Andel's Fall (2/3)

As next morning comes, all of the Hunters under Andel are forced to wake up early at the Pathfinder's behest. Unpopular as such an order was, it did make sense. Sleepers needed less sleep than Mundanes, not to mention that Andel had, if not his life on the line, then at least his livelihood to care for.

Ignoring the grumblings of his subordinates, Andel summons his Memories and orders them to get theirs out.

As Sunny hobbles out of bed, most don't even bother to look at the slum rat they know is doomed to die. Instead focusing amongst themselves and wondering how they can use their knowledge of the route to make the most out of their bait.

If only they knew that Sunny managed to map out a huge chunk of the area surrounding the Cathedral. With the help of his shadows, an eidetic memory, and a Silver Headband he secretly equipped during the night while under the covers, he knew more about the paths than all but the most senior hunters.

As they exit the barracks, Wyatt checks up on him.

'[We both know the plan, right?]'

'(I can't tell if this plan is crazy or arrogant.)'

Humorously the voice in his head jokes around.

'[Well, I love spectacles. Besides, the best way for them to forget about you, is to make sure they remember me more.]'

The plan was actually a rather simple one, Sunny would pretend to get kidnapped by Scurvy, and sometime later "Unknown" would leverage his incredible strength to supress the hunters while they were in the middle of the ruins.

After they lose the ability to fight back, Wyatt would use the [Golden Leaf] to rob the men of all their possessions. Following that they would dissappear into the room inside the Cathedral.

'(What if this ends up like the "Triple Centurion Incident?")'

The third shadow, and the one they kept around during the night, shivered a bit, as though the thought of such a thing happening terrified it.

Deciding to assuage Sunny's fears, Wyatt responds lazily.

'[We have a Fallen Armor of the sixth tier, along with an Awakened Charm of the sixth tier. How could they hurt us?]'

'(I'm just saying, back then we had that Awakened Charm and ended up with a hand and foot missing.)'

'[Yeah yeah. If they're stronger than I estimated, we can come up with another plan, we can even leave. Is that okay?]'

'(Yes.)'

'[Good. Now then, I need your help. When they refuse to give their stuff, should I say "You're courting death!", or "You have eyes but cannot see Mount Tai"?]'

Hearing this downright stupid question, asking about cringy lines with the same banality of picking out clothes, he almost laughs and blows his cover. Fortunately he keeps a straight face on the outside and berates Wyatt.

'(Neither you fool! What does that even mean?)'

'[I just thought it'd be fun. Humor is so hard to find if you don't make it yourself.]'

When they finish this conversation, the hunters are already walking through the outskirts. All of the eyes in the area are on them, a few even throwing pity in Sunny's direction.

Except for one person. Who's glaring at Sunny so hard that even Wyatt's a little terrified.

'Sorry Effie, I'll be back soon.'

_________________________________

The journey starts out relatively tense. After rushing into the City they make a rather strange decision.

In the night, while exploring this place, Sunny noticed a clear path leading away from the settlement. Or at least, it seemed to be clear.

When ordering his shadows to traverse it, he noticed many creatures made the abandoned buildings on the side their dwelling. Sunny then looked for other less conventional paths to the Cathedral and found one that seemed not only very empty, but was large enough to let a group of ten pass.

He had assumed that they would take this safer path, and focused only a small portion of his efforts on the obviously dangerous route.

Who could've known that their intrepid leader Andel would risk the lives of his underlings to save, at best, twenty minutes.

Although it seems obvious considering he's supposed to be monster bait.

Fortunately, Sunny still wasn't at a particular disadvantage when it came to knowledge of the terrain. The other hunters showed signs of anxiety and insecurity as they enter the open passage.

After a minute, a seemingly innocuous puddle of water blocking the way begins sloshing around. Slowly at first, then far more violently, until morphing into something that resembles a mound of water constantly flowing downwards at least three meters high. An absolutely breathtaking sight marred only by the red, blue, green, and whatever other colored blood it has splashed all over it from previous kills.

At this point Sunny is well behind the rest of the Hunters as he saw the grave threat that this creature posed before they even approached it. What he saw there was a single core, infested with corruption. A clear sign that it was merely a Beast.

So then why were Sunny's legs buckling and his mind racing? Filled with thoughts of nothing except for one word: RUN!

Because this was no Awakened Beast like the ones they slaughtered in the spider forest. This was a Fallen Beast. One of the same rank as their precious Shadow.

'(What do we do?!)'

'[We stay the hell out. Your shadows are close, get them ready to augment us at a moments notice. We've absorbed the equivalent of thousands of Shards between the two of us. So we're strong enough to survive if we have to run. However if we do run right now then stealing from them will be much harder. We'll have to search them out ourselves.]'

