The journey was uneventful as we used the machine to quickly travel the distance on the primary highway, several dozens of vehicles were passed but we were not interrupted as we drove all the way to this city which is the largest in the immediate region.

The machine has driven up to the gate where my helper is now talking to someone outside the windows, this has lasted a few minutes without any immediate resolve.

“Why can’t you let us through?”

“We are not allowed to let anything without prior authorisation, if Lord Castille wanted to enter through the eastern gate then he should have put in for permission before he left. You will have to enter the normal way.”

“The Lord doesn’t have time for that, are you willing to deny Lord Castille now and risk his anger later?”

“Lord Castille should understand that coming up to the Black God’s solstice we must ensure that protocols are followed. You can either leave the vehicle here and walk in or you can attempt to get permission from the higher ups but I think they’re gone for the week.”

“Nothing at all you can do?”

“Nope now please hurry and decide, we need to keep this place clear.”

The helper closes the windows and looks to me, “I don’t think we have much option sorry God K Lord.”

“This is fine, let’s simply walk.”

“Ok.”

The doors on either side of the machine open up, I exit it and look at the gigantic hundreds of metres tall wall in this natural cavern underground. The gigantic space is large enough that you cannot easily see the other side of it.

“Over here Lord” my helper says as he stands over to the side. I walk over to the side of him as one of the soldiers standing walks up to us. His rifle weaponry looking rather advanced compared to the blade weapons of the last people.

The soldier looks at me for a moment before saluting, “Lord Castille, I hope you understand the situation.”

I wave my hand at the solider who nods his head and walks away, my helper walks up and apologises again, “I’m sorry Lord.”

“Let’s hurry up and get inside.”

My helper nods his head and rushes forward towards the gate, a strange light comes from the wall as he nears it for a moment before revealing an opening beside it. I do the same as I walk upto the door, the strange sensation of scanning comes over my body but the same thing happens as the door remains open.

I walk through it without any incident, somewhat surprised at the effects of the elixir that I was previously provided but don’t react and stand on the other side of the doorway and look at my helper.

“I need to return to my manor.”

“God K Lord, are you sure that’s wise given the change in circumstances and… Lord Castille’s family is…”

“You need not say more, I can manage my affairs on my own. I need you to gather as much information on the Black God’s Solstice as possible.”

“God K Lord… I follow the Black God…”

“So? I am your god now don’t forget that.”

“Sorry Lord, follow forgot that I switched allegiances, it’s simply due to your wisdom in standing before me giving me direct experience of your glory. Black God would never do something like that.”

“Very well, you go and find out what you can including any of the other gods on this planet… and see if you can find information about any of the surrounding realms or planes.”

“Realms or planes? I don’t think there is information on that stuff.”

“Please attempt to find what you can and report back at the manor in a day.”

“A day?” the man speaks in almost shock.

“I don’t care what you gather, just come back and present to me with the information. The better informed the more ideal.”

“Ok God K Lord, follower shall return to you with the required information.”

“Now go, I wish to take in the sights of this city myself.”

“But…”

“Do not second question me.”

“Ok God K Lord, please take care” the man says as he turns around, he takes several steps away and stops turning around. He doesn’t say anything and continues his steps leaving me in peace among the gigantic buildings and the people around us.

I scan the surroundings and spot thousands of people just in this small area, my power could increase by quite a lot if I were to simply harvest these people yet that wouldn’t be productive and these people could be good for something else.

I quietly step in the opposite direction to my helper, the distance quickly increases from where I was standing and I get lost in among the crowds.

The streets are layered with shops and people, they’re everywhere selling all sorts of things but mostly food and clothing giving the city a normal feeling, one wouldn’t assume that this is a plane that has already fallen to evil.

I walk in to one of the food stores and quietly watch the people going about their business, a few eyes go onto my but that might be due to the survival suit hiding my identity yet as people notice the colour they don’t say anything.

