The Waking World...
A tall, muscular man with dull, carefree eyes opened the door and stepped inside the house. The interesting thing about him was that, despite breaking in, he showed no urgency or concern. Instead, he was completely nonchalant about the entire ordeal.
Behind him walked his partner. He wasn't as tall, nor as carefree, but he was still at ease, just more serious than the dull-eyed man.
As they looked around, they quickly noticed a door reinforced with spell-tech. The nonchalant man remained silent, staring at it, while his partner walked away. A few seconds later, he returned holding a key and calmly unlocked the door.
They went inside and descended the stairs, deep into an underground chamber lined with sleeping pods. Beside them stood a small fighting ring and a table littered with cards and half-finished drinks.
The dull-eyed man approached the table. The sight was oddly amusing: cards scattered as if someone had thrown them away in frustration after a loss.
Meanwhile, his partner grimaced, shaking his head. "We've already wasted enough time. Let's get this done and leave."
"Do you think it'll work?" the dull-eyed man asked curiously, scratching the back of his head.
"I don't know. Let's trust the Lord. He already confirmed that this ridiculous plan might succeed, and even if it doesn't, it's not our place to question it," his partner said with a sigh, covering his face as if he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"I see... If that's the case, then..." The dull-eyed man grinned, glanced at the sleeping pod, and punched it.
The glass shattered into countless pieces. The sound was loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear, if not for the soundproof walls that kept it contained.
"Are you an idiot?" His partner stared at him blankly, irritation plain on his face.
"What?" The dull-eyed man looked back, genuinely confused.
"You could've just opened the damned pod, dumbass!" his partner spat venomously, baffled by the man's savage approach.
"Ah, yeah. I forgot. My bad." The nonchalant man grinned, clearly entertained and not listening in the slightest.
Then he reached into the broken pod and pulled out a young man with curly black hair and pale skin. He wasn't particularly handsome by Awakened standards, at least. Above average at best.
Despite that, his appearance was refined, and his presence carried a mischievous and almost unsettling air.
The man studied the peaceful, sleeping face of the one he was holding, then glanced at his partner. The partner nodded resolutely as white sparks formed around his hands, taking the shape of a bag.
The dull-eyed man shoved the sleeper inside without ceremony. The bag wasn't small, but it shouldn't have been large enough to contain a full-grown man, yet it was. Inventory-type Memories were just that useful. Still, had the man been awake, being trapped in such a confined space with nothing but darkness for company would have been torture.
"Let's go," the man said, glancing at his partner, who wore a wicked grin.
"Aye aye, boss. But it's exciting, isn't it? We're kidnapping Amon the Blasphemer for dead gods sake. It's ridiculous, hahaha," the dull-eyed man laughed.
"Enough. We're not here to have fun. We're here to get the job done," his partner reminded him coldly as he turned away.
The man remained motionless for a moment, shaking his head with a scowl. "Life without humor sucks... those miserable mongrels...
...
"Are you all ready?" Mr. Jacob asked the gathered Awakened before him.
They stood around a pitch-black pool of darkness at the deepest point of the Crimson Spire, a place that marked the seed of a Nightmare, one that the brave, the cowardly, and the insane alike would inevitably be forced to challenge.
Medici remained calm as he stared into the tenebrous void. His presence carried a hint of arrogance, but there was no carelessness in him. He knew how dangerous this nightmare would be. The Forgotten Shore of ancient times would push both his mind and body to their limits.
I'll do everything in my power. I will protect my friends, and my nephew. There's no need for useless worry; it brings no benefit. I need to focus, he thought, clenching his fists. His crimson eyes blazed quietly in the darkness.
Harus was serious and a bit anxious, staring at Luna's belly with a worried look. His bleak eyes narrowed, yet he remained thoughtful. Truth be told, Harus didn't like adults that much besides his friends, who more or less were no different from family. They lived, slept, ate, fought, laughed, and fooled around together.
But the most important one here for him was still little Evangelo, the defenseless, unborn child forced to participate in this hellish ordeal because of the Queen of Worms. Nightmares were unpredictable and dangerous; the chance of the child surviving was close to zero, which made his heart tighten even more.
Don't worry, my nephew... Uncle will butcher anyone who tries to harm you, he told himself, his expression growing more determined, bloodthirsty, and cold.
On the other hand, Gunlaug was unbothered and drunk... Understandable. For a person like him, death wasn't scary at all. He had been prepared to die for a long time already, since the day he became a Bright Lord and understood just how deep the shit he was in. That's why he wasn't concerned with the Nightmare endangering his life, but he was a bit worried when it came to his friends.
Caster wasn't bothered by the Nightmare at all. He was confident in his ability to escape if he woke up in a dangerous situation and knew he was capable of finding his allies as well.
[Note: He is just a zealot and believes his god will save him if something happens.]
