(NATHANIEL) My hands moved steadily as I draped a long piece of cloth over a mirror in the room of one of the masters who had just headed out to patrol around the city wall.
As I made sure to tug the cloth a few times, I sighed heavily and looked around the lavishly decorated room.
Facing the long entrance door was a king-sized bed with comfy white sheets and an unreasonable amount of pillows that I had neatly piled and arranged to look stylish and presentable.
There were nightstands on both sides of the bed, each holding shallow pottery vessels filled with olive oil and a floating flax wick that acted as a lamp.
There was also a large dresser and closet, as well as a beautiful terrace that allowed one to look upon the vast expanse of a strange and almost mirror like lake, it was called The Channel.
Apparently, it was referred to as such due to it being a special portal that connected the Empire and the Daemon of Imagination’s realm to each other.
Now, I didn’t really understand the current times that well, since I had only been here for three days, but I knew that one of the most important duties of us slaves was to cover every mirror in the castle before night fell.
The imitators, or as they would be known in the future—the Others—would wander through the vast mirror realm and scavenge it for a portal.
So every slave and civilian was tasked with covering mirrors every day.
Not covering them would, of course, allow one of the imitators to escape and take the place of a person.
‘Haaa… what a wretched world.’ As I observed the room in jealousy, I sighed and exited.
Looking at the other slaves like myself who were roaming around in a hurry, I sighed again and went to my quarters, though they weren’t entirely mine, honestly.
As I walked, I got lost in thought.
Three days ago, I had entered the nightmare, and in the first few minutes I had witnessed things I would never be able to forget, both the beautiful vista of the castle and the horrific sight of the Cleansing.
The warmongers of the Empire performed that ritual on warriors who had lost the will to fight in battle, and losing the will to fight meant losing the grace of War God’s avatar.
So instead of sullying the castle and the “grace” of that damn dragon with non-believers, they were slain as an offering to the dragon.
Of course, I was told this after mustering the courage to ask Eurys about it.
That bastard gave me a look so condescending it felt like he was sorry for my lack of knowledge, yet didn’t even bother to pity me.
‘Infuriating.’ Just thinking back on that snide look made my blood boil, but there was nothing I could do.
After he explained it to me briefly, he was called away to attend to the dragon, and I was left alone.
Then I was promptly put in line with other slaves and had to clean up the mess on the floor.
Which was a rather unique experience that i’d be sure to add to my future resume.
Once I arrived at the quarters I shared with the other slaves, I turned the handle and entered.
The room that greeted me was a far cry from the luxurious chambers of the Masters and, not to mention, the Saints.
It was long and narrow, with rough stone walls that had long since lost whatever polish they once had.
The air smelled faintly of damp mortar, old straw, and lye soap, with a lingering scent of sweat that never truly left no matter how often the floors were scrubbed.
I could attest to that myself—I was on cleaning duty twice in a single day.
Two rows of simple wooden cots lined the walls, each separated by barely enough space for a person to squeeze through sideways.
Every cot consisted of little more than a thin mattress stuffed with coarse straw, a folded wool blanket, and a flat pillow that felt more like a sack of cloth than anything meant for comfort.
At the foot of each bed rested a small wooden chest, barely large enough to hold a spare set of robes and whatever personal belongings a slave was fortunate enough to possess.
There were no mirrors, and every reflective surface had either been removed or deliberately dulled until it resembled nothing more than cloudy stone.
Even the small basin in the corner was carved from black rock whose surface swallowed light instead of reflecting it.
The water inside had to be drained every evening before sunset and refilled at dawn.
No one wanted to tempt the Others with a free meal.
The only source of light came from three oil lamps hanging from iron hooks in the ceiling.
Their flames danced lazily, casting long, distorted shadows across the room.
Those shadows constantly shifted with every flicker, giving the unsettling impression that something else moved alongside them.
It made sleeping difficult, but it’s not like anyone complained.
Well, even if they did, it would fall on deaf ears and get you put on a list.
The room housed nearly twenty slaves, though only half of the cots were occupied at the moment.
Some were still finishing their evening duties, while others had already collapsed into bed, too exhausted to even remove their sandals.
I sat down on the edge of the straw mattress, which immediately protested beneath my weight with an unpleasant creak.
‘…Still awful.’ Sighing heavily, I looked to the left and saw one of the slaves the owner of this body had previously been acquainted with, sleeping, or at least attempting to.
“Hey…” I spoke softly and waited for a response.
