LIGHTNOVELONLINE Castle of Shadows
Neverlands, Castle of Shadows
The cold, echoing halls of the castle deep in the Neverlands stretch into darkness as Sane enters, her hooded figure blending with the shadows. Her eyes, sharp and determined, pierce through the gloom as she approaches the central chamber. The weight of her unanswered questions hangs heavily over her.
Lucy, standing by the dimly lit window, gazing into the ethereal storms of the Neverlands, turns his head slightly as Sane enters.
Lucy: "Did you do the work I tasked you with?"
His voice carries an ancient authority, but it lacks the fire it once had.
Sane: "Not now, Lucy. I have more pressing matters to discuss."
Her tone is sharp, cutting through the room’s silence like a blade. "You were there, weren’t you? At the Summoners' capital?"
Lucy: "I was." He turns fully toward her now, his crimson celestial eyes glowing in the dimness. "Why does it matter?"
Sane steps forward, her face tightening with suppressed anger.
Sane: "He destroyed everything—why didn’t you try to stop him?"
Lucy: A dark chuckle escapes him, but there’s no joy in it. "Stop him?"
He shakes his head slowly. "You and I both know that’s impossible. Even the strongest among us..." He trails off, letting the weight of his words linger. "...cannot defeat him.
"Sane: "I know that." Her voice wavers, frustration seeping through. "But... I don’t understand why. Why now? He knew I had ties to the Summoners, he knew..."
Lucy: His eyes narrow, a shadow of confusion crossing his face. "Why does it matter to you? You’ve known what he is capable of. He’s wiped out countless worlds, ended more lives than we could ever count. It’s normal for him... the way he views the universe, it almost seems..." He searches for the right word, then, softly, "...justified."
Sane: "Justified?" Her voice rises, brimming with disbelief. "He killed my father, Lucy."
Lucy: "Your... father?" The revelation strikes him with a rare flicker of surprise. "A Summoner? But why'
Sane: "The Chief Summoner," she interjects, her voice edged with a cold finality.
Lucy: His surprise deepens. "Astaroth... is your father?" His brow furrows. "You realize that in this endless expanse of universes, versions of people exist in countless places. How can you be sure this is your home, your father?"
Sane: Her eyes harden as she steps closer, her presence commanding the space between them. "I know my universe. Even with the multiverse splintering and colliding, Saturn’s presence..." She exhales sharply. "Saturn’s power halts those interactions. When he is there, the very fabric of the multiverse... freezes. It doesn’t fracture or flow. He knew." Her voice cracks slightly, but she forces the words out. "He knew it was my father... but this time, he didn’t spare him. Why? What changed?"
Lucy: He pauses, his gaze thoughtful now, understanding dawning in his eyes. "So... that’s what this is about." He steps forward, his voice carrying a sudden intensity. "You shouldn’t linger here, Sane. Astaroth is alive. Magiaa intervened... but for how long?"
Sane: "Alive?" Her eyes widen. "Magiaa saved him?"
Lucy: "For now." He folds his arms, a calculating look crossing his features. "And now that I think about it..." He mutters, almost to himself, "It makes sense. R... didn’t want him dead. Magiaa’s intervention was no accident."* His eyes flash. "He used her... as a distraction. He never intended to kill Astaroth."
The room falls into a heavy silence, Sane processing Lucy’s words, the cold truth sinking in. Saturn’s motives remain an enigma, but one thing is clear—he is far from finished. And the storm he unleashed was merely a prelude to something far darker.
The dark room is dimly lit by the flickering flames of torches mounted on the walls. Lucy and Sane stand in the center, their conversation charged with tension. The weight of recent events still looms large, and the air is thick with an unspoken sense of urgency.
Sane: "I came across something strange in the Cosmic Black Space. Dragonian gold... fragments of it." Her voice is steady, but there's a gleam in her eyes, knowing how rare and powerful such a discovery is.
Lucy: His eyes narrow at the mention of the gold, the glow of his crimson celestial eyes intensifying. "Dragonian gold? That's no ordinary find. Whoever holds that metal... holds the power to reshape worlds." He steps closer, his aura darkening. "Where did you find it?"
Sane: "In one of the back corridors of the market. A collector from another universe must’ve sold it. I took it before it drew unwanted attention."
Before Lucy can respond, the heavy iron doors creak open, and a soldier from Lucy’s demon army storms into the room, kneeling before his master. The soldier’s breath is ragged, his eyes filled with urgency.
Soldier: "My lord, forgive the intrusion, but I bring dire news."
Lucy: He turns his gaze toward the soldier, flames of demonic power flickering around him. "Speak. What has caused this disturbance?" His voice is low, simmering with restrained power.
