20 The Dark King

Nigel found himself standing face to face with Anuk, the Dark King of the Underworld. He served as head of command underneath Nyx, the Phantoms, and Anubis. Anuk was also Nazo's mentor.

"So? You still want to fight me?" Anuk said in a deep voice.

Nigel prepared himself. "I've got no choice do I?"

"You could tell me where the queen resides and you won't have to."

Wood began covering Nigel's face. "Like I said, no choice."

Over the past three years, Nigel had been training to further perfect his Wood Armor.

A thick, dark, greyish brown wood grew over Nigel's body. "Sacred Tree Armor: Great Oak."

Anuk's aura filled the air, making the sky dark as if it were nighttime.

Nigel's energy looked like flowing water between the cracks of the wood, like a network of rivers leading up to a core in his chest.

"So you harness the power of Gaia. I see her power lives on even in death."

Nigel was surprised. "You knew Gaia?"

Anuk nodded. "Goddess of the Earth and its Nature. She had the first and most powerful healing ability. She could control every tree, root, and even animal on the entire planet at the same time. Truly one to be feared."

Nigel was eager to hear the rest. "How did she die?"

Anuk continued. "A certain group of gods feared her. They backed her into a corner until the only solution she saw was to give herself to the planet. Suicide."

Nigel had never known the story behind Gaia. "Then I'll make sure her sacrifice wasn't wasted."

Anuk let out a mocking laugh. "You humans amuse me. Too bad you'll die in the end as well. Hellfallen."

The dark aura high up in the sky condensed and suddenly reached down to strike the ground. It was shaped like a pencil sticking through a rubber balloon.

Each strike caused massive damage to the city.

Nigel knew that taking a direct hit from one of those attacks would likely kill him. He dodged as best he could, but every time the dark spears struck the ground, it would cause a minor earthquake, knocking off Nigel's center of balance.

With each pound the spears would connect, then slowly bend back into the sky.

"It's like I'm fighting the sky itself!" Nigel exclaimed in frustration.

"Oh but you are." Anuk said. "One that is aiming to kill you."

--

Miraka sat in her room, quiet. She knew what was happening in the royal capital.

She felt Airson's power a while ago, but now she could barely feel him at all.

The only aura she could feel was a heavy, dark, evil sensation all around her.

She was scared. But even so, she had her mind set on heading outside to find Airson. She wanted to help someway, in any way she could.

She changed clothes and headed for the front door.

Pachi was right behind her. "So you are going."

Miraka's face shouted determination. "I have to. I can no longer sit here and wait for everyone to die!"

Pachi gave her a slight smile. "I'm going too."

Miraka opened her mouth slightly. She wanted to tell her not to go, on how it was too dangerous, but she had no right to. Instead she nodded her head. "Let's go then."

Pachi nodded as well. The two headed out the door.

They started running through town on foot. People were huddled inside their houses frightened.

"The capital isn't too far away, let's hurry!" Miraka said to Pachi.

They started running towards the center of the destruction, where they saw the dark part of the sky bending and hitting the ground.

"It's gotta be that way!" Pachi said.

They headed in that direction.

Soon the two were in a deserted part of town.

Reesus and Katie were running away from the commotion.

"What are you two doing?!" Miraka yelled at them. "I thought you were helping Airson and Nigel!!"

Katie had a frightened expression on her face. Reesus looked at them seriously. He shook his head. "Those are gods over there Miraka. You really think I'm gonna risk my life just to be killed? If you were smart you'd run too. We don't stand a chance." Reesus turned away and ran. Katie followed him, holding his hand.

Miraka started crying. Just slightly. "I thought you two were our friends..." she said softly.

Pachi shook her shoulder. "Look, we can't be worried about them, we have to go, come on!!"

Miraka quickly wiped the tears from her face. "You're right. Thanks. Lead the way."

They continued on.

--

Reesus and Katie were nearing the city limits. They planned on leaving the country.

"Where are we going to go?" Katie asked him.

"I don't know. I'm thinking about the Jade Islands. It'll be much more peaceful there."

At the edge of the city, almost out into the wastelands, Reesus and Katie stopped dead in their tracks.

Sitting on a low roof, with one leg on the roof and one leg hanging down with his arm resting on one knee, staring directly at the two, was Anubis.

"It's... a god." Reesus said frightened.

Anubis sneered at the two. "Aren't you two supposed to be Airson's friends? And you're running away when they need you the most?"

Katie and Reesus couldn't even answer. They ran past Anubis quickly and started flying away into the distance without a word.

