Nightblade (Darkest night)-Chapter 153: As above, so below

The first thing Morgan noticed when he woke was the pair of green eyes staring right back at him.

"Am I still dreaming?" He groggily thought, slowly flexing his fingers first, then his toes.

" You’re finally awake, you had us worried there for a second..."

Morgan quietly turned his head, noticing Lucian, who was standing just behind Emily.

A short distance away, the fire they’d started burned cozily, chasing away the fog.

Turning back, his eyes landed on Emily.

The dark-haired girl was too close, way too close.

" I’m awake now... "he muttered.

Emily stared at him, her eyes fixated on something on his face.

Morgan frowned slightly, gently raising himself off the ground.

" Is there something on my face? "

"Your eyes, to be exact," she spoke faintly," they were a strange...Never mind."

With that, she scooted away, rejoining Samantha.

Lucian walked up to him, smiling faintly.

"It’s your turn to take over the watch."

Morgan groaned, rubbing his head gingerly.

At a glance, apart from him, Lucian and Emily, the rest of the group was asleep.

" Dude, you were muttering in your sleep. Struggling even. I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn’t even budge an inch."

Morgan wearily rubbed his eyes.

" Is that so...?"

He yawned loudly, groggily getting to his feet.

" I should be alright now. Get some rest, I’ll stand guard."

The group of six had arrived in the City Beneath without much incident.

The ominous city was perpetually shrouded in fog and darkness.

Just like the formerly Bretnar-infested city above, the City Beneath had the same ominous pillars studded with glowing crystals that faintly illuminated the City.

The gigantic pillars, along with the twin moons, were the city’s only sources of light.

And from what they’d discovered, the night was perpetually eternal, at least so far.

" Is this even a part of Tenebris?" Talia had asked, after they’d spent some time scouting out the strange city.

In the illusory sky above the city, the twin moons from Morgan’s memory of the place glowed brightly, almost standing side by side.

The smaller ethereal blue moon shone brilliantly, emanating a radiant glow full of life and hope.

Its emerald counterpart shone with a ghostly green light, washing everything beneath it aglow in its malevolent radiance.

From what they’d discovered so far, the city was known as Azaroth.

The words were boldly etched at the grand gateway that led into the city.

The group had unanimously agreed to camp just outside the ghost city.

Staring at the eerie atmosphere shrouding the city, Cassius involuntarily shivered.

"This place gives me the creeps," he muttered.

And they’d all agreed on that.

Even abandoned, Azaroth wasn’t a place for

Morgan stared up at the twin moons in deep thought.

Apart from the eternal night, the ever-present fog also made visibility that much harder.

And occasionally, a vague figure could be seen moving through the thick veil of fog.

A fleeting appearance here and there.

Probably a trick of the mind.

Spending so much time away from the rest of the world was probably starting to get to them. But after that strange experience, Morgan wasn’t so inclined to believe that it was their minds losing touch with reality anymore.

Staring into the thick fog, Morgan casually unsheathed one of his Blood Reaper blades, staring at his reflection through the flat of the blade.

" What the hell was that?"

A pale youth with brown eyes and dark hair stared back at him through the dark blade, his face twisted into a grim expression.

"Am I still dreaming?"

It was a possibility.

After all, this could very well be the third time he was waking up, and yet he could swear he’d been awake.

"I went to the Void World when that thing attacked me and then..."

A searing pain suddenly flared through his head.

His breathing turned hoarse and ragged.

"Ah, damn. What is even happening to me?"

He closed his eyes, suppressing a groan.

After a few breaths, the pain subsided completely.

A split second later, the shadows around him shifted, a dark shape taking root.

Morgan’s eyes widened in disbelief, his hand instantly reaching for his blade.

"There’s no need to be alarmed..."

Morgan frowned, narrowing his eyes at the voice.

" Sarenus?"

The darkness shifted into a familiar cub, its outline visible on the ground in front of him.

"It is I..."

Morgan’s hand remained poised for his blade.

" How do I even know you’re here?" Morgan hissed.

" Am I still dreaming? Is this a dream?"

Sarenus let out a low chuckle, shifting slightly.

" Fear not. I simply sensed your distress and wished to help."

Morgan frowned, staring at the puddle of shifting darkness.

" And how do I know it’s actually you?"

