The Next Day
"They are coming!"
"Wake up!"
"Wake up!"
"Huh!" I woke up, distressed and sweating as if it were the middle of summer. Breathing heavily, I exclaimed frantically, "No way... No way they are back!"
I noticed that the air suddenly reeked of filth and muck, as if all the junk and debris of the world had piled up and accumulated, creating an unmistakable odor that deprived life itself.
And the mist was so thick that, even in this darkened corner of the night, I was still blinded by the white steam that radiated the same foul smell.
I looked in my pocket, and the trinket I had kept safe for all these years started to illuminate brightly, just as it had all those years ago.
"The hollowed ones! They are back!" I said as I was drenched in panic and frenzy "I need to warn Milwak before it's—"
Just as I was about to leave the bed and sound the alarm, the dorm was suddenly struck by some kind of boulder that easily demolished the building walls into rubble. It knocked me out of the dorm before I could even warn the others who were, by now, caught in the hollowing.
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Some time passed, and I began to regain consciousness. I found myself buried under mountains of wooden panels.
I grunted in pain as I tried to squeeze my way out through the cramped space. Thankfully, I was shielded by something substantial; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to escape. All the while, I could hear the tumultuous screams of agony, fear, and war cries from the apparent ones and the horrifying, dreadful rumble of the dead.
As I crawled out of the confined space and witnessed the horror that had befallen these cold lands, I realized that it was akin to the Nords who had already experienced this nightmare long ago during a harsh winter breeze. Fate had bitten them once more.
"They are already here..."
As I observed the scene from my vantage point, I saw hundreds, if not thousands, of Viking warriors of all kinds: highlanders, berserkers, raiders, all aligned in their struggle against the accursed, decaying hollowed ones, the same ones I had seen over in the last year, back when my mother was alive.
The screams of both sides, one filled with anxiety and fear, the other with roars of bestiality and the clamor of demons.
The snowy ground was now tainted with sanguine fluid, turning the scene into a gruesome bloodbath with limbs and bodies dismembered like missing puzzle pieces.
The wooden shacks were all ruined and demolished, much like a marooned opening, creating the impression of a giant boulder that had wrecked the houses to the point beyond repair.
There were some Republican soldiers, though very few, compared to the Nords who numbered in the hundreds, fighting vigorously against the undead. However, even with such futile resistance, the hollowed ones continued to multiply, with each corpse killed adding to their ranks.
"It's useless... They are all going to be killed!"
"EVERYONE! PREPARE YOUR WEAPONS! AND GET BACK TO THE WALLS!"
Just then, a Nord shouted and alerted the survivors to prepare for battle from the nearby dorms and mines. Given the chaotic situation, I couldn't tell whether the battle had just begun or if he had been delayed by the catastrophe while I was unconscious.
The Nords, driven by their courageous spirits, ran to the other side toward the high walls in a panic, with the dead in pursuit.
Meanwhile, I remained in a corner, leaning against the wooden wall, consumed by regret. All I could think of was the torment of my inner consciousness and my failure to warn the Republic and the Vikings about the imminent threat, a threat I had known would return but had instead wallowed in grief and regret.
"This is... my fault..."
The Vikings had fought for so long to survive and preserve what remained of their culture, only for it to be washed away by my arrogance and denial of reality as I channeled my rage into mockery and jest. I had let down the very people who were fighting so hard to combat evil.
Not only had I let myself down, but I had let the world down.
"I am... the reason for their eventual downfall," I muttered to myself in sorrow.
"KID! GET OUT OF HERE, IT'S DANGEROUS!"
"HUH!" A threatening sensation crawled down my spine. Instinctively, I reacted, "GET OUT OF HE—"
Just as the man approached, a giant boulder of black ooze struck the Nord who had tried to warn me, crushing him into nonexistence.
I recoiled in terror, only to see the same boulder coalescing into a twitching, flexible mass of black ectoplasm, a distorted, black, fleshy mucus entangled in the most horrifying way one could imagine. It shifted fluidly, with what appeared to be sprouting vines emerging from the same boulder, slowly reforming into a human-shaped figure, starting with the legs, followed by the chest, arms, and finally the head.
As I observed carefully, it became apparent that this was a black demonic knight who stood menacingly, exuding an aura of peril and unwavering determination to kill.
The design of the armor had an incredibly dark and sinister theme, with a gothic and mythological inspiration, but more twisted and vicious. The armor had a unique model with a black-metallic color scheme, adorned with small silver chains, intricate ornamental designs on the boots, lower torso, and gauntlets, two sets of shoulder guards underneath the initial armored spikes mounted on the shoulders, and several large fasteners linking each piece of the armor together.
The set also featured several spikes protruding from various parts of the body, as well as six large horn-like spikes on the very top of the helmet, accompanying large eye-like sockets in the front, giving it an eldrich appearance.
The gauntlets and cuirass emitted a deep red glow when worn in dark or dimly lit areas.
There were no visible eyes in the helmet, only pure blackness staring intently at the living as if it were jealous of their life essence.
Without a doubt, this was one of the Chaos knights who had served the Red Emperor, eventually corrupted by the Hollowed ones.
The Vikings roared in anger as they charged toward him. The demon didn't flinch, remaining silent as he patiently awaited the approaching Nords.
In a flash, the hollowed demon slashed the neck of one of the Nords, rendering him choking as a fountain of blood gushed out, all with the use of his clawed gauntlets. He quickly picked up a fallen Viking blade and parried every attack from the other two approaching Vikings, eventually disarming them and finishing them off.
Knowing he was coming for me, I tried to back off, groaning in pain and bitterness as my wounds were barely tolerable. But there wasn't time to dwell on that.
As I regained my footing, the vile stench I had encountered earlier overcame me, making me feel nauseated and nearly causing me to vomit.
While I was momentarily distracted, I found myself directly at mercy under the approaching knight, who was about to make me one of his many collections.
Just then, a hollowing wolf could be heard from elsewhere. The knight was about to turn back when he was suddenly attacked from behind by what looked like a snow wolf.
While the bite didn't harm the knight, it distracted him long enough for me to catch a moment of respite.
"COM'ERE YOU FLESH FUCK!"
I turned around to witness Hodor ferociously swinging a Warhammer at the black knight. He struck the knight's helmet squarely, knocking him down and allowing the wolf to jump away to safety at the last moment.
"YOU ARE OKAY, MAKAS, MY LAD?!" Hodor asked with concern as he extended his hand to help me up.
"Yeah... I am... I am fine," I quickly took his hand and got back on my feet. "The Hollowed ones... they are..."
"Don't sweat it, lad! We all knew this day was going to happen," Hodor comforted me, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Listen, this battle is a lost cause. We better make a run for it while we—Makas?"
My attention shifted instantly from Hodor to the battlefield as I scanned the battleground. To my surprise, I spotted a figure I hadn't expected to see again: the Hollowed Leshen.
