"The Sleepless City is the never-ending settlement that encompasses the entirety of the fourth layer," Gavalis boomed, his voice echoing through the hall, "created by our ruler himself, and then dominion was granted to me. I reside in this palace, the only sanctuary in the city, and with me are my battalion."
The faceless man gestured towards the demons standing guard in the hall. They moved with swiftness as they quickly closed the massive doors that led outside, blocking our view of the sleepless city.
"Despite this layer's dangers, it is rather simple. The Sleepless City is home to the fallen angels—humans just like you who once entered the fourth layer but were unable to escape, ultimately consumed by their curses. If you wish to dive further, slay one of these beings and bring me their soulsource, a black crystal that resides inside their hearts."
Gavalis's words hung in the air, the premise deceptively simple. A hunt. But questions gnawed at me, questions that I yearned to have answered.
And the fallen angels… Are they truly human? What does it mean to be consumed by your curse? Furthermore, why does this man wish to help us?
"You will all be given chambers in this palace," Gavalis continued, "but most of your time will be spent in the city. Even if you do not wish to hunt the fallen angels, there are various types of demons scattered around the layer for you to strengthen your curses against."
Strengthen your curse? I pondered. Does that mean slaying demons is the key to increasing our power?
"Are there any questions?" Gavalis asked, his voice cutting through my thoughts.
At first, no one dared speak. A heavy silence filled the hall. But after a moment, a voice broke the quiet.
"Who are you, and what is your history?"
It was Yoseph who spoke. Now that I could clearly see his white hair and dark skin, I wondered how I had never guessed his connection to King Vinel.
Everyone stared at him, shocked by his boldness.
The faceless man had no eyes, but it felt as though he was staring at the prince with intensity.
"I am the owner of the third layer," Gavalis replied, his voice resonating with authority, "a gift given to me by my father. No… our father. The lord of deception is father to all who dare enter his home, regardless of whether they seek to kill him. It's not as though the demons haven't tried already!"
With every word he spoke, further questions were planted in my had, but something told me that Gavalis wouldn't be providing any answers. He turned and began walking back towards the staircase.
"My battalion will show you to your chambers," he said, "but feel free to explore the palace. It is a marvelous creation."
He ascended the stairs, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the hall. No one dared move until he was out of sight.
He paused at the top, turning back to address us one last time.
"Fighting amongst yourselves is prohibited inside the palace," he warned, "which is why your curses have been temporarily suppressed. They will reactivate as soon as you step outside. Once you've found a soulstone, show it to one of my men, and they will tell you what to do from there."
He paused, his faceless gaze sweeping over us.
"Oh, and one last thing. If, for any reason, you wish to speak with me, knock on the large red double doors on the third floor. And it need not be said, but if you attempt to enter without permission, you will face the consequences."
With that final chilling warning, he disappeared from view.
"Well, that was something," Faye said from beside me, breaking the tense silence.
Others began to disperse, exploring the palace, but no one dared venture outside.
"These fallen angels…" Taiyo mused, his hand stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder how strong they are."
Without hesitation, I made my way towards the exit.
"Where are you going?" Faye asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Outside," I replied, "How else are we supposed to find out?"
Others in the hall overheard me and watched with a mixture of curiosity and hesitation.
Even Yoseph, from his secluded corner, cast a wary glance in my direction.
No one wanted to be the first to step into the Sleepless City, but I couldn't afford to wait. I had a goal to achieve, and vengeance wouldn't wait forever. For all I knew, the longer I waited, the more of a chance King Vinel and other pillars had at
I heard footsteps behind me. Faye was following.
Taiyo remained where he was but gave me a respectful nod.
"I need to think things over before entering the city," he said. "For now, you'll have to go on without me."
I nodded back.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Taiyo. We'll see you again soon."
I believed my own words. Unless I somehow managed to slay a fallen angel on the first night, I would be returning to the palace to rest and recover.
Two of Gavalis' men approached the doors,
As they made to open then, I shot Faye a glance.
"You don't have to do this," I said honestly. "My decisions are made hastily, and will always lead to danger."
"And leave all the action to you?" she replied with a smirk, whilst raising an eyebrow at me. "You're not the only one with goals, Rade."
The double doors swung open, revealing the crimson sky that loomed over the Sleepless City. We stepped outside, into the unknown, our destinies intertwined with the fate of the fallen angels.
And as we did, my wings began to emerge from my back, though this time it was not painful. It felt like a lost possession of mine was being returned to me.
It only took five seconds for them to reach their full length, and Faye watched the process for her second time.
Once they were finished, I felt whole again.
That's better.