Apart from the man sitting on the throne and Thenomor, there are several other people in the rooms. What they all have in common is their black clothing. The women wear dresses with only a few details between them, while the men wear many different types of clothing, such as black armor, suits or even fancier clothes like tunics.
These people have pale skins like Thenomor's, almost pale, and from the way their eyes are red to Kaizen it's not hard to deduce that they are all, or at least most of them, Vampires like him.
'One wasn't enough, now there's a herd. Kaizen thought.
Fryft bowed respectfully as he approached the throne. "Master Zylok, I have brought the new recruit as you ordered."
Zylok, the hooded man, raised a finger from his right hand and pointed at Kaizen. "Are you Kaizen, the skilled player everyone is talking about?"
On hearing the adjective 'player', Kaizen was surprised, but not so much as to express her feelings. 'Of course the First Bishop would be a player too...' Kaizen thought, then bowed formally and said, "Yes, sir. I'm Kaizen the Psyker."
"Interesting... You have plenty of courage to enter my domain after disrupting our plans so much. What convinced you?"
Kaizen stood his ground, trying to hide his discomfort at the smell emanating from Zylok. "Fryft convinced me. She said she'd give me what I want in exchange for my help."
Zylok's posture finally seemed to relax, so he withdrew his hand and rested it back on his throne. "Very well, and what does he want, Fryft?"
Impressively, the Evolved still had her head down. "Sir, he says he wants to reach level 200 as soon as possible."
At that moment, Kaizen, still a little bowed, looked with the corners of his eyes at Fryft and wondered why Zylok still didn't know what Kaizen wanted if Fryft already knew. The answer could only be that Fryft hadn't told Zylok everything, for some reason, perhaps mistrust, perhaps caution, which raised yet another question. If Fryft didn't trust Zylok, why was he treating him like a master?
'She fears him...' Kaizen concluded. 'Does that mean that although she's an Evolved, he's stronger than her?' He raised his head a little, looking at Zylok.
'Well, if getting stronger is what he wants, there's no quicker way than defeating powerful monsters, so I'll send him to Muspelheim. But before I do, I need to know: Kaizen, do you know what the King's Sword is?"
The silence in the room became palpable, while all eyes were fixed on Kaizen, waiting for his answer.
Kaizen swallowed, feeling the weight of expectation on his shoulders. He knew that every word he spoke from that moment on could shape his destiny in that dark place. He chose his words carefully, trying to show confidence even though inside he was full of uncertainty.
"Yes, Master Zylok, I know the King's Sword," Kaizen replied in a firm voice, preventing any trembling from betraying his determination. "The King's Sword is a powerful relic, a mystical artifact from the Kingdom of Tretidian that has the potential to alter the destinies of worlds. It is said that it was forged in an alliance between Elves and Dwarves and that only one with a pure heart can wield it."
A subtle smile played on Zylok's lips, standing out in the darkness that formed the blur of his face under the hood. "Well... Indeed, the King's Sword is an ancient relic, a powerful weapon forged in time immemorial. And you, Kaizen, will be tasked with finding it for us, after all, no one here trusts you yet."
Kaizen's heart raced, then he raised his head. "Find the King's Sword? Does it exist?" He lied.
"Fryft, explain it to him."
"Well, master." Fryft said and finally raised his body. "Kaizen, we believed that the King's Sword was in the possession of the King of Tretidian himself, however, as you know in the last attack we were unable to obtain it, even using our strongest pawn: Morgaroth. For this reason, we believe that Steveren Spelloyal either hid the sword before the attack, or it was stolen by someone who is not on our side. We believed that this sword might be with you, but since you willingly agreed to come here, you wouldn't be foolish to be in possession of it."
"Honestly, if I were in possession of such a powerful weapon, I would have sold it by now. I don't care about items." Kaizen said.
"Of course not, that's why you're such a skilled blacksmith. So you'll be in charge of this mission, to show us that we can trust you. However, there is no trace of the unique energy of the King's Sword since the day of the attack on the Tretidian Capital, it's as if that sword has gone to another dimension. So, while I continue to look for remnants and signs of it, you should go to Muspelheim."
"Wait, if I may, I still have a question. Everything is very confusing for me and I need to understand. What did you do with Mibothen?"
Fryft raised his eyebrows and then looked at Zylok, as if giving him permission to tell. For his part, Zylok cracked a weak smile, which quickly widened into a laugh.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
The crowd of vampires at the foot of the throne immediately started laughing too, following his laughter like a pack of hyenas.
