#437This arrow was shot beautifully, and we can still save him.AI Model: gemini-2.5-flashChapter 437: This arrow was shot beautifully, and we can still save him"Aaron, you're joking, right?" Edmund asked nervously."No, I'm very serious." Aaron looked at Nikabrik meaningfully, "Go on, give him a quick death. I promise you'll die just as quickly.""No, don't come over." A hint of fear appeared in Nikabrik's eyes, and the sword pressed against Caspian's neck drew a trickle of blood."Stop!" Susan cried out worriedly."Nikabrik has gone mad," Trumpkin said gravely, "He really will kill Caspian.""Doesn't matter. Caspian and I have only known each other for a few days; our friendship isn't that deep.If he dies, I'll mourn him for a minute, but I'll also avenge him so he can rest in peace." Aaron said indifferently, continuing to walk forward.Nikabrik was horrified. "Stop him, or I'll kill Caspian immediately."Susan drew her bow, aiming at Aaron. "Stop."Aaron rolled his eyes, speechless. "Can you use your brain?He won't kill Caspian. Releasing the White Witch requires the blood of a living person; the blood of a dead person is useless."Nikabrik's heart sank. To rescue the Queen, he indeed couldn't kill Caspian."Both of you, don't move. Whoever moves, I'll shoot." Susan said helplessly. She didn't know if Aaron was telling the truth, but she dared not gamble with Caspian's life."You don't have much time. The Telmarine army will attack soon," the White Witch said indifferently. "Wasting time is unwise.""I'm afraid you're just wishing they'd come now!" Aaron said disdainfully. "We haven't made sufficient defensive preparations. If the Telmarine army arrives, we'll have no choice but to cooperate with you."The White Witch smiled without speaking. The choice was always theirs, but the longer they delayed, the greater her advantage."What should we do?" Edmund asked, flustered."It's simple. You go stop Susan, and I'll go kill Nikabrik." Aaron hinted, "You don't want the White Witch to rule Narnia again, do you?""What?" Susan was caught off guard. "That's too mean!""I...""Don't hesitate now. She's your sister; she won't shoot you with an arrow.""But what about Caspian?" Peterasked."He won't die. Nikabrik wouldn't dare kill him if he wants to release the White Witch.""Don't push me!" Nikabrik shouted, feigning ferocity. "If I can't survive, I don't mind taking someone down with me."Aaron was speechless to see the others still hesitating."As long as we're fast enough, there's a chance.Don't forget, Queen Lucy still has a small vial of medicine!"Hearing this, the smile on the White Witch's face quickly faded, and she eagerly extended her right hand. "Hurry, give me the blood. Blood will restore my freedom."Nikabrik didn't care anymore and directly pushed Caspian towards the ice wall."Dream on." Aaron swiftly stepped forward and kicked Caspian out of the circle.Susan immediately released her right hand, and a red arrow pierced Nikabrik's knee.He let out a painful scream, and Trumpkin immediately stepped forward to restrain him."What... what happened to me just now?" Caspian shook his head, bewildered. As memories of earlier flooded his mind, he swallowed nervously, filled with dread."It's a good thing you stopped me from releasing her, or I would have been the sinner of all Narnia.""You're welcome.""You... you really didn't care about my life just now, did you?""How could that be?" Aaron said earnestly, "That was just a strategy. I would never treat a friend's life as insignificant."Caspian forced a smile. He didn't think it was a strategy; he, as a hostage, probably wasn't worth much in Aaron's eyes."Alright, it's all over now." Aaron gave the White Witch an innocent smile, then drew the longsword from Caspian's waist. "Goodbye, no, never again.""Wait!" the White Witch said urgently, "You can let me out; I will obey your every command.""Sorry, but I'm not some naive kid who's new to the world. You can't fool me."Edmund:...I feel like I've been subtly insulted."You are different from them, Wizard.""You're a Wizard?" Peter asked, looking at Aaron seriously."How could that be? Don't listen to her nonsense.""He is indeed a Wizard, Peter," the White Witch said calmly, "And his magic is not weak; even I can't see its depth.""Nonsense!" Aaron immediately lunged with his sword. He didn't want his identity exposed; a boy and a boy Wizard were two completely different concepts.Clang!A red arrow hit