novelraw Chapter 296: Flames Within Shadows
Chapter 296: Flames Within Shadows
Chapter 296: Flames Within ShadowsSoren watched as the surrounding silence became heavier and heavier, threatening to drown everyone in its presence. Camilla’s proclamation had echoed loudly just moments prior, witnessed by all who were ensnared within this banquet hall.
His mystic eyes couldn’t help but consume their vapid expressions as they twisted in numerous horror-stricken ways… He once again felt akin to a movie-goer, seeing a dramatic play unfold before him.
“Duchess! I- I don’t understand…” A man in a filigreed reflective mask decorated in emeralds and sapphires approached from behind—his tone was hesitant. Soren immediately noticed his expression which was wedged between a smile and a frown.
“Surely you don’t mean it. The legacy of our fa—”
“The legacy of our family is written in blood, uncle.” She shifted her head toward him, facing the man directly who now bore a terrified look on his face. As if he was now facing a monster...
“How can you say that!” Another voice yelled from the crowd of nobles nearby. This time, it was an older woman—the wrinkles beneath her mask were full of royal experience—the devious and scheming kind, no doubt. Though, if Soren had to remark, the slyness of her tongue still likely didn’t match his own.
“Cassilda—consider your position!” She spoke in a rather tyrannical manner. Confidence oozed from every fiber of her expression, as if picturing this lecture ending similarly to ones she had done before. “You were never this callous before.” She shook her head in pity, “Think a bit before you say things you might regret next time!”
“Aunt Celeste.” Camilla turned toward her with no obvious change in emotion. “Do your eyes still fail you?”
Celeste grit her teeth, “You ungratefu—”
“Look at my face again,” she interrupted without care, “the mask that I’ve worn has already crumbled.” The Guardian Spirit then turned toward the rest of the confused crowd of nobles. “All of you look closely! Does my face resemble the honorable Duchess—the one you all seek to steer and command for your own benefits?!”
Murmurs and whispers filled the hall as they all tried to hide their glances. Soren noticed all of them anyway. He couldn’t help but ponder over something strange. It seemed the puppet strings he thought he witnessed before had all but vanished. And yet, the marionettes seemed to continue moving on their own regardless…
Even the guests which have likely arrived from realms far beyond these abyssal shores… They too were displaying mannerisms befit of the nobility—reactions in sync with the rest of the crowd, as if Camilla’s transgressions wounded them deeply too.
They were unaware of their original identities, but still capable of free will. His previous conclusions had become far too obvious to ignore. These masks… They had fully assimilated them into their chosen role without their awareness..
“How intriguing…” Soren chuckled softly, rubbing his chin as he watched the strange drama continue to grow rapidly out of control.
“What is so intriguing about any of this?” Camilla asked in a rather somber tone. Her voice was nearing exhaustion.
Soren glanced toward her slowly, unable to see her expression as she glanced ahead at the nobles surrounding her. After observing her motionless figure for a bit longer, he finally sighed and let out a soft chuckle. “The captives control the script, while the mastermind resists that crafted narrative. A twist like this… How can I not find it amusing?”
The butterflies swimming in his eyes danced proudly.
He shook his head and chuckled. “To think it was all an elaborate act—one that fools even the actors themselves.” Glancing down the shimmering open book in his hands, the Traveler couldn’t help but grin noticeably.
“This somewhat reminds me of my own precarious situation.”
After all, he had only but recently discovered his role as a Magi. Just as Phantasms possess a Vocation that guides them onto their path of influencing the world, a Magi must craft their own role—a definition for which they must act—so that they may influence their own mental world…
The Cabinet of Curiosities.
This persona which he must now exhibit and understand—it was indeed just another step forward onto this treacherous path. A step he cannot undo. A path he cannot return from.
Just as observing the True Self can never be forgotten, the Magi’s persona can never be ignored once it is realized and understood. Ynixia had said it best—for magi to endure and reach the next stage, they must learn to become authoritative dictators within his own minds.
The master and controller, but also the one most strictly controlled and subjugated.
