The floor cleared as Lord and Lady Lewale took to the dance floor. Alaster stood at the edge of the room, perfectly capable of seeing the dance through the numerous Shadows in the room.

The ceremony had gone off without a hitch, despite two attempts. Those two, one a low Noblewoman, and another merchant, had mysteriously slept through the ceremony before somehow ending up dumped in the snow of the garden.

Iris had already walked into the reception on Loka’s arm, which while it caused a few whispers, it seemed most people thought it was a reward for the young man due to his actions against the Orc Tribe. Alaster had briefly talked with the man, but soon excused himself.

Now that the ceremony was finished, Alaster was no longer able to hold back the thoughts about the name Arthur had given him. A name that was directly responsible for his parents’ death.

Alaster stood at the edge of the room, wondering what he should do. What should he do to the man who took everything from him? It was a question that had plagued his thoughts since that dreadful night.

Of course, his mind lingered on all sorts of torture methods he had learned in his journey. The horrible pain he could inflict both on the victim’s body and mind. The agony he could cause. The joy it would bring to him.

Alaster’s mind might have been slowly recovering under the care of those who cared for him over the years. People like the Siphas Family who had housed and fed him. Richter and Aila who had taught and trained him. Azemar who had guided him. And the women in his life, who had each added their own spin on how life was valuable.

However, the wounds of that night had long since turned into scars.

Alaster had never been the sort of person to forgive someone who had harmed his family. Even as a young child, he had held a grudge against a kid who had accidently bumped into Evelyn, knocking her to the ground. She had not even been injured as she had fallen onto a thick layer of hay. Despite that, young Alaster had treated that kid as a mortal enemy for over a year.

Alaster always believed that an eye for an eye kept the world honest. A belief that had only been reinforced with each day as he traveled. For the last eight years, Alaster had not been able to get revenge.

For eight years, it had been allowed to fester in his mind. Alaster had suppressed it in order to focus on more immediate things, but it had always been in the back of his mind. Always there.

And now, he had an outlet.

Long ago, Lord Siphas had noticed a semblance of a second personality developing inside Alaster. How the boy was a serious but joyful child when around other people but turned bloodthirsty and cruel when his family was mentioned.

Over time, the personality had diminished, becoming weaker as Alaster was given a course to follow, but it did not die. Though, it was not truly a second personality. It was more of an aspect of himself that Alaster willingly locked away.

An aspect of unbridled rage and cruelty. One who cared not for the blood that was spilled, so long as at least some of it was the target’s.

During particularly difficult battles, Alaster felt this aspect’s chains becoming looser, affecting his actions and thoughts.

Alaster walked out of the ballroom and into the garden unnoticed. He already knew that his emotions effected his Magic, and did not wish to spoil Astrid’s night.

Many guests left after the ceremony. There was plenty of space in the ballroom, and the night was cold. Alaster was alone in the garden of magically maintained flowers and hedges. They would continue to thrive for a few more days before the cold truly got to them.

Alaster knelt down in the snow, embracing the cold he had always despised. Feeling his heart racing just as much as his mind.

Waves of Necrotic Mana pulsed out of him as he became lost in his own thoughts. Displacing snow and wilting the plants around him.

His breath grew short as pain blossomed in his chest. The cold ground beneath him grew distant from his mind, as if it was a thousand miles away. His hands began to shake as his feet grew numb.

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Alaster felt powerless, even as he felt his legions of Undead battling against various Monsters in the forests around Onigas.

He felt his skin grow hot even as a chilling wind cut through the yard, piercing his suit effortlessly. Even as an Expert, someone of immense power, someone who should have been immune to such mundane cold, Alaster found himself shivering.

A soft touch on his shoulder knocked Alaster out of his trance, his mind and body returning to normal in moments.

“Are you alright Alaster?” Astrid asked, a concerned expression on her face.

Alaster laid a hand over her own on his shoulder, taking a deep breath before he responded.

“Yes, I was just thinking.”

Astrid stepped around and crouched in front of him, “Alright, do you need me to get anything for you?” She clearly saw through the lie.

Shaking his head Alaster replied, “No. I’m fine. I was just thinking of what I needed to do before I left.”

