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Chapter Nine: A Dark Light
Leornars lunged toward the princess—but just as his blade neared, a sword swept past his jaw, nearly beheading him. He turned to see a female knight clad in full-body armor, now standing protectively in front of the princess.
"Princess Selrose, stay behind me. I'll eliminate this swine quickly," the knight declared, pointing her sword at Leornars.
"I'll give you one second. Move," Leornars said coldly as he retrieved a fallen dagger. He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders. The knight charged, but Leornars ducked with a quick squat and struck her back with a brutal kick, sending her stumbling toward the balcony.
He turned his attention to the princess, dagger poised to strike. The knight regained her footing and rushed back in. Their weapons clashed in a flurry of motion, steel meeting steel in rapid succession.
"How is this possible?" the knight thought. "He's adapting to my speed… my skills. If this keeps up, I'll lose."
"Physical enhancements. Strength of a doom troll!" she shouted. A magic circle formed beneath her feet, glowing as a green aura engulfed her. Her speed and strength surged. She began to overwhelm Leornars, who frowned.
Without hesitation, he launched forward in what appeared to be a suicide move, tossing his dagger upward. He shifted left, struck her leg, forcing her to kneel. In one swift motion, he grabbed her sword midair and caught the falling dagger—ready to finish her off.
Then—
Click.
A crossbow pointed at him. The princess stood behind it.
"If you miss, you will die," Leornars warned icily.
"Why do we have to fight?" the princess asked softly, lowering the weapon. "Can't we choose not to kill each other?"
The knight looked confused. Leornars responded with a swift knee to her jaw, sending her tumbling again, and then lunged—grabbing the princess by the neck.
"Don't… don't do this," she choked.
"And why not?" he asked coldly.
"I know you've suffered. I don't know how much… but I know you didn't deserve it."
Leornars raised her higher.
"There's always another way. I can help you escape this kingdom," she offered, struggling for breath.
"Princess!" the knight cried out.
"Harribell, don't worry," the princess replied gently.
"And why should I trust you?" Leornars asked, still gripping her throat.
"There's no reason for you to trust me. But… I know of the prophecy. I want this cursed land to be pure again. You lack knowledge of magic—I can give you grimoires. Even ones on dark magic."
Leornars loosened his grip slightly. "Go on."
"I know someone who can get you out of the royal capital unnoticed. You'll be out of the kingdom within hours."
He let go of her and turned toward the balcony wall. The knight ran to the princess to check on her.
"You monster!" she spat.
Leornars turned slowly, eyes like frozen steel. He spat on the floor near her feet.
"I'll kill you for that!" she growled.
"Harribell, don't. You already lost to him," the princess whispered.
Just then, the door burst open. The old woman entered. Leornars hurled the dagger at her, but she dodged and struck him on the head with her wooden staff before he could follow up.
"I see you're done chatting," she said casually.
"Lady Oracle!" the knight called out.
"Harribell, Selrose... looks like you had quite the encounter with the White Plague," the oracle said sarcastically.
The knight flushed slightly. The princess giggled softly.
"He certainly is fascinating," she murmured.
Leornars stood, rubbed his forehead, and picked up the sword. He tossed it to the oracle, who caught it and stabbed it into the floor.
"I'm not your enemy, son of Emalian," she said.
Leornars froze, disbelief washing over his face.
"You... you knew my mother?" he asked.
"Yes. Emalian was a dear friend of mine. She was born in our world but left to find your soul. Looks like she found you."
"Emalian? You mean that Witch of Calamity is his mother?!" Harribell exclaimed.
"Yes," the oracle confirmed, stepping closer to Leornars. "I can give you a grimoire of her spells—everything she recorded."
"What's in this for you?" Leornars asked suspiciously.
"Just seeing you… is enough for this old soul," she said kindly.
"Fine. But if this is a lie… I'll kill you."
She picked up his dagger and tossed it to him. He caught it without blinking. They exited the chamber, the knight walking ahead protectively, reclaiming her sword from Leornars's hand.