Kai was nervous, if he was honest. Challenging a second Nightmare wasn't something to be taken lightly, but he was also determined to survive and defeat whatever horrors he would encounter. He wouldn't allow himself to turn away or avoid looking at the disgusting side of the world because of his own weakness.
Kido wasn't with them. She had decided to challenge the Nightmare with Gemma. The two of them, along with Lady Seishan, would challenge the second Nightmare Ki Song had prepared. They had known each other for years and had good teamwork.
Meanwhile, Luna was staring at the darkness with an unreadable expression. It was clear that she was afraid, not because she lacked strength; far from it. She was someone who was almost unkillable, and in the future, she would be immortal even as the Sovereign of the physical world. But what she was afraid of was something happening to her child. She had a bad feeling about this, something cold and terrible crawling in her gut.
As for Amon, he was sitting at the edge where the light of the torches met the darkness of the Spire. His crystal monocle glowed with an unsettling light as he stared at the pool curiously. Even now, he looked refined and composed, that air of mischief never leaving his side.
It should work... I did everything I could... Still, it's so exciting. I'll be betting my life on this, haha. It's been a while since I felt this much elation. When was the last time I did something so insane? Ahh, right, when I stole this region, yes.
Still, I'm a little confused. My heart is beating wildly, as if it cannot be contained in my chest. Risking everything on this... Of course, can I find anything more ecstatic than doing the impossible? Nothing. Only by dissecting the laws of this world one by one, only by doing everything that contradicts what's known as common sense, only then will I have fun. I'm an error. Contradicting the laws that make up this world is natural for me.
Amon's eyes gleamed with ambition, his heart boiling with anticipation. But meh, I can't go crazy like last time. I need to act with caution this time since my child's life is on the line. Unlike my friends, Evangelo can't protect himself.
He sighed, conflicting emotions rising from his heart. Whatever happens... I have to protect my child, by any means necessary. Even if he has to hate me for that later.
"Yes, we're ready." He nodded at Jacob, who sighed and glanced back at the pool of liquid blackness.
"We've discussed everything already, but let me remind you." Jacob's voice grew grave. "The Forgotten Shore in ancient times was merciless and unforgiving. The people were insane, and they would do everything to bring the sun back to this realm by any means necessary. We're not aware of their culture and traditions, but I doubt it's anything pleasant, so be cautious." He paused, letting his words sink in. "From what we've gathered, the goal to survive this Nightmare is destroying the Spire. The Forgotten Shore must never taste the warmth of light again. Understand?"
Everyone nodded, their expressions grim. They had already prepared their tools: lanterns, weapons suited for assassination, poison, and more.
Jacob smiled in approval and continued. "After entering the Nightmare, the first thing you need to worry about is your own safety. After that, gather as much information as you can and regroup at the ruins below the skeleton of the ancient leviathan. From there, the real trouble begins, and you'll have to plan how to destroy the Spire." His gaze hardened. "Remember, the condition for survival is destroying the Crimson Spire. The artificial sun must never be born."
He paused, then glanced at Luna with a thoughtful look. "Luna, if you're separated from your child, don't act rashly. Recklessness won't save Evangelo. If it's possible to rescue him, then do it. If not..." He let the implication hang in the air. "Do as we've planned."
Luna nodded, looking down and biting her lower lip in frustration, her fists clenched. Nevertheless, she agreed. Being emotional wouldn't help. Besides, she needed to digest the Sower's characteristics and grow stronger as soon as possible. Not to mention finding Amon and supporting him. His plan was as crazy as everything he'd ever done in the Dark City. Without her, it would fail.
"Raven." Jacob turned to the young man with pitch-black hair and four onyx eyes, who stared into the distance aimlessly while yawning. "You'll be responsible for finding Evangelo. Your sole purpose in this Nightmare is to protect the child, no matter what. Your abilities are tailor-made for the job. You're the perfect scout."
Raven stretched lazily, then met Jacob's gaze with calm assurance. "Got it. No worries. I'll take care of the boy."
His human form was rather peculiar. He resembled Amon but was taller and slightly more muscular, like a shadow given sharper edges.
Jacob nodded, his gaze lingering on each of them for a moment. Then he smiled bitterly. "I failed as a teacher. For that, I'm sorry. If I were more powerful, Ki Song wouldn't have been able to force you into this." He sighed, then shook his head. "But complaining won't change anything. So do your worst, punks, and survive."
"Oh, and Amon, how's that thing doing?"
Amon glanced toward the ship in the harbor, using Decryption to peer into what was happening aboard the Horizon's Edge. The loathsome, limbless beast was growling and thrashing in its chains, miserable and contained. He nodded in confirmation and dismissed the memory, returning it to his soul sea. "Everything's fine. We're good to go. Valor Clan's enchanted chains are something else, really."
