Chapter 18: A Dark Hell.

A few moments before..

I touched the skeleton and instantly felt pain. "W-What the hell?!" Looking at Haruto, you could see black veins beating in his eyes. "What the hell is this?!" Haruto stumbled, knocking the table and chair over.

"I wouldn't lose conscious unless you want your friends and family up there to die." The pain was way worse than anything I've ever felt. Like a needle was piercing my eyes.

▪︎Yes..▪︎

I heard the voice again.

▪︎Let me take your body child..▪︎

The fear inside of me overruled the pain.

▪︎You will be a suitable host..▪︎

The dark voice gave out a deep laugh, making me fall to the ground. My vision then blacked out with the last thing I saw, being Jared laughing.

'Bastard..'

My eyes slowly opened as I found myself in a dark void. 'What...Is this?..' This feeling of liquid enveloped my whole body. It was cold, and it kept pulling me in. 'Am I...Dead?' I kept sinking into the deep, black water.

'Well this isn't fair now is it? I didn't even get my revenge...' That woman appeared in the black void.

'I didn't say goodbye to Mother and Father, Mother and Aiko...' An image of all 4 of them appeared in the black.

'I I didn't even get...To say how I really feel about...' Drowsiness took over me and I slowly closed my eyes. 'Damn it..'

I then felt like I hit something. It got my attention as my eyes opened widely.

▪︎Yo▪︎

I saw a huge beast in a cage. Its skin was pitch black. I had enormous wings that stretched out no longer than a bus. Its tail was the same and its eyes were cat like, shining purple in color. Its skin had purple rivers flowing throughout it, as its scales also seemed like it could take a nuke.

▪︎I've been waiting for you▪︎

It talked directly into my brain I think as its mouth didn't move.

"Waiting...For me?.." My body started moving on it's own towards the cage.

▪︎Yes. For I have chosen you to become my Host▪︎

Host? A host for you?! Wait, this is the Black Emperor right? Why the hell is it in some cage? I thought it was the skeleton.

▪︎My name is Deimbadoss. I am the Black Dragon, ruler of all things Dark. A human found my human body remains that contains all of my physical bodies memories, but this here..▪︎

He looked all around.

▪︎This is the real me▪︎

He puffed out smoke as I got closer.

"Why...Me?" I questioned.

▪︎When I first felt your presence, I was sure that you could handle me▪︎

I think you got it wrong. My body would probably explode.

▪That's why I want to make a deal▪︎

A deal?

▪︎Let me get your body, and you can get my power. You want it for revenge, and I want your body so I could manifest once more. It's a win-win▪︎

I got to the huge cage and noticed that there was a huge skeleton symbol on in.

"My body though.." I did want power, but if it costs me my body, then..

▪︎Do it. Fall into your greed and desire. Do it.▪︎

Your petty words wont fool me. I don't want this. Maybe if I had control over it then Yeah, but the way you describe it makes it seem like I won't even be there any more.

▪︎You can still have your conscious▪︎

He gave a small laugh that sounded old and harty.

▪︎I just want to see the real world again▪︎

As he said that, the huge skeleton then formed into a dragon.

▪︎If you can manage to stay awake during my transformation of course▪︎

So this can all be brought down to will power huh?

"What if I refuse all of this?" I questioned.

▪︎Then you won't get any power▪︎

"What about these?" I showed him the markings on my arms. "I was told that these hold immense secrets." The dragon stared at the runes and its lips curled up.

▪︎How fascinating. You proved me wrong▪︎

As he said that, the whole room starting shaking. Without my night vision skill, I wouldn't be able to see anything like the rubble falling down.

▪An equal contract. You can stay awake and receive my powers while I show you how to use them..▪︎

"W-What?! You want to show me how to use them?! By causing destruction?!" My legs started wobbling.

▪You proved me wrong. That isn't an easy feat. I will be rewarding you with this, so make good use of it▪︎

Completly ignoring what I said, the cage disappeared and I was left alone. "AHH!" More pain struck me as i fell to my knees.

▪︎Don't lose conscious unless you do want me to take over▪︎

Its voice sounded out from everywhere.

I then felt like my back was being split open. 'DAMN IT!!' I then held my face and noticed that I pricked my own skin. 'What the hell?' Another wave of pain struck me and i felt like my eyes were rebuilding themselves.

I could tell that I was about to pass out as well.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" I started tearing at my shirt as the thing coming out my back was being blocked by it, causing me unimaginable pain.

A huge wing then flew out the corner of my eye. 'A wing...' I groaned out and felt something being embedded from my left shoulder to my right. After that, I felt something being placed onto my back and it stuck like glue.

