“So… Are we done here?” Tina looked around, alongside the others. “The shaking has stopped, nothing is crumbling anymore, and save for the altered net of symbols above our heads, everything returned to how it was, right?”
“I would think so.” Selene nodded, studying the patterns overhead closely. “But, it’s tough to say. Umbra isn’t back yet. If he ever will be. And Master hasn’t finished his meditation either.”
They glanced at Asterios and Abyss, both of them still focused and absent from the conversation. If there were any changes ongoing around the reformed realm, it wasn’t anything the ladies could easily discern. No doubt there were things more complex than they could imagine when it came to stabilizing a failing dimension and ensuring that it would survive for millennia to come.
The duo in question chose that moment to wrap up their supporting process. Abyss simply opened her eyes, as neutral as usual, while Asterios took a deep breath, dark mist swirling over his scales as he turned human once more. Finished with the transformation, he rejoined the world of the conscious too, taking a fairly tired glance at his dear companions.
Miria was the first one to pull him into a hug, no surprises there. As she sneakily supported him so he could rest against her, he caressed her adorable ears, taking in the sights below them. The terrain was scarred in plenty of places, but it was whole again. They had succeeded.
“Since the two of you have woken up, are things fully resolved?” Silvia asked. “And what about Umbra? Is he… alright?”
Asterios pressed a soft kiss into the panthergirl’s hair and smiled at the princess. “I’m not entirely sure about the latter, but I can still feel him the same way as I had before. It seems that we should be able to communicate too, but he doesn’t answer my calls yet, for whatever reason. I figure he’s still quite busy with whatever his new commitments as the core’s guardian or whatever he should be called are.”
“As for the Nethernight Realm, it’s stable. Perhaps even more than it ever has.” Abyss hummed thoughtfully, observing the changes with even more attention than anyone else. “I didn’t exactly doubt the capabilities of your friend, but I’m surprised by the result he has achieved. As you have said, it’s not a trifle matter. Yet, I can’t feel any glaring issues initially. Even with my assistance for as long as it was possible, this is worthy of praise. Save for the restructured seal. That I can’t exactly understand.”
“Perhaps his short interactions with Kori helped a little,” Althea suggested. “I’m not as knowledgeable about Dungeon Cores in relation to the cores serving as the heart of a planet, but they definitely share the same affinity. Kori’s abilities pull replicated monsters through the Void if I’m not mistaken. Umbra resonated with our circular ally to a certain extent. Perhaps that’s why he was certain he had a decent chance to succeed.”
“We can float here and exchange ideas, but the best solution would be to ask the person responsible,” Asterios said with a shrug. “Though, who knows how long—”
A considerable ripple passed through the barrier above their heads, spreading in all directions. Their eyes snapped up in alarm. No one was completely sure that they were out of the woods yet. Everything was just speculation.
“Hear me, hear me.” A powerful voice resounded all around them, one that they recognized very well. “Be not afraid, denizens of the Nethernight Realm.”
“Is that Umbra?!” Miria gasped, a joyful grin taking over her soft lips.
“I am the servant of your Lord and Savior, and I bring you good news,” the disembodied Duke announced. “The destruction of our home has ceased. You may finally relax. We have made sure nothing like such will happen in the near future. As for why did it happen in the first place, that’s a story for another time. Just know that there exists an enemy whose scheme initiated everything. We are not planning to let the matter rest. Are you?”
Ast’s group could hear the growls and shouts of dissatisfaction from the ground below. The locals clearly weren’t happy about the failed end of their world. Now that they had a target to vent their frustrations on, they could let all of their negative emotions out. Umbra was quite smart to introduce it.
“Some of you might already be aware of our great Savior as you had the pleasure of meeting him and his Apostles on his way to free our dimension from the restraints forced upon it ages ago. Some of you might also recognize my voice, so just know that I’ve been in our Savior’s service for a good while,” he continued. “Through his efforts and leadership, we uncovered the malicious arrangement and put an end to it. But not without struggle. The core of our world was destabilized. And I was chosen to attempt to repair it. A high honor, I know. Through the constant support of our Savior and even our Creator, I have succeeded, fusing with the core, taking control of it.”
Now, that was quite the reveal. Asterios glanced at Abyss to see if there was any reaction to publicly introducing her to the population, but she didn’t seem to mind. This definitely meant that her time of non-involvement was at its end. With everyone aware of her existence, just that fact could influence the realm she was supposed to oversee.
But, she might have already made up her mind about that.
“Yes, you heard that right. The goddess who birthed our world has returned to save it. She had been attempting to do so for a long time, pushed back by her archnemesis, the one behind our horrible plight. We are all her children, in the end. And I’m the first one to receive her blessing,” Umbra stated proudly. “Do not bother trying to find out her name. She does not wish to involve herself with us directly. But not for reasons you might think. She is a mindful entity who doesn’t want her influence to poison our potential. Our growth elates and fascinates her. Our suffering saddens and angers her. And that’s why she has sought the assistance of our Savior.”