"OH, FUCK, A LESHY!" Hodor shouted in panic as he turned to face the monster.
It was the same Leshen I had encountered years ago when my mother and I barely escaped from a demolished village while being chased by him and the hollowed ones.
The last time I had seen the beast, it had been damaged and injured, nearly scorched away by flames. But now, it seemed all the wounds had regenerated and healed, with a new fury and vengeance.
(How?! How is it still alive?)
Suddenly, the same hollow knight rose to his feet once again.
"AIGHT, THAT'S OUR TICKET TO RUN, KNIGHT!"
"HODOR! WAIT—"
"GAVLAN, LET'S GO!"
I was quickly picked up by Hodor with his free arm as he ran backward toward the high walls of Gumtar, with the white wolf following us.
The walls belonged to the Republican soldiers, separating the mines from the main bastion and the western lands from the east.
Any escape other than through the high walls would be impractical, as the mine grounds were completely sealed off from many corners, both to our south and north. The landscape was filled with water, making it unsafe to traverse with the hollowed ones in pursuit.
So, the walls were our only option, and we hoped that the main gates would open for us.
"HODOR, GET DOWN!"
"WHAT? AH! HEY!"
In the nick of time, I pushed Hodor to the opposite side and freed myself from his grip, just barely dodging a projectile of mutated stomach acid. Upon hitting the ground, it spread into a large pool some distance from our position.
I had seen the Spitter at the last moment, even as Hodor held it.
"Thanks, lad! Are you all right?"
"Yeah... I'm fine. Woah! Hey!"
"No time to talk; let's run and watch my back!"
Hodor quickly picked me up again and started running back toward the main gates.
As we fled, chased by the hollowed ones, I couldn't help but ask myself the same question.
(Why are the hollowed ones back?)
After their disappearance over the last two years, there had been no signs of impending attacks or settlements being destroyed, which would have alerted the Republic. It was as if the two years of patience had been nothing more than a trap among many they had in mind.
By that logic, the new residents of the settlements in the western villages must have been destroyed by now.
It was a repetitive cycle of killing and retreating, happening over and over again.
Why? Why now? Why not earlier or later? What were they after, and why was I always involved in every turn the hollowed ones made?
Where did I fit into their story?
Could it be... it... back?
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“Hodor! You can put me down now!” I shouted.
“Oi, yeah, you're right, lad,” Hodor placed me down as he continued to breathe heavily. “Dame, lad, you are heavy!”
“Not time for jokes, Hodor!” Miwak finally appeared from the rushing crowds. He placed his hand behind the wolf's back. “Are you okay, Galvan?”
The wolf shook his head.
“Makas?”
“Yeah... I am alright...” I answered hesitantly.
“Chieftain! What are your orders?” The Nords gathered around Sigurd as they waited for his command.
“Hodor, lead the main rear and throw Molotov cocktails at those undead bastards!”
“GOT IT, BOSS!”
“Oscar, gather the archers and provide them cover to shoot fire arrows-”
As Miwak started to give orders, I noted how the main gate's walls were locked completely. With the wounded Nords just at the front gates, growling in pain and anger.
(Are the Republic using us as human shields?)
Even if that were the case, that's basically throwing food to the wolves, further enticing them. And no question it’s the same for the hollowed ones.
“INCOMING!!!” One of the Nords shouted in alarm.
“EVERYBODY, HEADS DOWN!”
As we crouched down, a black boulder's ooze struck against one of the main towers of the high walls, piercing through while ravaging the walls.
The high walls are considerably long, at least around ten kilometers long and around forty feet tall. From where I stood, it felt like I was an ant standing before a colossal titanic architecture.
(Fun fact; the high walls were built by the Lesser Titans who are known to build such colossal buildings. Wait for a future story when we visit the fire giant mountains. And for the sake of making it easier to imagine, just imagine them as tall as the walls in Attack on Titan.)
The walls are designed into three distinct buildings: the central part of the bastion of Gutmar, which is considered the base of operation. The high walls, which are connected to both sides of the central bastion, consist of flanking towers/watchtowers at different points and a wide curtain wall, offering enough space for soldiers and ballistae to take positions. Finally, connected to the two high Gumtar Regal towers are the walls' endpoints.
However, I noticed how the walls of watchtowers were engulfed with thick black vines that emerged from the many boulders that struck the tower, sprouting out like a spider's web and extending almost the entire tower's outer walls and, no question, the inside as well, all the way to the ground.
Looking around more, there was a mechanical ladder situated on one of the peak edges of the wall between the parapet's spaces.
I figured if I could climb all the towers using the vines and open the ladder to drive the Nords up, I might just have a chance to open the gate and let them in while the Republic soldiers are busy with the invading Hollowed ones.
However, I wasn't much of a climbing expert, yet I do have the necessary strength to hold on while climbing.
It's either this or the whole Nordic tribe dies mercilessly... this is the least thing I can do for them... saving them...
Suddenly, a loud shriek can be heard from the distance. It was the Leshin. The monster thrust his hand to the ground as vines grew out from the ground and charged towards the main force, wrapping around, rendering them immobile, either choking them, thrusting through them, or infecting them.
“Fuck! That thing won't stop coming!”
“Miwak! I have an idea!” I called him out.
“Huh! What is it, Makas?” he looked troubled.
“If I can climb that wall down there, I can reach the top and drop down one of the ladders. Then you guys can-”
“Are you crazy, Makas! I am not going to let you take a suicidal climb that you can't make! Besides, it's too long!”
“Suicidal or not, it's not like we have much choice, Miwak! The Republic won't let us through unless we make a run for it!” I said intently.
Screams of the helpless Nords and death rattles of the fallen warriors can be heard in the distance as they incapably fought the resilient apathetic hollowed ones, with the Leshin causing most of the catastrophes.
Miwak looked in horror at the inescapable doom that awaited the remaining Vikings. He looked back at me with worry as I showed him a face I never realized I could make until now, one filled with determination and redemption.
“Can you actually climb all the way to the top?” Miwak asked doubtfully.
“Not sure, but I will try my best not to fail you.”
Miwak sighed as he rubbed his eyes for a moment. Then he gathered himself and said optimistically.
“Alright! Hodor, help him out.”
“Aye, boss!” Hodor saluted as we both began to run. “Let's do this, boy!”
Miwak gave his last order before we headed toward one of the wall's towers.
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“That's a long road to the top,” Hodor said with concern.
“No doubt...”
“Do you think you can climb it?”
“With those vines,” I said as I held the vines and pulled them, only to find them greatly attached and fixed. “I think I can; these things are strong.”
“Eh!” Hodor looked at me with disgust. "Look at your hands; they're filled with Hollowed semen!”
“.....” I looked back at him with irritation as I wiped the hollow mucus substance from my hand.
“Want me to cut your hand off? It might be infected now!”
