“Hey! Congratulations on that victory. A little underwhelming, but it was a victory nonetheless.”

A certain voice said prompting me to open my eyes.

I almost screamed as I saw Kenos’s face hovering a few centimeters from mine.

I quickly crawled backward while frantically looking around.

I was back in the throne room and standing a few meters away from me was Kenos.

I couldn’t look at his face and so I lowered my eyes and squeezed my trembling fists in an attempt to calm myself.

“Aww, what's with the cold greeting?” Kenos asked as he slowly walked towards me. His body clad in a simple robe, but I didn’t wanna look at him any further, so I turned away.

“Come on. How long are you gonna act like this? We’re sharing a body. There’s no room for cold shoulders on either side.” He said as he knelt in front of me.

I bit my teeth and looked up into his pitch black eyes.

“W-why did you do that to me?” I asked with trembling lips.

“What? You might have to specify. I’ve been sleeping for quite a bit-“

I slapped him before tightly wrapping my arms around my naked self.

Kenos sighed before making a saddened expression.

“Look… I’m sorry. I… I’m sure you know this, but what happened in that place was the result of a lot of buried anger and pain. I cannot control what happens in my subconscious. At no point did I purposely want to hurt you.” He said before reaching out to touch my cheek but I back away a little more before taking a deep breath.

“What do you want?” I hissed.

“Call me crazy, but I think you’re doing a little too good out there. C-Caligo is undoubtedly going to take action. He may even make an appearance. I want to be ready for that.”

“Don’t you think I’ve also considered that possibility?” I asked while frowning so hard it hurt my face.

“You have, but I can do you one better…” Kenos said before standing upright and spreading his arms.

“Let’s switch!”

“No.”

“I wasn’t asking.” Kenos said with a gentle smile but I continuously shook my head.

“I’m not letting go you step foot in my sanctuary!” I spat, Kenos dashed towards me before placing his hands on my shoulders.

“And who was it that made all that possible? Do not forget, Riley, that it is by my hand that our lives were saved. Do not forget that it is I who hosts the aspect of darkness at its strongest allowing you to play monarch. Also, do not especially forget that you are nothing but my vessel.” Kenos said softly as tears welled up in my eyes.

I lowered my head before thinking about all I’d gone through and achieved on Edenton.

He was right.

I owed it all to him, but still…

“W-what do you want to do o-outside?”

Kenos nodded before stepping away.

“I want to prepare for the brightest sunrise in the history of Edenton.” He said while placing his hands on his waist.

“H-how exactly do you plan on preparing for that?”

“Ah, I’m sure you’re noticed it. That thing that happens when we dip our toes too deeply into the darkness. Our body changes and we take on the true form of the host. Well, partly. You see, I have a theory that we hosts and magicians receive our powers from dark beings who live on a plane far removed from ours. I have no idea what they are or what their intentions are, but I know without a doubt that they are the ones gifting all of us with the ability to control our aspects.” Kenos said before plopping onto the ground in front of me.

“I want to fully immerse us into that state… the true state of a host.” Kenos said as I messily wiped my tears.

“We get hurt every time we use a ton of darkness. How do you plan on mitigating that?”

“Ah. Look at your hands, little Katsíki. They have changed a few times before and yet here they are… unaffected. My theory is that accessing that state works like how we access the realm of darkness. We aren’t covering ourselves into darkness or filling our body with it. We’re simply accessing a new, higher state. Where we become darkness itself.” Kenos said but I couldn’t belief that such power came without cost.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Oh, but that’s the thing. I don’t know. No one does. No one we know, at least, but that’s why we’re going to prepare accordingly.” Kenos said with a raised chin.

“You’ve yet to disclose the specifics of how we’ll prepare.”

“Training. We’ll go through a training arc while testing the dark waters of the void.”

I nodded before sighing.

“How long will you be training for?”

“As long as needed. A month, a year, even a decade. Don’t worry, I’m not an asshole. I’ll give you control from time to time.” Kenos said while pacing around.

“So… when do you wanna start-?”

“Immediately!”

.

..

I awoke to find myself in a rather small cabin and- the edge of a black sword was sitting on my neck.

“Is this how you normally greet him?” I asked the Golden Knight as she glared at me.

“Where is he?” The knight hissed as I sat up.

I had regained some of my original body although I still had a pair of ridiculous black goat legs.

“Don’t worry your pretty… scarred face. He’s fine. We’re just switching places for a bit.” I said, but the damned golden bitch slid her blade forward ever so slightly, cutting my skin and drawing a little blood.

“Switch back.” She hissed while glaring at me with eyes that lit up the entire room.

“First off, if you hurt me you hurt him, so think carefully before you act. Secondly, I have a few things to take care off out here. I need to find out what it truly means to be a host. This also means I need to prepare my body for whatever that may entail.” I said while standing up.

I was a few heads shorter than Yna but I didn’t really care.