They couldn’t lie, their shadowy friend was spinning quite the tale. Still, Ast’s party wasn’t totally sure where he was heading with this.
“Therefore, she has set up a Guardian to watch over this place in her name,” he further added. “I am that Guardian. With connections to both the Savior and the Creator, I intend to make the Nethernight Realm great again. But, I can’t do it without your help. We all have our differences and we all love a good challenge, but everyone has seen that we are capable of uniting in front of immense threats too. And that unity is what I will require for all future encounters with entities that might wish to harm us. Or our Savior and Creator. In return, they will bless our realm with significant boons shared through me.”
He was really selling it, wasn’t he?
“Now, how could I promise to make our home great again when it looks like I’ve locked it up once more, you might ask.” A reverberating chuckle rolled over the landscape. “That’s for your own good.”
That part didn’t receive the same appreciative reception as all the previous statements. In the people’s eyes, they switched from one abuser to another. Their situation hadn’t changed.
“Be at ease and let me explain.” Umbra didn’t seem worried about the crowd’s reaction. “Most of you dream of leaving for other worlds. And that’s completely understandable. But, things might not be as colorful out there as you might imagine. I’m someone who has managed to escape this prison before. Someone who spent over a year in different realms. That’s why I know more about the grand universe than you do. And I intend to prepare you for it first.”
Asterios was starting to get a very bad feeling about this.
“I’m not going to hold everyone prisoner here. Many will be allowed to start their own journeys, still having a home they could return to if they wanted. Before that happens, you need to learn and practice so that you don’t get yourself in significant trouble, and so that you don’t get our world in significant trouble either. Trust me, there are plenty of beings who would wish for our extermination after learning about us.” The Guardian scoffed. “Therefore, I will be sharing my experiences with you going forward. More than that, thanks to the benevolence of our Savior, I will offer you many trials in his training facility that’s located off-world. Through the challenges awaiting you there, you will gain a greater understanding of other beings and their dimensions, also finding a place to release your violent urges almost without any limits.”
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But of course. As suspected, he was strong-arming the entire realm into servitude. One that would take place inside Ast’s freshly discovered dungeon. An obligatory training, he would say. Asterios and the ladies knew better. Much better.
“I’m aware that many of you might be unhappy about this arrangement. Unfortunately, I will have to ask you to trust me on this. I’m not aiming to become a tyrant who plays around with those below as he wishes. There was a time when I wanted to destroy this cursed place too, but right now, after having my eyes opened to the vast universe, and the true culprit behind our previous situation, I want nothing more than to make our home stronger. You’ll get your moment. I promise you that. For now, return to your lairs and villages. After I wrap up the final bits of the restoration of the realm, I’ll address things further. Long live Dragon Emperor!” Umbra cheered before his echoing voice faded.
Ast’s group exchanged glances in silence for a few seconds.
“That was… something.” Tina snickered wryly.
“Thank you,” Umbra replied.
The sudden appearance of the shadowy butler amidst them caused her to flinch. Though, he wasn’t much of a butler anymore.
Their important friend still took a humanoid form, but it had more definition now. His surface was dark violet and bore the striking features of a fair-looking human, similar to how Silvia’s new avatar appeared, with the difference that his was closer to Asterios in stature.
Instead of a tailcoat, vest, and top hat, Umbra wore a royal-looking suit made of swirling black shadows. A long cape adorned his shoulders and back, fuzzy around the neck. On his head, sat a small crown, a little crooked to the side. In his hand was a straight cane with a gem embedded in the knob at the top.
“Looks like you’ve been promoted.” Silvia smiled respectfully.
“As Master’s subordinate, it’s only natural that I assume the right position.” The Lord of Shadows bowed politely. “And how is to better represent the Dragon Emperor’s will if not as one of his kings?”
Asterios rolled his eyes while crossing his arms over his chest. “And that’s why you are conscripting an army of shadow beings into your service?”
“That’s just a side effect of the upcoming reforms.” Umbra chuckled mirthfully. “As I said, we need to learn how to defend ourselves. If that coincidentally helps you out with a thing or two in the future, where’s the downside?”
“Good job.” Selene high-fived him while her beloved ruler groaned. “Miss Kindra would approve.”
“Let’s move to a more appropriate quarters before we continue this conversation. I can tell you have a lot of questions just waiting to receive some clarification.” He winked at them and clapped his hands.
In a flash, they were transported inside a spacious chamber with dark walls and purplish patterns decorating their surface. It didn’t require a genius to figure out that this was a room inside one of the floating fortresses that had been retrieved. Right before their eyes, vast shadows pooled over the floor and formed a bunch of furniture for their comfort. Asterios led everyone to a round table and they sat down on the segmented bench surrounding it.
