face off
LIRAN'S POV:
Following several minutes of traversing, we have arrived at the desert and currently find ourselves positioned at its very core...
Rythmeus: Ah, we have arrived at our destination...
Me: Hm, this is peculiar. Once more, I am sensing an unfamiliar sensation. It is quite possible that "he" shall manifest in this very location...
Rythmeus: Hm, perchance we ought to initiate a portal—!?
Before Rythmeus could conclude "his" utterance, an overwhelming and ominous aura encompassed all of us, instilling an eerie sense of foreboding...
Me: ...
Simultaneously with the surging energy, an undeniable realization overcame me—I knew that the Black King had arrived, and I harbored little doubt that his intentions were far from benevolent...
Eve and Derek, bewildered by the inexplicable phenomenon, sought comprehension...
Eve: What is that?...
Derek: What the hell...
I, subsequently, redirected my gaze, and as I did so, I bore witness to an enigmatic spectacle. Before me stood an entity of remarkable peculiarity, transcending the might of all the minions under the Black King's dominion...
That entity, emerging from the very depths of nonexistence, embodied a peculiar amalgamation of boundless darkness—a humanoid manifestation devoid of color and substance, or rather, a state of existence even more ethereal than nothingness itself.
As the solitary individual to initially confront this enigmatic being, I stood resolute, while Eve, Derek, and Rythmeus subsequently pivoted to face this enigma...
Eve: My, oh my... Who might that be?
Me: That, my dear companions, is none other than the Black King.
RYTHMEUS'S PERSPECTIVE:
There before us stood the Black King in "his" true form, suspended effortlessly in mid-air, regarding us with a disdainful gaze. Despite having arrived at "his" palace previously, I had never witnessed the Black King assuming a corporeal manifestation.
The sight was simultaneously awe-inspiring and horrifying, evoking a mix of emotions within me.
As we continued to fixate our gaze upon "him," the Black King began to address us:
The Black King: At last, all of you have gathered here...
Liran: You have returned to flaunt your presence once again. What is it that you seek?
The Black King: You have dared to defy me. You have dismantled the forces of "Death" and "Despair." And now, you audaciously step foot within my very stronghold...
The Black King: Ah, but it is not your potential to eliminate me that intrigues me, Liran. No, forget about "killing." I am genuinely fascinated by you...
Liran: Intrigued? What do you mean?
The Black King: Your very existence possesses the extraordinary ability to nullify my powers. You possess a unique gift, capable of rendering even the most formidable beings, such as myself, powerless...
Pray, enlighten me. What have you done to attain such extraordinary abilities?
Liran: It is a rather convoluted tale, and even I do not fully comprehend it myself...
The Black King: Truly? How perplexing...
Liran: Indeed. I recall "Death" mentioning a desire to bring me to you. I was uncertain whether it was for a mere conversation or something more profound. Yet here we are, engaged in discourse...
The Black King: Correct. I wished for my servant to deliver you to me, as I found you intriguing. However, I am now disappointed...
Liran: That is not my concern. Your servant should not have harmed Derek, and that is what angered me...
In fact, I shall present you with two choices...
The first option is for you to depart from this place and never again set foot in our presence. The second option entails me thrashing you mercilessly before the eyes of all present...
Now, what say you?
After Liran's statement, the Black King emitted a chilling laughter, resonating through the air.
The Black King: You believe you possess the audacity to dictate my actions? How foolish and ignorant you are...
In response to Liran's defiance, the Black King declared intentions to annihilate us and our companions personally, resorting to sheer brute force.
Reacting swiftly, I stepped forward, positioning myself in front of Liran, determined to face the Black King head-on.
Liran: Rythmeus? What are you doing?
Rythmeus: Stand behind me, Liran. I will handle "him"...
Liran: Are you out of your mind? "He" will utterly obliterate you!...
Rythmeus: Do not concern yourself with it...
I locked eyes with the Black King, engaging in an intense gaze, meeting "him" face-to-face.
The Black King reciprocated the gaze, his eyes fixated upon me.
The Black King: Are you willing to sacrifice your life for these insignificant mortals? A feeble and pitiful deity like yourself?
Me: While I may bear the title of a "god," I must confess that neither of us truly embody the essence of divinity. Thus, I kindly request that you retract that word.
The Black King: What do you plan to do? You are nothing more than a speck, a mere insect from the chaotic realms...
Rythmeus: We shall see...
In that very moment... No, in a realm that transcended the concept of time itself, a profound transformation occurred. I shed my previous limitations, becoming something beyond comprehension—something mighty and formidable, a being that surpassed all the illusory forms I had assumed across countless realities...
Liran: ?...
The Black King: ...
I ascended, assuming a state that defied the bounds of absolute nothingness...
And there I stood, a being devoid of color yet imbued with the essence of every conceivable and inconceivable hue—an existence both colorless and filled with all the colors imaginable. I had transcended into my true self, embodying the purest manifestation of my being. This was my authentic form.
LIRAN'S PERSPECTIVE:
I observed in awe as Rythmeus underwent a breathtaking transformation, ascending to "his" true form. "He" exuded a resplendent aura, radiating with all the vivid and ethereal colors imaginable, yet "his" essence remained colorless and transcendent.
It was a sight to behold, and in that moment, I realized that Rythmeus would be the first to confront the Black King in battle.
Rythmeus spoke with unwavering resolve:
Rythmeus: If you seek to harm them, you must first go through me.
The Black King sneered in response:
The Black King: You dare challenge me? You will come to regret those words...
Rythmeus, undeterred, replied with defiance:
Rythmeus: Bring it on. I am prepared to face you.
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