Former Fake Becomes Grand Duke of the North

“We’re here.” Dad said as our carriage pulled to a stop.

The door opened and we stepped outside. I took this opportunity to take my first good look at the Church of Light and Darkness here in Frostheart. Like the rest of the buildings within the city, the church was built from dark gray stone, giving its exterior a bleak and foreboding appearance. Looking at it from the outside, it looked like a temple to a dark and forgotten god.

It was nighttime, well past sunset, though the abundance of mana crystal lamps in the area provided more than enough light to see by. It was cool out. Despite the season, this was the Barrens. The cold never went away, not for good at least. Some of it lingered, even in the middle of summer.

It was quiet out. Frostheart was a regional capital, and thus had a large population, but there were few people in and around the Church of Light and Darkness. Most were still enjoying the festival that Dad threw to accompany the week-long, now nine days long, banquet. On our way here, the sounds of revelry filled the air. However, as we neared the Church of Light and Darkness, it all faded away.

During the journey, my thoughts went back to everyone. After I spent the afternoon with Lina, I said my goodbyes to everyone before leaving for the church. Mom and Count Wirner were worried for me, Mom in particular, but they understood the necessity of my actions. As the current Knight Commander of the Coldsteel Knights and the former Knight Commander of the Coldsteel Knights, they knew that sometimes one must take risks for one's family and one's people.

Mika woke up when it was almost time for me to leave. It took some convincing on my part, but I managed to reassure her that I wasn’t going to abandon House Guld. I also gave her the present I bought for her a while ago, the magical music box with the dancer. As I hoped, Mika loved it.

When the time drew near, Dad sent a servant to bring me to him. I took Sir Kane along, since he was my bodyguard, and left Viktor behind to keep an eye on Ellen and Thomas. The latter two had behaved so far, but it was better to be safe than sorry. I didn’t want Thomas to try and break Ellen out of the dungeons again.

Sir Kane and I took the servants' passages to meet with Dad, in order to avoid running into any of the other northern nobles. The less people who knew about our business tonight, the better. Besides, I wasn’t in the mood to interact with any of them. There was only so much verbal sparring I could take.

After meeting with Dad, the three of us entered a plain and unmarked carriage, before heading off. The journey to the Church of Light and Darkness was an uneventful one. A part of me feared that Fallen Leaves would attack us, since we were vulnerable, but nothing happened. Either the Blue Shadows ensured that Fallen Leaves hadn’t found out about our little excursion, or the latter didn’t care.

Perhaps Fallen Leaves wished to avoid a direct conflict with House Kaltbrand. That made sense. They made sure to keep to the shadows when interfering with House Kaltbrand’s succession. If it hadn’t been for Ellen, they would have remained in the shadows as an unknown enemy.

After we reached the Church of Light and Darkness and stepped outside of our carriage, a pair of people exited the church to greet us. One was a middle-aged woman wearing the robes of a high priestess of the Goddess of Light, the other was a middle-aged man wearing the robes of a high priest of the God of Darkness. The two of them bowed when they reached us.

“Greetings, Grand Duke Kaltbrand.” They said in unison.

Dad nodded in return.

“Wulfe,” Dad said, gesturing to the two, “This is High Priestess Ursel and High Priest Jeremias. The two of them lead the Church of Light and Darkness here in Frostheart. They’re both also good friends of mine, who I’ve known for a long time.”

I gave each of them a shallow bow.

“I greet you, High Priestess Ursel.” I said. “I greet you, High Priest Jeremias.”

High Priestess Ursel gave me a warm smile, while High Priest Jeremias wore a stoic expression.

“Welcome, Lord Wulfe.” High Priestess Ursel said. “We’ve heard much about you. I’m glad we have this opportunity to finally meet.”

High Priest Jeremias grunted, before facing Dad.

“Everything is ready.” He said in a gruff voice.

Dad nodded and gestured towards High Priest Jeremias.

“In that case, lead the way.” He said.

High Priest Jeremias grunted again, before turning around and walking towards the Church of Light and Darkness. We followed behind him, though I instructed Sir Kane to remain with the carriage and keep an eye out.

