Changing Star's words brought the room to dead silence. On both sides of it, people were slowly preparing themselves, dark resentment burning in their eyes. It felt as though the tension reached critical mass and was about to explode into a storm of violence.
The giant bared his canines in a grin. His eyes, however, remained cold as ice.
"What a… revelation. And here I was, thinking that you are a great defender of justice. Were you not, Changing Star? Or is your sense of justice reserved only for the crimes of those who don't serve you?"
He sighed and added, his voice full of disappointment:
"That huntress of yours is accused of murder. Why are you trying to prevent me from bringing her to justice? I thought that you, of all people, would not get in the way of fairness."
Nephis frowned.
"Accused does not mean convicted. Why do you claim that she is guilty?"
Tessai stared at her and said, his low voice sending tremors through the stone hall:
"There is plenty of evidence. There are plenty of witnesses. So many people came forward to give a testimony! Her guilt is undeniable. How will you answer that, Changing Star?"
My eyes slowly drifted to Sunny, he had told me what happened to those guards beforehand, Sunny had killed them.
"...Well, well. That changes everything, then. Please forgive me, if you can. I have been away from the Dark City for so long, and wasn't informed of these… developments. If this is the case, then by all means, take her away."
Effie grimaced and looked at her with an amused expression.
The smile suddenly disappeared from her face, replaced by boundless coldness.
"...However, I am coming with her. All of us are, in fact. We are awfully curious to see that evidence and hear those witnesses. And, most of all, we are all dying to see justice done and those guilty punished. Surely, Lord Gunlaug would not mind."
An expression of dissatisfaction appeared on Tessai's face. With a deep frown, he looked down on Neph from his oppressive height and said in a growling voice:
"Why do you think that you can come, wench?"
Changing Star was silent for a few moments, calmly looking at him. Then, her eyes suddenly shone with furious white light. In a voice that promised agony and death, she said with contempt:
"...Who's going to stop me?"
'Ugh.. how cheesy.' I narrowed my eyes slightly as I listened to Nephis talk.
Tessai slowly shook his head and said, his voice full of false reluctance:
"...Fine. Do as you wish. Come with me to the Castle, if you want. Bring your rats with you. All of you will witness the brilliance of our Lord!"
***
As we moved toward the Castle, more and more slum dwellers surrounded them, their faces full of shock and anger.
"They got Effie!"
"Bastards! Let her go!"
"Lady Nephis! Do something!"
Glancing at the growing number of people who were gathering around them, she smiled reassuringly and said:
"Stay calm! Come with us if you want. Today, we'll see justice done!"
However, her appeal to remain calm had the opposite effect on the crowd. It ignited it instead, and soon, a clamor of shouts rose above the outer settlement:
"Justice! Justice!"
…However, at some point, the tone of it changed, an almost palpable sense of bloodlust finding its way into the people's voices. The word they were shouting was also replaced, and soon, the crowd was chanting something else. Calling not for justice, but for…
Judgment.
"Judgement! Judgment!"
I observed the people, or rather creatures dressed in humane looks. These people emanated the aura of nightmare creatures rather than humans. It was a sickening sight.
As they drew close to the stairs leading to the entrance of the castle, almost a hundred people were following them. The Guards standing at the gates stared at the crowd with a bit of fear in their eyes.
…And at some point, Caster appeared out of nowhere and took position right behind Nephis. The proud Legacy looked pale and a bit disheveled, but it seemed that he had managed to complete the mysterious task given to him by Changing Star without receiving any wounds.
A few moments later, we entered the Bright Castle.
***
Entering the throne room, we saw hundreds of Sleepers standing along its walls, waiting to meet them. It seemed as though the whole population of the Bright Castle had gathered here. There were the Guards, the Hunters, the Artisans, the quiet Handmaidens. Even people who paid tribute to remain in the Castle were all there.
The air was tense and heavy. It seemed that not all of these people had come to the throne room of their own free will. Many of them had troubled, frightened expressions on their faces. Others were relaxed and joyful, waiting for an entertaining show with dark fascination burning in their eyes.
There were also some echoes unleashed by some sleepers as if they were waiting for some fight to break loose.
Well, of course, a fight was going to happen. But this showed that they were actually expecting us.