There was no going back now… That was the cost of embracing one’s insanity. Denying this new reality was tantamount to living in delusion.
Soren watched in silence as the play continued to unfold before him. Bickering, screaming, yelling… The fluctuations in anima were rapidly changing, like the rolling tides warning of an emerging storm at sea. And at the center of that developing storm stood a lone figure, bearing the waves alone.
Camilla did little to shield herself from the criticism. “Traitor,” “Worthless,” “Betrayer!” No word was left unsaid. And yet… she reacted to none of them. As if their voices could no longer reach her.
“My family did unspeakable things before I was born. Things neither me nor my sister were aware of.” She stood still as she addressed him—her face still turned away from the Traveler.
The twisting expressions around her had become a sea of hatred and anger, but Camilla remained standing before the crashing waves of criticisms—unwavering and unflinching.
“The Albion Massacre. The Elyan Ambush. Lamarok’s Demise… These are names you’ve likely never bothered learning about, right?”
The responses were immediate:
“Nonsense!”
“Someone slap her! She’s been possessed by a spirit!”
“Such wickedness. You dare to reframe our family’s victories as atrocious crimes?!”
Camilla ignored all of them. “These are the subsidiary families that once served under House Aznacus! Their descendents have been driven from their ancestral home time and time again by us as we continued to label them as savages.”
“They were savages!” The cries came in unison. They were obviously trying to reach her, but the space between them remained distant, despite their closeness…
So that’s the power of the Guardian Spirit… Soren remarked in silence, intrigue filling his expression. I wonder how much authority she truly has over the subspace? After all, she made no effort to stop Ynixia or Victoria, despite their actions being antagonistic toward her. There were obviously some restrictions he was unaware of.
At first, he had assumed it may have been due to some kind of hidden rule related to the guessing game. An accord with the proper edict could likely form such a restriction if it was deemed necessary for the game’s continuation.
But… He was certain there was likely something else behind it as well… Something he has yet to fully grasp.
“Soren…”
The name echoed loudly, breaking his reverie. He glanced up to see Camilla once again, this time half-way facing him. The dark circles under her eyes were now far more visible than anything the chandeliers could illuminate. But it was her widened, almost unnatural smile that drew his attention. Countless emotions hid within her dream-filled pupils, concealed even from his [Eyes of the Fairy].
“Are you seeing what I’m seeing here, Soren?” She chuckled softly. “Just look at them all… Perhaps even their original faces were nothing more than masks all along. I now only see the monsters that hide underneath it allI.
“Perhaps you were right. I finally understand what you meant back then… This really is amusing to witness.”
Soren crossed his arms. “What made you change your mind?”
“It's just…” She shook her head and smiled. “Its just so interesting… Humans will do the most despicable things, and yet their minds still attempt to rationalize it anyway.
“As if deep down… even they are disgusted by their own hideous nature… Whether it be excuses, righteous reasoning, or maybe even ignoring that their actions harm others at all—they all seem desperate to hide from that truth.”
Soren glanced at the surrounding nobles once more—their faces twisting in agony as they screamed as loud as their throats could allow. All to try and convince their “Duchess” of the role she was meant to play.
“This game… It wasn’t just meant to preserve the nobility as you had assumed. It was also meant to disguise their guilt.
“My guilt as well…” She giggled to herself, though her voice was drowned out by their endless screams.
“After all, if they all swap identities, their sins would no longer be a curse plaguing them alone. Like a virus, they hoped to spread it to as many people as possible—to divide the weight of their heinous actions between each other.
“And this castle… it thrives upon the wishes of those who rule it. To fulfill these desires, it allowed for this banquet hall to become an eternal coffin—a resting place of comfort that discarded reality entirely. In return for subjugating themselves, the nobles were allowed to rest peacefully, knowing that they would no longer need to face their crimes directly.
“As the Guardian Spirit, I couldn’t deny their wish. It was my duty to fulfill it, as per my contract with the castle… and my sister.”
Within the center of a dark and lonely chamber, a young girl remained eerily still. The shadows clinging to the walls, stone floor, royal curtains and banners, and the ancient steps that lead toward a reflective throne all seemed to flow toward her, like estuaries finally meeting the depths of the ocean.