“Don’t mind Jeremias.” High Priestess Ursel said, walking beside me. “Despite his rather taciturn bearing, he has a good heart.”

I smiled at her.

“I don’t mind.” I said. “Many of the priests and priestesses of the God of Darkness who I’ve met are similar.”

High Priest Ursel returned my smile, but otherwise didn’t respond. The four of us entered the Church of Light and Darkness. It was warm and cozy inside, though the interior was plainer than I expected. The Church of Light and Darkness near Guld Manor was filled with lavish decorations, thanks to the numerous donations from House Guld. It seemed that the Church of Light and Darkness here in Frostheart was more humble and modest.

We met a few priests and priestesses as we followed High Priest Jeremias, who all greeted us with the appropriate amount of respect. In particular, the priests and priestesses who followed the God of Darkness eyed Dad with admiration and veneration. As the wielder of the coldfire, he was the chosen champion of the God of Darkness.

As we followed High Priest Jeremias, our group passed by a mural depicting the creation of the world. I took a moment to study it. It was a story everyone in the Reichwald Empire knew to some degree or another. In the beginning, the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness fought each other as enemies. Their conflict lasted for countless eons. Despite this, neither one could defeat the other. Every victory was temporary and never lasted long.

In the end, the two of them made peace with one another before proceeding to create their own worlds: one of fire and light, and one of cold and dark. However, in the midst of this, demons from beyond invaded these two worlds. The two gods worked together to drive them back, but not before their worlds were destroyed.

However, all was not lost. Fragments of both worlds remained. The Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness worked together to create a new world, one of both light and darkness. At some point, the two of them fell in love with each other and married one another.

In time, they started a family and their children became the lesser gods and goddesses of this world. Eventually, humanity came to be. Church doctrine was less clear on whether the gods created us, or if we developed on our own. Regardless, the gods blessed humanity with divine power in exchange for faith and worship.

All this passed through my mind as I studied the mural, before I hurried off to catch up with the others.

High Priest Jeremias led us to a stone archway located underneath the Church of Light and Darkness. Beyond the archway was a plain and bare stone chamber. The only thing inside the stone chamber was an altar. Hovering in the air above the altar was a mote of coldfire. However, this coldfire was different from the one Dad wielded. It was colder, more primeval. It was as if this coldfire had existed since before the world began, and would continue to exist long after the world ended.

“This is the Coldfire Shrine.” High Priest Jeremias explained in a gruff voice. “Your ancestor, the first Kaltbrand, created it to house the gift he received from the God of Darkness: a remnant of the world of frost and darkness, which the God of Darkness created long before our world ever existed. That remnant is the coldfire.” He looked at me. “Ever since then, each potential heir of House Kaltbrand has tested themselves here in order to prove their worth. Those who succeed inherit the coldfire and become heir in truth. Those who fail don’t.”

I looked back at Dad, who gave me a reassuring nod, before facing High Priest Jeremias again.

“What do I need to do?” I asked.

High Priest Jeremias nodded towards the mote of coldfire hovering above the altar.

“It’s simple,” he said, “Touch the coldfire and accept it into your body. If you pass the test, the coldfire will become a part of you. If you fail, it will freeze you. You may even die.” He shook his head. “That is all I can tell you. You must experience the rest for yourself.”

I looked at the mote of coldfire and swallowed. Now that I had come to this, I felt afraid. What if I failed the test? Yes, I wanted to become the heir of House Kaltbrand, but did I want to risk my life for it?

Yes, I realized after giving it some thought. I wanted to become the heir of House Kaltbrand. Not for influence and status, rather not just for those reasons, but so that I would have the power necessary to protect those I loved. Those without power were always at the mercy of those with power.

“I believe in you, Wulfe.” Dad said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I gave him a grateful smile, before steeling my resolve and walking into the stone chamber. From behind me, I heard High Priestess Ursel mutter a prayer on my behalf.

