Shadow Slave: Possibilities Without Meaning

"THUD"

A sound was heard across the silent hall.

"AARRGHHHH"

Troy gripped the stump of what used to be his arm. His entire torso shot up in blinding white pain. 

'What the hell? Did he do that? Why does it hurt so much'

Embroiled in his agony, Troy was deaf to the outside world.

"SPLASH"

A whip of blood splattered across the floor creating a sharp arc. Aldric flicked his sword to rid his blade of the stain.

Aldric stood there in the deafening silence unperturbed.

An explosion of sound reacted.

"EEEEEEK!"

A woman in the crowd screamed at the sight.

"You bastard!"

"What the hell?"

The two other guards shouted. Each ready to retaliate.

Gripping the hilt of his sword, Aldric bashed the end of it in the face of the now kneeling Troy.

Breaking his nose and knocking out a few teeth. Blood splattered everywhere from the blow.

He dropped on the floor unconscious.

This brutal move cemented the fear in the two guards' minds. 

They froze.

"STEP"

"STEP"

Aldric walked slowly through the hall, the crowd parting as he passed.

He was heading for the castle gates.

How could anyone stop him?

A dark aura of death wisped around him. The sleepers present could feel the weight of his strength. It was not lacking at all.

The only faction leaders present were Kido and Gemma. 

Kido held no interest in the strange sleeper and was amused at a castle guard being kicked down a peg.

Gemma should have stepped in. However, he recognised that this was not explicitly his business as the leader of the hunters and pathfinders. 

Most importantly, he could not assess the combat strength of the stranger with enough precision to fight him.

'I got what I needed to be done anyway. The atmosphere was too stifling anyways.'

He walked out of the hall and approached the hallway to the exit.

What Aldric didn't realise was the characteristics he portrayed. Not the cold wrath or the brutal violence but the sheer superiority complex that he showed.

Barring a few people, Aldric knew his value. He knew that the majority of those who were stronger than him now would not be so in the near future. With his divine aspect, potential for multiple cores, and knowledge, his potential was immeasurable. With this sense of superiority, he began to look at those beneath him or those who brought him no value as non-entities—people who served no purpose to him.

On the flip side, Aldric had an inferiority complex to characters like Sunny and Nephis. Seeing all they achieved with the little they had. The plots and the motivations were enjoyable to read as a reader but now that he was here; it had set a very high bar for Aldric. It made him feel like an imposter. That he was just a cosmic anomaly that wouldn't amount to much in the end.

And sure Aldric could have found ways to have these sources of insecurity beneath him. He could have emotionally manipulated Nephis when she was in the Academy. Have her be completely reliant on him and never trust her own agency. Call Sunny by his True Name and manipulate him while knowing every little thing about his past and future.

But what would that accomplish? Give him a false sense of superiority after crippling the main characters of the story. It was beneath him. That was him admitting weakness. That was admitting fear.

The unnatural existence that he is gave him a sense of entitlement. That everything was his for the taking. He felt detached from reality as if he was a lonesome observer.

However, Aldric unknowingly chose to not show these emotions to other people. 

If a psychologist reviewed him, he would be institutionalised. Diagnosing him with multiple mental health conditions.

Without knowing, Aldric subconsciously exhibited these traits when in high-stress situations. 

His ego was visible to everyone in the hall that day. His thoughts were made clear on what he thought about the man who attempted to kill him.

Like he was an ant before a king.

Aldric knew he was not a good guy. He was often scared of what he could and would accomplish for his goals. But that was that.

After all, he was human. 

Many humans in this world and his previous showed similar and different traits. It was visible in people like Sunless, Nephis and even Cassie. 

Aldric did not know of this and approached the gate.

"Open the gates. My stay has finished."

With that said, the 2 guards stationed there did not question him and let him through after opening the large doors.

Giving the castle one last look, Aldric headed straight ahead.

He had a place in mind. 

----------

A young man was guarding the new fortified entrance to the slums.

Kade had been in the Dark City for 4 years now. 

The beginning was the better part of his memories. He was found by one of the hunting parties inside the city close to the castle. 

He found a role as an assistant under one of the artisans in the castle. 

Earning his keep, Kade was happy with life.

It all changed when one of the demented Spire Messengers attacked them through the front window near the gate. It took 10 castle guards to fight until it was killed however 4 people died in the aftermath including his boss. 

With no job, he was rejected from the castle guard due to his previous affiliation as an artisan.

With no viable way out, he was living in the slums within 2 weeks.

'Enough of that' he thought

Kade's idle thoughts went to Lady Changing Star.

She came to the slums and brought order. 

She brought hope. 

It had been over 70 days since they took control of the Slums.

Not through force but through leadership.

She and the cohort she led did not take but provided. 

Food, shelter and protection. 

All without the cost of a soul shard. 

As Kade kept praising Lady Nephis in his mind, a figure approached the makeshift gate.

The figure was clad in hide-like black armour and had a long claymore in his hand. 

Once the figure came within 3 metres of the gate, they spoke.

"Do you have any room for a fugitive?"

His voice was young but mature. Firm and stoic.

The young man had a smirk on his face as if he was laughing at an inside joke. 

Kade was genuinely confused at the sight. What was he talking about. 

Just as he was about to question the man, a soft voice spoke behind him.

"Of course. We are a shelter for those without one."

Kade turned around to see a porcelain like doll.

She had pale blond hair and blue eyes. A mature aura poured off her. Her demeanor was cold and restrained. 

"Lady Cassia!"

*********

Another one down.

Thanks for reading.

Hope all is well with you lot.

Can anyone guess what he did in the castle before leaving?

Trying to flesh out Aldric's his character more. 

Anywho, I haven't seen any direct questions so I'll skip that.

Till next time.