The Dreamer's POV

[Domain Of The 10 Kings: Castle Of Darkness]

The land lay shrouded in an eerie darkness, a desolate expanse where light dared not venture.

Dark clouds loomed low in the sky, casting a pall over the entire landscape. Jagged peaks rose from the blackened earth, their silhouettes merging with the ominous sky.

As far as the eye could see, the vegetation sprawled with an unnatural darkness, twisted and contorted into grotesque forms.

Amidst this bleak landscape, atop the highest hill, stood the castle of darkness. Its imposing presence pierced the gloom, a monolithic structure with spires that reached towards the sky like skeletal fingers.

The castle's outer walls, constructed of obsidian stone, absorbed what little light remained, exuding an aura of malevolence.

The air surrounding the castle was heavy with an otherworldly stillness, as if even the wind itself dared not disturb the sinister stronghold.

Within the castle's walls, its grandeur continued to unfold. The entrance hall, a cavernous space adorned with macabre tapestries, depicted scenes of destruction and despair.

The floors were paved with black marble, each step echoing ominously as it resonated through the corridors. Torches flickered with unholy flames, casting elongated shadows that danced along the walls, seemingly alive in the darkness.

Passing through the corridors, one would arrive at the throne room, the heart of the castle's malefic power.

The doors creaked open, revealing a sight that sent a chill down the spine. The room was vast, its high ceiling lost in the depths of darkness. Moonlight struggled to penetrate the stained-glass windows, casting ethereal hues of crimson and violet across the room.

At the far end of the chamber, a colossal obsidian throne sat atop a dais.

It loomed like a monolith of doom, intricately carved with sinister symbols and ornate motifs that seemed to writhe with a life of their own. The seat itself appeared as though hewn from the very essence of darkness, a shadowy substance that defied comprehension.

Seated upon the throne was the figure, the source of the castle's malevolent power. Clad in flowing ebony robes, their face concealed beneath a hood of darkness, they exuded an aura of unfathomable darkness.

Their presence filled the room, their eyes gleaming with an eerie light as they surveyed the shadows and secrets that danced within.

Around the throne, lesser figures adorned in dark armor and cloaks knelt in subservience, their loyalty to the figure beyond question. They stood as silent sentinels, their presence adding to the foreboding atmosphere.

The air itself seemed to hang heavy with anticipation, as if the very fabric of reality held its breath in the presence of this enigmatic figure.

"Looks like you haven't changed at all, Kollungr!" A loud and bright voice, contrary to the cold stillness that pervaded the room, echoed.

It emanated from the open doors, and the figure that stepped in radiated a bright light that banished any form of darkness from their immediate vicinity.

The stark contrast between her luminescence and the surrounding gloom was palpable, as if a sliver of the sun itself had found its way into the castle of darkness.

With every step she took, her radiance illuminated the shadows, banishing them momentarily.

Her regal attire flowed elegantly around her, adorned with intricate patterns and jewels that sparkled with a vibrant intensity.
On

The hood covering her face, crafted from a celestial fabric, concealed her features, allowing only glimpses of her ethereal beauty to shine through.

Behind her, delicate fairy wings, shimmering with iridescent hues, fluttered gently, adding an aura of enchantment to her presence. They glimmered with a translucent glow, casting gentle patterns of light on the walls and floor.

And hovering gracefully above her head, a magnificent crystal orb radiated a soft, multi-colored glow, casting prismatic reflections across the room.

As she approached the obsidian throne, her radiant energy seemed to intertwine with the darkness, creating a mesmerizing dance of contrasting forces.

With a casual air, she greeted the figure seated upon the throne, her voice filled with warmth and familiarity.

"Still engrossed in this brooding vibe while remaining in your castle. Don't you ever get bored?" She smiled radiantly, contrasting the grim expression of the hooded one who sat on the throne.

"What do you want, Iysa?" The deep dark voice of the dark monarch radiated across the room.

"Can't I just come over to greet an old friend?" Iysa, the Fairy-like epitome of brilliance burst out with a smile.

"We are not friends!"

"Boo!" She swiftly responded, further embarrassing the supreme lord of darkness.

"Urgh... you..." Kollungr growled, placing his palm all over his face in exasperation.

It seemed he was nearing the limits of his patience.

Considering the fact that he preferred the perfect, unchanging stillness of darkness, and none of his subordinates would dare to act in such a way towards him, his interactions with Iysa always left him this way.

"I advise you not to waste my time any further." He added, a dark glow sparking in his eyes.

"Tch! Is that how you'll treat a colleague? I'm also a King, you know?"

"Then act like one!" Kollungr snapped, slamming his fist on the obsidian armrest of his throne.

He quickly regained his composure, however, and cleared his throat—as if pretending nothing had just happened.

