Chapter XXVII

Album Luz calmly made her way down the darkened silver halls of the Ijirian Citadel, her hands folded behind her back and her strides long. It was late enough that most of those working in the Citadel had long since retired to their chambers for the night and so the few people she passed were those who had finished their work later than most. However, none made any move to speak to her and she refrained from greeting them. Album had no interest in benign interactions with anybody. She cared little for them and preferred to simply get her task completed so she, too, could return to her chambers and rest. After all, she now realized just how big of a morning she was going to have the following day.

It’s a good thing Nigreos finally decided to speak to that merchant friend of his. This would have been his last chance, she thought.

Just mere minutes after her partner departed for the market, Album received a summons to go to the offices of the Elder of the High Council and, given the current circumstances, it didn’t take a genius to know what they wanted with her. She knew that, after all of their patient waiting, they were finally being given the realm dagger they had requested in order to go to Omaruo and retrieve the Assassination Gem. In her opinion, the Council had taken far longer than they should have and now, she just hoped they could be as quick about retrieving the stone as possible.

Though...if our suspicions prove to be correct, that may not be easy.

Her biggest concern regarding the mission wasn’t that they would be incapable of finding the stone or even being too weak to reclaim it. She knew that, with hers and Nigreos’s powers combined, retrieving the stone should be simple child’s play. However, what she worried about most was whether or not Nigreos would approach the situation with his full power. She knew that if Eric Reiner was truly in possession of the stone, then it was likely he would hold back. In any other circumstance, Nigreos Noctis could be truly merciless. She had seen him in action before and his power was terrifyingly strong. Should he use his full strength then Reiner and the others wouldn’t stand a chance. The problem was that, when it came to Reiner, Nigreos was still too hung up on Abigail.

He needs to separate himself from that, she thought irritably. What’s done is done. Abigail Reiner is dead and has been for two years now. This child...while he may be hers, we have no connection to him. He’s a boy who never should have been born in the first place. Abigail never should have left Ijiria and she certainly never should have gotten herself knocked up by a magicless man.

Album sighed. I know he promised to keep Ijiria from ever learning of Eric Reiner’s existence, but now, it might not matter. There is no need to hesitate. We should deal with this problem like we would with any other…

With that last thought, she stopped before the double golden doors of the Council Elder’s offices. She reached forward and pulled the doors open before stepping inside the anteroom. The interior was decorated with numerous paintings of the various council elders of Ijiria’s history hung around the silver walls. The floor had a velvet carpet and there were a few armchairs circled around a dark oak table in the right corner for visitors to wait in. In addition, there was a reception desk in the opposite corner though the man who usually sat there was nowhere to be seen. So, she instead walked straight toward the door in the back left corner and rapped her knuckles against it a few times.

“Ah, yes? Come in,” came the call of an aged and raspy voice from the other side of the door.

Album reached forward and pulled the door open before stepping into the Council Elder’s office. The room was nowhere near as extravagant as the rest of the Citadel. In contrast to the Citadel’s love for constructing rooms out of precious metals and gemstones, the elder’s office seemed more humble, looking more befitting of an average merchant than the head of King Markreas’s royal council. The walls were painted a dark red and the oak desk the elder worked at was old and worn. The man sitting at the desk was old as well, with wrinkled skin and a neatly trimmed white beard. His dark brown eyes were calm and always gave Album the impression of a man full of wisdom. Similar to the style of the room, he was dressed modestly in a dark green robe as he sat writing upon his parchment.

The Council Elder, Solomon Orland, looked up at her entrance and smiled, as if greeting a close friend of his despite the two having rarely talked in the past. Album preferred keeping to herself and allowing Nigreos to deal with the fools in the council. She had very little respect for them. After all, it was no secret to her that they were a bunch of greedy idiots who would sooner sacrifice Ijiria to the flames of hell if it meant it furthered their own ambitions. The one exception to that rule was the man before her. She knew from both Nigreos and her own few experiences with him that Orland truly cared about aiding the king in the governing of the country and wanted Ijiria to prosper. So, she found herself grateful to be summoned to speak with him as opposed to other council members.

“Good afternoon, Master Luz,” Orland greeted, setting his quill down on the desk as he looked up at her. “My apologies for the late summons, but Master Noctis requested that I get the dagger to you at the first chance I had.”

Album nodded. “Of course. It’s no problem at all, Elder. I share the same sentiment as my partner. The sooner the better.”

