Chapter 351 - The King Of The Second Floor

"This place is enormous…"

Iris commented as they found themselves deep within the holds of the castle; the width of the corridor expanded, leaving a pearlescent chandelier dazzling above the two. It didn't seem made for normal people; the luxurious abode was accommodated for larger figures as each door stood at least three times the height of the young man peering at the possible pathways ahead of them. 

Along the ivory walls stretched abandoned, cobalt flags tinged with forgotten history—the lengthy, blue veils bore the symbol of a dragon. 

In its hollow state, the castle was left barren of furniture and treasures, but not unclean; it was a glimpse into a past era. 

"Isn't it kind of...beautiful? I mean, a place like this inside Purgatory...it just feels weird." 

"Yeah. Ren, don't you think it's odd? Exploring this realm, it feels so lonely…there's ruins, temples, all marked by history. It feels like Purgatory…is a home for those discarded by Gaia. For some reason, that feels…kind."

Iris responded as she watched one of the prominent, dragon flags flutter gently before Ren pressed his hand against the center-most door.

Pausing for a moment, he could feel it; beyond the platinum threshold, what he sought awaited him—it was a mixture of dread and anxiousness—something waited.

Whether it was a tangible aura emanating from the room beyond the door or simply his own instincts—an air of divinity resided past the luxurious gate. 

"Ren?"

Iris asked as she looked at the white-haired young man who looked back at her.

"…Are you ready?"

His question made the girl pause for a moment, but reading that determined look in his eyes, she nodded.

Before he could resume pushing the dense, dragon-engraved door open, Iris assisted him, placing her hand near his as they parted the heavy doors open with a resounding roar bellowing from the awoken steel. 

It was far more vast than either could imagine; colossal pillars held the room high. Littering the otherwise spotless, tiled floor of opulent marble were the fallen corpses of black-robed figures and hollow knights.

By the imposing, azure chair that sat in the very back of the seraphic chamber, it was clear they had found the throne room. 

Sitting in the throne silently and unmoving as the threshold was crossed, an entity dressed in glorious armor sat as if waiting for their arrival. 

That's the culmination of this entire floor isn't it…? That guy right there, Ren thought. 

Unfolding himself from his seated position, the silent knight stood as his grand, sky-blue cape fell down his back, parting four ways like fluttering wings. 

It was just as he stood that an overwhelming aura rattled the entirety of the vast domain, raining down with pins and needles that dug right under the two's skin. 

"Looks like we found the boss."

Ren stated as he drew his blade from his sheath with a hand that fought him to retreat from the harrowing aura; following his lead, Iris readied herself as her magical aura rose. 

Even as they readied themselves for the imminent battle, holding declared stances--they couldn't bring themselves to take the first step forward.

Instantly, Ren felt his instincts bring himself to act on the defensive, holding his thin longsword as if it were his last defense as the tall, crowned knight shrouded in enigma and silence slowly marched forward, each of his steps echoing through his domain. 

"Ren, this aura…"

"I know--it's suffocating...this is nothing like that damn minotaur, at all." 

Only able to watch as the steel-clad guardian of the floor approached, Ren's words fell silent as he watched the tall figure bend down near one of the fallen corpses of the knights of the quadrant, retrieving the blood-stained sword from their hand. 

It was a perplexing action; Ren saw no reason for him to retrieve the discarded broadsword. At the hip of the crowned knight dressed in pearlescent, yet dented and grimy ivory, a scabbard laid beneath his fluttering cloak, glistening in whatever sparse light showed itself. 

Why isn't it using that…? It clearly has a sword at its side, Ren thought. 

Each stride taken forward by the king of the castle invoked an echo of dread, power, and authority. 

"Ren…"

Iris' words fell deaf on the young man's ears, but it wasn't due to fear bringing him into a still embrace; he was running through his brain any opening from his opponent, any information he could gather--but he could simply not find anything. 

I can't find anything...he'll just cut it away, he thought. 

There were a million avenues to approach from, an infinite amount of roads to initiate the battle--but cunning and techniques simply would be swept away by such overwhelming strength. 

It's fine...we can just try again--if we die here, it's not the end...it's fine, he assured himself. 

No urgency possessed the guardian king's steps; making the suffocating, chilling aura oozing off him, stretching the width and length of the domain--a natural occurrence of his existence. 

"Ren!"

