Into the Pandemonium

by StarKnight2.0

Part 2 of "Somewhere Far Beyond." Things are beginning to heat up. Follow Gareth and Kane as they dodge enemies and assume new roles. Ainz follows the path of the Overlord while battling a mysterious rival who wants nothing more than to see Nazarick burn. Meanwhile, secrets are unearthed and ancient powers are awakened, threatening both the players and the New World.

5. Weekend in the City

(a/n: hey everyone! Thanks for all the faves, follows and reviews. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Big thanks to Lucius Walker for all the help!)

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Ch.5: Weekend in the City

The Good Companions arrived in Arwintar late in the afternoon. It took them a few days to reach the capital of Baharuth, but the time flew by for Kane. The vampire thought he'd be bored, but he was pleasantly surprised at the fun he had listening to his brother playing music and seeing more of Baharuth's countryside.

Along the way, the four Adventurers passed through a few small villages and a major town. Gareth played music to pass the time and to practice for the Bard's competition. Kane sat closeby, keeping an eye out for any trouble as his brother entertained the people who passed them by. Fortunately, people enjoyed Gareth's music and enjoyed their presence overall. People were surprised to see a dwarf in their party, though people's reactions to Lydia were apathetic at best and demeaning at worst. Kane was ticked off at that, but he forced himself to be calm. He can't just fly off the handle all the time. Besides, these people probably didn't know any better and could, in time, learn to behave.

The party of four proceeded up the busy sidewalk heading toward the Singing Apple Pavillion, following the directions they received from a passerby a few minutes earlier. As they made their way further into the capital, Kane looked around in awe. Arwintar outclassed Arven in numerous ways. The roads here were smoother, wider, and far busier. Carriages and wagons raced by, moving in a steady flow of traffic that reminded the vampire of a normal city back on Earth. He spied armored large intimidating men in blue cloaks and bits of armor patrolling the streets, obviously part of some police force. Kane noticed knights on griffons circling the skies above the city. People have mentioned how well guarded the capital was, and the vampire was inclined to believe them. The air in Arwintar was filled with an array of scents, ranging from sweet and exotic to old and earthy. In the distance, the vampire could smell waste, but it wasn't nearly as powerful or as close as Arven's waste.

Everything about Arwintar was bigger and better than the city on the edge of the Empire. At the center of the city, a distance ahead of them, lay a grand, white palatial structure that was surrounded by soaring towers and dozens of imposing buildings. These buildings dwarfed the surrounding homes and shops, and made the fancy manors in Arven look like shacks in comparison.

"Let's see," Gareth said, carefully eying the buildings as they passed, "the guy said that we take a right at the end of this block, and it should be at the end of Orchard Street."

"Let's hope the directions are correct," Kane grumbled. "We don't want to get turned around or be sent to some drug den or something."

"I don't think he would do that."

"Why not? That's what people did back in the early two thousands!"

"They did not, that was an urban legend."

"Come on, people back in those days were freaking insane! They treated political parties like religion, and were weirdly anal about cartoon characters."

"Well that was Earth. People here are different."

"Yeah, they're poorer, crazier, and have magic."

The Good Companions reached the end of the block and turned the corner. They followed the street to the end and came to a green building that sat on the corner, facing an intersection.

"Here we are!" Gareth said, cheerfully. "Told you that we should be asking for directions more."

Kane grunted as he inspected the building. Compared to the architecture and the overall quality of the building, this building looked very old. The green paint on the walls had faded a little, in contrast to the sign hanging above the door, which looked like it had a recent paint job. Standing outside the building was a line of men and women, dressed in all manner of bright and colorful clothes. All of them were carrying instruments, from flutes to harps and lutes.

"Looks like we've made it just in time," the blond bard said with a smile.

"Well, go on!" Kane said, pushing his brother forward. "Get in line, get signed up."

"You're not coming?"

"I'm going to go check out the Adventurer's Guild. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Oh...okay. Well, hurry back and don't get into any fights."

"I won't. If anything, fights find me!"

"Allow me to accompany you, Mr. Kane," Randor said.

Kane nodded. "Sure. Now come on, sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be back."

The dwarf nodded, and the two left Gareth and Lydia standing in the line of musicians. They proceeded onward and took a left and made their way north. Kane kept an eye on the buildings, remembering the directions that the con man Ruffe had given him.

After he had disposed of the con man's armed companions, Kane was of a mind to torture the moustachioed weasle for attempting to murder him at the Green Dragon Inn. However, after the man soiled himself and began speaking freely of anything and everything, Kane decided to ask him some questions. The vampiric assassin learned who the man worked for and why he was trying to murder them. It sounded pretty serious, Kane and Gareth taking money from a dangerous criminal. Ordinarily, such a thought would give the vampire pause. But that was before he became a vampire and had supernatural abilities. Ruffe also mentioned wanting to steal back his ring, which caught the vampire's attention.

When they played the dice game, Kane saw the ring and recognized the symbol in the emerald.. The symbol belonged to a player from YGGDRASIL who made a name for himself, and had kicked Kane's ass once.

Feeling curious about the ring they won off him, Kane asked Ruffe where he got it.

"I-I got it off of a man from the Slane Theocracy, during a trip to Arwintar," he whimpered. "He-he said he found it. I-I don't know much else about it, please don't kill me!"

"I'm not going to kill you," Kane told the trembling man in a soothing tone. "I just want to know where I can get some answers about this ring, and where I can ditch all this gear. Your friends aren't going to need them anymore."

Ruffe suggested a dozen places, most of them in Arwintar, to find some answers regarding the ring. For the gear, he said that the only place to off load stolen weapons and armor would be the Phantom Market. From the way he described this market, Kane concluded that it's essentially the Black Market, but with a fantasy name. Kane had dropped a dozen bodies that night in their room in the Green Dragon Inn. While Lydia and Randor were able to dispose of the corpses and clean the room, Kane saved the armor and weapons of the men he killed. He could send it back to the Bronze Ox, but the armor was either too small or too large for the goblins and trolls. Needing money for their settlement and adventuring expenses, Kane decided to sell them.

Fortunately, the stars seemed to align for him, since Gareth planned for them to head to Arwintar. As his brother signed up to get involved with the Bard's Guild competition, Kane would trade in the stolen gear for cash and run down some leads on this ring. Finding two rings belonging to players from YGGDRASIL like this was no coincidence. If men like Ruffe were collecting them, trading them and using them, it'd be stupid not to try and track them down first. Although Kane was confident in his abilities, he wasn't comfortable with the idea of letting the magical equivalent of a nuke fall into the hands of a band of criminals.

"Randor, old buddy," Kane said, after he and the dwarf had left the Singing Apple Pavilion far behind them. "I'm going to level with you. We're not going to the Adventurer's Guild."

"Yes, I know," the dwarf said.

"You-You do?"

"Aye, we just passed it a few minutes ago."

"And you didn't say anything?"

The dwarf shrugged. "Wherever you go, I'll follow. You have your reasons, and I have no choice but to believe that they are honorable."

"What if I'm planning to do something foolish or wrong?"

"Then I'll inform you of the logic and consequences of your decisions...if that is what you wish."

Kane blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Yes, yes it is."

After a few more turns and crossing a street, the two Adventurers reached their destination. The vampire and the dwarf stood outside what looked like an ordinary building with an item shop on the ground floor. The shop looked similar to the type of shops that Adventurers and Workers frequented in Arven. The sign above the door read, "Ward's Weapons and Armor."

Kane recalled Ruffe mentioning that it's a legitimate shop that acted as a front for the Phantom Market. The Phantom Market moved from place to place, so as to avoid being caught by authorities. To find it's most current location, one needs to locate the secret sign. Fortunately, Kane spied the sign indicating the Market's presence beneath the weapon shop. The sign was a black sickle moon, which was discreetly placed on a notice in the shop's window that informed passerbys of new deals and discounts.

The vampire took a deep breath and made sure that he had a weapon close at hand. A secret underground market filled with illegal stuff is bound to attract rough and dangerous types. Afterall, one could find all sorts of things banned by Imperial Law at the Market, including Black Dust. It's best to be prepared.

Ruffe said that to gain entrance, one needs to use the secret passphrase. Kane had grilled him and confirmed that the phrase was legit. Making sure no one was around, the vampire withdrew two large sacks filled with the armor and weapons that he stripped from the corpses of Lucian's men.

Handing one off to Randor, Kane nodded to the door. "Let's go. Keep your hands to yourself, and keep your head down. We might just get through this."

Randor nodded, and the two entered the shop.

…

Gareth sat on a bench, sandwiched between two handsome and flamboyantly dressed bards. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Lydia standing in the back near the door. She gave him a smile and a thumbs up, which cheered him up a little. The elf and the angel waited in line for a half hour and the line gradually moved inside the Singing Apple Pavillion. Once they were through the door, Gareth was surprised to see how spacious and organized it was inside. Rows of benches were set up, where all the contestants and members of the Bard's Guild sat. Off to one side was a bar, where a large man was serving drinks.

Lydia was told to stand in the back, since the benches were reserved for contestants. The silver-haired elf didn't mind, and wished Gareth luck. This caused some of the bard's around him to snicker and sneer at him.

"Wonder what backwater village he blew in from," one bard chuckled to his friend.

Gareth scowled, and he pretended to stretch his limbs, elbowing the man in the arm, causing him to spill his drink all over his purple cloak and doublet.