The Shepherd remained eerily still, mirroring the dark fog that once stirred without notice. There was a suffocating pause all around, as if the entire world had ceased all motion.
Eyeing the girl from the distant prismatic throne was a woman wearing loose robes that revealed plenty of skin—Her legs remained crossed provocatively. The ghost-like wings that waved back and forth slowly seemed to mirror Her casual mood.
Ynixia kept her fists clutched as she pictured the dark presence standing behind her too. A knight of colossal proportions, ready for battle at a moment’s notice.
It seemed all the pieces on the chessboard had been frozen in place—a three-way deadlock from which no winner could emerge.
But Ynixia wasn’t concerned about winning. She was more concerned about not losing.
Everything that needed to be said had already been said. There was no point in conversing with the witch any longer. Though, it seemed the opposite wasn’t true at all. She still was keen on observing her further, as if fascinated by whatever decision she may come up with.
Ynixia clicked her tongue inwardly. Without changing much of her expression, a sudden shift in her anima was instantly noticed by the two mythic beings. Her thoughts turned chaotic as she tried mapping out her next mo—
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The world fractured in a maddening explosion.
The stone floor suddenly crumbled beneath Ynixia—the oxygen vanishing as a wall of kinetic force threatened to squash her into a pulp of unrecognizable flesh and blood.
But Ynixia had already leapt away!
Behind a curtain of dark mist, she glanced menacingly at the gargantuan dark knight—His now open gauntlet hiding a cannon bellowing in smoke. It was aimed once again at her new location!
“Tsk.” The Shepherd stirred the darkness once more. Explosion after explosion rang out as she leapt from one place to the next, slithering between the countless shadows.
If not for her control over the Nameless Mist which allows her to momentarily mess with the memories of others, she might have already been eviscerated by His cannon. That second or so delay in thinking was all she needed to dodge His attacks, but it was certainly not going to be enough.
From behind, two other projectiles were shot in her direction—completely different from the others she was now used to. It was the Sleepless Prowler!
Ynixia tried dodging again, but Mordred’s cannon began threatening her left flank. There was nowhere safe to leap to!
She grit her teeth bitterly, “Albert!”
Before the arrows came close, a colossal skeletal arm manifested from the surrounding shadows in front of her, shielding her from the blast. She made sure to reinforce him with more shadows this time to prevent the bones from cracking instantly.
[Are you sure that’s the right move?]
The voice projected itself into her mind. She immediately recognized it as the Witch of Envy.
It was only then the thought suddenly hit her. There weren’t only two arrows but nine! The rest were hidden behind the initial volley, concealed with the Prowler’s own Nameless Mist!
“Curses!”
It was too late. The first few arrows were stopped by Albert, but the rest instantly penetrated through the thick, reinforced bones. Luckily, she had also decided to shield herself as well—the arrows weren’t able to pierce her body, but they had certainly knocked the wind out of her lungs.
Ynixia coughed violently as she struggled to get up on her feet again. She forced herself to dodge another round of bombardments and arrows by shifting through the surrounding fog, but it wasn’t nearly enough to stop the number of growing wounds.
[Your attempts at escape are useless. Mordred is known for his persistence.]
Just as she said that, another explosion landed nearby, this time shoving her into a nearby stone column that collapsed from the impact.
Ynixia covered her eyes from the cloud of debris—blood dripping from her bottom lip as she took in her surroundings for one final time. As the cloud slowly cleared, she was once again able to see the surrounding abyss forming beneath her feet. It had already spread to the rest of the chamber, leaving not a single untouched corner.
Seeing this, Ynixia took a deep breath, then vanished into the shadows.
This time, Mordred didn’t continue firing. Like a machine, His arm remained pointed outwards, ready to destroy anything at a moment’s notice. So far, He
hadn’t exactly left much in the throne room undestroyed—except for the throne itself of course.He silently waited for even the faintest of vibrations to emerge. Moment after moment passing in silence…
But in the end, nothing arrived. The world… was utterly devoid of sound.