“Oh- I’ll need you to train me as well-“

“No.” Yna snapped but I raised my index finger.

“The faster Katsíki and I do what we need to, the sooner you’ll have him back. Train and assist me in my venture and you’ll have Katsíki back between your tits in no time.” I said but this seemingly infuriated the knight even further.

“Anyway! Before any of that happens, I wanna stretch my legs “ I said before trying to walk towards the door, but Yna didn’t move.

“Are you going to be this bitchy the entire time?” I asked and to my surprise, Yna moved to the side.

“See? Being nice isn’t hard, you just need to put a little bit of effort “ I said before exiting that cramped cabin.

The morning sunlight messily bathed the streets of Coh and I must say… Katsíki didn’t do a terrible job.

The streets were cleanly paved and the houses were all unique in one way or the other.

It was no royal palace, but it would do.

A few Rendaro shot me curious and even frightened glances, but I simply smiled while waving them good morning.

Some of them waved back and although I understood their concerns… I didn’t care.

I walked south while taking deep and honestly rather easy breaths.

I knew that Katsíki exercised behind Yna’s back and that little bit of fitness gave my steps a bounce I delighted in.

I eventually arrived at the southern wall and I was confronted by a handful of guards and I suppose I should compliment just how good they looked.

They were like dark knifes.

Ready to strike at any who dared disturb Katsíki’s peace.

“Lord Katsíki?”

One of them asked and I could clearly see the confusion in his eyes.

“Err… actually, I’m Kenos. Katsíki is taking a little bit of a nap.” I said while rubbing my pleasantly smooth chest.

“Oh… is there anything you need?”

“No, don’t worry. I just want to hang out on top of the wall for a bit.” I said while dismissively waving my hand.

I then climbed the dark stairs along the wall.

I quickly reached the top and even I couldn’t help but gasp at the new Expanse.

It all looked so hopeful.

“Good job.” I muttered before noticing a plume of smoke rising from my right hand.

I saw two pure white eyes within and they looked at me with a quivering fear.

[Yeah, thanks.]

“Hoh? How did you manage to manifest alongside me?” I asked while leaning against the wall’s surprisingly cool guardrails.

[Mmm? I’m still in the throne room… in our mind. Although I can see into the real world using our eyes.]

“Oh? So if I talk aloud, I’ll look like a crazy person.”

[You are one! Now hurry up and lets switch!]

Shut up! I yelled internally before looking down at lower Coh.

“I wanna let loose a little before we actually start training.” I said internally.

[Don’t lay a finger on any of my people!]

“Hoh? So it’s fine if it’s someone from somewhere else?”

[Mmm… I suppose.]

“I’ll keep that mind, however, I simply meant that I want to do a few normal things before a certain golden knight takes out her frustrations on me.” I said while descending the stairs and to no ones surprise, Yna was waiting for me at the bottom.

“So… what does Katsíki usually do when he wakes up?” I asked a cross armed Yna.

“Follow me.” She said flatly.

What was wrong with her?

You’d think her inhuman body would free her from such petty emotions.

I followed Yna and she eventually led me into Shiru’s house.

“Good morning… Katsíki?” Shiru asked.

“It’s actually Kenos. Katsíki and I have switched places temporarily.” I said while tapping my now six inch long horns.

Shiru nodded and I couldn’t help but relish in her confusion and anxiety.

I wanted to raise my hand and touch her soft face, but something deep within stopped me.

“Anyway, I hope you have a lovely morning.” I said before joining Yna by the table.

Well, I wanted to, but Katsíki’s chair was far too small and so I destroyed it before creating one that suited me. Both in terms of size and style.

Yna glared at me with dim eyes as I sat next to her on my tall dark chair but I ignored her and turned my attention to Farin who stared at me as he entered the dining room.

“Err… Katsíki?” He asked and I explained our circumstances.

“Oh, I see. Well, I guess this is hello, Kenos.”

“Yes.” I said although I wondered why Farin wasn’t bowing or kneeling to me.

He was a scholar and surely he would acknowledge my importance.

I sighed before turning to face Serylea, who stared at me as well as she walked to her seat.

We greeted each other and I explained everything, but Serylea’s reaction was more… entertaining than I initially expected.

She lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers.

“Will we… will we still be able to… work like this?” She asked.

I knew she was talking about Katsíki’s little side project and so I nodded.

“Yes and don’t worry. This isn’t permanent. Katsíki will be back soon enough. I just want to get a few things done and maybe even have a little fun.” I said with a gentle smile.

Serylea nodded prompting me to look at the next person to enter the room.

Erna.

She stared at me with a face that was riddled with confusion.

“Hello.” I greeted but Erna ran to Shiru’s side much and for some reason this pissed me off.

[Maybe if you weren’t so obviously evil, people would feel more comfortable.]

Katsíki said but I rolled my eyes.

Shiru eventually served everyone breakfast and Erna still clung closely to her mother.

Tsk.