"Sorry about that," the angel said with a smile. He made sure that his platinum Adventurer plate was visible. This gave the man pause, but he waved a hand, muttering about how outdated Adventurers are.

The bards and musicians were all told to take a seat and to wait for the event to begin. A half hour passed, and the chattering contestants slowly grew silent as a trio of lavishly dressed figures stepped onto the makeshift stage in front of the benches.

The first figure was a tall man with long milk-white hair. The man was dressed in an orange doublet with a sun sewn to his breast. Hanging around his shoulders was a flowing yellow cloak, which was fastened by shining silver clasps.

The second figure was a striking woman with blue black hair and pale features. Her eyes were like sparkling emeralds that seemed to know everything. She was dressed in a black gown with a high collar. At her throat was a ruby broach that glowed with a mystical light. If he didn't know better, Gareth would've thought she was a vampire.

The final figure looked like a rogue or a pirate. He wore an open white shirt that exposed his hairy chest and black trousers that were tucked into his leather boots. The man had wild curly locks and laughing blue eyes. Hanging around his shoulders was a dark-green coat. On his fingers were a variety of rings.

When the trio took the stage, the contestants all murmured in hushed voices.

"I can't believe they're here," the bard next to Gareth moaned softly, his face turning green.

"Of course they're here, they're the finest bards in the guild," another bard hissed at the sickly looking man. "They always judge the competitions. They're constantly on the lookout for bards worthy enough to join the guild."

"Who are they?" Gareth asked, which earned him disbelieving and shocked looks from those closest to him.

"Seriously?" the sickly looking man said.

"Where the hell did you come from?" the second man asked,"and how is it that you've never heard of the Big Three?"

"I'm from somewhere far away. Now, who are they?"

"They're the Big Three, the most famous bards in the guild," the first man said, his face slowly growing greener and sweat beginning to form on his brow. "Each one has skills and abilities that rival Orichalcum Adventurers, even Adamantite."

"The one in yellow is Santino Goldriver, also known as the Sun Singer." the second bard explained. "He's played for kings and lords all over the continent. The woman is Elmina Dusk, also known as the Siren of the North. She used to be an Adventurer, but felt that her talents were being wasted, and became a bard. I heard she's well known even in the Argland Council State."

"The demi-human country?" Gareth said, surprised. "Don't they hate humans?"

The man nodded slowly. "Indeed, which only shows how skillful she is. The last one is Edmon Ramigil. He used to be an outlaw, but slowly became one of the most famous bards in the world."

Gareth raised an eyebrow at that, but before he could ask any more questions, the man in yellow, Santino Goldriver, spoke.

"Welcome everyone, welcome!" the white-haired man greeted them with a warm smile. "Thank you all for coming to this year's competition. As you all know, it is in celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Bard's Guild."

There was some applause before Elmina took over. "As you may already know, this competition is open to bards, musicians, and entertainers from all over. This competition will test your skills and your presentation. It is not enough to be able to play music or tell stories, you must do those things with style and passion."

"Indeed," Edmon said with a winning smile. "Without those things, your songs and stories will fall flat. Music is the language of the soul, and is a bard's most powerful tool. Presentation is everything!"

Gareth nodded slowly, absorbing the information. He already knew about such things, it was part of the Bard class's flavor text after all. However, he never really gave it too much thought. It made sense. In this world, bards and magic were real. It was like casting a spell. Certain requirements had to be met in order for a spell to work. On top of that, bards were performers. It'd make sense that they'd be expected to actually perform. Gareth thought about the performances he did in Carne and in the villages on the road to Arwintar. From what he could remember, everybody seemed to enjoy his performances and the music he played. While he was confident in his abilities, a small part of Gareth knew that these guys were going to be extra critical and severe. Just like those judges from those classic singing competitions from an old American television show he binged years ago.

"Now then," Santino said, clapping his hands together. "Let us begin. First, we shall begin with the musical portion of the competition. Here, you will play a song of your choice and the audience, including us three, shall gauge the quality of your performance. From there, we shall proceed to other aspects of performances that bards are typically expected to excel at, like riddle telling, storytelling, and physical performances. Feel free to use magic, so long as you don't endanger anyone."

After he finished his explanation, the white haired bard looked around at the audience before him. "So...who wants to go first?"

Silence filled the room, and Gareth looked about to see if anyone was volunteering. However, as he looked toward the front door where Lydia waited, the blond bard noticed that neither Kane or Randor had returned yet. They said that they'd be a few minutes, but it's almost been over an hour now.

"No volunteers?" Elmina said with a harsh smile. "Well then, we'll just have to pick at random. Hmm...how about you?" the pale woman pointed to a man sitting a few rows behind Gareth. The man was dressed in a patchwork cloak and a faded jester costume. He stood and bowed his head and began making his way toward the stage.

Gareth looked back to the front door, and saw that his brother was still not there.

Just where the hell were they?

---

Kane and Randor wandered around in the Phantom Market. The two had sold their haul of stolen armor and weapons to a man with a nasty scar on his face. Although they finished what they had done, the vampire decided to linger a little longer to see if this shady underground market had a stall for YGGDRASIL items.

The Market was located in a labyrinthine network of tunnels and rooms situated underneath Arwintar. Judging from the smell and the distant sound of water, Kane surmised that the tunnels were an expansion of the city's sewer systems and basements. The vampire was right on being cautious, because the type of people he saw in this market weren't the type he wanted to hang out with. People eyed each other suspiciously, dressed in dark and drab clothes and displaying the weapons at their sides. Kane didn't care that these people were watching him and Randor. He was used to the staring by now.

Kane and Randor followed the tunnels heading toward the man that the weapon merchant had directed them to. Earlier, after selling the stolen equipment, the vampire asked if there was someone they could talk to regarding rare and powerful items. At first the man was hesitant, but after some convincing and a little hypnosis, the weapon merchant gave them a name. Kane thanked the man, and they were off.

The vampire and the dwarf avoided other customers who stormed or skulked by, stepping over Black Dust addicts who were lying passed out on the floor. Randor covered his nose and grumbled over the filth and shoddy quality of the tunnels.

"Give me a shovel and a pick, and I'll show you how to make a proper tunnel," the dwarf grumbled.

"Not much longer now," Kane told his companion. "Just one last stop, and we're out of this shit hole."

They turned and reached a spacious room where a scrawny man with grey hair sat behind a table. Surrounding the man and his table was a wide selection of items, from suits of armor to swords, and to a stand holding a bunch of pendants, amulets, and charms. Kane saw a bookcase in the corner, holding not only a dozen ancient looking books, but also jars full of liquid, powders, and dried leaves. There was another person in the room, searching through the collection of items. They wore a grey cloak and hood to hide their face but Kane could tell that there were curves in certain places, indicating that they were female. The man at the table was reading from a large book with yellowed pages.

When Kane and Randor entered the room, the man looked up at them. His dark eyes lit up.

"Welcome to my humble shop, gentlemen!" the man purred, his voice was low and rough, sounding like a chainsmoker. "I am Artus. How may I help you?"

"Darby the weapon merchant sent us," the vampire said, putting on a cold and formal front. "He says that you were the one to see about rare and powerful items."

"Of course," the grey haired man said with a grin. "I deal in all manner of rare and curious items. Whatever it is you need, I can find it. If I can't find it, then it doesn't exist."

Cocky, Kane thought to himself, and he reached into his pocket and produced the ring he won off of Ruffe. Artus's eyes widened, and he leaned in closer to get a better look at the item.

"How beautiful!" the man breathed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small magnifying glass. "Curious symbol. What does it mean?"

"It's a long story," Kane grunted. "We were wondering if you had any items like this or anything that was recently discovered."

Artus looked at Kane. "I'm sorry?"

"A little birdie told me that a cache of rare and powerful items was uncovered fairly recently. I was hoping that you'd have some of those items. If not, perhaps you could acquire some for me."

The grey haired man studied Kane with a blank look. The vampire stared at the man, trying his best to not look annoyed and creeped out. After an uncomfortable silence, Artus nodded his head a little.

"Allow me to review my wares. I may have a few items of interest."

Artus handed Kane his ring and he rose from his chair. He turned and went to a large metal chest sitting atop a stack of crates behind the desk. The grey haired man waved a hand over the large iron lock. The lock clicked open and Artus opened the chest. As he dug around the inside of the chest, Kane glanced over to the woman in the grey cloak. She was currently bending over to inspect something on the lower shelves. He tilted his head and found himself staring a bit longer than he should be.

Randor tapped on the vampire's shoulder, causing Kane to return his gaze to the grey haired man, who was turning to face the two.

"I believe these might be of some interest," Artus said, carrying an armful of items. He set them out on the table in a row.

Kane inspected them… and felt underwhelmed. The vampire was expecting something substantial, something flashy. Instead, the items on the table were utter crap. There were five items in total on the table. The first was a silvery stick no bigger than a conductor's baton. The second was a small white totem carved in the shape of an owl, the third was an elegant looking dagger in a jewel encrusted sheath, and the last item was a black armband with a jagged symbol carved into the rusty old metal.

