Wren sighed.
His heart was thumping with excitement, thrill and a little fear.
The day was young. Sunny still hadn't come back from his exploration of the ruined cathedral, and Selina was exhausted from the little spar they had.
"I am going somewhere and will be back in few hours."
Wren said as he started to move towards the exit of the ruined cathedral. Selina was too wasted to say anything, so all she did was a nod, not that Wren saw her doing it as he had already left the place.
***
Bright Castle was a magnificent castle, standing on a hill in the middle of the ruins of Dark City. It looks like something out of a legend. Its walls were built from radiant white stone, with tall towers and majestic spires piercing the sky. It stands above the city like a symbol of hope, the only thing that seems to be untouched by the darkness
Built from the same pristine marble as the arch at the base of the hill, it stretched into the sky like a white mountain made by human hands.
The front tower was wide and imposing, with a tall, decorated gate and a grandiose staircase leading down from it to a vast stone platform that the road ended with.
On both sides of the front-most tower, brought slightly forth, two others stood as bastions, connected to it with arched aerial bridges and accompanied by smaller companion towers of their own.
Behind them, the main keep soared even higher, as though trying to challenge the menacing Crimson Spire that loomed above the world far in the distance.
Smaller towers, spires, and wings stood here and there, forming a complex and strangely harmonious formation. The whole structure was incredibly beautiful and striking while radiating a feeling of unassailable firmness.
It was as though the castle was built for gods, not mortals.
[But there are mortals in this place, though.] Ark said.
Wren shrugged, not finding any answer to Ark's statement.
[Hmm... now that I think this place is devoid of darkness, how will I use my Aspect?] Wren asked.
Wren wasn't in his usual appearance, he was clad in a dark armor, it was majorly pitch black while possessing ominous violet veins on the armour plates pulsating with energy. The shoulder guard was large, jagged, and spiked as if they were made up of special scales.
The chest plate of the armour was segmented, providing flexibility and protection. Around the abdomen, the purple veins were concentrated in designs on each side, giving it an ethereal hue.
His arms were covered in layered black plates, providing maximum defense while allowing movement. The gauntlet of the armor featured clawed fingertips resembling talons, which could be used for slashing in close combat. Additional small, curved spikes along the forearms made him look more menacing.
His lower body was covered in similar segmented armor plates. The knee guards were shaped like sharp, curved blades, and his boots were pointed and reinforced, ready to crush anyone's skull beneath them.
The last touch to his appearance was a black mask, it was a manifestation of pure darkness, as if the very essence of the night coalesced into a solid form. Its jagged, branch-like protrusions twist and curl like spectral flames, flickering at the edges as if they might dissolve into the void at any moment
Its hollow eyes are twin voids, absorbing all light, exuding an ominous, watchful presence.
[You wanted to know how you will use your Aspect? Simply, we will use our heart to produce darkness this time.] Ark said.
[Our heart?] Wren asked in confusion.
[What, you don't know it? So all this time you used the darkness around us to manifest, that is so dumb... it is the ability of your heart to produce darkness, very pure one but it is difficult to manifest much, since you are weak. Dumb too, not knowing what your Aspect can do.] Ark said in a mocking tone.
Wren didn't say anything, he was focusing on his heart, the Void Heart, feeling it beat in high speed. He dwelled deeper and deeper in his soul sea the water was rippling, and then something surged.
The veins of his hand blackened, and something moved inside them. It flowed till whispers of darkness flowed out of his hand and materialised into a dagger.
'This is... perfect.' Wren thought
[Fuck your thoughts... when are we going to enter the bright castle? I am craving for slaughter.] Ark whined.
[We are going to now.] Wren said as he moved toward the entrance of the bright castle. The outer settlement was gloomy.
It seemed Nephis still hadn't come back here, walking slowly in the outer settlements, observing the people who looked a little lifeless but were still better than before.
Wren was happy to see improvement, not that it could be seen from his mask. The people of the outer settlement, however, seemed a little conscious of his presence.
Like... anyone would be scared of a person who looked sinister than a nightmare creature, even than the bright lord, a person whose presence is too overwhelming in every sense. The people in the outer settlement shook in fear when their gaze settled on his menacing figure.
