I was obsessed with revenge in those days. The God of the Night, whose name I shall not write here, was always keeping an eye on me, to make sure I never stepped foot over the line of no return.
‘Selvar. Are you sure it's smart to attack a castle already? It's been only one day since you became my champion.’
“Yes I'm sure, what else would I even attack? Besides, not like I plan on sneaking in. Those you kill should always have a chance to defend themselves.”
‘Don't overestimate the power of nightmares. Against those with true faith or courage, even the deepest fear can fail.’ The voice faded from Selvar’s head, leaving him with nothing but his own thoughts.
Shaking his head, Selvar stepped out from his hiding place and continued walking towards the castle. Pulling out the silver blade he received in the Trial of Night, he called forth the essence of Night. With a single gesture, the Night erupted from behind Selvar, covering the entire castle in the dark embrace of night as all of the color drained from Selvar’s eyes, leaving them pure black.
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“M’lord Galvin, there are several peasants in Serace asking for tax relief, claiming the burden is too high.” A servant said to Baron Galvin of the Serace area.
“I've already lowered them twice this year, the Emperor won't be happy with me if I lower them again. I'd love to lower them more, but I must get the crops out to the rest of the Empire.” Lord Galvin said, sighing. “Wait, why is the sky darkening? It's barely noon!”
At the gateway to the castle, the guards who had seen the eruption of darkness were lighting torches and preparing for anything. “Someone get a message to Lord Galvin! Tell him this darkness isn't natural!” Someone shouted out, most likely the commander posted at the entrance.
Selvar smiled as he stepped onto the drawbridge. “Everything seems to be going well, yeah? Well, your day just got a lot darker.” As he finished speaking, two creatures formed from the darkness. One was a massive troll with demon horns curling out the top of its head with a massive spiked club made of a red metal. The other was an absolutely enormous spider with hairs as hard as spikes and venom dripping off its fangs. The troll rushed across the drawbridge to attack the gateway, while the spider simply reached over the moat and climbed onto the castle, picking guards up and eating them. “Kill the guards. Leave noncombatants alive.”
Selvar walked through the castle, summoning more creatures from the nightmares of any guards he encountered. Eventually, he reached the hall where Baron Galvin resided. “Baron Galvin! So nice to see you, my lord! I hope you haven't grown scared, I'm merely a peasant of Serace, driven to anger because I can remember. Oh, I remember the days before this ‘Holy’ Empire of yours came rushing in, casting those spells upon the people of my village! If you thought for even one second your little brain-rewiring trick had no flaws, you were sorely mistaken. I'll give you a chance to defend yourself, of course. The Champion of the Night always allows his target to meet him in single combat!”
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Galvin sat, stunned. The message his guards had sent had mentioned monsters of nightmarish properties, not a man with pitch black eyes and a silver sword. “You appear to know me, ‘Champion,’ yet you refuse to introduce yourself properly. I am Baron Fasel Galvin, Baron of Serace!”
Selvar bowed. “Selvar, son of Irlo, Champion of the Night. You should know as well as I that peasants don't have last names in the Holy Empire of Andstine.” With his introduction complete, Selvar took up a stance. “Now, Fasel Galvin, come face me as a man!”
Galvin stood up and drew the steel blade at his side. “I accept your challenge then, ‘Champion.’ The one God in this world is Andstine, and He is with me!” Galvin’s blade burst into flames as he began to charge at Selvar.
Darkness swirled around Selvar as he lithely twisted around Galvin’s blade, bringing his blade for the Baron’s stomach. To his credit, the Baron didn't flinch and blocked Selvar’s blade with a reorientation of his blade. Selvar used the force of the block to reverse the direction of the blade and spin around to attack Galvin’s back. The Baron leapt forward to avoid the blade, then turned to face Selvar once more.
Selvar completed his spin without meeting flesh, bringing his blade back into a position he could slash from quickly. Directing the darkness around him to spread out and settle slightly above the floor, Selvar charged the Baron. Bringing his blade from low to slash across the Baron’s chest, the Baron found it easy to block the blade before it even came close to reaching him. However, just before the blades met, Selvar sunk into the shadows below his feet created by the darkness he had spread. Baron Galvin spun around, but it was too late, for Selvar’s swing had been completed as he rose from the darkness behind the Baron, slicing his chest open.
Baron Fasel Galvin stumbled back in shock before falling back onto the ground, never to rise again. Selvar flicked the blood off his blade, turning to face the rest of the hall. “All those who would wish to die, you may remain as nightmares rip you to shreds. If you would wish to live, I would suggest leaving now. And if you think to warn the rest of the Empire, go ahead. Tell them I'm coming. Tell them to close the gates and barricade the windows, but I shall always find a way in. I am far worse than any monster, any army, any enemy. I am the Andstine Empire’s worst nightmare.”
Selvar walked out through the front gate of the castle. Dissipating the shroud of night, the darkness that had covered the castle, the nightmares dissolved as the light of day hit them. Walking back towards Serace, Selvar left behind a scene of a castle covered in blood.
‘Were either of those speeches really necessary? You took them both too far, especially the first. I understand you hate the Empire, but that was a bit over the top.’
Selvar shrugged. “Yeah yeah, I get it. I'll shorten the speech next time. Besides, should you really be criticising me? You told me I had to destroy the Empire, and I will. You never told me how to go about it.”
‘Fair point. I suspect major nobles will have some sort of bodyguard. How exactly do you intend to break the spell placed on the civilians though?’
“I was hoping you could tell me. I don't suppose my powers include spell neutralization?”
‘Unfortunately not. You'd have to seek out anti-enchantment spells attuned to Dark somewhere. Perhaps in another country’s library?’
“Maybe. Perhaps Lesron? That's where I found the texts that led me to your altar.”
‘Sounds as good a place as any to start.’
Selvar began walking. It was still midday, and Lesron was several days away. There wasn't much left in Serace for him until he found a way to break the spell anyways.
Several days and suspiciously no bandit or animal attacks later, Selvar came around the final hill before Lesron, only to find something else was there first. The Holy Empire of Andstine had Lesron under siege.