May george r.r. martin.
Well, we don't roam together anymore.
Kill this deep night,
Although this heart is still infatuated,
Although the sun is still shining.
Because the sword will wear out the scabbard,
The soul also grinds its chest hard enough,
This heart must stop breathing,
Love has to end.
Although the night is for love,
Soon, it's daylight again,
But in this moonlight world, we no longer roam together.
Sir Byron
one
The city of Saint-Croats is very old, much older than the city of human beings, and the oldest one is undoubtedly the grand red city built on the holy mountain. As the ancestor of all cities on this planet, it has no name, and it doesn't need a name, because there is absolutely no one among the thousands of cities of St. Ke people-it is not only the most populous and largest, but also a unique city on the holy mountain. This is their Rome, their Mecca, their Jerusalem and their holy land. Yes, every saint will come back here before he dies and before the "final union".
As early as the decline and decadence of Rome, the city has a long history; Babylon had already expanded when it was still spinning the dream hanging garden. However, walking in the city, you can't feel the vicissitudes of the years, you can only see the endless and low red brick vault. These small buildings built with dry red woolen cloth seem to cover the rash on the hill, but the room is dark and stuffy, with narrow space and simple furnishings.
If you think this is a gloomy city, you are all wet. Day after day, when the sun rises as high as a ripe pumpkin and the blazing light shines on this hill, the whole city is full of vitality; Here, people are thriving, smoke is curling, laughter is heard, children are chasing, sweaty craftsmen are repairing the vault, and the bells of the group members ring through the streets. St Croix people are a dynamic and unrestrained group, as naive as human children. The long years have left nothing for the St. Croats. They have neither glorious history nor intelligent inventions. Scientists assert that this is a young group and the civilization here is still in the cradle stage.
This cradle period lasted for fourteen thousand years together.
Seriously, compared with it, the human city on St. Kea is really in its infancy, and the construction time is no more than ten years. It is built on the edge of the hill, between the big city of San Francisco and the dusty brown plain where the space port is located. By human standards, this is a beautiful city, open and spacious, with countless elegant arches, flashing fountains and wonderful boulevards. The houses here are made of metal, colored plastic and local wood, and the height is the same as that of St. Claude's house ... but the main tower is an exception. It is like a bright blue steel needle, straight into the crystal sky.
No matter where you come from, it is the most eye-catching symbol. Leona found it before landing, so we watched and enjoyed it together in the air. In fact, it is not as high as the dilapidated skyscrapers on the ancient earth or Bode, and it is not as beautiful as the dreamy spider web city on the spider god-this blue, thin and tall tower is eye-catching because no other house in the whole holy city can match it.
The spaceport is small and shrouded in the shadow of the main tower. The two places are not far apart, but the owner insisted on meeting each other. As soon as we landed, a flat crimson flying car was waiting for us under the landing slope. The driver leaned back in his chair leisurely, and Dino Wicca stood by, leaning against the door and talking to his assistant.
Vikaqi is the general manager of the star, a legend, and quite famous in government departments. I found him really young. Although he is not tall, he is handsome and full of enthusiasm. He has a bushy black curls and an easy-going and friendly smile.
When we walked down the gangway, he smiled like this and shook hands. "Hello," he said. "Nice to meet you." There's no need to be polite. He knows who we are, and we know him better. Wykach is not the kind of official who sticks to etiquette.
Leona's turn first. While shaking hands gently, she showed that vampire-like expression: big black eyes stared at each other, and her small lips rose slightly, smiling through tears. She is still a little girl with short brown hair, and her figure is no different from that of a child. As long as she wants, she can be fragile and cute, but she insists on putting this expression on everyone-people know that she is telepathic and afraid that she will dig out the secrets in their hearts, but in fact, she is purely playing with other people's feelings. When Leanna really starts reading minds, her whole body will become stiff and even tremble slightly.
