Realm of Monsters

Chapter 733: Keepers of Dawn Part 2

Chapter 733: Keepers of Dawn Part 2

“If you only see me as a vestige of the Ebon Lords, then allow me to amend the crimes of my predecessors,” Stryg said.

“You cannot,” High Priest Lodin said.

“Let me try. I will reforge the pact the Ebon Lords of old made with your people.”

Lodin stroked his beard. “And how would you propose to do that?”

“I will return all the land they took from you,” Stryg said.

“You do not have the power to do that,” said the old drow chieftain, Aqil. “The council of Seven Families rules in Hollow Shade. Your promise is meaningless.”

“I am the voice of the council. They will listen to me,” Stryg said.

“Even if what you say is true, it is not enough.” Lodin shook his head. “The Ruling Houses will never capitulate to such demands.”

Stryg gripped his hand over his heart. “Then I will become the city’s king. I will reforge the pact between our peoples.”

“How can we even trust a word he has to say!? He is an Ebon Lord! He is one of them!” yelled the young chieftess, Mylaril.

“I am not one of them and—” Stryg paused and glanced down at the ancient book peaking out from his satchel. “And I…”

~~~

Lunae found Stryg standing alone in one of the deserted towers of the castle. In his hands was the old tome about the history of the Keepers of Dawn she had given him earlier that morning. “I see you’ve been busy. I have prepared the ship you requested. I forged it from ice just for you and your friends,” she smiled, but it quickly faded when she saw the somber look in his eyes. “What has happened?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Stryg glanced up at her. “We are no different than Murkton.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about what Hollow Shade did! We came to Dusk Valley with promises to work with the Keepers of Dawn. We were supposed to be allies. But when the Schism split the lands, Holo, Bellum, and you were injured. The Ebon Lords took advantage of your disappearance and betrayed not only Lunis.” Stryg stared at his own hands, “We betrayed Valley Tribes… What we’ve done to those people is monstrous.”

“There is no ‘we.’ You betrayed no one. You were not even born. The Ebon Lords of the past did this and they all met their end in due time.”

“I am an Ebon Aspirant. One day I’ll be an Ebon Lord.”

Lunae placed a hand on his shoulder. “That does not make you or Aurelia one of them.”

“But we inherit their power. The city of Hollow Shade is as prosperous as it is because of the betrayals of the past and spoils of war. How can we say we are not a part of all of this when we still benefit from the Valley Tribes’ suffering? Is this not the same reason why we attacked Murkton?”

Stryg looked out the tower window at the sprawling city below. “All my life, I grew up believing the orcs were the enemies. Then I found out the orcs of Murkton were the ones responsible and I hated Murkton all the more for it. They destroyed our people, our home, our history. Now I find out that Hollow Shade is no better.”

Stryg continued, “I knew the Ebon Lords had a hand to play in Lunis’ fall. I thought by helping rebuild Lunis I could redeem their legacy, my legacy. But I was wrong.”

“Little One, you are Sylvan. Lunisian. Holo’s Shade’s sins are not yours to bear,” Lunae said.

“They are if I am to lead House Veres and Hollow Shade’s council. Don’t you see? The Keepers of Dawn are the same as the Sylvan Tribes. They are just struggling to survive.”

“...I know.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Stryg ran his hand through his hair, “Gods, I rallied the Sylvan together to attack the Valley Tribes when they were only trying to defend themselves. Their whole war against Hollow Shade was a final attempt at liberating their people. And I destroyed them.”

“The Valley Tribes were manipulated by Caligo and dragged into a war they thought would save them. You are not at fault for the outcome. You went to war to protect the goblins of Holo’s Shade. Your reasons were noble and justified.”

“And what of now?” He ran his hand across the book. “I asked you for this book because I wanted to know the sacred sites where the Keepers met. I wanted to find them in order to recruit them to protect Hollow Shade. Is that justified, Mother? Is it noble?”

“Stryg…”

“How could I do that to them? Manipulate them just like Caligo did for my own selfish reasons.” Stryg leaned his back against the wall and sank to the ground. “What am I doing?” he muttered. “I wanted to be better than the Ebon Lords of old. I lived Stryga’s memories. I saw what they did to Lunis, and I swore I wouldn’t be like them. I thought I was different…”

“You are different. You are not Stryga. You are not an Ebon Lord of old. You’re certainly not Caligo. …And you are not me.” Lunae crouched next to him and lifted his chin, “You get to decide what kind of god you want to be, Stryg. And when the time comes, I do not believe you will be the god to abuse your power.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you are better than all of us.”

