That Which Is Below...
Chapter 18: That Which is Below…
Warframe.
It is a successful PC game where I spend most of my time with now when I don't get to play Mobile Legends. (Actually, I barely even play MLBB.)
It's completely free, unlike those AAA games with developers that shamelessly lock their content behind paywalls (Yes, EA, Ubisoft, Activision and Bungie. I'm dissing at you.). The Warframe player community is absolutely non-toxic. The developers are always open to the community, allowing this utopian feeling of being in a gaming world where everything is possible. If you are a PC gamer, I suggest you play this game.
(Everything in the game is absolutely free. Everything can be acquired merely by playing the game.)
So… why did I bring this one up?
The game was everything I dreamed of, and I wanted MLBB to be that way. Perfection at its finest, a consistent, radiant gem that rewards those who brave the treacherous rocks to carve it out of its place. Unfortunately, I had to accept the ugly truth.
Which is why I lost my passion for writing this story.
The longer I stayed, the more problems I saw. The developers kept nerfing my favorite heroes, leaving me like a frustrated mess. I had utter disgust with the meta-heroes.
The developers lacked consistency.
Yet, here I am. Polishing up the story, adding more content.
I can't remember how many times I tried to punch a nearby wall whenever I overthink about the condition of the game itself, and how my dream of it being like Warframe would never happen until a miracle happens.
However, I knew that there were some who are absolutely caring for Mobile Legends, those who are sincere and trustworthy, dedicated to at least suggest ways to improve the game… even if they aren't developers.
The only thing fueling me are your positive reviews and such… and I am running low.
A spark of hope feeding off of its user's own oxygen to keep both alive.
That's when a user named 'thelittletaco' made his/her long review.
Kind sir/ma'am, you cannot believe how my spirits rose when I saw your review. I knew you were one of the significant few I aforementioned earlier. I sucked at drawing, though. XD
'The pages are my canvas; the files, my inspiration; the keyboard, my paintbrush.'
Thank you for the review, thelittletaco!
Also, you might have been creeped out by the weird transmission at the end of the previous chapter. You might've laughed about it, thinking I was just going vague or suicidal.
But guys… that's not me.
I know who it is, but that's not me.
Let's just call these anomalies the "Story Glitch". It's highly volatile, but necessary. You'll distinguish how the interruption indicates me or this anomaly.
For some reason, it likes to pop up whenever something significant or drastic happens, so be ready AT ALL COSTS.
If I reveal the secret now, the essence of the story will fade. A story I desperately want to finish.
If you think the mysterious dude was a hacker… He/she isn't.
"Hey, Arcturus! Now that you're back, tell us a story!"
Wanna know how I got into MLBB?
Through the introduction of a distant cousin, and the influence of a classmate.
I despised games like these before. Seriously.
I thought it's all going to go south once I tried playing it.
Well, it did hinder me, but I was able to find a way to manage all that. It was also very surprising to see that many top students in my school also play the game, having achieved a higher rank than mine.
ML ain't life, bros. But prioritize, and you'll get it right!
So, r3@dY f0r 5ome…
Uh oh.
The G111CH1
G3t reA0y, d1seN-wj8hakkkhadgue72------
(ERROR)
ALERT! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!
(The video feed shows the same room, and the exact same person operating through the monitors.
The date reads, 07/13/[DATA EXPUNGED])
"I cannot believe what I am seeing right now!"
"These glyphs, they aren't just meaningless symbols… it's like our own damn [DATA REDACTED]! Just look at the arrangements… You could see this [DATA REDACTED] symbol with the [DATA REDACTED] on the top… it's the letter [DATA EXPUNGED]! But something is odd here. I will have to start from scratch and create an [DATA EXPUNGED] that will help translate these [DATA EXPUNGED]."
"I'll have to see this through. But… I have to keep this thing a secret. I am making this transmission just in case someone picks it up."
"The [DATA EXPUNGED] that sent me this must be desperate in trying to learn what this thing is. For now, I'll be busy."
"This is [D@T@ 3XpUnG3d] with a case to solve."
(The operator switches the camera off, ending transmission.)
