Prelude into Darkness

Ch-9

Prelude into Darkness

"Back already, my lord? Done with your nonsense of toying with them?" Second hand wondered.

Emperor Moon is seen returning.

"That Silver Maiden is starting to be quite a handful. So we need to take a different approach."

He got into planning with his second hand.

"We need a real commander to take the battle back."

"I know hoo hoo. I think I got something in mind. Come forth!"

The light dims out, smoke permeating the air. Three chained-up coffins rise from the ground in front of their eyes. Raising arms, the emperor called out their names.

"Commander Gold, Silver, and Bronze! Come forth! Awaken from your slumber."

Chains breaking apart, all three lids fly open. Three monster generals stepped into the fray. One coated in silver wielding a scythe, another in gold with twin blades, and a muscular arch angel covered in bronze.

Commander Silver swings his scythe in the air.

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha, Yeeeah!"

"It's been so long since we last fought." Bronze flexed around.

"What's the occasion?" Commander Gold asked while cracking his neck around.

"Hoo well, our army has been taking losses here and there while at war against Anneria's pitiful resistance. "Moon explains. "We've been doing fine till that Silver Maiden showed up. Then, one monster after the next; she made quick work of them."

They watch recap scenes from Faucet Face and Senju's battle. Both were ending in a quick demise at the hands of Rena. Emperor Moon turns off the screen, unwilling to watch the failure.

"We need two of you to secure our bases before the capital. So…Which one of you will take the honor going at that Maiden first?" He asked.

"Let me at them first!" Commander Silver steps in. Eager to shed some blood with his scythe.

Commander Gold and Bronze agree to take the position at the other strongholds before the capital. Then, kneeling, the three leave Moon's chamber.

Somewhere in The Mirage Forest…

Claws and Auroa scout ahead from the rest of the convoy as a dense fog shrouds their surroundings. Nevertheless, the two hope to find the path to Gleese City.

"The city should be just beyond this forest. If I can just figure the right path, the rest should be easy. Hey Auroa, give me a boost with your wind up there." Claws pointed to a tall tree.

"I never did this before? Are you sure about this?" Auroa modestly asked.

"I'm sure of it. Just do it."

"Very well then."

A force of wind starts building up. Claws rush, leaping in the air. Finally, Auroa whips some wind below him.

"Wooooo!"

Claws flew high up.

"Ow!" Grabbing a branch, he accidentally bonks his head.

"Anything up there?"

"Hmm, wait…"

He takes a glance around, noticing a group of enemies nearby.

"Whoah! Catch me!" He jumped off, but Auroa moved out of the way. "What are you doing? Ahhh!"

He lands on his bottom. Claws take a while to get up from the small impact.

"Ow! Next time warns me if you're going to do that."

"Sorry about that," Auroa muttered. "So what...did you see anything?"

Claws describe the enemy-occupied zone within the forest. Then, they decide to head back to warn the others. But, when they make a branch snap, they make a run for it with enemies hearing the sound.

"Shoot, we got detected!"

Through the dense fog, it gets thicker every second.

"Auroa, I can't see you."

"Hold still…" Auroa's voice was still within distance.

Trying to find one another, Auroa blows the fog away. Claws find him quickly. A group of Glamours spot them; surrounded, they take their battle position.

"That was not a bright idea."

"Sigh…Well, this gives away our position." Auroa pouted. "Outnumbered as usual."

The enemy advances towards them from all sides. Auroa pulls out his wind whip, and Claws went on the offense. Claws charged forward as Auroa supports from a distance.

"We can't keep this up forever. The enemy will keep coming at this rate." Auroa pointed out.

"Anything would help now." Claws said. He merely dodged away from an enemy attack.

"I do have something in mind."

Auroa took the sky; he pulls all the fog within reach.

A massive ball of fog lands down on the whole battle. Making a run for it, he quickly pulls Claws out of the fight, making their escape.

"Whoa! Nice trick back there. What was that?" Claws asked.

"Just an old escape routine back in our criminal days. Maigashi and I used to pull all kinds of jobs. So let's continue."

The two focus on making their way back to Alistor and the rest of the resistance. Meanwhile, from the hideout of Aggerona, a virtual space observatory was in place. Displaying many stars, Moon stares at it fixed in space.

"Hoo…. The stars are out again."

Moon sighs. Recalling a time and place, he closes his eyes. A scene fades to white.

"It was just like yesterday. Cause of man, they made me into what I am today. I returned from the battlefield victorious yet betrayed. The Kingdom of Alandhite I once pledged my life to serve."

