Shooting Stars: Chapter 6
Ever since Xavier left that time, I didn't see him again for a very long time.
Afterwards, due to reasons that can't be shared with outsiders, the Titulus Ceremony was not held as planned, and Xavier never did return to the Academy either.
No one told me why. Master also refused to reveal his whereabouts.
A month after Xavier left, I passed the Lightseeker selection trial, just like Master had planned for me, and took the first step towards becoming the Grandis Knight.
After some more time, the King passed away. Following royal etiquette, there must be a mourning period of two hundred years. Only after that will talk about crowning a new King begin.
As day after day and year after year passes, gradually, to the people of Philos, whether or not there is a King seems to have become not that important any more.
This has been an empty two hundred years, and no one ever brings up that unheld Titulus Ceremony.
I continue to walk the planned path, step by step, until I finally become the Captain of an elite vanguard team.
But losing our King has made the knights much less powerful than before. Many of the troops scatter across Philos, , and have lost contact with one another.
During that period of time, I wave my sword on instinct, and walk forwards on instinct. As for where I am headed, I’m not clear about that either.
I just keep thinking, what if one day, Xavier will still return…
What if finally, he becomes the King of Philos, then…
I don’t wish for the person standing by his side to be anyone else.
Years Later
In the depths of the dark forest, I have been leading the vanguard team in fierce battle with Wanderers for several days.
Due to the continuous, unpredictable battles, everyone is
At night, I sit alone in a forest clearing, contemplating the next step in our strategy.
Jeremiah: This Starfall Forest has always been the core of Protofield instability. So many teams have entered in the past few months, and not a single one has come back out.
Jeremiah: This stubborn bonehead. I think even we may have
MC: Don't say discouraging things. If even the most elite team in the Lightseekers can't chew through it, who else can?
Jeremiah: This is the exact forest Xavier entered that year he underwent the Gladius Ceremony.
Jeremiah: You've always brooded over that incident, and this time you're so persistent, surely it’s not because of…
MC: Of course not…!
After graduating from the Academy, Jeremiah also became a member of the Lightseekers, and is the most capable comrade under my flag nowadays.
In these 200 years, he is the only person left that I can continue to talk to about Xavier.
MC: I am indeed curious about Xavier, but… I won't risk everyone’s lives to satisfy my curiosity.
Jeremiah sighs.
Jeremiah: Since the King passed away, your master has also left to travel among the stars.
Jeremiah: The Lightseekers should have been handed over to the crown prince, but Xavier, that rascal… What a bastard.
Jeremiah: Now every team does their own thing, and we don't even know how many have quietly disbanded. Otherwise, we wouldn't be right now.
MC: Don't complain anymore, take this opportunity to catch our breath, rest a little more.
Jeremiah gives my shoulder a heavy pat, then rejoins the crowd.
The oaks and yews here have weathered hundreds of thousands of years, and the forest canopy blocks the moon. After the campfire is put out, there isn't even a little light.
After who knows how long, everyone’s breathing steadily grows heavy with sleep, and the cries of birds vanish.
I don’t dare fall asleep, and at this very moment, a pure white figure appears from the depths of the forest.
In spite of the utter darkness, that figure’s outline seems to be bathed in a soft light. It turns back to give me a quick glance, then walks back into the depths of the forest.
MC: That's…
MC: (Xavier…?!)
MC: Xavier!
I chase after that figure’s back. He doesn’t walk too quickly, but he keeps a distance between us that I’m unable to close.
In my heart, I understand clearly that this could be a mirage, but…
What if he really is Xavier.
MC: Xavier! Wait for me!
I blink once from exhaustion, and the figure vanishes.
The surrounding trees also vanish, and a vast galaxy suddenly opens up before me, spreading all around me like smoke.
It really is a mirage…
With my heartbeat pounding heavily in my ears, I lift my head towards the galaxy, only to fall backwards unknowingly.
MC: Damn it!!!
In an instant, the world turns upside down, and I plunge swiftly towards the deepest depths of the universe, as if I have turned weightless.
MC: What is this place…!
