Prologue: The Shadows of Theos
Theos, the heart of the Eastern Continent. God's territory and the birthplace of the former Klaus Empire. With great power comes great responsibility. Its residents who have been granted power neglected the principles they once preached. Reigned by a monarch of abhorrent tastes and encouraged by eccentric individuals, their hearts were overtaken by the dark side. The monarch eventually fell ill and was in a comatose state ever since.
Doctors, healers and apothecaries around the world were invited to cure the monarch's peculiar illness. However, none of them could provide the royal family with a satisfactory answer. Desperate and frustrated, monks, nuns and exorcists alike were summoned to the royal chateau where the monarch of Theos Empire rested. Their efforts were thwarted.
The empire fell into depression. The people were in slumps. Their economy was stagnant. Its development was slowly entering a recession stage.
One day, words from a passing traveller evoked the empire from their slumber. His words triggered their inner selves. The core that makes a human human. It resounded, fiercely pierced through their subconscious.
"His soul has been plagued by the manifestations of the darkness."
The empire demanded answers. It appears that they could not forget the times the empire flourished. Located at the heart of the eastern continent, they were once surrounded by vast resources. They were desperate to return to the times when their empire prospered. The empire that once thrived was forced to beg for means and ways to survive was mortifying to the prideful and powerful Theos Empire. Demoted to a devastated state, the people of the Theos empire were willing to pay any price in exchange for their lost resources. Even if they had to sell their souls to the devils.
The peculiar traveller they had pleaded to had a queer air around him. It was notable that he was not of their domain. Everything about him was foreign to them. Wavy, midnight black hair and golden eyes. Pale snowy skin that illuminated against the silvery moonlight. Tightly cladded in an ancient military uniform woven from high-quality fabrics. He was the incarnation of the deity of warfare and berserkers recorded in history books, Erymanthos.
Staring into the depths of his golden eyes made people feel like they were losing orientation of themselves. His alluring appearance was almost impossible to tear away from.
"Speak. What do you mean by that?" the royal servants demanded. They'd imagine that everything was just a nightmare and their monarch would rise once again. They hadn't prepared for the worst.
" 'Tis is not a common illness." The traveller began. "The cause of this…...is due to the burden of the heart. Greed is poison. Humans are vulnerable and susceptible to the whispers of these creatures. They lurk in the darkness and wait for the right moment to attack. The moment your inner core falls victim to desire and pleasure, that is when they make a move on you."
"We feel fine. But that's not the case for His Majesty." The empress argued. Despite her glamorous appearance, she looked quite pale. She was extremely worried about the monarch. She hasn't had proper rest and meals for days.
The members of the royal family and the servants pleaded with the traveller for solutions. He took a glance at the monarch under comatose and gave the empress a sympathetic look.
"Only this once. I can cleanse the evil that has gotten hold of His Majesty's heart. However, if he falls victim to the devil's whispers a second time, I'm afraid that his soul will shatter."
"What does that mean?" the butler questioned. He had been observing the whole scenario since the traveller had intruded into his master's resting quarters. He was unsure what he should do. Now, for once, he knew what he could do. He needed clarification about his master's current state of health.
"It means death." The traveller's curt answer sent chills down the old man's spine. "His soul will become corrupted, his senses disorientated, and finally become part of the River of Styx. His flesh and blood will deteriorate, strong feelings and emotions he had forever trapped behind the doors of the netherworld."
There was a long silence. Au courant with the current situation, several of them still believed that a cure was at their fingertips. They were not prepared for the worst. Scanning the traveller's solemn expression for the tiniest bit of hope, their effort was nought. He was being serious.
The traveller took a quick glance around the room. A large old painting hung above the sovereign's head. The traveller frowned. It was an oil painting, painted by a famous oil painter, Nikolaos Gyzis. The painting was among one of his famous pieces while he was still alive. The name of the painting was scribbled on the right corner, almost camouflaged by the vibrant colours and the intricate details the painting entails – Eros and the Painter.
The traveller was frowning at the painting. With heightened discerning and observant abilities, the traveller felt something peculiar coming from the old painting. It was a tingling feeling he could not describe into words. However, he remembered where he last had these feelings. His senses were warning him.
"…Sir?" the butler questioned, the awkward silence breaking. He urged the traveller for more information.
Yet, the traveller said nothing.
Frustrated, the butler decided to ask a second time. "Sir, is something wrong? Could you share with us what's on your mind?"
Again, the traveller paid no heed. Instead, he grabbed the khakkhara he had previously laid against the pale walls upon entering the emperor's resting chambers. With one swift plunge, the khakkhara callously pierced through the elaborate strokes the oil painting exhibited.
The empress, along with her handmaidens and the butler were utterly shocked. After all, the painting was something they had painstakingly gone through many ordeals to obtain it. It was a priceless artefact.
"What have you done?!" the empress screeched.