Ordinary people don't know the truth, they will shrink back in front of that vampire-like smile, hurriedly release her hand and look away. But this Wiccan teaching is really skillful. He kept smiling, turned back calmly, and then held out his hand to me.
While shaking hands, I started reading minds-my standard operating procedure, which is also a bad habit of mine. This made me lose many opportunities to make friends. I'm not as talented as Leona, but it doesn't take much energy to understand a person. I can read human emotions. At the moment, Wikaqi's hospitality is so strong and sincere, without reservation-at least I can't dig it out with my talent.
We also shook hands with our assistant Nelson Gu Lei, a middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes. After the ceremony, Weikaqi invited everyone to get on the bus and set off. "You are all tired," he said to us after the car started. "Today, we will go straight back to the tower and stop visiting the city. Nelson will arrange a room for you. When you have a good rest, we can talk business over coffee. By the way, have you all read the information I sent? "
"Of course." I replied, and Leia nodded. "The background is interesting, but I still don't understand why we were invited."
"You will know soon," replied Wiccan. "Let's enjoy the scenery here first." He smiled and gestured to the window, then fell silent.
So Leia and I looked out of the window, and in the short five-minute flight time of the flying car, we witnessed the scenery of St. Kea for the first time. The car swept across the street from the treetops, causing a whirlwind, and everywhere it went, the branches were all staggered. The car was cold and dark, but the sun hung outside the car and waves of heat waves rose on the sidewalk. It's cold and cheerless outside, so it's estimated that everyone is hiding at home and blowing air conditioning.
We stopped at the main entrance of the main tower and passed through a resplendent hall, which was brightly cleaned. Vikach broke up with us here and went into business on his own. Gu Lei led us into the elevator and came to the fiftieth floor. The staff here came in and out, and we changed the special elevator and went up several floors.
The room assigned to us is very lovely, with not only refreshing bright green carpets and beams decorated with wood carvings, but also a large study comparable to a library, most of which are hardcover books from the earth, and several novels from our hometown Baldwin-it seems that the host has made a careful investigation of our background. The whole wall of the bedroom is colored floor-to-ceiling glass, through which you can see the panoramic view of the ground and dim it when you sleep.
Gu Lei arranges things for us mechanically, just like a rigid hotel waiter. I quickly understood his mood: no impatience, just a little nervous, and a feeling of respecting us? For Wicca?
Leia chose one of the two opposite beds and sat down. "Does anyone help us with our luggage?"
Gu Lei nodded. "We'll take care of it," said the man. "If you want anything, just ask."
"Oh, don't worry, we'll ask for advice." As I spoke, I sat down on another bed and made a gesture to Gu Lei. "How long have you been working here?"
"Six years." He gratefully dragged a chair and sat down comfortably. "I am a veteran here and have been a star manager four times so far; Dino, Stuart before him, Stason before Stuart, and even worked under Lockwood for a few months. "
Leia became interested. She crossed her legs and leaned forward slightly. "Lockwood himself has only worked here for a few months, hasn't he?" I chose a dark blue tunic, white slacks under it, and an equally casual wide knit scarf. This is not a popular style, but I think the fashion in San Kea should be a few months behind the trend of the universe. Leia wore a white silk tights, tightly wrapped around her body, and beautifully outlined her graceful curves, which made people think. The slender blue plaid on the dress forms a beautiful pattern, which will change with her body temperature. A blue shawl is the finishing touch.
"Wicca is very interesting." She tied her scarf as she spoke.
"Oh?" I'm still trying to zip my coat, but it just won't pull. "Have you read anything?"
"No." She buttoned her shawl, looked in the mirror for a while, then turned to me and made a gesture. "Really, nothing. He spoke his mind. Of course, he is very particular about words and sentences, but he didn't add any unnecessary reservations. His thoughts revolve around talking with us. Besides these, there is only one wall. " She smiled. "He hid all the dark secrets behind this wall and didn't let them out at all."
I finally zipped up. "Gee," I said, "you still have a chance to show off tonight."
