Chapter 152: Family Reunion

Elzri Noir walked down the hall at a brisk pace, Loh followed beside him.

Elzri recalled the words his father told him as a child, “Our founder, Noir I, lived happily with his wife, Rose. When Holo found out about his strange bargain with the Monster in the Dark, Holo chastised Noir for his foolish decision. After that, Noir pushed Holo away from his life, he said he no longer had a need for a master.”

“Noir spent the next two decades in blissful ignorance of the bargain he had struck. One day, as Noir was throwing a party for his daughter’s coming of age ceremony, the Monster returned. It had come in the shape of the familiar friendly frost giant, a figure that easily stood out among the crowd of guests.”

“The Monster had come to collect on its side of the bargain?” Loh guessed.

“Indeed. I don’t know what the Monster asked for, my father never told us. All I know is that Noir refused. The Monster left without another word. Noir did not think much of it, until his wife, Rose, got on top of a table in front of all the guests. She called for everyone’s attention.”

Elzri’s face turned grim, “Tears streamed down Rose’s cheeks. She looked straight into Noir’s eyes and said, ‘Why couldn’t you keep your promise? You did this.’ Rose then slit her own throat with a black knife. Everyone screamed in shock. Noir ran to his wife and tried to heal her with white magic. But no matter how many spells he casted, her wound would not close. She died in Noir’s arms, in front of all the guests and her family, at her own daughter’s party.”

“I remembered she committed suicide, but I thought she had hung herself,” Loh said quietly.

“Maybe she did. As I told you, this story differs from what is normally taught in our family. I thought my father told me this story to teach his children important life lessons. I never thought it was real. I am still inclined not to, but something strange is happening in our Realm, and I am going to find out what that is.”

“So, what happened to Noir after his wife’s death?” Loh asked.

“He was heartbroken, of course. Unbridled rage filled his soul. He ran out of his castle and searched for the frost giant. Yet, the Monster was nowhere to be seen. Noir spent the next decade looking for revenge, he never found it. With each day that passed Noir fell deeper into despair. He turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows. Eventually, he ceased being the powerful arch-mage, the respected mage lord, the strong leader of his family, and simply became the old drunk.”

“Holo came to him then, when Noir was at his lowest. Noir hadn’t seen his master in over 30 years, yet Holo looked the same, tall and youthful as ever. Holo took pity on their apprentice who had wasted away. Holo pleaded with Noir to remember that although his wife was gone, he still had children who loved him, he still had a life to live and a part to play in the Realm. Noir was happy to see his master, but nothing would change his mind, he had given up on life. Holo left soon after... Noir spent the rest of his days locked up in his castle, drinking his life away.”

“He fell off a balcony and died a wretched drunk,” Loh recalled glumly.

Elzri shook his head, “That’s not what my father told me... One day, one of Noir’s servants told him of a rumor, a whisper really. It was not much, but it was the first lead on the Monster he had gotten in over 40 years. Noir left his castle and chased after the rumor. After weeks of traveling, he found himself on the outskirts of a remote village.”

“He spotted a few children playing outside with some rocks and twigs. One of the children, a little girl, offered Noir a flower. Others would have found the gesture adorable, but Noir could never forget those vile eyes filled with hate.”

“‘I have found you,’ Noir seethed in anger."

"In his hand, he held the black dagger Rose had used to kill herself.”

“‘Hello, Oathbreaker,’ the girl smiled coldly.”

Elzri reached the library doors of his mansion.

“What happened next?” Loh asked impatiently.

“One moment,” Elzri pulled out a key from his pocket and slipped it into the door’s lock.

Several arcane runes flared to life on the doors. The latch opened with a light click. Elzri pushed the double doors wide open and stepped inside. A large library, three floors high, greeted them.

“The book should be somewhere on the 3rd floor, towards the back,” Elzri headed for the stairs.

“What happened to Noir and the Monster?” Loh asked restlessly.

“Oh, Noir fought the Monster,” Elzri said casually.

“And?”

“Noir lost and was mortally wounded.”

“That’s it? He just died?!”

