novelraw Chapter 301: Castle within Castle within Castle
Chapter 301: Castle within Castle within Castle
“Well shit…”
The words left his mouth in a violent torrent of coughs. There was no doubt in the Traveler’s mind that his broken rib had likely punctured one of his lungs.
Soren watched the distant unfolding horror with curiosity twinkling in his eyes, blood slipping slowly from his bottom lip.
He couldn’t help but notice that Mordred’s figure had grown larger again since His clash with Ynixia. And even now, Soren could tell [The Siege]’s activation had yet to cease. The more time they wasted, the larger the danger they would be in.
He smiled faintly—coughs mixing with laughter as he quickly felt his wounds beginning to heal themselves suddenly. At the very least, one of his theories had finally been confirmed:
Mordred—the Black Thorned Knight they were facing… had been a Living Shadow all along! Soren was now certain this wasn’t His actual body.
The reason why was simple: this world, as hellish as it may be, still had its virtues. Namely, Living Shadows who attack others do not necessarily inflict bodily harm in the natural sense. Instead, the wounds they cause are healed immediately, but in exchange, a portion of that person’s memories are consumed by the shadow that had attacked them.
In that way, Carcosa’s threat was one of existential erasure, not simply biological death. If he were to lose all his memories and forget even his own identity, the void would instantly consume him, erasing him from existence.
Still, unlike everyone else, Soren had an advantage. His Soul Weapon and its connection to Biblion allows him to remember any information he might lose through [Record]. Of course, this effect was still limited by his anima quantity, but it gave him the opportunity to be reckless without necessarily facing much risk. At least, for now…
He glanced down at his shaking hand—the Spatial Bracelet had let three colored paper items out of containment: a folded, reddish orange origami snake eating its own tail, a folded origami eye with several shifting colored pupils, and lastly, a folded origami of a black star that can unfold into itself.
These three origami shapes were talismans created with Paper-Fold Resurrection. Since he could only use them once, Soren had been saving them for a while.
The last one was especially useful—it allows Soren to bring back the phenomenon of his previously inflicted injuries. Since Carcosa erases these wounds in exchange for his memories, they were still technically a form of ‘forgotten history.’ At least, it seems his affinity viewed them as such.
Should I use it now?
He thought to himself briefly but quickly rejected the idea. There will likely come a time when they will be far more useful—his current dilemma still had other solutions which he could explore.
With a slight chuckle, Soren stored the talisman back into the Spatial Bracelet. But just as he was about to plot out his next move, a sudden explosion shook the ground once again, making him stumble backwards.
“Wha—” His eyes darted to where the giant fortress now stood—armored beyond anything he could fathom. Every inch of its dark steel seemed alive and bloodthirsty.
He frowned deeply.
Before he could process what had happened, an unexpected force began to act upon his body. He felt as if there was an invisible hand pulling him into the Fortress’ grasp.
“Huh?!” He tried grabbing the nearby rubble, but it was useless. His body was sliding forward on its own, guided by an invisible force he couldn’t even see with [Eyes of the Fairy].
Gritting his teeth, Soren instantly cast Fairy Blade, digging the sword deep into the ground. But even that was no use—the glass sword instantly shattered from the sheer weight of it all. His body was barreling toward Mordred rapidly with nothing to stop it.
“Not yet!”
He cast Fairy Blades again, this time adding more weight and mass. A far bigger sword than anything he had created quickly manifested, embedding itself into the surrounding rubble, stopping him in his tracks momentarily. But while it did prevent him from being pulled toward Mordred, Soren was beginning to notice cracks forming rapidly. He knew this wasn’t going to last for long either.
In the distance, he saw Albert digging his claws deep into the ground to prevent the same from happening to him. Ynixia and Victoria were both being shielded by his presence.
Camilla… The name flashed in his mind briefly. She was the only one he could no longer see.
But just before he could look around for her, his mystic eyes began to notice a subtle change that instantly grew into something far more profound. All around him, the very fabric of the ballroom’s space had begun to stretch in a very strange manner. The direction of the pulling force he was fighting against just moments earlier had also shifted directions, as if mirroring the changes happening in the space.
But Soren had no time to process any of this. Something even more bizarre had occurred without him noticing it.
The ballroom… it had suddenly vanished from sight!