She made a face. "No, I don't read other people's thoughts in my leisure time. It's not fair. Besides, reading makes me nervous. Hey, I hope my reading thinking is as easy as your reading emotion. "
"This is the price of talent," I said. "Your talent is stronger and your natural price is higher." I found a shawl in my luggage, but I couldn't find anything to match it, so I simply put it back. The shawl is out of date anyway. "I can't go deep into Wickham's heart. What I dug up can actually be seen in his face. In short, he must have a brain with strong willpower. Forget it, whatever, at least his wine is first-class. "
Leia nodded, "yes! I like it very much. That thing swept away my headache after getting up today. "
"High-end goods." I commented and walked out of the door side by side with her.
We waited in the empty hall for a while, but not for long. This time, Wikach was driving his own flying car. This weather-beaten big black must have followed him for several days. Gu Lei is unsociable, but there is a woman beside Vicky, a radiant woman with reddish-brown hair named Laurie Black. She is even younger than Wicca-she looks only in her twenties.
When we set out, the sun had already set, and the distant horizon was woven into a yellow and red brocade by the setting sun, and a cool breeze blew from the brown plain. Vikach turned off the air conditioner and opened the window. We look at the city outside the window from dusk to night.
Dinner was arranged in a comfortable Bardu restaurant-I guess it was to entertain us. The food here is quite common: both meat and vegetables come from the local area, but the cooking method is Baldu style, and Baldu's spicy seasoning is very creative. Weikaqi ordered meals for all four of us, and we tasted every flavor of Shifang cuisine. I like St. Keke birds cooked in sour sauce best. Although the weight is not much, it tastes delicious. We also ordered three bottles of wine: a bottle of Saint-Luck that we tasted this afternoon, a bottle of cold Villetard from Bardu and an authentic Burgundy from the ancient earth.
The conversation soon warmed up. Vikach is a natural speaker and a top listener. Of course, the topic finally returned to San Kea and San Keke. Laurie brought us here. She has been in St. Clare for six months, specializing in advanced cosmology, hoping to find out "why the civilization of St. Clare has stagnated for thousands of miles?"
"You know what? Their history is longer than ours. " She told us, "Long before people began to use tools, they had built cities. It stands to reason that the Saint-Croats discovered primitive humans through space travel, not the opposite as it is now. "
"What is the scientific explanation for this?" I asked.
"There are different opinions and no accepted conclusions," she said. "For example, Karen thinks that there is a lack of heavy metals here-this is of course a factor worth considering, but that's all? Van Vaughn believes that the reason lies in the lack of competition from natural enemies. There are no large carnivores on this planet, and other species cannot pose a threat to this population. But his theory has been attacked a lot. After all, San Kea is not heaven. If so, I'm afraid the St. Croats can't even reach their present level. Besides, isn't Giza a carnivore? It ate them, didn't it? "
"What do you think?" Leia asked.
"I think it has something to do with their religious beliefs, but I haven't found conclusive evidence yet. Dino helped me communicate with the St. Ke people. They answered questions, but it was not easy to learn. " She stopped suddenly and stared at Leia closely. "This is true for me, but it is not necessarily different for you."
We've heard too much. Ordinary people think that talented people are blessed by heaven and occupy an unequal advantage, which is completely understandable, and so are we. But there was not a trace of jealousy in Laurie's words. Her statement is eager and full of expectation, without meanness and irony.
Wicca leaned back in his chair and put one hand on Laurie's shoulder. "Hey," he said, "talking about your old job again. I promise Robb and Leia won't have to worry about the Sanks until tomorrow. They should have a rest. "
Laurie looked at him and smiled slightly. "Well," she said softly, "I'm excited again. Sorry. "
"Never mind," I told her, "this topic is very interesting. Give us a day and we will become as passionate as you. "
Leia nodded in agreement, and then told Laurie that if we found anything to support her point of view, we would definitely inform her as soon as possible. I'm hardly listening. I understand that it is impolite to read minds when communicating with ordinary people, but sometimes I just can't help myself. Vickaqi put her arm around Laurie's shoulder and gently held her in her arms. This makes me a little curious.
