Konrad had a pleasant conversation with the Lost From Light in the cathedral.
But even pleasant conversations must end.
By the time Konrad returned to the Bright Castle, it was already noon the next day.
The storm had passed, but its remnants still lingered in the sky—thick grey clouds casting long shadows over the ancient stone fortress. The castle's iron gates groaned as they opened to receive their master.
Waiting for him were two of his most loyal captains: Harus and Sevatar.
Harus, the shadow butcher, wore his silence like armor. His cold eyes studied Konrad briefly, then offered a subtle nod. He had never been a man of words. Only actions. And blood.
Sevatar, on the other hand, stepped forward with a grin.
"You took your time, my lord," he said.
Konrad returned the grin faintly. "Had to speak with an important figure."
Sevatar had come to the Forgotten Shore five years ago. Konrad had saved him from a half dying state. Back then, he had been nothing more than a half-dead boy from the outskirts. He is from the slums, he only received couple of months of training from the awakened academy before being thrown into this death zone. He didn't had any memory or echo. He was naked, afraid, starved, dehydrated and very badly injured when Konrad first saw him.
He was in really bad situation back then.
Konrad had found him sprawled in the dust, a broken leg mangled beneath him, fleeing from a carapace scavenger. The beast was ready to end him.
Thankfully, Konrad just managed to kill the monster and save him in the nick of time.
From that day forward, Sevatar had sworn himself to Konrad. And unlike many others, he had never broken that oath.
Most thought Sevatar was just another stray Konrad had picked up. They couldn't have been more wrong. He proved them all wrong. After coming to the bright castle, he trained madly and got very strong within a few months. Soon, he became the captain of the eighth company of the Night lord legion.
Konrad didn't mind his rapid rise to power and he would say it's one of the best investment he had made in Forgotten Shore.
Beneath the grime and trauma, Sevatar carried something exceedingly rare: a Supreme Aspect.
Yes! That is right, this slum rat has a supreme aspect. In all these years. Konrad had only found three people with supreme aspects in Forgotten Shore.
It manifested as a sixth sense so sharp, so precise, it bordered on precognition. While Konrad could peer into potential futures, Sevatar could feel danger before it arrived, sense intentions before they coalesced into actions. Their synergy on the battlefield was terrifying.
In six years, Konrad had only ever discovered four people with Supreme Aspects in the Forgotten Shore.
Sevatar was the first. Gemma was the second.
The third was Song Seishan. Yeah! Apparently this blood sucker had a Supreme aspect. Too bad she is one of the Queen of Worm's daughters.
And the fourth…
Konrad walked past his captains without another word and ascended to the higher levels of the Bright Castle. Toward his private chamber.
There, waiting for him as always, was the fourth Supreme aspect holder.
She stood by the entrance of his chamber, awaiting the Dark King's return. Her long, ink-black hair flowed like shadow silk, and her presence was both graceful and alluring... Eerily so.
She is Konrad's partner in all but name. She is like his shadow. She helps him with the governs, hunts and takes care of him.
Konrad didn't forced her to do these. She does it with her own will.
Konrad paused at the doorway. He clicked his tongue. Every time he sees this witch, his heart skips a bit.
"Damn, attributes!"
***
Three years ago, he had saved her.
It was during one of his annual expeditions—the winter solstice hunts to recover new Sleepers who had the misfortune to find themselves in this cursed land. He had been scouring the northeast of the city, in the crimson labyrinth when he found a fresh kill: a carapace scavenger, recently dead. Its killer had fled, bleeding.
He followed the blood trail into a jagged hill of ancient bones.
There, nestled between two massive ivory ribs, he found her.
A teenage girl, pale as snow, leaning against the bone with a broken crimson spike lodged deep in her abdomen. Her hands were soaked in blood, trying in vain to stop the flow. Her eyes were wild, darting between shadows with fear.
And when she saw Konrad enter, she felt relief and showed Konrad the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Terrifying in its honesty.
He had also smiled back.
"Stop that," he said quietly.
"Keep casting whatever hex your casting and I might just skin that beautiful face of yours."
Konrad spoke in a honey voice.
She flinched, lowering her gaze.
