Solaire made his way to the receptionist, knocking gently on the desk to grab the attention of the young man seated there.
[I was told someone would guide me.]
The young man had a thin face and a pale, unhealthy complexion. He looked hungry and weak—more like one of the poor souls from the outer settlement than someone living in the comfort of the castle. However, his clothes were clean and tidy, without the wear and tear seen on those outside.
"Welcome to the Bright Castle," the man said with a polite smile. "My name is Harper. I'll help you settle into your accommodations. Is this your first time paying tribute?"
Solaire nodded.
"Thanks to Lord Gunlaug's grace, I've been allowed to live here in safety," Harper continued. "I'm sure you'll come to appreciate the same."
"Before I assign your room, I'll need your name. You'll be staying in the Tower of Dusk—it's a very quiet place."
[My name is Solaire.]
Harper noted the name down and gestured for him to follow. As they walked, he explained the rules and customs of the castle. Solaire was free to go anywhere except areas marked with the symbol of a serpent coiling around a tall tower.
Soon, they reached the room. It wasn't as comfortable as the one he had back at the Academy, but it was certainly better than the conditions people endured outside the walls.
The next morning, Solaire got up, freshened himself, and went through his routine. Afterward, he made his way to the dining hall.
"I'll try to gather some information about this place today," he thought.
The Bright Castle was beginning to stir—quiet footsteps echoed through the halls, voices murmured behind doors, and breakfast was being served.
He took a plate from one of the servers and sat down, scanning the room for someone who might know more about how things worked around here.
Soon, he spotted the receptionist from yesterday—Harper—hurrying over with a plate in hand. He settled himself at a nearby bench. Solaire stood up and joined him.
[Hello there. A fine morning, isn't it?]
Harper flinched slightly. "Y-Yes, it is."
[Say, Harper… could you tell me more about this place? As you can see, I'm still new here.]
Harper glanced around before beginning to explain. He told Solaire about the origins of the Bright Castle, the key figures both inside and outside its walls, and a few unspoken truths only the residents knew.
After thanking him, Solaire made his way east of the castle. According to Harper, that was where Lord Gunlaug and his men usually hunted. Most of the creatures in that region were Awakened rank.
He spent the next few hours hunting, testing the techniques he'd learned.
"I really need to thank Teacher Julius and Instructor Rock," he thought.
Despite his efforts, he hadn't yet acquired a weapon memory. Still, he had five soul shards in his hand and was satisfied with the day's work. He began his trek back to the castle.
And so, the days passed.
For the next three months, Solaire spent his time training and hunting. It became a routine—wake up, sharpen his skills, venture out, and fight to survive.
"Phew… almost there," he muttered one evening after a successful hunt.
Name: Solaire
True Name: Chosen Undead
Rank: Dreamer
Humanity: Dormant
Humanities: [98/100]
Memories: [Estus Flask], [Wanderer's Armor], [Soldier's Regret], [Interpreter], [Training Sword], [Training Spear], [Wooden Bow], [Darksword]
Echoes: [Bloodhound]
Aspect Name:Kindler of the Flame
Aspect Description:Thou who art undead, art chosen. And in thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the resting place of the █████, where the fate of the Undead thou shalt know.
Aspect Rank: Awakened
Innate Ability:Kindler
Ability Description:You are linked to the flame and can tend to it.
Aspect Ability:Blessing of Invulnerability
Ability Description:Dodging successfully grants a brief window of complete invulnerability, allowing you to pass through enemy attacks unharmed.
Flaw:Fading Echo
Flaw Description:Your voice has been silenced. With each step toward power, the world forgets you a little more. Words fade… and so does your presence.
During this time, he had finally acquired a weapon memory:
Memory: [Darksword]
Memory Description: [When the Four Kings were seduced by evil, their knights became Darkwraiths, servants of the Dark who wielded these darkswords.]
He had earned it after defeating a fallen monster—a darkwraith. The battle had been drawn out until dawn, weakening the creature enough for him to land the final blow. The Darksword was light, swift, and capable of dealing minor soul damage.
Another tool that made hunting easier was his Echo, gained after slaying one of the Bloodhounds:
Echo: [Bloodhound]
Echo Description: [A hound that fed on the remains of corpses until it became one too.]
With his echo summoned back to his side, Solaire returned to the Bright Castle to pay his month's tribute. Over the past three months, several other Legacies had made it to the castle—he only remembered one of them clearly: Caster.
"I wonder if Sunny was sent somewhere else…" he mused.
Just then, as he entered the hall, he spotted Sunny and the Blonde girl he was sitting with walking with Harper.
He wanted to call him, "Oh yeah, he probably won't be able to see my messages from here anyways. "
"Looks like they're headed toward the Tower of Dawn. I'll meet him there instead."
He waited for Harper to return, handed over a soul shard, and quietly made his way back to his room. Most of his stash of soul shards was hidden safely near one of his favorite hunting grounds.
"Soon, I'll visit the market," he thought. "Maybe buy a few things too."