The night went on, the air was calm, cold and relaxing. But it was not too long before the early rays of the morning sun poured through the window in Minho's room.
Minho's internal alarm went off and he stirred awake. Pushing himself up to sit, he yawned, rubbing his eyes.
The room was eerily quiet. A little too quiet - as if all sound both from the outside and inside were muted. He ran his hand through the bed, looking for a pen he used lat night. After finding it, he broke it. Strangely, there was still no sound.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my room?" Minho muttered, still rubbing his eyes. He finally stopped, looking at the corner of the room where an old man sat on a chair. He had long, whit hair and his skin looked a pale blue.
"Ah, I was expecting you to have risen about an hour ago when I arrived. But it seems your senses all go off when you are fully immersed in sleep." The old man muttered with a faint smile playing on his lips.
'An hour ago? Who is this guy and how is he in my room? Is mom okay? Damnit.' Minho thought, quickly getting up to his feet and summoning Dragon Fang. "I'm not in the mood for having visitors by this time." His aura flared.
[Aura Of A Monarch Activated!]
"Calm down a bit," The old man raised his hands, his smile stretching even longer. "I'm not here to fight with you, Antares."
"Huh?" Minho's eyes went a little wide. Wasn't that the Dragon King's name? How did he know it? Does he also know about the system? No, it's probably something else he said.
"But if you truly still prefer to attack," the old man's eyes glowed an unnatural icy blue. "Who am I to stop you?"
The sense of power immediately slipped from Minho's hands to the man's.
[Aura Of A Monarch has been negated!]
[Absolute Domain success rate: 15%]
[50% of player's passive skills are being negated!]
[70% of player's passive skills are being negated!]
[All passive skills except for Dragon's Vitality and Heart Of Void have been negated!]
A strange cold ran up Minho's blood ass several system screens came up. He could move if he wanted but he couldn't budge for some reason. This feeling - he had felt it before, when he started his journey. The day the Dragon King showed him a glimpse of his dragon army. But this felt different in it's own way.
The world seemed to go still around him. His breathing became slightly faster than it should be. This feeling... He thought he had lost it already. Almost forgotten what it was to feel like this. But was this truly it? Was this…
[• Pop-up Quest 2:
- For player's own safety, do NOT engage in combat with the Monarch Of Frost!]
Fear? Was he really scared right now?
"Well, I am not here to confront you in a battle, Antares. Do you still not recognize me? Is it that you have completely forgotten?" The man's eyes narrowed. "Or do you not know me at all?"
Minho didn't reply. He calmly dismissed Dragon Fang and exhaled. He was far from someone who'd squirm just because of such a power gap. He was still the Herald Of Annihilation. And that title was for he who saw destruction and walked through it to cause more. He who embraced the path to Ash and Oblivion in it's wake. He who conquered dungeons through sheer destruction.
There was nothing to fear. Even if he'd lose in a battle, he'll never succumb to that feeling called fear. His face became more serious. "Who are you?"
'Ah, he truly has the will alone. Rakkan was right after all. It is a succession not a vessel transfer. He isn't a monarch yet, he's being reborn. This makes it easier for me, doesn't it?' the old man thought. Then he chuckled lightly. "I am Sillad, the Monarch Of Frost. A great ally of yours. But it seems you don't know who you are."
The Monarch Of Frost, just like the system said. An ally though? "Huh?"
"You see, we've fought side by side in wars against the Rulers, our mortal enemies. We fought for eons. But then came then came the Monarch Of Shadows, Ashborn. A traitor who sided with the Rulers and reduced our armies with his monstrous power. He caused the death of your predecessor, he killed the Dragon Monarch. He killed Antares."
This all sounded new to Minho, but something inside him urged him to believe it, even if it wasn't all correct.
"They have turned the tides against us once more. We need you to once more, return to your ranks and help us win this battle against the Rulers and the Monarch Of Shadows once and for all."
Minho's mind was a whirlwind. 'Is he saying the truth? Am I a Monarch? The Dragon King is dead? Then who's controlling the system? Ashborn? How many more Monarchs are there?'
Sillad smiled, knowing he's got Minho right where he wanted. "Well," He stood up. "I'll leave you to think about it. You don't seem to have gained all your powers yet. I will wait and I will return when you are ready."
He wove his hand ahead of him slightly and a portal similar to a dungeon gate appeared. "We have not much time left." He said to Minho before walking into it. It sealed shut behind him, leaving a crystalline frost where he stood before melting away under the sun rays.
Minho stood in the room, alone. All sound seemed to return after the Frost Monarch's departure. Was everything the old man said true? Minho couldn't tell.
[• Pop-up Quest 2 completed!]
But one thing was for sure. He felt a sense of anger wash over him when Sillad was talking, and it was because of one name…
The Monarch Of Shadows, Ashborn.