Chapter 150 - The Dark Royals

"Have you heard of the rumors?"

"Rumors…?" Orwell had heard plenty, but what could his mother be talking about?

"About Magierstadt changing its exams. It's spreading to Feuersturm now." 

Orwell scowled. "Yes, I know, Mother. Why?"

"Those rumors were just confirmed earlier," Lovellia exclaimed. "And since I've watched your research, I recognized one thing."

"Recognized one thing?"

"You are aware of Zweite's fallen Dark Castle, right?"

Orwell nodded. Of course, how could he forget? Zweite's Dark Castle had the history of a gruesome murder that was cursed by warlocks. Even if it is a minor reoccurrence that wasn't in any way popular, he was still familiar with it due to the sinister value it holds.

"Apparently, Magierstadt made a dungeon that imitated the dark castle…" Lovellia exclaimed. 

"No… Magierstadt MADE a dark castle that harbors the cursed souls of the real undead, Orwell." 

Orwell blinked.

"And when the undead lurks…"

"…it searches for those with strong mana." Orwell continued, with a bead of sweat dripping across his temples.

Orwell gritted his teeth.

'This is bad.'

**

It is said that a long time ago, humans were believed to be the descendants of the balancing light and darkness. When darkness and light reunited, it created neutral creatures that were capable of both evil and good. These are the first humans; not as evil as Monsters, but less fair than the Fey. They are not as stout as Dwarves, and not as pure as the Elves, but they were mortal creatures that were capable of reason and creation—something that differed them from the others.

In the past, there is only a void. And then, out from the darkness, a "Singularity" is born; It is called the Above. It then made light and darkness exist. The light created a world, the "first" world—Zuerst. The light created a shadow from its trace, thus born darkness. Darkness created a separate world, the "second" world—Zweite. The light from the first world shaped the first bodies and gave rise to the Lightbearers; the five mortal creatures who were chosen to control light, thus give life. The other chosen five are Darkwielders, those who can control obscurity.

These chosen mortals were given a long life, but not immortality—the moment they reproduce and procreate, their lifespan shortens and is cut into 30 years of living. 

After darkness and light coexisted in the void, a "Messiah" is born from the remnants of the singularity.

The Messiah is the one who serves as the messenger of Above; both a possessor of light and darkness, given the knowledge about the creation of the world at birth by the fragments left in the void. Through the Messiah, the Singularity gave His divine orders to the Lightbearers and Darkwielders. The messiah possessed no material body—he is in a guise of a message, a prophecy, a lingering voice; a purpose.

Spontaneously, creatures of various kinds appeared in each world—but with oddity. The first world summoned creatures that brimmed with light, beautiful, and gleeful. The second world, on the other hand, summoned creatures that spit venom, born from darkness.

The chosen ones balanced the world by giving the first world darkness, and with the second world light. It affected the creatures' appearances and nature greatly. The first world summoned beautiful but deceitful monsters when the Darkwielders cast darkness with it, while the second world created ugly but good-willed creatures when the Lightbearers bestowed light upon the land.

From Zuerst arose good—and from Zweite, arose bad. This is the explanation of why the homeland of Warlocks is the second continent. They are said to be the fruit of the pure darkness that was the second world.

And then, it happened. Two worlds collided after eons and thus born the planet Earthland where these two continents coexisted. In the West lied the first continent, and from the East, the second continent. 

Ever since the dawn of time, the inhabitants of the two continents opposed each other. Zuerst prided themselves as good and had a purpose to obliterate the people of the second continent. Zweite, whose populace used dark magic, was seen as evil. They had warlocks, demons, and monsters swarming their land. But the terrain wasn't all dystopia as the sun rises on the east. Zweite was a land of beauty and light—yet it harbored darkness within its depths.

For a course of three hundred years, Zuerstians and Zweitens fought.

The dark castle ranges back to the Great War where Zweite and Zuerst were fighting for the unification of the world—a battle to who will rule Earthland. The two continents were at scuffle to which forces would dominate the other. From the holy scriptures, it was said that the two continents were actually two, separate and different worlds—but a certain royal family that was from a small island in Zweite believed otherwise.

It was the Dark Royals, who governed a country that was long forgotten.