To the uninitiated, these items would seem curious and potentially powerful. But to a player from YGGDRASIL, this stuff was useless. These items were the kind of items that players would find as they began the game. The baton looking thing was a Wand of the Windseeker, useful for mages who were starting out, giving them a slight power boost. The white totem was called a Winter Totem, a magic item that can unleash a powerful blast of ice magic. The dagger was called a Kingkiller dagger. Sounded badass, but it was a low level weapon that wouldn't hurt a skeleton. Kane had one when he first started out, but ditched it as he leveled up and found better weapons. The armband was a Cursed Bracer, which did nothing but drain a player's health and MP.

While Kane was disappointed at the level of items on the table, he was glad that there weren't any dangerous items here. Then again, these items could still be dangerous to the people of this world.

"Are these...all the items you have?" the vampire asked, looking the man in the eyes. He activated his hypnosis abilities.

The man stared back, and he seemed to grow relaxed. "Y-Yes. These are the items that Roswall and his friends sold to me."

Kane frowned. It seemed that this Roswall might know more about these items and where he found them. He probably saved some of the more impressive ones for himself. Kane will have to look into this later.

The vampire released the man from hypnosis and asked, "How much for the items?"

"A man of taste, I like that. Two hundred gold pieces for the whole lot."

"Deal."

As Kane produced the money from his bag, he noticed the woman in the hood looking right at him. She was rather pretty, having dark purple hair and a scar on her face. What made him pause was her eyes. Her left eye was red and her right eye was pink. The vampire looked away and pulled out a leather pouch and handed it to Artus. As the grey haired man opened the pouch and began to count the money, the strange woman approached him.

"Quite the collector I see," the woman said with a smile.

"I have very particular tastes," Kane replied coolly.

"If it's items you want, the Imperial Ministry of Magic has all sorts of rare items."

"That they do," Artus said, not looking up or pausing his counting.

Kane frowned. "I see. Why are you telling me this?"

"Oh, no reason. Just making light conversation with a gorgeous man."

The vampire raised an eyebrow, causing the woman to giggle.

"I'm sorry! Forgive me for being so forward, that's just who I am." She extended a hand. "I'm Sophie Noia."

"Kane," he said, shaking her hand.

"Lovely name. Short, simple and easy to remember. I couldn't help but overhear your inquiry about rare items being recently discovered."

"Yeah, and?"

"And, I may be able to help you. You see, I myself have an interest in these items you speak of and have acquired a few. Perhaps we can discuss this...elsewhere."

Kane frowned, and couldn't help but feel that this was a set up of sorts. However, if this woman was being sincere, then it'd be worth checking out. After a few moments, the vampire nodded slowly.

"Alright."

"Excellent!"

"Looks like everything is here and accounted for," Artus said, scooping the last of the gold coins into his pouch. "Thank you for your business, sir."

"Thank you Artus," Kane said, nodding at the grey haired man.

"Find everything you need, Ms. Noia?" Artus asked, looking to the purple haired woman.

"Yes, though I was disappointed to see that you didn't have Lennox's Bestiary anymore. I saw it on your shelf last time."

"Sorry, I sold it. Perhaps I can locate another copy in the near future."

"If you do, please inform me right away."

Artus nodded. "Of course."

Kane scooped up the items and dumped them into his pack. Once he collected his items, Sophie led Kane and Randor out of the Phantom Market.

---

Gareth was growing more nervous from each performance, and it wasn't just premature stage fright.

These bards were good. Sure, some of them could be better, but they were good. Contrary to some of their appearances, ranging from vagrant looking to jester looking, they were all skilled, and did indeed deserve to win the grand prize and be a part of this guild. Gareth had no doubts about his skills, but a part of him was worried that he wouldn't live up to his literal level. On top of their musical performances, the bards incorporated little magical flourishes to enhance their presentation. For example, one bard sang about the battle between the Golden Knight and one of the Demon Gods, the Demon God of the Forests, and cast an illusion spell. As he played his song, a miniature knight in gold battled a monstrous shadow.

"Alright, thank you for that lovely performance! Now, who's the last one remaining?"

Gareth blinked, and he realized that the judges were talking about him. He let out a gulp, before he stood up.

As he walked up to the stage, he finally realized his problem: he wasn't sure what to play. He had confidence in his abilities, but he wasn't too good at coming up with original songs on the spot (then again, who is?). He had a huge arsenal of songs, but he wasn't sure which one to play. He knew that he couldn't play many of them, since it was "too early", where they wouldn't understand and accept the genre (like punk rock or Lo-Fi), and some songs wouldn't make sense without proper context, especially those referring to things that only existed in his home world.

Gareth stepped onto the stage and looked out on the crowd. He felt his mouth go dry, noticing the amount of attention he was getting. The judges, Santino, Elmina, and Edmon, sat in front of the stage, waiting patiently for Gareth. Of all the judges, Elmina seemed to be the harshest. The performances of the other bards were good, though Elmina would always have one sharp piece of criticism. As the performances dragged on, the biggest complaint that the raven-haired bard seemed to have was that she was bored.

"If I have to hear one more ballad from The Songs of the Thirteen, I may strangle someone," Gareth could hear her say to Santino as one performance ended.

The angelic bard considered the music that was performed thus far. The majority of songs that have been played were heroic ballads about legendary figures, like the Thirteen Heroes, and great deeds. Scattered amongst these heroic songs were a few melodies about quests, treachery, even a dirge for a long dead kingdom named Inveria. Anything sounding like a heroic ballad was out of the question. Maybe he could try something slower and darker?

"...your name?" asked Santino.

Gareth blinked. "I-I'm sorry?"

There were some chuckles.

Santino smiled and asked again. "What is your name?"

"Gareth."

"Well, Gareth, you may begin when you're ready."

Elmina folded her arms and looked unimpressed while Edmon waved at a nearby serving girl to bring him a bottle of wine.

The angelic bard saw Lydia, who was still standing in the back near the front door, smiling. She gave him a thumbs up. Although he wasn't sure if her encouragement was sincere or just something that was hardwired into her, Gareth was glad that the silver haired elf was there. A brief scan of the crowd and he saw that Kane and Randor still hadn't returned. Gareth hoped that wherever they were, they were safe. He'll have to find them once he's finished. After a few moments, an idea came to the angelic bard.

"The song I'm going to play is an old one from my land," Gareth explained. "The song is of a lost love, between a great hero and a goddess. It was a forbidden love that rocked the foundations of heaven and earth. After a tumultuous war and treachery, the two were torn from each other. The goddess, the Princess of Stars, was taken by her father, the Moon King, and hidden far away, beyond the hero's reach. Despite the odds and having lost everything, the hero searched the wilderness for his lost love. No one knows if he ever found her. Some say that he still wanders and searches for his true love. On those dark and still nights, they say you can hear him sing this..."

Gareth plucked the strings of his lute, the notes of the song echoed through the tavern. As the song progressed, the interior of the Singing Apple Pavilion grew darker and darker, as if someone was dimming the lights in a theater. The audience all looked around and saw darkness cover the windows, blocking out the sunlight. A single spotlight appeared, shining on Gareth.

"Where O where have you been my love?" Gareth sang, his voice low and gloomy. "Where O where can you be? It's been so long, since the moon has gone. O what a wreck you've made me."

As the angelic bard sang, there were soft voices whispering and echoing the lyrics of the song in the darkened tavern, sounding like lost souls singing a familiar tune on a starless night. There were other sounds echoing in the dark, the clanging of swords, a distant scream of anguish. A soft breeze blew through the tavern, carrying a soft floral scent, followed by a woman's voice, humming the tune of the song.

"As sure as days come from moments, each hour becomes a life's time. When she'd left, I'd only begun this lullaby…" With a flourish of his hand, Gareth ended the song. In a matter of seconds, the spotlight vanished and the darkness faded away. Sunlight filled the tavern, causing everyone to blink and look around in surprise.

Gareth lowered his hand and looked out on the audience. The bards were all surprised at the display, staring at Gareth with a range of admiration and envy. Santino, Edmon and Elmina sat there, staring at the bard on the stage. After a few moments of awkward silence, the angelic bard bowed and stepped off the stage. As he climbed down from the stage, someone began to clap. Gareth looked and saw, standing at the back of the crowd, near the front door, was a tall man with ink black hair.

Slowly, people began to clap as well and soon the entire tavern was applauding. As Gareth made his way back to his seat, he noticed people starting to look toward the mysterious raven haired man and look astonished. When the applauding died down, Gareth heard people begin whispering excitedly.

"Is-Is that him?!" one bard asked his friend.

"I-I can't believe it!" another breathed. "I thought he was in the Holy Kingdom."

"Who is it?" Gareth asked, sliding back into his seat.

"That's Freivalds!" the bard sitting beside him said with near religious reverence.

"The leader of Silver Thread Bird?"

"The same."

"What's he doing here?"

"He's a member of the Bard's Guild," another bard told Gareth. "Although he spends a lot of time working as an Adventurer, he still stops by here every now and then, especially if there's a competition going on."

Gareth nodded slowly as he seized up the Adamantite-class Adventurer. Freivalds was tall and lean, and had a pleasant air about him. His ink-black hair was tied up in a knot, leaving his tanned face free of any loose strands of hair. Around his shoulders was a silver cloak. Close to his throat was a gleaming silver feather. His emerald eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Gareth. The Adamantite Adventurer smiled and nodded at Gareth. The blond bard nodded back.

"Well, look who finally decided to show," Santino said with a smile. The brightly dressed bard rose.