Blinking a few times, the Traveler quickly grasped his new environment. An open, dark foggy field had now replaced the opulent ballroom surrounded in luxuries. Even the decorated roof he had grown used seeing had completely vanished too, replaced by the familiar shadowed skies of Carcosa.
Dark ash covered what used to be broken marble tiles and rubble. The stone pillars had now changed into ancient withered trees that would turn to dust if touched ever so slightly. And the ruins of an ancient civilization now lay scattered all around him.
At the far end of this harrowing scene was Mordred’s towering figure, looming over the fog lands like an oppressive tyrant who watches all in the dark. It was only then that the scene began to click with Soren:
“This is what we saw outside Hyades Castle…” The very plaza and nameless civilization they had passed through before reaching this cursed bastion. The only difference was that the castle itself had vanished. Replacing it now was the Black Thorned Knight Himself—the Traitorous Fortress awaiting its enemy’s siege.
Above the scattered remains of a forgotten city, Soren could see it all. Mordred stood solemnly before them—His visored helmet felt more akin to the apex of a colossal tower than it did armor. The mountainous hammer He wielded was beginning to shift ever so slightly—its metallic form morphing to the will of its master.
“I see… Camilla. She must have commanded the subspace to change…”
With her powers as the Guardian Spirit, such an action would indeed be possible. They were still technically in the ballroom. But the space corresponding to that area in the Hyades Castle had been changed into a more fitting environment for this battle…
He smiled slightly. I guess she accepted her role fairly quickly… The [Card of Insight] he had given her provided her with very clear instructions. Soren wasn’t certain she would accept them so he had prepared a backup plan just in case. But that turned out to be unnecessary in the end.
Glancing toward Ynixia and Albert who were now perched on the rooftop of one of the ancient buildings, Soren couldn't help but sigh.
“She won’t like this at all, will she…” He mumbled the words softly to himself.
But it was too late to regret his choices now. Not to mention, he was certain this would be beneficial to Ynixia as well in the long run, even if she won’t fully appreciate it at first.
He scratched his hair in frustration. “Why should I care anyway? Don’t I hate her?” He paused for a second longer then shook his head.
“Let’s just get it started…”
And it seemed Mordred also felt the same way.
In just a matter of seconds, the shadowed colossus had shifted their left arm, aiming it directly towards him. [Thorn Cannon] instantly transformed the gauntlet into a weapon of war!
Soren’s eyes widened. “Curses!” There was no time to even finish his insults, a monstrously large bombardment exploded from the barrel, heading towards him at asinine speeds.
The explosion was immediate. Buildings scattered in the air from the impact, creating a crater like no other. Hundreds of thousands of thorns embedded themselves everywhere…
But Soren was still alive.
With the help of Fairy Barrier and his quick thinking, he managed to shield himself from most of the blow by hiding behind cover. He then scattered his presence using Violet Mirage while creating distractions using other new 3rd Circle spell Fractured Reflections.
This was a spell he had already used against Mordred before—it allowed him to manifest clones of himself made of his anima that could act and speak independently. From a distance, the mirror-like finish of their surfaces could fool anyone into believing it was him—they mimicked even the behavior of his clothing. But the closer one approaches them, the more noticeable the illusion becomes.
Each time a Fractured Reflection appeared somewhere else on the battlefield, Mordred would immediately target it with precise bombardments. Explosion after explosion rang out, sending debris flying everywhere.
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Soren, however, didn’t care. He was in fact aiming for this kind of outcome. The more thorns Mordred embedded in the surroundings with his abilities, the more data He would receive from His surroundings. But that also meant more opportunities for Soren to trick Him.
The Traveler continued running forward under the line of fire, weaving between ancient buildings as he rode atop a Fairy Blade. He glanced toward his left, noticing his shimmering Soul Weapon displaying a certain page:
Status
Name: Mordred (Last Name ???)
Race: Living Shadow (???)
Age: ???
Vocation: ???
Sentinel Act: Usurper’s Iron Dictum
Sentinel Rank: Dreadnought (4th Class)
Sentinel Affinities: Spirit Metal (Maximum Mastery)
Soul Frame: Haunted Will (Incarnated Stage) (Forgotten)
Soul Weapon: Traitorous Fortress (Unique) (Tier 8) (Forgotten)
Skills:
[Thorn Cannon] - Defend your banner and embed your presence.
[Thornmail] - Let the enemy weep from their own transgression.
[Unbroken Pillar] - Hoist your presence upon the world itself.