(End of Transmission)
Aw, man. The glitch is getting jumpy.
I can't do anything when the system does this. It overrides everything.
I hope it won't interrupt the story…
Speaking of which… What got me into writing this in the first place?
Believe me when I say this.
I was lazy at writing.
"Woah, then how come you're an outstanding adolescent?"
Look, all I wanted was to absorb stuff a lot faster, so I thought that writing was unnecessary in terms of expression.
Until my friends influenced me in reading novels.
You'd probably know which ones I'm talking about.
Anyway, when I was in a certain grade level, one of the tasks assigned by group was to make a story and such (with a book with pictures), and I wasn't really up to fortifying ideas that sprouted from my classmates.
But by the time I heard the plans, I immediately volunteered.
I've witnessed enough series and books to know how to lay this all down.
And guess what?
I had to avoid reading any other book, since my goal was to remain authenticity. I wanted to remain as original as possible… with the scenes, names, and every other little detail that I shouldn't miss. I didn't want to make a short romance story that was straight out of your local book store. As long as the idea, the context, remained unique, I'd be aiming high.
Good thing I did that, because most of the other groups were marked down due to copying off certain scenes. They may have changed the content, but the actions were spot-on copy-paste.
(I was astounded. I couldn't believe my instructor would even notice it. In fact, I was scared I copied something off, too, without even noticing. XD)
But like I said, even if my writing skills were good, I sucked at creativity. I couldn't think of a very good plot. It was all pure, raw… constipation in my brain.
Fast-forwarding to my playing of ML… I was interested at how each of the older characters had their own background history. And I was like,
"Most of the histories are linked in between one another! There must be some hidden lore or insane story!"
But I knew ML was literally on the verge of being cased due to the huge amount of copyright infringements I witnessed. (Good thing that they are improving… slightly.)
Yet, all I could think was…
"THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR A STORY!"
Until I thought of all the negative effects.
Before I started making up something, I immediately had to scan every ML Fanfiction in order to maintain both authenticity and the knowledge of WHAT and WHAT NOT to apply.
Well… not all Fanfiction, since the translator barely works… but still!
I had to check out forums, group pages, just to see if there's any recurring event or scene.
And…
Holy Christ.
I was absolutely frustrated…
Not because of the authenticity side…
But at the quality of the products.
"What do you mean, Arcturus? Everything seems fine!"
NO.
How many times do I have to see that 'Miya is the main character stuff' or that 'Everything is about Layla' thingamajig or even that '5v5 make them fight' nonsense?!
How about those one-sided stories and biased mentalities that can make any good guy a bad guy and a bad guy a good guy?!
(Okay, sorry for the other authors who literally had the same ideas imprinted on their stories. I am absolutely sorry, but…
*breathes…
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!)
I almost made a dent on a wall I kept punching after all the mishap I've seen.
I immediately lost my fortitude. All the ship wars, the absurd romance with lack of polish, the cancer, the toxicity…
It required strict treatment.
Mobile Legends is an amazing game, but what needs to be fixed are the mindsets themselves.
(I'm sounding like a villain. XD)
So I committed myself into making another character as the main protagonist, and include MOST of the heroes and villains. I also wanted to make sure that some gaps have to be filled along with the things that have to be crossed out of the game's original lore. I wanted to enhance and embrace the game… respect every core aspect and modify stuff only when required.
Because some stuff there barely makes sense.
Out of the muddy creek, I wanted to make the river of clarity I had to project for the game, even if I wouldn't receive much credit from this.
A hidden diamond under the rough, never to be found until when time permits.
So I took my time.
I immediately made up an insane Avengers/Justice League-like plot and start from scratch. I had to put in all the links in place before starting. I made sure everything was laid out like a list of instructions. I never forgot what was necessary… the awesome action, the plot twists and cliffhangers, a spice of humor, a touch of romance, a pinch of angst and sadness, and of course, my sudden interactions with the person behind the screen.
I gave heroes personality (with a twist), along with their uncalled-for sympathy and understanding to others.
(You can clearly see this to some characters like Bane, Roger or even Minotaur.)
