"Your wait is over, then," Void said, appearing in front of the Commander.
The Commander was surprised; he hadn't sensed Void's presence despite being fully alert.
"And you are?" the Commander asked, though deep down he already knew the answer.
Void answered with an authoritative voice, "I am Void, the whisper of darkness and the voice of the God of Darkness."
As soon as the Commander heard that, he bowed. "Glory to Darkness."
Void was amused by the Commander's act. "As expected. Now, let's get to serious talk."
The Commander's body tensed. "Yes?"
Void's tone grew serious. "We need more power to win this war, and for now, the strongest unit we have is you, Commander…"
The Commander replied thoughtfully, "But where could we find someone strong enough to rival gods and angels?"
"Guardians of Gods," Void said immediately, as if expecting the question.
"Guardians… Are they the same guardians from myth, the ones known for protecting gods' believers and gods' power?" the Commander asked.
"Yes," Void said. "But the problem is… there is no Guardian of Darkness." His voice carried disappointment.
The Commander, now serious, asked, "What should we do now?"
Void thought for a while, and then a plan formed.
"I have a plan, but for that, you need to get a certain artifact."
The Commander asked with curiosity, "Artifact… If I'm not wrong, the artifact is strong enough to rival a god's blessing, right?"
Void was surprised and impressed by the Commander's reasoning.
"Yes. And the artifact is something you need to have, no matter what."
The Commander's voice grew serious yet thoughtful. "Give your command."
"The artifact is a weapon a spear. And according to legends, it possesses the power to tear through the heavens. The original wielder of the artifact was the former Goddess of Justice," Void said, though this time his voice was hesitant, as if something was wrong.
The Commander paused, thinking about his kingdom what would happen if he left now? But suddenly, the soul from his sword appeared again. It was the captain of the angel-slaying army.
He knelt and greeted the Commander, then said,
"Commander, leave the kingdom under our care. Focus on the mission. Besides, if you don't secure the artifact, our kingdom will be in great danger."
Hearing his captain's words, the Commander thought for a moment and made his decision.
"Where is the artifact located?" he asked with determination.
"The spear is in Ravage Woods," Void said with a serious tone.
The Commander knew how hard the mission would be Ravage Woods was filled with monsters, and demons had been sighted there as well.
Void spoke again. "You are worried, aren't you? The souls you hold in that sword… those souls are of your fallen warriors."
The Commander nodded, looking at his sword where all his comrades rested.
"You bear responsibility and a burden far beyond what a human should handle. And with the Blessing of Life and the Curse of Immortality, you must walk with that burden," Void said respectfully.
The Commander spoke in a low voice. "They are my comrades who fought with me. How could I leave their souls wandering alone on the battlefield?"
"Commander, after you get the artifact, call me. I have a reward for you."
Surprised, the Commander nodded.
As Void was leaving, the Commander gave a respectful bow.
"Even a human is more responsible than her," Void muttered mockingly.
Somewhere in the world…
"Update complete. New mode has been added."
To be continued.