The other slave turned around and looked at me with an expressionless face.
His tanned skin reflected the damp light of the room, and his auburn eyes locked onto me.
“What is it, Quisling?” the slave whose name I didn’t want to ask for again to avoid suspicion said.
“So I’ve been thinking… how do we slaves rank up?” The young slave looked at me incredulously before sighing.
He sat up in his bed and ruffled his chestnut hair.
“You absorb Soul Shards.” His tone was restrained, as if annoyed by such a stupid question.
‘Right… I should’ve worded that better.’ Clearing my throat, I looked up and rephrased my question.
“Sorry, I mean—how do we rise in the slave hierarchy?” The slave, who I had finally decided to call Bob, snorted in disdain.
“Why want that?
All you’ll get is a nicer collar.
And maybe one of the Awakened will be interested in your appearance and take you to their quarters for coitus.” ‘Too proud and smart to say sex?’ I thought mildly, sighing.
Then I decided not to continue the conversation since Bob didn’t seem to like the topic much.
Clearly, he was a rather proud person, and by the way he spoke, it was clear he had once held a higher status in his homeland.
‘So I should try to attract an Awakened… preferably a female.’ That wouldn’t be too hard.
The appearance of this body was decent, i had seen it in the mirror quite a few times.
Black hair, amber eyes, creamy white skin, and a face I would consider handsome.
Still, it wasn’t nearly as handsome as the male Awakened warriors, though they seemed more focused on spilling blood than semen.
‘Damn it, Steven… now I’m starting to think like you.’ Sighing heavily, I looked at the ceiling.
There was nothing to do for now—at least not until some higher-ranking slave came to pick me up for a job.
While I was trying to come up with plans, I suddenly noticed the shadows in the room growing slightly deeper and more unsettling.
‘Oh?’ I looked toward the door and heard soft, rhythmic footsteps.
I backed away slightly and accidentally bumped into Bob, earning myself a dirty look.
I quickly moved aside.
And then the door creaked open, when I looked, I was met with a pair of glinting, slightly arrogant olive eyes.
The high-ranking slave entered and immediately looked in my direction, a slight smile playing on his lips.
“Ah, I finally found you.
You’re quite the slippery and elusive one, aren’t you?” I gulped and prostrated myself slightly.
“Uhhh, I wasn’t trying to elude you, Sir Eurys… I was merely very busy with my duties.” This sentence alone proved how good I was at sucking up, and Eurys hummed slightly in amusement.
“Come with me.” His voice once again rippled through my mind like before, and I stood up.
I caught Bob giving me a bizarre look, but I ignored it.
After we exited the room, I walked four steps behind Eurys and didn’t speak.
Instead, I focused on his shadow, and his shadow was indeed as bizarre as i thought, it looked more like a living thing than a shadow.
It clung to the ground unnaturally, refusing to stretch or distort despite the flickering oil lamps lining the corridor.
Rather than mimicking Eurys’ every step, it lagged behind by a fraction of a second, as if deciding whether it truly wished to follow its owner.
Every now and then, I could’ve sworn one of its edges twitched.
‘So he seems to have stolen the Slaying Blade… damn, so he’s going to kill the Dragon soon.
But why hasn’t he already?’ A cold shiver ran down my spine as my gaze lingered a little too long on the abnormal shadow.
“Curious?” I nearly jumped and as i looked up, Eurys hadn’t even turned around.
‘Okay… don’t look directly at any part of a Saint.
Got it.’ “…A little.” I admitted carefully.
“Good.
Curiosity is a wonderful quality to possess,” he said lightly.
“It gets people into fascinating situations.” ‘…That didn’t sound reassuring.’ We continued through the winding halls of the castle, our footsteps echoing against polished stone.
Servants and soldiers stepped aside the moment they saw Eurys, lowering their heads without a word.
None of them dared meet his eyes, and every time they didn’t, he seemed to lift his chin a little higher.
“So, where are we heading… Sir?” Eurys chuckled dryly and waved a dismissive hand without turning around.
“Well, child, we’re heading to the temple, of course.
You’ll be joining me.” I raised a brow, and he finally turned slightly to look at me.
“I’ve no clue why Weaver sent one of their own to this place, but it seems you and I share a Fate neither of us wished for.” As he finished, we rounded a corner, and a slightly somber tone slipped into his otherwise spiteful manner of speaking.
Eurys didn’t speak further after that, and he gave off the air of someone silently saying ‘don’t talk to me again’ which I respected by keeping my trap shut.
