The Villain's Story

Chapter 817: Project. (2)

Alan was stuck in the realm known as the ’Lightless Void’, the manifestation of Kulak’s domain, as he waited for the Supreme to come back from the shadows, after he was finished with whatever he was doing.

The Shade King had left in a hurry, leaving Alan alone in this strange space. He had tried to study the Supreme’s domain, but it was something that was far out of his league.

The ’Lightless Void’ was far above the current ’Jade Palace’. No matter how much he tried to study it, to understand some part of it, he failed miserably. The ’Jade Palace’ needed to be upgraded as soon as possible. He would need to increase his number of points and upgrade his damn domain a lot of times, even to reach this level.

His vision, his sense of self, were all distorted in the Lightless Void; he existed as a shadow and did not, and if Alan dared to use Dragon Eyes here, he would see countless other shadows, of so many powerful beings that made up the Lightless Void, Shadows he couldn’t even compare to yet.

He didn’t even need to use Dragon Eyes for this; he could feel them in the distance and close, unknown beings watching him from the darkness. He didn’t even want to think about what would happen if he were an enemy here.

The slight headache, the constantly changing perspective, and the odd feeling of being here would be gone, replaced by nothing but his death. It was a domain worthy of a Supreme. He couldn’t do anything here, even if he wanted to.

Well, not like he came here expecting a fight, what could he even do against a Supreme? He wasn’t even Epic yet.

”... Sure is taking a while.”

Where exactly did the Supreme of Shadows go, anyway?

[Supreme Dragon of Frost, Lanesha suggests you wait a bit more.]

”... You can come here? Huh.”

A black window, almost indistinguishable from the Lightless Void, save for the white decorations and the text, appeared. Alan sighed. What else could he do but wait here? He couldn’t break out of here no matter what.

He had to wait for the Shade King to complete whatever he was doing, and then...

”...!”

Suddenly, the Lightless Void beneath him vanished, and Alan fell from the Black sun. He was back in the Realm of Shadows, no longer inside the personal domain of the King of the Shade.

Confused by the sudden fall, Alan stared into the black sun. He could manifest his wings anytime to fly, but it was quite a while before he reached the ground. What was of more importance was the occurrence above.

The Black Sun split apart into a sea of shadows, and the Lightless Void within was exposed to the Realm of Shadows, leaving everything enveloped in darkness. A tide of shadows reached out towards the falling Alan Peccator.

[You want to know everything about yourself? What you are?]

The Tide of Shadows enveloped him, wrapping itself around his body as Alan continued his descent. The voice of Kulak, the Shade King, rang in his mind, and he simply nodded.

It was as if he could see the shadows all around him form a smile. Alan waited for the next words of Kulak patiently.

[Very well, then go to the Darkest Point, and seek the faintest light. Find Valus, and he will tell you, and me, all the truth we need to know.]

The lightless void disappeared, but the surrounding shadows did not. The solidified around his body and formed a mantle, a sort of armor that existed only for a second, before forming a sort of cape behind him.

[You have completed the trials of Shadows.]

[You have gained the recognition of Kulak, the Supreme Shadows.]

[You have gained the recognition of Shilam.]

[You have defeated all the shadows and gained a True Shadow.]

The darkness was gone, the Black Sun closed itself, and Alan soon disappeared into the veil of clouds above the Realm of Shadows, as the Mantle of Shadows settled on his body, becoming one with it.

It was like an outside force was coming over to him, an authority of an unknown being becoming one with him, a force he couldn’t describe at the moment as the Mantle settled into him.

Alan could sense many dragons all around him, Shadow Dragons looking at his descent from their bodies into the black sands below. He couldn’t understand their words, but he could understand their gazes. Admiration, Surprise, and even reverence of some sort.

He exited the veil of clouds, formed of a thousand dragons of shadows, as a black mantle formed around his body, moving like a living tide of shadows. It transformed into a cape as Alan changed his position, face towards the ground, and dived.

He was inches from the ground before he unfurled his wings and slowed his fall, throwing the black sand into a small dust cloud as he settled down. He looked around him; his wings were no longer a flawless white, a mark of a Frost Dragon, but black as the night, with outlines of frosty ice.

The mantle covered his wings, his back, and spread from his neck to his arms in the form of black tendrils and lines. It was a nice aesthetic touch. He liked it. Although he was still unaware of what he could really do with it.

[Surprised? That’s merely the beginning. I left a small gift for you, open the palm of your hand.]

Alan followed the instructions and saw the mantle expand towards his palm and spew out a golden crystal, which was swiftly absorbed into his body. The light that it emitted reminded him of the light that escaped Kulak’s clenched palm. It had the same... feeling to it.

”What is that?”

[A gift, and a surprise for someone else.]

”What are you talking about?”

He didn’t quite understand the Supreme’s words, only... he felt a change within him when the golden crystal had been absorbed.

”...”

He felt somewhat... free?