A shadow landed on the balcony. The figure paused, sensing the presence inside the chamber.
Konrad met the shadow's gaze with his own.
The figure stiffened.
"Who are you?"
Konrad stood slowly, rising to his full height. Rain still clung to him, glistening on his armor.
"Ave Dominus Nox!"
(We have come for you!)
The storm howled.
The shadow flinched for a moment. Then immediately got into a combat stance. The weapon memory shimmering into their hand.
And the hidden chamber held its breath.
Then Konrad laughed aloud,
"I did not come to kill you."
The shadow did not lowered, the weapon memory that appeared in its hand.
"Really, I did not come here to kill you."
The shadow spoke, "Then why are you here?"
"I came here, because I wanted to."
The shadow seem more agitated.
"I just came to talk with a distinguished figure." Konrad said as he sat down.
"Fine. Tell me. What do you want with me?" The shadow spoke still in a combat stance.
"Relax! Calm down and sit." Konrad said again.
After some back and fourth, Konrad finally calmed down the shadow enough to make it lower its katana. The shadow took down its hood.
The shadow was a lean teenager with alabaster skin with sunken, alert black eyes. Konrad felt a sudden urge to punch his face.
Both of them had unhealthy pale skin, sunken black eyes, black hair. But Konrad looked older, his face fierce and rough. While this bastard's face could be mistaken for a girl's. He really felt indignant. Why wasn't his face handsome like this bastard? Heavens are really unfair.
Konrad sighed and spoke, "You might know. But allow me to introduce myself."
"I am Konrad of Night, the Night Haunter. My humble self is also the Night lord. They also gave me a title, Dark King."
"I also know you, Sunless."
"But first, take no offense, Sunless, you stink."
Sunless had an outraged expression as he spoke coldy,
"Sorry, your majesty! You had to smell of the stench of this slum rat."
"No! I didn't mean your physical odor. It is more like... How do I put it?... You have a certain metaphysical smell..."
Konrad snapped his fingers.
"This might be what they call the stench of Weaver."
Sunless flinched as his body became rigid.
"Anyway, back to what I was saying. You are Sunless, heir of death, bastard of fate."
Sunless was already at the point of lunging at Konrad.
Konrad chuckled as he spoke,
"Don't get so excited! I am some what of a seer, myself. So, I know some stuff."
Then Konrad voice became cold as he spoke again,
"I won't recommend what you are about to do. I am Night Haunter. I am not a weakling like that sleeper you killed in cold blood."
Sunless felt like he was in a icey cellular. He was panicking internally.
"You know what I am talking about, don't you? You killed that sleeper because you accidentally said something very very important for yourself. You killed him to keep that secret. So, don't make me dig out that secret, ok?"
Sunless shivered as he weakly sat down on the ground.
"Ah! Don't worry! Although what two person know doesn't remain secret, I won't... can't share it with another soul." Konrad said with a consoling voice.
"... unlike certain someone..." Konrad whispered.
"Huh?!"
"Nothing! Anyway, ask me any question you want."
Sunless stayed silent for a few minutes. Konrad waited silently.
"Hey! Tell me are you going to kill Nephis, Changing Star?"
Konrad slowly shaked his head as he said, "No! Not really. I won't kill her. Why would I? After all she is the star I am waiting all these years for."
"What do you mean?" Sunny asked confused.
"Ah! This takes back years ago. You know I went through my first nightmare trial at the tender age of twelve. I was so scared... so afraid back then. I thought I wouldn't make it. But I survived. I gained my true name, aspect and my... Flaw."
"Sunny, remember when I said I was some what of a seer. I saw nightmare at the day of winter solstice.
I saw a boundless darkness locked behind seven seals. Something vast was churning in the darkness. I felt like if I directly saw it, I would lose my mind. As I watched, horrified, the seals broke one after another, until only one remained. And then that seal broke, too."
