Under The Grim Dark Sky

The city's sky grew darker as Felix, Brisk City's infamous villain, stood alongside an unidentified individual who had appeared ten years ago. Adding to the mystery was the sudden emergence of a new and enigmatic clan. Despite his remarkable abilities, Felix found himself ranked as the seventh deity, overshadowed by his numerous shortcomings. This frustrating reality gnawed at him, fueling his irritation. In an attempt to maintain composure, Felix decided to engage in his least favorite pastime: playing chess with his servant Lin, a prodigious chess champion since childhood. Frustration etched on his face, Felix absentmindedly ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, his gaze fixed on Lin's intense and perceptive eyes. Sighing, Lin moved one of his chess pieces and spoke gently, "If you wish, young master, we can stop playing. Your actions are causing trouble and angering her again." The young man couldn't help but be taken aback by the servant's words, feeling as if he was being misunderstood. Except for a young girl who had harbored animosity toward him since his arrival. The individual capable of manipulating wind and the sky's hues, Felix felt isolated and feared by others. He raised an eyebrow defiantly, stating, "Hmph! Scaring her isn't enough-look at the lightning outside. Can you fathom how angry I am during our chess match?" Lin glanced out the window, observing the agitated crows and their frantic movements due to the lightning caused by his conceited young master. Letting out a heavy sigh, Lin maintained a composed demeanor. The female figure Felix referred to must have been out of town. Suddenly, a lightning bolt shattered the window, prompting Lin to rush and shield Felix from the flying glass. Panicked, Felix allowed Lin to remove his cloak, revealing a wound bleeding profusely, likely caused by an unfortunate bird colliding with their window earlier. Unable to tolerate his young master's reckless behavior any longer, Lin stared at him and commanded the guards to clean up the broken glass and attend to the bleeding wound. The consequences of anything happening to Felix were too dire. The severed head and wings of the crow landed on Felix's chessboard. Curiosity compelled him to examine its contents, leading him to hold it in his hands and pry open its beak. To his surprise, he found a small piece of metal hidden within. He vaguely recalled the crow munching on a piece of bread, while another bird seemed agitated. Was there foul play involved? Lin, the most perceptive member of their clan, possessed eyes unmatched by anyone else. He pondered the lightning and the bird, realizing they had been deliberately targeted for death. How did the crow acquire the small metal piece? Someone had concealed it within the bread, and the crow, unknowingly, had tucked it into its beak. When Felix became agitated, the crow happened to be flying in front of the window, becoming an unwitting target for the lightning that had frightened them all. "Ha, hahahaha!" After a brief moment of panic, Felix's demeanor transformed into one of delight. Swiftly grabbing what Lin had been clutching for the past five minutes, Felix hurled it out the window, bursting into mad laughter. "That's brilliant, Lin! Absolutely brilliant!" His tendency to impulsively seize things surfaced once again. Ignoring Lin's warning about potential glass shards, Felix crossed his legs and massaged his temples, a faint smile forming. He groaned once more, unable to fully comprehend this man even after five years of their master-servant relationship. His unpredictability knew no bounds, and he seemed to care little for the consequences. As Felix prepared to throw the crow's severed head out the window, one of the guards whispered that something was amiss downstairs. Within seconds, Felix knew the second young master had arrived-the most powerful wind user. He hastily donned his cloak once more. Outside, the sound of heavy footsteps grew louder, and just as he grabbed his cloak, a powerful gust of wind struck the chamber. Apart from minor damage to his cloak, door, and window, the focus of their problem had vanished from sight, taking advantage of the wind to escape through the window. The young master must have been terrified as well. "Where is that fool!?" No one dared to speak, and even Lin struggled to maintain a composed expression. Meanwhile, Sole reached for the skull embedded on Felix's table and screamed louder than before. "Never return!!!!" Far beyond Lin's comprehension, Felix could hear the anguished screams, feeling as if Sole's scream had pierced his very soul. At least his cloak, door, and window remained intact. Besides that, the poor guards had provided enough assistance for the day. Felix hadn't even noticed when they finished cleaning up the glass shards. Sole settled down at Felix's table, causing Lin to tremble with anxiety. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Lin instructed the guards to leave them alone, granting them privacy. As they exited the room, Lin's previously terrified expression faded away, replaced by a transformation that occurred even faster than Felix's. "Second young master, please accept my apologies for Felix's impulsive actions." Sole remained silent, instead picking up the skull and placing it on his lap. Grinning chaotically, he said, "May I ask the reason behind all this?" Lin lowered his head and answered his question. "Do you recall what I told you six years ago, second young master? It concerns the girl Felix seeks revenge upon." The creepy smile remained fixed on his face. "Yes, can you do me a favor?" Lin gulped nervously. "Kill that girl for me, or else I'll replace this skull with yours." "Considering that you were the initial master, you are undoubtedly aware of the actions both of you undertook, or rather, what he did. You have been shielding him, not only in his reckless plans but also in his conduct. What are your thoughts on this matter? Is he truly powerful enough to save you, prompting you to cover up for him? Is it because you anticipate becoming the first Master when he eventually assumes control over the clan?" Lin's forehead was drenched in sweat as he struggled to respond to the second young master's sharp and piercing words. Lin paid no heed to the words spoken, fully aware of the ironic truth behind them. However, that wasn't his motive for shielding him. As Lin made his way towards the door, He continued to stare at the crow's severed beak, lost in thought. He prolonged his examination, causing Lin to decide it was time to depart, yet he remained silent. Meanwhile, Felix, amidst coughing up blood, couldn't shake off the intense scream that had reverberated through his mind. He found himself hiding in one of the streets of Brisk City. He heard everything, clutching his temples. How rude that boy was. Despite being older, he had been terrified. He too possessed the power of wind, but he couldn't reach that level of strength. Simply put, he was the weakest among the young gods. Outwardly terrifying, but internally, he was also one of Brisk City's fools. Suddenly, Felix collapsed, acknowledging that it was his fault, yet feeling no remorse. He laughed and laughed until he lost consciousness.