The first rays of dawn crept through the window like uninvited guests, spilling gold across the room and painting long shadows on the worn wooden floor. Ko groaned, pulling the blanket over his head in a futile attempt to escape the light. His eyes fluttered open, heavy with the remnants of sleep, and he instinctively reached across the bed, a gesture so familiar it had become muscle memory.
His hand found only cool, empty sheets.
He blinked, the fog of sleep slowly receding. The space beside him was vacant, the pillow undisturbed, the warmth of another body long since faded. Koshi was already gone.
Ko sat up slowly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. His mind was still sluggish, thoughts drifting like leaves on a lazy river. He thought little of her absence at first, she was often an early riser, driven by an energy he could never quite match. But as he moved through his morning routine, he found his eyes straying to the door, listening for footsteps that never came.
Bathing, dressing, eating, each task was performed on autopilot, his body going through the motions while his mind wandered. He would glance up from his meal, half-expecting to see her sitting across from him, her crimson eyes sparkling with mischief. He would pause at the doorway, waiting for her to appear and ask where he was going.
But she never came.
Finding himself not quite hungry, Ko set down his half-finished breakfast and rose from the table. His hand found his sword, an instinctive gesture, comforting in its familiarity, and he stepped out into the world.
The sunlight hit him like a wall the moment he opened the door, blinding him momentarily. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, blinking until the world swam back into focus. The kingdom stretched before him, bathed in the warm glow of morning, its streets already bustling with activity.
But something was different.
Ko's eyes narrowed as he scanned the crowd. There were more adventurers than usual, far more. Groups of them moved through the streets in clusters, their weapons gleaming, their postures alert. They carried themselves with the confidence of professionals, but there was an undercurrent of tension in their movements, a sense of purpose that went beyond mere wanderlust.
Ko watched them, his curiosity piqued. Adventurers had been scarce since the fall of the Demon King, their numbers dwindling as the kingdom's troubles mounted. But now they seemed to be returning, drawn by something he couldn't quite name.
Maybe I'll be one myself... he thought, his eyes riveted on a particularly grizzled group passing by. Just maybe...
The thought lingered, fragile and tentative. But then another question surfaced, unbidden: Would Koshi join me?
He tore his gaze away, looking up at the endless blue sky. The clouds drifted lazily, indifferent to his turmoil. He had no answer, only the hollow ache of her absence.
His feet carried him forward, drawn by the magnetic pull of the adventurers. Curiosity got the best of him, and before he knew it, he had broken away from the crowd and approached one of them, a man who had separated from his group to adjust his pack.
The adventurer noticed him immediately, a calm smile spreading across his weathered face. He knelt, bringing himself to Ko's eye level. "Now, how may I help?" He asked, his voice warm and steady.
Ko glanced over at the man's party, then back at him. "Just caught my attention," He said, gesturing vaguely. "There's a lot more of you than usual."
The adventurer nodded, his expression turning more serious. "We're hired adventurers and mercenaries," he explained. "Nothing stopping me from telling you, so yeah... there's some trouble that'll be arriving here. Or so I'm told."
Ko's head lowered, the weight of the words settling on his shoulders. I shouldn't be surprised, he thought. Trouble always seemed to find this kingdom, like a persistent shadow that refused to be shaken.
The adventurer patted him on the shoulder, a gesture of reassurance. "Don't fret, lad. That's what we're here for." He flashed a quick grin, then rejoined his group, leaving Ko standing alone in the street.
Ko felt lost, adrift in a sea of unfamiliar faces. Without Koshi, the only person he could talk to comfortably, he didn't know what to do with himself. He found his feet carrying him forward again, tailing the adventurer's group from a distance. Their voices drifted back to him, snippets of conversation about the tavern, about meeting up with the rest of their company.
The front of the tavern was packed, a riot of noise and color that spilled out onto the street. Ko broke his attention from the adventurer, pushing through the crowd and stepping inside.
The noise hit him first, a wall of sound made of raucous laughter, clinking mugs, and overlapping conversations. Groups of adventurers filled every table, their voices rising and falling in a chaotic symphony. The air was thick with the smell of ale and woodsmoke, a familiar tavern scent that somehow felt foreign without Koshi at his side.
