Chapter 60

Dane flew over the city, watching eerie monsters stalk the streets. There were all kinds of strange creatures he could observe; some hid from greater ones, some hunted the weaker, and stranger ones inhabited human structures. The portion of the city that they inhabited was in ruins. Utterly uninhabitable.

Dane couldn't help but wonder why those things didn't storm the castle. Nightmare Creatures could sense when a great many souls gathered together. Were the inhabitants just that strong?

Could there be a group of stranded Awakened or even a Master or two in the castle? Dane could not be sure. He could see some humans creeping through the city streets. They were hunting. Interesting.

Dane noticed men manning the walls of the great castle, keeping watch over a stony slope that coiled around the hill, starting from a tall arch near the ruins and ending at the castle gates.

At the foot of the castle was another settlement, if you could even call it one. It was filthy and dirty, and the men and women that gathered there seemed weak and tired. He couldn't see anyone too clearly, and they couldn't see him either. The morning was cold in the city, with winter mists rolling through the walled citadel; it was hard to see much.

Dane decided he'd approach the castle. It wouldn't do to let whoever saw him know his Ability. If things got out of hand, some could even accuse him of being a Nightmare Creature upon looking at his foggy figure.

He wore his flesh and started for the castle from within the boundary of the ruins where no one could see him. He wore his flesh and started for the castle from within the boundary of the ruins where no one could see him. He ascended the slope broken by stairs and fortifications at certain places. Eventually, he wound up at the outer settlement.

Dozens of crude hovels of rubble, rotting wood, and monster hides littered the road here. The stench here was almost unbearable. Dane held his breath as he walked past gaunt, hopeless people. Dane looked himself over.

With how miserable his sleep had been during the past weeks, he looked quite similar to them in that he was similarly gaunt. His medium-long hair was mussed, and his wispy beard made him fit right in.

Besides his gambeson being an unstained, pristine beige, he wasn't too unlike them. Some of them wore rags, but others had Memories.

He was confused. The castle was right there…why were they here? Then his eyes caught sight of the guards standing at the apex of the marble stairs that led to the castle. Were these people not allowed inside? What a strange place. He considered asking one of the locals, but many of them took one look at him and scurried away, eyes on his sheathed sword. How was he to understand if they wouldn't speak to him?

Dane eyed the pitiful hovels. He did not want to sleep there, on coral mounds, or atop statues any longer. A bed would be well appreciated. He climbed the steps and found himself blocked by two guardsmen.

They wore armor and wore their weapons in makeshift scabbards. Dane had noticed that most people in the outer settlements didn't carry weapons, though he certainly saw some summoning them. Is that why they ran from them? Because they thought he was one of them?

They stared at him like he was a rat in their kitchen. Above them, dozens of human skulls swung from rusty chains. One of the men spoke, scowling. Dane was not quite sure how to proceed.

It was unwise to anger them by refusing to speak, but he didn't want to expose his strengths. Whether that be his Ability or his telepathic enchantment. The people within this castle didn't seem too friendly…and with how one of them eyed his armor, he didn't need to tempt them too much. 

After a few seconds of silence, he answered. "My Flaw doesn't allow me to understand human speech. I'd deeply appreciate it if you could get some paper so we can converse…if there is paper here."

They did not look amused. One of them, the one who eyed his armor, moved for his sword, but the other caught his shoulder and shook his head, barked something at his colleague, and with a short nod at Dane, he walked into the castle. His short-tempered friend stood there, tapping his foot on the floor impatiently, arms crossed. Dane gave him a polite smile and didn't make any sudden movements; he could see how ready the man was to leap at him.

Soon after, the man returned with two other men wearing armor and carrying weapons. They spoke amongst themselves, and when they were done, they waved him in. The men who had been at the gate escorted Dane inside while the newcomers took their posts.

The one who had stopped the other from drawing his blade, a man in leather armor, cautiously glanced at Dane's eyes. He didn't seem too concerned with him, but his jaw was tense when he looked at his partner.

Passing through the ornate gates, a large hall greeted Dane. Around them, stained glass panes rose to the tall ceilings, letting cascading rays of beautiful light in.

A wooden desk stood at the center of the hall. Behind it sat a young woman. She wore a simple white blouse and wore her hair in a bun. Upon seeing them, she smiled fearfully at the short-tempered man and then at Dane.

She had a pile of papers next to her. They were all written on, but she turned one around and revealed a blank side. "Greetings! Welcome to the Bright Castle," she wrote.

"Hello," Dane replied.

The aggressive guard, clad in chainmail, scoffed and said something. The girl gasped at his words, and the one in leather looked at him disapprovingly. Yet, their eyes quickly shot to Dane, examining him.

Dane had the sinking feeling he had just been insulted.

Seeing him unresponsive, the woman let out a relieved sigh. She put pen to paper, scribbling neatly. The paper read, "My name is Lara, and I'm responsible for the guest accommodations today.

"Are you aware of how this works?"

Dane shook his head.

She continued to write.

"Here in the Bright Castle, guests are allowed to stay here, receiving board, water, food, and protection for a soul shard per week as a tribute to Lord Gunlaug."

She turned her eyes up from the paper, looking at Dane expectantly. He scratched his beard, "I have no soul shards at the moment."

As if expecting it, she began to write. "There are other ways to receive all those. Would you be interested?"

Dane looked at the words with amusement. "Yes."

The man in chainmail said something, and Lara froze for a moment. The other man watched silently, his fists clenching. Dane cleared his throat, jolting the girl out of her thoughts. 

She jotted on the paper, letting her handwriting get worse.

"If you have a Utility Ability that can make life in the castle easier or an Ability that lets you make or build things, you can join the Artisans.

If not, you can join the Castle Guard."

Dane looked at the men next to him before answering Lara. "Don't mind me asking the obvious, but what does the Castle Guard do?" he asked.

"Their job is to enforce Lord Gunlaug's laws and protect the castle from Nightmare Creatures. They are the reason why we can all live peacefully." As she wrote, she stole a glance at the loose-lipped man and the other two who stood guard outside, shivering.

It would not take much effort to return to the corals and hunt Scavengers for their shards, yet that closed off so many options. Despite his grief and languidness, Dane could see that life in this castle wasn't as peaceful as Lara tried to make it seem. Furthermore, soul shards in this region, and any other, were a form of currency.

It would not do him any good paying this Gunlaug of theirs to stay at his castle. Joining this Castle Guard, however, would let him get closer to the inner sanctum of the castle and also inherit a certain amount of authority.

That was good for the future, regardless of what came. If he couldn't bear being a member of this guard, he could always quit. How could they stop him?

"I'll join the Castle Guard," he said.