‘The temple… right.
Azarax said something about Eurys becoming an Imperial slave, rising in rank, and eventually becoming an attendant of the dragon… before slitting its throat.’ We crossed a junction and met a Master.
Eurys politely greeted him, and I followed his lead.
The Master barely acknowledged us and walked away.
A few more Awakened crossed our path before we finally reached a large, ornate door leading outside.
Eurys motioned for me to stop, and I obeyed, he stepped forward, knocked twice, waited a few seconds, then knocked again.
Instantly, the massive gate opened and a metallic creak echoed through the castle as what lay beyond revealed another incredible sight.
Beyond the gate stretched an enormous stone bridge suspended high above the ground.
Its pale surface gleamed beneath the fading light of dusk, each slab carved with intricate reliefs depicting dragons soaring through storm-filled skies and countless warriors kneeling beneath their wings.
Marble balustrades lined either side, adorned with towering braziers whose silver flames burned without smoke or fuel.
The bridge seemed to go on forever and at the far end of the bridge stood the temple… but calling it a temple almost felt insulting.
The colossal structure rose from a circular island of flawless white stone, dwarfing even the castle behind us.
Dozens of impossibly tall pillars supported a roof that seemed to brush against the clouds themselves.
Every surface was covered in carvings of dragons intertwined with countless strands resembling woven threads.
The architecture possessed an impossible quality that caused my mind to buzz with deep emotions I couldn’t quite grasp.
Eurys stepped onto the bridge without a word, and only after a moment’s hesitation did I follow briskly.
As we drew closer and closer, I noticed the temple wasn’t empty.
Dozens of figures in crimson and silver ceremonial robes moved silently between the pillars.
Some carried censers from which pale silver incense drifted into the air, while others knelt in silent prayer before enormous braziers filled with the same smokeless flames that lined the bridge.
Eurys paid them no mind, and we soon entered the main area of the temple, where two breathtakingly beautiful and finely crafted bronze doors stood like monoliths.
Eurys simply looked at the great bronze doors, and they swung inward without a sound.
The moment I crossed the threshold, the temperature dropped noticeably.
The warmth of the outside world vanished, replaced by cool, still air scented with incense and polished stone.
The temple’s interior was no less magnificent than its exterior.
A colossal central hall stretched before us, its vaulted ceiling disappearing into darkness high above.
Rows of alabaster pillars rose like a forest, each wrapped with intricately carved silver dragons whose scales caught the light of countless oil lamps.
Between the pillars stood towering statues of armored figures kneeling before a dragon with outstretched wings, their expressions frozen in unwavering devotion.
The floor beneath our feet was a seamless expanse of white marble, so polished that it resembled frozen water.
Yet, unlike every other reflective surface in the Empire, this one bore no reflection whatsoever as it simply swallowed the light.
Now the silence inside the temple was simply oppressive and eerie, causing my hair to stand on end.
‘So this is what zealots look like.
How nasty.
And what’s with this many dragon carvings?
It’s not even cool anymore, just so… so damn bland.
Are they this uncreative about what to build?
Did they just run out of ideas at the hundredth dragon?’ Suppressing a sigh, I looked around the interior of the temple and its inhabitants.
Despite the dozens of attendants moving about their duties, not a single unnecessary word was spoken.
The only sounds were the faint rustle of robes and the distant tolling of a bell somewhere deep within the structure.
Eurys paid them no mind, and I decided to do so as well.
He walked with practiced familiarity, turning down one corridor after another without slowing his pace.
We passed shrines adorned with silver offerings, secluded courtyards open to the sky, and libraries with high shelves and countless books.
The deeper we ventured, the fewer people we encountered…
and eventually, even the attendants disappeared.
The immaculate white marble gradually gave way to darker stone, while the extravagant decorations became noticeably simpler.
Instead of gilded statues and ornate mosaics, the walls were adorned with elegant tapestries depicting dragons soaring across endless skies or armies marching beneath silver banners.
At last, Eurys stopped before an unassuming wooden door set into the stone wall.
Compared to everything else in the temple, it looked almost… ordinary.
Without ceremony, Eurys pushed the door open.
“Come in.” I stepped inside, curiosity immediately overcoming my caution, the room was… surprisingly modest.
It was spacious enough for one person to live comfortably, but nowhere near as lavish as the chambers of the Masters.
A neatly made bed occupied one corner, accompanied by a sturdy wooden desk covered in carefully organized scrolls and books.