Ko found a seat in the corner, tucked away from the chaos. He settled into the shadows, content to simply observe.
A few minutes later, a waitress appeared at his table. He barely registered her presence, his gaze distant, unfocused. She stood there for a moment, watching him with an amused expression, then gave him a playful slap on the head.
Ko shot up in his seat, the sudden contact snapping him back to reality. He blinked, finally taking notice of the woman standing before him.
She was a friendly blonde, the kind of girl who always seemed to have a joke ready, a smile on her face. He recognized her instantly. She had always seemed to have it out for him, teasing him whenever he came in with Koshi, but he'd never been alone long enough to understand her game. Koshi was always there, a constant presence that kept the world at arm's length.
The waitress glanced quickly at the counter, checking for the innkeeper. Seeing no one, she pulled up a chair and settled it right beside him, close enough that her knee brushed against his.
She rested a hand on his, her touch warm and deliberate, and flashed him a pleasing smile. "Strange to see you here by yourself," She whispered, her voice low and conspiratorial. "What happened to Koshi?"
Ko swallowed hard, avoiding her gaze. "I... I'm not sure," he replied nervously.
Her smirk widened, and she removed her hand with deliberate slowness. "That's great." She leaned in closer, her breath warm against his ear. "You know, if you ever feel lonely... I just want to let you know I'm here."
Ko's face flushed crimson. "Umm..." He turned away, completely flustered, his eyes fixed on a crack in the wall. "T-Thank you," he blurted out, the words appeasing the waitress even as they tumbled out awkwardly.
"Well, don't thank me yet..." she teased, her grin turning mischievous. "Not until you give me a go."
Satisfied with his response, she rose gracefully, casting one last lingering glance over her shoulder before disappearing back into the crowd to tend to her other customers. Ko sat frozen in his seat, his heart pounding, the memory of her touch still warm on his skin.
He was still trying to compose himself when the door burst open.
A man stumbled through, completely out of breath, his face pale with alarm. The room fell silent as every head turned toward him, the raucous chatter dying in an instant.
"The enemy!" the man gasped, leaning against the doorframe for support. "They're close! Very close!"
The tavern erupted into chaos. Chairs scraped against the floor, mugs clattered to the ground, and adventurers scrambled for their weapons. Ko rose slowly, his hand finding his sword hilt, his earlier embarrassment forgotten.
An enemy was coming.
The tavern erupted into controlled chaos as adventurers scrambled to gather their gear, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of shouted orders and hurried confirmations. Mugs were abandoned mid-drink, chairs scraped against the wooden floor, and weapons were drawn with the practiced ease of those who had faced death before.
Ko pushed through the crowd, his heart pounding. He caught a glimpse of the waitress as he moved, the friendly blonde who had teased him moments before. Her playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by wide, frightened eyes that tracked the commotion with barely concealed terror. For a split second, their gazes locked, and Ko saw something vulnerable in her expression, a reminder that behind the flirtatious smiles, she was just someone caught in the chaos.
Then he was through the door, and the world outside opened before him.
A cry went up from the crowd, someone pointing toward the sky with a trembling finger. Ko followed their gaze, and his blood ran cold.
Above the kingdom, the air itself seemed to tear open. A portal formed, thick and viscous, like liquid shadow congealing into a wound in reality. It pulsed with an unnatural light, its edges frayed and shimmering. From its depths, something emerged.
The Mist Hollow Knight descended slowly, its form materializing from the goo-like portal with an almost ceremonial grace. It was massive, easily twice the height of a man, clad in armor that seemed to drink the light around it. A spear of black iron was clutched in its gauntleted grip, the blade catching the sun in a way that felt wrong, as if the light itself was reluctant to touch it.
Ko's breath caught in his throat. He had heard of Hollow Knights, creatures that typically fought during the night, born from mist and shadow. Seeing one in broad daylight was a spectacle. Seeing it emerge from a portal like this was something else entirely.