My brother grew to be a fine warrior, just like me. He was determined to build his rank from up the ladder. I was there to support him. Fighting side by side, we won battles against the continuing conflicts with the hundred demon tribe. Eventually, we grew strong. Starting with only a tiny miscreant band, our force increased by the numbers over time.

"We'll show them! Magvamax is not the only hero around. You're even stronger. Right Moon?"

"Heh…well, Vile, time will seldom tell tales."

Threatened, the kingdom tried bringing us down over time with all those stuck-up nobles abusing their power. Eventually, I would go on to commit the greatest sin known to man. During the final confrontation with the hundred demon tribe, life, as far I knew, would be forever changed...

"I do not need such fickle weapons of legend. My power alone is enough." Moon boasted.

He plants the Moon Blade down, now confronted against the choleric Hundred Hands Emperor.

"After showing me that you dare to elope with my daughter. You dare show your face!"

"What can I say?" Moon enticingly shrugged. "I'm hard to resist. It was all a matter of love at first sight. Now, are you going to give a blessing, or would you rather fight?"

"Such impudence! You fool! If that's how you feel, then you can perish along with her. The Moon Blade is the only thing capable of hurting me." The emperor taunted. "I'll be sure to send her to hell later."

Moon faced head to head against the Hundred Hands Emperor. Known as The Destroyer, he'll stop at nothing to see the absolute destruction of all life beyond the Devil's Gate to enact his revenge.

"Enough messing around; I want to face you at full strength. No bullshit or holding back." Moon challenged.

"So cocky, yet if you wish to invite death early, then so be it."

The emperor begins transforming. A hundred times as many hands burst into the scene.

"So…this is your true form. Nice make-over! Hoo hoo."

"NOW FEEL THE WRATH of my Ten Thousand Hands."

The emperor dives forward with deceptively extreme speed, using his hands thrusting for his final attack as Moon calmly stood by. His eyes closed into a deep trance, focusing his thoughts together.

"Luna, Sol, and Astra. The Moon is high, and the sky is blue. This night is ours, so let our oceans cross as one. Be eternal and allow me to end this now."

The emperor collided with Lord Moon with his entire body, smirking as he saw blood rushing down from him. Suddenly a great crack split on his face. Parts of the emperor's body began shattering.

"What? Impossible, you've bested me? How!"

Moon flippantly walks away, like nothing happened, to go pull out the sword he discarded aside.

"True, this blade was only capable of hurting you. But there was never a rule stating you couldn't hurt yourself. A simple after image, in fact. You ran right into your own attack."

He, without any hesitation, shattered the Moon Blade in half, which confused the emperor.

"You break your own people's regalia? I don't understand? Whose side are you really on? Tell me! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" The emperor demanded in disbelief of the situation.

"I'm The Great Moon."

Then it happened…

An explosion commenced from all sides of the Devi's Gate, triggering a rock slide. Moon turned around, spotting an incoming group of soldiers from the Alandhite Kingdom.

"Kill the traitors!"

"What?"

The ground soon collapsed from directly beneath, caving Moon and the Emperor down underground.

It was a trap set off by our kingdom during my final battle. But, the sheer terror that awaited was just the beginning.

"No….brother."

I spotted my brother's body. Dead. Cold on the ground. It was soon that I learned my men had been killed off as well. But the worst was yet to come.

"Midori!!!"

Never have I felt such pain and hate towards them. I found my wife nearly half dead as I rushed to her side. She was barely breathing, so with all that I could do...I stayed close to embrace her.

"No! Don't you dare go. I'm here as I promised. Midori…"

A part of me was lost, stuck at the time. I was questioning if life was all just a lie. Those bastards used us from day one. Enraged, I wanted nothing more than their heads.

"Midori…."

Her spirit soon left, leaving Moon alone in the depths of the darkness. A few voices soon were heard from the distance. Light breaks in as groups of men arrived from above.

"I hear something."

"They'll pay for this!"

I soon turned my back on who was once my official superiors, taking as many I could come. Slaying noble blood, it was an adrenaline rush of excitement. My sanity was lost from this madness. All I worked for was gone, leaving me to rot in hell. I stood there, utterly hopeless, in a pool of blood.

"This existence is now meaningless…."

"Rare was right this whole time…You want it all back?" A voice emitted to him.

"What? Who goes there?"

I looked around. It was none other than the Hundred Hands Emperor. What could have possibly been left of him? A part of his split face on the floor.

"If the circumstances were different, you could have been a great asset for our demons. I now see why...Yes, you could have even been a force much greater than I ever was."

"What do you mean? Why do you even want to help me?"

