Chapter 13: Nightmare Part 1
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The heavy wooden doors swung open, and Oliver stepped through, his posture perfectly erect. He was an older gentleman, maybe in his late thirties, with a handsome, weathered face, impeccably groomed blacked hair, and mustache. His black suit was freshly pressed, his white shirt crisp, and his black bowtie neatly knotted at his collar.
"Good afternoon, sir," Oliver said with a slight bow as he entered the study. His voice was deep and refined. "Will you be requiring anything this afternoon?"
Oliver had been the butler of the Vier estate for decades, devoted to serving the family with unwavering loyalty and discretion. With his experienced hands and meticulous attention to detail, he oversaw the stately manor's operation like a finely-tuned timepiece.
Cedric Vier Levasti, the current acting Head of the Vier Family, looked up from the antique wooden desk where he was reviewing documents. "Ah yes, Oliver. A glass of the Enchanted Elderberry Black Tea would be splendid."
"Very good, sir."
Oliver left the study with his usual grace, closing the doors behind him as he made his way to the kitchen. The manor was quiet and still, with only the faint sound of gentle music coming from the distant grand piano in the main foyer.
He entered the kitchen, where Mrs. Parsons, the head cook, was bustling around preparing dinner for the evening. She greeted Oliver with a warm smile.
"Ah, Oliver," she said. "What can I do for you?"
"I need a pot of Enchanted Elderberry Black Tea for his lordship," he replied.
Mrs. Parsons nodded and quickly set about preparing it. She knew exactly how Lord Cedric preferred his tea – brewed for exactly three minutes and served with a small amount of honey on the side.
As he waited, Oliver allowed himself a moment to rest against the counter. He had been working tirelessly since early morning, making sure everything in the manor ran smoothly. But he took great pride in his work and wouldn't have it any other way.
A few minutes later, Mrs. Parsons handed him a tray with a teapot and cup filled with steaming tea. He thanked her before making his way back to Lord Cedric's study.
When he entered again, Lord Cedric was sitting at his desk, reading through some papers. His deep blue eyes looked up at Oliver as he approached.
"Thank you, Oliver," Cedric said as he accepted the tea. "You may leave now."
"As you wish, sir," Oliver replied with a bow before exiting once again.
As he turned to leave, Oliver's eyes were drawn to a thick mustard-colored envelope on the edge of the desk, slightly ajar. Curiosity raised his eyebrows for just an instant before he regained his composure. He made his way across the study until his hand fell upon the brass doorknob.
A muffled thump came from somewhere down the corridor outside. Oliver's ears pricked up, his spine stiffening. It was followed by a strange shuffling sound...and then a low groan.
"Good God..." Cedric gasped, frozen in his chair.
Oliver's grip tightened on the doorknob as he held perfectly still. Another muffled thump, and then the shattering of windows. Oliver's blood turned to ice in his veins.
They looked outside the broken window, the sky turning a crimson black as ominous clouds hung above. Oliver then opened the door and noticed that the servants outside had collapsed unconscious.
The two of them quickly sprang into action, moving towards the source of the disturbance to assess the situation.
The once lush and vibrant landscape of Levasti Territory was now shrouded in darkness, with thick clouds of black and crimson energy swirling ominously overhead. As far as the eye could see, every inch of land was tainted and corrupted by this malevolent demonic presence.
The air was thick with the acrid stench of sulfur and burning flesh. The sickly-sweet scent of decay and death hung heavy in the air, making it difficult to breathe without retching.
Along the way they saw more servants unconscious some barely able to move. The knights were already taking actions without needing to be ordered and were moving the servants that collapsed.
"My lord it seems that the source of this corrupted power is at the top of that tower. I'll scout it out if you give me the order." the butler, Oliver said with a solemn face.
"Lets wait, by now the other houses should've already know whats going on" Cedric wasn't an idiot he knew that even Oliver wouldn't a chance against a demon on this level.
It was then a child frantically running around caught his vision. In but a moment he grab the child by his collar he said
"What do you think you're doing don't you see whats happening around you?" Cedric glared at the child tightening his hold on his collar.