I also made up some morals for all of you to apply…
And I never wrote a single line on any paper. All was planned in my head.
I wanted to make everything up with utmost secrecy.
And the product of my persistence…
You're reading it now.
It's imperfect, but it polishes every so often. Barely will you see it glint and shine, but when it does, beauty mesmerizes what it can and will captivate.
My friends, we are halfway around the story.
Let's not waste any more time now, shall we?
When the Lords of Order requested Estes' presence in the heavens, it really meant something was going down.
All the Elven King could hope was that it wasn't much of a bad thing.
He took in Zhao, Tigreal, Miya, Freya, Rafaela, Saber, Argus, Hylos and Alucard as extra visitors. Estes casts the rift and the group goes in discreetly, the others made aware of the situation and given strict orders to continue with the plans.
"How does it feel?"
Argus looked up to see Saber in his new frame, asking him as they walked through the vanilla plains of the skies. "What do you mean?"
"Flying. What's it like for you when you flew for the first time?"
Argus sighed. "The strong feeling of freedom suddenly courses through your systems, letting you do as you wish, but the fear of clipped wings will begin to germinate."
"I see," the cyborg responds. "I feel… too strong. Everything lacks challenge."
"Why say that?"
"I can cut through nearly everything. It felt like I was… triumphant without doing anything… something I feel like I don't deserve."
"But you'll need it," the fallen angel says. "It's better than not having any wings. Trust me, one day, you'll wish you've had them on you ever since."
"I'll look forward to that."
Alucard looks around, and, rather than being mesmerized, he felt awfully puzzled with the environment. Him seeing the sky below him, and the whiteness of what he steps, the whiteness no detergent will achieve…
"This feels insanely jarring," he said aloud. "I feel too light on my feet."
"Everything is completely different in this realm," Hylos answered. "Though, we might not witness the Lords themselves. No one has, except for their voice."
Suddenly, a bright ball of light appears in front of them, and tiny bits of bronze armor began to coalesce, forming an ethereal figure with an armor set similar to that of Argus', sporting long horns and sharp, yellow claws. The figure was rather bulky, the light glowing inside the core.
"Estes. It's been a long time," the figure said, putting his fist on his chest and bowed his head momentarily.
"It has been a while, Uranus," the king answered back, smiling. "Is there something troubling the Lords?"
Zhao began to snicker, something that everyone noticed. "S-sorry, guys, but…" He pointed at the figure. "Y-your n-name… is… URANUS?!" The spearman burst laughing, nearly tumbling over the fluffy ground. Alucard nudged him quickly on the shoulder to put him back to senses. "Y-yo, what in the name! Yo, I am so sorry, man…"
"Apology accepted," Uranus said, chuckling. "It's an ongoing feature."
(By the way, guys, he is pronounced as you-rah-nus, not YOU-RAY-nus. Estes got this pronunciation right. You must say the former quickly, rather than the prolonged latter. I have to admit, I myself, got it wrong the first time.
The hero, by itself, is actually balanced. I like that!)
The ethereal being continued. "The Lords, as I have said, have something to discuss with you. If you think things are as planned out as they are supposed to be in here, you're wrong." Uranus beckons the group to follow him, climbing the white landscape.
After half a minute, the group arrives to a wide circle, rimmed by tall pillars with white orbs of light sitting on them. Miya squinted and saw figures… barely distinct, but she could see them cross-sitting, wearing elegant robes.
"Those are the Lords," the archer said to Alucard. "I'm feeling really jitty."
"Me too," Zhao said.
An echo rumbled across the place.
"Estes! We have been expecting your arrival. Also, why did you plan on bringing these guests?"
Estes knelt at the center, and the others did the same. "My lieges, I decided that they listen in to some of the things you wish to discuss. I can't do this alone."
"Of course. We're here to discuss of what is to occur in a few days' time. We hope all of you have your ears open for discussion, and we don't like to repeat what we say."
Meanwhile…
"Here we are," Karina said. "Keva Infernus."
