The Villain's Story

Alexander came face to face with a strange phenomenon, a storm of black energy, one which started from above and widened until it reached the ground. The black sand around it was turned into hundreds of thousands of small knives, which blocked any sort of approach.

The invisible line of connection led him here to this dark wasteland, in the center of that storm. Alexander sighed, and sat down on the ground. He thought that maybe it would disappear if he just gave it some time.

He didn’t want to go in there unless he absolutely had to. He wasn’t Alan, who had an absurd regenerative factor.

Hell, even IF he had it, he wasn’t going in there. He didn’t know how Alan dealt with half the shit he went through. Was his friend truly sane? Was the upper chamber actually fine?

Actually, no. It probably wasn’t. Alexander shrugged his shoulders as he watched the skies, taking in whatever there was in this empty wasteland.

Which wasn’t much, the place was entirely empty instead of the black sun in the distance. Its presence wasn’t ominous, like one would expect. Rather, it was soothing. However, much like any star, Alexander couldn’t stare at it for long.

[It’s best you venture inside.]

“… How about no?”

Festul suggested, and was immediately shot down. He didn’t know what went on in the mind of that little wolf, but He was not, under any circumstance, going inside that intense storm.

He would rather wait it out, he had enough time, probably. He had rations to last a month here, after all.

[That is no natural phenomenon, I think, it resembles one of my own skills.]

Alexander turned his head, perplexed.

“What do you mean by ‘I think?’.”

[There is no information about this place at all. I would like to believe I am the first god beast to ever venture into the elusive realm of shadows. Of course, I wouldn’t know what goes on in here. However…]

The wolf materialized into the realm of shadows, no longer remaining in Alexander’s body. However, his appearance was strange, he appeared to be transparent, and Alexander could see small specks of light drift away from his little body.

[I am certain that is one of my skills, Storm Domain, Or it may be a natural occurrence of the realm of shadows. The resemblance is uncanny. Nonetheless, whatever you seek lies inside of there, and that storm will not dissipate, I am sure of that.]

“You’re telling me this now?”

[I beg your pardon, I was unaware my successor was such a scaredy cat!]

Alexander rolled his eyes. He looked at Festul with concern and asked.

“What’s happening to you?”

Looking at his friend’s body disappear into small specks of light was worrying, nevertheless, the friend in question didn’t even care about it.

Should he be worried about his friends? He had a masochistic maniac, a little spiritual wolf that didn’t care about his body disappearing, someone who always wanted to sleep, and Lucas.

Who was special in his own weird way. Maybe only Olivia and himself were normal. Alexander sighed, as he waited for a reply.

[I believe it’s this world. I’m bypassing the law of death by remaining in your body, since my own is gone. The Warden of the Forgotten is watching, this realm is like poison to me, slowly wittling my self away.]

“… Isn’t that a bit serious?!”

Alexander jumped up, and ordered.

[Hardly, I can survive. Though it would be best if you hurried.]

“…”

Alexander let out a sigh, and stared at the storm in the distance, with a grimace, he began to make his way towards it.

“Hey, Festul. What do you know about this realm? Or the dude that watches over it?”

[Nothing, besides the fact that the king of shade is trustworthy.]

“What do you mean?”

[The house of death is fair, even despite Ariel’s anger issues… which are understandable in recent times. The God beasts, who harness the power of life itself, Aura, are incompatible with death.

It is the only domain where the Dragon’s hold complete superiority over us. Which was a bit worrying about us. The question was clear, What would our dead do? Will our spirits ever rest?

Some of us built entire shrines where the spirits of our ancestors rest, but some of them went through it the normal way. However, our kin was not harmed, rather treated the same even after death. After all, those that had not reached a suitable level could not enter our ancestral shrines.

The Supreme of Shadows, is… nice. The very proof of that is that he hasn’t ended my existence ever since I stepped foot into this realm. This gradual disappearance appears to be an effect of the realm itself. I can hold onto myself, but only because he permits it.]

Festul turned his head to the right, and said.

[Look over there, about seven hundred kilometers. You will see the figure of a bearish man. That is a God Beast that recently died. His bloodline was weak, and it appears to me, he was more of a craftsman than a Warrior. Such almost are never able to enter the ancestral shrines… but look there, at the hand veiled in mist that leads the man.]

Enhancing his eyes as much as he could, with as much mana as he could muster, Alexander could faintly observe the scene.

A bearish man, indeed, was being led by the hand like a child by a figure covered in mist. He couldn’t see it clearly, but he felt as the figure was constantly changing from one form to the other.

[He is the Warden of the Forgotten, The guardian of the dead, The king of the Shade, and the Guide after the end.

Among both Dragons and God beasts, he has earned the highest respect, for he performs his duty no matter what, no matter who. All reach a justifiable conclusion. He was the closest to his mother other than her oldest.]

Alexander stopped, he had strained his eyes too much staring at the spectacle far beyond.

[Death is fair to all. Remember that, Alexander.]