and almost bumped into someone.

A hand reached out to help her steady the basin.

"Ah, thank you...ah..."

When she saw who was coming, she lost her voice. She couldn't believe he came so quickly.

He patted her shoulder gently and motioned her to go out first.

Alsophila spinulosa looked back.

Inger felt his face sticky and touched the table.

Vito saw the blood seeping out of the bandage on his eyes again and put away his wand. "Wait! Don't move, I'll change it for you!"

Inger slapped his hand away. "What do you want? Just give me a bandage. Blood is also poisonous."

Vito watched as blood seeped through the three layers of white bandages and even slid down his cheeks, like two streams of bloody tears, which was truly shocking to the eyes.

The blood on the lips has not been wiped clean yet.

However, Inger himself was still fumbling with the bandage, so Vito quickly came over and put it in his hand.

Inger untied the bandage skillfully and wiped his face with a clean towel, but drops of blood still fell onto his clothes.

It just melted into the blackness, leaving no trace.

Vito could only watch, his nose suddenly feeling sore.

Inger was alone, running around on this battlefield, using up his magic power again and again to clear the poisonous mist in order to prevent it from plundering more land and lives.

He was already very careful and would put on a protective shield every time he cleared.

But no one knew that the magic shield was useless against the poisonous fog.

The lighter concentration of the miasma would not have a distinct color, and Inger, who was closest to the poisonous mist, would naturally absorb it.

Through the respiratory tract, through the skin, through the eyes. This poisonous mist can penetrate every pore.

It was just that because the amount was small each time, Inger himself didn't notice it.

Inger was always busy traveling and had no time to check his physical condition. He had occasional nosebleeds and bleeding teeth, which were common problems for him. His health had never been very good.

But by the time he realized it, the poison had already taken root in his body.

It won't kill you immediately, but the chronic toxin is more difficult to remove than a large amount of demon corpse poison that directly enters the blood through the wound.

His body functions have been slowly destroyed by the poison.

Two weeks ago, he became completely blind.

Only then did he call Vito over.

What's funny is that he had detoxified his soldiers thousands of times, but he couldn't detoxify himself.

The toxin begins to affect the magic circuits in the body.

Vito tried to remove the poison from him, but he could only remove part of it and try to delay his death.

He tried many methods, but to no avail.

As soon as Inger changed the bandage, he felt a mixture of iron and fishy taste in his throat.

He frowned and tried to swallow it, but couldn't help bending over and vomiting into the bucket.

But this time it wasn't blood coughed up from the lungs.

It feels a bit like food poisoning. I vomited out everything I ate at noon today. There is also a slight burning sensation in my throat. Is it stomach acid?

"Inger!"

Vito's voice was panicked.

Inger raised his hands and waved them, spit out everything, wiped his mouth, and rinsed his mouth with a cup of water.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I ate a little too much, and I feel better after throwing it up."

“…” Vito was silent.

He comforted Vito in this way, but when he swallowed the water, his throat and esophagus felt like swallowing a needle.

He put down the glass without saying a word.

Inger knows his own physical condition best. At this condition, he probably won't be able to survive for more than two days.

He only hoped that the time until he woke up would be shorter this time. Otherwise, in a few days, who knows how many people would die on the battlefield.

Inger said to Vito, "You can talk to Ola later to release Bisi. She will help us, and this will also relieve some of your pressure."

Vito still didn't answer.

Inger frowned and concentrated his attention, only to notice that there was a knight beside him.

"who?"

Vito's footsteps faded away.

Inger stood up subconsciously.

A hand was placed on his shoulder, pushing him down gently.

Inger's body froze as if he had been electrocuted.

He sat back upright.

The hands held a handkerchief and wiped the blood stains on his face that had not yet been wiped clean.

The fingertips are cold and trembling.

Inger could hear his own rapid breathing and heartbeat, but he couldn't hear the other person's breathing.

He waited for the other person to finish wiping slowly, and suddenly grabbed his hand, "...Alex?"

Alex held his hand in his hands and stood beside him, tears dripping silently from his chin.

He didn't dare to answer.

He was afraid of hearing his own unpresentable voice.

Neither of them spoke.

Inger didn't expect Alex to come at this time.

Although he would know the news sooner or later, he hoped Alex would be there when he woke up.

Why does he have to see him like this every time?

Inger was a little overwhelmed.

He could only hold his hand tightly and give him a little warmth.

For a long time, they did not speak again.

After his initial panic, Inger calmed down.

Just having him by my side brings me such peace.

Not being able to see also reduces some of the embarrassment.

Suddenly, a messenger outside shouted, "Master Wizard! Duke Trevor has successfully led his troops to capture three thousand demons! A great victory! We can rest for a while now!"

Inger breathed a sigh of relief.

"How much time do you have?"

My heart suddenly rose again.

Alex's voice seemed calm.

Inger asked cautiously, "A week?"

He actually preferred Alex to be mean and scold him.

Alex just said: "The North and East Theaters are both stable. I will stay here to take care of you."

Inger realized that he had no choice but to accept the offer.

After a while, he felt that he should explain something, and said hesitantly: "I... I can't detoxify myself..."

