In a bustling market, myriad colours could be spotted. Moving, shouting, arguing and negotiating.
Some of them were gossiping the trendy rumours, spreading like wildfire in their daily lives.
"Have you heard anything new about that Pillar of light?"
"You mean the one we saw a few days ago?"
"Of course! That Pillar of light- have you seen anything like it before."
"I don't know, man. Probably that is done by demons."
"I don't think so. Haven't you heard the latest news?"
"No. The last thing I heard was that the demons were planning something."
The man motioned for others to come closer.
"Well, I have some friends in the temple. They told me that it was not caused by demons but… angels caused it."
"Wow, you have friends in the temple?"
"Angels? Why would they do that?"
The group continued their gossiping conversation, unaware that a shadowy figure was listening to their every word.
After a few moments, not getting any useful information he slipped away from there.
Walking without making any sounds, in the dark interior of a back alley.
In the shadows, a figure could be seen walking without a hint of any sound. His figure draped in dark colours.
A dark sword strapped to his back.
He walked for several minutes, eventually stopping in front of an old, tattered door. Without hesitation or concern for its age, he pushed it open and entered it.
Inside, after descending few steps. He came across a door and knocked on it in a pattern.
A voice came from the inside.
"Who are we?"
"The shadows living in the light."
After few seconds and a series of clink sounds, the door opened.
The dark man entered it without a hint of worry.
The interior bore a resemblance to a bar, but not a soul of any customer could be seen in the bar, leaving a bartender like middle aged man standing behind the counter.
"What can I do for you, sir?"
The dark man put something on the counter.
"All the information about the Pillar of Light."
The bartender picked the object. Examined it thoroughly.
"Sorry sir, but it will cost you more gold coins?"
The dark man asked in a cold voice.
"How much?"
The bartender replied with a business smile.
"Ten more gold coins, sir."
The dark man took out a pouch and threw it on the counter.
"It has twenty gold coins."
The bartender smiled from eye to eye. Stretched his hand to grab the pouch.
"Why Temple Knights destroyed the royal family of Uruvox? They said it was done because Uruvox royal family colluded with demons but… we speculate that their is more to it than it looks. One of the reasons maybe knowledge. Ancient knowledge."
The bartender counted the coins with a joyful expression on his face, while relaying the information.
"The Uruvox royal family was always a thorn for the Temple Knights. But, never, it escalated to the point of complete obliteration. Whatever reasons Temple Knights had, it must have been covered in layers of secrecy and deceit. Currently, we do not have the means or resources to uncover their secrets."
The dark man listened all the information and asked in its somber cold voice.
"How Uruvox royal family is connected to the Pillar of Light."
The bartender, while tying the pouch, replied.
"I am coming on it, sir. You see, Uruvox royal family possessed Ancient records... about certain events. This, we came to know after the Temple Knights opened their secret vaults. In one of the discovered record, mention of a certain incident was found. This incident happened in the Northern part of the continent. The most important thing about it was its timing."
The dark man was intrigued by the last line of information.
"Did it happened during the Divine War?"
Hearing the question of the dark man, bartender replied with a practiced business smile.
"Yes, sir. It had happened during the Divine War. You know, records related to Divine War… is heavily guarded by the Temple Knights. So, we cannot say with certainty what had happened. During the Divine War, in the chaos of war, no one must have noticed its presence, leaving the Uruvox Royal family. The northern frozen part comes under their territory, after all."
The bartender took out a old looking bottle from behind a glass shelf and started preparing a drink.
"The higher ups ordered a wide search operation. They even used some of their ancients relics for this purpose. In last, they got a place marked. They started a secret excavation of that area. The Pillar of white light was caused by whatever thing, buried deep within the frozen ice. We only have this much information, sir."
The bartender pushed the prepared drink towards the dark man on the counter.
"On the house, sir."
The dark man didn't touched the drink. Ignoring it completely.
"What information do you have on the Gravewalker?"
The question asked by the dark man, brought an expression of shock and fear, for a moment on the face of bartender. Correcting his slip up, he replied with his usual business smile.