"Sorry I'm late," Freivalds apologized, walking into the tavern. "I just got back from a job in the Holy Kingdom. I didn't realize what day it was until I reached the Adventurer's Guild and they told me what was happening today. I knew I just had to drop everything and come straight here. What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Elmina said, sounding bored. "Just endless renditions of The Song of the Thirteen. Some fair, some passing, mostly abysmal."

The bards in the tavern all winced and shrank into their seats.

"I'm sure they weren't all bad," Freivalds said, stopping at Gareth's row. "Besides, it's not always the song that makes the bard. It's the bard that makes the song. Heroic ballads and flowery love songs, no matter how beautiful, don't elevate a performer. It is up to the singer to entertain and inspire their audience, as they bring these ancient stories to life. Bards must be passionate, daring and courageous, on the stage and on the battlefield. You can't go at it half-hearted, you have to give it your all."

The raven-haired bard looked around at the bards sitting in the rows around him. "I'm sure you all will throughout the rest of this competition."

Gareth saw the other bards taking Freivalds words to heart, sitting up straighter and expressions growing more hopeful. Their confidence bolstered after being deflated by Elmina.

Edmon raised his glass of wine. "Well said, my friend! Come, let us continue." The roguish bard drank from his glass and gestured to the serving girls, who brought forth an additional chair and set it beside the eminent trio in the front row. As Freivalds joined his esteemed colleagues, Gareth felt strangely moved by the Adamantite Adventurer's words. It's not the songs that mattered, it was the bard who sang them. To make his abilities work to their fullest potential, he needs to be more confident and give it his best. Well, maybe not his all, but he should just stop being so afraid all the time.

The next bard got up and climbed up onto the stage. As the next phase of the competition began, Gareth thought of Kane and pondered his whereabouts.

---

"Nice place you got here," Kane said with a whistle. He looked around at the spacious office they were in.

"Thanks," Sophie said bashfully. "Pardon the mess. I have so many projects going on and half of this junk belongs to my predecessor."

"Hey, no problem. I've seen worse."

"You're such a charmer."

Kane watched as the purple haired woman scoop up a large stack of books and removed it from the chair they were on. She brushed away sheaves of paper from another and directed the dwarf and the vampire to them.

"Please, sit."

Kane and Randor remained standing. He didn't fully trust this Sophie. Sure, he followed her all the way here, to the headquarters for the Imperial Ministry of Magic. That was a stupid move. But Kane was a vampire. He was confident that whatever tricks this lady was hoping to pull, he could slip right out of it.

Instead of sitting, the vampire assassin went to the tall window and peered outside. The window gave Kane an impressive view of the quarter in which the Ministry of Magic resided. Looming close by like a giant glacier was the Imperial Palace. Down below in the square, a squad of knights in brass colored plate armor and crimson cloaks marched by in lockstep.

After leaving the Phantom Market, the trio emerged from the underground and went directly toward the Imperial Palace. Kane was impressed at the security that surrounded the Imperial Palace. A high thick wall ringed the inner districts and Royal Quarter of the city, blocking out any unwanted visitors. There were four gates that led inside but all were guarded heavily by the Royal Guard. On top of that, the Royal Air Guard circled the skies on their flying mounts. At first Kane though Sophia was going to take them to a nearby building or ask them to break her into the Royal Quarter. However, the purple haired woman led them to a hidden passage located in a nearby park.

Through the tunnel, the trio came out from under a grand marble statue of a knight slaying a dragon. Sophie led them to her office, which sat behind a pair of tall oak doors. Kane looked around at the office. The office was like a small library. The walls were covered by tall bookcases, all loaded with old thick volumes. There was a fireplace at one end of the office, which sat cold and empty. In front of the fireplace was a couch that had a crumpled up blanket and a pillow on it. Hanging on the walls were maps, charts, and paintings of various places and creatures.

"So why have you brought us here?" Kane asked, looking at Sophie. "Not to help you with spring cleaning, I assume."

"No, no, of course not," the purple haired woman chuckled as she sifted through the mountain of papers and books that cluttered her desk. "It was as I said: I, like you, have an interest in rare and special items that have been discovered recently. Ah!"

Sophie held up a brown book and flipped it open. She flipped through a few pages and stopped on a particular page. She held up the book and showed Kane the page.

"Does this symbol look familiar?"

Kane looked and nearly did a double take. On the page were eight symbols, two of which looked familiar. The first was a crown and skull, and the other was the same exact one in the emerald of the ring Kane won. The symbol was that of a crowned wolf with an arrow caught in its teeth.

"It does," Kane said slowly.

"I knew it!" Sophie said, grinning from ear to ear. "I knew it!"

"What is it? What is this book?"

"This book is the Infernal Chronicles, it covers the secret history of the Eight Greed Kings."

"Oh. Who?"

"Eight immensely powerful beings who overthrew the Six Great Gods and slaughtered the ancient Dragon Lords."

Kane nodded slowly. "I see. They sound bad."

"Depends on how you look at them. Most see them as devilish and evil, thanks to the Queen of Darkness. However, a few of us who actually know our history, know that the Eight have been beneficial for mankind. I mean, the empire they built allowed humanity to flourish and grow, much like the Six Great Gods. Without either of these groups, mankind would have perished under the onslaught of the Beastmen or become food for the Dragon Lords."

"Oh," Kane said, understanding a little better. He didn't really pay much attention or cared much about the history of this world. However, after their trip to the Azerlisia Mountains, Kane had grown to dislike the Dragon Lords. They sounded like heavy duty dick bags.

"I noticed the symbol on your ring and it bothered me. I knew I had seen it before, but I didn't know where. But now I know. That ring belonged to one of the Eight Greed Kings, the King of Beasts to be precise."

"Who's he?"

"I can't say much for certain, much of what we know about them has been lost. What is known is that he was a powerful beast-like creature who was a savage warrior that struck fear in all who saw him."

"And what does this have to do with rare items?" Randor asked, stroking his beard.

"Because of this," Sophie said, tapping the book. "The man who wrote this book claimed that the Eight Greed Kings had hidden crypts all over the continent, each one containing wealth and items of great power. There are rumors that a mysterious crypt was discovered in the Slane Theocracy, containing all sorts of items. The Theocracy's Lotus Scripture quickly took control of the area, but not before word got out and a corrupt official had his men loot the place and take as much as they could. One of the men who looted the place was a man named Roswall."

"Artus spoke of him."

"Indeed he did. Roswall was a smuggler, but he ended up making a lot of money selling these items off to various interested parties."

Kane frowned. That didn't sound good.

"How do you know all this?" the vampire asked. "What is it that you do again?"

Sophie blinked, and she blushed a little. "I'm a researcher. I'm also the High Disciple to Fluder Paradyne. While my interest lies more with living creatures, my focus has been on the past as of late. I believe that these items may benefit mankind."

"How?"

"The world is full of monsters, bigger and stronger than any warrior before or since. No matter how much stronger we get, there is always something stronger than us. I don't wish to be pessimistic, but the truth of the matter is despite all our power and our knowledge, we're severely outmatched by the monsters that lurk beyond our borders."

Kane nodded and shifted a little uncomfortably. The vampire remembered tearing through a bunch of armed bandits like nothing, despite them being hardened and experienced killers. He also thought of the Quagoa, and how they overran the Dwarf Kingdom, despite their legendary tenacity and toughness. While part of him said that it was the way of the world, that there's going to be something or someone stronger than you, it strangely reminded him of YGGDRASIL. The human player characters were weaker and had a number of drawbacks, which was compensated by a number of in-game benefits and boosts. Unfortunately for the humans of this world, those benefits were practically non-existent.

"Alright, and why have you brought me here?" Kane asked, folding his arms. "We could've talked about this just about anywhere. Why bring us here?"

"Privacy, for starters" Sophie said, sitting down in the chair behind the desk. "My office is one of the most secure rooms in the entire city. Besides that, I was hoping to ask how you came by that ring?"

"Won in a game of dice. No joke."

"Really?"

Kane briefly explained the circumstances of how he acquired the ring in Arven, leaving out the parts where he rigged the game in his favor using his YGGDRASIL abilities. Sophie listened quietly and nodded slowly.

"It seems our friend Roswall has been busy selling unknown items to common thugs."

"You know him?"

"Only by reputation. From what I heard, he used to be the middleman for Eight Fingers and their associates in the Slane Theocracy, before he somehow rose through the ranks overnight and became the head of their operations in the Theocracy."

"How'd he pull that off?"

Sophie shrugged. "Don't know. From what I heard, his predecessors and two of his rivals were murdered by some Slime at a party. On top of that, he got his hands on some powerful items which scared off any competition."

Kane cocked an eyebrow. "Now how does a High Disciple know so much about the inner workings of a gang of criminals?"

"I may have listened in on a few of Master Paradyne's meetings with Emperor Jircniv. You'd be surprised at what the Ministry of Security knows. They have eyes and ears everywhere."

"I believe you." Kane scratched his head. "So...now what?"

"Can I ask a big favor from you?"

"Shoot."

"I would like to borrow that ring of yours"

Kane gave her a questioning look. Sophie held up her hands defensively. "I know, I know. It's...it's a big favor, but we're both seeking further knowledge on items like your ring, right?"

Kane nodded slowly.

"Right, so if you would allow me to study that ring, I may be able to learn more about it. On top of that, I'd ask you to bring me any other curious items you may come across out there on your Adventurer jobs."