“Not entirely. The Monster was going to kill him, but Holo suddenly appeared, grabbed Noir, and managed to escape. Noir’s daughter had gone after her father and brought Holo along. She waited for them a few leagues from the village. It was only when Noir saw his daughter that he realized he had failed his family and master entirely. He should have cared more for his family and duty.”

Elzri skimmed through the books on the shelves, “With his dying breaths Noir gave the black dagger to his master and relinquished his revenge. He asked his daughter for forgiveness and closed his eyes one last time.”

“The end,” Loh sighed.

“Not quite. Noir’s daughter thanked Holo for bringing her father back to her after so many years. She believed he was finally back to his true self at the end. She promised she would repay Holo no matter what.”

“Holo gave the black dagger to Noir’s daughter as a symbol of the bond between House Noir and themself. In return, House Noir would serve as sentinels, keeping watch, and alerting Holo if the Monster would ever return to our lands. The end.”

Loh chuckled to herself and then broke out into angry laughter, “And you never thought any of this was important to tell me? Like ever?!”

“The story is supposedly 700 years old. Even if the Monster in the Dark was real, I assumed it was long dead by now. There was no point in dwelling on such matters,” Elzri shrugged.

“Except now I’m hearing about this Monster and we’re supposed to have some duty? How can we even contact this Holo person?”

“Yes, the whole thing is a tad concerning. Of course, chances are the story is full of holes and we are simply jumping to conclusions. Even if there was a Monster or if Holo was ever real, it has been too long. It is highly improbable they are the same ones that arch-mage was referring to. It is more likely that the arch-mage was wrong or simply lying to you. Or he is crazy, it happens more often than you’d think.”

“Whatever, just get the book,” Loh grumbled.

Elzri stopped skimming through the bookshelves, “It isn’t here.”

“What?”

“The book isn’t here.”

“What do you mean it isn’t here?”

“It’s missing.”

“How is that possible? Besides the vault, isn’t this library the most well-guarded room in the mansion?”

Elzri closed his eyes, “Yes, no one but a Noir should have been able to enter this library. And there’s only one person besides me who knew about the book.”

“Who?”

“My little sister, Una.”

Loh’s eye twitched, “You mean the only one of your siblings you didn’t kill? The sister who ran away from Hollow Shade when you ascended as the leader of House Noir? The sister who no doubt utterly hates you? That little sister?”

Elzri nodded reluctantly, “Correct.”

“Ah, fuck me.” Loh pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut, “Okay, so we don’t have the book. Let’s at least try to contact Holo. If that works then we know there is more truth to this than we thought. If it doesn’t work maybe we can just put this all behind us.”

“If the story is true we’ll need the dagger to contact Holo.”

“Okay, and where is the dagger?”

“If the dagger is real, it will probably be in the family’s vault. Hm, I guess that finally makes sense,” Elzri rubbed his chin.

“What makes sense?”

“Right before Una left, she robbed the vault. Our treasurer noted that all she took with her was a couple bags of gold and an old dagger. I always found it strange how she stole a dagger. She never learned how to fight with knives. Seeing as this book is missing, I am fairly certain of what dagger she may have stolen.”

Loh banged her head on the wall, “I hate this place.”

“So you’ve told me,” Elzri started walking back downstairs.

“Wait, this isn’t over yet.”

“Oh?” Elzri kept walking.

“All we have to do is find Una and make her give us back the dagger and book. Should be fairly easy with your resources and power.”

“Except I don’t know where Una is.”

Loh laughed, “Oh, please. As if you don’t have a dozen spies watching every one of your family members. Are you seriously trying to tell me you haven’t kept a single eye on your little sister in the past 60 years?”

“Precisely.”

“What? Why?” Loh frowned.

Elzri paused in his footsteps but kept his back to Loh. “...I didn’t want to kill another one of my family.”

Loh held her tongue. She followed Elzri down the stairs.

“... So, we don’t have any leads then,” she sighed.

“No, not currently.”

“Could this day get any worse?”

“Loh? Is that you, darling?” Dolores stood breathlessly at the door.

“Mom?” Loh’s eyes widened.