26 Benedictio Dei - A hero is born!

Sieg's heart beat louder and louder, it almost drowned out the sound of his footsteps in his ears. Michael or whatever he transformed into walked ahead of him 10 meters away.

He had also sensed how his environment got a little colder and fog started building up from the ground:

"*Sigh* So Gorst still told the truth!", he thought to himself. For the moment it was still elusive and only visible on the ground level but if more time were to pass ...

Sieg held up his guards tight but he wasn't worrying about losing track of Michael. For one, he was letting out a an eerie red glowing colour from the cracks on his body and second, he was very tall and big. It was a problem to not see him in this dark forest.

His backview was just as gruesome as his frontview and Sieg noticed a black tail hanging on Michael's lower back he didn't see before.

"The all-inclusive monster feature package, I guess", Sieg thought to himself. It was only know that he could remember and process what had happened just 15 minutes before.

"How was this possible? How could a human being just ... just disappear and turn into something like that? Was he a magician? Is this just an illusion? But ... he really did throw Gorst away like a paper plane ...", The memories resurfaced where Gorst was confronted with his Boss,

"Even the strongest human on earth shouldnt be able to throw away an adult male person ... so did he really gain superpowers?", after all his considerations, this was the only possible explanation for Michael's sudden change of appearance and strength. If science couldn't help then maybe fiction would.

But if this was true, Sieg already foresaw that he would be powerless against any actions that Michael could take. He wasn't a superhero and he had no powers to speak of that may prevent his demise.

"Child, don't take me for a fool! I know exactly what's going through your mind right now. You believe that the Maze Fog will let you escape from me but only brainless idiots would take chances with the fog! Or maybe people as desperate as you. Well, it might work out for your little friends, but you? Hrahhrahhrah ..."

"How do you feel? Do you regret exchanging your life for the life of your friends? Hrahhrahhrah", Michael gave out another one of his weird laughs.

Sieg ignored his remark and asked him a question in return:

"You should know that you will definitely go to jail right? Once my friends get out of this place and inform the authorities you will be seen as a murderer, kidnapper and maybe even a terrorist! You will definitely be hunted down internationally!"

"'Terrorist'? 'Internationally'? What words do you speak with? Which noble empire or kingdom are you from? I don't understand what you are talking about."

"What? I am from Germany, and a terrorist is a political enemy of the government!'", he told him irritatedly:

"How come you don't even know that? We are even speaking the same language!"

"Same language? Yes, yes we do. Aldrish is my mother-tongue but I have never heard of these words of yours. And Germany? Is this a small unknown fiefdom of Aldara? I have also never heard of that place before. Excuse my lack of knowledge, you see, who would give a fart about any run down piece of earth in 'Origon'. I have not enough time to care about every upstart territorial noble.

But terrorist ... I like it! It sounds ingenious! And I am a political enemy of the royals indeed, there is someone I am after and I will do anything to kill this person and destroy his soul!", Michael's breathing became heavier and he got clearly agitated for a moment.

"Aldrish, what language is that? Aren't you speaking german right now?", Sieg realized something was wrong and asked uncertainly. But the response he got shocked him greatly:

"German? Don't joke with me, you are speaking perfect Aldrish and then ask me such stupid questions, do you want to confuse me and then try to escape swiftly? I won't fall for such petty tricks!

Like I said, I give a fart about your place of origin. The only things I care about and the only pieces that I need to reach my goals are in your hands! So don't even think about getting away with them!", he threatened Sieg.

But Sieg's mind was thinking about something completely different instead:

"Aldara, Aldrish, noble, fiefdom ... where am I? This can't be a joke, not in this situation! So why is he saying so many weird things?!"

He remembered the objects in his hands again:

"What do you need these items for?Why are they so important? What do they do?"

"Pitiful child. I will make your ignorant mind become enlightened by the hidden secrets of this world. The last gift I can make you before we part ways.

The key is the last piece needed to uncover the buried history of Aldara! The ruins of Ketos the third! The last real emperor of Aldara! His ruins contain treasures, weapons and powers you would never be able to imagine with your small head!

And the book, it contains unspeakable secrets! Secrets that would get you killed if any church got wind of your possession of them. And it also has the map leading to the ruins of the past. I need both of them, and only then will I have enough power to exact my revenge!", he said those last words slowly through gritted teeth.

"Is this how you became a monster?", Sieg asked but regretted speaking out the last word.

"Hrahhrahhrah, do I look like a monster to you? Child, you haven't seen anything in your life yet. Let me tell you, sometimes humans can turn into the worst monsters there are without even changing their outward looks. That's called deceit. I am just showing you the truth about myself. But to answer your question, yes the book helped. But it can do much more than just that ...", silence fell upon both of them and they stopped speaking as the fog was gradually spreading out its net around them.

...

After a certain time had passed they entered another wider area and Michael stopped walking. He turned around and looked hatefully at the human child before him and demanded:

"I have fulfilled my part of the deal. We are far enough now, hand me over what is mine and receive you punishment!"

Sieg slowly came forward a couple of meters, humble with his head lowered.