the sword, and the longsword carved a crack in the ice wall, but it did not harm the White Witch inside."Damn it!" Aaron glared furiously at Susan, retorting unceremoniously, "Are you sick?""There's still time; let her finish," Susansaid guiltily."You'd rather believe your old archenemy than believe me?""We just want to get things clear," Edmund stammered, "The White Witchis indeed cunning and treacherous, but even if she wanted to deceive us, she wouldn't be so perfunctory, would she?""It's precisely because it's absurd that she can deceive you!" Aaron said angrily."But you are truly too special," Petersaid, "In our understanding, a fifteen-year-old boy simply couldn't lift an iron gate weighing several thousand pounds, nor would he possess such exaggerated swordsmanship.""Is it not possible to be born with divine strength and extraordinary talent?""A Wizard infiltrated your ranks and deliberately concealed his strength." The White Witch smiled meaningfully, "Could there be some ulterior motive?You know everything about me, but how much do you know about him?When Narnia's army and the Telmarines fight to a mutual defeat, what does a powerful Wizard mean?""Shut up!" Aaron's face turned dark. Just as he was about to attack again, a red arrow landed in front of him."Don't move yet.""You... you're simply unreasonable." Aaron felt his head buzzing. He turned to the White Witch, whose face was full of amusement. "Don't think you can escape just by stalling for time.""I don't mean that," the White Witchsaid, then confidently extended her right hand. "Peter, a strange Wizard is a threat to Narnia. You need power to fight against him.""I don't trust you," Peter said, pursing his lips."But he can't be trusted either, can he?""I trust him," Lucy suddenly interjected, "Aaron can be trusted. Aslan told me so."Aaron's mouth twitched slightly. "If it weren't for that last half-sentence, I'd be very happy.But for that trust, I'll protect your life until I leave this world. As for everyone else... good luck!"As his words fell, Aaron looked at Susan, a purple gleam flashing in his pupils.She immediately lowered her bow and stood rooted to the spot, stunned."What did you do to her?" Peter asked, pointing his sword at Aaron vigilantly."Don't worry, I didn't hurt her. Just a little hypnotism.""Why?" Edmund frowned slightly."Do you like being pointed at with a bow and arrow all the time?" Aaron retorted, then changed the subject. "Actually, I'm a very magnanimous person, but magnanimity doesn't mean I don't have a temper."Edmund was momentarily speechless. If he were standing at the tip of someone's arrow, he probably couldn't tolerate it either."Are you really a Wizard?" Lucy asked curiously."A fourth-year Wizard at a magicschool. I'll be a fifth-year after the holidays." Aaron said indifferently, "I'm a Wizard. Are you satisfied now?""There's a magic school?" Lucy's mouth dropped open. "How come we've never heard of it?""It's a Ministry of Magic regulation. Ordinary people generally don't know of the existence of Wizards.""Then why didn't you tell us?" Peterslowly lowered his sword. "If you had been clear earlier, there wouldn't have been so many misunderstandings.""This is a rule passed down by my family, and it's also to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.In the Middle Ages, ordinary people would burn Wizards alive. The cities and lives of the Telmarines aren't much different from that period. Do I dare to speak carelessly?" Aaron said, both angry and annoyed. "I inexplicably came to Narnia, and all I wanted was to go home, but I unexpectedly got caught up in a war.By the way, I saved you all once last night, didn't I? Is this how you treat your saviors?"The few people exchanged glances, then silently lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.As the scene fell into an awkward silence, no one noticed the White Witch quietly giving Nikabrik a look.He immediately understood but made no extra movements, fearing Trumpkin would notice, only continuously searching for something."If I attack her now, does anyone have an objection?"The few people, including Susan who had come to her senses, all shook their heads, no longer objecting."Perhaps we can cooperate," the White Witch smiled. "Ordinary people will gradually fall under my control, but Wizards are different.I can acknowledge you as my master and serve you.""Tsk tsk tsk! To be honest, I'm a little tempted.But