The air vibrated with an almost tangible density, as if the weight of the world had condensed on that top floor of the tower. Tomás Silver ascended the final steps with silent steps, freed from the monstrous gravity that had previously crushed him. But the lightness was a deception. Each breath burned his lungs, charged with pure, raw Rei, as if the air itself were woven with the souls of those who had fallen before him.
As he crossed the threshold, the light blinded him. It wasn't the brightness of the sun, but a ghostly glow emanating from the runes carved into the walls of the coliseum. A perfect circle of black stone, surrounded by empty stands... or so it seemed.
ThomasI didn't need to see them to feel them.
As he crossed the threshold, the light blinded him. It wasn't the brightness of the sun, but a ghostly glow emanating from the runes carved into the walls of the coliseum. A perfect circle of black stone, surrounded by empty stands... or so it seemed.
Tomás didn't need to see them to feel them.
Nine silhouettes rose above, wrapped in shadows that writhed like snakes. Their auras struck him immediately: Crescens Rutilus, with his Rei as sharp as a guillotine, stood out among them. But beyond, like black stars devouring light, two twin presences emanated a chill that chilled his blood. And then... Him.
A darkness that wasn't the absence of light, but an entity: Luminis Umbra, the Lord of the Eclipse, whose Rei was an abyss that threatened to tear Tomas's sanity apart. He quickly looked away, digging his nails into his palms until they bled to maintain his sanity. Looking directly into that presence was like defying death.
In the center of the coliseum stood Lyrion, holding a disturbing smile.
Lyrion (Sounds in a cheerful, though poisonous, voice):
—Welcome, little pup. Nice to see you again. —
he said, raising his arms in a macabre applause, his movements grim like those of an actor in a gloomy theater.
— You're the first to arrive. Isn't that exciting? —
Tomás didn't answer. His eyes scanned the place: the ground was marked with runes that glowed a dull red, like ancient scars. In the distance, a black iron gate sealed the only exit.
—The top floor is much more interesting—
Lyrion continued, walking in circles around Tomas.
— You'll go through two short tests. You'll show your determination and your abilities. —
A snap of the fingers. The coliseum's runes burst into crimson flames, and three chained figures emerged from the floor: the Tower's other survivors. Their eyes glowed an unearthly red, their bodies twisted by the Order's corrupted Rei.
—These are the survivors who remained hidden, without showing anything significant—
Lyrion said disdainfully, fixing his gaze on Tomas to study his reaction.
— One of the tests is that you kill these little trash. —
Tomas had barely processed Lyrion's words when one of them lunged, brandishing a bone dagger.
The fight was brief, brutal. Tomás dodged, blocked, counterattacked. Each blow was calculated, cold, but his opponents... were not. They attacked like beasts, filled with desperation, without strategy, driven by an unstable Rei who was bleeding from their eyes. The last one fell with a groan, whispering one word before dying: "Freedom..."
Lyrion (While clapping with emotion):
-Excellent! -
As Lyrion positions himself again in the center of the coliseum while stepping on the corpses of the survivors that Tomas killed
—My little wolf cub, you know what separates you from the trash lying dead out there. It's your potential.
While Lyrion looks up, pointing to the location where Crescens is.
—And what separates you from those who watch us from the top are the limits. —
As he continues with his explanation, a hint of resignation can be heard in his voice, before he returns to his usual tone.
—Those watching from above have broken at least one. Crescens, two. And our lord Luminis... well, that would be telling you too much.
After finishing explaining, Lyrion moves towards Tomas and although slowly, an oppressive sensation could be distinguished, which Tomas realized, so he instinctively moved away from the range that Lyrion showed, quickly avoiding the attack that Lyrion was proposing to carry out.
—Unbelievable! I thought he'd at least take one of your arms, but you're smarter than I thought.
You are a bit agitated, not because of the previous fight but because of the pressure emanating from Lyrion, he asks.
Tomas (Agitated, breathing heavily):
—Huff... Huff... Is this like on the third floor? —
Lyrion smiles eerily as he blends into the darkness and then appears behind Tomas.
Lyrion (With a look full of emotion):
—This will be a little different, this last test seeks to measure your adaptability to dangerous situations. —
And while he whispers in her ear
—So you just have to survive for a period of time, although you can also kill me. —
Lyrion disappears from Tomas's sight, but his presence remains palpable. The coliseum's runes begin to glow more brightly, and the air fills with an electric hum. Tomas knows he can't trust his senses: Lyrion is a master of deception and manipulation.
Lyrion (Voice echoing from the shadows):
"Do you think you can win, little pup? You're just a broken toy the Order picked up from the trash."
Tomas doesn't respond. Instead, he closes his eyes and focuses on his Rei, feeling the vibrations in the air. Suddenly, he senses movement to his left and darts to the side. Even so, Lyrion's attack veers and grazes him, wounding and numbing him due to the poison in the dagger used to attack him.