'(I'll take that risk!)'

With that, they make the strategic choice to run. Sunny hides in a shadow of one of the buildings and turns nearly invisible. He then adds his shadows and Wyatt amplifies them to their max.

With so much raw power within them they could probably take on a regular Fallen Beast in a head on battle. But not this one. Fighting such an amorphous being would not only be foolhardy, it would bring them no particular benefit.

'I wonder. How strong are we compared to Sunny at the end of the Forgotten Shore. He only had one full core. And right now he's a Demon. Oh yeah, and I'm a monster. Does that make "us" a Tyrant?"

While still hidden they burst off with such speed that any onlooker would see little more than just a blur.

Behind them voices can be heard yelling, all about how to battle the creature, and none about what happened to the newcomer they brought with them.

This is when Sunny decided to use their own path to the Cathedral while keeping tabs on the hunters with one shadow.

For now he would stop acting like a puny bug, and instead have the regal bearing of a Noble Cockroach.

______________________________________

Kai POV: First Person

Two years. Thats how long I've lived in this Castle.

Truth be told, it wasn't very difficult. Except for the very beginning when I was dropped into the middle of nowhere.

I was able to fly out pretty quickly and make my way to a safe haven.

I found a City standing firm like a beacon in the darkest night. I was able to make my way to safety.

When the guard standing at the gate recognized me and let me come in without paying, I didn't  even bother to think about the poor souls living in the outer settlement. I was so excited to come home after a quick jaunt in the Dream Realm that when I was told there was no exit I was blindsided.

When I was told that the cost of surviving in this place was to pay either a Soul Shard a week or live under the kind of person who would demand such a tithe, I was unprepared. Fortunately one of my fans offered to pay for the first week in exchange for visiting him time to time.

His name was Stev and we still share a friendship to this day.

Or at least I think we still do. Now I'm not so sure. Considering I'm now leaving the castle for my own safety. I wonder if I'll get to speak with him again.

Ahh, look at me. 'Me, Me, Me.' 'I, I, I.' That's all I can think about. Never a thought spared for anyone else, only enough room for me in this bubble I live in.

Aiko gets robbed by Andel every few days. Oh I'm sorry, I truly am, but I can't do anything. A Pathfinder is a Pathfinder. You'd have to be insane to get in their way.

That same Pathfinder uses people as bait. Oh that'd be a shame if it were true, my heart would ache. But no one could be that evil. Surely he's just training them and unfortunate accidents have occured these past few weeks.

Guards acting outside their bounds, people starving, the cries, the pleas, the abuse, THE DEATH.

Oh I'm sorry but...

...but why do I pretend to believe this, how could I have possibly believed this.

This cursed flaw... you'll tell me when everyone else is lying but you'll let me lie to myself?

I lived a good life here, yes. But only on the backs of other people, other people who I haven't given a second though to.

Yesterday made me remember how it feels to be treated as a commodity. How I'd lived for years before I succumbed to the Nightmare Spell. How others are living right now.

"Night, we're going to meet someone a little eccentric. So don't faint again, got it?"

[True]

Thank you Spell, but I already trust Changing Star. Perhaps if you could be more descriptive it could help. I'd love to know how that man killed a Great Devil by looking at it.

"Night? Is there a problem?"

Oh I'm sorry.

"No, no, I just zoned out. I can't wait to meet this person."

"Great"

Watching those three walk with such confidence, I wonder...

Yesterday I was weak, but I don't need to change that yet. Today, I just need to make the most of my meager strength and let it shine in it's own brilliant way.

________________________________________

Kai POV: Third Person

In plain view of everyone, four people can be seen walking away from the BrightCastle.

In the front are two girls holding each others hand, although few pay attention to them. Not because they aren't worth the attention, but because behind them are two people of great renown, known in both the Castle and the Outer Settlement.

Caster and Kai both walk while looking behind to give the BrightCastle one last, long look.

"So Caster, how did you get to know Lady Changing Star?" The homeless idol asked.

Ignoring the lack of an honorific in front of his name, Caster recounts his time spent at the Academy.

"... and that's when she made a huge splash by revealing the fact that she had a True Name. I must say that those of the Immortal Flame Clan are never to be looked down on. Each and every one of them are absolutely amazing."

As Kai is listening, he realizes that someone is missing from this tale at the Academy and decides to question the proud Legacy about a nefarious troublemaker.

"Were there any... interesting people who also happened to be strong back in the Academy."

Nephis who had slightly tilted her head to hear the conversation, can already tell what Kai is getting at.