Just like a stone falling into the middle of a lake, until finally, even the billions of stars leave me, leaving only boundless darkness behind.
MC: Am I…still in the Forest…
When surrounded by absolute darkness,
Time, space, all cease to exist.
Opening my eyes, or closing them, there is no difference.
And even the boundary between life and death turns blurry.
Right now am I… dead
It turns out the world after one dies is so quiet and light.
Like a feather floating in the center of the universe
Then it seems, death is nothing much to be afraid of.
The only regret…
Is not being able to see Xavier once more.
??: (MC)? Is that you?
MC: (This voice… so familiar.)
??: Answer me! Where are you?!
MC: (...I’m so sleepy, I’ve already lost the energy to open my mouth.)
??: (MC)!
On the border of consciousness, just as I’m about to fall asleep, a blinding flash of white pierces my eyes.
It seems like… a ray of light.
Just like the birth of the universe at the beginning, the dense darkness is split open by light, forming a crack that continues to expand.
The world unfolds just behind that light.
I force my eyes open, unsure if what’s before my eyes is still that beguiling mirage from before…
Xavier: (MC), don't sleep… wake up!
In such an unimaginably brilliant world, I unexpectedly manage to see Xavier's face again after such a long time.
Xavier: Don’t sleep… Come back, come home with me, together.
Ever since Shen Xinghui left that time, I didn't see him again for a very long time.
Afterwards, due to reasons that can't be shared with outsiders, the Titulus Ceremony was not held as planned, and Shen Xinghui never did return to the Academy either.
No one told me why. Master also refused to reveal his whereabouts.
A month after Shen Xinghui left, I passed the Lightseeker selection trial, just like Master had planned for me, and took the first step towards becoming the Grandis Knight.
After some more time, the King passed away. Following royal etiquette, there must be a mourning period of two hundred years. Only after that will talk about crowning a new King begin.
As day after day and year after year passes, gradually, to the people of Philos, whether or not there is a King seems to have become not that important any more.
This has been an empty two hundred years, and no one ever brings up that unheld Titulus Ceremony.
I continue to walk the planned path, step by step, until I finally become the Captain of an elite vanguard team.
But losing our King has made the knights much less powerful than before. Many of the troops scatter across Philos, , and have lost contact with one another.
During that period of time, I wave my sword on instinct, and walk forwards on instinct. As for where I am headed, I’m not clear about that either.
I just keep thinking, what if one day, Shen Xinghui will still return…
What if finally, he becomes the King of Philos, then…
I don’t wish for the person standing by his side to be anyone else.
Years Later
In the depths of the dark forest, I have been leading the vanguard team in fierce battle with Wanderers for several days.
Due to the continuous, unpredictable battles, everyone is
At night, I sit alone in a forest clearing, contemplating the next step in our strategy.
Jeremiah: This Starfall Forest has always been the core of Protofield instability. So many teams have entered in the past few months, and not a single one has come back out.
Jeremiah: This stubborn bonehead. I think even we may have
MC: Don't say discouraging things. If even the most elite team in the Lightseekers can't chew through it, who else can?
Jeremiah: This is the exact forest Shen Xinghui entered that year he underwent the Gladius Ceremony.
Jeremiah: You've always brooded over that incident, and this time you're so persistent, surely it’s not because of…
MC: Of course not…!
After graduating from the Academy, Jeremiah also became a member of the Lightseekers, and is the most capable comrade under my flag nowadays.
In these 200 years, he is the only person left that I can continue to talk to about Shen Xinghui.
MC: I am indeed curious about Shen Xinghui, but… I won't risk everyone’s lives to satisfy my curiosity.
Jeremiah sighs.
Jeremiah: Since the King passed away, your master has also left to travel among the stars.
Jeremiah: The Lightseekers should have been handed over to the crown prince, but Shen Xinghui, that rascal… What a bastard.
Jeremiah: Now every team does their own thing, and we don't even know how many have quietly disbanded. Otherwise, we wouldn't be right now.
MC: Don't complain anymore, take this opportunity to catch our breath, rest a little more.
Jeremiah gives my shoulder a heavy pat, then rejoins the crowd.