“Yes, I agree,” the old man replied as he slowly got to his feet. “Considering the circumstances, it would be best to get this done as fast as we can. My apologies that it took so long but the other council members didn’t seem to be as anxious to hurry as I was.”

The man grabbed his wooden cane that was leaning up against his desk and began hobbling over to the bookshelf to the right.

“What was wrong, if you don’t mind my asking?” she said. “I would have assumed they would want to reclaim the relic as quickly as possible. Who knows what could be happening in Omaruo while we sit around doing nothing.”

She watched Orland grimace as he reached up to grab something wrapped in a dark red cloth that had been laying on the top shelf. Based on its length and width, she knew with certainty that it was the dagger she had come to retrieve.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he muttered. “However, it was not the operation itself that the council was opposing. Rather, it was who should be the ones to go to Omaruo that we spent far too long debating.”

Album narrowed her eyes. Both she and Nigreos had feared a situation such as this, but that didn’t make her any less furious to have it confirmed by the elder himself.

“They were worried about sending those who already failed to reclaim it,” Orland continued. “They were urging that we send Master Taurus instead.”

The Master of Light scoffed. “So after all our years of service to this country, we make one mistake and they lose all faith in us? Pathetic. I hope they realize that Nigreos and I weren’t the only ones who failed to stop the raid on the Citadel. If Rista Pine had never escaped the building to begin with, Nigreos and I wouldn’t have had to confront him in the first place. They should consider themselves lucky that we managed to intercept him at all.”

“You’re complaining to the wrong man,” he said softly. “I’ve been on this council for a very long time, Master Luz, and trust me when I say that I know of your accomplishments. If anybody can reclaim the stone then it’s you. I made sure the others knew as much.”

Album forced back the irritation she was feeling and bowed her head to the man. “Thank you, Elder. Your faith is appreciated.”

“Of course, dear,” he replied. “Now, let's get on with this. I don’t want to take up any more of your time. After all, you’ve got an important job ahead of you.”

Orland then untied the string around the dagger and pulled the fabric from atop it, revealing the beautiful talisman beneath. Within the leather sheath, she couldn’t see the blade itself, but the golden pommel and red leather hilt were well cared for and the gemstones adorning it sparkled softly in the dim lighting of the room. The elder held the realm dagger out and Album gratefully took it, feeling its weight in her hands as she studied it.

“I’ve always found those to be fascinating,” Orland said. “The ability to travel to other worlds and explore the vastness of the multiverse is truly a blessing. And yet, even with it, we can only ever bear witness to our minuscule little pocket. If only the method of crafting them wasn’t lost. Perhaps then, we may have been able to explore even more… Though, that’s not to say I don’t understand why the real forgers left us like they did.”

Album exhaled softly. “I suppose so. But to me...I don’t have any interest in other realms. I care only for my own. Why should I ever want to leave when my duty is here.”

After all, nothing good comes from leaving this world, she thought to herself, feeling a twinge of sadness that she quickly suppressed.

Orland eyed her for a moment and Album could tell that he was thinking back to the past just as she was. However, he didn’t say anything more and instead smiled once again.

“You may head back to your quarters now,” he said. “Good luck in Omaruo. And give Master Noctis my best.”

Album once again bowed to the old man. “I will. Have a good evening, Elder.”

“And you, Master.”

She then turned and departed the room, making her way back out into the Citadel’s corridors beyond the offices. As she walked, she fixed the dagger’s sheath to her belt and increased her pace, wanting to get back as quickly as she could. She hoped Nigreos would return from the market soon so they could start planning their next move.

It’s beginning, she thought. It’s time to go to Omaruo. I just hope it’ll be as simple as reclaiming the stone and returning. Omaruo is a magicless realm. Even if there is some sorcerer in possession of the relic and even if it is Eric Reiner, this mission should be easy. Get in and out. Leave no trace of the stone’s presence. Erase all who came into contact with it. It’s nothing complicated and it’s pointless to complicate it ourselves.

As Album rounded a corner, she sensed a sudden presence in the corridor and when she looked up, a man in a cloak was walking toward her. The cowl was pulled over his face, but she recognized him almost immediately based on the power that he exuded. He was no taller than three feet—a halfling. There was only one halfling in the Citadel who would be walking around in such attire and she wanted nothing more than to pass him by without speaking a word. So, she turned away and proceeded forward. However, just as she passed him, she heard him whisper something under his breath.