"Well there was someone whom I certainly won't be forgetting anytime soon. A young boy named Sunless who had a knack for getting into trouble, although I do respect him considering how hard he worked to improve hImself."

"... you said a knack for getting into trouble?"

Caster then laughs as he remembers the humorous lies that were thought up by Sunless.

"Yes, he once got up infront of a lecture I partook in, and he not only said that he would beat everyone up, he also came up with some of the silliest stories I've ever heard. He said that he ripped apart an Awakened Tyrant by spitting in its direction, and killed an Awakened "Hero" by wagging his finger at it. Imagine that."

Kai certainly was imagining it.

'That poor Awakened Tyrant, at least it didn't get looked at by him.'

"So what exactly did she do after revealing her True Name."

Caster ponders and gives out a thoughtful answer.

"She put her efforts on her training. It was a sight to behold. Especially as she was able take down almost everyone without using her Aspect."

As they walk deeper and deeper into the outer settlement, Kai realizes who exactly they intend to meet with.

"Pardon me, but could you by any chance be taking me to meet Huntress Athena?"

Without looking back, Nephis answers quickly.

"No, we're meeting a huntress named Effie."

'Isnt that the same person though?'

As they reach the cabin, Nephis walks up to the door and knocks on it. Only to get no response.

So she tries again, with no better luck.

Finally she decides to bang on the door leading to some minor grumblings coming from the inside.

"WHO THE HELL IS WAKING ME UP THIS EARLY?!?!"

As Effie walks out she notices a group of very familiar people standing outside. She then slyly asks some embarrassing questions.

"My my, could that be Night? Back again are you, you even brought a few friends."

Noticing everyone's eyes on him, he mutters out:

"Who doesn't know of Athena? And yes I might've had a few brushes with her in the past. Now then, please put some clothes on."

Effie does so, but is quick to notice the fact that the charmer brough a few familiar friends.

"Could you two be here to bring the bad news? I'm sorry, I tried stopping him but he wouldn't listen. Don't worry, I'll honor him well by putting those Shards to good use... on myself."

Nephis is the first to respond as she goes deadpan.

"You are aware that no matter what happens, he probably won't die."

"Perhaps, but we can always hope."

__________________________________

Wyatt POV

While making their way to the Cathedral by parkouring over buildings, the duo encountered a relatively large area that resembled a town square. As interesting as such a sight was, it paled in comparison to what would undoubtedly become one of their greatest assets in due time.

An very special Awakened Monster that one could mistake for a simple statue.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only Nightmare Creature in the area. It wasn't even the most terrifying. It was a soldier in Nether's legion after all, and what kind of soldier works alone.

Surrounding it in various directions were five other stone statues all of them just as, if not more, formidable than the soon to be Shadow herself. The leader was a female warrior that stood above the others. It was a Fallen Monster.

'[Sunny, could I ask for your opinion on something?]'

'(If it has to do with fighting those things then my answer is no.)'

'[Understandable. But what I meant to ask was how much do you want a new Shadow.]'

Sunny looked at the proud Fallen Marble General in awe and considered what it would be like to have such a thing under his command.

'[Psst, Sunny, wrong one]' Wyatt whispered telepathically, feeling a slight pressure in his head.

'(So what. Even if it's Awakened, can't you turn it into an Ascended Shadow through that weaving of yours?)'

Hearing Sunny's confident tone, Wyatt cant help but feel proud.

'[Just you wait. I'll make 'em Transcendent soon enough.]'

'(So which one will drop an Echo?)'

As Sunny asks this, he begins to summon Scurvy behind him, outside of Wyatt's view.

Since he doesn't understand that Sunny has just prepared for a battle, and because his flaw would make it harder to say, he gives a jokey non-answer.

'[Find the one that looks especially "Taciturn". I don't know what to tell you beside-]'

While communicating, Sunny ended up blinking. When he opened his eyes up, his heart dropped all the way down to the center of the earth.

'[S-s-sunny... w-was it always looking straight at us.]'

In the split second that it took to blink, the Marble General twisted her head straight to the top of the building they were spying from.

A split second later, all hell broke loose.

The building they were on started collapsing. In a single second it was sliced through like butter with the Great Sword held by the Marble General.

There was no way to beat an opponent who had them outmached in terms of strength, speed and techniques. In a cruel twist of fate, Wyatt's idea of suppressing Andel to get his Memories had striking similarities with the Marble General suppressing Wyatt to get his life.

Seeing no way of winning, Wyatt told Sunny to run away. Only now did he realize that Scurvy had been summoned and was probably the catalyst for this whole situation. He promised to himself to berate Sunny later, but for now he let Sunny grab onto his shadow-infused Shadow and amplifies it.