"You're too uptight, Kollungr." Iysa sighed, though the spark in her eyes made it evident that she loved seeing the dark lord lose control.

"Well, whatever. Just tell me why you're here." At this point, Kollungr's tone was already deflated.

Presenting himself as an awe-inspiring monarch was one thing, but when Iysa came into the picture, everything seemed to fall apart.

"Well... you felt what happened yesterday, didn't you? The sudden surge of unknown power that appeared all over the world."

"Yes. It is strange indeed. What of it?" Kollungr maintained his calmness as he spoke.

Though, deep down he was quite troubled by the strangeness of the occurrence.

"That's all you can say? I've never felt any energy like that since the time of the Demon King."

"The Demon King was defeated by all of us, Iysa. He's gone."

"Then I wonder why we're called the 10 Kings, instead of 9... or is it just me that thinks it's weird..." Iysa murmured, her eyes trailing elsewhere.

"That is of no concern to me." Kollungr shrugged, hoping his 'colleague' would speed up her business with him.

"Welp, I just wanted to ask what you plan on doing about it. It's most strange, I would say." She finally returned to the topic at hand.

"What do the other Kings say?" Kollungr asked, still in his solemn state.

"Uh... I don't know. You're the first person I'm speaking to about this."

"W-what?! Why? Iysa, you... why are you bothering me first?" The King of Darkness bellowed out.

"Well, we go a long way back, don't we? We're bes—"

"Not another word!" Instantly, a great dark pressure coursed through the room, causing even the kneeling subordinates to tremble in awe and fear of their Monarch's great power.

"Why are you so shy about these things. This is why you don't have any friends, Kollungr."

"I don't need friends! The darkness is more than enough for me."

"Pfft! Sure..."

Kollungr and Iysa stared at each other for a while, both maintaining silence. Iysa had an optimistic look, unfazed by the pressure he exerted, and Kollungr was glaring at her, obviously at his wit's end.

"Well, whatever. I just wanted to know what you plan on doing about the situation." Iysa finally broke the silence with her melodious voice.

"Haa... you should have just asked that from the beginning." The Lord of darkness shrugged. "I don't plan on bothering with any of it."

"For real?!" This time, it was Iysa who lost composure and expressed surprise.

"Why are you acting so shocked? I already told you I don't plan on concerning myself with the affairs of the outside world."

"Oh yeah. You did mention that the last time."

"Exactly. So long as this surge of energy does not near my domain, I plan on staying out of it."

"Oh? And what if it does?" Iysa's eyes glimmered with a glint of curiosity... though she probably knew the answer she would receive.

And just as one would expect from Kollungr, the absolute King of Darkness, his eyes glowed brightly, and the pressure of his aura permeated the room.

"Anyone who dares intrude on my domain will meet their end." He declared.

Iysa let out a grin, glad to see her old friend hadn't changed or gotten complacent after his decision to stay in seclusion.

"Then why didn't you do anything when I intruded?" Grinning mischievously, Iysa resumed her tease.

"I have no words for you. Since you're done with your business, you may leave."

"Boo! Aren't you curious about what I plan on doing about the situation?" She pouted, her hands placed on her hips.

"Haa... fine. What do you plan on doing?" Kollungr had to admit, he was a bit curious. Though there was no way he was ever going to let her know.

"I plan on having a little fun. That's all."

"Not going into any other details, huh? It's not like I care either way..." He shrugged once more.

"Since you're done with your business, you can leave now."

"So cold. As always. In any case, it was nice seeing you. Glad to see you are doing well." Iysa smiled sweetly, her radiance an epitome of everything Kollungr wasn't.

It unnerved him a little.

"Mhm. I'm sure you are. Now leave."

"Pfft! Such a shy fellow..." A brilliant flash of light instantly enveloped her, and she began to turn into tiny fragments of light.

"Why can't you just use the door!" Kollungr yelled once more, catching a glimpse of Iysa's naughty grin before she completely vanished.

She must have also done that on purpose too. It seemed like she always sought a reason to get on his nerves.

"So immature..." He muttered, clearing his throat as he rested his back on his glorious throne.

Now that he was all alone, he could finally enjoy his solitude in the darkness... with peace and tranquility echoing in his heart.

Unfortunately, even as he closed his eyes, Iysa's image kept flashing in his head, and her words kept echoing in his ears.

It made him sigh in further frustration.

'I just hope you don't overdo it, Iysa. We're the oldest of the Ten Kings. Don't go doing something so reckless.'

After all, as the most powerful of their bunch, they had to lead by example.

"I wonder what the other seven are up to... and what all of this fuss is about."

He just hoped it wasn't the worst case scenario—the return of the Demon King.

If that was truly the case, then all of Mage'Earth would be in for a rude awakening.

"... Let's hope it never comes to that."

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[A/N]

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you're confused about it, don't worry.

More will be explained as the story progresses.

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