The oaks and yews here have weathered hundreds of thousands of years, and the forest canopy blocks the moon. After the campfire is put out, there isn't even a little light.
After who knows how long, everyone’s breathing steadily grows heavy with sleep, and the cries of birds vanish.
I don’t dare fall asleep, and at this very moment, a pure white figure appears from the depths of the forest.
In spite of the utter darkness, that figure’s outline seems to be bathed in a soft light. It turns back to give me a quick glance, then walks back into the depths of the forest.
MC: That's…
MC: (Shen Xinghui…?!)
MC: Shen Xinghui!
I chase after that figure’s back. He doesn’t walk too quickly, but he keeps a distance between us that I’m unable to close.
In my heart, I understand clearly that this could be a mirage, but…
What if he really is Shen Xinghui.
MC: Shen Xinghui! Wait for me!
I blink once from exhaustion, and the figure vanishes.
The surrounding trees also vanish, and a vast galaxy suddenly opens up before me, spreading all around me like smoke.
It really is a mirage…
With my heartbeat pounding heavily in my ears, I lift my head towards the galaxy, only to fall backwards unknowingly.
MC: Damn it!!!
In an instant, the world turns upside down, and I plunge swiftly towards the deepest depths of the universe, as if I have turned weightless.
MC: What is this place…!
Just like a stone falling into the middle of a lake, until finally, even the billions of stars leave me, leaving only boundless darkness behind.
MC: Am I…still in the Forest…
When surrounded by absolute darkness,
Time, space, all cease to exist.
Opening my eyes, or closing them, there is no difference.
And even the boundary between life and death turns blurry.
Right now am I… dead
It turns out the world after one dies is so quiet and light.
Like a feather floating in the center of the universe
Then it seems, death is nothing much to be afraid of.
The only regret…
Is not being able to see Shen Xinghui once more.
??: (MC)? Is that you?
MC: (This voice… so familiar.)
??: Answer me! Where are you?!
MC: (...I’m so sleepy, I’ve already lost the energy to open my mouth.)
??: (MC)!
On the border of consciousness, just as I’m about to fall asleep, a blinding flash of white pierces my eyes.
It seems like… a ray of light.
Just like the birth of the universe at the beginning, the dense darkness is split open by light, forming a crack that continues to expand.
The world unfolds just behind that light.
I force my eyes open, unsure if what’s before my eyes is still that beguiling mirage from before…
Shen Xinghui: (MC), don't sleep… wake up!
In such an unimaginably brilliant world, I unexpectedly manage to see Shen Xinghui's face again after such a long time.
Shen Xinghui: Don’t sleep… Come back, come home with me, together.
After Xavier left, I didn’t see him again.
The ceremony to bestow him the title of crown prince wasn’t held. Xavier never returned to the Academy either.
No one told me why, and my teacher refused to speak of him.
One month after Xavier left me, I passed the exam to join the Order of Lightseekers. It was my first step in becoming the Grandis Knight. I was walking the path my teacher told me to follow.
Time passed, and the King passed away. There was to be a mourning period of 200 years before his successor took the throne.
Year after year, fewer people of Philos cared about whether someone would be King.
And in those 200 years, no one spoke of the ceremony to bestow the title of crown prince.
I didn’t stray off the path I had chosen. Step by step, I became Commander of an elite squad.
However, we had no King. The authority of the knights was weakened as different squads were scattered all over Philos. Each kept to themselves and lost contact with one another.
During that time, I simply marched on and swung my sword. I didn’t know where I was headed.
I just kept thinking if Xavier ever returned one day…
If he became the King of Philos…
I want to be the one by his side.
Years Later
In the depths of a forest, I was leading my squad in a fight against the Wanderers for several days. Everyone was exhausted from the endless sporadic battles. At night, I sat alone in the forest clearing, planning our next move.
Jeremiah: Starfall Forest was always home to an unstable Protofield. Not a single person made it out alive these past few months. I doubt we can take down the beast.
MC: You're ruining the mood. If the best knights in the Order of Lightseekers can't defeat it, no one can.