[Destiny Puncture] - An unhidden enemy is destined to fall.
[Boundary of Vengeance] - Your slain enemies regret their transgressions.
[The Siege] - A fortress must never fall before its enemies.
[Fortress Armory] - Your supply of weapons is endless.
[The Spire] - Impose your presence upon the world.
Blessings: [Rain of the Weeping Lake]
Rune Collection: ???
Glossing over the information again, Soren couldn’t help but sigh to himself. Only a singular word came to mind in that moment:
“Pitiful.”
It was all too pitiful.
A warrior that was said to be at the level of a Sovereign Spirit. Someone who had fought countless wars against the dragons of old. A knight of the Round Table, a legendary organization that would eventually lead to the creation of the Avalon Empire…
Such an individual had fallen so far from grace. He simply couldn’t imagine it—what kind of figure was Mordred before the cataclysm occurred?
The curiosity burning within his chest compelled him to discover more. To explore everything there was to know about Him…
But at the same time, it also made him excited for this battle. Indeed, even with all His current limitations, Mordred the Black Thorned Knight was still a mighty foe. Insurmountable even.
“4th Class Sentinel… A Dreadnaught.”
From what he remembered of the different titles Sentinels used, this one was completely different. This information his mystic eyes had obtained likely dated back to the Age of Mythologies or perhaps even the Age of Mysteries. The titles they used in ancient times must have likely been different.
But the truth was still the truth. Even though He was only a Living Shadow, His power as a Sentinel was currently equivalent to that of a 6th Circle Magi—a Magister.
And then there was his Sentinel Act…
“Usurper’s Iron Dictum,” He whispered the words quietly as he maneuvered through the bombardments, making sure to avoid any falling debris with [Hymns of the Unseen]. His mind, however, was preoccupied with the words he had just read on the enchanted page.
Unlike Magi who gain a relatively unchanging Inherent Ability, a Sentinel’s Inherent Ability allows for a distinct progression path to emerge. When a Sentinel unlocks their Soul Frame, the Inherent Ability that once belonged to their Soul Realm usually morphs into two distinct categories: Enhancements or Talents.
Enhancements were usually biological changes. Things like being able swim faster due to a difference in muscle structure, or simply possessing enhanced dexterity when wielding certain weapons.
Talents on the other hand, were abnormal traits that made the Sentinel distinct in some way. Things like being able to twist the shape of your bones, eyes that could see through walls, or even other supernatural traits like turning your body invisible…
No matter the category, A Sentinel following the correct Soul Manual will be able to develop this Inherent Ability in very interesting ways. And the method of doing so relies heavily on what Sentinels call an ‘Act.’
Just as Magi learn to craft a definition for their Magecraft Persona, Sentinels need to progress their Soul Frame to the Engraved Stage—the magi equivalent of the Kindled Stage—to craft their Act.
The Act will dictate how the Talent or Enhancement develops as the Sentinel progresses through the early to mid Classes until finally… it becomes indifferentiable from the Inherent Ability it was once meant to represent. This happens when a Soul Frame finally reaches the Incarnated Stage—the equivalent to a magi’s Soul Realm reaching the Dominion Stage.
“Traced, Anchored, Engraved, Woven, Incarnated, Immortalized, Singularity…” Soren quickly recalled the different stages of a Soul Frame he had previously remembered. Only then did the realization finally dawn on him.
“Hold on… Shouldn’t that mean that would have manifested as well?” He had a very bad feeling—something must have been wrong with his initial analysis.
He glanced once more at the colossal being, using his mystic eyes to pierce even more deeply into the Beyond than before. The strain on his mind had never come easy, but his curiosity was compelling him to uncover the truth, even if it terrified him.
And that’s when he saw it… The confirmation was now undeniable:
“Mordred has already merged His Inherent Ability—Haunted Will—with His Act, Usurper’s Iron Dictum…”
Unlike Archmages and Magisters who possess a Dominion Stage Soul Realm, a Sentinel’s Incarnated Stage Soul Frame doesn’t create a miniature world or inner realm. Instead, it transforms the Sentinel themselves into something… else entirely.
Soren’s advance toward the fortress started to slow down as his eyes began to notice something he should have observed more keenly: Once again, the dark steel covering the armored body was beginning to shift again as if it was alive, independently from the hollow armor that remained static underneath.
At that moment, Soren couldn’t help but laugh nervously.