This time, the yell of the azure-haired young woman brought him to his senses as he took in a shaky inhale, feeling even such a simple action send a quiver throughout his entire body. 

Wait, that's not right...He thought. 

For some reason, it was in the presence of the daunting, approaching foe did a possibility bring itself to his mind. 

What brought this question was the looming, pressing likelihood of death. 

Does...Iris have the Pact of Undying? He thought. 

Asking himself this, a harrowing chill ran over his body as his hairs stood, feeling his grip on his blade feel empty for a moment as his breathing became rugged once more. 

She didn't enter like the rest of us--they brought her here to the second floor instantly to separate us. I remember this...why didn't I realize it then?! When I talked about the voice that greeted me when entering, she was confused! She wasn't notified about the pact at all…! He thought. 

Looking back at her, he witnessed Iris' already worried expression shift for the worse as she saw the young man's dreadful shock inhabiting the white of his eyes. 

What he intended to do was tell her to run, but when turning back to her, his eyes caught something that once more made his stomach fall: the door they entered through had already returned to its sealed state sometime after they entered. 

No...this isn't right--was it all a trap? Did those Belmon people do this? There's no way--but it can't be a coincidence. Everything--everything is going wrong, he thought. 

"...Iris. Do you have the Pact of Undying?"

He finally asked, forcing the question out of his throat that had been constricted by dread. 

"Huh?" 

Iris looked at him confusedly as the whites of her eyes were expanded; it was clear to the young man that she didn't understand the question--

"Do you have it?!" 

Not wasting any time as the hollow king continued his slow approach, Ren yelled sharply at the girl--commanding an answer as his voice broke with a flurry of emotions he couldn't comprehend. 

Their time was finite; a painfully clear reality to Ren as he pressed the young woman who was frozen with shock as if she already knew the answer. 

"Iris! Answer the question…!"

Grabbing onto her shoulders tightly, he looked back, watching as the wave of dread followed the slow, but imminently approaching enemy. 

"I...I don't know…"

She finally answered as her quivering eyes met with his own; it was as good as a confirmation for the young man as he felt his stomach sink to the deepest depths of despair. 

We had it easy all this time as a team...we were careless; how could I let this happen…? A situation like this...there's no other choice--it's do-or-die, he thought. 

"...You have my back don't you? Iris?" 

Ren asked shakily as he held his sword in front of him, turning back to face the approaching foe that drug himself forward wordlessly with each booming step. As the hollow king drew closer, the details of his exuberant armor became more clear; it fit his body in such a way it seemed to be an extension of his own flesh, stretching over his form gracefully. Inlaid into the ivory amidst the center of his chest were twelve grooves in a circular design, baring prized gems. 

"Yes...I do."

"Okay...then let's do this. Let's win, right here--right now." 

Even as he said this, he couldn't help but notice his own hand, shaking and trembling with the nauseating reality that settled into his pores. 

Whatever it takes; I'll use my flesh and bones to stop him--at the very least, I can buy time until the others get here, he thought. 

But even that much was wishful thinking as he could feel the tremors from outside of the castle, experiencing the weight of the gargantuan dragon outside of the keep--listening to its fiery roars as a clash of magic existed in the exterior. 

Finally, he took the initiative, dashing forward directly towards the lumbering, faceless king before throwing his freehand forward. 

"Araphel: Blackout!" 

Tossing the incantation directly at the somberly dressed knight that stood far taller than himself, Ren tossed the flash of pitch-black darkness at the floor guardian--engulfing him in the momentary abyss as his senses were robbed. 

There, that should even things out! Ren thought, the natural response to having your senses robbed while an enemy is approaching from the front is--a frontal swing!

Predicting this, he issued a step forward utilizing shadows--dashing formelssly as he appeared directly behind the blinded king. Even having the complete advantage with the crowned knight's back to him, he could still feel the overwhelming aura emanating without any mitigation; a presence so heavy that he still feared swinging upon the enigmatic foe. 

Move, dammit! He urged himself. 

Swinging his blade towards the knight's back, a dull ring echoed through the vast keep. 

It took him a moment to process the sight directly in front of his eyes; his blade didn't carve through his foe's flesh, let alone his armor—it was stopped by the broadsword wielded by the sensory deprived knight.

How? It's not just his sight taken away—all five senses are overwhelmed by Blackout. So how did he block it from behind…? Ren asked himself.

"Ren…!"

Iris' warning came a moment too late, but it was futile either way--what came was something that could not be accounted for.