Lyrion (Laughing while mocking with a disturbing grimace):
—Well done! To think that he didn't take your neck with that attack is interesting.
The dark elf appears again, this time in front of Tomas, with a mocking smile. His King manifests as a black mist swirling around his hands.
—Do you know why I chose you for this test, Tomás? Because you're special. Not just because of your potential, but because of your... resilience. But even the toughest people break.
Lyrion attacks with superhuman speed, his movements fluid and deadly. Tomas struggles to stay on the defensive, dodging and blocking blows, but each impact exhausts him.
Thomas (Thinking):
—I can't win like this. I need an advantage... —
Despite the situation he finds himself in, his face breaks into a smile full of emotion. It was different from the first time he faced someone from the Order who humiliated him. Here, he only felt great emotion when he saw Lyrion as a wall to overcome.
Tomas uses part of his Rei in his feet to increase his mobility, despite the fact that concentrating the Rei is an advanced technique, Tomas achieved it instinctively for his survival. Lyrion became excited to notice the growth that Tomas showed during the battle and chases him at greater speed and quickly attacks Tomas with multiple superficial cuts seeking the surrender of his opponent to which Tomas counterattacks with a powerful kick which is blocked with one hand by Lyrion and then runs him through with a dagger while showing a silhouette full of disappointment seeing that as his last attack.
Lyrion (With a look of disgust):
—How disappointing, pup, to think that would be your last attack. —
At the same time that Tomas was stabbed by Lyrion's dagger, he is holding Lyrion with one arm while he gathers all the Rei he has left in the other arm, connecting a point-blank blow directly to Lyrion's body, from which the impact makes him take a few steps back.
Tomas, after using all the Rei reserves he had, became exhausted and collapsed, falling to the ground. Although he was conscious, he was unable to move.
Lyrion (Smiling as he wipes Tomas's blood):
—Impressive! But it's not enough. —
Lyrion slowly approaches Tomas while a small light appears from his hands, which were threads made of his energy.
Just as Lyrion is about to deliver the final blow, Luminis's hand reveals a dagger that emits a chilling air, which he throws into the middle of the battlefield. The power of this dagger is such that the fight immediately stops as both Lyrion and Tomas quickly use their Rei to wrap themselves in a layer of energy that would protect them from the icy energy emitted by the dagger.
Luminis, with a cold and authoritative voice, resounds in the coliseum.
Luminis Umbra (In an authoritative voice):
-Enough! -
The darkness itself seems to obey Luminis, who descends from the shadows to a battlefield that is freezing due to the dagger that now lies embedded in the field.
When Luminis arrives in the combat zone, he imposes his imposing aura, subduing the icy aura that emanated from the previously thrown dagger.
Luminis:
—You've proven your point, Lyrion. The boy has potential. But this isn't the time to waste it.
Lyrion, who perceives Luminis's words as a clear warning about his actions, which seemed reckless and impulsive. He bows his head servilely, but the emotion-filled smile he had on his face doesn't disappear.
Lyrion (With a smile):
—As you command, my lord. —
Luminis approaches Tomás, who is lying on the ground affected by the cold air generated by the dagger and covered in minor cut wounds, but in his gaze a great depth was glimpsed as if it were a well of infinite darkness which did not avoid him as if it were studying him.
Luminis:
"You're interesting, Tomás Silver. You've survived where others have fallen. And you've even managed to generate some sort of resonance with this spectacular weapon."
As Luminis speaks, he very easily picks up the dagger that was embedded in the ground.
—This is a dagger made of one of the two rarest metals in the world. "A Cryotum dagger," a glacial metal that is extremely complex to wield. To master a weapon of such rarity and power, you must have broken at least one limit. Even more complicated, you must be able to resonate with the weapon in question.
Luminis slowly approaches Tomas and subtly exudes his energy.
—But remember: in the Order of the Blood Moon, even if you're something special, that won't guarantee your survival. You must be more than strong. You must be relentless.
Tomás tries to get up, but the pain forces him to stay on the floor. Luminis walks away, leaving one last warning:
—Don't disappoint my expectations. —
Lyrion approaches Tomas, helping him up with a wry smile.
Lyrion (Smiling):
—Congratulations, little wolf. You have survived... for now. But remember: in the Order, survival is not enough. You must be more than strong. You must be relentless.
Tomás doesn't respond. His eyes, though tired, shine with renewed determination. He knows he's taken another step toward freedom, but he's also aware that the price will be high.
—And when you finally break, I'll be there to pick up the pieces. —
As he's led out of the coliseum, Tomas notices something on the ground: a pendant that fell from one of the survivors he killed. He picks it up and keeps it, feeling it's a reminder of what he's lost... and what he's willing to do to survive.