Wait… Sound?
Morgan’s eyes widened as she began to notice the stillness of Her surroundings. As if the air itself had completely stopped moving—the molecules were no longer vibrating, as if they had forgotten how to do so!
She’s erasing parts of reality to make sound non-existent within the space… Sound waves can no longer propagate within this throne room!
The witch couldn’t help but be impressed. “Clever girl…” She chuckled, shaking Her head softly. “To think you’d discover Mordred’s secret that quickly.”
Indeed, the Black Thorned Knight had been blind all along. His Soul Weapon—Traitorous Fortress—gave Him His ability to sense the world around Him… through sound.
Through His usage of [Thorn Cannon], He can spread tiny thorns using His explosions, embedding them deep within thesurroundings and allowing the earthly vibrations to sync with His mind.
But more than that, He also gains the ability to see the future as long as the rhythm continues to be in sync with His prediction. If Ynixia had, for example, continued Her attempts at dodging His attacks, [Destiny Puncture] would have eventually triggered, performing a perfect execution that no one could dodge.
It was through these combinations that He was inevitably given the title of Relentless Hunter. There was no one who could escape His thorns once their target had been chosen. Aside from those who live life chaotically, avoiding patterns or rhythms was practically impossible for most. And the same applied to life and death battles.
Ynixia, however, seemed to have already uncovered this truth… At least partially.
She was able to understand that Mordred had likely been tracking her movements in this darkened chamber through sound, not sight. And since His predictions when aiming were getting more and more accurate, it was fair to assume He would likely succeed if she had continued attempting to dodge His bombardments.
But you’ve made a mistake… Morgan thought inwardly with a sigh. Although you erased the sound within this space, that erased reality still exists outside of it. You will now be forced to hide in the very same place you hoped to escape from…
How long could she be able to keep up this elaborate concealment? Anima wasn’t an infinite resource, after all. She will eventually have to reveal herself.
So Morgan decided to be patient. There wasn’t anything else She could do after all—the throne was preventing her from casting most of Her magecraft. She needed to conserve any and all anima unless it was completely necessary.
And yet… Surprisingly, She never had to wait long in the first place. Ynixia had revealed herself earlier than either of them had assumed.
No, it wasn’t exactly her… It was her summoned shadow—Albert!
Emerging from the cloud of dark fog above, a colossal evil skull materialized, and from within its jaw, a colossal beam of black white light emerged, aimed directly at Mordred who stood below! The thorned knight tried aiming His cannon in time, but it was too late—the beam was far too fast and close to dodge!
At least, that’s what Ynixia would have hoped for… In under a fraction of a second, the colossal knight had somehow positioned himself mere inches to the left of the beam attack.
From a distance, Morgan watched this anomaly unfold quietly with her eyes still flickering with amusement. She smiled softly.
“Did you really think I was targeting your knight?” The soft yet ghostly voice whispered from the surrounding shadows.
The witch’s eyes suddenly widened. A circle of black and white flames erupted around the glass throne that no one could have expected.
“YOU were my target from the start!”
The flames instantly engulfed the entire throne, threatening to melt its invincible glass. Within the darkness, Ynixia, however, remained in hiding—gasping for air as dark blood trickled down from her eyes and nose. She could only watch in anticipation as the Black Flame incantation consumed everything in its path. The ghost-like wings projected behind it were also beginning to burn. No doubt crackling loudly, if sound was still permitted in this space.
“O’ Black Stars…” She prayed in silence. Indeed, the divinity burning flames could not be stopped, just as she had expected. During their earlier conversations, Ynixia had quietly shifted her plan away from simply escaping into instead crafting the battlefield to her advantage.
With her shadows spread across the entire chamber, Ynixia was essentially free to seal the space with the erasive powers granted to her. And since she had already performed the necessary rites for triggering the Black Flame incantation, she chose to simply conceal the existence of this spell within the confines of her shadows rather than releasing it, which allowed them to fester and grow rapidly without her supervision or knowledge.
Only after recalling the Nameless Mist concealment would they be allowed to engulf their target freely. But by then, it would be too late!