"Finally he shows me some appropriate respect.", Michael thought to himself,

but then suddenly Sieg threw both objects into the air and shouted:

"Catch me if you can!", he then turned and fled in the opposite direction.

At first Michael just laughed and mocked Sieg:

"Hrahhrah, the last struggles. Let me enjoy them. He won't get far anyway."

His eyes hadn't let go of the artifacts at all during this time and when he caught them in his claws, he was sure of having reached his goal. Finally they returned to him. Just when he was about to bath in the feeling of confidence he noticed something weird ...

The key was there like always, shining with a slight golden light. But the book, it felt so ... light?

Michael took a closer look at the book and suddenly a thunderbolt struck in his mind! It wasn't the book! It was only its leather cover with some dirt stuffed inside to make it look full! He didn't think much about it as Sieg had also given up the key and in the darkness nothing seemed wrong with the items!

As the realisation dawned upon him that he was led by the nose all this while, his nostrils opened up in fury and his breathing grew increasingly agitated! His furrowed eyebrows ignited into a blazing fire and his eyes took on a crimson colour!

"Rhaaaaaaaaaaar!", he howled like a wild beast into the air and dashed towards Sieg. Even with all the fog that had covered the air it only took a couple of seconds until he caught up to Sieg and had him in his clutch!

Sieg clenched his fists while avoiding Michael's angry glares. He was scared at what might happen next but gulped down his fear and mocked him:

"Took you long enough to realize that! Have you fried your brain too much or did you turn into a fool instead of a monster!"

Michael felt endless wrath in this moment and tightened his grip around Sieg's throat and howled at Sieg's face! The little boy felt immense pressure building up in his body, had troubles getting enough air into his lungs and his skin was prickling as if he had washed his face with boiling acid!

"WHERE IS IT?! YOU STUPID PIECE OF SH!T! HOW DARE YOU PLAY ME! WHERE DID YOU PUT IT?!", Michael might have killed Sieg already if it hadn't been for the little bit of sanity left that advised him to keep him alive for the moment. Otherwise his hatred could have drowned Sieg to death without him taking a single action! The indignation he felt, he could only scream it out to vent it.

Sieg spoke through gritted teeth:

"Do you ... seriously think ... I would give up ... our last bargaining chip ... just like that? If something happens ... with my friends, ... don't even believe a single moment ... that I will hand you over .... the location!"

This discovery made Michael even more vexed and angry! He thought Sied had deliberately hid the real book somewhere in case he didn't abide by the promise of letting them go!

He really felt like ripping Sieg's head apart or seperating his limbs piece by piece but then suddenly another sinister thought began forming in his mind:

"No, ... no! Do you think I will play again into your hands just like that? You wish! I have something much better planned out for you. When I am finished with you, you will beg me to kill you! I will get the secret out from your mouth!", he placed his left clawish hand onto Sieg's forhead and closed his eyes to concentrate. A destructive red flow of energy gathered in his body and moved towards his left palm. His left hand turned into a bright cluster of scarlet and crimson and illuminated the surroundings in dangerous fiery colours!

And then in the next moment everything was poured into Sieg's head all once like a bucket of water!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Sieg's head was illuminated the most and he felt like a torrent of fluid fire was flushed into his body! His senses were thrown into an uproar and every cell of his body felt like being roasted over a fire! If this continued on his head might just blow up! His sanity was waning and he slowly lost parts of his consciousness! He kept screaming, struggled and tried escaping from Michael's clutches but it just wasn't possible!

"Hrahhrahhrahhrah! How does it feel! Pure arcane energy from the devil realm! Don't worry, your body won't die from the exposure but I am sure that your spirit will break away in just a couple of moments!

It was your fault to begin with! I showed you magnanimity! I let your friends go and accepted your deal! Now I just pay back maliciousness with maliciousness! Never ever try to start a useless fight against Michael Cord Vora!"

Michael smiled triumphantly and was sure that his mind attack would turn Sieg into a puppet without a will of its own! He might lose his intelligence in the process but what did he care about that?

Sieg's mind felt torn apart in many bits and pieces and he was close too losing it all together. But what made him keep going was a deep sense of unwillingness!

Since the first moments that he and his friends were thrown into this unkown place they were met with fear, anxiety, horror and terror! Time after time they were pushed around and had to hide and run around to survive!

But in this moment where his end was indescribabely close, he resisted all the more with everything he had! Not anymore! He didn't want to feel powerless anymore! He didn't want be afraid that somebody could hurt his classmates and play with their lives as if they weren't worth anything!

He would fight relentlessly to the bitter end, even if he died while trying!

In the same moment where Sieg's emotions spurted him to new heights a circular array of light suddenly opened up in the sky several thousands of meters above the ground.

It was as small as a ball in the beginning but in only a mere couple of seconds it had grown to the size of several football fields!

Like cogs in a machine several smaller circles popped up in this giant magical machinery and seemingly breathed live into it and made it act!

They moved in a mysterious order and pace but everything fitted perfectly with each other as if it was orchestrated by a divine being! A circular opening revealed itself then in the middle of this phenomenon and a blinding pillar of light shot down towards the ground!

It fell down and engulfed the piece of earth where Sieg was located and swallowed his body whole!

"HRAHHHHHHHHH!!!"