As the decapod is running away from the scene, the Marble General is giving chase while her underlings have clearly been ordered to stay behind in the square.

'Crap Crap CRAP! I'm too young to die!'

While Wyatt was fearing for his life, the General switched tactics from chasing with a sword to throwing rocks. Throwing with such a high speed that when one hit their right shoulder it almost tore the arm off. The skin around that area was missing and the bone of the shoulder blade could be seen. Blood was staining Sunny Puppeteer's Shroud, and even getting inside of his bag. But Sunny pulled through and in his desperation made it to the entrance of the Cathedral.

Hardly able to think from the pain. Wyatt tells Sunny to go inside, planning to lure the General into a fight with the Forsaken Knight.

In a bid to buy time, Scurvy is sent deeper into the Cathedral to get the Knight's attention. As soon as the Shadow leaves their sight, they hear the clanking of steps behind them and see a fog like darkness in front of them.

Immediately De-summoning Scurvy, Sunny puts every amplified shadow on himself and narrowly dodges an decapitation attack from behind. He then lunges outside of the Cathedral and hopes that they choose to fight each other instead of him.

Turning around, he sees the General face towards him and preparing to give chase once again, only to be drowned in the Darkness.

As Sunny ran and hid in a nearby ditch, bruised, beaten and mutilated, only the sounds of steel clanging against steel could be heard.

________________________________

Minutes later, the noises had stopped.

Wyatt was now in control and has summoned his Headband, his Bandage, his Socks, and his Armor. For good measure, he was also holding the Midnight Shard that Sunny had summoned not long prior.

Thank to the combined effect of the Blood Weave and the Bandage, the horrible gash on his shoulder had stopped bleeding. Unfortunately, the right arm was completely useless for now. He was unable to lift it even an inch, so it was hanging limply at his side.

Light headed and angry he started to yell at Sunny telepathically.

'[What the hell was that? YOU ALMOST GOT US KILLED!]

Sunny himself was light headed and pissed off with the situation, so he snapped back.

'(WELL WE LIVED, DIDN'T WE?!)'

Forcing himself to calm down, Sunny stopped yelling.

'(Besides, we got rid of the biggest obstacle to getting a new Echo.)'

Hearing the softer tone Sunny used had a beneficial effect, as Wyatt started to feel slightly less angry. But it still didnt stop him from pressing Sunny.

'[We had no reason to do it, we could've been patient, let ourselves grow stronger and then attack.]'

Skeptical, Sunny challenges Wyatt for his hypocrisy.

'(Patient like the time you challenged a trio of Centurion's and almost got us killed? Patient like the time you walked into a mind controlling tree and let me deal with the consequences? When have you ever been patient.)'

Unable to bear these accusations Wyatt stands up and fights back.

'[No. Patient, like the way we waited a whole day without so much as drinking a drop, just so we could see when Nephis lit the fire. Patient, like the way we chose the long way to the BrightCastle, even if it took a month longer. Patient, like the way you spent years working to find your sister, even when the odds seemed hopeless.]'

While trying to find common ground, and even including Sunny in his examples, he failed to realize he had stepped on a landmine with that last sentence.

Only when Sunny wouldn't respond did he realize that he made a blunder.

After trying to continue the conversation and even apologizing multiple times, he still couldn't get Sunny out.

He slowly turned to the two shadows on the ground, and took note of their expressions. The gloomy one was glaring at him with all it's might, as far as he could tell. And the greedy one simply seemed to be confused with why they were stopping when the Hunters party was getting further and further away.

Looking at them, he decided to try apologizing and whispered softly to them, even though he knew they could be reached telepathically as well.

"i'm sorry..."

"...i understand, that what i said, hurt him..."

"...please forgive me, please give me your help"

While he knew there was a safe room in there, he hardly knew where, and so would need to employ the shadows to scout for him. Unfortunately they seemed to be less than willing to follow his orders. They weren't his shadows after all.

Sadly, the apology did not help, so he instead decided to appeal to the one most likely to help him.

'Mr. Greedy, once we find the hidden room, we can find those bastards and rob 'em blind. Help me, and we can have more Memories than we know what to do with.'

With such a great reason, the greedy shadow started moving towards the Cathedral but was stopped by the stink eye it was recieving from the gloomy one. Realizing it just needed more encouragement, Wyatt sweetened the pot.

'Did I mention the room comes fully furnished?'

With that, the shadow started moving while Wyatt placed all his amplification on it so he could see through it semi-decently.