(Here I go again to listing the heroes partaking in this adventure…)
Lancelot, Karina, Gossen, Eudora, Gord, Minotaur, Natalia, Bane, Franco, Johnson, Grock, Lapu-Lapu, Yi Sun Shin, Gatotkaca, Karrie and Irithel stand next to the cave's wide opening towering over them (except for Grock) with 53 meters of vertical clearance.
(Phew! I hoped you are catching up, dear reader!)
"Moskov kept the shard here. Am I right?" Bane asked.
"Yes," Minotaur answered. "However, the reason for this remains unknown. We still have six days before the war occurs. Let's make this quick."
"Remember, the gravity changes every so often in this place. That's why the mages are here along with Grock," Irithel reminds. "They'll be able to balance out the shifts, so we wouldn't be hindered much."
"Grock feels funny," the stone titan rumbled. "Weird cave, very interesting. Careful!"
(If you've heard of the largest cave in the world that spans for miles and has its own environment, then it's like Keva Infernus… without all the good stuff. The whole place is barren, and the caves go deep below. And I mean… way below.
Well, not really, but you get what I mean.)
Our heroes (except for the mages, Grock and Johnson) tread the cave entrance with discretion. The fact that the cave location was in the middle of a barren land is creepy. No vegetation grew, much like a desert, but the temperatures weren't drastic. Rock and sand littered the area, but it wasn't even hot.
It was just… dry. Absolutely dry.
The group walked inside for fifteen minutes, the light from their energies illuminating the place. Barely any bats were there, nor any sound being made.
All was silent until they met a jagged natural ramp that seemed awfully carved. Bewildered, the group walks slowly, covering each other's backs.
They began to descend as they reached the end of the maw, and they felt the gravity shift.
"Here it comes," Yi Sun Shin said, gripping the walls for support. "The gravity grew stronger. Fall and you'll hit hard." It became harder to breathe due to the extra weight, but after a moment, the anomaly ended. Eudora and Gord was counteracting the shifts, allowing an easier descent.
"How long does it take to get down?" Lapu-Lapu asked.
"The cave, in terms of span, is the widest, but not so much in depth," Gusion replied. "No one dared go here due to the fear of being lost forever, but the ways here are well defined like landmarks. It's most likely because someone has been here."
"Yet, there is no little indication of any demons coming in here," Natalia adds. "It seems that there is something fishy going on." She suddenly felt light-headed, her mind floating. The gravity changed and the strength reduced, causing the small pebbles and dust to float around along with the heroes.
"At least you know how space feels like without actually going there," Karrie snickered.
They reached the end of the long descent, and they overlook a very wide, dark area, the nearest wall being forty meters away. The group walks aimlessly until Franco urged them.
"Halt. Walk towards my back."
"Why?" Lancelot asked. "Something wrong?"
Franco points in front of him…
A huge sinkhole actually covered the whole area. It's was if a behemoth dug through it. A bright, moving glint caught the eyes of the heroes as they try to find a way to descend safely.
"The Dawn Shard!" Irithel whispered, getting a better sight with her crossbow.
"What if it isn't?" Bane contradicts. "Look, all this time, we could be fooled into going in! What if that's just some metal shining off due to the sunlight?"
"Sunlight barely even reaches here," Minotaur pointed out. "The light your energies contain can't even penetrate through five meters of darkness."
"I can get in and inspect unnoticed," Natalia volunteers, putting on her cloak. "I'll report anything, even factual stuff. Stay put and don't make a sound."
She walks around the circumference of the maw and spots a staircase woven around to hug the walls of the hole. Natalia walks down the steps, and in every half-rotation of the circumference, a small area served as a resting place or halting ground for travelers. Often, bones or cobwebs littered each spot. Natalia witnessed a chest on the third rotation, but nothing was in it.
She went to take a break on the fourth rotation when her arm got yanked. Panicking, she attempted to scream, but an iron glove clamps her mouth shut. A silhouette emerged from the dark.
"Moskov?!" Natalia said with a muffled voice, her eyes widening. "What are you…"
The marksman raised his index finger and made a hushing gesture to the assassin. Natalia forcefully removed Moskov's hand from her mouth, glaring at him. Moskov reached for something on the satchel he has and emptied the content to Natalia's hand.