~~~

“And I… I never will be one of them,” Stryg said.

“So you say, yet you also claim to be the son of the Moon Wolf.” Lodin narrowed his eyes, “You come here with sweet promises but there is only poison and deceit on your tongue.”

“I do not lie,” Stryg said.

“No, you clearly came here to die.” Mylaril leapt at Stryg and swung her sword.

Stryg caught her wrists in his hand before the blade made contact. He hissed out of instinct, mana flowing into his hands, before he caught himself. He stopped and pushed her away. “I did not come here to fight you.”

Mylaril growled, “Then you shouldn’t have come!”

“Mylaril, wait—” Aqil tried to stop her, but she shook him off and charged Stryg again.

Chaos suffused Stryg as instinct took over. His body shifted in a burst of starlight, transforming and expanding until, in his place, stood a god wolf, towering over the three stunned mortals.

His fur was a silver white, but in the light of the rising sun, it took on a faint golden sheen. Instead of channeling only Lunae’s power, Stryg channeled his own, calling upon the stars though he could not see them. Where once his body gave off a cold mist, now a sudden heat began to bloom within him, the air itself turning warmer.

The ring of wolf statues around the top of the hill began to glow from their eyes. Power emanated from where Stryg stood and stretched into the ring of bricks that loosely wrapped around the hill. The sigils in the stone shined with energy it hadn’t touched in centuries, until every pillar was practically brimming with light. The top of the hill seemed to catch sunlight, wrapping the whole place in a dome of warmth, motes of gold floating in the air.

“I did not come here to fight you,” Stryg said in a deep voice that shook the very ground. “I came here to fight for you. I will fight to protect your lands and your people, no matter the odds. I swear to you on this dawn, I will not abandon you to the Great Cities’ armies.”

Mylaril dropped her blade and turned to Lodin. Gone was the anger in her eyes, now only fear remained. Aqil fared no better.

Lodin stepped forward with trembling steps while leaning on his staff. “You… You are a child of the gods.”

Stryg could hear the terror in his voice and saw it reflected in his eyes and those around him. Stryg was reminded of the goblins the night Lunis was attacked and how scared they were when Hollow Shade’s armies attacked.

“I…” Stryg closed his eyes and pulled back his chaos. The wolfen form dissipated in starlight. Stryg looked up at the confused human priest. “I am not here to replace your god nor to be a conqueror. I am not demanding your allegiance.” He slowly dropped to one knee and bowed his head, “I am asking for your help.”

The chieftains turned to one another, fear replaced by uncertainty. Lodin knelt down and grabbed Stryg’s hand. The latter looked up in surprise.

“For the last several hundred years, my people have waned in the shadows of the Great Cities as they grew ever stronger. When Solis died, the hope of our people died with him. Or so I believed,” Lodin smiled bittersweetly. “Our people are hurting. Marek’s war has only made things worse. I cannot speak for the families and tribes who still suffer from all the bloodshed spilt on these lands. I do not know what strength lies within these mortal bones, but if you would have me, I would follow you.”

“As would I,” Aqil fell to his knees and bowed his head.

“Thank you,” Stryg whispered.

Mylaril bit her trembling lip, eyes glistening. “If we help you, will you really be able to protect the tribes?”

“I swear it.” Stryg looked into her eyes and nodded.

Mylaril broke into tears, but she kept her back straight and slammed her fist into her chest. “Then command me, and I will ride into battle, alone if I must.”

“I would not send you to battle,” Stryg said.

“Then what would you have us do?” Mylaril asked, confused.

“Gather the tribes. All of them,” Stryg said.

“My lord,” Lodin said. “The last war left many tribes broken. Marek unified them, some out of loyalty, others out of fear, but they all believed in his dream of a better world for the tribes. When he died, his dream died with him. The people… They will follow no one else.”

“They will follow me.” Stryg rose to his feet. “Send word to all the tribes. Their time in the sunlight is not at an end.”