“What?! What the heck is wrong with you?! The Hollowed infect the dead, not the living!”
“Then you can use my hook hand!” He said joyfully.
“Charming, but I'd rather keep my hand.”
One of the high wall's towers was attached strictly to it, leaving only half of a cylindrical structure pouching outward.
The flanking tower looked old as a result of the bulging crags spurned out, a signature of how torn the wall was on the edge. One advantage was how many of these ledges existed. There were enough to reach one of the tower windows. In addition, having such long vines was enough to close the gap between each bulge and cliff.
But some lacked those vines; in order to climb successfully, I had to jump from one end to another to reach the top. That alone was a big risk to take.
And finally, there was no confirmation of how stable these crags were. Given how old the tower is, there is a high chance the ledges will break down the moment I hang on one of them.
However, Hodor suggested that if I fell off accidentally, he would catch me at the last minute from the base of the tower. This provided another chance for me if I happened to fall and not end up crippled by some mishap.
“Makas... There is no shame in turning back from this...” Hodor said with fret.
“It's not about honor or determination, Hodor... it's more about returning the favor.”
“You are still on that, Mak-”
“Enough talk,” I cut him off indignantly. “Give me a push, I am going up.”
“Jeez, have some manners, kid...” Hodor groaned.
I cracked my fingers and took a heavy breath in preparation as Hodor knelt down with his hands joined together, ready to boost.
I counted to three mentally and then charged towards Hodor, landing my feet on his hands and lifting me with a jump to hold one of the ledges.
As I started to ascend, I noticed how much quicker I was.
I growled in pain as I tried to sustain myself against the cliff. Although the pain compared to the first time I did wall climbing in the old world was much less, this was a result of growing training with Milwak, working in the mines, carrying ores, further developing my strength beyond the feeble body I once had.
In comparison to when I climbed the slope in the old world, each ascend required a major effort to push myself. This hadn’t changed me; I still fatigued with each climb, but now to a lesser degree. Mainly due to not being used to such activity.
With each climb, I took a few seconds to relax and then climb up again. Thankfully, the vines were strong enough to withstand my weight and climb easily. This enabled me a bit to hold on a little longer while I recovered my energy to climb to the next one.
Regardless, I scaled my way to the top. Even with such an imminent situation, I should take my time climbing this ridiculous tower.
The problem remained with the black mucus; it made my hands damp and oily, which tumbled through the vines and prevented me from holding the vines firmly. But I noticed that if I left my hand free for some time, the mucus would spill away from my hands, leaving only the fragmented muck that, with enough shaking, dissipated away. This unfortunate situation made the ascent much longer, but better safe than sorry.
For the vertical climb, it wasn’t too hard. I only needed to heave my body a little to reach higher while fixing my leg above the previous vines, allowing me to balance myself out.
But for the horizontal climb, that was an issue since I had to jump sideways to reach the next end. With my hands slippery and barely pinned to the vines, instead of reaching the ledges slowly, I decided I would jump to them. I did this by bending my two legs against the wall as if I was running alongside the curve. Then at once, I jumped to the next ledge.
This was also a risk since I might fall down, but the chances were lower than hanging down with one hand rather than two. As a result, it took a good chunk of time to reach the top.
“Makas! Take it slowly! Don’t rush,” Hodor shouted, which irritated me a bit.
“OI! HURRY UP, HOLLOW BOY!”
“YEAH! HURRY UP, WE ARE DYING HERE!”
Soon, Nords started to gather around Hodor as they pestered me with complaints.
“CAN YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME CLIMB?!” I shouted back furiously at them. They all eventually quieted down as I continued to ascend upward.
“Dame it all!” I cursed loudly as one of the ledges shattered completely.
“Makas! ARE YOU ALRIGHT, LAD!” Hodor shouted with apprehension.
“I am fine! Just a minor setback,” I reassured him.
I knew something like this would eventually happen. Therefore, before I landed my hand, I would first feel the grip of the vines to assure if it was flimsy or not. Then I would climb my way up.
(Looks like we are taking the long way...)
“KID! LOOK OUT!” one of the Nords warned. I looked back only to see another Boulder black ooze heading slightly upward from my position. I held on tight, preparing for the upcoming collision.
The moment it crashed against the tower, I almost lost my grip on the ledge but sustained myself with my two legs at the last second.
I started to breathe a little quicker than before, hinting at my overall increase in effort and stress.
Noticing the open fissure in the wall, it was fit enough to move through the broken wall. I figured I could hang myself there and take a quick break before making my way to the top from there.
I made my way there, only to see the inside of the tower. It was a spiral wooden stair that reached all the way to the top of the tower. I would have taken these stairs; however, they were all destroyed as a result of the ooze boulder falling underneath, breaking them all down. In addition, a few of the ascending ones. So, any chance of taking this route was out of the picture.
Luckily, my original plan was to climb up the side of the tower all the way to the battlements of the walls. There were these crenellation and parapets that offered protective purposes. These structures would support me in reaching the highest level of the walls, the parapets walk that led to the inside of the structure.
After regaining my strength, I returned to climbing the curtain wall and made my way to one of the wall's machicolations, which served as great points to climb on.
Suddenly, as I was ascending, a Slasher-type Hollow emerged from the impacted wall. What made it worse was how easily it climbed using its two sharp ends to pierce through the wall and ascend its way to where I was.
“MAKAS! GET OUT OF HERE!”
“HOLLOW BOY, DON'T DIE ON US!”
“Darn it! Get me a bow! Now!” Hodor shouted.
A voice of concern and mainly complaints emanated from the Viking below. However, I paid no attention to them as I was more concerned with how to avoid the imminent presence of the hollowed one.
I noticed that with every climb he made, his blade almost shattered piece by piece. One heavy strike should be enough to make it fall helplessly.
Therefore, I formulated a plan.
As the monster's roars approached, I simply stood still, waiting for it to strike at the last second. Just then, the hollowed demon lunged toward me, but I avoided its attack by releasing one hand and leaving the other swinging winder to my left, keeping the only torch from falling. I growled in pain as I tried to clasp the vines, barely holding on.
The hollowed one missed completely and lost its balance, falling down as a result. I managed to avoid his toppling body from catching me.
The slasher fell onto the snowy ground and was eventually killed by the Nords. I regained my stamina and climbed the ridges once more.
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"How the heck am I still standing?" I asked myself, breathing heavily.
After a few minutes of climbing, I finally reached the crenellation and mounted the floor. I lay on my back, staring at the sky and gasping for air. I couldn't think clearly during this time. Instead of cowering in fear and guilt as I did earlier, I suppressed those feelings deep in my mind and focused on the task at hand.
Ironically, I was fighting as if my life depended on it. I never thought I would be involved in such a gruesome task as this. I had always imagined myself as the type to stay behind closed doors all day long, indulging in my interests.