The Dawn Shard.
"W-why are you doing this?" she stammered, confused. "You're not going to like, double-cross them, are you?"
Moskov motioned for Natalia to descend farther with him, never saying a word. They stopped at the fifth rotation as the end of the hole seemed to be in view. Natalia grips the shard and keeps it hidden to avoid its light from sparking off. She squints hard to see what was before her.
"…doing here again?" A new voice trailed below. "I don't have time for dilly-dallying in the dark, you two witches."
"Alice, Zhask and Vexana," Natalia mutters. She faces Moskov, who was beginning to feel nervous. "Why did you bring me here?" The spearman simply pointed at the center of the floor of the abyss, but neither could see anything.
"Patience!" Vexana threatened. "If it wasn't for you toying around with the boy and trying to make that… traitor… go into our side, then we would have gotten what you wanted!"
"There's no use arguing," Alice muttered. Suddenly, the center of the floor flooded with light, but it barely reaches the top of the sinkhole. Natalia noticed that the walls below them were ensnared with dark matter, like a form of ethereal infestation. The said matter grew in abundance near the center, where a large metal chest could be seen. Rusty chains that glowed with ebbing light wrapped around it, like it was meant to keep something inside.
Then it hit Natalia.
"The Dreadmare Chest!" Natalia half-whispered. "It was here all this time?" Moskov nodded in response, maintaining his alertness.
"What's this filthy box going to do to benefit us anyway?!" Zhask shot back.
"This filthy box contains the essence of the master," Alice replied calmly. "He may not be in fighting shape once we release him, but he will most certainly give us an edge to crushing those puny heroes to paste! Did you really think that we were the ones who were in charge?!"
"What master?" the alien asked, confused.
Vexana barged in. "We're really not allowed to speak his true name, so you can use terms like 'master', 'liege' or any word that you use to refer to royalty. Now, the bonds that restrain him are weak enough to be shattered, and we now have the chance to bring him back! Alice, commence the reawakening."
Alice held her hands, slowly resting the palms on the chest's lids. Red, volatile essence poured out from her hands like mist. She felt a chunk of her power slowly drain, but due to her regenerative prowess, this was easily ignored.
"My Lord," she began. "It's time for you to rise again. It has been millennia since you have ransacked this world. Gaius is now ripe for the taking, and these heroic wannabes shall be your targets. Arise and bring forth the devastation you formerly imposed!"
There was a brief moment of silence, then the walls of the sinkhole shook, the brown dust falling down to the bottom. The corruption on the walls slowly spread. Natalia hurriedly grabbed Moskov's arm and tried to run, but the marksman shook his head with a sad face. Natalia ran by herself, climbing the steps quickly, never attempting to stop.
"Arise, master! It is time for you to be what people truly fear!" Vexana chanted. The chains around the chest slowly vibrated and broke altogether, a flash of yellow light flooding the whole place by a second. Natalia was near in reaching the top when the light blinded her vision, causing her to lose balance. With luck, she immediately grabbed Franco's hook, which the Viking dropped for her.
"Alrighty, got you now, miss," Franco responded, pulling the chain up. "Now, what happened down there?"
Natalia panted. "T-the chest… it's… the Dark Lord…"
"The Dreadmare Chest?!" Irithel exclaimed, Leo snarling. "What about it?"
"The Dark Lord has broken free… and M-Moskov… he's betraying them… he gave me the last shard. He was trying to warn me… he planned this double-cross all along!"
Most of the heroes gasped.
"I knew it!" Karrie said, grinning. "He was still on the good side. But… the chest! If the Dark Lord is awake-"
"Then we have to go now!" Gatotkaca urged. "We-"
"No, wait!" Minotaur hushed. "We have to listen in on what their plans are, at least for a minute. It will give us a head sta-"
Suddenly, a high-pitched howl filled the whole area like a wild gust of wind. It was then followed by a deep bellow.
"Alice… you haven't forgotten me, after all these millennia."
The heroes' eyes widened. Through their eye contact, they told each other not to make a single sound. Bane placed a finger on his mouth, indicating a need for silence.
