God Realm

The Castle of Despair

"My Lady, the lord of magic, Iris has once again invited you to her domain for the celebration of the anniversary of her succession. Likewise, Sir Ryan has also invited you to go to travel in the mortal realm to cause chaos."

Inside a magnificent castle, Azure wearing traditional robes was reporting to his master. He was reading from a scroll in such a monotonous manner that one could take it as a lullaby and fall asleep. Hearing Azure speak in such a way, Alice couldn't help but feel speechless.

"Must you speak in such a way, Azure?" Alice could be seen sitting on a chair. She was an extremely beautiful lady. She was dressed in a silver blue dress without any accessories. Her eyes were blue and she had blond hair which had been beautifully arranged in a braid.

She looked like a person of grace and dignity. Though when she started speaking all the dignity and grace were thrown out of the window. She looked like a child who was not given her favorite toy. She was pouting her lips in dissatisfaction.

"Yes, my lady as I have read these invitations for the past 26 years and you have not accepted it in all 26 years. I believe that you would not accept the invitation this time as well so I find myself with no comment on this matter of invitation." Azure replied with his face and voice devoid of any emotion.

Alice looked away from Azure and said with childish anger, "See, even you the most patient person I know doesn't have any hope for me to accept that stupid invitation why the hell doesn't that bitch understand that I will not accept."

"My lady, I believe that I am not the most patient person in this world that you have met. This title should go to our master and I would believe that master would not like to see his disciple curse and speak filthy words after all his hard work on your education." Azure replied this time with a gentle smile on his face as if remembering a person he felt great affection to.

Alice also smiled at that though it was filled with sadness and nostalgia. She couldn't help but think how true the statement was. Her master had been the best and she still missed him. Thinking about him, she thought of Iris and felt angry again. How dare that girl think to send an invitation to her to celebrate her master's death. If it were not for the fact she couldn't kill that stupid bitch she would have killed already.

"Well, since you already know my answer you should have rejected it without all this nonsense," she said pouting childishly. "Why my lady, it would be so shameful when the master returns to his castle only to see the person he left to be in charge of his castle throwing all the tradition and acting like a shrew," replied Azure with a roguish smile.

Hearing him say that Alice started laughing joyfully. Just the thought of that person returning filled her with extreme joy. So what if she would be scolded? She didn't care. If her acting like a shrew would bring him back then she would act like that. It's pity he wouldn't come back. Despite that, she smiled thinking at least she wasn't alone.

But just then alarms started ringing. The moment Alice and Azure heard the alarm every expression of joy and happiness they were showing was swiftly changed into worry and dread. They were both quiet for some time with the alarm still ringing. Then as if out of shock and in disbelief Alice asked, "Azure, am I hearing something wrong or is the alarm ringing."

After hearing her speak, Azure reined in his emotion and replied in a calm voice, "You are hearing correctly, the alarm did ring. The tear of despair has fallen once again." Alice stood up and started moving outside the room with Azure following her. She opened many doors, doors which seemed to not have been opened for many years. After countless corridors and secret passages, she stood in front of a door.

The door was even more beautiful and old than the room Alice left behind on her journey to this castle. It was decorated with extreme care and thought. It could be seen that the designer had given his best. She stood in front of the door as if in a trance as if remembering something she didn't wish to. Azure stood behind her as he understood her hesitance. He stood behind her to remind her that she was not alone. To remind her that he would always accompany her until couldn't continue to do so.

Alice looked back at Azure. Her eyes pleading him to help her. Looking at her shaking, Azure simply took her hand and held it. As if feeling a little more confident than before she pushed the door lightly. The door which looked old and heavy opened so easily without any effort as if waiting for someone to open it.

Within the doors lay a vast hall that was spotlessly clean as if it was clean just yesterday despite it not being opened for many years. It was beautifully filled with sacred holiness. There was a throne that was silver in color and decorated with brilliant jewels and gems where lay a scepter. The scepter was silver in color just like the throne.

Squeezing his hand, Alice moved forward and stood in front of the throne. She and Azure gave a solemn bow towards the throne as if asking permission to use the scepter. She took the scepter in her hand and the scepter glowed with power and the hall changed showing the vast universe slowly going downward. It showed the mortal realm and then the magical realm which resides within it and finally a castle.

The images stopped and Alice couldn't help but cry out in shock at the image of the castle. "How could it be? How the tear of despair fall because of the grief and despair of a single mortal. How could it be? It shouldn't be possible because even the despair of a complete era was barely able to bring the tears of despair. What has that person gone through."

Seeing her so shaken, Azure shook her until she came back to her senses. "Alice, stay calm. We need to act fast otherwise a new God of Despair will be crowned. It will be a complete disaster if someone capable of producing tears of despair by his own emotion would become the God of Despair."

Taking a deep breath, Alice nodded "You are right. We need to move quickly to eliminate the person's despair. Accompany me, will you?" Azure looked at her and said firmly, "Always." With that, they disappeared from the hall with a flash of bright silver glow from the scepter. The doors which had been left open in their haste were slowly closing one by one in order and the halls and corridor slowly closing waiting for the next person to visit it again or maybe it was waiting for its master to rejoin itself.