“Conflicted, are we, Luz?”

She came to a sudden halt though she refused to turn back to look at him.

“How many times have I told you, Seiras?” she growled. “Stay out of my head.”

The little Master laughed softly and she could hear that ever present touch of insanity in tone. “Always so calm and composed on the outside. Yet, inside, something’s bothering you. Almost like...there’s something in Omaruo that scares you.”

Album clenched her teeth and proceeded forward, knowing it would be best to get as far away from him as she possibly could. If he hadn’t been another Master, she would have ripped open his throat then and there.

“Suppress it all you want, Album,” he called after her. “But you can’t escape your feelings no matter how far down you push them! Try as you will, but you’ll always be just as human as the rest of us!”

She scoffed and rounded the corner, his presence fading from her senses moments later.

Shut up, you fool. You don’t know a thing about me...so don’t pretend like you do.

***

“Coreas,” Nigreos uttered under his breath just as the five Children of Reiner closed in on him.

Immediately, the shadows engulfing the street began to move, forming into tendrils of darkness that lurched towards the attackers.

“Pull back! Watch for the shadows!” the woman shouted.

The five Children quickly bolted back, putting distance between themselves and the shadows. However, this was what Nigreos was banking on. Using the mana in his body, he turned the tendrils of shadow not on his attackers, but on the streetlamps surrounding the road. His power increased as light decreased, the complete antithesis of Album, so if he took out the only light sources in the neighborhood then he truly would be unstoppable. The Child must have realized her mistake as he heard her suddenly cry out.

“No! Don’t let him take out the lights!”

But unfortunately for them, they were already too late. The tendrils smashed through the glass of each streetlamp, extinguishing the fire magic within and bathing the neighborhood in darkness. The only exception was the moonlight coming from the crescent up above, but Nigreos knew it wouldn’t make much of a difference. His confidence was only bolstered by his ability to see clearly in the dark while they would be as good as blind.

The Master shook his head. So sloppy. This is clearly nothing more than a desperate act of revenge. If they thought they could take down the Master of Darkness at night then they’re utter fools—fools that I refuse to believe Abi ever trained. Rista Pine was a talented warrior and a man worthy of calling himself a Child of Reiner. These people are a stain on her memory.

He could hear the woman calling out orders once again and could see two of the hooded Children darting toward him, propelled by their wind magic, as if hoping to make another desperate strike. He scoffed, extending his hand toward the two men while watching the other three moving in to attack him from behind.

“Devare,” he whispered.

As the incantation left his mouth, the shadows engulfing the street immediately wrapped around the two closest children. They began to cry out but only a brief sound escaped their lips before the shadows began entering their body. He sent the darkness through every orifice, filling them up with shadow and bringing them to a halt midair. They were gagging and desperately trying to breathe as they flailed their arms and legs, but it was futile. He ended their lives with the whisper of a single word.

“Morita.”

All at once, the shadows within their body expanded outwards, ripping through their skin and pulling their bodies apart in a mere seconds. The two Children exploded in a spray of flesh, blood, and bone, their death so sudden that they probably never even realized what had happened.

“Cal! Orin!” he heard the woman shriek. “What happened?!”

When he looked back over his shoulder, he could see the other two men back up on the rooftops, most likely having opted to pull back at the sudden silence of their friends. The woman remained further down the street, clearly hoping to keep her distance. Nigreos took some amusement at the panicked look on her face, like she was genuinely surprised that her attack was failing as miserably as it was.

What a pathetic fool, he mused.

Then, hoping to have a word with her before he departed, Nigreos snapped his fingers and uttered another spell. Up on the roofs, the shadows once again formed tendrils, though these had sharp points at the end. He snapped his fingers and the blades of shadow shot toward the two children, severing their heads from their shoulders in two clean cuts. Their bodies toppled to the ground, lending on the concrete in still heaps, their blood turning the ground red. The woman clearly heard the sounds as she called out the names of her allies once more.

“Loir! Karda!”

The hands holding her longsword were visibly shaking and she sounded utterly terrified. Nigreos smirked, using his connection to the darkness to become one with it, his body fading into the shadows and without even taking a step, he reformed himself mere inches away from her.

“Do you see how much of a fool you are now?” he asked.