Astrid sighed, “Leaving already?”

‘Alaster,’ Belgroth interrupted, ‘you need time to balance yourself before you travel to Zolis. Your heightened emotions have caused some damage to your soul.’

‘How do I fix it quickly?’

Sedall spoke up, ‘The normal way is to slowly work it out, usually through talking about the causes for your heightened emotions to trusted individuals. But this can take a long time. Luckily for you; you have direct access to your own soul. It will still take time, however.’

‘My Soul Domain? I have been meaning to see check out what the Death Knights have done inside it.’

Alaster noticed that he had not yet answered Astrid, “I’m sorry. It seems like my plans have been delayed even further. I will be remaining in Onigas for a while longer, unfortunately I will not be available.”

Astrid sighed, standing up and brushing off her elegant dress, “Alright, but promise me that you will come say goodbye before you leave.”

Alaster stood up and bowed slightly, putting on a cocky grin, “Of course my lady.”

Astrid playfully slapped his shoulder with a chuckle, “I have to return to the party or my husband will start to wonder where I’ve gotten off to.” Her face turned sincere, “Alaster, thank you for always being there for me when I needed you.”

She ran away before he could respond. Instead he watched her go until she returned to the ballroom, his face turning serious as she vanished from his eyes.

‘The last time I entered my Soul Domain, it took several months before I returned. It only felt like mere moments to me.’

‘Don’t worry about that.’ Belgroth comforted, ‘This time, you have much more experience in matters of the Soul.’

‘And you are an Expert now. Your Soul is much more robust and obedient than before.’

‘What will it be like?’ Alaster asked, preparing the Spell.

‘It is different for everyone. It is literally your Soul taking shape. Everything done within has the possibility to change parts of yourself. I knew a man who once specialized in manipulating his own Soul to change parts of himself. One day he had large feathery wings, the next he had a prehensile tail. But the main effect would be your personality.’ Belgroth explained.

‘Then my own Minions have been changing me?’

‘Not in that way.’ Belgroth explained, more knowledgeable of the Soul than Sedall, ‘You see, even in the Soul Domain, there are two parts, the material, and the immaterial. Even if the entire Domain is not physical, the material plane within your Soul will feel physical. You could construct buildings, erect large statues, and even farm.

The only limitation is that everything that can enter your Soul must be part of it in some way. Otherwise, your Soul will attack it like it’s a virus.

Your Minions are part of your Soul, which allows them to inhabit your Soul Domain, but they are limited to the material plane. They may do whatever they wish within this plane, but very little may actually affect the immaterial.

The same cannot be said the other way around, as every change made to the immaterial part of your Soul, intentionally or not, will drastically affect the material.

And the Soul is constantly changing as you live and learn. Every thought, every action, every emotion, and every impulse changes your Soul in some way. That is why it is widely considered to be impossible to create Souls. That is why you being capable of doing so is so significant.

That is also why it took several months for you to leave the Soul Domain the first time. You had no idea how to navigate it. You didn’t even know what to expect! That lack of information caused the material plane of your Soul to become even more chaotic. You had no solid frame of mind.’

‘So what have my Minions been doing in there?’

‘They could have done anything! My cousin’s minions built a massive temple to him, worshiping him as their God. Which, in a way, he was.’

‘I knew a guy who claimed his Minions built a small forge and competed against each other to see who could create the best weapon. Of course, he only had a few Minotaur Minions, powerful, intelligent creatures. Your Undead are pretty mindless comparatively.’ Sedall added in

Alaster smirked, ‘I’m going to tell Catherine you said that.’

Sedall blanched, ‘Please don’t. She might not be able to hear or interact with me in any way, but women seem to have the uncanny ability to know just how to irritate a man. She might just keep talking about asinine things like her hair for hours on end!’

Alaster rolled his eyes at his mentor’s comment and completed the Spell.

A swirling black portal opened like a tear in fabric in front of him, hovering above the ground by a foot. It was seven feet tall and two feet wide. Alaster would have to duck slightly as he went in sideways.

‘You guys better be right about this.’ Alaster said, climbing through.