The people are paying for their food items like normal, I walk out of the door when I am stopped by bumping into a small person.

I look down at them while they look up at me, neither of us moving yet… I cannot take my attention off this small person. Something about their expression reminds me of how I was once, that expression of trying to live and adapt to this world…

The small person holds out their hand when the female next to it speaks up, “Sorry, she is learning to walk. Come on Jayde.”

The female next to it picks up the small person, I wake as they’re led away yet my eyes hold contact with that little person that was somehow able to see through the visor and into my eyes.

I walk out the store more confused than I entered and wander about for some time taking in all the sights, the people living their lives as per normal thinning out as the day progresses. The light in the sky dims and an increase in soldiers comes about yet they all leave me alone.

I find exploring boring now that the people have gone and return to my manor, a large estate not far from the business district in the city. I walk in that direction which only takes a few minutes and spot the large wall blocking view of the manor.

I walk along the wall searching the memory for the entrance when a glowing spot lights up as I go by, it has a keypad on it which I enter the code of. It lets me through after I enter the code revealing a large single building on a beautiful garden.

I stop beside the garden just looking at it, this is the first widespread greenery I have seen outside of memories since my inception, it brings a deep level of joy looking at the life present here. One that comes from the soul of my very being.

A strange sensation comes from my eye as it feels itchy, I reach up for it but am blocked by the visor.

I take it off allowing the flowers and dirt smell to enter my nose, yet as I touch my eye I notice some liquid coming from it.

I taste the liquid coming from my eye which tastes salty, strangely a tear has come from my eye.

I scoff at the idea that I’d be influenced by something like that and walk towards the house again ignoring the plants around me.

The luscious garden around me is distracting but I focus on the building before me, a gigantic manor with hundreds of windows in pristine condition compared to all the destroyed ones I previously encountered.

Countless houses and ruins enter the netherworld and lower, the ruins allow for many opportunities yet they never diverge from the same design with two or three levels and countless rooms of varying sizes.

They’d sometimes be filled with skeletons but usually they’d be empty devoid of one or two.

I walk up the steps and enter look at the fanciful looking gilded doors, adorned with expensive metals and jewels.

‘Castille Manor’ is engraved above the door, I push open the double doors and enter through the doors into the well-lit manor interior.

“Lord, welcome” a voice greets me in the well-lit hallway adorned with countless paintings, I look at the person before me. It’s a middle-aged female with glasses, she is the head maid of the manor who has been in service the longest at 23 years, her name is Maggie.

“Hello Maggie, who is home?”

“Lord, Madam Piatlias and Young Misses Gabi and Lamainaitipi are upstairs while Young Master is in the basement.”

“I see thank you Maggie, please serve me some supper in the study once it’s prepared.”

“Very well Lord” Maggie bows her head as I walk away, the long hallway feeling strangely spacious as I wander down it towards the study room that Lord Castille previously used. As the Lord of a region he was privy to a lot of information and his status in the Skull-Altar also allowed him to see more.

I walk down the wooden hallway and to a set of thick wooden doors, I push the doors with a slight shove and notice they don’t move. I do it harder and they creak open slowly surprising me with their heaviness.

A light suddenly appears in the room as I turn my attention it it, a fire has been automatically lit as the door opened with thousands of books on tall bookshelves surrounding a single desk.

The desk is piled high with paperwork yet as I walk over to it, I ignore it all and walk over to the fireplace where a painting is hanging.

I can feel the heat of the fireplace as I stand before it staring at the painting, seven men are standing in the painting adorned in fanciful garbs with countless jewels and precious metals over them, each of them with a particular colour motif.

I look at the person in the middle, he seems familiar yet I cannot place my memory on where I remember him as he’s adorned in golden coloured jewels and metals, his blonde hair and perfect smile bring a strange rage to my mind.

I look at the person standing next to him, his short fiery red hair and his careless expression also bring a strange anger to mind yet it’s different to the last one. I look to the person on the other side, a person in dark colours.

