Nevaria
In an unknown place – two members of the Shadow Squad arrived, the last survivors after the others were killed during their assault on the capital of the Kagutsuchi Empire.
The two, cloaked in robes that hid their faces, walked silently – the main rule: never show your face and never reveal your name. Once you join this squad, you lose your identity, and the name that once distinguished you becomes nothing but a number.
They entered a dark cave with no lights. The first pressed his finger on a hidden point; the place shook slightly, and a line appeared under their feet. The second placed his hand on the line, revealing a hidden passage to a cellar with long stairs. They both descended, closing the gate behind them.
After twenty minutes of descending the stairs, the place changed. It wasn't a cellar at all but an underground empire. Some lived ordinary lives, while others wore the same robes but with a difference: violet edges, a sign of high rank. Those in plain black robes held lower ranks.
This was the organization called Nevaria.
Amidst it all, a figure appeared before them, wearing a robe with dark violet edges. He drew his sword and spoke in a threatening tone:
"Fifty members were sent with you, Number One and Number Two. Yet now I see only you two have returned. What happened out there?"
Both bowed. The first spoke in a moderately firm tone:
"We accomplished the intended goal and distracted the Kagutsuchi Empire. After most were slain, twenty remained, but it turned out a Ruler had infiltrated among us. The rest could not withstand him and met death."
The mysterious man accepted the answer and said in a calm voice:
"This explains why only you two returned. I see a question lingers in your mind, Number One." His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke.
The first replied respectfully:
"Was he able to absorb the energy, my lord?"
The man grew angry upon hearing this. His voice thundered:
"When you mention him, speak with respect—or I'll cut off your head. As for your question, no. He is still absorbing that energy. Now, leave."
Before departing, the second looked down at the ground, fixating on a dense, dark substance. He thought to himself:
"Disgusting. It's the same material that devoured the Wizard Empire. I'd better leave before I get killed."
In Valemir City
Seiji arrived hurriedly after Roko disappeared. When he found him, he lay unconscious on the ground, with a corpse before him—a young man whose face was intact, but the lower half of his body was mutilated.
After half an hour, Roko awoke.
Seiji asked anxiously, "What happened to you, man? How did you faint?"
Roko held his head, a strong headache overwhelming him. After a moment, he spoke weakly:
"I learned what happened by using clairvoyance… but it seems I overused it, and the effect was fainting."
Seiji set aside Roko's condition, his voice hesitant and worried:
"So, what did you discover?"
Roko lay back on the ground, his voice filled with shock:
"It's unbelievable. The one who did this wasn't a monster or a yokai… it was a Ruler!"
Seiji was stunned. His voice trembled:
"Continue—what did you see?"
Roko continued:
"I saw a memory of a young man named Loren. Everything was normal—they were preparing for the founding anniversary. When Loren met an old man he knew, while they were speaking, the old man's head was severed. Then the massacre began. The people tried to flee this calamity, but their attempts failed, and death claimed them. The nobles committed suicide in fear of what had happened."
Seiji, unable to speak at first, thought about what Roko said. Then, terrified, he muttered:
"A Ruler was behind this! We're in a situation we cannot escape."
Roko understood and looked at Seiji with surprise:
"Then how did you find me, Seiji, when I was far away from you?"
Seiji answered, annoyed:
"When I tried to investigate and examine more corpses, I found nothing. So I decided to look for you. When I came back, I found you unconscious, so I waited until you awoke. After hearing what you saw, everything makes sense. The city's destruction wasn't ordinary. If it had been a monster, all buildings would have been destroyed, and the people slaughtered in even worse ways."
Roko laughed, then stood, brushing dust from his clothes. His voice now sharp, different from his usual sarcastic tone:
"At first, I suspected the Nevaria organization. What they did in their last attack was no small matter. But at least we've got our answer. Now we must continue the investigation—perhaps we'll find someone who survived."
An hour later
Roko and Seiji completed their investigation in Valemir City. They searched every corner for survivors, but found none. Whoever caused this ensured no one lived. Everything was destroyed. In desperation, they even tried shouting, but no one answered.
Roko, furious, struck his thigh and growled:
"Clearly, we're in a ghost city. That bastard made sure to kill everyone so no witness would remain… Why would someone that powerful do this? Especially to weak humans? There's something mysterious behind it."
Night fell once more—a lifeless night in a city filled with corpses. A city without lights, where only the stars above could illuminate it. Yet even that wasn't enough; the darkness was unbearable. Seiji lit a flame to see their path. As they walked, the sound of crows echoed, feasting on the rotting corpses. The stench worsened.
Roko pointed toward a tall tower rising in the city center. A large clock adorned its middle, its golden edges shining. The clock hands pointed to ten o'clock and still moved even after the calamity. The tower was damaged at the base, but not enough to topple it. Roko spoke:
"Tomorrow we'll head to that tower as a last attempt. Since night has come, why not rest here? We must not rush such matters."
Seiji, exhausted, replied:
"Fine… but let's not camp inside the city. You shouldn't sleep among the dead."
Roko and Seiji left the city and set up camp at the gate, far from corpses and the stench of blood.
Seiji lit a fire in the center of the camp. The air was cold enough that they would've frozen without it. Summer had ended; autumn had come. Around the camp stood withered trees, some leaves still green, others dead and orange. With the fire burning, the scent of wood mixed with the remaining flowers, creating a soothing fragrance.
Roko lay on the ground, while Seiji leaned against a small log. Roko asked,
"What information did you gather before coming here? I don't know much about the Old Kingdom."
Seiji spoke seriously, his voice calm yet sharp:
"In truth, the Old Kingdom had a class-based system. The monarchy was strongest, followed by nobles, then commoners, and finally the poor. These classes, however, lived in equality. Oak wood was considered expensive, but due to their development, it was used to build even the homes of the poor. They had advanced so far that what is costly for us was ordinary for them.
To win their favor, Emperor Tenma adopted their noble traditions. He changed the title of Shogun to Emperor, and the wealthy were renamed Nobles. True, this decision faced great opposition for contradicting our empire's culture, but they eventually accepted it.
Their military system also differed. Their soldiers were called Knights. Unlike us, they had seven commanders instead of three. They were known as the Seven Knights, the most famous being Knight Eldovar.
And economically, the Old Kingdom surpassed our empire. Their seaport opened onto the Ruined Lands, rich in powerful and precious resources."
Hearing all this, Roko, nearly asleep, muttered weakly:
"Alright, enough… let's just sleep."
As he slept, Roko had a dream—a nightmare, a memory from the past. A child covered in blood tried to escape after watching his father and family murdered by a mysterious figure.
That figure was terrifying. Though his face wasn't visible, only a shadow, his crimson eye was enough to petrify the eleven-year-old boy. Suddenly, the figure approached, holding a bloodstained sword—his father's blood. A horrific image carved into the child's mind…
Roko awoke, trembling, his body drenched in sweat. The nightmare frightened him more than anything he'd seen in Valemir City.
Shaking, his voice filled with fear, he whispered:
"It was… a nightmare."
End of Chapter