The vampire blinked. "How'd you know that I'm an Adventurer?"

Sophie smiled. "I've been around Adventurers for a long time, you can say that I can spot one a mile away. Also, I can see your Adventurer plate." She pointed to the vampire's chest. Kane looked down and grumbled at the sight of his platinum plate sticking out of his cloak. He tucked it under his shirt.

"What's in it for me?" Kane asked.

"Aside from furthering humanity's understanding of the world and the past, I could pay you a few pieces of silver. It's not much, but it should pay for whatever you may need."

Kane considered Sophie's offer for a moment. While he didn't like the idea of giving a stranger an item of unknown destructive capabilities, he considered the possibility of learning more about the item. From the sound of things, Olivia and her pals showed up in this world centuries before he and his brother. The history of this world was rather vague, and Kane had a morbid sense of curiosity of the fate of the woman who betrayed his brother. Partially, he wanted to know if she was still alive, but also he feared that history may repeat itself. How many other players ended up stuck in this world, and whatever happened to them?

Eventually, the vampire sighed and pulled the ring out of his pocket.

Sophie's eyes lit up and she stared at the ring intently.

"Sure, you can study it," Kane said in a low tone, "so long as you share your findings with me. If you lose it, sell it, or try to betray me-"

"I know, I know!" Sophie said, waving a hand. "Don't worry, I'll be extra careful. If I lose this, then there'll be a serious mark on my reputation."

"Good." Kane handed the ring over to Sophie and her hand brushed against his. She gasped and flinched back, accidentally dropping the ring. The vampire frowned and looked at Sophie, who was rubbing her hand as if something had bit her.

"What?"

"Your hand is really cold."

Kane shrugged. "I got cold hands. It happens."

Sophie nodded slowly and knelt down to scoop up the fallen ring. Due to her proximity, Kane caught a whiff of the purple haired researcher's scent. The vampire closed his eyes and allowed the scent to fill his senses. The floral scent from earlier was strong, but it did little to cover up the blend of other scents rolling off of the researcher. Kane picked up ink, old parchment, sweat and, most alluring, the scent of blood.

Although he had been maintaining a steady diet of animal blood and religiously meditated in order to fight off the urge to feast on human blood, Kane felt his mouth water at the smell of Sophie's blood. The vampiric assassin automatically stepped closer, drawn to the researcher who had just picked up the ring and was wiping away some dust with her sleeve.

"There!" Sophie said, cheerfully. "I think that…" She stopped. She looked up and noticed how close Kane was now.

The vampire was a head taller than the researcher, and she could see a strange look on his face that she wasn't familiar with.

"I-Is there something wrong?" Sophie asked, backing up a little. Kane followed.

"No, it's just…" Kane said, his voice was soft and velvety. "I've never noticed before."

"N-Notice what?"

"How...alluring you are."

Sophie blinked in surprise. "M-Me?" She jumped, she had backed into her desk.

Kane towered over the researcher. He leaned down, bringing his face closer to hers. Sweat began to bead on Sophie's brow. She swallowed hard and her heart began to race. The vampire could hear the rhythmic beat of her heart. It echoed in his ears like a siren's song, pulling him closer and urging him to drink.

Sophie could feel his breath on her face. As she stared into his eyes, she saw a flash of ruby red, and it instantly clicked in her mind what Kane really was.

"Oh my…" she breathed, her cheeks turning pink. "I-I always dreamed of something like this, but I never imagined that it'd actually happen, least of all with someone so...dashing. Well then…"

The purple haired researcher tilted her neck and tugged at the collar of her cloak, exposing her throat. Kane licked his lips. Her throat was pale and unblemished. At the moment, it looked about as inviting as a juicy steak. A part of him screamed at him to not bite the researcher, and that he should leave. He wondered where Randor was and why he wasn't stopping this. In the corner of his eye, the dwarf stood there and watched as if he were watching an ordinary display of affections. Kane tried to resist, but another, more vocal part of him however, urged him to go for it. Sophie was practically allowing him to drink her blood. It'd be rude to turn down such an offer.

Kane's mouth opened and bared his fangs. He went in for the kill. His fangs grew closer and closer. Sophie could feel his breath upon her neck and closed her eyes.

KNOCK-KNOCK!

"Sophie?" a familiar voice muffled from the otherside of her office's doors "Sophie, are you there?"

Master Paradyne! Sophie thought, panicked.

Her eyes flew open and she opened her mouth to warn Kane but saw, to her surprise and disappointment, that the handsome vampire and his companion were both gone. She looked around and saw that the window was open, and some scattered papers floating gently to the ground like autumn leaves. The purple haired researcher pouted.

She met an actual vampire and came this close to being bitten. Only to have one of her more unusual fantasies to be interrupted by her master. While she knew that vampires were dangerous, a part of her was thrilled by the idea of being bitten. Sophie was curious by nature. Everything about the inhuman and monstrous fascinated her. She heard stories of the ancient Vampire Lords and the kind of power they can bestow on their followers. A part of her had longed to be bitten and receive that power for herself. For humanity.

As Sophie collected herself and cleaned up her office a little, she thought of her research. Everything she did, this hunt for items, the mind numbing observations of various slimes, it was all for the sake of advancing humanity. Humanity was weak against the horde of monstrosities that stalk the land. It was only by the grace of the Six Great Gods and the timely intervention of the Eight Greed Kings that mankind was able to live this long and prosper. She feared that nobody was going to save them from the next catastrophe. So, instead of sitting around and waiting for someone to save them, Sophie hoped to take the initiative. One way or another, she was going to force humanity to evolve, and monsters may be the key to their growth.

Smoothing back her hair and making sure everything was in place, Sophie went and opened the door. Standing there was her mentor and perhaps the greatest magic caster in the world.

"Afternoon, Master Paradyne," Sophie greeted the elderly man with a smile. "How can I help you?"

"Have you forgotten about today?" the elderly magician asked, raising a bushy eyebrow.

Sophie hesitated, and asked, "Does it have something to do with the batch of new initiates from the Academy?"

"No. Today is the day we inspect the vault."

The purple haired researcher sighed, sounding a little annoyed. "Again? Why do we need to do that? It's all junk anyway!"

"Hold your tongue! The items in the Ministry's vault are not junk. They are the Empire's treasures, they are the most valuable and powerful items in our possession. Although they may have remained dormant these many centuries, it would be unwise to not keep a watchful eye open. Some of these items are said to awaken in times of great evil and distress."

Sophie sighed and nodded slowly. "Of course, Master Paradyne. But why me?"

"You're the High Disciple, you are my most capable student. In the event of my death, all my secrets and official duties shall fall to you, Gods help us."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you still have much to learn, young lady. Thank the gods that I still have life left in me. You are not ready, what with your foolish notions about Slimes and your experiments."

Sophie rolled her eyes and wanted to argue, but learned long ago how to keep quiet. When Fluder Paradyne began a lecture, it was best to let him continue. Besides, it's not like he'd believe her if she told him about her close encounter with a vampire.

…

Kane glided across the rooftops of Arwintar, landing gently and launching himself into the air every once in a while. That knock on the door snapped him back to reality really quickly. Not wanting to catch hell from Sophie or whoever that was knocking on the door, Kane grabbed Randor and booked it.

"Lord Kane," Randor chirped. "You may put me down now, sir."

Kane looked down and saw the dwarf tucked under his arm, remaining still and straight like a little garden gnome. He smiled. "Sorry about that, but I can't. Not yet. We're running late for Gareth's big performance!"

"Oh, right. Carry on then!"

The vampire laughed and leapt across a wide street. Although he was in a good mood, Kane silently cursed himself for nearly losing control back there. Yeah, Sophie was going to let him drink her blood. But what if she tried to fight him or screamed? The vampire felt ready to rip her head off if she tried anything funny. It wasn't like this before. He got hungry, but nothing like this. Kane began to worry if this was going to be a common thing from now on. He shook his head.

Now's not the time to worry. Right now, he's got a competition to get to.

---

The competition was nearly completed when Kane arrived. The vampire and Randor slipped into the Singing Apple Pavilion, and saw that the crowd of bards were all focused on the stage at the far end of the tavern.

The two joined Lydia in the back and got a recap on what they missed. Gareth killed it in the music round, and the judges had eliminated a large swath of bards. The following two rounds were challenging, which was almost like the physical tests they did in middle school, but Gareth had succeeded both times. Slowly, the amount of competitors shrank, until Gareth and a pair of other musicians had remained.

"Piece of cake," Kane scoffed. "Gareth's got this in the bag."

"Indeed, though his competitors have put on a vaillant display," Lydia said, nodding to the two standing beside Gareth. "However, one of the judges has decided to join in on the performances."

"What? Why?"

"He said something along the lines of wanting to encourage each artist to give it their all, to show the audience something that is uniquely them. Whatever that means. If they can meet Freivalds's approval, then they may pass."

Kane seized up the bards on the stage, including Freivalds. "Pfft, they look like a couple of chumps."

"A sentiment I agree on, my lord, but they are nonetheless quite skilled, although not as skilled as Lord Gareth. The first two have played and passed Freivalds's judgement with ease."

The Good Companions fell back into silence as they watched the rest of the competition. True to Lydia's words, the remaining bards were pretty good, although Kane still had faith in his brother. After all, Gareth had a much larger arsenal of music to play- something these bards lacked.