“Dark God eh?” I mutter as I look at him for a moment, a voice comes from behind me.

“He looks like a teenager huh?”

I turn to face this new voice, “Gabi… why are you here?”

“The door was unlocked and Maggie said you request supper. You told me I should be more lady-like, so here I am. Here’s your food.”

A young woman is standing there with short black hair tied up in a simple ponytail, her face has a simple beauty to it free from blemishes, her green eyes look back at me intently as she sets the food down on the table not far from me.

Her young figure is just poking through the loose sleepwear she’s wearing, a sultry young maiden before me.

“You didn’t need to do that.”

“Well that doesn’t sound like the usual Lord Castille, would you like me to get Mother and Maggie to see if you’re ok?”

“No… thank you for the food Gabi…”

I turn away to face the painting again trying to call to mind the faces that are present, the anger and rage inside me brew uncontrollably as I look at both of the people yet it’s not present for the others yet I cannot place it.

“Are you sure that you’re ok?” a soft voice comes from my side, I turn my head and spot Gabi has neared me.

Her figure further illuminated by the fireplace nearby, I feel a strange fire in my belly as I look at it but suppress those thoughts as I return looking to the painting.

“Who are the middle figures… to you?”

“Lord Crimson Destiny and Godly King Golden Horizon?”

“Yes.”

I mentally take note of the name as she speaks, “Lord Crimson Destiny is the one that brought us the heat from the underground to continue our society after the old gods fought… He’s ok.”

I frown at this lack of description, I want to ask her to elaborate but she speaks further, “I don’t know much about him and the adherents are closer to the core. His adherents are not very nice…”

Gabi scrunches up her nose as she finishes her sentence as if remembering something unpleasant, I nod my head as she speaks further.

“Godly King Golden Horizon… umm we’re only alive now due to him and he’s right now fighting for our future, I think he’s quite handsome and would like to meet him. Don’t you know Skull-Lord? Can’t you get me a meeting next time he shows up? Perhaps I could be added to his harem and have his child… I heard he has over 13,000 sign ups in this region alone.”

“You’ve met them? They look like this?”

“Yeah, are you sure that you’re feeling right?”

Gabi steps forward and places her hand on my forehead, her expression is one of concern as she looks blankly at the ceiling.

“I’m fine. I’ll try to get you a meeting if I can, thanks for the information you can go now.”

“That’s not good enough. Mum has been saying I must be married off or be in service to the country yet I don’t want to. It’s unfair.”

A few thoughts flash by my mind… memories come to mind regarding the history of this planet and immediately I can understand why.

I fiddle about in my pocket and pull out a flask, it’s the elixir.

“How about you drink this and skip all that, it’ll let you become a regional commander power level equivalent.”

Gabi looks at the strange container I’m holding, it’s form looks ancient and made of stone with countless glowing runes on it.

“Is this from the occult or ancient times?”

“No. Can you collect some glasses?”

Gabi nods her head and walks over to the table where the tray was set down, I look at notice two glasses on there that should meet the arbitrary requirements for the enhancing elixir. Giving this girl a small taste of it will allow her to cleanse her body of any impurities and advance several steps at once.

Gabi returns holding two glasses in her hands, I remove the top of the flask filling the room with the strange fruity, medicine pleasant smell of the strange elixir from another plane.

The young girl almost drops the first glass as I pour it in, I fill it to halfway before moving onto the next glass and fill it all the way to the top, the body can only handle so much and I can use some to replenish the energy used previously.

It’s overkill but doesn’t matter.

I point to the filled cup, I’ll drink this one while you drink the other one. You can have a full cup after you have adjusted, it’ll propel you even further.“

Gabi raises her eyebrow but passes the full glass off to me, I closely inspect it again and notice the little orbs have changed in colour slightly as though they have two colours, I take a sip then open my mouth to explain to Gabi what to expect when I notice that the colour of her drink is different to mine.