“Apologies for the empty state of my abode. I’m still in the process of moving in.” Umbra laughed openly at his own joke. “Well, then. Where should we begin?”
“What happened down there?” Tina started the questioning.
He clasped his hands together. “That’s difficult to answer. I entered the core’s energy and don’t remember much afterward, only bits and pieces. At the very least, I wasn’t annihilated in an instant. I could tell that I was losing myself though, dissolving in its purpose. However, the two presences hanging at the edge of my being anchored me to reality. Master’s draconic essence definitely helped a lot. After a while, I realized that I merged with the core but didn’t cease to exist as myself. Then, with some effort, I took control of it since it wasn’t a sentient being. From that point, my entire existence was filled with understanding of how it worked and how to repair its structure.”
“That’s not the approach I would have suggested, but perhaps it’s the one that should have been taken to ensure one’s victory,” Abyss commented. “Are you the new owner of the realm, then? I can still feel a connection to it, albeit different.”
“My apologies for stealing your rightful possession.” Umbra lowered his head. “Yes, my actions seem to have overwritten the ownership, but since I’m technically part of your creation too, the bond wasn’t severed completely. So, I would humbly ask for any help related to the development of this world that I can get. What you heard in my announcement wasn’t lies.”
“You don’t have to ask. I planned to see to it alongside you if that was still possible. If you are taking the role of this dimension’s ruler, then I can offer you my guidance as an advisor whose experience on the matter might prove to be valuable. I commend your decision not to open the borders fully right from the start. Things need time to settle down after the recent chaos,” she replied.
“What does all of this mean for you and me?” Asterios wondered out loud. “Or you and Kori, for that matter. Will this situation cause trouble to our previous plans?”
“I hope not.” Umbra smiled reminiscently. “I’ve grown stronger, become freed from our restrictions, and gained sovereignty over a small realm, but I remain your servant, Master. I’ll have to split my attention between the two worlds, but I don’t think it will be an issue. Perhaps in the beginning a bit. But, after things are set on the right track, I want to put as much focus into developing the dungeon, connecting the two. The willing residents of the Nethernight Realm will be quite useful for that.”
“Yeah, that was smart.” Miria grinned. “I’m sure they will love trying themselves out against the adventurers, and the adventurers against them.”
The girls nodded in agreement. This opened new possibilities for their dungeon projects. And even further since Umbra’s new subjects would definitely be interested in leaving its premises to witness more of Ast’s realm. They trusted their friend to select the correct individuals for that. There had to be many who dreamed of sightseeing, without all the needless slaughter.
“You managed to assimilate that man’s technique after the barrier was broken?” Althea asked, referring to the seal, of course.
“It was an unexpected boon, but one that I partially owe to you.” The Nethernight King met her eyes. “When Master ordered me to watch over you, I witnessed your struggle against the smaller Golem. I decided to give something similar a try, and having the core’s vast resources at hand, I managed to convert the inactive formations into something that operates on darkness instead. That’s where the seal comes from. It isn’t permanent, however. I can alter it at will, both locally and globally, deciding if someone can move in or out.”
“This will be great against uninvited guests,” Miria pointed out. “Especially that light bastard. Imagine his face when he learns that his work has been stolen and repurposed to ward off the world he hurt against him.”
“Hopefully, he doesn’t learn about this situation for a while,” Selene added. “While the residents are surely eager to get their revenge, we don’t know much about the target yet. It will be good to learn some more first so that we know exactly what we are up against.”
“You’ve already done enough,” Abyss commented. “But, if the path you pick shall lead you into an open conflict with him, I shall offer you my full support. In the meantime, leave the information gathering to me. You have other matters to turn your attention to. And I haven’t forgotten my promise. I’m going to actively aid you with the troubles of your memories. The results might not be immediate, but I owe your group a great lot.”
“I appreciate that. Your wisdom was of great use to Grea and the others. I’m sure you’ll be able to crack this case very soon. Especially after we figure out what role the dwarves played in it,” Asterios commented.
“Speaking of which, now what?” Tina raised a curious brow at them. “We achieved what we set out to do. Should we return to reunite with Professor and Bryn? Is there something else we have to take care of?”
They thought about it for a moment, making sure they hadn’t forgotten anything important.
“The plan to absorb the remaining clusters isn’t available anymore so I think the rest lies in Umbra’s hands.” Asterios stroked his chin. “We could slowly make our way back. I’m sure everyone would love some time to unwind after what we’ve gone through. There are also many things to consider and analyze, like our respective growth.”
“If that’s so, then you can’t leave without saying goodbye to the friends you made along the way.” Umbra chuckled deeply.
“That will take quite a while, no?” Silvia said. “They are scattered all over the realm, and many must have not yet made it back to their communities if they took part in the battle.”
“I already took care of that.” Their shadowy friend waved his hand at them. “Being connected to the very world you are present in comes with a few perks. Everyone is celebrating their survival. Who would you like to visit first?”
Now, that was a question.