In any case, I refreshed myself and stood back up without delay, only to see piles of Republican soldiers and hollowed ones, their bodies filling the area like an unkempt wardrobe, emanating the stench of rotting blood and ooze that polluted the air and nauseated the surroundings.
Now that I think about it, I didn't hear any Republican soldier voices or the clash of steel while I was climbing the wall. By that logic, they must have already been dead by the time I started ascending.
But since the gates were still closed, it was either the hollowed ones succeeded in infiltrating the walls, or the republic soldiers were still in control.
Thoughts and ideas swarmed my mind as I tried to interpret the current state we were facing.
"What if... that's what they want? To op-"
I was cut off by the sound of another Boulder ooze striking against the walls and the Viking warriors screaming as they fought fiercely in the battleground.
Not wasting another moment, I pushed aside my doubtful thoughts and went straight to find the mechanical ladder I planned to drop down.
Climbing down the jagged stairs, I spotted the mechanical iron ladder I had seen earlier. I rushed to release the ladder by kicking it heavily, causing the remains of the discounted ladder to fall.
"Hey! You there, Nord!"
A voice from a distance reached my ears, and a Republican foot soldier with his golden rays and white shades appeared, representing the Church.
He unsheathed his weapon, ready to strike me down.
"You shouldn't be here, Nord!" He shouted angrily.
"Why did you choose to close the gates?" I asked fiercely.
"Orders from the Paladin! You shall not leave this place alive, Heretic!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Hey, hey!"
The soldier charged ahead, about to strike me down with his short sword. I quickly evaded his attack by lunging forward, narrowly avoiding the blade.
As I tried to regain my footing, I was kicked heavily in the abdomen by the soldier, doubling over in pain.
The strike was fairly strong, and for a moment, I felt like I was on the verge of vomiting. Since I had no weapon to defend myself with, I pressed against the wall of parapets, growling in pain.
"Die, Nord!" the Republican said coldly, holding his sword ready to finish me off.
I could only look in horror at the callous soldier who showed no signs of hesitation to kill a child. His relentless, vengeful eyes and his unwavering dedication to the church's will, without ever questioning their ideologies or reasons, made me wonder if he was any different from the hollowed ones we were facing.
Regardless of the cause, it didn't change my immediate situation.
At this moment, I was certain that the republic was nothing more than degenerate faithful dogs who hadn't changed since the old days of the inquisitions, still thriving on heresy and theocracy, evading the true unity that the Assayer Church claimed to follow.
I had known this all along, but I never acknowledged the truth.
In the end, no matter the world or universe we live in, species never stray far from their primal nature. They are not heroes; they are only humans who will do anything to survive.
But just as I pondered my situation, a loud, deep, shrieking, and demonic roar erupted from one of the fort rooms just below the floor I had descended to. Suddenly, the wooden room entrance and the surrounding wall were broken into bits and pieces. A large, deformed, mutated hollowed charged toward the Republican.
Thankfully, I was at a safe distance from the Republican, who failed to evade the charging attack and got caught by the bloated arm of the hollowed, held like a toy.
The monster then came to a pause and began smashing the Republican against the ground, his limbs and organs fracturing into bones and tissues, blood staining the hollowed's gigantic arm.
The monster's anatomy was vastly different from the ones I had encountered so far. Most notably, his right arm and shoulder had grown significantly and increased in thickness, resulting in his right hand becoming a swollen lump with stubby fingers. This caused him to lean to the right while moving. His left arm, on the other hand, had atrophied to the point of being useless. His legs remained largely normal, with the exception of his right leg, which had hypertrophied slightly to support his unbalanced body.
After the monster finished smashing the Republican into almost nothing, he directed his attention towards me. By this point, I had gotten up and recovered from my injury, planning my next move.
However, just as the charge was about to strike me down, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the beast. He started moving around panickily, trying to shake off the flames that overwhelmed his body. The beast eventually, in a fit of terror, fell from the battlements back to the snowy battlefield.
"Are you alright, Makas?" Milwak turned to me with a look of concern.
"Yeah, don't worry, I am—" I was interrupted by Milwak slapping my head in a fit of rage.
"Next time, go with a weapon!" He said furiously, handing me back Winfrey's Dagger.
I hesitantly took the blade from his hand and looked at it motionlessly.
(I don't even need a weapon to kill...)
I recalled the memories of using this blade, killing and burning the hollowed ones with the same blade, going to great lengths to save the lives I valued. Lives that I ultimately failed to save in the end.
So, what was the purpose of my fighting? Why did I let that charger kill the misguided Republican instead of helping him? Was it to save the Nords, return a favor, or redeem myself after another failed attempt?
(Are these Vikings even going to survive?)
"MAKAS! Wake up!"
I was brought back to reality by Sigurd's shouts as he turned and called out to the Vikings.
"BROTHER! TODAY WE MARK OUR FREEDOM! TODAY WE DIE FOR THE CAUSE! TO VALHALLA!"
"TO VALHALLA!" the Nords cheered as they charged towards the keep of the high walls.
"Makas, you're coming with me! We're going to open the gates!" Milwak called out.
I hesitated for a moment, recalling the qualms I had about the mysterious behaviors of the hollowed ones.
"Makas, are you deaf?! I said come on!"
Whatever their plans were, we didn't have time to figure out the details. It was now or never, and I had promised myself to save at least the Nords after nearly bringing their eventual doom.
"Let's go," I said, shifting my mood to a resolute one.
"Good job making it this far!" Milwak smiled as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Now come on!"
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We made our way into the keep, heading towards the lever room while exploring various rooms along the way.
The interior design of the keep featured mostly asymmetrical rock-ribbed walls supported by wooden planks in the hallways. The floors were made of sturdy wooden boards.
Lanterns were hung on wooden panels, casting light in the surroundings. However, with the Boulders' attack from outside, the lanterns shook violently, creating moving shadows.
Speaking of the Invasion, many walls of the keep were damaged by these black ooze boulders, often breaching more than one wall. As we hurried through the keep, we noticed the bodies of republicans and hollowed individuals scattered in hallways and rooms, as if the battle had just ended.
As we continued forward, hollowed creatures leaped from rooms, and some pretended to be lifeless corpses, only to spring back to life and surprise us. It felt like the keep had become a death trap. Many of the hallways were blocked by piles of rubble, preventing us from reaching our destination: the control panel room that would open the gates. So, we changed our route and took a longer path, eventually reaching the floor above the lever room.
The floor was large enough to accommodate twenty fighters from both sides, with a double L-shaped staircase running around the floor leading to higher levels. Fortunately, the hollowed ones hadn't reached the inner sanctum yet, but I feared we were merely playing into their trap.
Our path was blocked by a steel-barred gate, seemingly lacking a lever to open it. Milwak eventually ordered the remaining Nords to fend off the hollowed and republicans while they cleared the keep and brought more Nords the way I had initially led them.
