Ciaran observed as Pier's white hair was scattered in all directions while he soundly slept on the luxurious bed. The noble's breathing was calm and serene. It indicated peace within his slumber and it somehow reassured Ciaran even just for the smallest bit.
Combing his hands through Pier's locks, Ciaran continued to gaze at the ethereal sight below him.
"My King." He gently grabbed Pier's hand and kissed the back of it. His nose lingering on the soft and uncalloused skin.
"My King." Ciaran repeated. The title seems to have lingered on his mind and he cannot take the thought out.
'I have been blessed.' Closing his eyes, Ciaran's heart was pounding in his ears.
Pier was going to live with him now. There will no longer be any human nobles who would approach him and interrupt them. Ciaran no longer had to hide his Pier from the world.
He found the predicament quite a fortuitous one for him. The manipulative and pretentious beasts known as humans have injured Pier but, in the process, he got Pier now.
"I should thank them for directly giving you to me." He chuckled.
"But I also cannot forgive them. I'm not a good man, my love." Ciaran lowered his head and kissed Pier's forehead. The feeling of his lips touching the now denounced young master's smooth face was making him float in happiness.
Once he decided it was now finally the time to do his remaining tasks before Pier wakes up, Ciaran stood from his sitting position and started to walk towards the door.
But not before ensuring one thing.
"Gather." Black smoke filled the entire room except it strayed far away from Pier. The smoke did not touch the white-haired noble at all.
One by one, Ciaran's strongest shadows rose from the void he always carries.
The dead sword master, the dead priestess, and the dead fairy.
Three powerful creatures in their own realms all stood there unmoving; waiting for the vampire king's command.
"Guard him. Kill anyone who dares to step foot inside the chambers or those who seek to take a look at him. Humans, vampires, any other creatures. Kill them." Giving his instructions, the dead creatures lowered their heads in recognition.
"Even if it means you will forever die and your souls shall dissipate into nothingness, guard him at all costs until I get back." His eyes glowed red and his shadows no longer move.
Ciaran's command was absolute once they became his shadows.
"Even if it means you have to kill the vampires whom I rule, do it."
He was not a benevolent creature.
Raised in the depths of the most dangerous place in the continent, Ciaran knew no mercy.
If the world has to die just for the sake of Pier, he would not hesitate to do it.
Unlike Pier, he was not a hero nor was he a saint. He was aiming to be the reincarnation of darkness just so he could cover the white-haired human under his wing.
The black smoke surrounding the room thickened and Ciaran disappeared in plain sight.
---
He held his sword tightly. The intricate designs on the shining material were glistening under the snow.
Blood was pouring out from the mouth and neck of a person kneeling on the sinister and crestfallen ground.
"K-Kurkh..." The man could not even speak as the blood gushed out like a fountain from his body.
"Where are the others?" Gideon asked himself as the person finally died.
"They are hiding, Gideon." He laughed at the response he got from the dragon.
"I see. Lead me to them." The knight no longer had to search as his body instinctively turned towards the direction where the other knights were.
His footsteps were hollow yet daunting. The presence he possessed was fearsome and horrifying. No other person could look at him straight in the eye as they all laid there with slashes covering their bodies.
Gideon did not care.
He will kill as many as he could before he will start looking for the young master.
The forsaken kingdom who brought misery and despair upon Pier, it shall crumble within his hands.
'They've done it again.' He gritted his teeth in anger and his jaw tightened. The blood that smeared his face did not even bother him the slightest.
The kingdom had wronged the young master again.
He could not believe his eyes and ears.
Reuniting with Pier was the final reason for his rationality. Being beside Pier was the only thing that kept him from killing the king, the prince, even Pier's father.
"Hmmm..." He hummed as he walked.
Amidst the silent night, screams here and there erupted as the knight slaughtered every single person inside the palace's dungeon. He took the opportunity when everyone was in chaos outside to do his own plans.
The dungeon where he was tortured and beaten almost to death.
Even those who simply watched as he screams for his plea of seeing the young master for a single second, Gideon eliminated them too.
Parole was not in his dictionary right now.
"I'm glad the young master gave me food." He laughed lightly as he headed on a darker corner of the dungeon where one could not really see anything unless they carried a torch.
His steps continued to reverberate inside the seemingly empty place. The reason why a small amount of snow could be seen in the dungeon was due to the open windows that also contributed to the torture prisoners have to experience here.
There was no warmth. Only the cold and ruthless days where they had to take a piece of their limbs off as frostbite enclosed them.
"Hmmmm..." Gideon hummed again, stopping in his steps.
His sword made a clanging noise when he slightly moved his body and it shook the other person hiding inside the room.
"You." Gideon spoke without changing his gaze. He just stared straightforward.
The trembling knight did not respond which made Gideon click his tongue in annoyance.
"You were one of the House of Masters' knights, aren't you?" He asked as his eyes glowed into a bright light blue color.
He turned his body to the direction where he sensed the other person's presence.
"Immediately abandoning the young master when the bombing happened and taking shelter as a member of the Marquis' forces..." He stated and the other knight trembled further in fear.
He knew who the person talking was.
Gideon Woodlock, the House of Masters' War Commander and the young master's personal knight.
One of the most powerful and talented knights in the kingdom.
He knew he had zero chances of winning even if he held his sword right now. The cowardice consuming his body and creating a strong sense of fear within his mind.
"Tell me, where is the Marquis? I need to give my master a present. It had been long since I pleased him." Gideon tilted his head to the side while crouching down to meet the trembling knight's current height.
Like a rat cornered in a wall, spasms of fear were erupting in the other knight's body which amused Gideon to no end.
"You have the same reaction as the others. That's a disappointment." The condescending voice in the dark was truly horrifying.