Anubis looked after them. "Disgusting. The hearts of cowards."

Anubis held a hand up. A black mass of energy shaped like a bird formed. "Dark Flame Phoenix."

The bird flew after Reesus and Katie. They looked back and saw the large bird headed their way at high speed. They tried to dodge but it wasn't working, the phoenix was locked on to its target.

Reesus turned himself into smoke so the bird would pass right through. As a consequence he'd let go of Katie, who was now by herself.

"Reesus?!" Katie yelled. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!!!"

Katie was crying furiously now. "THERE'S NO WAY!! HOW COULD YOU I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!!"

Anubis looked at the mess happening. "Hm. Typical humans. So even in the end you betray the last friend you have. Turning into smoke won't help you here. The bird will detonate on contact with your energy, and the level of heat that bird generates will disintegrate the very oxygen molecules in the air."

Anubis looked away. "Insects."

Sure enough, the second the phoenix made contact with Reesus' smoke, the bird exploded into a massive sphere of purplish black fire, burning everything in its boundaries.

Both Reesus and Katie died an excruciating death inside that sphere. When the explosion cleared up, not even a body remained.

--

Nigel and Anuk's fight continued.

Nigel was still dodging the attacks coming from the sky. "If only I could just break his concentration for a second!"

Nigel charged up. "Great Oak Armor: Level Two!!"

The crevices in Nigel's armor grew wider, and the pieces of wood grew smaller, making Nigel larger and more powerful. Energy started bursting from the bottom of his feet, propelling him towards Anuk at a quick speed.

"You won't make it." Anuk said.

Part of Nigel's wood armor near his elbow opened up, creating a volcano-like shape, where energy started bursting out of that too, making him go even faster. "Rocket Fist!!"

As the next attack from the sky came crashing onto Nigel's back, his fist smashed into Anuk's face, which proved to be extremely effective. The attack broke Anuk's focus, letting up the dark aura in the sky.

Nigel was still pushed far into the ground with a booming crash.

Anuk slowly got back up to his feet, clearly hurt. "I told you. A human can't survive that hit. I've won this battle."

Then, Nigel climbed back out of the hole.

Anuk was taken by surprise. "Impossible!!! I saw you get hit with my attack directly!!"

Nigel got out of the hole and assumed his fighting stance. "My Sacred Oak Armor is exponentially more durable than any of my other wooden armors. Though I'll admit I'd have been done for if I wasn't in Level Two."

The cracked armor on Nigel's back healed itself.

"He really does have Gaia's blessing. He can heal himself as well as use her Sacred Oak ability." Anuk thought to himself.

"I've also figured something out," Nigel said. "You're not as strong physically as you are spiritually are you? You took a lot of damage from that last punch. Your dark energy is just super strong."

Nigel stamped the ground. "Uproot."

Enormous vines started breaking out of the ground stretching themselves towards Anuk. The vines wrapped themselves all around him, holding him up in the air.

"Got you." Nigel said.

Anuk clenched his teeth. "Don't, get, too cocky... human." Anuk broke free of the large vines out of pure strength, then created a mass of purple dark energy.

A black aura encircled the purple orb. "Black Destroyer."

Anuk threw the attack at Nigel.

fwoosh!

A yellow-green flame ball intercepted the attack, detonating it on contact.

Nigel quickly jumped back from the massive explosion.

"Just on time!"

Nigel looked behind him to see who said those words.

It was Miraka. She had both her hands out from firing the attack. "Solar Fireball!"

Nigel looked up. The sun was coming out.

Miraka had the power to feed off the sun's energy and power her attacks.

"Are you okay?" Pachi asked him.

Nigel nodded.

Anuk was annoyed. "Urgh... there's more of you?"

Pachi clapped her hands together. "Creation Magic: Double Edged Spear!"

A light purple glow shone between Pachi's hands. As she parted them a purple spear formed with a pointed blade at both ends. "I can also fight."

"Great." Nigel said. "I need all the help I can get."

Nigel took a high squatting stance. His energy started glowing brightly. "Great Oak Armor: Level Three!!"

The bright blue green energy took over his body even more, bulking him up and making his oak armor pieces float around his body, as if on water.

Anuk yelled out in rage. "I won't lose here!! I'm going to kill you all!!" A major aura emitted from his body.

Nigel charged at him in a second, he was almost as fast as Airson, only his fists were much stronger.

boom!! boom!! boom!!

Every hit that connected with Anuk left a booming sound from the pressure.

Nigel charged up another fist. "Atomic Mass: Times Ten!!!"