So, I read it quickly with a hint of guilt. He was very excited-I guess he was a little drunk, and at the same time he felt happy and confident because his desire for protection was satisfied. Everything is under his control. Laurie is a mess-restless, pent-up anger, fading fear. And love, full of doubts, is extremely strong. Not for me, not for Leia. She likes Wicca.
I reached under the table, looking for it, put Leia's hand on her knee and squeezed it gently. She turned and smiled at me. She is not a mind reader, which is good. Knowing that Laurie loves Wicca makes me a little unhappy. Why? I don't understand. I'm just glad Leia didn't find my little dissatisfaction.
We soon finished the rest of the wine, and Wiccan paid the bill alone and stood up. "Let's go!" He ordered, "The night has just begun, and we have to go to several places."
We set off, but we didn't go to see holographic movies or similar monotonous programs, although there are many cinemas in this city; We went to the casino. Naturally, gambling is legal in St. Kea. Even if it is not, Wicca will legalize it. He gave us potato chips, but I returned them to him soon, and Laurie returned them to him. Leia has never participated in such a competition because her talent is too strong. In the end, Wikipedia got a lot of money; He is skilled and good at remembering cards, and he is also handy for some more traditional gambling.
Then we went to another bar, drank more wine and played some local entertainment, which was much more exciting than I expected.
It was dark outside when we left. I thought today's trip was coming to an end, but Wiki gave everyone a surprise. Back in the car, he took out a box of hangover medicine from under the control panel and distributed it to us.
"Hey," I said, "you drive. Do we need this? Anyway, I have no strength. "
"I will.
Leia looks very excited. We have read a lot about the "Party", but we never expected to participate in it on the first day when we came to San Kea. The "gathering" is a unique ceremony of its barbaric religion, and those pilgrims who are about to join will gather in this huge confessional-although countless pilgrims flock to the holy city on the holy mountain every day, it is only held three times a year, unless there are too many people, there will be a fourth time.
Flying cars fly quietly over this human city with burning trees and silver flowers. The huge fountain outside the window is covered with colorful lights, shining like flames on the newly decorated vault. There are few pedestrians in the commercial street, and there are few passing cars in the air. Most residents seem to stay at home, and many houses are filled with lights and music along the way.
Then, the tone of the whole city suddenly changed, the terrain began to fluctuate, the hills appeared in front of us and we left them behind, and the lights disappeared together. The commercial street disappeared and was replaced by a dusty gravel road; Fashion vaults made of steel and glass gave way to their brick predecessors. The city of St. Cloud is much quieter than the human city, and there are almost no lights and silence in the dense houses.
At this time, a huge vault building appeared in front of us-it almost occupied the whole hill, with a large square arch on the front and windows like cracks in the stone. Lights and sounds flowed from these gaps, and many saints stood outside the door.
It suddenly occurred to me that this was the first time I had seen Saint-Claude, even though I had been in Saint-Claude for almost a day. The night is deep, plus "
I looked around. No one around made any noise except Wicca. Everyone else stared at the platform quietly, as if they had stopped breathing. "He said he had four brothers," Vicky told me. "The two of them have completed the final combination. One of them has joined the club, and the other is younger than him and is taking care of their farm. " He frowned. "He said he never had to see his farm again," he raised his voice. "He was very happy about it."
"Don't think the crops are harvested well?" Leia's smile was filled with disdain. He must have heard our low conversation, too. I gave her a serious look.
The sage continued. Vikach translated intermittently: "He began to tell about the crimes he committed, all the things he was ashamed of, the darkest secrets in his soul. He is sometimes mean and vain, and even once, he hit his little brother. Now he begins to talk about his wife and other women who are having an affair with him. It's not once or twice that he cheated on his wife with another woman. When he was a child, he was afraid of women and lived with animals. In recent years, he began to lose this ability, and his younger brother helped him fulfill his husband's obligations. "
But ... "She stopped, shook her head, closed the book, and then sighed," But we are always apart from each other, Rob. We will always be two people. "
"What the hell are you talking about?"
