Galaxy's First Ruler

"It's known throughout the Galaxy. Quite a blow to the Kingdom of Life-Authority."

Viscount Rayko commented on Trifon's remark. The Darklings were pure Mana-based creatures, exclusive to the 4th Quadrant. Even before the last Galactic War, they were the rarest species of their kind within the Galaxy.

It was nothing but a matter of jawbreaking surprise when Count Drago called his brother and his son to send them on an assignment. Trifon nudged his glass and returned the compass to his uncle as he said.

"I am more concerned about how father got his hands on this compass and the data on this Dungeon. Especially considering the fact that we are deep in the 3rd quadrant and have nothing to do with the Death Separation. Huh! I wouldn't have even wanted to come here if not for the 'Dragon'."

Trifon's voice became meek as he approached the last word of his sentence. One mistake was already enough, who knows the heaven might spare him the next time or not.

"Sigh! It's not my place to compel your father to tell me about all the details. I have made my peace with it decades ago. But you, you are the heir to his chair. Hmm, how old are you again?"

Trifon slightly parted the curtain and looked outside through the paned glass window. The sky seemed to become darker and all things on the ground felt rotten. Puddles of boiling black liquid could be seen here and there.

His gaze moved towards the direction they were heading to and in the far distance, he saw a massive wall-like mountain almost touching the sky. It felt like if there was something beyond that mountain, it must be another world altogether.

"77. Uncle, you have survived a Galactic War. What was it like?"

Viscount Rayko was about to empty the wine when he paused. His eyelids quivered for a second before gulping down the last drops of sweet-spicy wine.

"I was only 28 years old. Young and thirsty for blood, women, and power…"

Rayko put his hands on the chair's armrest. His eyes were planted at the vast lifeless land that could be seen through that little opening made by Trifon. Without realizing it, he tightly squeezed the armrest.

Crrrrkkk!

"Uncle!"

Trifon's low shout took Rayko out of his strange state, saving the destruction of the fine chair. The young Viscount poured another glass of wine for his uncle, who seemed to have rough breathing as he had just come out from a bitter fight.

"Trifon, all I can say is that time is the period in one's life when it's the hardest to distinguish friends from foes. Even for someone having brains like yours."

*

In the first carriage, Christin was sleeping with her head on Tomislav's lap. Opposite to them on the carriage's wooden floor was Berb. There was palm size pyramid in his hands with mystical symbols carved over it. Strange rattles and buzz of thousands of insects came out of his mouth as he kept muttering incomprehensible words.

Tomislav eyed the object, and for a moment he felt like the symbols were wiggling like worms. Even though it was an illusion, as he believed, he couldn't help but turn his head away. Through the corner of his eyes, he saw Berb touching the object on his forehead and keeping it back in his pocket.

"Do you ever get a reply? Or is it just a one-way link?"

"Captain, I don't understand. Why must we doubt an existence before having faith in it?"

Tomislav looked down at the perky breasts touching his thighs and the calmness on Christin's face. He lowered his voice and replied to Berb.

"I'll tell you why. Because it's fucking nonsense! The Pyramid God and the Mummified Goddess are nothing but a figment of imagination, made up to take advantage of good and innocent folks."

Buzzzz!!! Crunchh!!!

The buzzing of bugs intensified around Tomislav and within Berb. A slim but long red caterpillar came out of Berb's right ear with click-clacking noise and entered back into his body through his nose.

"Captain, his Name is…"

"Berb! For fuck's sake, don't you dare utter any Name here!"

Silent reign for a brief period within the carriage. Tomislav's hand reached out towards the bottle of Vodka and took two big gulps of it. The burning sensation itched his throat as he threw the bottle to Berb.

"Drink! We are approaching the Tomb."

Tomislav nodded, seeing drops of vodka dripping from the corner of Berb's mouth.

"Ugh! How can one enjoy such a thing?"

"Stop fucking around, Berb. Did you hear anything?"

Berb closed his eyes and shook his hand in refusal.

"Damn it! That pair of uncle and nephew are definitely hiding something. I can't believe even your bugs can't hear a word coming out from that carriage."

"Captain, even if they have some ulterior motives, what does that have to do with us?"

Tomislav's fingers ran over the milky smooth thighs of Christin. Contrary to his actions, his eyes gained a certain depth, familiar but ever mysterious to the eyes of his teammates.

"I have heard about House Venomous Rose, Berb. Would you believe me if I tell you that there was a Duke among their ancestors?"

"What?! How…"

The shock was so great that Berb couldn't complete his words.

"Humph! Are you feeling the pressure now? Becoming a Duke, especially in the Kingdom of Swordless, is like scaling the Peakless Mountain of Billion Beasts. And that kind of family fell to the level of Count overnight? How can things be that simple, huh!"

The absurdness of the situation had surpassed the logic for Berb. Tomislav could feel the huge conflict of emotions Berb must have been going through now.

"Tomislav… Then why did you accept their proposal to guide them? What could they possibly give you to accept such risks?"

Sigh!

The carriage stopped and the chamber within got filled with the heaviness of Tomislav's sighing. He gazed at the humongous mountain-like Tombstone that had covered the sky, through the window, and the enormous dark opening in the ground under it. His hand reached out towards the door as his answer, filled with helplessness, reverberated into Berb's ears.

"An Oath Breaking Stone."