Around him, the adventurers and mercenaries bristled with confidence. With this many warriors gathered, the creature should fall easily. Their numbers alone should be enough to overwhelm it.
The people of the kingdom, meanwhile, had no such illusions. They scattered like leaves before a storm, fleeing the area with desperate urgency. Mothers clutched children to their chests, merchants abandoned their stalls, and the streets emptied with astonishing speed.
The Hollow Knight descended, its feet touching the ground with a force that sent a tremor through the earth. The impact echoed through Ko's bones, and a heavy pressure settled over the area, a weight that seemed to press down on every soul present.
Everyone froze.
Complete silence descended, so absolute that Ko could hear his own heartbeat. The Hollow Knight's head turned slowly from left to right, its gaze sweeping across the assembled warriors. The screeching sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air as its helmet rotated, observing them all with an eerie, predatory patience.
Then, without warning, a mercenary moved.
A crystal shard formed in his hand, hidden behind his back. He took a single, deliberate step forward, and then, with the speed of a striking viper, he launched it toward the Hollow Knight.
The shard pierced through layers of armor, embedding itself deep in the creature's chest.
For a moment, nothing happened. The Hollow Knight stood firm, its massive form unmoved by the assault. Then its attention shifted, its hollow gaze fixing on the mercenary who had dared to strike it.
It raised its spear. The gesture was the signal the adventurers had been waiting for. With a unified roar, they attacked, a wave of steel and fury crashing toward the creature with intent to stop any possible retaliation.
The Hollow Knight drove its spear into the ground, and a barrier of shadow erupted around it. The assault from all angles was absorbed, deflected, neutralized, every blade, every spell, every projectile met the barrier and was turned aside. And then, impossibly, the damage the creature had sustained began to repair itself, metal coming together like flesh.
The barrier dropped, and efore anyone could react, the Hollow Knight swung its spear in a wide arc. The blow was devastating, a single, sweeping motion that carved through the ranks of adventurers and mercenaries with brutal efficiency. Bodies flew through the air, cries of pain mingling with the crunch of breaking bone.
Ko froze, his mind struggling to process the carnage before him. Blood stained the cobblestones, and the ground was littered with fallen warriors. The confident whispers of 'easy' had been replaced by the screams of the dying.
He shook himself violently, forcing his mind back to the present. His hand found his sword hilt, and he drew it with a sharp, decisive motion. Then he was moving, leaping into the fray, his blade raised to strike.
Ko descended from above, his sword arcing toward the Hollow Knight's exposed neck. But the creature was faster, far faster than its size suggested. It twisted, and Ko's blade missed by mere inches, the impact of his landing jarring his arms.
But his attack had served a purpose, the Hollow Knight, in its attempt to dodge Ko, stumbled directly into a trap. The ground beneath its feet transformed, solid earth giving way to a swamp-like mire that swallowed its legs. The creature sank, its movements slowed by the clinging mud.
From the crowd, a mage stepped forward. Her hands crackled with energy, and with a cry, she unleashed a bolt of lightning that struck the Hollow Knight directly. The creature convulsed, its armor smoking, its form spasming as the electricity coursed through it. It sank deeper, its struggles growing weaker.
The last of the swamp closed over its head.
Silence fell once more, broken only by the ragged breathing of the survivors. Then, slowly, a collective sigh of relief rippled through the crowd. The creature was gone.
Healers rushed forward, their hands glowing with soft light as they tended to the wounded. The mercenaries gathered their people, choosing to leave with their injured rather than staying to help the others. Their departure was swift, efficient, and cold.
Ko exhaled, his shoulders sagging with relief. "That's down..." he murmured, his eyes scanning the chaos around him. He had no healing abilities to offer, no magic to mend the wounded. But that didn't mean he was useless.
"I don't have anything to offer in the healer department," He thought, his gaze hardening with determination. But I can see where I can help.
He headed straight toward the nearest group of injured, ready to do whatever he could.