I think-no, I don't know, but Gu Stason loves me as much as you love me. No, he loves me more than you. "
When she spoke, her face turned pale and her eyes were wide open, full of confusion and loneliness. As for me, I felt a sudden chill, like cold water, like a cold wind blowing through my soul. I didn't say a word, just looked at her closed lips quietly until the blood oozed.
She saw the pain in my eyes, I think so, or read my pain. She took my hand and stroked it gently. "Oh, Robb, please don't do this. I don't want to hurt you. This is not your fault, nor is it our fault. Really, what do we compare with them? "
"I don't know why you say that, Leia." I seem to be divided into two parts: one wants to cry and the other wants to shout. I tried my best to put the two halves together to keep my voice calm, but in my heart, it was not calm. How can I be calm?
"Do you love me, Rob?" Once again, the same question is full of doubts.
Yes! Answer firmly and refuse any hesitation.
They were all sent to look for her. It's no use going if they can't find her. So, don't focus all the time, go back to work and get busy. "He turned to the elevator." Come on, the flying car is waiting for us, and Nelson will go with us. "
I remembered my dream. I returned to Yuan Ye, the endless dark plain, where there is not a star in the sky, but there are countless horrible contraction forms in the distance. This is the dark Yuanye that Leia often mentioned. It comes from one of her favorite poems. I am lonely, this is forever lonely, and everything in the world is born like this. I am the only existence in this universe. I'm cold, hungry and scared. Those terrible bodies approached me step by step, savage and doc. I can't ask anyone for help, I can't run to anyone, and no one will hear me cry. There has never been anyone else here, only me.
At this moment, Liana came to me.
She never fell in the starry night sky, looking pale and haggard, and stood with me on this piece of Yuan Ye. She brushed her hair back, looked at me with fiery eyes and smiled. I know it's not a dream. Yes, she joined me and we talked.
Hello, Rob. '
Leah, hi, Leah, where are you? You left me alone.
I'm sorry, I have to do this. You'll understand, Rob. You will understand. I don't want to live here anymore, I don't want to, I don't want to live in this terrible place anymore. I've had enough living here, Rob, except occasionally. '
A touch?
Yes, rob, and then the darkness comes again, with silence and this dark January night. '
You're confusing poetry, Leia. It's okay. You know more than I do. But are you forgetting something? For example, the switch says, "Ah, love, let's be loyal to each other ..."
Oh, Rob. '
Where are you?
I am everywhere, but my body is still in the cave. I'm ready, Rob. I can open myself more thoroughly than others. I've skipped parties and members. My gift made me used to sharing. It accepted me. '
Final combination?
Yes '
Oh, Leah.
Rob, please join us. Join me. This is happiness, you know? Be together forever, share everything and love each other. It's like I'm in love, Rob. I fell in love with millions of people. I know them better than you. They know everything about me. They love me and will always love me. Me, us, the whole union. I am still me, but I am also them, you know? They are me, too. All the participants are reading my mind, opening my heart. The union will call me every night because it loves me deeply, do you understand? Oh, Rob, join us. Stay with us. I love you. '
You want me to join the alliance to grow Giza? I love you, Leia, come back, it may have eaten you, tell me where you are, and I will come to you!
Yes, come and see me. Anywhere, Rob. All Giza insects are integrated, all caves are connected underground, and all small Giza insects are part of the association. Come to me, unite with me, love me like you said, unite with me, you are too far away from me now, it is difficult for me to meet you, even through the combined strength. Come to me and be one with us. "
No, I don't want to be eaten. Leia, please tell me where you are.