They entered the grand library. Leornars moved swiftly, grabbing books and flipping through pages.
"I see. I understand now," he muttered.
"What's a grimoire?" he asked aloud.
"Oh! Dear me," the oracle replied, "A grimoire is a book of spells and magical principles. Each one is handwritten by a mage or witch."
She stepped out of the room as Leornars kept reading.
"Elemental magic… easier than I thought," he murmured.
"If he's Emalian's son… then he's an Avantris. That explains how fast he adapted to my combat," Harribell thought, watching him.
Leornars's body began to glow with a deep red aura. His eyes turned a crimson shade.
"Advanced body enhancement… mastered," Princess Selrose noted.
"That fast?!" Harribell gasped.
The oracle returned, carrying a worn, brown-covered book. She handed it to Leornars, who opened it without hesitation. She glanced at him—surprised—but composed herself.
"So it's true," she thought.
Later, they descended into the dungeon. A weak voice called from within a cage.
Leornars opened it. Inside was a pale-skinned demi-human with two horns.
"His resolve's broken. He'll die within a day," Leornars said, stepping closer.
The man looked up and forced a smile.
"Please… save the white-haired priestess," he begged in a dry, cracked voice.
"The who?" Harribell asked.
"She's in Dregden, at Lord Curzon's mansion. Ashen hair. Two black horns…"
Leornars scoffed and uncuffed him.
"Do it yourself."
"I would… but I'm frailer than a child. I'll die in eight hours. Please."
"He's a demon, isn't he?" the princess asked.
"Yes," the oracle confirmed. "Tortured by your father."
"This is what the world has become," the oracle added. "Humans claim superiority and demonize other races. In the gods' name, they commit atrocities."
"Humanity believes it was created by the gods, while demons and demi-humans were made by the evil god," Selrose added. "They think that justifies their cruelty."
"How is that my problem?" Leornars asked coldly.
"You're not human. You're an Avantris—a rare demi-human species," Harribell said.
"Avantris, huh."
The demon reached forward. "Take it. My gift to you."
"His gift?!" Harribell shouted.
"Interesting," the oracle murmured.
A black fog enveloped both Leornars and the demon. It sank into Leornars's chest. The demon collapsed—dead.
> "New skills attained: 'Hellish' and 'Heartless' obtained.
Dark Magic Level raised to 32.
Necromancy Level 3."
A voice echoed in Leornars's mind.
"What's necromancy?" he asked the oracle.
"It's the magic of commanding the dead," she answered. "Why?"
Leornars placed a hand on the demon's chest. A black mist swirled over it.
"Awaken from death… and serve me," he ordered.
The corpse stirred, its body now shadowed and darkened. It knelt before Leornars.
> "Grant a name to it… for power," the voice echoed again.
"A name, huh? … I, Leornars, grant thee a name—Bellian."
The dungeon fell silent. The name echoed across its stone walls. Bellian's body glowed red as he rose.
"He's… a necromancer!" Harribell exclaimed, horrified.
Leornars staggered, gripping the wall.
"I see now. I gain their trust, their experience—and bonus skills."
Bellian returned with three dead guards.
"…I don't even want to know where you got them," Leornars muttered, then revived all three. He now had four undead knights.
"Bellian, command them," he ordered. They vanished into his shadow.
"What did I just see?!" Harribell whispered in disbelief.
They left the castle. Along the way, Leornars encountered more of the slain guards from earlier.
Without hesitation, he raised them—one by one—until 120 undead soldiers stood behind him.
"…I guess that's why they call him the Plague," Princess Selrose whispered.
Footsteps echoed. Guards approached. The oracle began chanting in an ancient language. A white magic circle formed beneath Leornars—and he vanished.
The guards arrived, confused, only to find the oracle, the knight, and the princess.
"Go… with Goddess Minam," Selrose said quietly, turning away.
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Leornars reappeared—teleported to the center of a street in another town. People stared.
His clothes were soaked in blood. His white-red hair hung wildly over his eyes.
Without a word, he turned and vanished into a nearby alley.