The Villain's Story

Chapter 776: Nocumbra(2).

A portal opened up on the platform in Lanekia, where the final trial of frost took place. Everybody stared at it, as Alan and Sabrina stepped out, both in different attire than they remembered.

Safe to say, they received a lot of weird looks. Sabrina was appalled, as she noticed Olivia and Alice looking at her with wide open mouths, looks of shock and confusion apparent on their face.

”...”

She covered her face in embarrassment, though with that she may have just confirmed their suspicions with that action. She knew she had a lot to explain... and perhaps they would never believe her. Thankfully, Emma was innocently asleep...

As to Alan, most of the men merely looked away, focusing on the portal. Besides Edward, who was shivering in the corner. They all continued to gaze at the mass of darkness on the ground.

A coalition of shadows, condensed to thickness incomparable. The portal to Nocumbra, Everyone merely stared at it, and Alan could see their tension.

The shaky grip on their weapons, something he didnʼt expect from Alexander. The massive frown on Maxwell, and Edward silently shivering in the corner. Even Kazikato gazed at the portal with caution, he was almost glaring at it.

He approached them, and asked.

”Whatʼs gotten into all of you.”

None of them answered, keeping their eyes locked to the portal. Alan repeated, and only then did Maxwell finally turn to him.

”Done having fun?”

”... Just tell me what happened.”

”You disappeared with your girlfriend and came back hours later, both of you in different clothing? I mean, I get it, you were stressed, but a bit bold, no?”

”... That is not what happened.”

”Sure.”

He knew he didnʼt have any escape in this situation, so he stopped fighting back, albeit reluctantly. He knew whatever he said wouldnʼt be believed at all. Taking a deep sigh, he asked once more.

”... What happened here?”

He saw all of them grow tense, which raised alarms in his head.

”Go in.”

Alexander urged, pointing to the portal.

”Youʼll see.”

The elusiveness began to tick him off, but Alan let it go. He knew it had to be something big if all of them were this tensed. Most likely, they had travelled to Nocumbra while he was fighting the vampires... and saw something none of them liked.

Alan jumped into the portal, with the others following soon after. As he was embraced by the shadows, he felt as if he was being suffocated. He didnʼt panic, because he knew his body was being transported somewhere. It was akin to his own teleportation... only a lot slower.

With his own teleportation, either instantaneous or through a portal, there was always a weird feeling, like being compressed... but it was so fast he almost never noticed it. This one, however, truly made him feel like it.

But it carried another element, a sort of verification. He felt as if he was being grabbed everywhere, as if thousands of hands were transporting him somewhere slowly. Like he was a train, being carried through tracks... which were hands in this scenario. They were also checking something about him, but he couldnʼt be sure.

It was a disgusting feeling. Alan almost thought it was this method of teleportation that irked the group, but he knew it couldnʼt be that. It may be enough for Maxwell and the girls, but not the rest.

He couldnʼt imagine Alexander or Kazikato being fazed by something like this... So why were they so tense? Was Nocumbra a bad sight to see? Was it a hell unlike any other?

He hoped it wouldnʼt be hot... He would hate that. Not only that, but he could deal with everything but heat. Just donʼt be hot...

He would be glad if it was just a scary shadow beast. He only met one in the tower, although only an imitation. It was a tough foe at the time, but he couldnʼt be sure.

The tower had dumbed itʼs strength down to fit his level. It always made a trial... possible. Impossible was something it never did. He was still unaware as to what a true Shadow beast really was.

He had to hunt down seven of them as well, a requirement of the trials. Likewise, he hoped there would be one on the other side of this damn portal.

A good start to Nocumbra.

But it wasnʼt, as the darkness, the mass of shadows finally dissipated, as the weird feeling disappeared. Alan couldnʼt see anything, even his extraordinary vision that could see perfectly well in the night was hindered.

He felt his feet dig deep into the ground, as if he was in a desert. It wasnʼt hot, thankfully.

”Slowly input mana into your eyes.”

He heard Alexander from behind him, as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He didnʼt even need to input mana into his eyes by his own will. His body was already doing it by itself.

”... And be prepared.”

Alan could finally see, and in but a moment he understood why all of them were so tensed, so... afraid.

It was not the endless sea of black of sand beneath their feet, the hills of black obsidian in the distance, some so high they touched the dark skies above.

It was not the black sun with an outline of white light in the distance either, which exuded power unlike any other... but something familiar. A dread they thought they vanquished.

ʼThump.ʼ

Alan took a step back, as his eyes opened wide, his body reflexively tensed up, ready for a fight for a survival. All his senses were alarmed.

ʼThump.ʼ

For in front was the very star devourer himself, the giant of the storms, the lightning bringer they thought they killed, enshrouded in black. A mountain of shadows unlike any other, moving towards the sun in the center of this dark world.

It was exactly the same as they remembered, the strange drums on his back, the piece of bone that connected them, the same lightning that had turned them to ash many times revolved around him, taking a black hue. But no matter what color it was, they would always remember it.

The shadow of the giant they had died too so many times... was right in front of them, mindlessly walking forward.

ʼ...Why... Wh-Why is he here?ʼ

Didnʼt they kill him?