Shelves lined the walls, each filled with records, maps, and journals rather than ornaments.
A fireplace crackled quietly despite the mild weather outside, and there was no excessive decoration, everything within the room seemed arranged with purpose.
Eurys gave me a slight look that suggested I should enter quickly, and I did.
He closed the door and walked over to the desk, pulling out the chair and turning it around.
As he stepped away, he gestured for me to sit, and I obeyed.
Instantly, I felt all my exhaustion vanish, and I let out a long, relieved sigh.
‘Ahhh… my beautiful salvation… if only I could turn this into a memory…’ A slight melancholy overcame me as I enjoyed the first real comfort I had felt in close to a week.
‘I miss my bed so much… among other, more important things.’ I sniffled slightly as the image of my family and friends flickered through my mind for a brief moment.
I shook my head and opened my eyes—and as I did, I felt my heart skip a beat.
Eurys was sitting on the bed calmly, staring at me with interest.
“So, why exactly did you decide to come here?
Surely you’d be sent somewhere else… or do you just happen to be Fated?” ‘Okay… this conversation is likely a matter of life and death.’ I quickly calmed myself and kept my expression steady and composed.
“Khmm, Prince Eurys… I was sent here by the Oracles with a mission.” I kept my tone cool and controlled as I focused on him.
The Fated man looked slightly surprised for a moment, but he hid it behind a small smile.
“Prince?
I haven’t been called a prince in so long… oh, how wonderful.
You’re making me feel sentimental all of a sudden.” Chuckling, Eurys relaxed slightly, either to make me more comfortable or to show just how unseriously he took me.
“So the Oracles sent you?
Why?
I was told that only the Nine of us were meant to slay the Gods.
Did the nearly omniscient Oracles forget to mention someone who is Fated?
I was told that being Fated was quite a rarity.” He leaned forward, and the shadow at his feet moved slightly closer to mine.
I looked down and noted how far apart our shadows still were.
‘Okay, clearly he is on the offensive.
That damn shadow of his is just a meter away…’ I kept my poker face and raised a brow.
‘Help me, bullshitery… I must perform like Klein when he first meeting Alger and Audrey.
Be confident.
Don’t reveal anything unnecessary.’ “The Oracles,” I said evenly, “…don’t always send answers.
Sometimes they send problems instead.
And it would seem this is a test.” I leaned forward slightly, just enough so my shadow didn’t touch his.
“Maybe they saw that you had misunderstood your mission and decided to send me here.” Cracking my knuckles, I continued, despite the glare Eurys was sending me.
“You were told to become a slave, and you did become that.
However, what exactly are you planning?
To slay the Dragon by yourself with that?” I pointed at his shadow, and it shifted slightly, just enough to be notices.
‘Damn it… did I push my luck too far?
Come on, Fated, it’s your time to shine!’ Eurys evaluated my words for a few long moments.
Then he smirked and leaned back, laughing as he clapped his hands.
“Incredible.
Simply incredible!
For someone so weak and meager, you show quite the ferocious spirit.
To think that someone who has barely even served in this place has already caught on to my plans.” ‘Good.
Now time for the glazing.’ I resisted the urge to sigh in relief and continued calmly.
“Oh, you misunderstand…I’m not the one who understood your plan.
I was merely told what you wanted to do, and I’m here to assist you.” Eurys perked up slightly.
“Oh… and how exactly would you do that?
Would you like to act as a dessert for that dastardly dragon and give me the chance to deal the finishing strike?” I laughed lightly.
“Haha, no.
I will wield the Slaying Blade and slay the Dragon myself, and I will take the punishment meant for you.” Eurys crossed his arms and tilted his head, “Punishment?” I nodded and stood up, extending a hand toward the Fated Champion.
“Of course.
Did you not think you would be punished for slitting a god’s throat?
Once you do that, what do you think will happen?
That you’ll run away and continue to wreak havoc?
No.
You will have your shadow taken by the Shadow God and be forced to live forever, watching as the world ends.
You’ll watch the gods die and the fabric of existence teeter on the edge of destruction, and yet you would still live.
Forced to endure the destruction you helped create.” Eurys seemed taken aback slightly, then his shadow receded slightly.
Taking my chance and pushing my luck, I stepped closer and balled my hand into a fist.
I remembered all the worst things that had happened to me, most of which were recent.
The fury of being abandoned by my parents, the rage I felt as I realized I was forced away from my family, the devastation that seeing my friends in the first nightmare had caused me.