"Makas! Search the upper stairs for a lever! There must be one somewhere!" Milwak seemed determined as the approaching paladin knights, who appeared to have single-handedly defeated the Nords, drew near. "Meanwhile, I'll deal with those adversaries!"
The paladin rank knight wore a set of interwoven metal plates over chainmail, topped by a visored barbuta helmet designed to protect against stray arrows and blade strikes. The partial plate was segmented along the torso, arm, and leg joints, providing excellent dexterity while still offering ample protection in battle.
Around his back and thighs, he wore an attached leather cape that extended from his shoulders down to his waist, resembling a dress, fastened under a belt. It bore the sigil of the Assayer Church, a golden and white lion symbol signifying him as a holy knight of the church.
He held a great sword in a cross position, a two-handed longsword with a double-edged blade. Its hilt had a long, jutting cross guard, a heavy pommel for balance, and a leather-wrapped grip. Despite its size and weight, it remained a versatile weapon, striking a balance between offense and defense.
"Go!" He shouted.
I simply nodded and rushed to the staircase.
While running down the narrow staircase, constructed from the same gravel as the bastion and supported by wooden handrails, I encountered several Nords and Republican soldiers engaged in combat. Most of the time, the Nords were outnumbered, putting them at a severe disadvantage.
Even though my primary mission was to open the iron gates, I felt compelled to try and make amends for my past actions by saving as many Nords as possible without directly spilling blood.
I drew Winfrey's knife and quickly approached a Republican infantry soldier who was locked in a duel with a Nord. Silently, I crept up behind them and swiftly stabbed the infantry soldier's left knee. This grabbed his attention, and he swung his sword at me. Thanks to my small size, I easily dodged his blade. However, as he turned towards me, he fell to his knees in pain. This gave the Nord an opportunity to strike him down with his warhammer, delivering a final blow to his helmet after numerous head strikes, leaving nothing but a gruesome mess of blood and bone.
"Thanks, kid!" the Nord exclaimed with gratitude.
"Go! Help Milwak downstairs!" I urged, my voice filled with urgency, and I ascended without delay.
The next encounter on the staircase proved to be even more challenging. Two Republican infantry soldiers had cornered a Nord against the wall, leaving him with no room to maneuver or escape. This situation was made worse by the fact that one of the Republican infantrymen wielded a spear and cowered behind his comrade.
As I contemplated a plan to assist the trapped Nord, he noticed my presence and turned his focus towards me. I cursed under my breath as I saw the forward infantry soldier catching on to the Nord's concern, about to shift his attention in my direction.
Instinctively, I pulled out Winfrey's dagger and hurled it toward the approaching infantryman's face.
The blade struck his left eye. He howled in agony as he attempted to close the wound, and the other soldier finally realized the tide of battle had turned in an unexpected and deadly manner.
The Nord quickly took this as a chance to strike, pulled the injured soldier, and quickly threw him at the Spear unit who drew his spear out of impulse and tripped down by the sudden weight of his allied unit.
The Nord pulled the spear and quickly lunged himself on the two unit-piled bodies as he impaled their skulls with the spear at the same line. Finishing them both for good.
I only stood there as the chaos unfolded on its own, watching these two helpless units face an unexpected turnover. My mind was filled with questions that both defiled my moral grounds, the person who I thought I was, and my whole perspective towards my life generally.
“Go!” The Nord said angrily while in pain. “I will be fine...”
I noticed the wound on his spleen region, leaking out a fountain of blood. It's only a matter of time before his eventual doom comes.
I noticed the wound on his spleen region, leaking out a fountain of blood. It's only a matter of time before his eventual doom comes.
That said, I quickly picked the dagger from the corpse's eye pocket and ascended as I left the man to his dying breath.
The sheer internal conflict I was faced with is much more difficult than the conflict parading out here. I questioned myself while climbing these long unending stairs walk about everything happened thus far.
My actions, be it innocent or not, intentional or not, have led and taken lives on a wimp like they were nothing more than a paddle on a river.
I didn’t even hesitate to think over my choices, I simply did it instinctively like I had done it before.
I didn’t enjoy, thrive, or even grieve. Not a hint of a single emotion born out of this bloodshed.
I just did it...
Just...
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What the hell am I doing?
Why do I have to do all of this!?
In my whole torturous life, and in this dreadful unending nightmare. I never wanted or desired death on anyone except myself.
then why.... why do I deliver death to others?! why can't i just end myself, the by far easiest choice ever to make!
why am I hesitating?....
Reaching the final floor, I noticed a lever hanging from the wall. According to Milwak's intuition, this must open the gates at the bottom of the staircase.
“Hold it there traitor!”
I was called as soon as I heard a voice emerging from one of the bastion rooms. It was an Elite knight wielding a large great sword, similar to the ones I witnessed at the base of the floor.
“Stay away from the paddle or I will-”
I pulled the lever nonchalantly.
“Or what?” I asked.
“Then pay with your blood!” The Knight shouted as he took his stance.
I stepped back from the lever and took the center of the room. It was wide enough, so I had plenty of windows to evade his attacks.
As the Knight approached, he quickly lunged at me with a heavy attack from my left.
Where I stood there, patiently. Recalling Milwak's words;
(“A lot of people assume the bigger weapons, the worse it is. Especially with the fact they have a wider range of area to cover. Thus, promoting you to treat back. But I believe it's not, rather, the shorter the blade is, the harder to adapt the battel because such short weapons may not parry large blade but choose the proper moment and window to strike their weak spots. Which what I believe are the human nerves, cut that out of the way and they lose everything.”)
While this knight wore heavy armor, sealing almost every weak spot to strike. Except, for his neck region. He wore a chainmail band around his neck. While it's indeed weaker in comparison to heavy steel, it's not enough to be pierced through by a simple dagger. However, not its normal state at least.
As the Knights were about to strike, I did a quick pirouette to his right. Midway, I pulled a potion vial and threw it towards his chainmail around his neck. Breaking the vial, alongside his chainmail. Then quickly, strike with my dagger to his neck region, hitting the carotid artery.
The Knight retracted in pain as I tried to cover the wound on his neck.
If you can't break it, just rust it.
The Knight then held his great sword in a cross position as he unleashed a powerful force aura that kicked me to the wall, knocking me and my blade down.
The Knight then approached me and held me by the neck as he hung me on the wall while keeping his other hand on his wound, casting a healing magic to cover the wound.
“I wouldn’t be killed by a mere rat like you.”
Just a moment before he could choke me to death. The Knight was stabbed to his chest from his back by two large blade appendages. A hollowed slasher appeared from nowhere as he held the Knight up while I was dropped down.
Distinguished by their mottled black and green tissue, glowing eyes, and the presence of maggots infesting their bodies. They appear to have more bulky limbs overall, the arms included, and they appeared as such in all subsequent appearances. These are Enhanced Slashers. A product of the hollowed one's infection and transformation of corpses that have undergone advanced decomposition. These variants are far more resilient to damage than their non-enhanced counterparts and are likewise much stronger and ferocious in combat. Enhanced Slashers have a uniform look, with virtually all the individual features of their hosts absent following infection and their sole remaining part is their former shadow self.