Jeremiah: Xavier's Gladius Ceremony took place here. Always brooding over that. Your persistence is—No, could it be…
MC: Nonsense!
After we graduated, Jeremiah became a Lightseeker. He was one of the best knights under my leadership. And in these past 200 years, he was the only person I could talk to about Xavier.
MC: I wonder what happened to Xavier, but I won’t sacrifice everyone for that curiosity.
Jeremiah sighed.
Jeremiah: With the death of His Majesty, your teacher went on an expedition into the starry sea. The Lightseekers are supposed to serve the crown prince, but that bastard Xavier… We’re all scattered to the wind. Who knows how many already abandoned knighthood. If things turned out differently, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
MC: Stop whining. We should rest while we can.
Jeremiah patted my shoulder before going back to the others. The trees had grown for centuries, their canopies blocked out even moonlight. As the fire went out, there was no light.
Everyone soon drifted off to sleep. The birds ceased their serenades for the time being.
I didn’t fall asleep, not when a white figure appeared in the depths of the forest. In spite of the darkness, it was cloaked in a soft light. Our gazes met before it walked away.
MC: It can’t be… (Xavier?!) Xavier!
I chased after him. His movement wasn’t too quick, but he wouldn’t let me catch up to him. In the depths of my heart, I knew it might just be an illusion, but… What if it actually was Xavier?
MC: Xavier! Wait!
In a moment of exhaustion, I blinked, and the figure disappeared.
The forest also vanished. I was in the center of a galaxy, its expanse unending.
MC: It was an illusion…
I could hear my heart pounding and started to fall in the waves of stardust.
MC: Damn it!
Everything was turned upside down. As if I became weightless, I fell at the speed of light. Down, down, down into the nebula.
MC: What is this place…?!
I was a stone descending into a lake. Billions of stars vanished, escaping my gaze. There was only darkness.
MC: Am I… still in the Forest?
Embraced in darkness,
Time and space dissolved into nothingness.
Whether I opened my eyes or not, it mattered not.
The line between life and death blurred.
Did I… die?
Death was so quiet, weightless.
I’m… a feather floating in the starry sea.
I didn’t need to be afraid of dying.
Still, my only regret was…
I wasn’t able to see Xavier one more time.
??: It’s you, isn’t it?
MC: (That voice… It sounds familiar…)
??: Answer me! Where are you?!
MC: (...I’m so tired. I lack the energy to open my mouth.)
Xavier: Hey! (Name!)
Before I could sink into my dreams, a blinding white stung my eyes. A… beam of light. It was like watching the universe be created. Light split the darkness and swirled. From light everlasting the world unfolded.
I opened my eyes, unsure if this was still an illusion…
Xavier: Don’t fall asleep… Please, wake up!
In a fathomlessly bright world, I saw Xavier’s face again.
Xavier: You can’t fall asleep… Let’s go home. Together.
那次沈星回走后，我很久都没有再见过他。
后来，出于一些不可为外人道的原因，拥立王储的典礼没有如期举行，沈星回也没有再回学校。
没有人告诉我为什么，师父也不肯透露他的下落。
在沈星回离开的一个月后，我通过了逐光骑士团的选拔，像师父为我规划好的那样，迈出了成为首席圣剑骑士的第一步。
再后来，国王薨逝，根据王室礼仪要守丧两百年，过了丧期后再谈新王登基的事。
日子年复一年地过去，渐渐地，对于菲罗斯星的人来说，有没有王的存在，似乎也变得不那么重要了。
这是空荡荡的两百年，没有人再提起那场未举行的王储典礼。
我依旧行走在计划好的轨道上，一步一步，终于成为了骑士团一支精锐先锋小队的队长。
但失去了王的骑士团战力大不如前，诸多队伍散落在菲罗斯星各处，各自为政，也失去了彼此间的联络。
在那段时间里，我只是出于本能地挥剑，本能地向前走，可究竟要走去哪，我也不是很清楚。
我只是在想，万一有一天，沈星回还会回来……
万一最终，他还是成为了菲罗斯星的王，那么……
我不希望他身边站着的是其他人。
若干年后
幽暗的密林深处，我已经带领先锋队和流浪体鏖战了数日。
在不间断且无规律的作战下，大家都已经精疲力竭。
夜晚，我独自坐在林中空地，思考着下一步的对策。
邱诺亚: 这星降森林本来就是磁场动荡的核心，前几个月进来那么多支小队，没一个走出去的。
邱诺亚: 这块硬骨头，我看咱们也啃不下来。
玩家: 不要说丧气话，如果连逐光骑士团里最精锐的小队都啃不下来，那还有谁能?