"AH...HHH▪︎ My voice was alternating between mine and his. ▪︎This is.... HURTS!!" Our words were coming out at the same time.

I felt something get placed on top of my head. It drilled itself in, touching my brain, causing me to foam. My vision, which was clearer then ever, then turned black as my body fell down.

▪︎I gave you a chance.... ...And I lost.."

....

▪︎Have you ever been inside a black hole?▪︎

I woke up at those words. "Where...Am i?.." My vision was clear like before. All of my senses seemed boosted as I could even smell the fear off people. "What...Happened?" I held my hand up and noticed that a black orb was then shot out into the sky.

▪︎What?▪︎

I spoke out.

▪Your Awake? And my fun was just beginning...▪︎

I noticed that the voice wasn't mine. It sounded familiar however. "Haruto!!" I slowly looked over and saw Aiko in the stands. Or I think It was Aiko, as I only saw bones and organs. "Please stop! Your scarring everyone!"

I started floating down. 'A wing?' I saw a huge black wing with purple veins flowing like a river. 'And this cape?..' I looked over my shoulder and saw a black cape flapping in the wind.

▪︎You managed to stay awake. Or atleast you are now▪︎

I slowly started to remeber.

▪︎I must say, your packing quite a lot down there. More than me back in my prime actually▪︎

He said something, but I couldn't quite hear it.

▪︎Well anyways, have fun. This form takes a lot of magic power, so use it carefully▪︎

I landed on the ground. "What the hell?" I put my right arm up and noticed that it was made of black scales. My fingers and hand were now purple with black nails.

▪︎In this form, You are me essentially. That being said, everything increases. Your senses. Your magic. Your brute strength. Your intelligence. Everything▪︎

As he said that, I felt the wing go back into my body. The cape, crown, and sword stayed however. My dragons features disappeared too though.

['Dark Emperor' form unlocked.]

[The Dark Crown is now in your possesion.]

[The Dark Cape is now in your possesion.]

[The Dark Sword is now in your possesion.]

[Host has acquired every skill that the Dark Emperor has.]

[To use said skills, host must unlock them.]

[Dark Emperor: Host transforms into the the king of Darkness. When in this form, the host has a boost in everything.]

[Dark Crown: Crown of the Dark Emperor, this crown was worn in his days of ruling.

Perks: Increases magic power x2]

[Dark Cape: The Dark Emperor wore this cape as a sign of disrespect.

Perks: High magic resistance.]

[Dark Sword: A sword forged by the Dark Emperor himself. Said to pierce heaven and hell at the same time. User is able to go into his Dark Emperor form faster if he stabes himself with the Dark Sword.

Perks: ▪︎▪︎]

All the panels appeared in my face. 'Power..' I started laughing. "This is what power feels like?!" All my life, I've been weak. I outsmarted people to win though, but not anymore. With this, I can achieve my goal with strength alone.

"Haruto..." I looked over and saw the shaking princess. "What..Was that?.." She was using her scythe to hold herself up. "MEN! CAPTURE THAT BEAST AT ONCE!" In that moment, I heard the king shout. A series of clanging metal then sounded out.

"THAT MAN IS A DRAGON! KILL HIM OR CAPTURE HIM!" These armored knights then surround me. "Wha.." I looked around with a confused expression. "Monster! Kneel down now or face the consequences!" A person in armor point their sword at me.

"You have threatened the life of the King and Princess! Repent now, or die!" I then started looking around. "76..77..78.." I was counting the amount of people. 'Wait! What the hell am I doing?!' I don't plan on fighting these people do it?

'▪︎Its the dragon inside you. It wants to fight!'▪︎ I heard his voice in my head.

'▪︎Go on! Fight my son!'▪︎

I felt my hand moved towards the scabbard on my back. 'Stop!' I held my hand with my other and fell to my knees. "I surrender! Please don't kill me!" I yelled at them. "Take all of that equipment off and slowly slide it towards me! Now!"

I did as I was told and quickly reached for the scabbard. It easily came off and I threw it in front of the man. I repeated this for the Crown and cale as well. He then kicked it all back and ordered some people to come hand cuff me.

"Big brother!" Aiko ran up from behind, but was stopped by men in amour. "Let me go!" She started heating up, easily melting the armor.

"Aiko."

I looked over my shoulder. Everything became silent and it seemed to only be us in this single moment.

"I'll be okay. Don't worry."

I gave her a warm smile before seeing a brown, rough material around my head. I assume that it's a a bag or something.

"H-Haruto.." Aiko gave up and her flames died down. "King Ralph! We got him sir!" I heard someone yell and metal hit the floor, meaning they must have kneeled.