The traveller's facial expression remained calm. The traveller's unwavering glare continues to pierce through the painting. His grim expressions blatantly reflected on the traveller's inscrutable features. There was no sign of trepidations connected to the outcome the royal palace officials may have anticipated. Their hearts nearly stopped. It was a horrifying scene.
The monarch had been possessed by an Etherius.
"Calm down." The traveller finally replied. "You have nothing to worry about. Because this is the root of it all."
As the traveller retracted his khakkhara, a large shadow loomed over them. Bloody, crimson eyes glinted in the darkness. As it stepped out of its comfort zone, its monstrous figure was revealed. The creature was a goblin (Japanese: Oni).
Usually depicted in mythological stories associated with malice and misfortune, oni goblins were known for their strength, brutality, and insatiable hunger for human flesh. Mythological stories expressed a prosperous era and flourishing culture which transcends from one generation to another. As mythological stories were bedtime stories the empress grew up listening to during her childhood days, she finally understood the reason why those exact words were exerted to intensify the realism of mythological stories.
The oni goblin had a large grotesque human-like body. The skin appeared to be green in colour. Oni goblins also have a rough and scaly skin texture, long horns, sharp ears, pointed eyes and razor-sharp teeth.
The empress and the servants of the palace were as white as a sheet. This was beyond their expectations. They prepared for the worst, but to think a painting globin had been feeding on the monarch's vitality. They were completely devastated.
The traveller calmly observed the opponent before his eyes. His expression was void of trepidations. With confident movements, the traveller went in for the first kill. He swung his khakkhara at the oni goblin's monstrous body and leapt back.
The oni goblin growled from the pain the traveller had inflicted with the khakkhara. Being a creature of the netherworld that feeds on malice and misfortune, the oni goblin was unable to go near sacred artefacts. The traveller's khakkhara serves as a lethal weapon to eradicate, or rather, exorcise the oni goblin that has been haunting the monarch of Theos Empire.
Infuriated by the traveller's provocations, the oni goblin swung its fat arms at the traveller.
Without batting an eyelid, the traveller effortlessly deflected its return strike. A powerful barrier was erected between the oni goblin and himself. In the process, the oni goblin's arms were cut off. Black liquid oozed from the severed arms, splattering all over the pale walls of the monarch's resting chambers.
The oni goblin screeched in pain.
"You don't learn, do you?" the traveller commented.
Observing that the oni goblin at present was unable to make intelligent conversations and complex movements, the traveller identified the evil spirit as a low–level Etherius. To completely exorcise oni goblins and cleanse the empire's royal residence, the traveller dispelled the barrier and started chanting the fatal verse.
˹
Tear asunder the veil of night,
Reveal the truth, restore the light.
Wicked shade, begone from here,
By sacred power, draw souls near.
Cleanse this land, so plagued by pain,
Break the cycle, release the chain.
Hearken, guardians of the skies,
Answer now these fervent cries.
Let peace reign, banish despair,
Shatter darkness, cleanse the air.
O spirits pure, descend this hour,
Guardians of Light, wield sacred power.
˼
Upon chanting the last of the fatal verse, the oni goblin perished into dust.
The traveller's skill of transitioning from defence to offence was splendid, and the empress and her followers were impressed. From that moment, they knew the traveller was someone with extremely high spiritual power and skill. No one in Theos empire possessed such high-level skills as he. It was as if he was the incarnation of Erymanthos himself.
Following the exorcism ritual, the imperator of Theos empire finally awakens from his long slumber. The empress pulled the monarch into her embrace with tears in her eyes. Everything felt like a dream come true. It was a miracle.
The traveller had brought hope to the empire. Amidst engulfed by the darkness, a silver lining had rekindled the forgotten philosophies preached by Theosian priests since ancient times.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" she cried words of gratitude.
The dreary skies were repainted with warm colours. Sunlight coruscates through the gloomy streets for the first time in months. This signifies the end of the crisis. This incident, in the far future, would come to be known as the Era of Abyss. Relieved, the royal parties and state officers lightened at the small ray of hope they have been granted. The people anticipated great changes to the empire following their sovereign's awakening.
However, not everything was filled with roses. The royal physician strictly advised that the monarch needed ample rest before returning to duty. It was for the best. Looking at the current state of the empire, particularly from the political point of view, the government officials were going to be busy for a while.
"I apologise for my wife's emotional outburst." the monarch croaked. His throat was parched, hoarse voice was a consequence due to his long slumber. "However, who are you? You must be quite outstanding to be able identify and exorcise evil spirits residing in that painting with ease."
The butler and the empress's handmaidens agreed unanimously. They were piqued with utmost interest.
Possessing a skill no others before him could, he demonstrated unique abilities in cleansing evil. Henceforth, the Theosians learnt of the existence on the curse of the lurking darkness that had befallen them, the Etherius Shadows.
He gave them a slight smirk before announcing his identity.
"Nikolas Steinhart."