Something was wrong somewhere most definitely. But at this moment, Halo couldn't help but try to calm himself down.
He needed to decipher Liam's words with a clear mind.
"That was quite a lot, Liam. We may be allies, but this is too much."
Liam bowed his head repeatedly and apologized on each beat.
This irritated Halo because the hero was nothing like that. The hero was everything he ought to be, too confident and energetic and he always had everything to back up his character.
But this… despite barring the Asterion name was nothing like the hero. Could they be siblings?
Frey, the old man from Noah's estate, and Saint had both known the hero, the young man with the long red earring. Liam couldn't be him. It wasn't possible. But still, after learning all this, he couldn't simply let Liam go. He'd hold him close, and considering his anxious nature, he could shape him.
"My name is Seraphim D'Angelo. My Flaw is deception, and my ability, Dormant Flames, fuels me with unending passion. The longer I fight, the stronger it burns, and with it, I can command fire."
Seraph said with calm elegance.
"…yeah, I've got a gift too. The Ancient One. My Only Sin gave it to me after my first purpose. Can't say I've ever seen it, but apparently, it's a force bound to show up whenever I'm near death."
She sighed.
Halo followed her words with a similar reaction.
For a moment there, Halo thought she was speaking of the Ancient Light, the hero's nemesis.
Nothing in this world seemed like the game.
He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down… Tempus est dominus. Time is the master.
He glanced at their faces to see both of them patiently waiting for him.
"Halo Tenebris. My Flaw's coldness, so don't take it personally if I sound like an asshole sometimes."
He gave them a warm smile before calling out for Light.
Liam and Seraph's mouths parted slightly in disbelief as they watched Halo's shadow take form. It bore Halo's dirty-white hair with the same red streaks and was also dressed in an attire similar to his own.
"I can create a clone of myself, and of everything I slay. This is Light."
Both Seraph and Liam frowned but before they could throw their questions at him, Halo summoned his daggers and began shifting them between weapons.
"The Magnus Blade. My Only Sin gave it to me. Supposedly, it can become any weapon… though I'm not entirely sure."
Liam gulped awkwardly with sweat forming on his brow which made Halo slightly uncomfortable because Seraph also bore a similar expression.
"Uhm… I thought your hair was just dirty, but that's your real hair?"
Seraph asked with her tone etched with confusion.
Halo gave her an awkward smile and began ruffling his hair.
'Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with everyone? It's just hair.'
"It's not bad or anything… I just, uh, haven't seen anything like that before." She added.
"Ah! Don't make a big deal out of it. This is my real hair. I was born with it. My mother had the same streaks. It's what marks us as Tenebris."
Both their eyes widened in realization before gesturing positively.
Halo didn't need to think much. Considering both their Flaws, he spared himself the concern by assuming Seraphim was merely acting, since her Flaw was deception.
However, his wariness had calmed now, and whether Liam was indeed the hero or not, he knew his safest bet was gaining his trust so he could influence him. If Liam wanted to strike the gods, he could stop him then.
But now, something else loomed. He needed to know if Kysa indeed stayed in the castle.
"Uhm… are the rumors true? Is Kysa in this castle?"
They exchanged glances following Halo's words.
"…I'm not sure. I've searched everywhere, but she's not here. I was scared at first, being alone like that. I kept thinking she'd return, but when Seraphim arrived yesterday, the fear eased a little. And now you're here."
The words left Liam reluctantly as though the act of speaking alone was a struggle.
But his words had Halo thinking. Could it be that Kysa was dead? Or perhaps the world led her elsewhere to fulfill her Purpose? If that was the case, then she was bound to return sooner or later.
"I doubt she's as dangerous as everyone makes her out to be. I thought I'd find the truth when I got here, maybe settle things with her myself… but it seems she's only a myth."
Seraph added.
Halo himself believed that not long ago but now, with his mind devoid of the terror of meeting Kysa, he was able to reason perfectly.
Kysa couldn't simply be a myth, but she wasn't here either. She was either dead, or perhaps the system had expelled her. After all, the system made it clear this castle had lost all of its legends.
"The Crawlers will be coming too. Every day… and sometimes, even more of them."
Liam's cracking words drifted Halo from his previous daze.
It was true. This castle attracted those grotesque creatures. But his expression darkened in an instant. Had these two already killed Crawlers?
"Yeah… Liam got two before I arrived yesterday. I managed to kill one myself."
The moment Seraph spoke, Halo gulped.
He was pleased they were strong enough to kill Crawlers, though he hadn't expected Liam to have slain two. He'd killed a Crawler himself once, but that could hardly be called a Crawler since its transformation hadn't been complete.
What exactly were the Crawlers anyway?
As much as he wanted to know much about them, Seraph and Liam didn't know much either, and worse, it was getting dark, he needed to sleep.
Despite the strength gap between them, Halo dismissed Seraph and Liam as a pathetic fool and a pretender, seeing himself as the only logical one capable of keeping the balance.
Maybe he was delusional.