As it made its way through the grand Cathedral, avoiding the watchful eye of the Knight and ignoring the shattered stone that once resembled a human, it quickly found its way to an empty room with a bed, a wardrobe, and a thin layer of dust on everything.

With the path now figured out, Wyatt climbed to the roof and approached a small hole in the tiles, barely large enough for him to fit through. To fit through and make sure his armor didn't make noise, he de-summoned it.

Now wearing nothing but socks, he silently jumped on a support beam, and made sure to avoid the floor covered in darkness. Swiftly making his was through, he found himself near a giant statue depicting a goddess. Going behind it, he finally found his new temporary residence shrouded in shadow that he could see in.

As though he was back in his old room, he lay his bag down, and jumped on the bed fit for a king. As he rested he realized what would make it better.

'[Sunny, can I please have the rock?]'

As he waited for a few seconds, he wondered if Sunny was somehow going to ignore his question. Fortunately, before the pressure started turning into pain, Wyatt lost control, and felt something form in his hands.

'I suppose thats a yes.'

Activating it, soft piano music could be heard playing, bringing a deep sense of peace and relaxation, enough so to almost fall asleep.

The greedy shadow wouldn't allow this however. It tried in vain to wave its hands around to get his attention, but settled for attaching to and breaking from the rock, leading to the music to become louder and softer in an erratic manner.

"Okay, I'm up!"

Deactivating the Rock, he uses the shadow they sent with the hunters to determine their location and find out where they'd head next.

'[Just you wait, I'm about to show you the greatest spectacle you've ever seen.]'

______________________________

Andel POV

'Fuck, can't my men do anything right. We still have two more animals we need to catch today.'

Today was a terrible day. The day had started off well enough but after their run-in with the Fallen Slime, everything went to hell.

The bait had run off, his men were injured, one was dead. Of course it was that suckers own fault, if he wanted to survive then he should have been faster when they ran away. Andel felt no sadness over those kinds of deaths, he had to look out for himself first and foremost. He saw the writing on the wall. If he didn't do well today, then he might be stripped of his title. Others certainly wouldn't let him live if he lost his Lord's protection.

Those softies in the Castle just don't understand what he does for them, if they knew, they would certainly be kissing his feet. In fact, they should be worshipping the ground he steps on even if they don't know what he's done for them.

Speaking of. His own men have seemed to be less than loyal as of late. He noticed the looks he has been getting througout the day. That's alright though. It just makes it easier to decide who will die in an "accident" next time.

As he was planning his next move his loyal right hand man spoke up.

"Sir, I hear something."

Turning to face the only person on his crew that understood his place, he asks with hidden anxiousness.

"Kosimo, What did you hear."

As Kosimo focuses on the noise, Andel reminisces on the day they met.

A few years ago when he was a Hunter, the young man ran into him in the hallways of the Castle. He offered to play a game of cards and after tricking Andel into gambling a few Shards, Kosimo won everything without breaking a sweat. Thoroughly angered by the actions of this rat, he invoked the Right of Challenge.

Kosimo quickly lost.

In exchange for sparing his life, Andel demanded all of his Memories and for him to join the Hunters while helping him get promoted to a Pathfinder.

The man has followed him ever since.

'Like a dog. Hehe.'

Inwardly smirking Andel can help but think.

"It sounds like piano music sir."

"Does that mean there's a human way out here."

"That seems likely sir."

Sneering at Kosimo, the pathfinder questions something.

"Well you're a nerd aren't you. Is he playing something you recognize?"

"Yes sir, it's the same song that was played yesterday in the piano room. The Moonlight Sonata."

Before Andel can say anything, Kosimo drops a bombshell.

"I believe it is Unkown that it playing that song. When I visited the lounge, I saw him sitting there watching Night. Not long after he moved to a the piano room and started playing this very piece."

Before he realizes, his feet have alreay started moving in the direction of the music.

'If it truly is Unknown then I'm saved. As long as I can bring him to Gunlaug, then I may even get Gemma's spot.'

As he starts running, everyone is forced to follow. If only they knew they should start running away.

_______________________________

No One POV

In the mid-afternoon sun, in the middle of a street, one can see a dark figure sitting on top of a large stone slab as though it were a chair.In front of that stone chair is a stone table. On the table is a flask completely unblemished. Surrounding him, hundreds of rocks.A few stained red. One lone rock playing music to lure any insects who have gotten too gluttonous.In all directions a few large threads of web stretching from building to building, creating the impression of a giant spider setting a trap for flies.The threads themselves coated in a layer of liquid as though covered in dew.Far ahead a broken group of people who have finally caught sight of this Human.Of this Monster.Of this Predator.

End Chapter 18