The party quickly traveled back to the main hallway through the front entrance of Naasis, Kafka leading them to the throne room at the very back of the palace. It looked similar to the Hall of Consorts, apart from the right side of the hall, which was open to the air, a large terrace overlooking Henem and its undercity.
The throne at the edge of the room was made of interwoven tapering spires that shot off like spikes in every direction, some obsidian in hue, and others a pale-white marble colour.
Sitting on the regal throne of marble and black, August leaned his head on his hand, frowning. As the Archknights and Consorts assembled, he began to speak.
"It was important not just to call all Archknights here, save for Arwain and Cyro, who are off on expeditions, but also you four. This is because the matter I have to inform you all of may impact you greatly in the future. In the matter of transparency, I feel I have to inform you all first, and then to the Noble Houses in Henem, before the commonpeople soon after."
The mood in the room felt quite tense. August was usually a calm, teasing sort of person. Wasn't this too serious? Of course, in his duties as the ruler of the Blackbaast, he should certainly approach certain matters in this way, but that just meant that what he was going to say was that important.
Artemis felt his posture instinctually straighten as the Archknights fell in line before them. He glanced behind him, spotting Kafka, Gwennaude, and Arcas, the three he had already met. Besides them, there were at least a dozen more faces of the ones he had not. Xerandes stood beside the three Consorts, Adeline, Eunice, and Isolde, while Cercival stood beside him.
August cleared his throat, standing up before his throne before adopting a grim expression, his eyes furrowing. "Most of you are aware that in my absence at sea, a mysterious dungeon appeared underneath Naasis. More descriptively, rather than being 'underneath' it, it was more akin to an alternate space that may or may not exist within the Blackbaast. All we can be certain of is that it is filled with immense danger."
"During this expedition into this dungeon named 'Shadowhaunt', myself, Lysia, and Gwennaude discovered a dying monster that closely resembled a wolf. Besides the blood from its wounds, there was also the remnant puddles left behind by someone else. Using these alongside a simple tracking method, a corpse was discovered. It was human."
Adeline and Isolde gasped, the elder Eunice wearing a serious, grim expression, her eyes furrowing. Artemis suddenly felt as if he knew where August had derived his from.
"This corpse was wrapped and recovered, buried soon after we arrived home. But during our tracking, we discovered a living person beside the corpse. At first, we thought it might have been a compatriot of the person that died. We followed as that person ran, obviously frightened- after all, who wouldn't be?"
August's lip quivered, biting at it to keep it still. "And then, when we had finally caught up to him, we saw a broken cross on a hilltop, decorated with the pieces of a young woman. Her blood was still wet on the wood."
Gwennaude suddenly stepped forward from the line of Archknights, spinning on his heels as he turned towards his fellow soldiers.
"We searched for hours, but found no trace of the person who remained alive. He was taken by monsters, but it seemed not in an aggravated manner. He may still yet be alive, we are not sure. But the questioned remained- how did these three enter Shadowhaunt? At first, we assumed that a certain few had grown lax in their guard duties, but this was later confirmed a false assumption. After all, we keep very strict requirements as pertains to updates on records."
August continued off of Gwennaude's information. "Which means that there must be some alternate entrance to Shadowhaunt, or some mystical means by which it can be accessed besides the entrance below Naasis. This is why we intend to inform everyone of its existence. Of course, this might inspire fear in some, but we hope that caution is born of that fear."
Kafka nodded. "It's indeed a good plan, your Grace. But you wouldn't gather us just to tell us of such things. We already knew of the danger of Shadowhaunt, and were always cautious that the entrance below Naasis might not be its only connection. That's why we've spent the last half-year searching for alternate entrances. Gwennaude must have told you of this. So what else is to be said?"
August smiled warmly. "You're definitely the most perceptive of us all, Ms. Summerstelle. You're right, this isn't all I mean to say to you. As pertains to Adeline, Eunice, and Isolde, as well as Mr. Starke, this is all just a warning. To my Archknights, I want to inform you of the need to prepare yourselves. In the near future, we'll certainly be exploring the depths of this dungeon to ascertain any further danger that might enter the Blackbaast, and take action to eliminate it."
The Archknights nodded in unison. Of course, this was a necessary next step. If it was the case that there were means by which someone could enter Shadowhaunt without using the entrance underneath Naasis, there might be methods by which they could also enter the Blackbaast. If any such monsters were to invade, the commonpeople would be in danger. It would take the Archknights a few moments to reach the threat and eliminate it, so many people would definitely die!
A warm radiance gradually returned to August's countenance, bathing over his Knights. "That's all I mean to say. In my absence, you've all done wonderfully to keep the capital safe. I'm grateful to you all, truly."
As Artemis listened to this, his lips curled up into a slight smile.
Maybe the tales about him are perfectly true. He is like Light itself...
As soon as August had finished with his briefing, the Archknights began to adjourn from the throne room. After all, it was late in the day. Even Artemis hadn't yet rested, he hadn't been shown to the room he would be staying in either...
He watched as the short Archknight, Kafka, ran up to the behemoth Gwennaude, hopping up high into the air as she wrapped her arms around him, hanging onto his back like a satchel. She laughed happily, Gwennaude calmly glancing behind him out of the corner of his eye. He didn't make any moves to shake her off, just continuing to walk towards the exit as they began to converse.
Artemis had moved towards the side of the throne room, August approaching him gradually.
"Gwennaude and Kafka seem very close." Artemis mentioned in passing.
August stopped beside Artemis, looking over the Blackbaast from the throne room's terrace.
"Gwennaude reminds Kafka of her father, a kinder version, no doubt. If it weren't for her Father being the younger brother of House Summerstelle's Head, perhaps so much expectation wouldn't have been placed on her. To be part of a branch family is to constantly feel insignificant, and so her Father sought to continue his lineage as a means of balancing his lack of power. When Kafka promptly refused that, she was met with too much vitriol to survive with her heart unshattered."
"How cruel..."
"Many of those who enter the Academy as Seers have no family to return to, the idea of becoming an Archknight their only solace. I often call them bugs, an annoyance, but it's less so. They're nice to have around. I can live vicariously through them, those who have found family within each other."
"Won't we be family soon enough?"
August grinned, turning away as he grasped at Artemis's cuff, glancing up at him out of the corner of his eye.
"It's different. They are familial, but I want you inside of me."
Artemis's face flushed, his cheeks a bright red as he hurriedly look over at August. "W-what?"
He chuckled. "Is simple provocation all it takes to get the Cold Wolf of Margraves flustered? I was joking, so relax."
August began walking away from Artemis to rejoin his Archknights. "I'll come find you later, so don't worry about staying close if you don't want to. I know you were eager to explore, after all."
Still blushing, Artemis gritted his teeth as he watching August waltz away. He felt a bit embarrassed, surely, but also outclassed. He had forgotten himself, his practiced demeanor, all because of a bit of teasing!
Maybe this is what Isolde meant in her warning... perhaps he's the sort of person no one should fall for...
Artemis let out a huff as he turned away, walking towards the edge of the balcony. Cercival reached out his hand, his eyes widening as Artemis climbed atop the railing.
"Young Master! Be careful, you might fall!"
"Don't wait up for me, Cercival. I'll be home late."
Artemis fell forward towards the city below, his left iris beginning to swirl and glow like a raging storm.
Indeed, I would like to know more about this place. After all, if I can't find my place here, I can't hold up my father's wish successfully!