WHAM!!!!

Anuk was launched from the impact.

"Solar Fireball Barrage!!" Miraka said. She sent out sixty yellow-green fireballs, all directed at Anuk.

A few hit him before he recovered and swiped them all away with his aura. "HURRAAGGHH!!!" he yelled.

Pachi quickly stepped in, attempting to hit Anuk with her spear.

Anuk tried to hit her, but Pachi was a perfectionist. She fought flawlessly, with no wasted movements, dodging all of Anuk's attacks, and pressuring him to back up.

Nigel instantly appeared over him. "TIMES TWENTY!!!"

Pachi jumped back.

WHAM!!!!

Anuk was sent into a massive sinkhole in the ground from the impact.

The ground could no longer contain the pressure from Nigel's attack.

Nigel crouched on all fours as a wooden structure formed out of his back. It was made out of his Oak Armor. It shaped itself into the form of a woman from the waist up.

Anuk flew out of the hole, ready to kill, but he was met by two giant hands clasping around him when he came up.

"Sacred Tree: Gaia's Hollow!!" The wooden woman then brought Anuk up into the air, and further smashed him down the hole he came out of.

The woman went back inside Nigel as he stood up.

"YOU. LOWLY. HUMANS. ARE. ON. MY. LAST. NERVE!!!!!!" Anuk's voice boomed from the sinkhole. A purple-black light glowed from the darkness, then the entire hole was lit up.

A giant dark being broke out of the ground, destroying everything around it. It was at least fifty feet tall.

"I AM THE DARK KING. YOU WILL BE CRUSHED BY MY HAND." Anuk boomed.

"Seriously? He can do that?" Pachi asked.

Nigel charged himself up. "Don't put it past him, he's a god after all."

A gigantic red orb formed in the giant Anuk's hand. "WORLD DEVASTATION!!!" he boomed.

"If we get hit by that..." Nigel muttered.

Pachi leaped into action. "Perfect Cut!" She swung at the giant Anuk's leg. It cut open, bringing him off balance.

Miraka flew up near his head. "Solar Beam!!"

A wide beam of energy hit Anuk in his eyes, blinding him momentarily.

"Thanks you two." Nigel said.

In a quick moment, Nigel was at the giant's chest, only he was glowing red now instead of blue-green.

His voice became distortedly deep. "TIMES. ONE THOUSAND. EARTHLY HAND!!!!!"

BOOOOMMMM!!!!!!!!

The impact from Nigel's fist blew everything within a half mile radius clean from the area. Blowing away buildings, rocks, towers, everything.

Miraka caught Pachi as they were being blown away.

A large hole was blown into Anuk's body, and there was a wide print where Nigel's attack left a path of destruction from the wind.

When the dust cleared, Nigel was in his normal form, but Anuk was also in his normal form on his back with a gaping hole in his body.

He was completely paralyzed from the neck down.

Nigel healed himself. "Giga Heal."

He also went and healed any injuries that Miraka and Pachi had.

"You... three... won't... be able to... rest..." Anuk whispered.

"What is he talking about?" Miraka said.

"I don't know... he shouldn't be able to move." Nigel replied.

Anuk managed a smile. "This... is... your... consequence... for... defying me."

Anuk whispered again. "Forbidden Art: Curse of the Dark King."

"Curse?!" Pachi exclaimed.

Anuk's body turned completely black, then glowed purple.

The body exploded, sending a wave of energy that swept past the three of them, then dissipated.

"Did he... just, self destruct?" Miraka asked.

Nigel looked at the black smudges where Anuk's body was destroyed. "I think so. But I have a feeling that those weren't just empty words. For now at least, we're safe."

Miraka ran off immediately. "I have to go find Airson!!"

Nigel reached out to say something, but changed his mind. "We should scout the city and makes sure there's no injured civilians."

Pachi nodded. "I'll go with you."

--

After roughly twenty minutes of searching, Miraka found Airson laying unconscious on a rock in the center of a giant crater.

"AIRSON!!!" Miraka screamed.

She held Airson's head up. His heartbeat was weak.

"Please wake up, please say something!!" She was crying now. "Please Airson!! I beg you, don't die on me!!!"

Airson opened his eyes. "Miraka... why are you-" He was interrupted.

Miraka kissed him.

"Miraka..." Airson said weakly.

She was smiling with tears rolling down her face.

Miraka gave him a hug. "Why are you always so reckless?! Promise me. Promise me you won't die."

Airson closed his eyes and smiled. "Okay. I promise."