CHAPTER 168: ACT II, SCENE II: FIVE ASHES, ONE MARIONETTE

Back in the Glass Garden, the air shimmered with the fading glow of Regulus’ magic. Ash drifted like snow, gently falling beneath a sky stuck in eternal night.

In front of Regulus stood five figures dressed in black ceremonial robes. The robes shimmered like liquid shadow, moving even when the demons did not. Their pale faces looked human, but their empty eyes and the unnatural way they stood revealed the truth: they were demons.

Above them, the jester hung from invisible strings. Its body sagged like a lifeless doll, but its head tilted slowly, and its voice echoed with a cold, dead tone.

"Poor guest," the jester said, the sound scraping through the Garden. "When you dream of the Slumbering King, the Slumbering King dreams back. And once he does... You... belong to him."

The five demons stepped forward, perfectly in sync.

"We are his messengers," one of them said.

"And you," added another, "are the weakest. How unlucky."

Regulus frowned. His heart beat faster. He remembered the dream, the jester, the giant eye above. It wasn’t a nightmare. It had been real.

"It was him," he whispered. "I was a fool to stay silent."

The jester’s voice came again.

"The Slumbering King has already begun his move. And you, Sacred one, are alone. The stage opens with your fall."

One of the demons turned and stepped back. A glowing purple pentagram opened beneath his feet.

"Consider yourself done for," the demon muttered. "I’ll deal with the past Hero instead."

With a flash of violet flame, he vanished.

The remaining four stepped forward.

Regulus clenched his jaw. His fingers tightened on his wand.

"You think I’m the weakest?" he said, eyes glowing gold. "Then you’re even dumber than you look."

The demons rushed in.

Regulus moved instantly. He spun his wand, and golden chains burst from the ground, wrapping around the first demon. A seal formed under him, pulsing brightly.

The demon stopped. A glowing sun symbol appeared on his forehead. Then, without warning, fire exploded from inside him.

He screamed, burning alive from within until only ash remained.

The second demon ducked low. Regulus snapped his fingers. A thunder symbol appeared on the demon’s chest. Lightning exploded, tearing the demon apart.

The third tried to attack from behind. Regulus vanished and reappeared above him.

"Heavenbind."

A dozen radiant spears shot down like meteors. They blazed white and gold, each one slamming into the ground with a burst of light. The third demon was struck mid-air, consumed in fire and light. When it cleared, he was gone.

The fourth demon froze.

He trembled, eyes wide, mouth parted in a silent gasp. Smoke curled from where Regulus stood, his wand still raised, robes drifting with the aftershock.

Regulus didn’t even glance at him. He spoke, cold and detached.

"Do you need an invitation?"

The demon turned to flee. But a black seal bloomed across his back.

Darkness crawled through him like veins. He opened his mouth to scream, but smoke spilled out. His body stiffened, then crumbled into gray ash.

Silence fell again.

Only Regulus stood in the center.

The jester above him didn’t move. It tilted its head.

"You... killed four generals..."

"Five," Regulus said. "The one who ran is already marked. A little gift for later."

The jester went silent. It twitched, as if struggling to believe what had just happened.

A Sacred killing four generals without taking a single hit? That wasn’t supposed to be possible. In the old days, Sacred warriors were equal to Demon Lords. But now, they were said to be no stronger than a general.

And yet, Regulus had done it.

A long silence.

Then a laugh.

Dry, broken. At first, it was quiet, then louder, and wilder.

The jester cracked. Its joints twisted.

"Marvelous," it whispered. "A real Sacred."

Its mask cracked. Fractures spread across its face.

Regulus raised his wand, shining.

He fired.

The jester exploded into glass shards.

From the falling pieces, something huge stirred.

Black wings spread wide, metallic and reflecting the light.

Regulus frowned.

A new figure came down slowly. He was tall and calm, wearing black armor with silver details that glowed faintly.

His wings were made of dark metal, and his long white hair moved as if underwater. He smiled gently, and his voice was soft.

He landed gently, and the world seemed to stop.

"Impressive," he said softly. "You live up to your title, Regulus. A real prodigy."

Regulus raised his wand.

"Who are you?"

The man bowed.

"I am Hypnos. Marshall of the Slumbering King, and wing of the Eternal Dream."

He smiled gently.

Regulus groaned, eyes narrowing as he watched the man in front of him.

"Why is it always the strongest ones that look the most human..."

Hypnos tilted his head and smiled calmly.

"Why don’t you find out?"

Regulus didn’t wait. He raised his wand and launched a storm of glowing blades made of light.

They sliced through the air with sharp whistles.

But Hypnos only raised a hand. The blades curved mid-air and vanished before they could reach him.

Regulus frowned and jumped back, trying to create distance. He summoned glowing golden chains and sent them flying toward Hypnos.

But just like the blades, they disappeared before touching him, like the space around Hypnos folded away, swallowing the chains whole.

It was like nothing could touch him.

Hypnos gently brushed dust off his shoulder and smiled again.

"I can see the fire in you. Young energy, wild and burning. But you won’t win with blind attacks. You need to think, little boy."

Regulus took a deep breath and paused. He started to think more carefully.

He watched Hypnos, trying to understand how he kept avoiding every hit. Was he becoming intangible? No... Regulus had to test it.

He slammed his wand to the ground, causing a small explosion of light. Dust rose up and covered the area like fog.

Hypnos tilted his head again, curious.

"Hm? Are we playing hide and seek now? That fits your age, but—"

He stopped speaking.

Seven golden chains shot out of the dust, aiming for him.

"Ah," Hypnos said, just as the chains passed through where he stood, hitting only the ground.

Regulus jumped through the haze, aiming to strike directly, but what he saw stopped him.

The chains had struck the ground, without touching Hypnos again, and the demon was nowhere to be seen.

Then, Hypnos appeared behind him, whispering softly in his ear.

"You shouldn’t lower your value to dust, little star. You’re weighing more in my heart."

Regulus gritted his teeth and cast his dome of light again. The radiant field exploded outward, clearing the dust and pushing everything back.

He spun around, searching for Hypnos.

His mind raced.

The attacks went through him, but dust stuck to his armor. That meant he wasn’t untouchable. He was using something to move just in time.

A slow voice echoed nearby.

Hypnos stood by a broken window, smiling darkly.

"So innocent. You know, if I were someone else, I’d say you’re the kind of child someone would want to keep... But sadly I can only keep your body without your soul."

Regulus’s eyes flared in anger. He lost his focus and launched attack after attack.

He moved fast, teleporting, creating new spells, chains, burning symbols in the air.

Each attack was sharp, fast, and powerful. Like fireworks of holy magic.

Hypnos only smiled wider.

"Keep going," he said, voice playful. "Like a mouse running from a cat. If you can keep me busy, maybe you’ll survive a little longer."

Regulus charged straight at him, wand glowing at Hypnos’s throat.

Hypnos leaned in, his voice soft and cold.

"Ah... If you look at me like that... I have no other choice... Authority of Sloth: Hell Marionette."

Light threads burst from Hypnos’s fingers.

Regulus gasped.

He tried to dodge, but he was too late.

The threads wrapped around him like puppet strings. They glowed as they locked into place.

Regulus froze.

His magic stopped instantly.

His eyes went wide. He tried to move... but nothing responded.

Hypnos smiled kindly.

"Ah... I was having fun watching you fight."

Then his smile faded. His eyes darkened.

"Now... Let me return the favor."