After saying this, he wanted to bite off his tongue.

What's funny is that the great wizard who created countless magical miracles and healed countless people ignored the most basic things.

Just as the best surgeon cannot perform delicate surgery on himself, so a wizard cannot cast internal healing magic directly on himself.

Because the magic circuit passes through the body, repairing body tissues and magic output will cause conflicts.

The same is true if a wizard with a chopped-off hand cannot use the severed hand to cast magic on himself.

Toxins accumulate in various parts of the body, and outputting magic power to the body will cause magic conflicts within the body.

Minor injuries can be treated by yourself, but poisoning is the only thing that cannot be treated.

He had never opened the magic shield, but he didn't know that the poisonous mist directly penetrated the magic shield.

He had been vomiting blood and having nosebleeds before, but the poisonous fog has a chronic effect on the body, so he always thought it was the dry weather that caused the bleeding.

It was not until he became completely blind that he realized the poison, by which time it had already penetrated into his bones.

Alex wanted to raise the corners of his mouth, but found that he couldn't do it. Fortunately, Inger couldn't see his expression. He suppressed his emotions and said, "Yeah, I know."

Inger: "...I'm sorry, Alex."

"…Why did you say sorry to me…"

"………sorry."

【I'm sorry you have to see me like this again.】

【I'm sorry I still made you sad. 】

【I'm sorry for hiding this from you. 】

[I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do this to myself.]

Inger was overwhelmed with guilt.

Alex squatted down beside him and held his hands with both of hers. "Don't think too much. I'm here with you. Everything will be fine."

He was speaking in contradictions, and Inger had no way of refuting them.

"Alex, don't feel bad for me, I'm fine."

"………Well." Alex paused, "You can't take care of yourself right now, let me take care of you, and other things will be done for you by others. You haven't rested for a long time. Don't worry. Take care of yourself for a while."

Inger exhaled.

The burden on his shoulders was half lighter because someone else shared the other half with him.

But if that was Alex, he could live with it.

Just as Alex promised.

After he came, he never let any official business enter his ears.

He simply heals.

Vito was in a bad mood every time he came, but he still tried his best to remove the poison for him.

In fact, he really wanted to say that there was no need to remove the poison, and the sooner he died, the sooner he would be resurrected.

But he felt that if he said this, both of them would probably go crazy, so he wisely didn't say it.

This week he experienced a little of what it's like to be a terminally ill patient.

Sometimes, a good death is worse than a good life.

The pain of eating, the disgusting vomiting, the trouble of coughing up blood, the constant changing of bandages, and the fact that I can’t see and have to rely on others for my life.

Sometimes he gets so irritable that he just wants to die quickly.

However, it was Alex's presence that reminded him.

You can't have such thoughts.

He must not get used to death.

Life is precious because of death.

It is wrong to take death lightly because you can be resurrected.

Pain brings reality to people.

He calmed down completely in the last two days.

Peace and tranquility from the inside out.

He was still in the war camp, and there were people fighting against the demons almost every day.

As long as Alex was by his side, he didn't have to worry about any of this.

One day.

Inger suddenly said, "I remember there seems to be a swing on a hillside nearby. It's not damaged yet. I saw it before, but I never had the time to go there. Can you take me there now?"

Alex looked outside. It was a sunny day with not a single cloud in the sky.

So he said, "Okay."

The swing squeaked as I sat on it.

Inger laughed and said, "Will this collapse?"

Alex stood behind the swing seat. "I had it fixed. It won't happen."

The fragrance of flowers wafts from the trees, and the warm, staggered sunlight shines through the gaps between the leaves and melts on your face.

Alex just pushed the swing with gentle force, again and again.

The warm spring breeze blows past my ears and ruffles my hair.

His thin and pale face had a faint hint of blood color.

The blood was heated by the sunlight and the whole body was warmed up.

Because he was afraid of affecting the morale of the troops, he stayed in the tent all the time and rarely went out. Moreover, he often had to wash, vomit, change the dressing and remove the poison, so it was not convenient for him to go out.

But fresh air and wide open spaces are good for both body and mind.

It would be nice to be resurrected in a place like this, under such a fragrant tree.

Inger was finally able to speak freely now.

"Alex, I am no longer afraid because of you. I have never regretted it and I never will."

Alex's hands grasped the rope.

"I still hope you can agree with my choice and let me stand by your side and fight with you."

Alex's heart ached.

"Ah..." Inger closed his eyelids and took off the bandage. The blood in his eyes dried up. He said, "I was thinking, if I die one day in the future, I hope it will be in a warm spring like this."

Like falling asleep, entering into eternal sleep.

Alex answered him softly: "...Yes."

The swing swung back and forth.

Until the wand in his hand fell to the ground with a clang, and the body, which was destroyed by the poison, fell down.

Alex hugged him from behind to prevent him from falling.

Blood dripped from the corners of his eyes and mouth, soaking the sleeves of his clothes that were resting on his chest.

Alex closed his eyes.

Without having to find out, he could feel the coldness of the fading breath.

For the first time, he hated the boiling of his tears.