The moment I stepped into the stone chamber, freezing cold assaulted me. It was far colder than anything I had ever experienced before. It pierced through my clothes like they weren’t even there. The worst winter I endured in the Barrens was nothing in comparison.

As I drew closer and closer to the coldfire, it grew colder and colder, until it felt as if my very soul would freeze. Each step was more difficult than the last. I used my Aura to protect myself, with limited success. Despite this, I pushed on. By the time I reached the coldfire, I had reached my limit. If this lasted any longer, I would freeze to death. I would either pass the test and live, or I would fail and die.

I reached out to the coldfire and grasped it in my hand. The moment I touched it, the bitter cold from before invaded my body. It was as if my flesh, my blood, and even my bones had turned to ice. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The coldfire froze the very air in my lungs. Before I could do anything, the cold spread throughout my entire being and swallowed me whole. I fell into darkness and knew nothing.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the middle of an icy tundra. One moment I was in the Coldfire Shrine, dying as the coldfire invaded my body. Next, I found myself in this place. The transition was sudden and disorienting. It took me a moment to regain my bearings. Once I did, I looked around.

A mist filled the air, surrounding me and obscuring my vision. No matter where I looked, I just saw mist. It even obscured the sky. Silence reigned supreme. I heard nothing except the sound of my own breathing. Despite the lack of any light source, I saw with perfect clarity. I wasn’t cold either, which I found odd. This place seemed freezing cold, yet I felt fine. It was also rich in mana, making it the perfect place to train.

“Hello?” I asked.

My voice sounded muffled, swallowed by the mist.

“Is anyone there? Where am I?”

I received no answer. What happened? How did I get here? Did someone teleport me? Or… Or was I dead and this was the afterlife? To test this, I pinched my cheek. It hurt. So, I was alive. At least, I hoped I was alive. Still, knowing that didn’t help me. I didn’t know how I arrived at this strange place, or how to leave.

Unless this was part of the test that I needed to pass in order to inherit the coldfire.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this was likely the case. After all, I had been in the middle of testing myself when I arrived at this place. It stood to reason that coming here was a part of the test. That, or I was dead and this was the afterlife. Regardless, standing around and doing nothing wouldn’t help me, so I picked a random direction and started walking.

The ground crunched beneath my feet as I walked. At first I thought it was just ice. However, to my surprise, when I took a closer look, I saw that it was grass. However, it wasn’t grass as I knew it. This grass was blue and made from ice. Despite that, it was alive. I could sense it. Living ice? How was that even possible?

I thought back to High Priest Jeremias’ words from earlier. He called the coldfire a remnant of the first world the God of Darkness created, the one of cold and darkness. Was this that world? Had the coldfire transported me here? I didn’t know. Either way, standing around and speculating wouldn’t help me get out of here or pass the test.

I walked for a while, though I didn’t know how long. Without any reference points, it was difficult to tell how much time had passed. It could have been minutes or hours or even longer. Yet, no matter how long I walked or how far I went, I never grew tired. I couldn’t tell if this was a good sign or not.

After what felt like hours, I heard something howling in the distance. At first there was just one howl, but soon others joined it. Together, they formed an unholy chorus. It didn’t take me long to figure out the source of the howling: a pack of Mad Dogs. I had hunted so many of them, that I recognized them right away.

I drew my sword and prepared for battle. Thankfully, whatever force brought me to this place also brought my weapons as well. I could fight a pack of Mad Dogs barehanded, but I preferred using a sword. That way, I lessened the risk of getting their corrupted blood all over me.

The howling continued, drawing closer and closer until it sounded like they were right on top of me. I took a stance and waited for them to attack. I didn’t have to wait long. After a few moments, a mangy, diseased-looking beast burst out of the mist and snarled, before rushing towards me. I waited until the Mad Dog was right on me, before dodging its attack and cleaving it in half in one motion. However, I didn’t get a chance to relax before the second Mad Dog attacked.

Dispatching the pack was a simple affair. Mad Dogs were aggressive to the point of suicide, making them easy to deal with. While they weren’t stupid, their aggression overwhelmed any caution they possessed. Soon, the corpses of several Mad Dogs surrounded me. Too bad I didn’t have any holy oil or holy water on me. Otherwise, I would have purified the bodies. As it was, there was nothing I could do but let them fester.