邱诺亚: 当年沈星回接受授剑仪式，进的就是这片森林。
邱诺亚: 你始终对那件事耿耿于怀，这次这么坚持，该不会……
玩家: 当然不是!……
从学校毕业后，邱诺亚也成为了逐光骑士团的一员，如今是我麾下最得力的同袍。
两百年来，还能再和我谈起沈星回的人，也只剩下他一个。
玩家: 我的确对沈星回的事好奇，可是……我不会让大家赔上性命来满足我的好奇心。
邱诺亚叹了口气。
邱诺亚: 自从国王没了，你师父也去星间云游了。
邱诺亚: 逐光骑士团本来应该交在王储手上，可沈星回那小子……真是混蛋。
邱诺亚: 现在所有小队各干各的，有多少悄悄解散了都不知道，否则咱们现在也不至于孤立无援。
玩家: 别抱怨了，趁着现在能歇一会儿，多休息休息吧。
邱诺亚重重拍一下我的肩膀，又回到大家中间去了。
这里的橡树和紫杉都经历了千百年的岁月，林高蔽月，篝火灭下去后便再也没有一点光。
不知过了多久，大家的呼吸声渐沉，鸟叫也消失了。
我不敢睡着，而就在这时，密林深处出现了一个纯白色身影。
明明是一片黑暗，可那身影的轮廓却仿佛浸润在柔和的光中，回头看了我一眼后，便向密林深处走去。
玩家: 那是……
玩家: (沈星回……?!)
玩家: 沈星回!
我追在那个身影背后，他走得并不快，却始终和我保持着无法拉近的距离。
我心中清楚，也许这只是幻觉，可是……
万一，他真的是沈星回呢。
玩家: 沈星回!等等我!
在一次疲惫的眨眼后，那身形消失了。
周围的林木也都消失，忽然有浩瀚的星云自我周身旋开，烟雾般地向四周弥漫。
果然是幻象……
心跳重重在耳旁响起一拍，我抬头望向星河，不觉向后倒去。
玩家: 糟了!!!
一瞬间，天地倒转，我如同失重一般，飞速坠向宇宙最深处。
玩家: 这里是什么地方……!
就像一颗石子坠落湖中，最终，连亿万星辰都离我而去，只剩无边无际的黑暗。
玩家: 我……还在森林里吗……
当被绝对的黑暗包裹时
时间、空间，就都不存在了
睁开眼睛，或是闭上，都没有区别
甚至连活着与死亡的界限，也变得模糊
我现在……是死了吗
原来死去后的世界，这样安静又轻盈
就像一片羽毛漂浮在宇宙中央
那似乎，死亡也没什么可怕的
唯一的遗憾……
就是没能再见沈星回一面
??:（玩家姓名）?是你吗?
玩家: (这个声音……好熟悉。)
??: 回答我!你在哪?!
玩家: (……好困，已经没有力气开口了。)
??:（玩家姓名）!
半梦半醒间，就在我将要睡去时，一抹白色刺痛了我的眼睛。
那似乎……是一道光。
就像宇宙诞生之初那样，浓郁的黑暗被光劈开了一道缝隙，不断扩大。
世界，就在那道光的背后铺展开来。
我用力地睁开眼，不知此刻眼前的所见，是否依旧是迷惑人心的幻象……
沈星回: （玩家姓名），不要睡……醒醒！
在这样灿烂得不可思议的世界中，我竟然久违地，看到了沈星回的脸庞。
沈星回: 不要睡……回来，跟我一起回家。
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