20 Miles East.
Bougdin Capital District.
The Sword continued its journey deeper into the heart of the Bougdin Capital District, immersing itself in the ambiance reminiscent of an Edo Period Castle.
With each of its movements through the ancient passageways, it bore witness to the grandeur of the castle's architecture, a testament to the cultural richness of the era.
The corridors of the castle stretched ahead, adorned with intricate wooden panels and sliding doors, providing glimpses of a world steeped in tradition.
Lanterns hung from wooden beams, casting a warm, gentle light that bathed the surroundings in soft shades of gold. The walls were adorned with faded paintings, depicting scenes from a bygone era when samurai and nobility once flourished.
The Sword marveled at the meticulous craftsmanship that had gone into every detail, from the ornate carvings on the door frames to the delicate patterns adorning the paper screens. The very essence of history seemed to be seeping from the tatami-matted floors, bearing witness to centuries of footsteps that had left their mark.
As it delved deeper, the Sword couldn't help but notice the hushed whispers of the wind that echoed through the corridors.
A dark liquid, reminiscent of ink, flowed in and out of the cracks and crevices of the castle's structures, adding a mystical quality to the surroundings. It weaved through weathered stones and wooden beams, like a living entity that was entwined with history.
Amidst this eerie scene, the Sword observed all the guards that were stationed along the castle's corridors and courtyards. These sentinels appeared as if they had been frozen in time, their lifeless faces trapped with a never changing expression.
Their once formidable black samurai armor now seemed to have lost its luster, tarnished and covered in a layer of dust. They stood motionless, their silent vigil stretching for days, weeks, or perhaps even longer.
Venturing further into the heart of the castle, the Sword discovered bustling rooms and corridors that were filled with activity.
Groups of people managed various aspects of the castle's daily affairs, their voices mingled with the echoes of time.
These people handled the matters of currency, and supplies, and exchanged the latest gossip regarding the unfolding events, all in hushed tones.
In the midst of the bustling scenes, the Sword found itself irresistibly drawn to a magnificent book corridor, where vast shelves filled with ancient manuscripts stretched far into the distance.
However, it quickly detected that there was something unusual. Gentle drafts of air whispered through the gaps in the bookcases, causing the pages of the countless volumes to flutter delicately. It was as though the very castle held some tightly guarded secrets that were yearning to break free.
Guided by curiosity, the Sword continued its exploration and soon stumbled upon an armory room, a treasure trove of weaponry.
An impressive array of blades adorned the walls, each carrying the weight of history and the echoes of countless battles they might have faced. Among the array of weapons, the Sword's attention was riveted by a singular gauntlet, enfolding a solitary hand.
The Gospel Gauntlet, as it came to be known, was a marvel to behold. It was crafted from the finest materials, and gleamed with a lustrous silver sheen. Its surface was adorned with intricate engravings that seemed to dance with the play of light, telling a story of valor and power.
As the Sword drew closer, it could see that the gauntlet bore unique etchings, as if it held the key to unlock an untold potential.
The sword finished reading a tablet that was propped up on a podium with an array of other treasures around it.
Murmuring softly to itself, the Sword pondered the significance of the discovery it had made.
"Perhaps Master will find this gauntlet to his liking," it mused, recognizing the potential usefulness of the device after being aware of its Master's preference for fighting.
Grabbing a hold of the item, it tucked the gauntlet outside the castle walls before venturing back inside and making its way back toward the King's Quarter. However, the sound of pain and screaming could be heard through the corridors.
In the King's Quarter, dozens of people were chained to the wall with stakes through their hands, and chains that extended from their backs, tying them to the wall. A burly man with white hair and a young face was mercilessly digging his blade, gleaming with a black polish, into the stomach of one of his captives.
"You will tell me where your friends are hiding, or everyone else here dies as well."
A moment elapsed before the voice declared, "I don't care what you do to me. I would never sell out my friends and family."
As the Yami King traversed his line of victims attached to the wall, he ruthlessly plunged his sword into one of them, causing instant death and blood to spurt and stain all of the floor.
"You know blood does not do well with wood. But it does give it a nice color for a while," he remarked casually.
"Take these chains off of me so I can fight you fair and square, you monster!" the voice echoed back, witnessing the death of his friend.
"That's a brilliant idea. How about this? I will let you go if you tell me where they are. And I promise that I will not kill any of your friends for now, and you will also get your chance to fight me."
With his blade aimed at a young woman's neck, he pondered, "I wonder if she was told the lies of Sogetsu all those years ago as well?"
"Does she deserve to be the next?" After saying that, he pushed the blade against her neck, letting blood slowly trickle out.
"Okay, if you promise to spare them, I will tell you. They are 20 miles west of here, but she has many different locations where she operates her shops. I only know of the closest one from here."
Suddenly the chains around him broke as the frail man tumbled to the ground while King Yami slowly lurched toward him, "So, now you get your fight."
Despite the blood flowing from his back and hands and his stumbling feet, the man held his hand up towards the Yami King and started summoning a ball of water and ice before launching it at the Yami King, who easily dodged the attack, catching the man off guard.
Placing his hand on the top of the man's head, Yami King declared, "Looks like you lose."
As he said that, the man's skin began to turn pale blue as life left his eyes slowly, and a small orb began to emerge from his chest, this small ball then suddenly started to shrink, until it was the side of a marble.
Taking the marble and swallowing it, King Yami stated, "This is a good source of power," before taking a small metal icon from his pocket and attaching it to his eye.
"This form should prove useful." He muttered to himself before the doors to his chambers burst open, and a small 2-foot-tall girl and a 6-foot man rushed into the chambers, kneeling.
"Sir, reports have come in and have confirmed the death of Guard Master Scion the Goblin and Head Captain Frieh Yarkstown."
"And the other Goblin guard that was on duty that day has not been found and is currently missing."
"I see, is there anything else to report?" King Yami said nonchalantly.
"Much like the black comet that fell roughly two weeks ago, the recent blue one seemed to have graced the edge of the planet; however, it didn't show any signs of crashing down and could have just been a meteor."
"Thank you both. I have some more matters to attend to with Lady Elithira down in the lower Chambers."
"You are to locate and find who murdered the Head Captain and Head Guard and bring them here. I suspect this to be our Skeleton friend's doing, but tread carefully and do a full recon if a need arises."
"We didn't get to what we are by rushing our moves in one day."
Having seen enough, the Sword ventured further below the castle, only to discover Elithira, who was chained further down in the dungeon, and seemed to have passed out and was sleeping.
The sword remarked, heaving a sigh of relief, "Well, this is good. At least, she isn't dead."
Traveling further down, it found hundreds of other captives who were spread along chained walls, and even farther below was a chamber area of men who were fighting and killing each other, while an array of people with black masks were watching them fight and kill each other.
After witnessing all this, the sword quickly broke upwards and out towards the side of the castle walls before seeing the tall man and tiny girl, who were heading towards Ty's location.
"Master needs to know of this unexpected turn of events.''
Latching itself onto the gauntlet which it had retrieved from the armory before, it began its journey back to Ty, hoping to beat anyone else there.