She seemed to react on instinct, surprised by his sudden closeness to her, and she swung her sword up to cut him. But it was a pointless endeavor. With a mere flick of his wrist, the shadows surrounding her sharpened and severed both of her hands from the wrists. The sword fell to the ground with a clang and she went to shriek but, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention, Nigreos quickly sent the shadows into her body, using them to block off her voice. Her eyes were wide in terror and pain and she must have realized that her death could be drawing near. Yet, despite that, she still looked at him with utter hatred, as if wanting to try and show even a modicum of strength before him.

“Your friends are dead,” he said. “I killed each one in a matter of seconds. Is it clear, now, that your attempt on my life was utterly ridiculous? I am the Master of Darkness. A mere child like yourself could never hope to even scratch me.”

Naturally, she could make no reply, and he realized that perhaps he had gone a bit too far in cutting her hands off. Of course, he didn’t care about harming her, but the pain she was experiencing would make it hard for her to hold a conversation with him.

Well, I suppose it can’t be helped. I really should get out of here before the guards show up. I really don’t feel like telling anybody why I was out here.

His thoughts briefly shifted to the canister containing the nerich in his pocket.

Well, at least to satisfy my curiosity, I should at least see what her deal is.

Deciding there was no longer any point in talking to her, Nigreos decided to be quick. He reached his hand out and placed it against her forehead. He wasn’t in the position to do a proper mind connection, but he could at least probe the surface level just to get an idea about who she was. For all he knew, he could learn a bit more about how the vault containing the relics had been broken into, a mystery still being investigated by both the Council and the Masters.

The moment his fingers touched her sweaty forehead, images began appearing in his mind. He could see a teen girl with dark red hair and green eyes smiling and laughing with a group of kids her age. She looked happy and he could only imagine that it was her life under Abi’s care. However, he did feel as if her memories were off, as if something had been removed, though it didn’t take a genius to understand what might have happened.

“Arisa Kirisan,” he whispered, identifying it as the woman’s, or rather girl’s, name.

Her glazed eyes briefly widened at his speaking of her name, but she didn’t seem to have the energy to do much else. The lack of oxygen was probably driving her close to losing consciousness. Satisfied at having confirmed her identity as a Child of Reiner, Nigreos was about to pull out of her mind and finish her off when another image appeared in his head—one that caused him to stop. It was just a brief moment, but he could see her standing in the Vault of the Relics.

Wait! She was there?!

“Dormira, he whispered and the girl fell instantly unconscious, slumping to the ground as he allowed the shadows to escape her body. Nigreos stood there and gaped at her, realizing the weight of what that meant.

Damn it. If she was in the vault then she could know something about how they got past the illusion magic guarding it. It would be utterly idiotic to kill her now.

Nigreos shook his head. He’d wanted to refrain from telling anybody that he had left the Citadel that night, but now he had no choice. He had to bring this girl back for interrogation.

I guess...I’ll just have to come up with some explanation. I don’t have a choice at this point.

***

Album Luz stood quietly in the main room of her living quarters as she gazed through the window and down at the lights of the city sprawled out around the Citadel. Just moments before, she had returned from the elder’s offices to find that Nigreos still hadn’t returned. He had promised to meet her in her quarters so now, all she could do was wait. The realm dagger was still strapped to her hip and its weight felt like more of a burden than anything. No matter what she did, she couldn’t take her thoughts away from their mission. And now, as much as she hated to admit it, she kept thinking back to her brief encounter with the halfling in the corridors.

“Always so calm and composed on the outside. Yet, inside, something’s bothering you. Almost like...there’s something in Omaruo that scares you.”

“Suppress it all you want, Album, but you can’t escape your feelings now matter how far down you push them! Try as you will, but you’ll always be just as human as the rest of us!”

She clicked her tongue in irritation. She knew that man had only said those words to get in her head, but she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about it.

I’m not bothered by anything, she told herself. I’m not the one conflicted about this mission! Nigreos is the one who can’t allow himself to see past Abigail Reiner. I’m ready to do what has to be done. If erasing Eric and those around him is what we need to do then it’s what I’ll do! There’s no question about that!

The Master of Light slowly placed her hand upon the dagger’s hilt and closed her eyes. For a moment, she just felt the flow of mana through the weapon, sensing the amazing amount of power coursing through it.

Yeah...I’m not conflicted about anything. I’m ready to go to Omaruo and get back that relic. We can make up for our failure to contain Pine and reclaim it. We must focus only on our duty. Even if Eric Reiner is involved, we can’t let our emotions get the better of us. The job must be completed.

No matter the cost.