"The dark sea surged out drowning the Forgotten Shore. After that .. … I don't know. It was as though my mind shattered into a thousand shards, each shard reflecting its own image. Most of them were dark and scary. Some I have already forgotten. While the others…"
"I saw the human castle again. Only this time, it was at night. There was a lonely star burning in the black skies, and under its light, the castle was suddenly consumed by fire."
"Then a burning angel lead us on suicidal march to siege the crimson spire."
"Ah! I have been waiting for this star of ruin to come for so many years. You can't believe the joy and elation, I feel."
"Don't seem to be mentally sane, are you bastard?" Sunless said.
"Hahaha... Ah! Sunless, my friend! Do you know arrived at the underworld alone when I woke up in the dream realm. It is very scary place. I wouldn't recommend it as a place to visit. I escaped from there like bug. I arrived at the southern most point of Forgotten Shore. I rode a headless statue to the dark city. I almost died several times in my travel. I killed a Fallen Devil who almost got me.
When I arrived at the dark city, it was full of anarchy. The second bright lord had just died in a suicidal raid on the crimson terror. It took me few months to gather my strength. I claimed the empty throne of the Bright Lord and became the Night Lord.
This last six years were very long, hard and painful. Even though I could had the power to siege the crimson spire. I couldn't... I must wait for the burning angel after all."
Sunless seemed angry as he started to speak,
"Why do you rule like this, even though you could do it in a better way?"
Konrad's voice became solemn as he said,
"By reason. By truth. I have learned how the hearts and minds of humans function. With that lore, I brought peace to this unforgiving dark city."
"--at the cost of freedom." Sunless said.
"Peace reigns, as I reign. I wouldn't expect your little minds to understand. You are a little man, with little dreams."
Sunny seemed more outraged.
"You've ushered in the peace of the graveyard. Peace, at the cost of surrendering all choice, all freedom. The sleepers of the dark city lies in terror, forced to live by the standards you place upon their shoulder. You killed hundreds without remorse."
"Yes...yes."
"But every mistake...is punished, but punished by death, no matter the crime. No matter the scale of the sin. The people of the city live in silence, lest a single word earn them death for speaking out against you."
Sunny said shakeily.
"Yes. Listen. Listen to the sound of raw silence. Is it not serene?"
Sunny was at the breaking point. Konrad decided to speak before Sunny erupts.
"Sigh!.... Sunless! I am tired, numb and exhausted. I have seen horrors beyond human comprehension. I have slain many nightmare creatures... Many humans... I have lost some of my sanity. I morals and values changed. I tried to save as many lives as possible. But some where along the way, I have become a wraith, a haunting being. Well, it was meant to be. I am Night Haunter after all."
"People needs a saint to lead them out of despair instead of a ghost, don't they?" Konrad chuckled.
"Let me tell you something, something very important for your near future. You will go on an expedition to recover something from the skeleton of the first bright lord and get another shard memory. I believe you have one of those. You must go on that expedition and recover all seven shard memories and gather them together. Only then we will get our keys to get out of this hellscape.
Anyway, don't share this conversation with others. Changing Star needs to feel the pressure to get stronger. You, she and her cohort needs to get stronger and some character development.
In a few days, I am going blame Effie for killing those sleepers you killed with borrowed knife of the fallen knight down below.After a week, I will send my Night Lords after you lot. You have just more than a week to prepare."
Konrad stopped as look towards outside. After few moments Sunny asked,
"Why are you telling me all these?"
Konrad chuckled, then said, "Because I want to. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"Anyway, Sunny! The storm has stopped and the sun is raising. I must leave. See you later." Konrad said as he stood up to leave.
Before Konrad left, he stopped for moment and said,
"Sunless! Changing Star is a very good master. You won't find another like her."
"What did you say?! You bastard!!"
"It is nothing. Just the rumblings of a mad seer."
With that last sentence, Night Haunter left the ruined cathedral.