Castle Stories: The Amazing Wonders of the Dark World Part 2

Continuation of Part 1 "An outsider?" A startled voice of shock seemed to escape the lips of the giant bat creature. Its glowing eyes seemed to only increase in brightness as the words kept repeating in its mind. An outsider? Here? That didn't seem right. That isn't right. That's wrong. It's wrong! It's vile! It's evil!! The Bat creature took a lunge towards the King, attempting to sink its fangs into its current prey in front of him. It needed to kill him. It needed to eliminate him. Feast. Get rid of the threat! Nothing would happen. Nothing at all had happened. The bat could only stare at its prey, its mouth slowly closing. Its eyes seemed to dim a bit as it would realize the position it was in currently. Being held up in the air by a strange magic. One that seemed incredibly strong in the Arcane. Arcane magic? But the bat wasn't using it. The creature would look forward towards the King, having reality hit. The King was using magic to keep the Creature in place. Still as a statue. The strange Arcane? It was coming from him. The Creature was now terrified. "Did you really take an attempt in attacking an Alicorn?" The King spoke in a bored tone as his magic would continue to keep the creature in place. "As I've said, I'm not of this world. Merely a visitor from my reality. I come into this world and leave as I want. Your phrase of outsider would prove to be a correct assumption." The King would speak as he let the creature go, dropping him pretty roughly onto the ground. "*cough*...Y-You...H-How...How did you do that?!" The bat creature could only yell in fear. "To use Arcane in stopping me! That's impossible! I consume Arcane! It's not suppose to be used against me! I-I'll kill you!!!" The Creature would screech out as it would start to perform an arcane spell. One that would attempt to trap the King in place and slowly twist him. That would've been the outcome, but something even stranger happened. The creatures magic began to disappear, withering away as it was slowly attaching itself to the King. The Creature? It was now in a state of shock. ".......You consumed my Arcane. You consumed my magic. Absorbed it. Like it was nothing more then a meal." "That I did." Artemis spoke with a calmed expression as he stepped closer to the bat, the creature backing up in response. "I am one that is blessed by birth with the wonders of Arcane. I am one that is burdened with the dangers of Arcane. I am the one that holds a Spirit of Arcane inside of him. I am the one they called Nightmare Moon. I am the one they refer to as the King of Darkness. King Artemis Luminous. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." He would stick out his hoof, awaiting a shake of sorts. And although hesitant? The Creature would eventually shake his hoof. "I'll give you your magic back when I feel you are no longer a threat. Until then? I require an explanation. Why the sudden attack? Hungry? Territorial? Or....afraid?" "Doing my duty." The creature answered with a suspicious look. "Suppose I should introduce myself since I won't be killing you any time soon. I am the Guardian known as Achlys. A creature with instructions to eliminate anything that seems of a threat to the flow of things in this world. Threats that place you in the crosshairs. You have been quite the busy individual. Coming and going as you please. Taking what you think is yours to take. Throwing it back as if it was a mere act of borrowing. Two Guardians. Two of them you have already killed. I didn't believe it at first, but seeing as how you just proved to be powerful? No doubt you could've killed me." "Killed two guardians? Me?" The King was skeptical to what he was hearing. "Why claim myself to these actions?" "Well you seem to fit the description. An outside being, one powerful in the arts of Arcane. One that seemed to control how the land flows and devours as it hungers." "......Nightmare....." Artemis had reality hit. He wasn't the doing of what this creature claimed. Instead his Spirit. However....Nightmare didn't kill unless necessary. It must have been out of defense. These guardians might have attempted an attack, causing his Nightmare Spirit to fight back. That wasn't even adding the facts of Nightmare taking items from this world as well as creature for Arcane draining. That act? The blame laid on the King. "Seems your guardians had met a foe that shouldn't have been attacked." The King spoke with slight irritation. "Regardless...I apologize for my Spirit. You see? It's him you are referring to. Not myself. However...I am as much to blame." He admitted. "A Spirit? As in an Arcane Spirit? Coming and going as it pleases? And it's connected to you?" "HE is connected to me, yes." The King confirmed. "A Nightmare Spirit is what he's referred to as. You speak as if you see Spirits a lot." "Hah! More then you'd think, Dark King." Achlys spoke with a mocking laugh, gesturing for the King to follow him. There wasn't anything he could do. His magic was absorbed and he was outmatched by the outsider. He wasn't dead at least. And he planned to keep it that way as he led the King more down the stone path in front of them. "This land? It's a living being of Arcane. It's alive. Breathing. As do all things in life. But the creatures of this world? They aren't so 'alive'..." "As in dead? What sense are you trying to make?" "This Land? It's the place of an afterlife. An afterlife for the dead. But not just any dead. Arcane Dead. Being killed by means of Arcane magics. Animals, floral, ect. Anything consumed my Arcane that meets its end? Well it's birthed here. By the Moon." Achlys explained as the King could only take all of this in. Land of Arcane dead? As in? Some sort of Limbo? Purgatory? Heaven? Hell? It was considered those? How....fascinating. The King couldn't help his curiosity. He needed to know more. "An afterlife for Arcane deaths. A whole...world that acts as a limbo. An eternity of Arcane. Where did this world come from?" "Asking such a question will give no answer, Dark King. Are you in the knowledge of where your world comes from? How it was made? Perhaps a form of universe evolution? Or perhaps an accident? Or even dare say, Powers above making art? Those unanswered questions apply for this place." The Creature would stop in its path as it pointed with its wings to a distant mountain. "You want to learn more? Try the Mountain. There is a Castle located at its peak. One that used to host a Ruler some inhabitants of the land believe. Some say that your Spirit is a sign of the Ruler to Rule this Land. And that the Castle is there for him. However...I don't humor such tales and rumors. Regardless? That Castle is the oldest thing in this world. So? I'd advise making the trip. Course....there is advice to take. Be mindful where you step. For not every creature here is as talkative as me...." The King would stand silent as he looked towards the mountain. That was going to be quite the trip. But, it was worth it. He needed to know more. He craved to know more. A whole world of Arcane Spirits. Arcane creatures. He was going to learn more. And as the bat creature flew from his sight? He'd allow the creature's magic to return to it. To be continued....