Then, along with his cohort, Amon stepped into the cold pool of blackness.
The moment his foot touched the surface, tenebrous darkness enveloped him. It was oppressive and freezing, creeping up his legs, his torso, his neck, until he was completely submerged. The cold bit into his bones like needles of ice, and the darkness pressed against him from all sides, suffocating and alive.
Floating in the endless abyss, Amon felt chills crawling up his spine. He shivered, drifting deeper toward the pulsating rift in reality. The rift throbbed like a wound in the fabric of existence, bleeding crimson light into the void.
Soon, he found himself floating alone in complete darkness. His cohort had vanished as if they'd never been beside him at all. Even with Decryption, he couldn't sense them. He was surrounded by utter nothingness, an emptiness so profound it felt like drowning in the absence of everything.
The silence was absolute. Crushing. It pressed against his ears until he could hear his own heartbeat, frantic and small in the vast expanse of nothing.
In that nothingness, he heard the voice of the Spell.
[Blasphemer! Prepare for your Second Trial…]
The voice was neither male nor female, neither kind nor cruel. It simply was, echoing through the void with the weight of inevitability.
So this is the start... Amon thought with a faint smile. Lady Spell, please be gentle with me this time.
[Nine brave ones… welcome to the Nightmare!]
The words reverberated through the darkness, and something shifted. The void grew colder and heavier.
Nine, huh? Last one is Evangelo. Now... first thing I need to do... find my son, and start mer...
He didn't get to finish that thought.
In an instant, his vision cleared.
And what he saw made his blood run cold.
[End of Volume II: The City of Mysteries]
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Omake Title: I'm Not a Virgin.
"I'm a bit surprised that you asked me to dinner, Mr. Medici." Morgan's lips curled into an amused smile as she rested her cheek on her palm, glancing at Medici with mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Nothing to be surprised about. We're friends, and I like how you fight," Medici replied without thinking, sipping his juice after taking a bite of Harus's kebab.
It could be said that Harus and Ah Chu knew every drama that was happening in the Moirai because of how popular their places were. This dinner was about to become legendary.
"I'm a little curious. Why ask me? A man as handsome as you would have lots of admirers, right? I doubt you lack experience with women either... Hmm, are you seducing me, Mr. Medici?" Morgan chuckled, leaning back and crossing her arms with a knowing grin.
At the same time, Medici froze mid-sip.
The juice sprayed from his mouth like a fountain as he choked, coughing violently and wiping his face with frantic urgency. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, anything, but the words tangled in his throat like a mouse caught by a cat. His hands flailed uselessly in the air.
Seeing his reaction, Morgan's smile twitched. Then it faltered. Then it disappeared completely, replaced by dawning horror. "Wait, so... you're... you know what, right?"
Medici quickly composed himself, though his ears were suspiciously red. His expression grew deadly serious as he leaned forward, intertwining his fingers like a sage about to deliver ancient wisdom, and answered with the gravitas of a man confessing to murder.
"Indeed... I stand before thee in radiant purity. Untouched as the first snow upon the mountains of Ravenheart. I proclaim with absolute honesty that I am the chaste wanderer, the maiden-souled pilgrim, the keeper of untouched vows. I swear upon the omnipotence of the Spell that not a single romantic crusade has ever claimed my heart, nor hath any passionate storm dared to cross the sacred gates of my innocence. My virtue remaineth sealed like a holy scroll of prophecy, guarded by the Malevolent Dragon of the City of Calamity. I walk this world as a sanctified novice, a pure-hearted angel of light, glowing with the embarrassing brilliance of one untested by Cupid's fiery arrow. That is the essence of me."
The entire restaurant had gone silent. Even Harus stopped grilling kebabs to stare.
Morgan stared at him for a few seconds, her expression matching his deadly seriousness. Then, with the delicacy of a surgeon delivering terrible news, she asked, "So... you're a virgin?"
Medici's composure shattered instantly. He looked down at his kebab like it had personally betrayed him, his shoulders hunching as if the weight of the world had crashed upon them. On the verge of tears, he barely whispered, his voice cracking with shame, "Yes..."
"That's rough, buddy." Harus sighed, shaking his head.
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[A/N: I'm a little disappointed with this chapter. It wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, to be honest, and I didn't feel motivated to rewrite it either.
Anyway, my bro was nagging me to create a Discord, so I did. Here's the link:
If you'd like to join, feel free to do so.
So, enough of that. Curious about what Amon is planning? Heh, you'll find out in the nightmare. As for why I'm late… I'll be honest, I lost the plot. But luckily, I left notes behind and remembered it. Hell yeah!
That's it for now, guys. I'll be taking a break because of New Year and exams, so I'll start writing again in three or four weeks.
Enjoy the meal, and love you all!]
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