V5C124 (Hidden Chapter) Shadow standing in your image

Amon apologized but his voice sounded so far away from Darzirak. Darzirak's vision was blurred but even through all the blur, he still could see certain things perfectly fine. A dark silhouette of a man, light shining from behind, as those maroon eyes glow in the dark and his dark red hair, like a dying fire, softly glowed as it slightly covered the right eye.

" It's okay... I'll do anything for you... old friend..."

Darzirak weakly says with a smile as he gazes up at a blurry image of Amon but sees someone else through the young lad.

.

.

.

Unknown" Zirak, Zirak."

Darzirak felt dizzy as someone shook his body hard, his eyes slowly opened, and he scans the room. He noticed that he was in the strategy meeting room. The room was warmly lit by the fireplace in the corner, its warm glow casting its dim light and a huge desk filled with paper and maps.

" Zirak."

A voice to Darzirak's left called out, Darzirak turned to see a familiar face standing by his side. A young man with dark red hair that was messy and covered half of his right eye. Darzirak's heart leaps into his throat when he saw the pale demon's glowing maroon eyes and the pitch black demon wing, spread out behind him.

" Zord?"

Darzirak questioned rather than call out, confused but glad to see his friend with ghostly white skin rather than white hair. Relieved to see Zord in his true demon form and questioned if his vague memories of Zord giving up on living, was it... Nothing more than a bad dream?

" The humans are attacking, they cast a dizzy spell on the whole fort. We have probably another half hour until they reach here. Do you remember your part of the plan?"

Zord questioned as he took a seat next to Darzirak, spreading his wings so that he could slouch comfortably in his seat. Darzirak hearing this instantly knew that he was dreaming. Reliving his old memories, he wanted to frown but he had no control over his body.

" Distract the general while you play with the heroes. Yes, yes, I know. You don't have to remind me."

Darzirak waved Zord off as he turns to look out the window. The whole sky was a brilliant yellow and the ground was pitch black darkness. The war against heaven and hell, the war of the gods. In the distance Darzirak could see lesser demons and humans battling, along with the random explosion of magic, thundering across the battlefield.

" Pretty hectic out there. Almost makes you think that it's a different world."

Zord comments as he looks out the window.

" It is a different world, we're in the human world. A place we don't belong and will never belong."

Darzirak reminded, Zord's expression turns into a grim one.

" Darzirak... We do belong here... We were created to win this war in the human world. We belong here, more than anyone else. From the moment we're born, we are fighting to exist in this realm. "

Zord growled as he grasp his hands together.

" You've only seen the demon realm a few times and you already hate it? *Laughs* For a guy whose name is Doom and Gloom, not to love a gloomy place? Could it be? The human world is more gloomy than the demon world?"

Darzirak joked as he stood up.

" No it isn't... and that is why I want to exist here... and I want to exist here with you."

Zord softly says as he reaches out and touches Darzirak's hand.

" *Scoff* Exist here as your coffee maker for all eternity? You must think me daft to agree."

Darzirak scoffed but he didn't move his hand away from Zord instead he turned his hand and caressed the back of Zord's hand with his thumb.

" What can I say? Your coffee is that good. Which reminds me..."

Zord teasing grins at Darzirak.

" Oh! Hell no! Make your own goddamn coffee! I have work to do."

Darzirak growled as he turn away, pulling his hand away from Zord, and was about to leave the room but from the corner of Darzirak's eyes, he saw Zord with a pout as his maroon eyes turns a shade lighter. Darzirak growled at himself as he left the room but a moment later he came back with the coffee.

" Here!"

Darzirak growled as he bang the cup in front of Zord.

" Thanks, Zirak you're the best!"

Zord chimed with a huge grin, Darzirak waves Zord a reply before leaving the room. Darzirak moves to close the door but leaves a crack. Silently watching Zord hold the warm cup of coffee to his cheek with a tender smile as he closes his eyes, enjoying that last moment of peace before the war reaches him. Darzirak gives a small smile, happy at that sight as he leaves to deal with the general as they had planned.