On the raised dais at the far end of the great hall, illuminated by the false stars that were carved into the wall of the dark alcove, the four lieutenants of the Bright Lord stood. There was Gemma, the leader of the Hunters, Kido, the chief Artisan, and Seishan, who was in charge of the Handmaidens, and Gunlaug's mad dog, Harus.
Meanwhile, Tessai walked to the middle of the hall and threw Effie down, forcing her to kneel on the floor. Then, he gave Nephis a dark look and joined the other lieutenants on the steps leading to the throne.
The two hundred or so slum dwellers were standing at one end of the throne room, their faces grim and full of dark apprehension. With the exception of those directly serving Changing Star, most of them were dressed in dirty rags, with only a few wearing a proper armor. Some were unarmed, some had Memories or makeshift weapons hanging on their belts, and some even had swords hastily fashioned out of the talons of the slain Spire Messenger.
Opposite them, with their back to the throne, stood the people of the castle. Many of them looked like they didn't want to be here, but more had contempt and indignation in their eyes. Those were mostly the members of the Host, who were more than two hundred people strong. Each of them was clad in a sturdy Memory armor and wielded enchanted weapons. They were strong, well-fed, and experienced in combat.
The hunters, especially, were a formidable presence despite their comparatively small number. They were looking at Nephis with intense hatred, the memory of her killing one of their own in this very hall still fresh in their minds.
Changing Star stood beside Effie in the middle of the empty space between the two groups, looking at the white throne. Her ivory face was cold and indifferent, and her silver hair glinted in the rays of sunshine that fell through tall windows. Sparks of light were dancing in the depths of her calm grey eyes.
She was the focal point of everyone's attention and the target of the dark storm of emotions that raged between the ancient walls of the Castle today.
If it bothered her, she did not show it.
Giving Shashi a nod, which caused a raise of an eyebrow from her, I walked right to the front, just next to Caster. I could feel Caster look at me for a few seconds before turning his sight to front.
And then, finally, the Bright Lord himself appeared.
The Bright Lord was tall and had broad, powerful shoulders. His body was clad in a strange armor that seemed to be made out of molten gold. It was both solid and liquid, flowing over his mightly muscles and covering him from head to toe.
Not even Gunalug's eyes were exposed.
In the place where his face should have been, there was nothing but a smooth and empty expanse of polished gold. The great hall of the Bright Castle reflected in it, and all the people gathered there did, too.
Immediately I received a mental sensation. It felt like an invisible pressure had crashed into me. But of course, that was only what I felt as the sensation of the mental attack. I did not feel its effects. I stood straight unlike the most of the people in the hall, not even showing a slight sense of discomfort.
Walking out of the darkness of the alcove like a golden apparition, Gunlaug glanced at the mass of people below him and sat on the throne. His pose was relaxed and casual, as though he was here to leisurely resolve a trivial matter, not decide someone's fate.
Hundreds of fates, perhaps.
However, despite his laid-back attitude, everyone gathered in the great hall swayed a little, pressed down to the ground by the incredible force of his presence.
The Bright Lord lingered for a few moments, and then said, his serpentine voice full of mirth:
"Ah, what a sight. All my precious wards gathered here, united in the desire to see justice prevail. This dedication, this fervor for the rule of law… oh, it just makes my blood boil with appreciation. Don't you think it's wonderful?"
He laughed and turned his head slightly, peering directly at Nephis. She lowered her head a bit, an almost imperceptible tremor running through her body.
Seeing her like this was quite enjoyable if I was honest with myself. She looked like she was struggling to stand up straight.
'Be careful not to shit yourself.'
Nevertheless, she endured it without showing much of the tremendous strain she was under.
The Bright Lord paused and then echoed his words, a note of some dark emotion finding its way into his voice:
"Don't you think it's wonderful, Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan?"
Nephis greeted her teeth, struggling to remain steady under the psychic onslaught of the golden armor. When she finally answered, her voice sounded suppressed:
"...Indeed."
Gunalug remained silent for a bit.
Finally, he spoke:
"How nice. Somehow, I was under the impression that you would disagree. I've been told by my most loyal aids that you are a disagreeable person. I guess you just can't trust anyone these days."
With that, he glanced at his lieutenants, making them pale and shiver.
The message was clear. He knew who the traitor was among his ranks. My gaze returned back to Nephis.
'Can't even choose the right spy to do your job for you.. Could you get more pathetic?'