The Dark Royals were believed to be advocates for peace and were the critics of Zuerstians self-righteousness. 

"Who dares to call themselves purely good, but fails to recognize no one is inherently evil?" The king repeatedly asked these to the populace. "No one in Zweite nor Zuerst can become a demon nor an angel, as we are all equal. The war is futile; people clashing amongst themselves is utterly foolish. Stop the Great War, for nothing good, will come out of it."

The king of that forgotten country spouted words that were virtuous and just… however, no one could take him seriously as he is a man of immorality. It was evident how he was having s.e.x.u.a.l affairs to the maids, noblewomen, commoners, and many others while neglecting his wife and children. He also had vices, and had his country impoverished and his people being discriminated against.

He was a lowlife who even snatched married women from their husbands unwillingly by abusing his authority as a king. People lost respect to him and the royals from the two continents paid no heed to his advice as he is considered a hypocrite.

And if it wasn't worse as it is—he was also a Warlock. A Warlock who took on monarchy.

Scriptures recorded only bits and pieces of the Dark Royals, barely mentioning anything about the fallen royal family. But there was something notable about them that still made the sections in several textbooks.

The first royal massacre recorded in history.

In the Year 300 when the war was nearing its end, the Dark Royals were attacked by Warlocks. The whole family, including the servants, were killed so gruesomely. 

"The maids were beheaded and their bodies were castrated and cooked. Their broiled bodies are then given to the reluctant royal family who is then forced to eat the stewed, human flesh."

The first gruesome murder in history was only a small section in Magierstadt's textbooks, even considered as something insignificant.

The royal family was then killed by the Warlocks and cursed for all eternity to have their souls wandering to the Dark Castle. 

Orwell was researching this certain incidence along with the academics of Magierstadt back on the days. However, due to the fact that Nightmare was connected to the spell these Warlocks used, Magierstadt immediately put a stop to the research because of the Forsaken's attack on the Feuerkriegers. "We cannot continue this research since the Court and Feuersturm is keeping an eye on us. One wrong move and we might ignite unnecessary feud. Do you understand, Orwell?"

"I will take on the research on my own, if you allow me, Professors." 

And so they did. Now, Orwell was researching the dark royals amongst many other kinds of research of his own.

The Dark Royals were given the curse similar to the monarchs in the first continent; except the Dark Royals are all dead and had no one to continue their bloodline. Orwell wondered if there was someone in the Dark Royals who survived—because IF there is one, there is an immense chance of the curse being the same as Nightmare. He also had researched the country that no longer existed, the island where the ruins of the dark castle were situated. 

However, his research was futile. The maps do not record the forgotten country anymore as it sunk after five hundred years. Although it cannot be seen in the globe, it can be pinpointed in the old maps, which is good news for Orwell.

"This is bad," Orwell sat in the chair, his palm on his forehead. "This is really bad. The dark castle? Imitation?"

Of course, that was a front. Orwell Lotheringwood knew Magierstadt better. He had studied, and worked with its researchers and professors. There was no way that they could 'imitate' the dark castle. The only way to do it is to��

"...they used a spell to summon it, didn't they?"

"Yes," Lovellia answered. "I received a word from the castle, saying they need me to notify you as soon as possible. But then I came too late… Lady Faustina is already taking the exams, isn't she?"

Orwell wanted to curse. They are in a dire situation now. The dark castle was cursed by the Warlocks. There was no way in the world that Faustina would be able to fight without experience.

"They continued the research they said they cannot continue," Orwell gritted his teeth. The professors and scholars lied to him? Why? "I thought they were wary of Feuersturm? What did the king say about this?"

"The information wasn't made public, but I was told by the Diener des Lichts that only a few people know. I overheard that the king isn't pleased." Lovellia said. "This might ignite the feud between Feuersturm and Magierstadt."

"Aside from all that political conflict…" Orwell said. "If the exams changed to have them into the dark castle for whatever reason… then it means Magierstadt is trying to hide something. No… are they experimenting?"

Orwell doesn't understand what was the reason for this. Using something THAT dangerous would only mean one thing.

"There is something… no, SOMEONE they're trying to exploit." Orwell murmured.

"Then it means…" Lovellia quivered.

"Faustina is in danger."