In a Dark office…
Through a window in a dimly lit office, Koshi watched the onslaught unfold. Her fingers pressed against the glass as she observed the battle from afar, the portal, the Hollow Knight, the desperate struggle of the adventurers. She had seen it all, and with each passing moment, a knot of guilt tightened in her chest.
She should have been there. She should have helped.
"Please, take a seat."
The voice came from the darkness behind her, smooth and utterly unconcerned by the chaos that had just transpired. There was no trace of worry in its tone, no hint of urgency. As if the battle outside had been nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
Koshi turned, her eyes straining to penetrate the shadows. She stared for a brief moment, then nodded, reluctantly returning to the canapé where she had been sitting moments before.
The figure in the darkness shifted, and deep crimson eyes cut through the gloom like twin blades. The glow of sunlight from the window reached him, revealing a man of sharp features and impeccable dress. His clothes were immaculate, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable.
"No need to fret," He said, leaning forward. "It's all taken care of, so relax... 7th is quite petty, I see..."
Koshi frowned. "7th?"
He waved a dismissive hand. "Our former lord was quite arrogant," He continued, as if she hadn't spoken. "Trouble will probably never stop reaching us. The seeds he sowed continue to bear bitter fruit."
He paused, studying her with those crimson eyes. "You've stood out among the crowd more than anyone else."
Koshi raised her hand, a question forming on her lips. He noticed the gesture and inclined his head. "Ah, yes?"
"Yes." She lowered her hand, her gaze steady. "This thought crossed my mind. Why not you? Or the Administrator? Why are we looking for someone new when capable people already exist?"
The man smiled, a thin, knowing expression. "It's Morato," He said, as if the name should mean something to her. "And indeed, that's a good question. It would solve the simplest of our problems, but it wouldn't solve the major issues. We are very much associated with the previous king, our faces, our names, our histories. This would limit our allies by a wide margin. Every move we make outside is scrutinized and watched…It would be more trouble than it's worth if one of us took the throne."
Koshi absorbed his words, her eyes flickering with a hint of worry. "Shouldn't I be made aware of what must be done? Is it necessary to be kept a secret?"
Morato snickered lightly, the sound echoing through the dark room. "Being a Demon King requires a lot out of you. Becoming one is another issue entirely, sometimes requiring you to make tough decisions in a split second." He leaned back, his crimson eyes never leaving hers. "So until then, you will not be made aware of what must be done, Koshi. Please do understand."
The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Koshi felt a chill run down her spine. Well, she thought, her wariness growing, that makes me wonder if I can just back out.
For the first time, the weight of what she was agreeing to pressed against her chest.
Another conversation…
Niao had remained silent throughout the meeting, her eyes fixed on the floor, her thoughts a tangled web of worry and frustration. But now, as the silence stretched, she finally spoke.
"Another attack," She said, her voice carrying a sharp edge of concern. "Administrator, why must we not engage the many threats that are causing the very foundation of what the previous king built to collapse?"
She turned to face him, her eyes filled with genuine worry. "I grow wary. Every day, we lose more territory."
The Administrator stopped writing. For a long moment, he simply stood there, his quill frozen above the paper. Then, slowly, he rose, the document he had been working on held in his hand.
He sighed, a sound heavy with the weight of years. "Because," He said, his voice measured and deliberate, "we'll build something new."
He walked to the window, his gaze drifting over the kingdom below. The sunlight caught his features, revealing the lines of age and fatigue that he usually kept hidden.
"Our previous king was foolish," He continued. "Overconfident. Arrogant." He turned to face Niao, his storm-grey eyes piercing. "Everything he built is poison, Niao. Every alliance, every treaty, every promise…it all comes from a source that was rotten at its core. As the losers, the Yellows are now taking their time with us."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "We need someone new. Someone powerful. Someone that can quickly awaken. With that done, I'll then work from the shadows—my face is far too well known to ever be suited to stand by another King's side."
Niao's brow furrowed. "And you think that's... Koshi?"
The Administrator's lips curved into a smile that held no warmth. "You'll see," he replied, his tone ominous and final.
He turned back to the window, his silhouette framed against the sun, and Niao was left with nothing but questions and a growing sense of unease.