12 Lighthill
Lightless day +14
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The splendor of this metropolis, which was delicately strewn with mist, astonished me.
Lighthill, or Ombrehill, as the sign at the town's entry put it, was created in the middle of a pristine tundra's soft snows and revealed a true technological marvel.
The contrast between the castle and the landscape was stunning. The city seemed to be evolving, whilst the castle seemed to be stuck in a bygone era, waiting for its king to return.
The architectural design of this city was undoubtedly influenced by nature in the past, as the vast majority of structures incorporated vegetation into their architecture. The aesthetics of the architecture back then were supposed to evoke the beautiful meadows that surrounded the structures.
The numerous skyscrapers reflected the light of two moons, and their histories seemed to vanish into the eternal night more than before. Parks and gardens were no longer in blossom. The lack of light had prevented the flowering, and this old era was obvious here, as well as throughout the forest, by the presence of trees shadows, bushes, and leaves.
The city was a hive of activity. At the crosswalks, passers-by shadows passed each other, each on their way to their own destination.
Merchants put out their stalls along the twisting cobblestone streets near the town center, while a diverse population wandered with tourist curiosity.
As I strolled through the crowd, I noticed that no one was paying attention to me. Maybe I wasn't a threat to them.
Snatches of conversation came to me, and I took advantage of the opportunity to learn more about this city and its people.
The pressure had returned.
My chest constricted once more. My heart was grabbed by a claw, which squeezed it so hard that I had to come to a halt and lean against a tall lamppost.
'Protect.'
The voice had gotten into my head.
My heart stopped beating.
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Lightless day +15
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"Kronprinz."
The voice had a husky tone and sounded familiar.
He softly shook my right shoulder with his palm that had come to rest on it.
"Kronprinz!" exclaim the voice. He shook me even harder as the voice continued. "Get up!"
One of my eyes popped up. Without embarrassment, a gloved hand shook my shoulder.
He assisted me to my feet once I sat up.
"Kronprinz, I'm delighted I came across you first."
"I recognize you! You're my high school's guardian's shadow! The one I was unable to save!"
"Yes, Kronprinz, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. "he murmured, a small smile on his face. You are correct; I was also your school's guardian." With a small bow, he agreed.
"What exactly do you mean by 'also'? How many different personas do you have? Do you have any idea what I'm doing here?"
"During my wanderings, I came across numerous envelopes, one of which was from your school's guard. I'm afraid I'm powerless to help you with your existence in this world. All I know is that you have been summoned to carry out your mission. This is the world of your mother."
"Blah blah blah blah blah ! Nothing you say makes sense to me. First and foremost, why are you also a shadow here? A shadow is a dark area generated by obstructing light rays with an opaque body. However, there is no light here."
I even heard the guard's shadow sigh as he stared at me suspiciously.
"We don't have time to unroll your physics book, Kronprinz. We must act quickly."
"Are we in a hurry? Or how about this? Instead, why don't you tell me why I'm here? Also, stop referring to me as Kronprinz!"
"I'm afraid I can't provide you with a definitive answer."
"Another of your educated guesses? You know how hard it was for me to get here. I'm only now getting back on my feet. My physical form..."
I paused. I was describing my current body as if it were my own.
"Do you agree? What about your body? Which body, is it?"
"Voilà! What happened to my body? Do you have any idea?"
"It was in the hospital that I last saw your human body."
"At the hospital? Why did it rest in the hospital? What the hell happened to me?"
"Your shadow was stolen when the girl in the heeled shoes stole the shadows that were tied to you. Except your shadow was not attached to your body through the purely scientific mechanism, you just explained; your physics book blah blah blah. Your soul, spirit, and consciousness are all contained in your shadow. So, when it was shackled and compelled to follow the person who took it, a split occurred, and your physical body went into a coma while your soul was cast into nothingness, and your spirit wandered through the worlds of high consciousness, shadows, and thaumaturges."
"So, what world was I in when the winged monsters attacked?"
"Monsters with wings? There isn't a universe I'm aware of that is occupied by flying monsters."
"Is this something I'm making up?"
"That is not what I am attempting to convey. I'm simply stating that I've never heard of, and have never seen, a place like this. Let's get this party started!"
I grudgingly followed the guard's shadow as he strode ahead of me, oblivious to onlookers. I did my best to keep up with him, attempting to blend in by clinging to the walls.
"Don't shave the walls. Carry on as usual."
"I don't want anyone to notice me. I'm not like you in that I have a body that doesn't belong to me."
"You are completely unnoticed by passers-by. And, just so you know, you are the owner of this body."
"Who's Pyrrha?"
"Pyrrha ? When was the first time you heard the name?"
"I overheard the name during a conversation."
"Was anyone else involved in this conversation?"
"Abriel and Than, respectively. Do you recognize any of these names?"
"They do, in fact."
"How about Pyrrha? Do you have any idea who it is?"
"Yes, I am aware of her existence."
"How come you didn't inform me?"
"As I previously stated."
"It's time to put this game down!"
"I'm not taking part in any games. You, on the other hand, you continue to behave as a child."
"What will you stop me from acting like a child? I'm only eighteen years old! And... and I have no idea where I am or what I'm doing here..."
When the guard turned back, I could see he was about to growl, but when he met my sight, his expression softened. He approached me and placed his hand on my shoulder.
"You have arrived in Lighthill, the capital of the Duchy of Emerveille, from which the light was stolen in order to gain Arum's power. From that point forward, the population began to reflect shadow rather than light, the light that nurtured Arum's world. The Duchy of Emerveille was renamed the Duchy of Ombrerais. This is your universe, now the land of shadows. As the successor of your mother, the Empereiz, the sovereign of this realm, it is yours."
"I am my mother's heir? What exactly does that imply? That my mother is no longer alive?"
The guard's shadow did not respond. As if he didn't hear me, he strolled with his hands crossed behind his back.
I grabbed his arm and forced him to slow down or stop and look at me.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to tell you anything."
"All of a sudden, you've become less chatty. What exactly happened to my mother?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to tell you anything."
"You don't want to confess you don't know," I yelled, shoving him away.
The claw gripped my heart once more.
My flesh was flayed by the anguish.
I relinquished control.
