The Knight woke up, which was faster than it did if it had used the void. She had been laying on her void – relaxed. The training grounds had long ago ceased. And even the entrance/exit had been opened.
"I see you're up. You know I actually thought you'd try taking me out. I was kind of looking forward to beating up a self-proclaimed dreaded being. In these things that humans call bucket lists, I was about to scratch off one from mine."
She then laughed and continued. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also looking forward to declining your request to become a knight, Bachelor. I know whatever you're wishing to do, needs this. So, I wanted to see if you'd try again next time or throw a tantrum."
She raised her head. She had restored the Knights' armour to full operation, so the Knight could move around enough to see her eyes. Human but still emanating a void intensity unlike any other at this moment.
"Anyway – even with your distractions, tricks, and you somehow preventing me from using my void – you still would've lost. I'm not just stronger, I am a void lord. Facing anyone at my level is a hard thing to do – but I see that you haven't been a void being long enough to know what a being who's earned the rank of void lord is truly capable of."
"You can see the future –"
"No. That's just the plan would have I came up. When I faced the human Marshal at my time – now the Grand Master. He said the something similar to me. I guess it's still true."
They sat in there discussing. She even taught the Knight, the skill [Arbitrary Concealment]. She said…
"You're just an inch away from being discovered as a void being – use this. You should come face me if you ever become a void lord. When you lose, that way, I'll get more void, what you have now isn't even worth it."
'So, you're letting me live because I don't have enough to satiate you…' Thought the Knight.
This skill didn't mean the Knight could summon around the void as she had. She could because she had more control over her void, altering it enough make it resemble elemental darkness. But this skill could instead help make its soul and other things seem less like something out of the void. She had been surprised The Knight had not been reported as a monster already.
She also chose to actually share some information about the void, in return for reading a few pages out of the book of souls. Not all of it because she also had information, she'd rather not part with.
After this, the Knight met up with the grandmaster, and officially became a knight, Bachelor. Then it took the quest to face the dragon Red scorch – choosing not to rely on its army for better training – as knowledge had made it neglect this.
The Knight had come to see; just how strong the Bannerets were. For they weren't just at higher levels, but just like it, had grown accustomed to facing the strong, so it made the decision to continue being as knightly as it could be.
And after that, along with the paladin legion, it departed to the woods of Elleria and eventually bringing it back to the palace. And along the way it had actually tried not to use its army in battle. Even when facing Ill, the rescuer, it had only used the void after deciding not to waste any more time on their battle.
***
The Knight was walking through the corridor in the palace, on the way to the queen.
'I wonder if I should deal with her – she is still a loose end.'
It was referring to the Marshal, as it knew quite a lot about the Knight. The Knight had gained a new power, one so diverse, and possibly the most dangerous yet. It had also lost some of its void but also gained a generous amount of levels. But it chose not to think about it and keep walking.
***
Teleporting through the trees trying to catch up to the Knights sixth squadron, the squadron specialising in surveying of the void, led by Commander Arion, was Kitrino.
The Knight had left her with the feather, Mugaw still on it.
"You, brat, why do you like that guy so much – sure, it's interesting, but I'm sure you remember some of your past right? I just don't get it."
"…"
"You're just like him I see, no response. Listen up, don't you want to join me and take him out."
She took the feather out of her hair and threw it down.
"I can't believe she threw me – a disaster reduced to such a simple existence. I really should take that Knight up on its offer. All I have to do is trade some information from my past for a vessel – not really bad… never…"
A long time passed, very long…
"Did she really leave me here…"
***
She then caught up with them.
"It's you." Said commander Arion.
"Yes – what are you guys doing?"
"we're just checking the depth of any and all tunnels below, have to make sure that no new dungeons has formed." He then pointed. "See over there." She looked. "Those are the ones with a rare skill known as [Danger]. After its tenth evolution, the skill can tell how clear from danger a place will be. There are variations of it though, take [Danger Core VI] for example, this one can just how far the danger is."
He then looked to the left. "Those guys over there, are using [Summon Danger]. That one urges dangerous entities to come. Even though it barely works on destroyers, it's good at provoking nearby monsters, lurking in ambush, to attack. Braona and her squadron will deal with them, they're here to support us if the danger actually is here."
"What are they doing?" She pointed to the group sleeping.
"Oh, they are the special ones who already have a certain power called [Dreamer], even I have it. By possessing the power over dreams, one can force dreams upon others or make dreams come true. But they aren't as good at it as me or Bachelor Igal.
So, what they're doing is forcing their dreams to happen earlier, and if they find darkness in those dreams, then the place they are sleeping near is more likely to be covered with darkness. And by having a dream further or closer in their future, they can tell just how long this place has free or how long it has left…"
He then continued explaining the nuances of the entire squadron. He hadn't even seen her head for Braona and her squadron – who had formed a perimeter around everyone.
"You're that spy I heard so much about."
This was Braona, one who was leading a special squadron like the one the Knight had led in Maroon city. She technically isn't part of anyone's brigade, but in the woods of Elleria, she had been placed in the Knight's squadron since it had the least number of knights.
"Are you guys going to fight something?"
"We might."
And because of that she had lazed around them for a few hours, but nothing attacked, not even a monster. To be fair, the woods of Elleria are usually safe, Keiper the keeper of spells had made it that far because he could speak and he knew the path and had no need for a guide. So, she had to accept that nothing interesting was going to happen.
After getting bored with it all, it left back for the castle, she didn't even feel like being the problem for them to face this time around.
She had thought that there would be some fighting since there was a guard duty assigned to them – special directives squadron led by Commander Braona.
On her way back, she had even almost forgot the Mugaw but remembered that the feather still had a use to the Knight.
"You're back…"
She picked it up with a bit of distain.
Mugaw was silent on the way back to the castle, he didn't want to be abandoned. But as the palace came into sight, she answered him – as if rewarding his silence.
"Because its fun, cosy, and calming when the Knight is around. You're right there's sometimes these pictures that flash, making me see scenes I barely recognise. But if I asked a person, possessing genes from their parents, if they were their parent? I doubt any would say yes, right?"
"I think I see, basically those memories are like videos of someone parent's life. Sure, they look like you, but you don't feel anything towards them. Well, tell me this, what about your husband. I heard Guilos talking about him…"
"The only one I need is the Knight."
"You're more vermin that you are a person aren't you…"
She wasn't, but her soul had been corrupted and changed and even added like an extension to the vermin. Yellow was the painting on top of a black board. So even if she still mostly appeared like a person, she was more like Avarice – really a void dweller, just a confused one with a thicker mask on.
She made it to the palace; the Knight was still elsewhere. She got into the room, startling Guilos. Throwing the feather on the floor, she jumped onto the bed. On standby, the other vermin just do nothing – but due to her nature, she slept.