"My Lord!" Alice shrieked with glee. "So good to see you!"
"And who is this… creature behind you?"
Zhask's voice resonated. "I am Zhask, the Planetary Dominator, my liege. I wish to keep the remaining shards once our skirmish ends. This is to benefit both you and my army. I will join your cause. This is all I ask."
"I hold no interest in those shards," the Dark Lord replied. "I have to admit that my entrance is late, yet… we do not have much time. I cannot manifest a complete physical form… my fragments are blown off to other parts of the planet. Only in the final day will I gain my strength to gutter these children in hopelessness, as all things should be. As long as you uphold your end of the deal, you shall stand proud."
The three (Alice, Vexana and Zhask) stood up. Moskov appeared from the shadows and bowed. The Dark Lord slightly nodded at him.
"It is time to gather all of the demons in the system. This is the most efficient way to gain an edge. They may have strategy, but the overwhelming force of darkness shall choke out the light from the roots! I'll…"
The antagonist abruptly stopped, his senses heightened. "I… smell… fear."
The heroes immediately scampered away from the sinkhole in a panic.
"THEY ARE HERE!!!"
"RUN IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!" Lancelot urged, the heroes racing to the staircase.
"I'LL COME AT YOU ALL! YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE THIS PLACE!!!" the Dark Lord taunted, immediately hovering upwards, away from the sinkhole. The malevolent spirit reached the top, but the heroes were gone, as they have begun running back to the exit via the main canal. It, along with the others, traversed the ascent faster than anticipated.
"Don't be lazy, Leo! RUN!" Irithel urged, beckoning the smilodon to sprint faster than it should. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark force creep towards their way with insane speed.
"There!" Lapu-Lapu said, pointing to the end of the cave. "It's them! We can make it!"
"DID YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY FROM ME?!?!" a loud voice threatened, causing a few rock formations to crumble. "I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE, AND NO ONE SHALL STOP ME!!!"
"GODDAMN IT!!!" Franco yelled, panicking. He immediately lost his footing and tripped. He cursed, for he was so close to the end. Bane rushed to him and helped him up.
"This is why you should take a couple pounds off of ya, lunch bag!" Bane joked.
"I'm not the one with a peg leg and a crab claw for a hand!" Franco shot back.
Yi Sun Shin was in the lead, and he noticed the silhouette of a similar person joining the mages, Johnson and Grock…
And he smiled.
"Hahahaha! The Queen of the Snow has aided us!" the general laughed. "She's come to save us!"
Yi Sun Shin stopped at the end of the cave and beckoned others to reach the end faster. He saw the corruption relentlessly charging through. As Bane and Franco made it out last, a ghastly hand reached out of nowhere, aiming for Yi. The archer flips, slicing the line behind him with his sword, cutting the grip in half. Aurora casts a thick sheet of ice, covering the entrance of Keva Infernus. The corruption stuck there from the other side, but the ice was starting to break already.
"How in…" Bane stammered. "So… you're in our side now?"
"There's no time to explain," the guardian said. "The ice will cost them only a few minutes. Estes has designated a portal a couple of miles from here. I can arrive to the Land of Dawn by myself, but I'll help you keep the enemies at bay. Hold on to the shard!"
Meanwhile…
"As you may know, a couple of your company have initiated their recovery of the last Dawn Shard from Keva Infernus," the Lords of Order iterated. "Moskov has betrayed the Dark Lord and gave the Dawn Shard to your convoy. However, to prevent the Dark Lord from waking is impossible by any means. As of now, Aurora has stepped into the limelight and has aided the escorts. Now, we cannot help you directly, but we will give all of you the situations."
The central figure lifts his hand and casts a floating hologram, showing the complete layout of the map of Gaius. In the center of it was the Land of Dawn, surrounded by the foliage and a transparent barrier that runs through its walls, acting like a security system that keeps demons at bay.
"Once the Gem has initiated assembly, the barrier will be cast. Any demon that comes forth will be repelled, but not the Dark Lord himself. He himself will only recover his combat prowess within the final day. We expect that he would be analyzing the defenses you have in store, so try to minimalize your efforts in terms of keeping the monsters at bay. The more he knows, the higher the chance he will have the Gem in his hands."