"An enemy of my enemy is a friend of mine. You dared to elope with my only daughter. They wronged you! Took everything from you. From us! I already foresee a possible future ahead. You'll also be a ruler greater than I can ever be."

"You think so?"

The emperor channeled some of his remaining power to restore life into Midori. She found herself waking up. Moon goes over to embrace her no sooner.

"Midori…"

"Moon…."

She soon turned her eyes over to her defeated father.

"Father…."

"Not another word. You are free to do as you please from here on out."

The emperor eyed Moon.

"I can bring your brother back too. But the choice is up for you to decide."

The offer caught Moon's attention.

"Interesting…What must I do?"

From his broken hands, the emperor presented two spheres. A gift offered to Moon. One was clear like the sky itself, and the other was a lush green.

"All you have to do is pick one of these. One for you and the other to offer for your brother."

"What are they?" Moon asked.

"An ordeal you see it as…. Simply it's a chance to take it all back. Depending on your traits...The ordeal will amplify the evil deep within you."

"Whatever…"

Moon reached for the blue one. Suddenly a surge of pitch-black darkness swirled around. Two pairs of eyes stared at him. The sphere, without any indication, shattered; an aura of afflicting darkness coursed within him. He was then struck by lightning right after that.

"This feeling….. I've never felt more alive."

Whatever humanity remained was gone forever. I was reborn, taking the form of a treacherous demon as my soul was pitch black as the blue sea. The sea was at my command by darkness. The possibilities we're now endless. I saw things from a different perspective from then on.

He goes to offer the green sphere to his younger brother.

My brother, on the other hand… Took this differently

He woke back up screaming in pain. Snakes wrapped around his limbs, afterward entering his body. I witnessed the venom flowing through him. A monster was born within him. He goes to look at his reflection in the water.

"No….this can't be happening."

Vilevelious turns around to face his brother. His new look petrified him.

"Fear not! The only important matter now is that you're alive. I have some use for you."

"You should have let me for dead….I can't bear walking around like this."

Moon lets out a chuckle.

"Rest assured; you'll thank me later. You'll get used to it in time. Heck, I'd say it's an improvement. But, as of now, we'll be exacting our revenge on the fools who played us."

Midori joins over Moon's side, wrapping her arms across him. The emperor was down to his last dying words.

"As of today, the Hundred Demon tribe is no more. My existence will cease, but rest assured I'll reincarnate when the opportunity comes. The next time we meet will be under different circumstances."

The glow within the emperor's eyes faded. The rest of his remains scatters to dust.

From that day forward, Aggerona formed. Together we prevailed, granted new abilities. The land was for Vilevelious to control while I had the sea. We quickly decimated Alandhite upon return. Gathering new members was the fun and easy part. Unfortunately, it wasn't long till I learned Magvamax suffered a similar fate. If not worse than our own before.

Sometime later…

"So after being burned alive, that fool has taken the title of the sun. Interesting..."

"Seems Magvamax requested us to join as a united alliance." Vilevelious mentioned. "What should we do?"

Moon made a discerning look. After that, he begins contemplating the proposal.

"Hmm, just why the hell did Mr. Rare bother to save him? Did he know of my intentions all along?"

His brother continues to update him.

"Let's not forget the strongest members from our previous band already teamed with him. They formed their armies as well. It would be suicidal to fight them all at once."

"Sigh… it's not my style. There's only room for one true power. But for now, we can call it a temporary truce. Let our band know…When the time is right, we'll be sure to shut the light on the sun."

As time passed, Vilevelious and I grew distanced.

"I'm trying to concentrate. Stop it now! You're ticking me off."

"You know my plans are far more effective than all the half-baked ones you come up with." Moon pointed. "It's hard to admit for you, I know, but there's nothing you can do about it."

"I'll kill you for this."

"Even if you tried, you couldn't. Little brother…"

Our empire may have flourished, but eventually, it was to each our realm. Our ways of handling things were different. Vilevelious hated my ways, considering my methods unorthodox.

"GET OUT!"

"See you in the next few hundred years or so."

Our empire split in half that day. Those that supported my brother stayed with him on land. The other half departed with me to the sea.

Moon's story ends here. The scene transitions back to the stars.

"Midori…If only you were here to see these stars."

Back at the Mirage Forest with Claws and Auroa. Surrounded once again, another group of enemies closes in. Alistor and Rena take them by surprise.

"It's about time you lovebirds showed up." Claws shouted. They blush, looking away for the moment.

"So, how far are we from the rest of the convoy?" Auroa asked.

