14 of the Black Star

9PM (One hour before the banquet)

In their new villa, gifted by Jennifer, Julie removed her hand from Feylord’s chest. The blood soaking her hand was absorbed instantly while the Phoenix Flames that were flickering from within her brother’s body were now under control.

“I’m fine now.”

The blond-haired young man sighed and looked at his chest. He could feel the Phoenix Flames within him, urging him to erupt and explode into a powerful fiery blast. It wasn’t just him that was getting restless, he was certain that the flames were too..

“If this happens during the banquet, you’ll have to leave. Quickly. If they find out about your condition, they will capture you.”

Julie turned her head and looked at the expressionless maid, who also removed her nigh-indestructible barrier.

As he was right now, it took the effort of both Elyna and Julie to quieten down the Phoenix Flames. The former made sure they were confined by the barrier while the latter somewhat overpowered it using her Vampiric Magic, also known as Blood Magic.

“Sancha Sanguis along with her two uncles will be attending the banquet. Do not act recklessly.”

“I told you that I understand.” Elyna raised her hand and moved the barrier in the air, making it smaller then bigger, more brilliant then dim and barely-visible. Her control over it was getting better and the energy consumption was almost non-existent. It was truly an amazing magical ability that didn’t seem to have any draw-backs.

“What’s wrong, little one?”

Furball fidgeted on Julie’s lap, menacingly baring his teeth at Elyna. Ever since she became Feylord’s servant, the vampiric rabbit never hid its dislike toward Elyna, or more specifically, her Demonic powers.

Furball refused to get close to the maid and would even show signs of hostility. Fortunately, it never actually attacked her.

“I don’t know what, but something bad is about to go down, Julie.”

“...”

Although she didn’t verbally agree, Julie was also feeling anxious. If the Dark Knight was about to appear here, then there was bound to be chaos and fighting, and Feylord seemed to be at the center of it.

Much as she didn’t like to admit it, Julie didn’t want Feylord to die. She didn’t love him as one would love their older brother, however, he did change a bit since his return. Moreover, he was her only living family member.

“Keep to my side at all times.”

“Alright.”

The underground dungeon of the Imperial Palace

“Quite handy, isn’t it?”

The Chamberlain grinned toward the Emperor, who stood a distance away and frowned at the strange-looking tentacles.

“It’s from the South of the Western Continent. Apparently, it holds some remnant power of Razkilark, an Outer God.”

Gidon, the Chamberlain, didn’t seem to mind that disgusting and pink-ish tentacles were coming out of the five-sided metal artifact.

The tentacles wriggled around before latching themselves onto the powerful seal on the door.

Slowly but surely, the ominous ambient Darkness was being ‘sucked’ by the pores on the tentacles, causing the thick doors leading into the cell to shake for a couple of moments.

The frightening creatures chained inside awakened and, like an incensed beast, shook its heavy chains as its headless body flailed around and tried to break free.

“There’s no turning back now.” Muttered the Emperor as the seal became weakened. The tentacles turned black and, having absorbed enough Darkness, retreated back into the artifact.

“It’s not going to attack us when it gets out, right?”

Even Gidon, who was usually nonchalant and rarely showcased any emotion of worry or fear, backed away from the door.

The Headless Soldier would need a bit more time to free itself. A savage and dark-red aura exploded from its body, clashing against the thick Darkness within the cell.

“When it senses the Nameless Knight, it will go after him.”

“And if he doesn’t come, we’re all dead.”

“He will come. He is pretty adamant about keeping the Headless Soldier sealed in here. Come, the banquet is about to begin.”

High-up in the sky, above the Imperial Capital, there were two entities shrouded in a fog of death and decay.

“It is not wise, nor within our duty, to intervene with mortal affairs or affect the Natural Laws. This applies more to Astria, a world under the protection of the Trickster.”

“There’s no cost too great for the Nameless Knight. An existence like him cannot be tolerated.”

Death didn’t even spare a glance at the Grim Reaper, which kept objecting to the ridiculous plan that was about to begin.

“The disruption of the Natural Laws will have consequences. Mortal lives will be lost.” The Grim Reaper looked down at the glorious Imperial Capital and its vicinities, which were far away, “If Astria suffers, the Trickster will come.”

“In the absence of the Nameless Knight, the Trickster will be busy with the Crimson Rift. Existence itself follows a natural and predetermined order. We cannot have mortals trampling on divinities and acting as they wish. Look at what the loss of Sedos did.”

“...” The Grim Reaper didn’t argue back. One of the Twelve Creation Gods, Sedos the Lightbringer, was killed and that caused the Void to slip into this layer. The Void Era, they called it.

After a still and eerie silence, Death angrily snorted, “And he forced me and Fate to reincarnate a mortal! I don’t care about his grand plan. Once stability returns to our layer, the Crimson Rift will close on its own.”

The flames within the Grim Reaper’s eye-sockets flickered non-stop as it stared at the black shade known as Death.

‘This is a mistake. The Nameless Knight is what’s stopping the impending doom from returning.’

Still, it kept its silence as Death rose higher until it was out of view.

“Doesn’t it irk you?”

Startled, the Grim Reaper spun around only to see a human floating in the air. Although the unexpected newcomer had the appearance of a well-dressed human, his face was shrouded in a magical mist that obfuscated his features.

“What is a God doing here?”

The Grim Reaper instantly knew that this man was a God. A divine being. However, he didn’t recognize this God. Admittedly, there were countless Gods and it was impossible to keep count of all of them. Many of them, especially the weaker ones, keep dying and being replaced by more suitable candidates chosen by the Natural Laws.

“I am ‘X’, God of Obscurity.”

“...”

“Anyway, doesn’t it irk you that Death, a supposedly almighty being that represents the end of all living beings, is acting arbitrarily? Such meticulous planning just because It is afraid. It beggars belief, if you ask me.”

“What do you want?”

“Me? Nothing in particular. I was here to check on someone.”

X turned around and let out a laugh as he stared at the lands below.

“Astria! What a fascinating little world, isn’t it? With so many secrets in it, one could say it is the amalgamation of all the past Eras. Not to speak about it being dangerously close to the Crimson Rift.”

“...”

The Grim Reaper coldly stared at X, who was totally relaxed and in a very good mood.

“Do you know how surprised I was when the God of Secrets told me about this world? Situated on the edge of the System Universe, a speck of dust within the boundless space. But! The more fascinating thing is what Astria really is, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I have nothing to say to you. Leave.”

“So soon? I have much I want to ask. For instance, why does the Dark Knight need that Parasite? To go to such length to bring him here only to abandon him to his own devices. I’ve thought long and hard, but nothing comes to mind.”

Hearing nothing but a long silence as an answer, X sighed and shook his head.

“The plan to kill the Dark Knight, err-..it’s not a bad one. Still, I will look forward to seeing him go absolutely crazy on all of you. If you genuinely think it’s going to work, then you really… really have no idea what type of monster you’re messing with. Not to speak of the Trickster, who’ll go batshit if you as much as hurt Astria.”

“Without the Primordial Darkness, He will be vulnerable.” Rebuked the Grim Reaper, but it looked as if it wanted to convince itself, not X.

“You seem to be forgetting, or perhaps purposely ignoring, that he was killing Gods and the like way before his much-infamous ascension. Neither Moriah nor the Void itself were able to kill him… But sure! He will most definitely, undoubtedly die today!” X burst out in laughter as his body slowly vanished into thin air.