"Hihihihihi!"
"Khahahaha!"
So, when all the laughter stopped, Zylok looked straight into Kaizen's eyes, with his red eyes, and replied:
"Isn't it obvious? We connect Helheim to Midgard, a direct link, like a tunnel through Yggdrasil. Using the practically inexhaustible power of a Mana Crystal, this was possible..."
"Why?" Kaizen dared to ask in shock.
"Is there a better way to generate chaos than by connecting the world of the dead to the world of the living?" Zylok asked. "And soon, when we have the King's Sword and the Midgard Mana Crystal is fully recharged, we'll use it again, but next time we won't just bring a few souls and demons from Helheim, we'll bring a whole legion."
The throne room seemed to shrink around Kaizen, and Zylok's words reverberated in his mind like distant thunder. He swallowed once more, trying to keep his composure in the face of the sinister revelation.
"You see, Kaizen," said Zylok, his wicked smile dancing on his lips, "soon everything will become a fusion of nightmares and reality, where there will be no distinction between life and death. And we, the Lords of Darkness, will reign supreme over this new realm."
Confusion and fear bubbled up inside Kaizen, now everything was obvious. When he had been warned about the possibility of chaos taking a physical form, it wasn't that it would simply form through the body or possess someone, but that extreme chaos would create it, and the case Zylok had described seemed perfect for that.
Still, Kaizen forced himself to remain calm, took a deep breath and, when he raised his head, he said:
"You guys are crazy."
Zylok laughed again, a sound that echoed like a lament through the gloomy corridors of the castle. "Destruction is what we want, Kaizen. We want this world to burn, to drown in despair and darkness. And you, my dear, will be a key player in this game, one way or another."
Kaizen felt a fierce anger burning in his chest. He looked into Fryft's eyes and replied with determination:
"I will never be part of it. I will never help you bring this insanity to fruition."
Not only was Fryft surprised by this sudden statement and in such a place. He was in a wolf's den, surrounded by the hungriest of predators, and yet he still had the courage to declare himself an enemy.
"What are you talking about? Think about it, do you think you have a choice? If you don't cooperate with Zylok and us, your life will be a constant torment, a suffering that will never end. Think of your loved ones, your friends, your beloved. They will suffer too, all because of your stubbornness."
Kaizen clenched his fists. "What you did to Mibothen is just a small sample of what you're capable of, isn't it? You're monsters, you don't deserve to rule any kingdom, any world."
Zylok raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled by Kaizen's courage. Then he finally removed his hood, revealing an aged countenance with a beard and gray hair. "Yes, we are monsters, and that is why we will prevail. The weak will be crushed under the crushing weight of despair, and the strong will bow before our power. And in the end you will be as you are now, alone."
"And do things really have to be this way?" Kaizen asked with a calm demeanor, neither looking angry nor nervous.
"What?"
"I'm suggesting a bargain." said Kaizen, his brain working hard to formulate a plan. "I mean, Zylok, your life in Rise Online will be prosperous, but I've never heard of you in real life. Yes, you have an influential guild owner by your side..." He looked at Fryft. "But do you really think you're more powerful or influential than all the other Evolved combined? Of course not, otherwise you'd be as famous as Brightwater, Mikal or even Goldrudder."
Zylok gritted his teeth. "I'm stronger than any Evolved. I can defeat them like I did Cephal."
"Really? From what the information on the webnet says, Cephal is only a solo player and not one of the most patient. But let's say that yes, you can defeat one or two Evolved, in the end could you stand a war against them? After all, at the end of the day, it's them you'll have to fight."
"Humph... What do you propose?"
"A deal, of course. I was planning to create a guild, but I only have a few members in mind. And I believe there can't be many members of The Eye of Hermodr left after two failed attacks, and considering how empty this place is..."
Fryft's jaw dropped. She could hardly believe what she was seeing and hearing. 'He's crazy... He's trying to recruit the greatest enemy to the Guild itself.
"Are you proposing that I join your Guild?"
"It doesn't have to be exactly my guild. I'll join your guild, and Fryft could merge her guild with yours, so you wouldn't just have power, as you do now, you'd also have the influence of an Evolved and someone like me. You'd be more popular that way than trying to destroy the world and you wouldn't have so many headaches." Kaizen said and winked at the man while crossing his arms, waiting for an answer.
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