"Just a few miles back ahead," Alistor said. "Let's get going."

Commander Silver drops in on them. Giant worm-like creatures pop from the ground behind him, surrounded by the mist. Then, giving one big swing from his scythe, he solely introduces himself.

"Commander Silver is the name. And today is your unlucky day."

"I'll take care of this one." Rena pestered.

They both clash while the others take care of the giant worms. Then, she performs one of her most devastating attacks at Silver; he immediately catches it with his scythe.

"What!"

Her silver light cancels out, leaving her speechless for the first time. He slams her back to a tree, hacking away at her. All she could do was to defend.

"What happened? Why did it not work?" Alistor wondered.

"Watch yourself!" Auroa stabs through a worm creature by him.

"Right, sorry about that…."

"No need to apologize. Keep your guard up." Auroa directed.

Rena breaks free from the monster's grasp by blasting a ray of silver light at him. Commander Silver simply absorbed it all.

"They don't call me Silver for nothing. My boss told me much about you maiden. So that same trick you pulled against Faucet Face won't work against me ha ha ha."

Auroa casts a potent wind spell, dissipating the mist. Claws quickly destroy all the worms, using the fog to their advantage. Silver continues to pester back at Rena. Ticking her off, she went all out, falling into his game.

"I am unaffected by your Silver-based attacks. Pitiful! And I was told the Silver Maiden was tough. Time to end this. I'll gather all the energy around me...like this."

Commander Silver fires a colorless reaping beam, bringing Rena to the ground. Panting and struggling, Alistor couldn't bear to sit back. She gets back up, but this time Alistor was the one stepping in.

"Aw, how cute. Let's see how long you'll last." Silver chuckled.

Silver swings his scythe at them. Alistor simply stops Silver in his tracks by blocking with his blade, knocking him back.

"What? Eh, lucky shot."

Silver went in again, but Alistor simply counters all his moves back. He begins emitting a light blue aura around him.

"Why can't I hit you? Stay still. I don't care about whatever power you possess."

Silver rushes back to get close at Alistor, but he has something up his sleeve. Light surging aura focuses in one spot. Silver's sight becomes glassy as everything shatters from his sight.

"What is this power? Stop messing with me."

Silver gets sent back, crashing through the trees.

"I won't let you harm Rena any further."

Commander Silver desperately gets back up, hacking and slashing away with his scythe. Alistor somehow dodges all his moves effortlessly.

"What is going on? How are you avoiding all my attacks? You're supposed to be weaker."

"You use a scythe just like Tannen, but you're nowhere near his level. He taught me nearly everything to know about dealing with that weapon." Alistor explained.

"Argh!!! Shut up!"

Feeling insulted, he gathers all the energy for his beam attack.

"Alistor, move back!" Rena yelled.

Rena told him to move back, but he stood his ground fearlessly and without any hesitation.

"Star Barrier!"

Shrouds of Stars coat his body, reflecting Silver's attack at him. It deals massive damage to the commander.

"What was that technique?" Claws wondered.

"I think it's his old Star Breaker, but in a barrier form?" Auroa mentioned. "Since when did he learn that?"

"Sairori happened to teach me this move when we were back at sea," Alistor explained. "I was skeptical first. Didn't expect something like this actually to come in handy."

The injured commander kneels, holding the side of his rib.

"Ugh….Lucky shot. You got me good. Next time you won't be so lucky."

Silver teleports away from the scene, bringing the battle to a close. Rena attempts to walk but kneels to the ground.

"Rena, hold still."

Alistor checks over Rena's injuries; she had a scrape on the side of her leg. But, hating to admit it, she was somewhat impressed by how he stood up to that Silver Commander.

"Ow! Watch it." She complained of the slight pain of alcohol he rubs on her leg. "Well, thanks for what you did back there. Guess I was wrong about you. But still, I don't think I needed your help. I could have handled it myself."

She blushes away.

"Oh really now?" Alistor sarcastically reacted. "If I recall, you took the spotlight on the last monster I could have handled back at the cliff."

He helped her back up.

"Fine! So this makes us even then." Rena poked at his chest.

"What? Come on! You were down. You needed me. Admit it."

"I was so not…." She smirked away. "Hey, when we get back, will you rub my feet?" Rena asked.

"What! Why me? Fine if I can sleep in a proper bed for once." Alistor told her back.

"Deal then!"

The two continue to argue like children for the rest of the way back. Auroa and Claws follow from behind, bearing with them.

"You think those two needs a couple's therapy?" Claws asked.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt, I suppose. Or does it matter? They're stuck together from that curse regardless." Auroa said.