After an impressive performance done by a raven-haired fellow named Freivalds, the final match went to Gareth, who looked quite nervous.

Fortunately, Kane knew just how to help. While the bards were playing their inferior music, Kane was wracking his head for a list of popular songs that Gareth could play that wasn't too radical for this backwater place. It took him a while, but he eventually thought of a particular song that was heavily praised by a member of one of the most famous bands in their old world. It was also a song covered by multiple other artists, who all banded together to make a beautiful cover of the already beautiful song. Combined with Gareth's skills, and, well…

Carefully, the vampire utilized one of his assassin skills, Shadowstep, which allowed him to bypass the wall of bodies separating him and his brother. The vampire appeared behind Gareth and clapped Gareth's shoulder, causing him to jump a little. He saw his brother's reassuring smile, combined with the supportive looks of their servants, and his anxiety melted away. Kane then leaned in to whisper his suggestion, making Gareth's eyes widen, before he nodded.

"You got this," Kane smiled. "Knock 'em dead." He then melted back into the shadows and returned to his place before anyone could notice.

Stepping up to the stage, Gareth cleared his throat.

"My name is Gareth Silvertongue," Kane's brother said with confidence. "My last performance is...based off of one once done in our home...city."

Gareth stopped to clear his throat.

"This performance, while a love song for those in love, also served as a testament to music. This song was sung by many great artists coming from all origins. This song was covered by many talented musicians and singers to show that music is one of the things that can bring us together. People of all ages, shapes, sizes, we're all so different, and yet...we can be united for something as simple as music. This song was and will be sung tonight...for the love of music."

Gareth then clapped his hands, and all the lights suddenly went out, leaving the room in sudden darkness. This made the crowd and judges gasp and murmur.

Gareth then began murmuring a list of spells, which was only heard by a select few with good hearing.

[Perfect Illusion]

[Nature's Shelter]

[Multiple Avatar Vision]

[Holy Magic: Heaven's Door]

[Holy Magic: Heaven's Key]

[Holy Magic: Call of the Angel]

"Woah," one of the bards breathed. Everyone looked up, and was astounded to see the night sky in the ceiling. It was as if someone had just quietly torn off the roof of the ceiling, exposing them to the stars above. This especially made the judges and the other adventurers in the room murmurer, wondering just what high-tier magic this man was capable of.

Kane recognized the spells, and knew right away what sort of bardic abilities he was going to use for this performance: Perfect Voice , Harmonizing Reverberation , Shades of the Orchestra . Gareth had used these skills before in various settings in YGGDRASIL. All of them were handy in a fight, but were sometimes used as part of a combination to put on a performance. The vampire folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, deciding to relax and enjoy the show.

The air began to buzz with sounds, including the hum of stringed instruments and the soft chatter of voices. It sounded as if a full orchestra was warming up in the tavern. This hum of instruments made everyone look around, wondering if someone was assisting the bard on stage, but found no one.

Gareth raised his hand, and the sound of the orchestra faded instantly. It was then that various figures began to appear from thin air. Much to everyone's shock and awe, they were people and even creatures of diverse races and backgrounds. Their bodies were light and translucent, like glass. Kane recognized a few of the figures on stage, some were old friends from their YGGDRASIL days, others were enemies or people they interacted with at some point or other. The vampire was surprised to see a few faces that belonged to people they met in this world, like General Zirdam, Maggie, her dad. Hell, he spied that little bowl cut weirdo, Arche, and her pals floating about like shades on the edge of this phantom choir.

Soon, music began to play, originating from Gareth's lute and the invisible orchestra. It was then that the lights began to come back on, although they would erupt on and off, almost as if someone was switching them on and off in a pattern matching the first few notes.

"I may not always love you," Gareth sang. His voice was soft, yet everyone could hear him clearly. "But long as there are stars above you~"

"You never need to doubt it," sang one of the shades, a woman with flowing red and white hair. "I'll make you so sure about it~"

Kane recognized the woman as his brother's crush and their mutual friend from their old guild, Alice Lovelock. The vampire smiled a little bit. She was pretty cool. A bit uptight, but she was cool when one got to know her. Kane's smile and nostalgic feelings quickly faded when he saw the next singer emerge from the group of phantoms.

"God only knows what I'd be without you~" the conniving wizard named Oz sang, his head bobbing along to the beat of the song.

The vampiric assassin pondered why the traitorous wizard was numbered among the singers, but then a rather foggy memory came to mind. One of Gareth's abilities allowed him to call upon an army of phantoms to serve and fight for him, at least for a set period of time. Some of the phantoms were of fallen enemies and allies, but some of them were ghostly copies of friends and allies who the bard has had some dealings with. That's what the flavor text of this particular ability hinted at. In YGGDRASIL, it was a nifty little ability to use in a pinch to get an army of ghosts to boost your chances of survival. But here, in a world where magic is real…

Kane shook his head slowly. He didn't know what it meant. It seems that the longer they're in this world, the more their abilities are changing much like they were. The vampire shivered a little at the idea of how different they could be a few weeks or even a few months down the line. Oh well. He'll worry about that later.

The performance continued as the ghostly choir sang along in perfect harmony, following Gareth's lead. Kane flinched as the song went through its admittedly more darker part. He always wondered just how could a song be so beautiful while also spouting some depressing lines. Then again, he supposed that, like most literature, musical lyrics could be often to multiple interpretations, despite the message sometimes being rather straightforward.

"Laaaaa, laaaaaa, laaaaa~" Gareth harmonized, prompting his ghostly choir members to follow.

"God only knows what I'd be without you," Ninya and her group sang together. The Swords of Darkness looked so content, as if there were no more conflicts in their world. If Kane didn't know any better, Ninya had finally gotten her sister back, and she was finally able to live in peace, with her group celebrating together her sister's freedom.

Kane looked around at the audience and saw people staring in awe or beginning to tear up. The song slowly began to reach its climax. Some of the ghostly singers stepped forward, stepping off of the stage and began floating above the crowd. A few descended and interacted with select members of the audience. One of the judges, a dour looking woman in black, was visited by a man with short black hair and a stubble. Her eyes were wide, and tears began to flow as the man whispered something in her ear.

The vampire looked and did a double take. Standing front and center of the choir was a certain petite loli vampire. She raised her voice, singing loudly and clearly, hitting the high notes perfectly. "God only knows what I'd be without you~"

Kane tilted his head and wondered why she, of all people, was there. His mind then dwelt on the short vampire as he wondered what she was doing right now and where she might be.

Slowly, the song began to wind down to a close.

"God only knows what I'd be without you~" Gareth sang. He made a gesture, and the ghostly visions began to rise. One by one, the ghostly figures ascended and vanished into the starry night sky above. They lent their voices to the bard as they soared onward into the starry unknown.

"God only knows what I'd be without you. God only knows what I'd be without you~"

Once the last ghost sang their piece and ascended into the heavens, the starry sky faded away, becoming roof and rafters once more. The accompanying instruments gradually faded, leaving Gareth and his lute. It felt as if everyone had shared a delightful dream and that dream was coming to an end, giving way to reality once more. The blond bard finished with a flourish and allowed the final note to hang in the still, silent air until it too was gone.

Gareth looked out at the stunned audience and gave a theatrical bow. A few moments of silence followed, before the tavern erupted into applause. People began to stand, cheer, and whistle. Kane saw that the judges were all standing to and that the dour woman in black was clapping the hardest of her comrades. Tears were still pouring down her face, and, more surprisingly, a smile was planted on her once stern and stoic expression.

The vampire saw his brother's face light up and he gave another bow. Kane stood and joined the audience in giving Gareth applause. The dweeb earned it, even though he was juiced up with angel power. Gareth never performed in public like this before. The only time he did anything with anyone was when he was with Kane or with their old guild. Seeing him put himself out there and do something without him, it was a big step.

Gareth looked toward his brother and Kane rubbed his fingers and thumb together, indicating that the grand prize was in the bag. The blond bard rolled his eyes, and the vampire laughed.

…

Day was slowly turning into dusk as the Bard's Guild competition came to a close. Following Gareth's performance, the judges retired to a backroom to deliberate on the victor of the final round of the competition. They even asked Freivalds to accompany them, seeing as they had witnessed a stunning display of talent from all three of their contestants.

As minutes turned into hours, the tavern keeper decided that everyone had earned a drink for having the guts to participate in the contest and for giving it their all. The serving girls circulated and handed mugs of ale and cups of wine to the horde of musicians and entertainers. It didn't take long before those who were eliminated early on to drink away their pain and cares. The tavern filled with chatter over the day's competition, the quality of performances, and oaths of people saying that they'll do better next year.

Gareth joined Kane, Lydia, and Randor in a far corner of the tavern. Although most of the musicians in the tavern were allowed one free drink, the serving girls continued to bring the Good Companions ale long after they finished their first round. The two brothers hoped to catch up and peace, but soon found themselves swamped by bards and minstrels who had been blown away by his performances in the competition.

"Looks like you've got yourself a fan club," Kane grinned. The vampire kicked up his feet and relaxed into his chair.

The bard smiled, trying to mask his nervousness and bashfulness as the gathered crowd showered him with praise and questions.

"You must tell me how you know such spells!" one bard cried, kneeling and clasping his hands together in supplication. "I simply must know how I can create such a stunning display! If I don't improve my act, I may never enter the Bard's Guild!"