While the beast was distracted, I took this chance to carry the large sword with difficulty.
The beast suddenly roared and dropped the dead knight's corpse aside as he directed his wrath against me.
I quickly swung the great sword towards the impending blade which was seconds from striking me. Cutting the hollowed one armament and pushing it aside.
I stopped there, regaining my balance again, and then quickly finished him with a decapitation, cutting every chance for the monster to attack or even move. And with that, the beast and the Knight were killed.
I was tainted with the blood of the Knight and the hollowed beast, red and black. All across my face and chest.
I stood there as I dropped the blade in shock at the sudden revelation. Grasping the event that has been displayed before me all this time.
The sudden realization of how twisted a person I have become. The effect of madness and depression has finally taken a toll on me. To the point of killing.
And worst of all... I felt nothing. No relation between victory, joy, sadness, regret, or doubt.
I caused this Elite Knight's downfall. In return, I caused sorrow to whoever was waiting for him beyond these tortures' walls and battlefield in anticipation and cheeriness. And I felt nothing.
Have I always been like this? This hidden distorted carnivorous personality that I had all long, was always part of me. Or did the recent events I went through play a role in building up this new identity?
It's like a disease, a parasite that dwells inside your mind like an infection taking over your mind....
Like the hollowed one......
Why is this happening to me?..... just why......
Why did it have to be me....... just...........why?
I used to live such a simpler life! I had a good life even with all the difficulties and hardships I went through. I made it through. I had a job, a home, a reason to live!
And now...... I have been rewarded with this...... everything.
The old ones...... the end of the fucking world...... the reincarnation.... the endless cycle of worthless hardship...... life.... the misfortunes I brought....
(I..... am becoming a monster......)
This is what nature is like, this is what nature always wanted. This is what I wanted not too long ago...
This is all my fault...
“Makas!”
I looked back only to see Milwak's concerning face, tainted with blood approaching.
“No wonder you were late.... the Hollowed ones are coming fast! Come on! Wash yourself with anything and let's get downstairs!”
“Yes.....”
----------------------------------------
As Milwak and I set out to find the switch room, accompanied by another couple of Nords, Milwak ordered us to split up and cover the keep's various rooms.
Ultimately, Milwak and I were the first to locate the lever room. Here, we came face to face with the Republican Captain of the keep, who had been patiently waiting for us.
"Milwak... so you came," the Paladin said disapprovingly as if he had expected Milwak to die.
This Knight wore a set comprised of leather, black steel, and cast iron. Chainmail lay beneath everything, with leather above it. Plate armor covered their arms and legs. They wore multiple belts and a chainmail hood with a steel crown on top, under which was an iron mask imprinted with a man's face.
Cloaked in white with golden stripes of cloth, the Knight stood menacingly, wielding an arming sword. But their iconic kite shield was the true foundation of their battle technique.
No doubt, this was a Black Prior, and worse yet, it was Asmond, the twelfth Grand Paladin Knight of the Church.
"Sorry for not dying earlier, Captain," Milwak replied sarcastically while signaling to me to back off.
"You broke our deal, Milwak."
"Hah! I did?" Milwak asked jokingly. "Coming from the same person who left us to die, or better yet, the same person who tried to kill me on multiple occasions rather than facing me."
"Orders are orders. I was hoping the Hollowed ones would kill you and your men," Asmond said coldly. "Besides, your lives were a means to an end. Nothing good can come from your pitiful existence except loyalty."
"At least my loyalty isn't based on a lie, like your Church's."
"Speak ill of the Church, and I will personally feed you to the Hollowed ones, Nord!" Asmond tone was offended as he unsheathed his blade.
"Enough talk. We both know how this will end," Milwak sheathed his longsword.
"Right, with your head on my walls!" Asmond readied his stance, while Milwak assumed his.
"You know, Milwak," Asmond spoke with a serpent-like tone, "I already expected you would uncover our schemes eventually. So, we devised a plan for your betrayal."
"You're bluffing," Milwak renounced angrily.
"I could... but just imagine Tyroth's reaction the moment he hears about this. How he will slaughter your people and use your poor daughter for marri-"
Milwak, irritated by the deceptive talk, charged straight towards the Paladin with his large wooden round shield in his left hand, presumably for blocking and bashing, as he was doing now. The Paladin quickly rolled backward to avoid being knocked out and returned to his stance.
"Salty, aren't we?" Asmond chuckled as he dashed forward and began to strike Milwak, who parried each attack with his wooden buckler. Milwak followed with attacks of his own, each one faster and more deceptive than the last as he rotated around the battlefield.
Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as it seemed. The High Knights of the Church are known to be strong and skilled compared to other regular soldiers and knights. As Asmond recognized each of Milwak's attacks, he could read through his moves. It seemed this wasn't the first time Milwak had fought this Knight, given how stubbornly he had ordered me to stand back.
After countless parries and deflections, the Prior pushed Milwak aside with his kite shield, following with a heavy strike to Milwak, breaking his wooden shield and trapping the sword between its margins
Milwak took this chance to leave his shield, pressing forward and striking the Prior with a clean wedge to his chest.
Milwak didn't stop there; he continued to strike and push the Prior against the wall, causing him to struggle to regain his posture.
However, the Paladin folded his arms around his chest as he was cornered against the wall and prepared to cast a spell, indicated by the white and golden aura surrounding him.
Fortunately, Milwak caught sight of the spell and quickly evaded backward. However, the elemental dragon crystal flickered at the same moment the spell was cast, and the Paladin managed to land a deep cut on Milwak's back mid-dodge. A forceful magical aura pushed Milwak to the other side of the room.
This was unexpected. It seemed the Paladin's speed was too quick to catch with the naked eye, especially right after he cast that spell.
Milwak recovered but was in pain as the Paladin rushed towards him, ready to strike with a sword lunge. However, at the last moment, the Paladin retracted his attack and bashed Milwak with his kite shield.
"Pathetic!" Asmond spoke arrogantly as he walked back sloppily. "You haven't grown stronger at all, Milwak!"
"I'm not done yet, asshole!" Milwak stood back on his feet.
The battle was far from over as Milwak and Asmond clashed their blades again. However, the Paladin easily outmaneuvered Milwak every time he seemed to land an attack, then quickly hoaxing his first attack with another. While Milwak managed to catch the second attack quickly, he was struck by the first, as if he had failed to block it or even avoid it.
It was obvious that something was off, but we couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Instinctively, I followed the Crystal's guidance every time it lit up. I delved into Soul Gaze and learned of the Paladin's secret.
Each time he attacked, he created a golden illusion that mimicked his appearance and attacks, allowing him to follow his master's former command to strike Milwak in this ethereal form while distracted by the original.