"Share me the information. I will spare you since you are not a part of the knights that did me and my master wrong." Gideon spoke further like he was trying to come up with a deal.
Gideon knew the constant fear of being an insignificant knight that was unsure of his future. He was like that before too.
He would take on many jobs just so he could provide for the orphanage he grew up in. Switch from houses to houses and be a part of their knights.
Not until he met the young master. The white-haired noble gave him the reassurance he needed that he was important, that he matters too.
"The..." Gideon sighed but continued to wait patiently.
"M-marquis... He went to go outside of the kingdom before... before the explosion! That's all I know, I swear!" The knight quickly spoke and Gideon's slightly upturned lips curved even more.
He was upset about the information he got.
'Where would I look for that bastard?' Clicking his tongue again, Gideon stood up from his crouching position and he started to walk back at the direction he came from.
Of course, he keeps his promises to not kill those he finds boring or sinless.
It was now time to find the young master.
But before he could even leave the place completely,
"AHCK!" He stopped in his steps when he heard the knight whom he had spoken with earlier produce a scream of agony.
Gideon's steps faltered and he paused to feel the presence of another.
"If there's one thing Pier did not teach you, it was to not leave any rats alive." The deep baritone voice spoke from a few feet behind him. Gideon took a few moments before opening his mouth to respond.
"My master is benevolent and so am I. Savages like you are the ones who ruins everything for him."
He heard the deep voice laugh at his retort.
"Benevolent? You? I do not see the virtue as you killed even the knights who are just doing their work before." The man took a step and Gideon instantly shifted his body to face the creature.
"It is by human characteristics to take revenge for even those who are involved but did not take a stand. Vampires like you will not be able to fully comprehend it." He raised his sword.
Gideon was currently standing at a spot where a small flicker of light illuminated his position. He was directing his sword at the empty darkness.
"I do understand your sentiments since I am not human myself. But wouldn't Pier be displeased when he knows you are going around killing people without his knowledge?" This time, the man revealed himself as dark smoke filled the dungeon.
Ciaran took a few steps further until they can now both see each other.
"Then I will tell my master about my deeds. This wretched kingdom had brought him misery and seeing its downfall would appease him." Gideon's expressionless face was in contrast with Ciaran's.
The vampire king had a small challenging smile on his face as he looked at the knight that constantly followed Pier like a lost puppy.
"Appease? Unlikely." Ciaran scoffed at the thought.
Pier's own mercy was like an unending waterfall that graciously fell upon even on the vilest beings.
"Why are you here, vampire? Have you decided to leave my master behind after you took him?" Gideon's eyebrows furrowed. It was the creature that was constantly buzzing around Pier like a fly and was constantly bothering the white-haired noble.
He detested the stench of blood and darkness coming out of Ciaran's presence.
"Even if you try to see him right now without me, you would die from the hands of my shadows." The older man spoke and wiped the blood from the knight he just killed.
He was wearing a luxury coat. Everything Ciaran wore right now consisted only of the finest fabrics that royals could wear. The usual robes and cloaks Gideon saw before was no longer there.
"I will take you to him, Pier had been in constant frustration ever since you have succumbed in your slumber. I want to ease the burden he is carrying." Ciaran started to walk past Gideon.
Despite the unique sword the knight was holding and its tremendous power, Ciaran did not take a look back.
Gideon could not retaliate at the proposal.
He too himself had been wanting to see Pier for so long that their short time spent together meant so much for him. He needed to be with Pier now.
"Look for the other persons he actually cares about. The servants, the child, anyone. You shall come to my kingdom and live there as high-ranking officials close to Pier." Ciaran informed him which stopped Gideon from his initial thoughts.
"Kingdom?" He inquired and Ciaran's smile widened.
Their backs were facing each other and they both had different expressions.
"I'm the king of my own kingdom and Pier agreed to be my other half." Ciaran raised his hands to form a magic circle when Gideon's sword pierced through the air in the speed of light.
The weapon shook as it tried to pierce the vampire's magic.
"Do not be mad. I am doing this for Pier's sake. I will not care if you do not acknowledge me as a king when I bring you and the other humans to my kingdom." The blue sword instantly retreated in Gideon's hand as if it was being manipulated by an invisible force.
"We both have the same goal, human knight. Give Pier the world. Do your biddings as I do mine. I will create the path for him while you do your work as his knight." The vampire king continued to take further steps until he was now out of the dungeon leaving Gideon behind.
His hands clenched in anger.
---
Floating at the top of a once beautiful mansion that rivaled the palace, Ciaran was observing the destroyed place.
"And I even made many memories with him before here. Now it's ruined." He spoke in annoyance because Pier's room was destroyed too.
The place where him and the white-haired noble would spend their time together had been obliterated.
There was a large-scale construction going on but since it was night time, people were asleep.
"And these bugs, did Pier's father order you to guard the mansion's construction?" He asked in the silent environment.
Suddenly, a blade flew past him making Ciaran chuckle.
"I've been bothered by your presence since I was in the mansion with Pier but no one really minded him so I discarded your importance too." Black smoke started to appear from his feet and a dark magic circle formed.
"I remember him saying something about you people. Shadows? Shadows of Pier's household?" He inquired as his body was starting to get covered with an immense dark aura that could make even the bravest beast cower in fear.
"You would make good bodyguards for him." His eyes emitted a strong red glow.
It was silent, it was deadly.
The shadows of the House of Masters who were known to be the secret strongest deployable forces by the household fought with an unknown man that controlled darkness.
Yet shadows alone are a small part of darkness.
"Pier would love to have you do his biddings for him too." His sinister laugh echoed in the air as the final shadow fell on the ground.