However, Ynixia also knew she needed some kind of distraction… Since Morgan was the type to favor a grand spectacle, she decided to give her exactly what she wanted. And Mordred served that purpose well… All she needed to do now was wait for the throne to melt completely—Morgan had no way of escaping its confines without someone replacing Her on the seat! She had no way of resisting the Black Flames.
Speaking of Mordred… Her frown deepened as she glanced toward the throne room entrance. Indeed, he had remained standing there, unwilling to move at all.
Strange… Shouldn’t he be more concerned? His mistress is burning alive…
An unusual feeling took over her gut. She felt as if she was forgetting someth—
Ynixia awoke amidst a cloud of shadows—she had momentarily passed out due to the mental command she had issued to the Nameless Mist. Refocusing her vision, she watched Mordred in the distance remain still, as if to try and sense his surroundings. Thankfully, her plan had worked.
She had successfully erased all sound within the royal chamber!
Good… Now to summon Albert as a distraction… She needed to keep Morgan’s attention occupied with her fight against Mordred so that She wouldn’t notice the encroaching black flames until the veil was lifted!
But all of that strategizing suddenly unraveled before her eyes. Ynixia held her breath as she watched the once motionless Mordred shift suddenly—his gauntlet once again aimed in her direction!
“HOW?!”
Before she could obtain an answer, a soundless explosion blasted through the ceiling, sending rubble crashing down everywhere. Luckily, she was able to dodge this one in time, but her position had been completely compromised.
How did He figure out my position?! I made no sound at all! Not to mention, she had been completely concealed within the Nameless Mist. Such foresight was unnatural, even for someone as keen as Mordred!
She clicked her tongue. She now had no choice but to resort to plan B.
With the rubble still falling, Ynixia used the opportunity to slide her shadows across the debris, stretching them thinly like a web. She then ordered for Albert to be summoned, allowing him to once again attack Mordred but with far more risks than before. She made sure to undo the summoning if he ever sustained severe damage.
At the same time, she chose to release the Black Flame once again. Though, she was aware that with her distraction gone, Morgan would easily be able to stop its spread this time.
However, neither of that mattered. Her goal had shifted—she was no longer plotting to defeat Morgan. Instead, her target this time was someone not even involved in this terrifying struggle:
The slumbering girl holding tightly to a golden card!
As the rubble continued to fall, strings of shadows formed across their surfaces, forming a colossal web that immediately latched onto the woman, dragging her into the shadows. Neither Mordred nor Morgan had time to counter this—they were too distracted in those few seconds to stop Ynixia!
Returning to the shadows with the sleeping woman, the Shepherd immediately raced to take a hold of the card before either of the mythic beings could retaliate. Its radiant warmth was hard to resist—it felt as if her loyal knight—Soren—was once again beside her. Ynixia smiled as she gripped the card tightly.
Let’s see what knowledge you were hoping to share this time…
All of a sudden, a flash of light engulfed her vision—golden butterflies flew in unison into her skin, sending jolts of pain across her skull. “Ugh,” she grunted, gripping her head tightly as the shadows stirred around her in silence.
But in the end, it truly was all worth it. The knowledge hidden within that card… it was far more than she could have hoped for.
But there was one distinct subject that drew most of her attention. Knowledge that seemed to have latched onto the card last minute—almsot as if it were an act of desperation…
What she witnessed was incredible… but confusing. Memories of herself from a few moments prior that she couldn’t even recognize.
Memories that included scenes of the Throne of Glass engulfed in flames—Morgan’s body remaining quiet within its prismatic prison, unable to escape the scorching heat surrounding her from all sides.
This… this is a memory of what I had envisioned of my plan… Why are they here… Her brows furrowed deeply. Did I really accomplish my goal of burning the throne? Then why… Why did it not go exactly as these memories foretold it would?
But then, it suddenly hit her. A chill ran down her spine upon realizing what had occurred. She couldn’t even believe her own conclusion in that moment, but there was no denying it:
“Time!”
She covered her mouth in surprise, “It's Morgan’s Time affinity! She must have—”