However, to my surprise, the icy grass that surrounded the corpses started to glow blue. At the same time, I watched as the Mad Dogs and their blood froze. No, that wasn’t right. They turned to ice. It was similar to when Dad used the coldfire to freeze the flames and turn them to ice. Soon, nothing remained of the Mad Dogs except several ice sculptures in their likeness.

Just to make sure, I used my sword to break one of the frozen Mad Dogs. It was all ice. There was no flesh or blood or bone. Not only that, but the Mad Dog was purified as well. No traces of demonic corruption remained. Wherever or whatever this place was, it was inimical to demonic beasts. That much was clear to me.

I continued on my way, but it wasn’t long before another pack of demonic beasts attacked me.

This pattern repeated itself several times. Demonic beasts attacked me and I killed them all, before continuing on my way. Soon after that, more demonic beasts attacked me, starting the cycle anew.

In the beginning, I faced the weakest kinds of demonic beasts, ones similar to Mad Dogs in power. However, as time went on, I faced stronger and stronger types of demonic beasts. It wasn’t long before Rank Two demonic beasts started appearing.

At first, I dispatched my opponents with ease. Rank One and Rank Two demonic beasts were no match for me, no matter how many of them I faced. However, the endless attacks and the increasing power of my enemies sapped my strength little by little. My mana drained at an alarming rate. The icy tundra was rich with mana, but the constant attacks prevented me from replenishing my reserves.

When I started facing Rank Three demonic beasts, such as Proteans, I knew that I was in trouble. Sooner or later, I would run out of mana. When that happened, I would have to fight using my physical strength alone. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to deal with Rank Three demonic beasts. I needed to get out of this place as soon as possible. However, no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find a way out of here. Everything looked the same to me. There was just icy tundra and mist everywhere.

Was this all a part of the test? Was I supposed to keep killing demonic beasts until I reached my limit? Or was I supposed to find the exit before the constant tide of demonic beasts overwhelmed me?

Maybe this wasn’t a test at all. Maybe I was dead, and this was a special kind of hell. More than once, my mind wandered to the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass and the horrors I faced back then. However, unlike then, I faced the demonic beasts alone. I didn’t have any friends or comrades to watch my back.

After dispatching another group of Rank Three demonic beasts, I looked to the sky.

“What do you want from me?” I yelled. “What am I supposed to do here?”

Nothing answered. The mist continued to swirl about, indifferent and uncaring. Anger and frustration continued to build up inside me, until I felt like I would burst. However, just before I reached my limit, the mist disappeared. One moment, it obscured my vision. The next, I saw nothing but icy tundra as far as the eye could see. Dark gray clouds blanketed the sky above.

I looked around, ready for another attack, yet nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next. In the distance, about half a mile away from me, I saw a shadowy figure. It looked humanoid, but with an elongated body, as if someone had taken the figure and stretched it out. Its entire body was smooth and featureless, as if it were made entirely out of shadows and nothing more. Wicked looking claws tipped the figure’s hands. Otherwise, it seemed harmless, at least compared to some of the other kinds of demonic beasts I faced in the past. However, when I saw how powerful it was, I sucked in a breath.

Rank Four.

Rank Four demonic beasts were the rarest of the rare. Each one was as powerful as an Aura Master. They were akin to natural disasters, bringing death and destruction wherever they went. Only a handful of Rank Four demonic beasts had appeared during the course of the Reichwald Empire’s history. However, whenever one showed up, countless people died.

For the first time since the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass, after I became an Aura Master, I feared dying. I sparred with Mom several times, and faced off against that dagger wielding Aura Master at Meyers Castle, but those hadn’t been fights to the death. This Rank Four demonic beast wouldn’t show me such consideration.

As if to prove my point, the Rank Four demonic beast chose that moment to dash in my direction and charge right for me. I readied my sword and charged towards it as well.

The battle with the Rank Four demonic beast had begun.