Shadow Slave: Night Haunter

In the center of the cursed Dark city, a tall hill towered above the ruins. At its base, an arch made of pristine white marble stood amidst the devastation. It was unscathed and spotless, as though protected from the entropic touch of the all-consuming darkness by some sublime force. Beyond the arch, a wide road paved with white stones scaled the hill.

Konrad looked up as he passed beneath the arch, trying to imagine crowds of festively dressed people doing the same in the distant past.

The stone road coiled around the hill, slowly climbing its sheer slopes. Here and there, it was broken by long stretches of stairs and formidable, but strangely graceful fortifications. There were some barricades made of ruble and debris.

No one was standing guard, though. The whole road was empty. He stopped looking around and started walking up the path towards the bright castle. The sun is already falling in west. He had spent most of the day in traversing the dark city.

While passing by a barricade Konrad heard a voice call out

"Who are you kid? Haven't seen you around here?"

Konrad turned. Resting behind the half-collapsed barricade was a haggard young man, black-haired and hollow-eyed, no older than twenty. His armor was scorched and patched with wire. A long pike lay against the barricade.

Konrad stopped then spoke,

"I am Konrad of Night. I arrived at Forgotten Shore last winter solstice. I have been wondering around the cursed expanse of Forgotten Shore until. I just arrived at the dark city yesterday. Mind telling me who are you and what is going on around here?"

The man in his early twenties, looked at him with pity and some emotions. He said,

"I am Ling, a sleeper and a cohort member of Second bright lord. Well, now the cohort is destroyed and the second bright lord, he just died trying to conquer the crimson spire." He stopped and patted the ground beside him.

"Sit down. It is going to be a long talk."

Konrad sat down beside the man. The man started explaining about the current situation of dark city, bright castle and Forgotten Shore.

"The Dark City is simultaneously the safest place to be on the Forgotten Shore, and also the deadliest. It is safe because no sea monster can cross the wall, let alone reach the castle. But at the same time, it is far more dangerous than the Labyrinth because almost every Nightmare Creature here is of the Fallen rank."

"Tell me, how did you came to the bright castle without getting killed in the dark city by some Fallen creature? How lucky are you?"

"I am a seer." Konrad answered with a expressionless face.

Ling looked at him with surprised eyes, then said.

"Ah! That explains a lot. That is how survived the crimson labyrinth and traversed the dark city."

"There are some areas in the ruins that many Nightmare Creatures tend to avoid for some reason. The castle is one of these places. Back when the original group of Sleepers came here hoping to carve a foothold in the city, there was only a single Spire Messenger nesting in the throne room, with no other monsters around. The first Bright Lord and his companions managed to kill it and make the Bright Castle human home and bastion.

After the First Bright Lord and most of his cohort died, my cohort leader, a former member of First Bright Lord's cohort became the second Bright Lord. He is... was the owner of the Bright Castle until he died in an attempt conquer the crimson spire.

The crimson spire is the only citadel in the Forgotten Shore. Did mention that?"

"No." Konrad shaked his head.

"Now, you know it and don't get any funny idea. The citadel is guarded by a Fallen Terror.

Anyway, back to the main subject, Bright Castle. The Bright Castle is currently ownerless and the throne is empty. Order in the castle is starting to break down, after all their king has died few months ago. Although some of second bright lord's established arrangements still stands.

There should be four group in the castle. First is the castle guards who are lead by Tessei, second is the hunter who hunts nightmare creatures and gather food. There is also the Pathfinders, veteran hunters who knows their way around the ruins of the dark city. Both of their leaders died alongside second bright lord. They should have picked their new leaders. And the last group is Artisans who provide necessary utilities around here. They also control memory market and trade.

You will need to pay one soul shard to stay in the castle for a week. You can sell your service to the groups for soul shards or join them in castle. You can also kill nightmare creatures for their soul shards. If you can't do any of that, there is a settlement for them in front of the castle. It's free. But watch out for monsters."

Ling sighed.

"Sigh! Some people are becoming restless. Soon blood will start flow to pick the new Bright Lord. If you're strong enough, you can become the next Bright Lord. You are a scion of House of Night and survived six months in the Forgotten Shore. You should be strong."

Ling stopped and looked at the sun setting behind the crimson spire in the distance.

"Who knows? But why won't you become the next Bright Lord? It will be like a legacy. Cohort member of the last lord's cohort, will become the next lord." Konrad asked back.

Ling showed a self deprecating smile as he said, "I am not strong though. I am weak. After all I left cohort members at the hands of that Terror to save my life."

"Maybe you're right." Konrad paused then said.

Ling didn't spoke for a few minutes, then said, "The sun is setting and there isn't much daylight left. The castle gates would close soon. Let go."

Konrad nodded as both of them stood up and making their way up the hill.

After a long time walking up the coiling road of white stone, they finally reached the zenith of the hill and saw the mighty castle in all its glory.

Up close, it looked even more magnificent

The Bright Castle was imposing.

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.

His gaze fell lower, only now noticing dozens of crude, makeshift hovels huddled on the stone platform. They were built from fragments of rubble, rotting wood and pieces of monster hides, chaotically clinging to the stones as if afraid to be blown away by the wind.

***

They approached the grand stairs that led to the ornate gates of the magnificent marble castle. Out here, there was nothing but the howling of the wind and the encroaching veil of darkness. It seemed as though the dwellers of the slum were not allowed to build their hovels on the wide stretch of stone that separated the marble steps from the outer settlement.

Soon, they approached the apex and stopped in front of a couple of guards.

Both of the young men barring their way wore armor-type Memories and wielded their weapons in the open, as though trying to warn anyone approaching to not test their patience. They looked at Ling with some respect.

"What do you want, sir?"

Ling hesitated, then said,

"I have brought a guest. He will stay with me"

One of the guards glanced at Konrad and said,

"Sir, you know the rules."

Ling was about say more, but Konrad stopped him.

"No need, sleeper Ling. I have my own soul shards." Konrad said as he reviled a soul shard in his palm. He tossed it to a guard. Konrad already knew he would have to pay a soul shard to the castle. So, he saved couple soul shards from his hunts in the crimson labyrinth.

The guard catched the glimmering crystals and waved a hand.

"Come on in. Someone will meet you inside."

Ling and Konrad walked past them and entered the bright castle.