"Much better," he continued, stepping closer. "Now, tell me… If I save you, will you follow me? Or you could just die here, bleeding out."
Her voice, though weak, was melodic. "Save me, and I'll be your slave for life."
Konrad felt a shiver running down his spine.
"Wtf!? Is this girl beast master's daughter or something?"
He had crouched beside her, inspecting the wound.
"Slavery is overrated," he murmured. "I need subordinates, not livestock."
"Then I'll be whatever you want," she said, tears mixing with the blood on her cheeks. "Just don't let me die here."
And he didn't. He took out two healing type memories. First was a bundle of white cloth. The cloth wasn't very durable and easy to tear. But the bundle had more cloth than it's appearance suggested. This fabric worked excellently as bandage. Second was a bottle which generated alcohol.
This two memories are one of the valuable memory one could have in Forgotten Shore. They could save lives. After all, not everyone had magical flames that heals them, neither their blood was awesome enough to not bleed.
He poured alcohol on the cloth, took out the broken spike, cleaned the wound with alcohol and bandage the area. While bandaging her, he came close to losing his composure.
She was absolutely gorgeous in every sense of the word and she was practically naked. Although she was a bit malnourished, she had them where they mattered. She had long black hair, yellow eyes with a mole under her lip and a facial appearance like the east asians.
Few sea weed wearing hiding her privates. They also feel off while bandaging her. He saw everything that should and shouldn't be seen.
He felt something rasing and it wasn't the shield hero. What could he say, he is a teenager, hormones running rampant. Thankfully [Mantle of Night] protected his dignity.
As Konrad was bandaging her, he could feel her amused gaze on his face, waiting for his reaction.
"Why is so face red, my prince?"
She murmured. Konrad felt both shame and excitement. He was very close to diving his talons into her guts.
After that he cleaned the area and area around the shelter. He also gave her an armor type memory to cover herself.
By that point, he only had an hour of daytime left. He decided to spend the night there. After cleaning the area off of blood. He came back to the shelter and sat down beside her.
He decided to talk with his new recruit.
"Introduce yourself?"
"My name is Izanami. I'm currently seventeen years old and I have no parents. I like to watch dra-"
"I don't want to know that. Tell about your power and your usefulness."
"I have an Awakened aspect, my dormant ability makes other people have favorite impression of me. My-"
"Why are you lying?"
Izanami became silent. Then she spoke, "I am sorry. I have a supreme aspect and currently I can enchant other people by looking at their eyes. I have few attributes which makes my appearance and voice very attractive."
Konrad sighed, "I guess you had a lot of trouble. Because of it. Anyway I will call you of Izzy. I am Konrad of Night, Night Haunter. I rule the only human bastion in this hellscape. We will talk more tomorrow. Stay silent for the night. It's dangerous."
He became silent as they could hear the distant rumble of the dark sea.
He looked up at the empty dark sky. He smiled, "Who says I can't change the follow of river of destiny. I just created a variable and thrown a small pebble into the river destiny. I will continue to so. Maybe! Just maybe one day this pebbles will gather and create a giant dam in the river, changing the flow. Even the grandest design could be destroyed through a single choice."
***
It took Izanami couple of day heal her injury. Konrad stayed with her for that time. They got know each other. Konrad didn't really felt something for her, aside from some lust because of hormone. But he got to understand her character and oh boy! He might just gotten a hidden gem.
Although Izanami didn't share her past, Konrad saw it in his dream,
"He saw a small girl in the arms of women. That women worked in a brothel and the small girl grew up there. But the girl's mother died. After that some people in the brothel tryed to force her sleep with people. The girl fearing being forced, ran away from the brothel. She lived on the streets for few weeks, before succumbing to her first nightmare."
Konrad had nothing to say about it. It is very common after all. But he might pay a visit to that brothel when he returns to the waking world. Who knows.
Some people might just trying to make a living, but who told them accidentally offend someone stronger. The world was cruel like that after all.
Izanami had potential to be strong and a good brain. She is calculating, manipulative and expert communication skills. She would become Konrad's greatest asset if he doesn't mess up.
After Izanami healed, Konrad took her back to the bright castle. He cultivated her, but he really messed up.....