Tomas finally leaves the tower and is taken to the medical room where the herbalists and alchemists of the order are located. Due to the constant wear and tear he suffered from being in that tower for years, it took them two weeks to fully recover.
When Tomas was fully recovered, he was taken to an audience with the Council of the Moons and the leader of the Order, while he was surrounded by the squad leaders who, just like in the test on the top floor, were there as observers.
Luminis (Indifferent):
—Your young wolf, you will now be part of a special unit within the Order that will complete a very important mission in the future. —
Tomas keeps his gaze upright without looking away from Luminis as if ignoring all the pain he feels even when he feels Luminis's overwhelming presence.
—Although for now you are the only member so you will have to get used to your new life, and you also have to strengthen yourself so you will have to complete missions to improve your skills. —
Tomas continues listening and upon hearing Luminis's last instructions, he answers.
Tomas (Sereno):
-Alright...! -
After Tomas Luminis's response, he throws Cryotum's dagger at him.
Luminis (While standing with his back turned and moving forward):
—This weapon will now belong to you. Consider it a gift for being the first to overcome the tower.
Lyrion (In his thoughts):
— To give him such an important weapon... What's this all about? —
Lyrion carries the injured Tomas to the recovery area, carrying him on his back as if he were a simple, unimportant bundle.
In the recovery area, they were surprised to see Tomas's condition, but even more surprised to see that he was still breathing. He was treated with great care, and his recovery only took a week.
After recovering, Tomas understands his own weakness and trains to handle Cryotum's dagger, which he decided to call "Glacial Shadow," managing to handle it as he wanted after two weeks.
After feeling fully prepared, Tomas prepares to take on his first mission as an assassin, since he will only be able to protect what he desires most, which is his freedom, by gaining power, and with simple training he will achieve nothing.
Tomas accepts his first mission which was to assassinate Gareth Vorn, a merchant who has been growing recently, whom his competitors view with suspicion and put a mission for his head, it was a relatively simple mission since being just emerging did not have the resources to have high-level protection, his only defense being a group of mercenaries from the Thal'Zar Desert, although all the mercenaries were capable of manipulating the Rei, their level was not very high so Tomas' infiltration was perfect, getting to get behind Gareth.
But he also notices how that merchant looked at the photo of his little daughter while they were together, this makes his heart waver.
Tomas (Thinking):
—I really must take this man's life. —
It is right there when he remembers the words that Lyrion said to Tomas before embarking on his journey on his first mission.
Lyrion (In his memories):
—If you fail, there will be no funeral. Just an unmarked hole. —
His resolve strengthens, and he thinks the only thing left to do is strike as quickly as possible so that his target suffers as little as possible.
After completing his mission, he retreats into the shadows, understanding that the life he is given is that of a monster.
Years pass and Tomas gets involved in all the most dangerous missions he has access to, forming a great reputation and fostering rumors that he would become one of the council's Moons since his power had increased, reaching the first limit, but still being unable to overcome it.
Tomas was entrusted with an extremely dangerous mission in which he must eliminate a powerful merchant who has extensive political connections and economic influence in the continent's major kingdoms.
This merchant Darius Cogspark was a target because he was financing the Order of the Radiant Dawn, an order of independent knights that follows the tracks of the Order of the Bloody Moon and opposes it. Tomas understands how dangerous and important this mission is, so for this mission he decides to go to the place that a low-ranking mercenary once told him to go to, whose life he spared after completing a mission.
He was a former thief named Kael "Broken Ear", who told him about a bar in the port of Maveren on the coast of the continent of Kareshia.
Kael:
—If you want information that even the gods don't listen to, find the Drunken Raven's bar near the Shadow Market. But bring something shiny... and I don't mean coins.
Tomas arrives at the Drunken Crow's bar, a noisy place filled with sailors, mercenaries, and smugglers. He carefully scans the place, looking for a clue about the informant. That's when a young elf girl asks him.
Elf (Curious):
—What's a young man like you doing in a squalid place like this? —
Tomas is surprised because he didn't notice her presence until she had approached him.
Tomas (Politely):
— I came here for a personal matter, and it's not something I can say to someone I just met. —
Elf (Smiling):
— I understand, well so we can get to know each other better, how about I introduce myself to you, Tomas Silver? My name is Silphie.
Tomas (Surprised, but calm):
— I see, you're the one I was looking for. —
Silphie:
— That's a very direct way to ask for a date, isn't it? —
Tomas (Serious):
— If that allows me to get the information I need, then let's start with the appointment. —
Silphie (Laughing):
— Hahaha... That was just a joke, it seems that apart from being handsome you are a very serious guy, follow me. —
Silphie directs Tomas to the back of the bar where they go down a tunnel where Silphie stops and says to Tomas.
Silphie (Serious):
—Well, I'm only allowed to go this far. I hope you get what you were looking for. —
Tomas continues advancing while the lights of the torches that were on the wall illuminate him until he reaches a point where there are no more lights, he continues advancing carefully until he hears a voice.
