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Once again, he woke up in the middle of night.
He found himself covered in sweat, breathing heavily, but it's already better once he got up. He decided not to go back to sleep immediately, instead to take a walk in the castle. Needed to cool his sweat, after all.
So he left his room, wandered around in the halls aimlessly. It wasn't as cool as he thought it would be outside at midnight, and the low air pressure made sweating on his body even more unbearable. White moonlight shone down on the crumbling castle halls, and from the upper floors he could see the floor crowded with a lot of goblins sleeping soundly. He would not go downstairs to disturb them, but simply traveled the long corridors in his bare feet.
Unconsciously, his steps led him to the central room. He stopped in front of this giant door, behind which was the owner of this place, his master.
Perhaps not yet fully awake, he decided to open it without permission to take a look. He gently pushed the door open a crack, hoping it's gentle enough that not to wake up the owner of the room. Instead, he saw a figure standing in front of the window. It's Zargothrax, he heard the sound and turned around looking at him.
Oh crap.
"Good evening, Angus" said the figure. He weared a deep read long rope, maybe his pajama if he had that kind of things.
"I..I just…" Angus seemed a little bit awkward for interrupting his lord's alone time. "I felt…I don't know, bit of weird tonight."
"Come here to my side." His voice didn't sound very angry.
Angus hesitated for a second, like a kid got things screwed up. But he followed the order, entered the room and walked up next to Zargothrax. He could now see the face of the dark lord more clearly. Without the cover of his cloak, his dark brown hair was draped over his shoulders, reflecting a silvery white glow in the moonlight.
"Feel better now?" Asked his master.
Angus was never a magic guy, he never experienced things such like aura or energy, he's still learning to associate his senses to these untouchable feelings.
"...Yes." Still, he could feel relived just by standing here.
"You will get used to it one day, this tiny side effect of the knife of evil."
"I'm sorry, I should put more energy to study it."
"No…I mean." Seeing his servant once again drowning in sorrows, Zargothrax sighed. "It's not that deep, ok?"
Angus was still lowering his head.
Through the gaps in his hair he could vaguely see the figure next to him move and turn to face him. He didn't look up to see. It was good that the other person broke the awkward silence.
"Try not to think too much, follow your heart and do what you really desire, for now."
Zargothrax raised his arms a little, watching Angus being surprised for a moment, hesitated, then closed his eyes, took a few steps towards himself and hugged him. He could feel both of Angus' hands dragging his rope behind him, and head buried in his chest.
Zargothrax didn't hold him back, he just stood there, letting his servant enjoy his moment.
After a while, he could sense Angus' breath became much more calmly.
"I..had a bad dream." With his head buried in rope, Angus said in a grunting voice. "All my old friends were dying, in front of my eyes. I tried to save them but it didn't work. I went back to time over and over again, yet it repeated itself."
Though these words sound tragic, the dark lord found Angus' heartbeat was not racing again.
"I know it was wrong, I have no complaints about my current status, I mean it's the best time of my entire life but I couldn't help…"
"Do you miss them?" Zargothrax interrupted his words, but there's no accusation in his tone.
"No." Answered without any hesitation.
"I'm just afraid of being alone again."
And the whole room went quite, no sobbing or gasping, only the silver moonlight flowing through the window on two of them.
"You see, Angus." After a while, Zargothrax broke this silence.
The servant raised his head, saw Zargothrax was looking out the window. His crimson eyes glowing like a faint yet still burning flame, it's the only warming thing in this room.
"In a few hours the moon will set, the world will once again be enveloped by the light of the black sun, then night will come. And from now on, we will witness this view for countless eternities, together."
Even though the window was closed, he could still feel like a breeze running through his body. Angus released his hands, took a step back, turning around to look at the outside world before his eyes. It's the land he once knew, now laid in ruins. And after who knows years, these remaining waste would also disappear in ashes. There may even be a day, they would become so powerful, the sun, the moon and the entire universe would be destroyed, there would be another dimension waiting for them to explore.
And he knew, at that one new start of time, his only known one person will still be there, by his side.