The King's Game - Seven Calamities Arc (Part 2)

Chapter 33: Shadow's Past Has Come to Light

"I am no longer demon royalty Arazach, did you forget that you abandoned me for what I did. What use is a demon with no powers I believe you said." Shadow said as he stepped towards Arazach, "3 000 krosts dwelled the planes of Ejitope. 3 000 krosts I searched for a way to regain what I had lost, all the while you gladly took my position as King."

"You were a disgrace to our people! What would the demons think if they discovered their beloved King tried to save an angel? I couldn't let that happen, the fact that you lost your powers made it all too easy to claim you died in the war; yet the second I heard a fearsome monster had emerged in Ejitope, I knew it had to be you. I do not know how you got your powers back, but it means nothing! You fell from being a king to a peasant slave, obediently following his master's every beck and call. You do not deserve to be royalty!" Arazach shouted as arcane energy started swirling around his hand.

"Still using your little magic tricks are you? You should know by now they no match for me."

Arazach could take it no more, as hellish black flames came to life in the palm of his hand. Thrusting his hand in the direction of Shadow a streak of black flames erupted and shot towards Shadow.

"Look out!" Jacob yelled, yet it was too late.

The flames slammed into Shadow, causing a huge explosion as the flames enveloped Shadow's body.

Arazach, breathing heavy from his outburst, began to chuckle, "No brother, it is you who is no match for me now. I'm no longer the brother you knew; I am the king now!"

Jacob looked at the flames, yet nothing could be seen through them. Nervously he glanced at Arazach, who returned his gaze with a sinister smile.

"Now then Jacob; why don't you tell me exactly how you know about Viezil and our past?"

Before Jacob could respond a sinister laugh echoed in the throne room, the laugh sent shivers down Jacob's spine as Arazach frantically looked around the room for the source of the laughter.

"The things that go bump in the night say boo."

As if a strong gust of wind burst in from somewhere, the black flames shot away from Shadow and streaked across the walls. In the centre of where the flames had originally been Shadow stood, not a single burn mark on him or his clothes, he stood unscathed. The one thing Jacob noticed that was different, was the white skull on Shadow's mask now emitted a powerful glow. Screaming in a combination of anger and fear, Arazach hurled two more balls of black flames towards Shadow.

"Child's play." Shadow exclaimed as he grabbed both balls of flames in his hands and shut them.

"Impossible, hell's flames cannot be put out, how are you doing this?" Arazach said, he could no longer hide the fear in his voice.

"When Null gave me powers it woke the demon blood in me. You said it yourself, I'm the King of Limbo now."

Shadow leapt forward, as if propelled by a strong gust of wind, and pulled a dagger from his coat. Arazach grabbed his spear, as he blocked the strike from Shadow and kicked him in the stomach with enough force to send him flying backwards. Shadow flipped himself, landing on his feet a few feet away from Jacob.

"You're a thorn in my side brother, you always have been. You're a thorn just like Viezil was and look what happened to him. I will make sure you never leave the demon realm again!"

Shadow hurled three daggers at Arazach, which the demon king easily deflected with his spear.

"Is that all you can do after spending all that time searching for knowledge amongst the mortals? Granted you have the ability to transverse between the realm of living and limbo, however it won't work for you here. Limbo has no gateway to the demon realm, so you are nothing but a powerless child before me!" Arazach bellowed.

Shadow gripped the wires in his hand tightly, leapt up into the air and ripped the wires backwards. The three dagger flung off the ground and bolted straight for Arazach.

Arazach, who was caught off guard by this, deflected two of the daggers as the tip of the third dagger sliced through the left side of his face. The wound was not fatal, yet it left a cut from Arazach's lower lip all the way up past his left eye. Shadow grabbed the daggers as they returned to him, all before landing on the ground. Blood trickled from the wound on Arazach's face as his body trembled with rage.

"To let myself be cut by scum such as yourself— I will not tolerate it!" Arazach shouted as he threw his spear to the ground.

"What's the matter brother?" Shadow mocked Arazach.

Arazach, now completely lost in his rage, began hurling black fireballs in every direction. Jacob was forced to retreat and take cover behind a pillar to avoid getting struck by the fireballs. Shadow took the opportunity to get closer to Arazach, dodging the fireballs with ease.

The shallow wound upon Arazach's face was bleeding at a tremendous rate as blood dripped from his chin to the ground. As Shadow got right in front of Arazach, he pulled a small vial from his coat, catching a few drops of blood before bringing his head next to Arazach's.

"He will come; and your ambitions will turn to null." Shadow whispered.

Arazach froze at the words that were spoken, his body trembled once more as he let out a primal roar, "I will crush the fourth rider should he come! I will crush you, the Gods, everyone! I am the true king and I will prove it once I obtain the sigil!

Shadow bolted for Jacob, "No time to explain, but you may prove useful to Null in the future."

Before Jacob could manage to respond, Shadow's hand touched him and the two vanished from Arazach's sight.

Jacob opened his eyes and found that he was standing outside Death's Door, Gallo came floating out to meet him.

"Interesting, you found a way out. I would recommend you leave her right this instant, should Arazach discover you have come back here, he would lock you in this place with no way to escape."

Ignoring Gallo, Jacob turned to look for Shadow, who was seated on the edge of the pier with a vial of red liquid in his hand, "Shadow what happened in there? Did you not fail your mission of forging the alliance with Arazach? Most importantly, what is this sigil that Arazach was talking about?"

Shadow swirled the liquid in the vial, his eyes not moving away from it, "One question at a time Jacob. What happened there was a bout between brothers; well I guess we not brothers anymore, we haven't been for over 3 000 krosts."

"What are you talking about?" Jacob said as he began to walk towards Shadow.

Shadow slipped the vial into his pocket and vanished into thin air, leaving only his fading voice behind, "Gallo, let Jacob leave the Weeping Shore alive. He still hasn't fulfilled his purpose."

A smile formed across the ghost's face, "Of course; my king."

Jacob was set on his way not too long after Shadow disappeared. Gallo had provided him with a ghastly steed that Jacob would be able to summon at night.

"A word of advice Jacob." Gallo said as he floated before Jacob, "I would suggest heading to the Gymont Thicket. Should you get lost, you shall find the way, your answers lie within that forest."

Jacob nodded as he bid farewell to Gallo and began his long journey to the magical forest called the Gymont Thicket.

"Shadow." A voice said as it appeared in Shadow's head.

"Yes master?"

"For you to be back in this realm means you completed your task?"

"I have indeed master. All we need now is Royland and Judesis' blood, and the seal will be broken."

"Do not worry about Royland, our biggest concern is getting Judesis to this realm. Return home, Sloth and Lust have finally awoken."

"I will be there as soon as possible master Null."