Finally, the Bright Lord looked at Effie. After a few seconds had passed in tense silence, he spoke to her with a hint of sadness:
"We meet again, Effie. What a shame that it is in these tragic circumstances. If only you had listened to me and joined the Host… perhaps then you might not have fallen so low. Such pity…"
He shook his head and sighed.
"I had high hopes for you. But, alas… murdering innocent humans is not something that can be forgiven. Look at yourself! Instead of a noble Hunter, you have turned into a wild beast. But that is what happens when people refuse my grace. They become no better than Nightmare Creatures."
His somber words echoed in the silence of the great hall, making people lower their gazes.
Effie trembled, pressed down by the force of his undivided attention. But then, she grinned and answered, her raspy voice sounding relaxed and carefree.
She only said two words:
"Fuck off."
Gunlaug laughed and raised his hands in a helpless gesture.
"I rest my case. You all see how unrepentant this vile murderer is. There's not a drop of remorse left in her corrupted, rotten soul. That is why, with a heavy heart, I have to sentence this once-promising young woman to death. She has to answer for her crimes, and leaving her alive would put you, my wards, in danger. I am left with no choice."
A hum of voices rose from the crowd. Slum dweller or an inhabitant of the Castle, everyone was affected by his last words:
"Don't you dare, bastard!"
"Kill that murderer!"
"Effie! We're here!"
"Make her pay!"
"Lady Nephis! You can't let them!"
"Kill her!"
"Kill all of them!"
Unaffected by this outburst of boiling emotions, Nephis put a hand on Effie's shoulder and looked at the Bright Lord with a cold expression. Staring directly at the golden mask, she frowned and said, her voice clear and loud:
"I object."
The storm of voices suddenly grew quiet. Everyone turned to her, I sensed two types og gazes directed against her.
Ones filled with hope, and ones filled with vicious hatred.
Gunlaug tilted his head.
"Object? What do you mean? Her guilt has been proven without any room left for doubt. There is nothing you can do to change the outcome."
He paused for a moment and then suddenly leaned forward, his insidious voice washing over the great hall like a wave:
"Well. Unless, of course…"
Changing Star looked at him with dark resolve and lowered her chin stubbornly.
Then, she said:
"I want to invoke the right of challenge."
***
An echoing silence fell on the great hall of the ancient castle. The fateful words had been spoken, and now there was no turning back.
For better or for worse.
Gunlaug tilted his head and stayed quiet for a few moments. Then, the sound of his laughter rolled over the crowd.
"The right of challenge? Oh, that old thing. You are awfully fond of that tradition, it seems. Not even a full year since you have arrived under my roof, and I had the pleasure of hearing you say those words twice. Insolent girl…"
He paused for a few moments and then leaned forward. His voice suddenly turned cold, full of dark undertones.
"To be honest, I am very tired of your insolence, Changing Star."
Before Nephis could answer, the Bright Lord suddenly rose from his throne, towering above the crowd like a statue cast from pure gold. Then, he took a leisurely step forward and began descending the stairs of the dais. With each step, the sound of his serpentine voice resounded, growing lower and lower, until it turned into a fiendish, wrathful growl.
"Your little games were fun at first, but the more I observed your clumsy attempts at playing the hero, the more disgusted I became. I couldn't believe how naive, self-righteous, and stupid you turned out to be. It made me sick. It made me want to do things that I promised myself to never do again. Ah, I expected better from the daughter of the Immortal Flame! To disappoint me so thoroughly…"
His growl reverberated through the great hall and then abruptly disappeared. A moment later, Gunlaug suddenly threw his head back and laughed brightly.
"Oh, but then it hit me! I was such a fool. You fooled me so beautifully! Brilliantly done, Changing Star. Please, do accept my compliment! After I saw the real you, ah, it was such a joy to watch your performances."
He left the stairs and stepped on the marble floor of the throne room. The crowd of the Castle inhabitants parted in front of him, people hurrying to get as far away from the oppressive aura of the golden armor as they could.
The Bright Lord sighed.
"It's such a shame that all of this will has to stop now. You see… while I can't help but applaud your effort, in the end, you still turned out to be just another fool."
He glanced at Effie and asked, his voice full of mockery:
"A challenge? I don't think it's your place to demand such a thing. You are not the one accused of the crime, after all. If someone has to invoke the right of challenge, it should be Effie herself. Don't you think?"