Poor Rob, don't be afraid, dear, health is not important. Giza needs its nutrition, and so do we. But, oh, don't get me wrong, Rob, this group will be more than just a monster, do you understand? Giza itself is not important, it doesn't even have basic ideas, it is just a connector, just a medium. The union will be a saint. Millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions of Saint-Croats, all the Saint-Croats who once existed, all the Saint-Croats who joined the club in these 14,000 years, they are all connected and in love, all the way to the house. It's beautiful, Rob, much more than we have. We are lucky, do you remember? We are! But this is much better. '
Leah, my Leah, I love you. That's not for you. That's for humans. Come back to me.
Not suitable for humans? Oh, of course it's suitable for humans! It is something that human beings are searching, crying and screaming for what they want in the lonely cold night. Rob, human love is just a poor imitation. This is love, true love. You got it? '
no
Come on, Rob, join us. Otherwise, you will be lonely forever, staying on that lonely plain, and only occasional contact and sound can make you. And in the end, when your body dies, you don't even have those anymore, only endless emptiness and darkness. vilen, Robb, forever and ever, I can't touch you anymore. But you have a choice, just ...'
number
Oh, Rob, I'm going crazy. Please come quickly. '
No, Leah, don't go. I love you, Leia. Don't leave me alone
I love you, Rob. I really do. I really love you. ...
Then she disappeared. I stood alone on the vilen again. I don't know where a gust of wind came from, took away her gentle words and disappeared into the endless cold.
Ten tasteless mornings, the door lock outside was opened. I climbed to the top of the tower and found a man in the office taught by Wicca. "Do you believe in God?" I asked him.
He looked up and smiled. "Of course." Tone faint, I miss him, he didn't even think about this topic.
"I don't believe in God," I said. "Leia also don't know. You know, talented people are basically atheists. Fifty years ago, on the ancient earth, there was an ultimate experiment, which was organized by a senior genius who was also a devout religious believer. He tried to connect the most talented people in the world through drugs, and then he could get in touch with the so-called consciousness of the existence of the universe, that is, God. The experiment was a complete failure, but the consequences did not stop there. Lannell is crazy, while others can only see endless, dark and empty dreamland, and feel unreal and lonely for no reason. In fact, talented people usually feel this way, and even ordinary people sometimes feel this way. Centuries ago, a famous poet Arnold wrote a poem called Dover Beach. The old saying is to write poetry, but it is worth reading. It describes vilen in the dark and shows-fear, or more. I don't know, I only know that it is the most primitive emotion. All human beings are born lonely, but they don't want this. They are always looking for each other, trying to contact each other, trying to intersect with others through nothingness. Some people succeed occasionally, while others never succeed.
The tide is full moon.
Facing the strait;
-On the French coast, the lights.
One is gone now; The cliffs of England,
Shiny and open, standing in the quiet bay.
Come to the window, how good the air is at night!
Just, from the land bleached by sea water and moonlight
Where they meet, the waves line up in a long line.
Listen! You can hear the roar of your ears,
It was the waves that rolled the stone back. Turn around.
Then throw it out, throw it on the high shore,
Come, stop, and then come again,
Xu Yuan's melody is full of energy,
Brought eternal sorrow.
Sophocles, a long time ago,
Hearing it in the Aegean Sea gave him a heart.
Brought human suffering.
The ups and downs of turbid waves; We can hear it, too
The trend of thought activity in this voice,
I heard its ups and downs in the distant North Sea.
Ocean of faith
Once upon a time, it was full and surrounded the earth.
Connected like a bright band.
But now what I hear is
Its melancholy, long, shrinking roar,
Retreat into the noise of the night wind,
Retreat from the vastness and desolation of the world.
And bare gravel.
Ah, love, let's be each other.
Be loyal! Because the world teaches us to distinguish
It looks like a dream in front of us,
So beautiful, so novel, so diverse,
There is actually no light, love, happiness,
There is no stability, peace and comfort for pain;
Here we are, surrounded by darkness, just like on the Lantern Festival.
Disturbed by struggle and escape, there is no pure land,
Ignorant troops clashed everywhere at night. ...
Matthew Arnold