Conqueror Of The Dark Soul

Chapter 4 - Memories

In a shelter built underground, spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people at once, a six-year-old boy sits curled up, hugging his knees. His eyes are always fixed on a middle-aged woman actively comforting the people. It's been almost a day since Luth brought him to this place to hide from the rampage of the Dark Soul.

However, in that time frame, the person he knows as his mother never mentioned her name. She would come to comfort him, but it was just a kind gesture. She did the same for everyone.

She also apologized to the little boy for not being able to save him during their escape.

The boy used to call his mother, but it was only met with a puzzled look. Currently, no one recognizes him.

There is a clear fact. The boy recognizes almost everyone in the shelter, but none of them recognize him.

Crouching in the corner of the room, the boy continues to hear one sentence in his ears, "Forgive me."

He ignores the voice because he knows it's not the voice of anyone in the shelter but a strange black object floating beside him.

"Alden, I know you will hate me. But trust me, this is all for your safety and your mother's too," Black Orb says to the little boy.

The shelter's interior is filled with the desperate noise of the occupants. The number of people inside the shelter is only about thirty, making the space feel spacious.

Alden, sitting alone in the corner, feels like he has lost everything. He remembers that just recently he was having fun with his family. His mother was a gentle person, with a cheerful temperament, making her an important figure in the shelter, providing encouragement.

On the other hand, he also remembers his father vaguely. He was a peculiar man, sometimes talking about things beyond Alden's understanding.

A few days ago, right when the Dark Dimension Gate opened in their village, his father took him out of the village.

It happened often; his father always took him out for hunting, so Alden didn't feel anything strange.

...

Go back to that time.

Alden is on his father's shoulders, and his perspective on the world has truly changed.

"Is this what it feels like to grow up?" Alden says with a sweet smile on his face.

His father has a similar appearance to Alden. He has slightly messy black hair, deep green eyes, and a normal build.

With firm steps, his father carries him on his shoulders and passes through the forest where they usually hunt. Alden's age is around six now, and this place should be the farthest he has ever been from the village.

"Father? Where are we going?" Alden asks curiously. Of course, he doesn't have any specific suspicions.

His father shows a grim expression even though Alden can't see it. "Forgive me," his father says.

Alden just tilts his head in confusion.

The distance is now even farther from the village. At that moment, his father finally stops his steps. Alden looks ahead, and a giant cave stretches out before him. The cave's mouth is so large that he can see a little further into the darkness inside.

His father steps into the cave. His right foot touches the ground first, and a group of bats immediately flies out of the cave, seemingly surprised by the echoing sound of his footsteps.

Once inside the cave, his father lowers Alden from his shoulders. He kneels to be able to look at his son properly. There's a gentle smile on his face, but also a hint of sadness.

"Father?" Alden feels confused by this.

His father now hugs Alden tightly while stroking his head. When he releases Alden, he holds his shoulders and looks at him with determination.

"Son, from now on is your journey."

His father raises his finger upwards, and immediately the stone floor of the cave begins to glow under their feet. It's a complex circle-shaped carving with mysterious lines. Reddish light spurts from every line etched into the floor.

"Father?" Alden just asks in confusion.

"I know this will be difficult for you."

"When you wake up, everyone will forget your existence."

"You will not be a part of this world."

"But remember, I will always be by your side."

Alden swats his father's hand resting on his shoulder. He steps back with his small steps and stumbles over the rocks.

At one point, his father undergoes a change. His eyes turn red, and blood begins to flow from them like tears.

A small crown of red-black color appears on his head. But it disappears in an instant.

Out of fear, Alden forces himself to wake up.

Everything turns dark. His eyes open, realizing he is lying inside the cave. His father is no longer near him. At that moment, he begins to hear loud noises from a distance. Are those screams, or the sound of explosions?

The direction is clear; it's the direction where his village is.

Alden lifts his body with his remaining strength. His green eyes look in all directions, reflecting glassy.

"Father?" he calls out desperately.

No sound. Silence. There's only a strange ball floating beside him.

At that moment, Alden looks into the cave and realizes a glowing object flows like a waterfall. Slowly, a swirl of dark blue smoke appears in front of him. From there, a dog emerges.

The dog is enormous, making it difficult to move within the cave. Alden is very frightened, even though he is still small; he knows about this situation.

"Dark Soul!?" He panics and turns to run.

His steps are short, requiring extra stamina just to get away from the cave.

On the other side, explosions continue, and the temperature rises. Alden can see something in the sky. It looks like a gigantic lizard with huge wings.

It flies high in the sky. Its size is so large that from a distance, he can see it clearly.

He then runs towards the village. For a six-year-old, what he thinks about is returning to his parents. He still remembers what happened to his father; it feels terrifying to him.

He could think that it's all just a dream, but it feels too real to be just a dream.

"Father must be in danger! I have to tell Mom and Uncle Luth. Yes, he is a fighter; he must know how to deal with Dad's problems." That's what he thinks.

He still thinks that his father might be in danger. With the Gate open in the cave, it could be true. He stops to remember his father's appearance at the last moment.

It was his father, but it clearly wasn't human. That figure reminded him of the stories his father always told.

The story of a fallen emperor.

Tears fall as he tries to continue thinking positively. In his little heart, he already knows that what he saw is the truth. After all, his father was a strange person. Alden felt that his father's behavior was very different from the people in the village. Whether in terms of thinking, experience, or the warmth he provided.

He runs until he finally arrives at the village. People are running, and Alden is just frozen. The village is burned down.

...

Back to the present.

Two days have passed since Alden successfully defeated the goblins.

While silent, he will always remember the dark past. That's why He always runs away from those memories by amusing himself with drinks.

After a moment of contemplation, he stands up, grabs a short cloak from the table, puts it on, and makes some preparations to leave.

This is an inn. Alden quickly descends to the ground floor and walks away. Of course, he had already paid before entering.

The morning sunlight is still scorching as usual, in stark contrast to the temperature in the southern continent.

"There are two Gates that will open in this city. One will open tonight, and the other is a week from now," Black Orb says.

Alden sighs, taking steps away from the crowd.

...