you are even more insidious than the Dark Wizards I've encountered; I can't trust you." Aaron said, holding his sword horizontally in front of him, pointing it at the White Witch's abdomen."Wait, you'd better think carefully." A hint of nervousness appeared in the White Witch's voice. "I possess some of Narnia's supreme magic tomes and can help you rule Narnia.""Haha! In our family, anyone who rules other worlds would be expelled from the family tree." Aaron sneered, "Goodbye."Just as he was about to kill the White Witch, Nikabrik suddenly roared, broke free from Trumpkin's grasp, picked up the longsword from the ground, and lunged at Aaron.Whoosh!A red arrow suddenly shot towards Nikabrik."No!" Aaron was horrified, but it was too late. The arrow had already pierced Nikabrik's chest."Uh..." Susan was bewildered. "You're welcome.""Thanks, I'll thank your grandpa.""I saved you!""I don't need you to save me, and..." Aaron looked at the ice wall sealing the White Witch, his face turning particularly grim. "How about we continue discussing your terms from just now?""Now you're not in a position to negotiate with me, child." A cold smile appeared on the White Witch's lips, completely different from her earlier subservience.Crack! Crack!Several cracks appeared on the ice wall, and white cold air rapidly spread throughout the hall."Because Adam did not directly give his blood, the seal will take longer to break, but it will be enough.""When?" Peter asked in astonishment."Just now," Aaron said grumpily. "Nikabrik's sword had Caspian's blood on it.I could have stopped him, but Queen Susan's arrow was truly beautiful. Before he died, he threw the sword onto the ice wall.""I... I didn't mean to," Susan said, feeling wronged."Centuries ago, Dwarves served me. I never thought they would still be loyal centuries later.""Don't slander all Dwarves because of one or two scoundrels," Trumpkin said coldly."What do we do now?" Lucy asked uneasily."Before the seal is completely broken, quickly kill her," Edmund said. He and Peter exchanged glances, simultaneously drawing their longswords and thrusting them at the White Witch.But before they had run a few steps, the white cold air transformed into ice spikes, knocking them flying."Idiots, if it were that easy, I would have done it long ago." Aaron curled his lips in disdain."Stop making sarcastic remarks, quickly think of something!" Lucy said anxiously."There is still a way." Aaron took a deep breath and turned to look at Caspian. "Your Royal Highness, you wouldn't mind making a small sacrifice for Narnia, would you?"Hearing this, Caspian couldn't help but shiver. "What do you want to do?""The condition for breaking the seal is Adam's blood, which is the blood of a human male.But the blood of a dead person has no effect. In other words, as long as you die, the release of the seal will be forcibly stopped.""Stop!" The White Witch's face changed drastically, and she roared furiously, "You have nothing to lose by letting me out. At least it's better than dying under the Telmarines' iron hooves.""If my death can solve this big problem, I can die," Caspian said seriously, then changed the subject, "But is there really no other way?""This is the simplest way.""What about the complicated one?" Lucy asked, "What's the complicated method?""Kill her before she breaks the seal.""But we can't even get close to her.""You're a Wizard," Trumpkin said, looking at Aaron, "Perhaps...""That's too much effort, otherwise I wouldn't have suggested killing Caspian.""So there's a possibility of success?" Peter asked, surprised."That's what I said, but I'm not absolutely sure," Aaron said with difficulty."Don't worry about that now!" Susansaid anxiously, "Even a one percent chance is worth trying. We can't risk Caspian's life.""But I need time. If I fail, it'll be too late to kill Caspian.""Let me do it!" Caspian took a deep breath. "The future of Narnia is at stake; we can't delay, and we certainly can't take risks.""That's the right attitude," Aaron said with a look of relief. "Although I'm only ninety percent sure...""Wait!" Peter immediately interrupted him. "How much did you say? Ninety percent sure?"Aaron nodded. "But we can't afford to lose the remaining ten percent. I think Caspian must feel the same way."Everyone exchanged glances, and Caspian's face was even darker. He weakly raised his still-bleeding left hand. "Um... I think I can still be saved."