Informant (Curious):
—I'm surprised to see the rising star of the Blood Moon in this shabby place. Even more so to be able to meet with this humble servant—
Tomas (Alert):
—I came because I need your services, or rather, I need the information your organization has.
The informant approaches from the shadows and when he gets within range of Tomas he lights a candle, revealing his appearance as an old half-elf with a scar over his eye.
Informant:
— You're an interesting guy, I suppose you deserve the minimum of my courtesy. Let me introduce myself, my name is Sylas. I'll provide you with the information you seek, but I wonder if the price will be something you can afford. —
Tomas nods slightly and then asks him.
Tomas:
— I want all the information you have on Darius Cogspark, the most influential merchant in Kareshia, the forces protecting him, the defenses in his mansion, everything. —
The informant is surprised by the extent of the request he has been asked to make and responds with a smile.
Sylas (Smiling):
— The price for that order doesn't seem like something you can afford right now. —
Tomas slowly takes out two bags with gold coins, two hundred and fifty in total.
— Hahaha... Looks like they really want that little fat guy's head. —
Sylas goes deep into the shadows while holding his candle, disappearing for about two hours before returning to Tomas, who had been waiting for him standing in the same place since he left.
— I see you're a very patient boy... —
Sylas holds two scrolls in his hands which he shows to Tomas.
—Okay, kid, here's all the information you need, however, the price for this information is more than what you brought in those bags. —
Tomas (Somewhat confused):
— If there was very little information, why did you look for it anyway? —
Sylas (Smiling):
— Because what I seek from you is a deal, a favor from the rising star of the Crimson Moon seems to me as valuable, or even more valuable, than this information. —
Tomas:
— I feel like you value me too much, but first I want to hear what kind of deal you're asking for. —
Sylas:
— A job, I want you to do it for us the moment we ask you without asking any questions. —
Tomas (Confused):
— If you want me to do a job for you, you can ask the headquarters directly. —
Sylas (Whispering):
— This is a request for you, not for that disturbing order. —
Tomas agrees to the deal, taking the two scrolls from Sylas's hands, and although he also tries to give him the bags of gold, Sylas rejects them, claiming that he obtained something even more valuable.
Tomas leaves the port and heads to the Order Headquarters to begin his preparations after reading all the information he needed, discovering the location of his mansion and how it is protected by one of the sun swords of the Order of the Radiant Dawn called Gavriel Thandros which has a power equivalent to one of the Moons of the Order of the Bloody Moon, and there are also mercenaries from the Iron Legion having one of iron glove rank Thargan Duskbreaker a half-breed ogre, which although it does not have a rank equivalent to the moons or the sun swords, it should not be underestimated since it possesses great power, in addition Darius's mansion was protected by a large number of runes and defensive formations making his mansion an almost impenetrable place.
The preparations for the mission take longer than expected, as his preparations take a month and a half, heading towards Darius's mansion in the Domain of Mistpeak, when he is already leaving he meets Lyrion, this being the first time they see each other since the events that occurred in the tower.
Lyrion (Smiling):
— I'm surprised you agreed to a suicide mission like that. —
Tomas simply ignores Lyrion's words as he continues on his way.
— Hahaha... The big silver wolf doesn't have time to talk to a simple squad leader now. —
Tomas turns around, looks at Lyrion, and answers him.
Tomas (Serious):
— We're not close enough for you to just happen by "coincidence," which is what you want.
Lyrion takes a more serious stance and asks Tomas.
Lyrion:
—Don't you find it strange that they're sending you on such an important mission instead of to one of the Moons? —
Tomas shows a feeling of disgust, but answers him.
Tomas:
— That doesn't matter to me right now, what I do know is that thanks to this mission I will be stronger. —
After answering Tomas continues on his way, but Lyrion remains in the same place while holding his necklace, lost in his thoughts.
Lyrion (Thinking):
— The young wolf seeks to break the chains that muzzle him, eh... —
The night seems to hold its breath. On the mountaintop, Tomas gazes at Darius's mansion, hidden in the shadows danced by the majestic full moon. The silvery reflection of the moon rests on his Cryotum Dagger, shining with an almost menacing intensity, as if foreshadowing the violence and fate to come.
Miles away, in the dimness of his office, Darius clutches his daughter's pendant. A dark feeling runs through him, a silent unease reflected in the tense expression of the gentleman accompanying him. They both feel, without saying a word, that something momentous is about to happen.
A faint whisper of the wind seems to herald the beginning of a whirlwind of irreversible events. The image of Tomas, alone on the summit, and that of Darius, trapped in a sea of foreboding, merge into an almost palpable tension. Will this mission be the spark that unleashes forgotten forces, or the prelude to a tragedy that will change their destinies forever?