Nephis gritted her teeth, struggling to remain poised under the assault of the psychic pressure. Refusing to turn away from the polished mirror of the Bright Lord's face, she said:
"...It's just like one of your minions said. I am responsible for the actions of my people. Any crime they commit… is my crime."
Gunlaug watched her, his expression hidden. Neph's pale face was reflected in his mask, staring back at her with merciless grey eyes. After a while, he spoke:
"Sound logic. Who are you going to challenge, then?"
She hesitated for a few moments, then said steadily:
"Whoever it was that passed the guilty verdict."
The Bright Lord chuckled.
"Oh? But by the same logic... that would be me."
She smiled darkly and glared at him, white flames dancing in her eyes.
"Then you are the one I challenge!"
Her words resounded in the great hall, sending hundreds of people gathered there into a state of stunned shock.
***
'Took you long enough.'
Regardless of how the fight between Nephis and Gunlaug ended, the small enclave of humans living in the Dark City was going to descend into utter chaos. If Changing Star was killed, her followers would make her into a martyr and go insane. The Host would not just let them off, either. If the Bright Lord fell…
No matter how much of a bastard Gunlaug was, he was also the glue that held this whole place together. Without a tyrant enforcing some semblance of order, no matter how ghoulish, things would get really ugly really fast. Who was going to stop the Nightmare Creatures from wiping the humans out then?
In any case, there was going to be a bloodbath.
But I didn't care. As long as me and the cohort survived I did not give a shit or two if anyone else died.
In the silence that enveloped the great hall, the Bright Lord laughed and tilted his head, staring at Changing Star from behind his golden mask. Then, he said:
"How audacious! I wonder what gives you the confidence to dare challenge me. Various people have tried to kill me, you know. I have a little hobby, actually — collecting their skulls. Come to think of it, your pretty head would look really well in my collection."
Suddenly, he raised a hand and gestured to his forehead:
"Don't tell me… don't tell me that it's all because of that little toy that you took off the First Lord's corpse? Oh, no! That would be terrible. You didn't really think that one powerful Memory would be enough to defeat me?"
Nephis lingered for a while, glaring at Gunlaug. Then, she said evenly:
"My bare hands would be enough to defeat a worm like you. The Memory is just to make it quicker."
Gunlaug stared at her for a moment, and then chuckled.
"Great! This is great! Such spirit! I will really enjoy breaking you, Changing Star. When this done."
He flexed his shoulders and said, his voice sending shivers into the hearts of hundreds of people gathered in the hall:
"Alright. I accept your challenge."
***
The great hall of the Bright Castle grew silent and still. However, that stillness was not tranquil, but like a predator that fell low to the ground, ready to explode into a violent lunge to tear its prey apart.
The Sleepers pressed themselves against the walls, giving Changing Star and the Bright Lord space for their battle. Effie was dragged away from the middle of the hall by two Guards, and now, there was nothing but emptiness separating the two fighters.
Two people were standing opposite each other there. One was a tall man encased in a strange golden carapace that followed the lines of his mighty body. The other was a young woman in an elegant plate armor forged of white metal.
But then—quiet steps broke the tension.
They echoed, one after another, across the stone floor of the hall. All eyes turned as I walked forward, my expression cold and unreadable. Nephis looked back at me, startled.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"You remember the deal we made?" I said, voice even. "You would grant me one wish."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, not in suspicion, but realization. She understood.
The Bright Lord's voice rang out, edged with disdain.
"What is this interruption? If you're here to stall, I suggest you stand aside. We've wasted enough time already."
I glanced at him, feeling that he was trying to use the mental attack of his echo on me, I simply smirked and lifted a middle finger to him.
Then, turning back to Nephis, I said:
"Step aside."
"Are you sure…?"
I held her gaze. That was all the answer she needed.
Wordlessly, Nephis turned and proposed the substitution to the Bright Lord. For a moment, he stood frozen—confused, perhaps thinking it was some sort of game. Then, reluctantly, he agreed. Nephis stepped away, leaving the center of the hall for me.
Now, it was just the two of us.
The crowd stirred. Voices rose—some confused, others mocking. Disbelief echoed off the marble pillars.
Who was this fool, they wondered, walking to his death?
I didn't blame them.
There I stood, facing a man clad in transcendent echo, while I wore nothing but woven dark trousers and a simple red cloak draped across my shoulders. No armor. No weapon. Just cloth—and a presence.
They didn't know.
They couldn't.
But they were about to.