Sarenus chuckled once more, the sound of his laughter echoing through Morgan’s mind.

"Well, let’s see...I’m the one who taught you about the Void World. And I intervened and saved you in the Realm Between..."

Morgan slowly took his hand away from the Blood Reaper blade.

Folding his arms across his chest, his voice took a businesslike tone.

" How are you even here?"

The puddle of darkness out up with white ethereal flames, shifting form once more.

" I think my earlier intervention somehow strengthened our bond. I was able to sense your...distress, or shall I say confusion, and since I had some time on my hands, I decided to help?"

Morgan raised an eyebrow questioningly.

" What about your energy?"

Sarenus scoffed.

" As you can see, this form is quite convenient, and while it doesn’t allow me to manifest my physical form yet, it allows me to freely communicate and move around with you."

" As you grow stronger, I’ll probably be able

to exert more of my power in this domain as well."

Squatting down, Morgan let out a sigh.

" Thanks for saving me from that thing earlier. I owe you my life."

The puddle of darkness twitched, the flames increasing significantly.

"There’s no need to thank me. I am a part of you now. Your life is my life. Of course, I’ll only intervene if it’s truly necessary."

Morgan laughed, shaking his head slightly.

A cold wind blew, stirring the ghostly fog.

Several vague dark shapes moved within it, appearing for a split second before disappearing.

Morgan stared at them for a while before turning back.

"What was that back there? That creature that attacked me and that place?"

" You mean the Realm Between..."

Morgan nodded slightly.

The puddle morphed, assuming a seating position, shape-shifting into a replica of Morgan’s shadow.

Morgan stared at Sarenus in amusement.

" Well?"

"Where to begin?"

Sarenus thoughtfully tapped his head in contemplation.

" There’s no easy way around it, I guess. So I’ll start with something simple.

Morgan nodded for him to continue.

" The creature that attacked you is called a Veliscera. The Veliscera are children of the Lord of the Realm Between, Velagrew of Oblivion."

Morgan frowned slightly.

" Oh, so and what’s that supposed to mean?"

Sarenus stared at him for a while before eventually speaking.

"You’ve met my master Alsterius before..."

Morgan quietly nodded.

"Alsterius was the first..." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

" The first Lord," Morgan chipped in.

" Precisely, but there were others beside him. Others that ascended and became worthy of Thrones of their own.Like Velagrew."

Morgan grimaced in disgust.

"Does that mean each of the other birthed kids like the veliscera?"

Sarenus trembled slightly, clutching his sides.

A slight frown appeared on Morgan’s face.

" What’s the matter? Is something wrong?"

In the next second, Sarenus burst into laughter.

Heavens no! You’re a funny one, kid. Didn’t know you had it in you!"

A few moments later, after he’d managed to calm down, Sarenus continued his explanation.

"The Veliscera are... by-products, or perhaps we can call them extensions of his power. They have wills of their own, but they answer to Velagrew."

" What about Tenebris then? And Earth..Don’t they qualify as Realms? Are they domains of some Lord?"

Sarenus paused, his inky form cocking its head.

" What about it?"

" Does Tenebris have a Lord? It’s a realm, isn’t it?"

Sarenus shook his head.

" Nope. As far as I know, this godforsaken place doesn’t have a ruler...not yet anyway."

Morgan silently scratched his head, several thoughts churning through his mind.

" If Tenebris doesn’t have a ruler, then how did the veliscera get here? Isn’t that outside of Velagrew’s realm?"

Sarenus mirrored his actions, scratching his head as well.

"Well, you’re right about that. It’s a bit puzzling, really. But the only reason that I can think of is..."

" Morgan..."

A familiar voice cut through the silence, instantly putting him on high alert.

Morgan instantly froze, his entire body going still.

After a few moments in silence, he calmly turned around, smiling awkwardly.

A pair of piercing green eyes stared back at him.

A short distance away, the dark-haired girl stood quietly watching him.

Almost comically, Morgan hadn’t even heard her move.

"Emily, what’s up?"

She raised an eyebrow, staring at him in amusement.

" You’re talking to yourself?"

Morgan let out an awkward laugh, shaking his head slightly.

" Of course not! That’d be crazy."

Smiling faintly, he stood, facing her.

" Why would you think that?"