Nick walked out of the room, still stunned.
He had seen the Champion of Light.
The strongest human in existence.
And the Champion of Light had granted him a name!
When he had seen the Champion of Light, he knew that Aegis was the right place for him.
Aegis was the true shield of humanity!
Nick walked through the Left Arm's room and entered the Hall of Remembrance.
As soon as he entered, he saw Simon throwing a glance at him.
Nick walked over to Simon but didn't say anything.
Nick seemed very distracted.
"How was it?" Simon asked with curiosity.
Nick looked at the ceiling.
"Good," he answered.
"Did you meet him?" Simon asked.
Nick nodded.
"You saw the Champion of Light?" Simon asked in shock.
Nick nodded again. "I even spoke to him."
Simon looked like he was filled with wonder.
"Only the Shields get to meet the Champion of Light, and they do it very, very rarely from what I've heard," he said in reverence.
"How was he?" Simon asked.
Nick smiled.
"Just like the stories. Just older," Nick said.
"He was very nice, and I could tell that he truly only wants what's best for humanity."
Simon looked with reverence at Nick.
Of course, he wasn't reverential to Nick but to the image of the Champion of Light Nick portrayed.
"Is there anything you can tell me about him?" Simon asked.
"I don't know what I'm allowed to say and what not. I wasn't told, and I don't want to take any risks," Nick answered.
Simon sighed. "I understand."
Nick's smile returned. "But I'm sure I can tell you one thing."
Simon perked up. "Yes?"
"He gave me a new last name," Nick said with pride and joy.
"Oh? What is it?" Simon asked.
"Dusk," Nick said. "As soon as I join Aegis, I will be called Nick Dusk."
Simon's eyes widened in shock.
Nick looked at Simon.
"You seem surprised," Nick commented.
Simon looked at Nick with raised eyebrows before a helpless smile appeared on his face.
"It seems like you made quite an impression on the Champion of Light," Simon said with an awkward smile.
"Why?" Nick asked.
"You don't know?" Simon asked.
"Know what?"
"What your name means," Simon said.
"It means something? I thought it was just a nice word. Not all names are supposed to mean something, right?" Nick asked.
"Yours does," Simon said.
"What does it mean?" Nick asked.
"Well," Simon said before trying to find the right words. "In the times of the Ancient Ones, the Sun was supposed to set."
"Set? In what way?" Nick asked.
"The Ancient Ones said that the Sun moved through the sky. It wasn't like today when the Sun is constantly above everyone's head at all times."
"The Sun came over the horizon from the east, traveled to right above you, and set in the west. As in, it goes past the horizon and vanishes," Simon explained.
Nick's eyes widened.
"Dusk refers to the time when the Sun is about to leave the sky and vanishes in the west. Dawn is the time when the Sun appears from the east," Simon said.
"What about the time between Dusk and Dawn?" Nick asked.
"That is called night, and it fills the world with darkness," Simon explained.
The Nightmare immediately popped into Nick's mind.
Filling the world with darkness?
That sounded terrifying!
Simon smiled awkwardly. "So, I guess the Champion of Light believes that you have the talent to finally take down the Sun. If I didn't see you leaving his room with my own eyes, I would have never believed you."
Nick was still shocked.
The Champion of Light believed that he could kill the Sun?
'Is this because of my ability?' Nick thought. 'The Champion knows that I have come into contact with the Null.'
Nick furrowed his brows.
'And he also knows I have the Nightmare's ability.'
Nick looked to the side, not knowing what to feel.
'I have two abilities from Eternals. I'm not sure if there has ever been anyone like me before.'
'Maybe that's why he believes that I have a chance.'
Nick sighed.
'I know I can improve the lives of the common people from many cities.'
'But I don't think I have what it takes to become the strongest human in existence.'
'I know I am powerful, but I am definitely not the most powerful.'
'There must be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Experts all over the world.'
'I might be stronger than 90%, maybe even 95%, of them, but I don't think I am stronger than all of them.'