"Are all songs from your land so...powerful?" another asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"They were just illusions right? There was no way that I saw my grandfather up there on that stage."

"Ladies, gentlemen, give the man some air," a new voice spoke up.

All heads turned and everyone saw Freivalds standing there with a small smile on his face.

The crowd withdrew a little, apologizing for crowding Gareth and his party. The Adamantite-class bard then paid another round of drinks for everyone in the tavern, which cheered them up and to disperse. Once the crowd had cleared, Freivalds approached the table.

"Hell of a performance today," Freivalds said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "I must say that was unlike anything I've ever seen before, and I've seen a lot in my time as a bard and as an Adventurer."

"Thank you," Gareth smiled, hiding a small blush. His bashful expression quickly faded as he saw a sad, yet also happy look on the other bard's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. It's just...I-I saw my mother, during your song."

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. Honestly, it was actually rather touching. It's been years since she passed away from the plague." Freivalds paused. He took a deep breath, as if he were having difficulty trying to find the right words to speak. After a few moments, the Adamantite bard continued.

"She was my inspiration for becoming a bard. When I was a boy, she'd sing all these songs she learned from her mother, who was a bard that served under one of the old emperors of Baharuth. Every night she'd tell us a story, stories about heroic knights, epic quests and fair maidens who made even the gods envious. She never seemed to run out of those."

Gareth smiled a little at that.

"I was away on a job when I heard that she fell ill. Our family couldn't afford the medicine, and the healers in our town had their hands full with the growing number of sick. I tried to rush home and help her but I...I was too late."

Freivalds sniffed and was visibly fighting back tears. "Seeing her here, today, I felt like a kid again. She whispered something in my ear, before the song was over."

"She did?" Kane asked, interested.

The Adamantite bard nodded. "She said that it wasn't my fault. There wasn't anything I could've done, even if I made it home on time. She lived a full life and made peace with everyone, except with me. She told me that she was proud of me and that if I was lonely, I should know that she would always be with me."

A single tear escaped Freivalds and slid down his cheek. He scoffed and wiped it away.

"Look at me. A grown man who has been in battle, crying."

"It's okay," Gareth said. "Being able to see your loved one again is always worth a man's tears. Besides, I've seen worse."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I once saw a knight cry about losing a gaudy knife in a fair fight."

Kane snorted, remembering the memory of the player he beat in a duel and took his knife as compensation.

Freivalds smiled. "That is worse, actually."

A serving girl brought the Adamantite bard his drink. As Gareth and Kane drank, Freivalds watched the blond closely. Gareth lowered his drink and wiped away the foam on his lip.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked.

"No. It's just...those spells you used. Those are some advanced and powerful spells. Half of them I don't even recognize. I see that you're an Adventurer too, Platinum ranked."

Gareth looked down and saw his Adventurer's plate exposed.

"Yeah, and?" Kane asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Freivalds shrugged. "With magic like that, you could easily rise to Mithril, maybe even to Orichalcum."

The blond bard shrugged. "I guess, though I'm comfortable with where I'm at. I'm in no big rush to climb ranks or to show off. We're a party, after all. Where one goes, we all go."

The Adamantite bard smiled. "I can respect that. I think you'll fit right in around here."

"Hmm?" Gareth blinked.

Before Freivalds could elaborate, a door opened and the interior of the tavern quickly grew quiet. Gareth and the others looked and saw the three judges entering the common area of the tavern. A tense and solemn mood filled the air as Santino, Elmina, and Edmon stood before the crowd.

"Thank you all for coming and taking part in this year's competition," Santino said, looking around at the attentive musicians sitting before him. "You have all shown great skill and creativity. After some careful deliberation, we have come to our decision."

Everyone waited with baited breath as Elmina took a deep breath and spoke.

"The first place winner of the competition, a man who has perfectly displayed all the traits of a true bard and surpassed our expectations. This man is none other than Gareth Silvertongue."

A thunderous applause filled the tavern, with some slapping their tables and others whistling. Although there were a few in the crowd that were sulky and sullen, they too applauded Gareth's talent and his efforts.

Gareth looked to Freivalds, who winked and raised his mug.

"Welcome to the Bard's Guild," the Adamantite-ranked adventurer said over the deafening applause.

The blond bard smiled, and, for a moment, basked in the applause and adulation of his peers. For the first time in a long time, he felt welcomed. However, that warm and happy feeling soured instantly when he remembered the face of Oz and his cronies. In the span of a week, that poisonous snake turned his guild, his friends, people he knew for years, against him. If his own friends turned on him that quickly, then how long would it be before these strangers stab him in the back out of jealousy or hate?

Gareth forced those thoughts out of his head and returned his attention to Elmina and the other judges as they announced the runners-up. Although the other bards came second and third, they too were accepted into the Bard's Guild and granted a modest sum of money.

"Thank you again, everyone, for participating," Elmina said, raising a glass of wine that a serving girl handed her. "Now, let us spend this night in revelry. Although we may come from different lands and different circumstances, we are all here together as devotees to the goddess of song and stories, as equals."

"Cheers!" Edmon declared.

"Cheers!" the bards all cheered as one. They all drank and laughed as the warm and social atmosphere returned once more.

Despite his hesitance, Gareth allowed himself to relax and enjoy the evening as a crowd began to gather around the Good Companions's table once more.

---

Elsewhere in Arwintar, deep under the headquarters for the Ministry of Magic, Sophie Noia was taking stock of the items in the Ministry's item vault. The vault was more like a heavily fortified dungeon crossed with an archive. The walls were carved from solid rock underneath the Royal Quarter and lined with adamantite, preventing anyone from tunneling inside. It cost the Imperial government a lot of money, but it was well worth it. The only way in was through a thick door, sealed with layers of enchanted locks, spells and a Runecraft command sigil, courtesy of the last Runesmith King.

The inside of the vault was vast, large enough to house a small army. In the past, it was used as a shelter against the wrath of the Demon Gods and had withstood their fury on several occasions. There were three floors, each containing shelves and display cases holding a wide assortment of items, all tagged and cataloged by generations of Court Wizards and mages in the employ of the Emperor.

Sophie enjoyed being in the vault, but today she was not in the mood to waste an entire day making sure every item was accounted for. Although many of these items were dormant, there were stories of items coming alive and disappearing from the vault when no one was looking. Besides, the vault was kind of creepy. The only source of light were the floating light orbs Fluder conjured and the lantern Sophie brought with her. Beyond the meager island of light, the vault was as dark and silent as a grave.

"Done with this section," Sophie called out to Fluder, scribbling off the last item listed on the page in the record book she carried. "All present and accounted for."

"Excellent!" the old mage said cheerfully. "All are accounted for here as well." He shuffled into view from behind a long row of shelves holding a selection of sealed boxes and chests. The wrinkly old man rolled up his list and tucked it into the waistband of his robes.

"Now all that's left is Master Thorne's collection."

"Oh joy," Sophie murmured. The purple haired researcher braced herself as she followed her mentor deeper into the vault, toward one of the oldest and most secure collections within the vault.

Out of all these items, the ones that were placed in the vault by the ancient mage, Grischa Thorne, were by far the most unnerving. There was something about these items that steered Sophie the wrong way. She didn't know what, but they just gave her this sense of fear and dread that made her want to run away. Fortunately, she had Master Paradyne with her. Otherwise, she'd call it a day and head straight for the exit.

Master Thorne's collection consisted of three full cabinets lining the far wall of the vault. This section was separated from the rest of the vault by a steel cage and a thick iron lock. It was as if the cage contained a ferocious monster, though it may not be far from the truth, as Sophie had heard that the worldly mage had discovered some items purportedly belonging to the Queen of Darkness and stored them here.

Fluder withdrew a bronze key and unlocked the door to the collection and opened it.

Inside, Fluder and Sophie went to the first cabinet, where the elder mage withdrew another key and unlocked it. With a gesture, one of Fluder's magic light orbs floated closer and cast a light on the cabinet's interior. Sophie scanned the shelves and, comparing it against the list in her hands, saw that everything was accounted for. Although it appeared that everything was accounted for, Fluder liked to be thorough. The elderly man began to inspect them closely, checking their tags and even handling them.

Sophie swallowed hard and held her tongue. She really didn't like this collection of items. All the other items were dangerous or had a dark past. But these items were magnitudes worse. Additionally, legend says that this particular collection would one day awaken. Most scoff at the idea since they've been dormant longer than anything else in the vault. But something in the back of Sophie's mind always nagged at her whenever they visited this collection. Eventually, Fluder completed his inspection of the first cabinet without any problems. Inspection of the second cabinet went off without a hitch, though she could've sworn she saw something in the globe of purple crystal. On the third cabinet, Fluder decided that Sophie should handle the inspection.

"W-Why me?" she sputtered, taken completely off guard by her mentor's words, nearly dropping the record book she was lugging.

"It is as I said earlier," Fluder said, producing the silver key for the final cabinet "As High Disciple, you will one day take my place. You will need to carry out these duties all on your own. I know that, in the past, I have said that only I may handle and inspect these items. I feel that it is time for you to handle these items yourself."

"Me? B-but I don't feel ready."

"Nonsense. Despite your unorthodox theories, you are more than ready for this. I chose you to be my High Disciple because you are my finest student."

Sophie blinked in surprise at the compliment her mentor had given her. Fluder was by no means a harsh or cruel man, but he was known to be a strict teacher. It was rare to earn a compliment from him. His position and status as the most powerful wizard in the Empire made him feel...above his students.