If they felt longing whenever they saw the Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan, what they were feeling right now was true dread when facing the true Heir of Abyss.
Wren of the Valor Clan.
Nobody dared to make a move towards him, few wanted to approach him but were hesitant before they all knew he had already reached towards the members of the castle guards.
The reaction of the castle guards was the same as the people of the outer settlement, this hesitation cost them their lives. Wren's hand moved in blinding speed, and the dagger he was holding sliced through their necks.
Eyes widened, the castle guards attempted to move, but it wasn't their body but their head, four heads rolled down the floor of the outer settlement.
[This is nice.] Wren said as he changed the dagger into a jian.
[I told you... hehe now let's kill everyone here.] Ark said with a happy tone.
[Not everyone, but enough for you to find fun.] Wren replied as he entered the main settlement of the bright castle.
Ark didn't reply, making Wren mentally sigh. He understood that Ark most probably was a little unsatisfied that he couldn't kill all the people present, as it was unreasonable, and it was already taking a toll on him to maintain the pure darkness.
He did understand one thing, Ark wasn't a normal flaw, it was something different. But he didn't have time to find answers, as many people were already in front of him.
All of them were castle guards, the hunters weren't present there.
'Now, this is a little problematic.' Wren thought.
His initial plan was to kill all the leaders except Seishan, or maybe not, considering she was from the clan Song and things have been going a little rough between Wren's and her clan's.
Sooner or later, he will have to fight her as an awakened or stronger. So it would be a good choice to nip the bud before it could grow into a beautiful flower or perhaps...
A flower that grows on the pool of blood.
"State your identification." One of the guards asked, pointing his sword at Wren.
Wren would have killed the guards on the spot but chose not to, he would kill them true, but only a few of them, the rest would live.
Of course, the one who would die first right now would be the one who pointed his sword at Wren.
Then, the two who were snickering from behind, and the other two who had greed in their eyes.
[You just included everyone in your kill list.] Ark said in an amused voice.
'Ah, I did... not my problem anyways.' Wren thought.
The castle guards were getting impatient, hearing no answer from the menacing figure in front of them, they started to feel a little arrogant. Thinking that the person covered in the menacing figure was frozen in fear, not knowing that the person in front of him was something worse than Death.
The castle guard, with little confidence, put his sword on Wren's neck, and in an arrogant tone, he spoke.
"You puny bitch, dare to terrorize us when you are nothing? Give us all the memories you have, and we will let you live."
Wren didn't say anything.
He dismissed the jian made out of darkness, the pure darkness dissolved in the veins of his left hand as if gaining consciousness, the darkness divided itself and reached to his right hand before dissolving in the muscles, augmenting his arms.
Noticing the dark jian dissolving, the guard was confused as he thought the sword in Wren's hand was a memory, not giving it much thought.
His blue eyes were glinting with greed, feeling that the enemy has given up.
The menacing figure put his clawed hand on the blade of their sword. Under his eyes, the blade of his sword snapped in two and disappeared in a myriad of sparks. Not wanting to believe what he saw, the guard looked at the figure, finding no eyes to stare at.
Then he felt something on his hand, it was the same clawed hand that had destroyed his memory. Before he knew it, a sound of sickening crunch echoed in the hall of the inner settlement.
Looking at his hand or the spot where his hand was supposed to be now.
The guard grabbed his arm and let out an inhuman screech of pain and agony. Felling on the ground while holding his torn out arm, tears escaped from his eyes.
Then something dropped on the ground, it was a hand, his hand.
"My hand... MY HAND!!!" The injured guard screamed.
In fear, he stared upwards, seeing the menacing figure standing in front of him, staring down, the nestled darkness where their eyes were supposed to be.
Then a sound was heard, it was hoarse, deep and muffled by something. It was the voice of a man, the castle guard realized, it was the voice of the figure in front of him.
"What a lovely smell."
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I will be on an indefinite break for probably a week or two. The mind needs rest, and after the break, I will start to WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER.
Bye Bye~