"Good! Take 'em away!"

"Sir!"

They said and I was soon dragged away. "Father!" I heard kumped down and yelled. "Please! He didn't do anything!" I heard a slight thud. 'Is he..' I looked back in the sack and focused. 'Come on..' The sack then started becoming a bit transparent and I saw him.

"Please father! Spare him!"

He was kneeling down. "Oh? So you must want to kill him personally then? That can be arranged." The king snapped and was escorted away. "What?! No!" He was so stupefied by his father's respond to the point where he didn't have time to retaliate.

"Arthur.." I looked back and smiled at myself.

"Thank you."

'It's been one helluva day..' I sighed out. 'I fought you. I fought your sister. I was beaten up by your sister. I went to the nurse and got a new power. I made friends with the you. I fought the princess again and lost again. I made a deal with the devil.'

My face frowned a bit as I realized something.

"Mothers gonna kill me.."

....

"Mom!" Aiko charged into the house and threw her bag down. "Yes, I know! It's all over the city!" She then showed Aiko a poster with the face of Hartuo on it. "He's a Monster." is what the poster said.

"W-When can we see him again mom.." Aiko started sniffling. "I-I don't know.." Aiko then started crying fully. Ryoko, hearing this as she was making dinner, snapped the handle of the pan.

'That bastard..' A picture of Haruto came into her eyes. 'What...Happened...' Her expression became sad.

....

"Throw him in there!" Someone took the sack off my head and kicked me into a small room. "The king will pass judgment in 1 hour. Enjoy the rest of your measly life in here!" He slammed the cage door and locked it.

'What...am I going to do?' I was slowly freaking out.

'My magic's recovered so I could easily break out if I wanted to. No! I'll be putting Mother and Aiko at risk. Maybe I could fly and pick them up though. No, that's not fair to them. I'll be taking away their freedom when we've only been here for a day.'

I walked around the small cell while biting my nails. 'Fuck. Shit. Damn it!'

I looked down at my handcuffs. 'And these fuckers surpress my magic power. I couldn't use shadows and Weapon creation if I wanted. Going into my Dark form would literally be the only way..'

I then went up to the bars. "Excuse me. Don't I get a call or something?" There was no response. We were in a dungeon where its was pitch black, so I guess this must be a place deep in the castle or something.

I then started moving my hands around the cage. 'If I undo this, then I'll easily be able to get out.' I started rubbing on a screw while looking around. I felt like I had a millions thoughts running threw my head as I kept rubbing the screw.

"Is he down here?!" I heard a voice and immediately stopped. "Y-Yes sir! Are you sure you don't need .." I heard the sound of foot steps drawing closer and closer to me. I eventually saw a small light and smiled at who it was.

"Haruto.." Arthur appeared in front of me with a torch. "How are you?! Are you well?!" He touched my face through the bars, but I only hit it away. "Yeah, I'm fine. Ask them if I could get some board games or something though. I don't want to spend my last hour before death bored."

He heard this and....tears started pouring down. "H-Hey! Why are you crying?!" I raised my voice while keeping it low as I didn't want those guards to come down here. "I-Its just that.." He leaned against the bar with a snooty face.

"W-We haven't even been friends for more than 3 hours and yet.."

He rubbed the bar with his head down.

"I-Im goNNA lose yoU" His voice was breaking.

Hearing what he said actually shocked me. 'He's my first friend too, and..' I couldn't cry as I knew I could escape the death treatment at any time, but I understood. "Arthur." I hesitated for a moment then shrugged.

I reached out and hugged him from inside the bars. "I...will survive. I promise.." I patted his back and moved back. "I won't die like this. I'd be a pretty bad friend if I do.."

He looked up while sniffling. "Y-You w-will never ever be a bad friend!" As he said that, I heard footsteps.

"The king wants to see him now!" Arthur heard this and said "Unlock the cell and unlock his chains." The guards hesitated. "NOW!" His eyes were becoming red again, causing them to rapidly nod.

They then opened my cell and undid my chains. I rubbed my wrist and felt something around my back. "You better plead to death! You better...You better survive!" Arthur was then pulled back. "Sorry Prince. I can't allow you get close like that." I recognize the voice.

It was that of the guard that took me away. "Put those chains back in him." The knights nodded. I was soon hand cuffed once more. "Let's go men!" They all then started jogging and I followed behind.

"I'll be fine." I looked back down the stairs. It was pitch black, but I could still see his sad expression. "When I make it out of this, let's go be adventurers okay?" I smiled and he forced one out.

"Yeah! That sounds fun!"

....