For some reason, I was the only one who could see this illusion. Milwak clearly didn't notice it.
I wondered if I could stop it.
"Your dreams die with you, Nord." Asmond said coldly as he prepared to strike Milwak down for good.
Until this point, I had been a mere spectator, horrified by the brutal combat before me.
As I continued to watch, I tried to think of any solutions to help Milwak. It was almost impossible to confront such a Knight without proper gear or a blade to counter him.
Milwak's only disadvantage was his lack of defense against the Paladin's swift and deadly attacks. He wore a simple hunter leather set against the full steel plate armor of the Paladin, making the mismatch one-sided.
Even if I were to face such a Knight, I would be easily outmatched unless I found an opening where he was distracted, just like now.
While the Paladin exchanged blows with Milwak, each strike stained his blade and armor with Milwak's blood.
(Wait....)
I tampered into Soul gaze once again and watched the movements of Asmond's Illusion's. This time, the golden aura was slightly stained with a red color.
"That's it! Stain!" i muttered.
I quickly grabbed one of the oil vials I had in stock and threw it at the distracted Paladin.
"Ah, you bastard!" Asmond shouted in annoyance as he shifted his attention from Milwak to me. He quickly advanced toward my position as if he was about to strike me.
However, Milwak's footsteps behind him alerted him.
Milwak attacked him, but the Paladin managed to parry the blows. He attempted the same scheme, but Milwak noticed an unfamiliar presence around the Paladin.
Quickly, he retreated to the safety of the walls.
I took this chance to throw a firebomb at the Paladin, who was distracted by the sudden revelation. Catching his armor in flames as he lamented.
"God damn it! You rat!" He cursed as he tried to extinguish the flames.
"Milwak!" I turned around in the room and stood beside Milwak. "He's using illusion magic to attack you secretly without you seeing him!"
"Huh! Should have known!" Milwak grunted as he tended to his wounds. "And that illusion was stained by oil? Nice thinking, lad!"
"Since we can both see them, let's work together," I said, drawing a longsword. "I'll distract the illusion, and you go after him."
"Sounds good!" Milwak smiled. "Let's go!"
As the Paladin finally recovered, we both rushed toward him.
I would attack first then quickly evade the Illusion attack. Such attacks were insufficient compared to Milwak's training.
This was Followed by Milwak attacks directed to the Original Paladin who was outnumbered and outmatched by the sudden Gank.
Eventually, the tables turned against the Paladin as he was cornered and Nearly defeated. Milwak would easily parry his attacks and beat him down.
The Paladin, seeing his techniques were insufficient currently. He switched and turned his gaze against me as he left the Ilusuion to deal with Milwak.
Since our skills were beyond comparison, I retreated knowing well I wouldn't match The Paladin's skills. But thankfully, Milwak turned the tides once again as he docked down one of the Illusion attacks then slid his leg between the Paladin's feet as he fell and tripped down.
Milwak would then quickly lunge his sword to the Paladin's left hand.
The Paladin grunted in pain as he dropped his shield down. Milweak then aimed his sword towards the Paladin's neck but was quickly pushed away by the Paladin's force spell.
"Enough of this!" The Paladin shouted as he stood back on his feet and imbued his sword with holy radiant magic, extending its length and ignited in golden flames. He wielded the longsword two-handed. "If I'm going to die, you're all going to join me!"
"Makas, stand back!"Milwak pushed me aside as he dueled Asmond in his new form.
His blades extended longer and shined brighter, each strike searing Milwak's wounds and grunting in pain. The extended reach of the sword allowed the Paladin to strike from a larger distance, offering more opportunities to evade Milwak's close-range attacks.
The Paladin retracted after evading a lethal blow from Milwak and summoned from his left hand what looked like a rotating golden disk. He quickly released the disk blades toward Milwak, who managed to dodge them. However, the disk didn't stop there, as they returned to the Paladin, provoking Milwak to dodge them again. Unfortunately, he was caught mid-dodge by Asmond's heavy attack, pushing him back with grievous wounds.
"Have you had enough, Nord?"
"Huh!" Milwak chuckled. "You've just triggered my trap card, Asmond! Now you lose!"
Milwak knelt as he uttered those words.
"Oh, All-Father! By your strength and wisdom! By your will and tenacity! Guide my soul to the Doors of Valhalla and Asgard itself! SACRIFICE!"
And just like that, the spirit of a celestial bear sprouted from Milwak's back like a cape, roaring in anger and fury.
The sight was majestic; whatever magic Milwak wielded was vastly different from the familiar magic of this land.
"What the?" Asmond looked on timidly. "THIS WASN'T IN THE RECORD!"
"Should have done your homework, Asmond!" Milwak said ironically but then switched back to a furious tone. "THE NORDS WILL FIGHT BACK!"
Just as Asmond was about to strike, the spirit bear quickly swatted him aside and allowed Milwak to launch his attacks. With the bear's strength, Milwak made the Paladin seem like a mere plaything, knocking him up and down and tossing him around as if he were a dummy.
Reaping the same battle tactics the Paladin had done earlier. Milwak gained the upper hand. the bear's claws and paws were far wider for a mere plain sword to parry. in addition, Milwak further made this battle all more difficult to counter
The bear eventually lifted the Paladin high and threw him against the room's entrance, where we had first emerged. Milwak, exhausted and in pain, fell to the ground.
"Milwak, that was..." I arrived just in time to hold Milwak exhausted body.
"Cool, right?" He smirked. "My son has the wolf. I have the bear. I wonder what Ingrid has."
----------------------------------------
"Go! We need to pull the lever! Come on."
I nodded, and we approached the lever.
"Darn it! The levers have rusted down! The Paladin saw through this!" Milwak cursed.
"We need fire to restore the iron back to its original form."
"I was thinking the same."
Milwak and I looked around for something flammable.
"The torches around the room should be enough," I suggested.
"Wait here; I'll go and grab one," Milwak went to retrieve a torch.
Meanwhile, I stood there silently, absorbing everything that had transpired before me.
"Don't let it get to you, Makas..." Milwak came from behind and lit the torch to heat the rusted lever. "This battle was your first time taking someone's life... I sense no weakness in you, but rather the strength to acknowledge that taking another's life is not as simple as it may seem, especially for a child."
Milwak sighed with remorse, and I remained silent throughout his reflection.
"I don't have time for a life lesson, but I'll give you this," Milwak said with determination. "This world is a hell, and there's no escape from it. Wherever you go, the demons of your nightmares will haunt you. Whether they're human or not, it's a choice between hunting or being hunted, the first rule of this world, Makas."
The iron had finally heated up, and Milwak dropped the torch away.
"But the power of these monsters is a reflection of our own. We become what we overcome. You're searching for a meaning that's already there," Milwak placed his hand on my shoulder once more and said, "I cast my excuses into the dirt. The art of war is hearing your heart beating, knowing that you're alive. It's not about why we fight, but who we fight for. Justice, vengeance, power, or knowledge – that's for you to find out."