“It was only mentioned briefly in Caelivora's preserved library… I can’t believe it’s actually true.” No doubt, Rodrick Witguard likely had an interest in that information, which was why he was allowed it to remain in the library…
Soren on the other hand was never impressed—the information seemed far too outlandish and nonsensical. He could only assume it was the writings of an old storyteller exaggerating the tales of their past heroes and commemorating them as legends. Even so, a single phrase from that passage had lingered in his mind ever since that cursed heist… A phrase he couldn’t believe he was about utter:
“A Mythical Incarnation…”
The Fairy Blade finally came to a stop. He gazed up at the colossal being in awe… but also fear. Indeed, everything he was currently witnessing was just as he had read about it in that book so long ago:
“The very merger of a Sentinel’s Act and their Inherent Ability results in the creation of something that could no longer be described as human. A creature that was beyond anything the natural world can produce.”
Soren shook his head and laughed. “How utterly comical! To think I would fear the armored knight and not the strange metal sheets shifting eerily across His surface.”
It makes sense why he couldn’t realize it sooner. Mordred’s Soul Weapon—the Traitorous Fortress—was Augment Class. The armor had already replaced His body directly, so any transformation born from His Soul Frame would have easily been eclipsed.
That shifting metal coating His armor… that must be His Mythical Incarnation…
And sure enough, his [Eyes of the Fairy] quickly revealed the truth. And that truth… was horrifying.
Mordred was not just a living suit of armor. He was the very Spirit Metal of that armor itself. Every atom contained a piece of His flesh—of His existence. And each piece could act independently. They were a swarm… A colossal swarm of metallic-like maggots that were shifting rapidly above the armor’s darkened surface!
“Not good… This is not good at all…”
According to that old passage he had read, Sentinels who manage to reach this stage of developing their Soul Frames no longer impact just themselves—as paradoxical as that may sound… Their mere presence begins to mess with the anima of any living creature around them, infecting them with their influence.
As for the anima… The anima it targeted usually corresponded to the biological traits of a person!
To a magi or regular unawakened person, this anima tends to be scattered across the Three Layers, hidden beneath countless other traits and factors. Those who forge the Soul Frame and unlock the metaphorical Fourth Layer are usually the only ones who center this anima and give it a true purpose.
But a Mythical Incarnation does not discriminate between any of these groups!
Regardless of whether you are an unawakened mortal, a magi with a clear Magecraft Persona, or even another Sentinel—the effect will still be the same. Like radiation poisoning, it will begin to infect this anima with its presence, creating unnatural mutations in anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.
In essence, a Mythical Incarnation was akin to a walking calamity. An entity that could wipe out anything in its path, destroying entire ecosystems that may biologically go against its ideals.
Which means, if they were to continue approaching Mordred while He has this form secretly active, Soren was certain they would quickly begin to transform into metallic maggots just like Him!
Not to mention the disruptions to their anima—Soren would likely lose control on the spot due to his current instability with the new rune he had yet to merge with.
Seeing the metal continue to shift endlessly across Mordred’s body, Soren couldn’t help but joke at that moment. “To think we would have to fight a Castle within a Castle within a Castle…” He shook his head slightly. It had finally made sense to him why Mordred was attempting to pull them towards Him earlier—the Black Thorned Knight was hoping of finishing them off simply through the effect of His Mythical Incarnation.
Standing there in silence for a while, Soren watched the ancient city as the rest of its buildings began to collapse one by one. His cloned apparitions—the Fractured Reflections—were continuing to distract the enemy. One by one they would shatter, scattering more and more glass shards across the battlefield.
But in that moment, Soren could only remain silent as he pondered over his next move.
Though, it didn’t seem like the others had much patience.
From out of nowhere, Soren looked up to see something far too outlandish to fully grasp. A colossal skeleton that was now equally as massive as Morded had appeared out of nowhere and was strangling the iron giant from behind!
“W-what?!” His eyes widened far enough for them to fall out.
Atop the gigantic skeletal beast, Soren noticed a tiny silhouette holding a dark hammer that was double her size. The glint in her eyes sparkled with hints of madness as she ordered the massive summoned creature to wrestle Mordred in a one to one confrontation.
As this was happening, Soren noticed a subtle shift in The Records. He quickly glanced toward it, only to notice the book was now on a different page. He frowned as he read the short message left behind for him:
“I will buy you the time you need.” Message signed by Ynixia.