The purple haired researcher looked down at the silver key in Fluder's hand. He offered the key to her and she reluctantly accepted it.

Unlocking the cabinet, Sophie took a deep breath and opened it. Inside, the shelves were not nearly as full as the previous two. However, what the items in this cabinet lacked in numbers made up for it in size and strangeness. On one shelf there was a cracked mirror, a jagged dagger with a green blade, a golden skull with sapphires for eyes and a black gauntlet. To this day, the Ministry's finest researchers have yet to make heads or tails of what these items do, though for good reason. The last time a team of scholars tried to use and experiment with these items, some were driven mad, others died, and the few that survived were forever changed.

Sophie consulted the record book and quickly checked off the items. Unfortunately, Fluder prodded her to take her time and to be absolutely sure that the items were the same as they were. The purple haired researcher muttered curses under her breath, but complied. Each item was cool to the touch, covered by a thin layer of dust. She concentrated and focused her senses. Fortunately, each one felt cool and lifeless with no warm spark of magical energy.

"Dormant," Sophie said with a relieved sigh, returning the second to last item she was inspecting: a heavy book bound with black chains on the shelf.

The purple-haired researcher knelt and pulled out the final item that was tucked away in the back of the last shelf: a long, heavy slab of grey rock.

Sophie sighed and brushed the dust off of the item. The tag attached to this item was intact, and identified it as "Unknown." She crossed the item off and carefully studied the rock. Of all the items in Master Thorne's collection, this one was by far the most puzzling. For all intents and purposes, this rock was...just a rock. Back when these items were being experimented upon, the rock was the only thing that didn't register any trace of magic or do anything to the research team.

From what little records that Master Thorne left regarding this item, all that Sophie knew was that Grischa found this rock on a journey to the Sea City. The rock had washed up one day and was recovered by a group of fishermen. For some unknown reason, Master Grischa Thorne bought the slab of rock and lugged it all the way home to Baharuth and locked it away in his vault. If only they had the journals that chronicled his journeys. Unfortunately, Master Thorne wasn't one for sitting down and writing his experiences, so his thoughts, experiences and wisdom survived through a series of journals. These journals were compiled and written by his successor, fifty years after the man's death. Most of the journals were wiped out in a great fire, which destroyed many other precious volumes in the Ministry's library. The scant few that survived that tragedy made vague references which infuriated scholars for centuries.

Just what could this slab of rock be? What significance did it hold? It was unlikely that it was some passing fancy or a whim. A wizard of Thorne's reputation would not have paid a group of fisherman a lot of gold and lugged it hundreds of miles, across oceans, forests, and mountains for no reason.

Sophie closed her eyes and focused, reaching out to the rock with her senses. At first there was nothing, just a cool stillness that the other items had. She ran her hand along the rough dusty surface of the rock until her hand came to a stop. Sophie frowned and focused harder. For a moment she thought that it was nothing, just her imagination. However, after a few moments passed, Sophie felt something. Somewhere deep within the stone, the purple haired researcher felt a faint...pulse. That's what it felt like. A pulse, like the gentle beat of a tiny heart. At first it was soft and barely noticeable. But as the seconds passed, this pulse began to increase in speed.

"Sophie?" Fluder said, breaking the silence. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Master Paradyne, I feel…I feel something," Sophie said, her mouth growing dry.

"Feel what?"

The High Disciple struggled to find the words but was distracted by the pulse, which was now pounding in her head loudly and powerfully. The silent vault was now filled with the warm, lively pulse of a mysterious, magical heart.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.

The stone slab began to tremble in her grip. A loud crack echoed in the vault as a spidery web of cracks appeared on the surface of the slab. The cracks began to spread and widen, causing Fluder to clap a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. Sophie's eyes widened, having been pulled back to reality by her mentor. The purple-haired researcher dropped the slab, feeling heat beginning to leak out of the cracks in the slab.

The slab plummeted, but stopped a few inches above the floor. The slab righted itself, floating parallel to the floor. In seconds the cracks had covered the entirety of the slab, harsh violet light began to pour out of the openings. Fluder pulled his apprentice back and threw up a magical barrier with one hand, just as the light grew brighter and brighter and the stone exploded.

The court wizard and his disciple were thrown back by the force of the explosion, though the barrier had shielded them from flying shards of rock, molten metal, and tendrils of violet magical energy. Smoke and dust filled the vault, causing Sophie and Fluder to cough. Once the dust and smoke had cleared a little, Fluder lowered his barrier. His eyes widened in shock.

Sophie sat up, brushing the dust off of her and looking around. Gazing toward the lone source of light, the purple haired researcher stared in awe at what had emerged from the slab.

Floating a few inches off of the floor, radiating an ominous purple light, was a sword. Sophie drank in the image of the sword. At first she thought it was a katana, similar to those found only in Eryuentiu. However, the longer she looked at it, she then realized her mistake. The grip was different than that of a katana. The sword was long. It was straight, unlike a katana, though it curved a little near the tip. The blade resided in a dark purple lacquered scabbard. The pommel of the sword was a snarling silver wolf with amethyst eyes, which shone like stars in the dark vault. Sophie picked herself up and cautiously approached the floating sword.

"Wait, Sophie!" Fluder croaked but his voice sounded as if it were a thousand leagues away.

As she got closer to the sword, the air grew warmer and it hummed with magical energy. She shielded her eyes, because it stung her eyes to look at the sword for longer than a few seconds. Now, only a few feet away, Sophie managed to get a better look at the sword. Close to the hilt, she could make out a symbol etched into the scabbard. It was a gilded skull and crown. The purple haired researcher felt her heart skip a beat.

She recognized that symbol. She didn't want to jump to conclusions yet, but if the symbol was anything to go by, then this sword was perhaps the most dangerous thing in this vault.

Sophie turned to her master, fear and anxiety written plainly on her face.

"What is it?" Fluder asked "What's wrong?"

"We need to secure the vault," the High Disciple said, her voice was soft and almost breathless. "Now."

"Of course, but what is it that's got you looking so pale?"

"No one must know about this sword. No one. Otherwise...we're all dead."

From the look in her eye and the tone in her voice, Fluder believed Sophie. The purple haired woman glanced over her shoulder to the floating sword that radiated power like the sun at noon day. For centuries the Ministry of Magic thought they were sitting on a slab of stone. But they were wrong. All these years, they had possessed the legendary sword Dawnbreaker and never once suspected it. No one knew the full capabilities of this infamous blade but, if the stories were anything to go by, then in the wrong hands, this blade could mean the end of Baharuth.

---

Many miles away, over mountains, across rivers, and in the depths of a distant forest, two figures journeyed along a makeshift path through the dense underbrush. However, one of the figures, a lithe and pale man with white silky hair, paused.

The pale man lifted his head and sniffed the air. His companion, a lumbering mountain of undead muscle and flesh, stopped and looked at his friend.

"What is it?" the muscular giant rumbled, his scarlet eyes narrowed.

"I sensed...something."

"Something?"

"A power...similar to the one weilded by Lord Manfred."

The giant raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think it's the sword? Or another one of the Queen's items?"

The lithe closed his ruby eyes and concentrated. A few moments of silence passed and the vampire opened his eyes.

"Perhaps. It was rather brief and faint, but it does feel similar to the ring and breastplate."

"Which way?" the muscular vampire asked, looking at the dense forest around them.

"This power is strongest from that direction," the lithe vampire said, pointing southwest.

"Finally, a lead," the giant grumbled. "I hate wandering."

"We weren't wandering. We were following the map that Lord Manfred had given us."

"It was out of date. That crypt was empty, probably ransacked by a bunch of stupid humans."

"Perhaps, though our search wasn't fruitless. We tracked down a few items of note," the lithe vampire smirked. "It's funny to think that trinkets that once adorned the lovely fingers of the Queen of Darkness were being bartered for ale and given away as dowries."

"That's humanity for you," the giant growled. "Foolishly thinking that they're all powerful, when they don't recognize true power when it's in front of them."

The lithe vampire nodded slowly and gently patted the pouch tied to his belt. The items jingled softly, all softly humming with mystical energy. He felt a twinge of remorse as memories of horrified screams and pained faces flashed across his mind. The humans of that little settlement, situated near the Queen's crypt near the Rhynd Sea, were kind and accommodating. More than any humans the vampire had encountered in the past. However, he was entrusted with a mission by Manfred, the last of the Night Court, and he was going to see it through to the end. Besides, he was doing those humans a favor. The items that those humans possessed would've slowly corrupted them until it drowned their tight-knit community in fear and madness. Such was the power of the Queen of Darkness. Madness, bloodshed and terror followed in her wake. Which was why the two vampires adored her, much like their liege.

Armed with a new course and a renewed sense of purpose, the two vampires changed course. They began cutting a path southwest. They didn't know what was ahead nor did they care. No matter what stood in their way, the two vampires were going to hunt down every one of the Queen's treasures and return to their lord. The lithe vampire smiled, feeling excited for the journey and battles that lay ahead.

---

(AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time, stay healthy and safe everyone!)

(References)

(chapter title): an album by Bloc Party

(Gareth's first performance): the lyrics/song was "This Lullaby" by Queens of the Stone Age

(Gareth's final performance): based on a performance of "God Only Knows" by BBC.