He placed his hand on the rotating lever and said calmly, "But remember, never lose those memories, and more importantly, never lose your humanity."
(But I've already lost it)
"Now, come on! Help me with the lever."
"Right, let's go," I regained my focus and helped Sigurd twist the lever.
"That's it, Makas! Come on!" Sigurd shouted as we both strained against the lever.
After a few moments of strenuous effort, the main gates began to open. Most of the strength came from Milwak, and I assisted in preventing the lever from breaking.
The Vikings outside roared in victory as they rushed toward the main gate just moments before the Hollowed ones could draw any closer.
"Ha! The gate is almost open! Just a little more, Makas!" Milwak exclaimed in cheer.
However, I couldn't share his optimism. My suspicions grew.
From my vantage point, I could see the battlefield through a gravel window. The number of Hollowed ones had significantly diminished, and the Leshen had vanished.
I remembered what the Paladin had said, "It had to be done, there is no other choice..."
What did he mean by that?
Did the Hollowed ones want the gates opened intentionally so they could charge forward when the time was right?
I looked back through the tiny window and saw in the far distance a thick black cloud covering the land like a tornado storm. It was approaching closer and closer.
(They want us to open the gate!)
"Milwak, we must sto-"
"YOU THINK THIS IS OVER?" Asmond's shouts echoed from the hallway. "I won't die until you and your kind are dead!"
"Dammit! Where the hell are the others?" Milwak exclaimed in anger. "Come on, Makas! We need to push!"
"No, Milwak, this is what the Hollowed ones want!"
"What are you saying, Makas? You're talking nonsense!" Milwak tried to rotate the wheel.
"The Hollowed ones want the gate open, so they can charge into the next area!"
"I WILL NOT ABANDON MY PEOPLE, MAKAS! HELP ME OPEN THE GODDAMN GA- what the?!" Milwak was interrupted by the Paladin.
"That's it! Let's go for a second round, asshole!" Asmond shouted.
"Keep pulling the lever!"
On the other side of the room, behind the shattered wooden door, I heard the heavy metallic plates trembling slowly as they drew closer to the chained door.
I recognized this presence, and my dread, anxiety, and fear returned. There was no mistake; it was the same black knight who had chased me all this time.
The door was shattered to pieces, and as Milwak turned, readying his blade, I recognized the figure standing before him.
The Black Knight...
[https://yourimageshare.com/ib/IbBIynU70n.webp]
"Oh, All-father!" Milwak cursed in shock. "Oh, God! What is-"
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Asmond said arrogantly.
"ASMOND! BEHIND YOU!"
"Nice trick, but th- AH!"
Suddenly, Asmond's speech was cut short as a glaive pierced his chest. His last words were an utterance of nightmare and horror as his entire form condensed into black ooze. His armor, his plate, his face – all of it disintegrated into a pool of black bile.
Standing behind him was the black knight, the same monster that had been pursuing me. He wore blackened armor and wielded an unrelenting halberd that had claimed countless lives, turning them into his faithful puppets.
There was no mistake; this was the very same black knight, his glaive covered in black vines, the galea of his helmet. The aura of impending death and the ominous vibes were all too familiar.
This was the same demon I had seen a year ago when he and his undead horde had raided my village, slaughtering everyone in sight. He was the same demon who had killed Winfrey, the same demon I had feared and knew would return. And he had.
The Hollowed ones' true purpose had been to instigate the Vikings to fight against the Republic in order to open the gate. This would allow the Hollowed ones to breach the main walls into the Republic's heartlands and attack the bastion.
This was further evidenced by the black knight's behavior. He could have easily used his teleportation abilities to finish us off, but instead, he stood aside and let the chaos unfold, which it did. I could hear the sounds of the cracked metal resonating from outside as the main gates finally opened, with the Vikings roaring in the distance, believing they had triumphed.
"No..." I said remorsefully.
The Black Knight stood menacingly at the doorway, staring coldly at both of us. Then, he slowly approached our position.
I noticed a large medallion hanging from his waist, inscribed with the alchemical sign of the infinite.
Milwak took his stance, preparing for another battle despite his contrasting strength.
"Milwak, you have no chance to fi-"
The howl of a raging wolf echoed through the room as the same white wolf leaped onto the back of the black knight. The wolf bit his neck, but its efforts were in vain, as the black knight effortlessly pulled the wolf from his back and threw it against the wall, shattering it alongside the wolf.
"Get away from my son, you Hollowed fuck!" Milwak shouted with fury, ready to strike.
But the Black Knight dissolved into a pool of black ooze on the ground, evading Dragotin's attack completely, leaving him stunned and confused.
The black knight then began to reform from the ooze particles, turning back into a liquid humanoid figure.
"Behind you, Milwak, stop!"
The black knight suddenly appeared behind Milwak and swiftly thrust his glaive into Milwak's chest. The last thing I heard was Milwak's lifeless scream emanating from his fatal wounds. There was no escape from the Hollowed ones' relentless gaze.
"No!" I shouted in an instinctive reaction as I activated my soul gaze and focused on the Black Knight.
But suddenly, a cacophony of a thousand voices assaulted my ears as my vision darkened. The unbearable chorus of screams reverberated inside my mind, transforming into an agonizing symphony of torment. The voices that had once been whispers of doubt had become tormenting shrieks, clawing at my thoughts.
I clutched my head, trying to muffle the internal chaos. My pulse quickened, and cold sweat drenched my trembling body. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision as I struggled to make sense of the relentless, tormenting sounds. It felt as if my very psyche had become a battleground, each scream a combatant vying for control.
The world around me dissolved into a nightmarish haze, and I felt an overwhelming sense of dread and helplessness. The pain, the screams, and the darkness merged into an indistinguishable, agonizing symphony that threatened to shatter my fragile grip on reality. I was trapped in a mental storm, and there seemed to be no way out.
(NO! THIS CAN'T BE!)
(PLEASE, STOP! STOP THIS MADNESS)
The Black Knight looked back at me, dropping Milwak away as he approached.
He knelt and held my head up while I was still sobbing in pain.
He just simply stared back, studying my face without an effort to kill me.
"I am... sorry... Gavlan... Ingrid.." Milwak was grieving in pain. "I am sorry, everyone... I couldn't..."
He roared a mighty roar as he summoned once again the spirit bear and attacked the Black Knight, pushing him to walls and dropping me away.
He continued to hold the Black Knight against the wall but quickly overcame him as he held the bear's arms and transformed them into the same mud as his children, consuming the bear and soon Milwak to his ranks.
"Milwak! i-"
My visions quickly darkened as I lost consciousness. The last thing I heard was Milwak screaming rage and the bastion walls shattering immensely.
(I failed! Again!.....)