I concentrated all of these things into one boiling mass of rage in order to make sure my performance was as genuine as possible.
I even felt a tear run down my right cheek.
“These Gods… they made us, and yet they abandoned us without a second thought.
I had once screamed in fury at their cruelty, but gradually I lost my voice.
I had once cried at their abandonment, gradually I had no tears left to shed.
I had once grieved at their demonic nature, but gradually I became able to withstand everything.
I had once rejoiced at the slightest bit of their attention, gradually I became unmoved by the world.
And now… all that is left is an empty husk of who I once was.
All that I had, all that I wanted to achieve, all that I wished for… all of it has been burned to ashes due to their negligence.
And now all I seek is vengeance.
So that is why I will take the Blade of Death.
That is why, with it, I will kill that mongrel, and I will gladly live for eternity and witness, with all the joy I have left, the destruction of what those foul gods once crafted with such loving grace!” Once I finished, I watched Eurys’s face change—well, it actually changed several times—but he didn’t respond.
I waited, keeping up my furious expression.
Internally, however… ‘Ahhh!
That’s so damn cringey!
Ew, ew, ew!
Damn it, this better work!
If anybody finds out about this, seventeen years of socializing will amount to nothing!
Ew, ew, ew!’ Maintaining the expression became harder and harder as I awaited Eurys’s response.
After a long moment, Eurys raised his hands and gave a light clap.
“Incredible… simply glorious.
Your hatred truly knows no limit!” He continued to slowly clap, and I barely stopped myself from collapsing from the sheer exertion the speech had taken out of me.
While I watched his excited expression, I couldn’t help but notice that the shadow at his feet seemed equally excited, it shifted from side to side in anticipation.
In a moment, Eurys’s shadow shifted slightly as he stood up.
He took a step forward and extended a hand with a smile.
“Very well.
It would seem that all you said is true.
And I must say, how impressive!
You truly understand how it feels…
to have everything you built taken from you by uncaring and emotionless tyrants.” Glancing at his hand, I took it and instantly felt his crushing grip close around mine.
I didn’t let go, however, and instead smiled viciously.
Internally, I regretted not wanting to be an actor—clearly, I was rather skilled!
And so, everything was set in motion.
I had made sure to show as much murderous will as I could, and it seemed both Eurys and the Slaying Blade had taken a liking to it.
“Now then, I had decided to slit the dragon’s throat in about two weeks in order to make sure I had a way to escape.
So now that there is no need for that, we will do it tomorrow!” ‘Eh… tomorrow?’ I felt my face fall slightly.
‘Tomorrow?!
What the hell!
How am I supposed to wield the Slaying Blade and learn how to use it in barely a day?!’ Scratching my neck slightly, and coughed, “Oh?
Tomorrow?
Are you certain?
Do you think I’m capable of wielding the Slaying Blade and understanding how to use it in a day?” ‘I’ve never even held a sword!’ Eurys smiled with excitement and shrugged his shoulders.
“Oh, don’t concern yourself with that.
You don’t choose to wield it—it chooses you.
And it would seem it has, for some reason, taken a liking to you.
The only reason it even allowed me to use it is because I stole it, and it was impressed.” He then smiled with vigor.
“But you… you truly showed what it means to want to kill something with such pure emotion.
I think it resonated with you.
Plus, it really wants to kill the dragon.
Do you know why?” Looking at the insidious shadow, I thought for a few moments before answering honestly.
“No clue.” In response Eurys simply smiled joyfully.
“Well, because everything that dies empowers Shadow God.
So why wouldn’t his own weapon want to reap the life of one of its master’s rivals?” His eyes glinted slightly, “This blade is as eager to kill as you are.
That is why it is simply jumping at the opportunity, not only will it kill an Avatar of Life, but it will do so with the help of the most meek and weak being out there.” ________________ Author’s Note: So next chapter is next Thursday, now the chapter that day is gonna be like 7K words long, i can release it as is but that is a quite a bit of reading, so here are your choices.
Release two chapters on the same day that finish of Nathaniel’s nightmare, nothing will be skipped and it’ll only be like this so it’s easier to read.
Just release that one long chapter and that’s it.
Up to you i’m fine with whatever, also give me your thoughts on this chapter, i feel like it could’ve been better but i wanted to set up everything well for the next chapter.
Anyway if no one votes i’ll just release the chapter as one long chapter, anyway have a good day and see you next week.
Also after the nightmares the chapters should be released a bit more consistently, maybe 4 chaps a week, each about 2000 words prbly.