"Sorry, sir. We don't have much information about the Gravewalker. Just this, that after his appearance the Angels seem to be in a rush... for something."
The dark man nodded back and turned, but before moving forward, he turned slightly back.
"Pass my message to the Shadow Knight. It is time to stop living in the shadows."
Hearing the message and the name of its receiver. The bartender asked back with part caution and part suspicion.
"Sir, can you please tell me your name?"
"It is Ghoul."
The name made all suspicion and caution disappear from the eyes of the bartender.
In its stead sharp intent took place.
He replied with manners of a trained soldier.
"Sir, I have one more piece of news for you."
The voice of the bartender stopped Ghoul from moving forward.
He replied back in a curt voice.
"Tell."
Bartender spoke with a serious voice.
"Sir, this information was passed down from the Shadow Knight, recently. He instructed us to give it to you… only. The cause of the Pillar of Light was found not too long ago. But bringing it to the surface, took some time. Temple Knights are going to transport it, starting from tomorrow. He also passed a message to you. He said that after listening this message, do it as soon as possible. They are coming."
Ghoul nodded, turned and started moving.
Never looking back.
Coming out of the bar. He blended in darkness of the alley.
Taking a few deep breaths. He started moving his legs and mind, both, at the same time.
Indicating a race against time.
In the sky above, a bright hue of scarlet red conquered every corner.
Bringing day to its final destination.
'According to Shadow's message, they will probably arrive tonight, in the worst case. Tomorrow's morning in the bad case… I have to finish it before night.'
His steps became a blur. His figure a hazy illusion.
Moving through the network of back alleys, with startling speed. Avoiding any eyes.
He reached the centre circle of the cold city.
Housing buildings of great importance.
Temple was one of them.
Standing at the top of a bell tower. He observed the Temple and its surrounding.
'As usual, high security despite being a Temple of a small city. But even then… '
He concentrated on the figures, patrolling the areas. Observing their routes and pattern.
Remembering the blind zones, if any were present.
Running and jumping from roof to roof.
He closed the distance between himself and the Temple. Sometimes, he would hide in shadows, or move with a speed that cannot be catched by Knight's sharp eyes.
As he traversed the deadly maze of Temple, made by Knight's body and their eyes. He came across the outer walls of the Temple.
Climbing it effortlessly. Without a hint of sound.
While climbing, Ghoul's eyes catched a figure. A figure of a Knight, standing straight with sharp focused eyes, doing his duty without a hint of neglect. But…
In Ghoul's eyes, his figure was a rioting darkness.
A darkness, hideous in nature, devouring him from inside.
Ghoul changed his direction of ascend.
Heading silently towards the balcony where the knight was patrolling.
Reaching under the balcony. He waited for a moment. Waited, for the Knight's eyes to turned in other direction.
Getting his chance, he flashed from under the balcony. A dagger appearing in his hand. Catching the knight off-guard, he slashed at his one of weak spots. Neck.
A thin line of crimson appeared on the knight's neck. Before he could understand what happened. A second slash came, closing his eyes for eternity.
Bending down, Ghoul searched his body for any valuables. At the same time…
The dark sword, made up of obsidian stone like material, strapped to his back. Covered in strips of gray clothes. Glowed a series of intricate symbols, carved on its smooth lustrous stone surface.
As the symbols glowed, across its blade in the twilight of the day.
The corpse of the knight, lying frozen, illuminated a little for a moment. After it stopped, a wispy spectral being similar to the knight, white in colour with spots of vile disgusting black, rose from the corpse.
It flew in the air. Getting smaller and smaller as it travels further from the corpse.
It headed towards Ghoul.
Circling him few times, it reached the dark stone sword. Flying across its blades, it dissipated into tiny motes of white and black.
The dark obsidian stone sword absorbed the particles hovering around it.
At the same time, Ghoul's eyes illuminated with a strange radiance.
Bringing a knowing expression on his face.
'It seems a clash is unavoidable.'
Shaking his head a little, he looked down at the corpse of dead knight. He uttered with a hint of pity in his cold voice.
"You are free."