"Ow!It-hurts,It-hurts! It's Nora she- I saw her went inside that tower"
"What!?" Oliver hearing this his eyes widened in shock at the mention of Nora, the daughter of his benefactor, being inside the tower.
Cedric let go of the child and a deep sense of dread settled in the pit of his stomach.
"Nora? Are you sure it was her?" Cedric asked urgently, his voice tinged with worry.
The child nodded frantically, his eyes wide with fear. "Yes, Father! I saw her went inside the tower with Camilla just before everything went wrong!"
"And Camilla!" Cedric's heart hammered in his chest as he glanced up at the looming structure of the tower, now shrouded in dark energy. Without another word, he turned to Oliver.
One was a genius that has the possibility of becoming a future Sage and the other the daughter of the Queen of Shadow. He really had no choice but to go inside the tower or true hell will loose.
Oliver nodded in understanding, his expression grim as he followed Cedric towards the tower, his mind racing with thoughts of what could be happening to Nora inside.
As they approached the tower, the air grew colder and more oppressive. The once grand structure now loomed ominously before them, its stone walls covered in pulsating dark runes that seemed to writhe with a life of their own.
Cedric gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white. "We must proceed with caution, Oliver. Whatever awaits us inside, we must be prepared."
Oliver nodded in agreement, his hand hovering near his own hidden blade. They ascended the spiraling staircase that led up to the tower, the sound of their footsteps echoing eerily in the empty hall.
As they reached the top of the tower, they were met with a scene straight out of a nightmare. Lamy and Camilla on their knees wounded and exhausted at the corner of the room and a dark crimson cocoon stood at the center of the room, surrounded by a swirling vortex of dark energy. It pulse violently emitting strong demonic energy.
Cedric's breath caught in his throat as he laid eyes on the dark crimson cocoon, the center of a swirling vortex of dark energy. The air around them seemed to vibrate with the pulse of demonic power, and Cedric felt frozen in place, his mind racing with fear and dread.
Despite being born into a noble family, Cedric was not a skilled warrior. As tradition held, he was taught the basics of fighting at a young age, but that was the extent of his training. The Vier Family's main focus was alchemy, and they only had basic knowledge of self-defense techniques. They never had the opportunity to truly master them until they faced a life-threatening situation.
"You two, approach immediately!" Cedric bellowed at Nora and Camilla, whose gazes remained transfixed on the cocoon.
Snapping out of their trance, they turned to see the tense expressions of the butler Oliver and Cedric. With feeble movements, they attempted to rise and walk. Observing their struggle, Oliver swiftly scooped them up, carrying one in each arm.
After securing them both, Oliver bolted from the tower at full speed, Cedric keeping pace alongside him.
Oliver and Cedric raced down the spiraling staircase, their feet pounding against the ancient stone steps. Nora and Camilla hung limp in Oliver's arms, their wounds still fresh and bleeding.
As they neared the bottom of the tower, a deafening rumble shook the structure, causing dust and debris to rain down upon them. Cedric chanced a look back and saw cracks snaking their way up the tower walls, the dark runes pulsating even more violently.
"It's going to collapse!" Cedric yelled over the thunderous noise. "Hurry!"
They burst through the doorway and into the open courtyard just as the upper levels of the tower began to crumble. Massive chunks of stone crashed down behind them, kicking up clouds of dust and rubble. Oliver shielded Nora and Camilla with his body as they ran, dodging the falling debris.
With a tremendous groan, the entire tower lurched to one side and then came crashing down in an earth-shaking explosion of masonry and magic. The shockwave knocked them all off their feet, stone shards and dust pelting their bodies.
Coughing and squinting through the haze, Oliver struggled to his feet, still clutching the unconscious women. Cedric rose beside him, his face streaked with dirt and a trickle of blood running down his forehead.
They stood in stunned silence, watching as the towering spire that had loomed over the land for centuries collapsed into an unrecognizable heap of ruins before them.
"We made it," Cedric finally gasped, pure relief evident in his voice. "We're alive."
Oliver nodded wearily, his gaze falling to Nora and Camilla's battered forms. "But the battle is far from over." he murmured.