Soldier: "A group known as the Thunder Guardians... they have recently conquered six universes, laying waste to everything in their path. Their next target..." He hesitates, as if weighed down by the gravity of his words, "...is the Summoners' universe. They seek to take advantage of the chaos left by Lord Rain's attack."
The room seems to darken further, the shadows stretching as Lucy's demonic aura begins to flare, black flames licking the ground beneath his feet. His eyes burn with a fiery rage.
Lucy: "Thunder Guardians, huh?" His voice is a growl, deep and filled with wrath. "Let them come. They will see the inferno of the demon flames before they even think of conquering that universe. I will turn them to ash."
The flames surrounding him intensify, casting an eerie glow across the room. The power surging from Lucy is palpable, as if the very fabric of reality trembles beneath his wrath.
Sane: "If they're as powerful as the rumors say, this won't be an easy fight."
Lucy: "Powerful?" He lets out a cold laugh, stepping forward as the flames pulse in rhythm with his anger. "Let them think their thunder can match my fire. I will make sure they regret ever setting their sights on the Summoners' universe." He turns to Sane, his gaze sharp and commanding. "You. Go to the Summoners' universe immediately."
Sane: "To protect Astaroth?" There's a flicker of concern in her voice.
Lucy: "Yes. With that universe in disarray, he is vulnerable. If the Thunder Guardians strike, they won’t hesitate to finish what Lord R... started. You must ensure he survives until we can deal with this threat." His eyes glow intensely, flames crackling in the air around him. "I will handle these so-called Thunder Guardians. You focus on keeping Astaroth alive."
Sane nods, the weight of the mission clear in her mind. She turns to leave, her cloak billowing behind her as she vanishes into the shadows. Lucy watches her go, his demonic flames simmering as he prepares for the impending clash with the Thunder Guardians.
Lucy: "Let them come." His voice rumbles through the castle like distant thunder. "They will not leave this universe unscathed."The fire of his wrath burns brighter, preparing for the storm that’s about to descend upon the weakened Summoners' universe.
Scene shift
Thunder Guardians Head quarters
Lucid Spark, the leader of the Thunder Guardians, sat upon his throne, shrouded in an aura of crackling thunder. Legends whispered that a mere release of his thunder aura could reduce galaxies to dust. His eyes gleamed with untold power, a force that had conquered countless universes.
A formidable figure entered the hall—Orion, the Celestial Monarch, ruler of the most recent universe claimed by the Thunder God. As he stepped into the throne room, the air thickened with tension.
Spark (eyes half-closed, lazily):
"Orion, the Celestial Monarch. What is it now? Must be something serious if you’ve come to interrupt me."
Orion, bowing with respect, replied,
"Lord Spark, the preparations for our assault on Neverlands are complete. We can strike at your command. But... there’s news—something that's gained much attention recently."
Spark (his voice tinged with boredom):
"Preparations? I could obliterate the entire universe in a minute with just a flicker of my aura. What is there to prepare for?"
Orion (pausing slightly, choosing his words carefully):
"Lord Spark, if I may—your goal is to conquer, not destroy. But… there’s something else I thought you should know."
(Orion thought to himself, He didn’t even ask what the news was…)
Spark (sighing, his voice low but laced with power): "Orion, I control every electrical signal within my reach, including the ones in your brain. I already know what you're thinking before you speak. You’re eager to tell me this news, thinking it’s something I don’t know. But let me remind you—I’m the third oldest being still standing in this cosmos. Do you really think there’s news out there that could catch me off guard?"
Orion (slightly flustered): "Lord Spark, it’s about the Summoners' Capital. There’s talk that it has been reduced to ruins, destroyed by a single Summoner."
Spark (his aura flaring slightly, eyes opening): "Yes, I’m aware. The Summoners’ universe lies in ruin—brought low by a power beyond their comprehension. But don't be foolish. No one can simply claim control over that universe now. Whoever crushed the Summoners is far stronger than all of them combined."
Orion, surprised by the Thunder God’s insight, asked cautiously,
"So… the Summoners’ universe is safe?"
Spark (a small smirk forming): "Safe? No. But no fool will dare set foot there after witnessing such power. And yet, I’ll go. I want to see the one who did this… to face the being capable of that kind of destruction. We’ll head to the Summoners' universe, and when I find him…"
(Spark’s grin widened, thunder crackling around him)
"I’ll show him what true lightning feels like. They call him ‘Saturn,’ right?"
As Spark’s thunderous laughter echoed through the halls, the storm he was about to unleash drew closer. But in the distant shadows of the Neverlands, demonic flames flickered—unaware that the path to conquest was set to collide with a force just as unstoppable. Soon, the storm would meet the inferno.