" Go! I shall hold back the demon!"

General Cecil ordered as he waves away the heroes, urging them to continue on without him.

" Cecil, you truly must be mad to think that you can hold me back all on your own."

Darzirak mocked as his form turns into liquid and transforms into a snake.

" For the sake of humanity! I shall hold you back! Even if it means my death!"

Cecil yelled as he held up his blade. Darzirak attacks, the battle was short and in the end, Darzirak manages to coil around Cecil after separating the general from his sword.

" No matter what, I will never regret holding back Zord's sidekick."

Cecil coughed out.

" SIDE KICK?!!"

Darzirak gasp completely angry at such a comment. Darzirak knew that he was much weaker compared to Zord since he grew less envious after meeting Zord but to call him a sidekick?! Darzirak thought for a moment, recalling his relationship with Zord. Zord has never bossed him around or forced Darzirak to do anything he didn't want to do. Even so, without fail Darzirak did all Zord wanted, in fact now that Darzirak thought about it, he would have done anything for Zord even the most tedious or disliked tasks...

Darzirak wants more than anything for Zord's vision and expectations to come true because Darzirak believed in Zord. He believes in Zord because Zord believed in Darzirak.

" Hmm... I guess in that sense, I am a side kick and I'm more than happy to be so."

Darzirak softly admits, just to realize that he was talking to a dead man. Suddenly the whole building shook as an explosion blasted from the floors above.

" Zord!"

Darzirak cried out in worry as he quickly slithers his way up the staircase and down a hallway. With a swipe of his tail, he smashed the doors open, just in time to see the hero pull out his sword from Zord's chest. Zord falls to his knees.

" ZORD!"

Darzirak screamed as his body instantly whips around Zord's body in a protective manner, pushing the Hero back.

" I'm sorry Zirak. *Coughs out blood* I messed up."

Zord softly admits with a weak smile.

" Don't worry about it. I got you."

Darzirak tenderly whispered to Zord as he lays his forehead against Zord's.

" Rest, when you rise, there wouldn't be any trace of a mistake. There won't be any trace of any of them."

Darzirak growled as he turned to the hero and his team. Darzirak's body turns into liquid absorbing Zord's body into his as he transformed into a dragon. Keeping Zord safe under a barrier where the dragon's heart was supposed to be. It was a long hard battle but Darzirak won and tore every last person on the hero's team into pulp juice that rained across the floor where they last stood. When the battle was won and there wasn't any human alive, only then did Darzirak turn back to his human figure, gently laying Zord on a sofa.

" Does your wound still hurt?"

Darzirak questioned as he lays a hand on the scar the only remaining proof that Zord was stabbed in the chest.

" It does not. Thank you Zirak, I am alive because of you."

Zord thanked as he pats Darzirak on the head.

" And we won the battle thanks to your plan."

Darzirak reminded with a smile.

" But for how much longer?"

Zord questioned with a sigh as he removes his hand from Darzirak's head.

" For how much longer can we hold down this fort? For how much longer must we fight?"

Zord softly asks as his gaze shifted out the window, to a golden sky and a blood-red battlefield that had spots of black, here and there.

" For as long as the gods want and that is something we should be happy for. We can fight for all eternity!"

Darzirak chimed but seeing Zord's expression, he grew silent.

" Zirak... I grow weary of this cycle. I yearn for something more than this."

Zord softly admits with a heavy sigh.

" Then we shall find it. Find a way to stay in the human world without bathing in human blood. Then we shall search the human world for that something. Just you and me."

Darzirak chimed as he gestures to Zord for a forearm shake.

" Just you and me."

Zord grinned and forearm shake with Darzirak.

Ah, yes... that was how it used to be...

How I wish I could go back...

To that time... that only exists... In my dreams.

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