'There must be some true monsters out there.'
The feeling of pride of receiving a name from the Champion of Light vanished, replaced by a heavy feeling of pressure.
This was so much.
So much expectation.
'I'm just an Expert,' Nick thought with a sigh.
"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have told you," Simon said after he saw Nick's defeated expression.
"No, it's fine," Nick said, trailing off near the end. "It's just… a lot to take in."
Simon and Nick talked for a couple more minutes until the door to the Left Arm's room opened.
The Left Arm, Helia Janus, walked out of the room and immediately looked at Nick with a neutral expression.
Nick and Simon quickly ran over and politely bowed to the Left Arm.
While they were bowing, the young man walked out of the room behind the Left Arm and just casually waved at Nick.
"Do your best, Nick," he said with a smile as he continued walking.
"Thank you," Nick answered.
The man just waved as he left the Halls of Remembrance.
"Nick," the Left Arm said.
"Yes," Nick answered respectfully.
"What do you wish as your reward?" she asked with a bit of impatience.
Naturally, Nick knew that he would most likely receive a reward, and he had already thought of one.
"I want to join Aegis," he said.
"That's already decided. That will not be your reward. Name something else," Helia said evenly.
Nick nodded. "Then, I wish that the Fanatic called Julian, who has recently been captured in Crimson City, will be killed."
"A strange request. Why?" the Left Arm asked.
Nick furrowed his brows and looked at the floor.
"He knows too much about me," he said.
Simon looked at Nick with a bit of uncertainty.
Simon also knew Nick's ability, and it seemed like Nick didn't want anyone to know.
"Fine," the Left Arm answered. "Anything else? That's hardly a reward."
"I would like for Ghosty to join Aegis and leave Crimson City. He also knows too much, but compared to Julian, Ghosty is a nice person who has helped me. I can't ask for his death in good conscience," Nick said.
"The researcher from Crimson Fungus City?" Helia asked with a raised eyebrow.
Nick was surprised. "You know him?"
Helia nodded. "He has contributed a lot to Aegis. He knows that a spot is open for him at Aegis, but he has not accepted the position yet. If you wish, we can persuade him."
Nick sighed.
Persuading him probably wasn't nice for him, but it was better than death.
"Yes, please," Nick said.
"Okay," Helia said. "Anything else?"
"Can I have a position where I can help the people? I would like to start by improving Crimson City," Nick said.
"Funny," Helia said with a dry and unamused voice, "that was exactly what the Champion asked me to do."
Nick was once again surprised.
"Hurry up," Helia said with annoyance. "All of these are not rewards. Ask for something tangible. Something valuable. I want to get back to work."
Nick smiled helplessly. "Then, what about a training manual so I can learn to manipulate my Zephyx better?"
"As a member of Aegis, you get the basic training manual anyway," she said. "However, I can increase its level by a bit. That should cover your reward."
"Thank you," Nick said with a polite bow.
Helia looked at Simon. "Bring him to the treasury and get him a rank three manual for Zephyx manipulation. After that, go to James. He will welcome him in our ranks and tell him what he has to do from now on."
Simon's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Of course, Left Arm," he answered.
"Good," Helia said. "Then, be on your way."
Then, Helia turned around and walked back to her office.
"Ehm," Nick uttered.
"What?" Helia asked with annoyance.
"Why did the Champion grant me the name Dusk?" Nick asked.
Helia furrowed her brows, and Nick became nervous.
"I asked him the same thing," she said with a softer voice.
Nick listened intently.
"He said that the Sun cannot be stopped by the light. The Sun is the light already."
"The only thing that can defeat the Sun is the darkness, the night."
Helia fully turned around and looked at Nick.
"Frankly, I don't see what he sees in you," she said with annoyance.
"But he is our leader, and he is far wiser than me."
"You have convinced him, and that is good enough for me."
Her next words were laced with poison and threat.
"Don't disappoint him!"
Then, she entered her office again and closed the door behind her.