The figure second to the right swiped his hand on the hologram, speeding up the timeline. "The battle will most surely be catastrophic, even in the best case scenario. Tens of millions of those wretched beings will circle the perimeter. What we lack in numbers, however, we make up for in strategy. There's a shortage of water monsters has made the swarm suffer greatly, but it will recuperate in time."
The leftmost figure began to speak. "We suggested on focusing your attacks on the mainland. A three kilometer-radius of destruction will be implemented. The forests will be laid barren, allowing for better view from the enemy's side. The fact that hills and mountains span the whole kingdom is something to fear. It only means one thing and one thing only. You only have one chance. Our lack of aerial support intensifies the crisis. We fear the pirate ships may not be enough."
Freya barged in. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but can you send a few of the Valkyries to aid us?"
"That cannot happen," the central figure replied. "They are preoccupied to other matters."
"But this is the most critical situation we have!" Zhao said. "Look, I know that all of you have a lot to fix, but if you do not send us enough support, we might not be able to make it! I have analyzed the stats. Barely a single percent of our side would make it on the start of the seventh day!"
"There are 13 million of you," the Lords of Order responded at once. "That will suffice."
"Against what, 200 million demons and counting?!" Alucard contradicts. "And we only know half of what we're even fighting against! We're stuck in the place like fish in a barrel!"
"Have not you learned to make do with what you have, Hunter?" a figure asks. "It was pure luck that we have chosen to grant you immediate triumph over the first war."
"Alucard," Hylos whispered. "I think you should-"
"Shut it," the Hunter said. "Pure luck? PURE LUCK?! That wasn't pure luck, that was pure choice! Call it whatever you want, but the truth will resurface. You chose to aid us because we were lost and scared. You chose to show us the light from above, but now that when people need a symbol of your concern, you don't show up!"
"We have!" the Lords responded. "You were meant to be that symbol, Hunter, along with your friends and the fallen angel! We've kept watch and have showed our concern."
"Oh, so you've shown concern for Argus' being brainwashed?! Oh, so you've shown concern for the Dark Lord's massacre on my bloodline?! Heck, I even assumed you barely cared about how a being of your own making is out there right now to get the Gem!"
Estes' eyes widened. "Alucard, you know that the Lords of Order made the Dark Lord?"
"Yeah, I basically told him," Tigreal replied. Everyone else glared at him. "What? Don't tell me I wasn't supposed to say that to him."
"You weren't supposed to, dammit!" Miya shot in frustration.
"That being was meant to be the resisting object on the other side of the scales," the central figure said. "Without him, the balance will be disrupted!"
"I know that!" Alucard shouted. "I know all of that so don't give me a damn recap! But now, he's coming back to turn the tide in his favor, and all that you throw back against him is a paradox!"
"A paradox was meant to finish off what we have started!" the Lords retaliated, their figures glowing brighter in a more aggressive tone.
"And I know that we have to sacrifice ourselves just so everything will be locked in place!" Alucard yelled, his clothes slowly morphing into black, his sword transforming into a flame reaper (the same form he turned into when… yeah… when he choked Aurora and slammed her to her own throne. I've got to admit, that was still pretty insane.) "We didn't want to fight anymore in the first place. All we wanted was a peaceful life in which we won't have to fight anymore! My friends may seem cheerful, but they're growing sick of doing these goddamn errands!"
"WATCH YOURSELF, ALUCARD!" the Lords bellowed. "WE WEAVE YOUR FATE, AND WE CAN TEAR THE FABRIC IN A FLASH."
"Go ahead, try me!" Alucard challenged. "I know you can't do that because I'm too valuable. I've known enough, and I know much more than what I should know. I'll keep doing this damn job even if I don't want to, because it's necessary! I'll tell you this. I know who I'm talking to, but you should learn what position we, and you, are in! And if the time comes that we fail, don't lay the blame on us, because all of you have started this in the first place, and we're just doing all the dirty work for all of you." Alucard walked away, frustrated, his normal form morphing back. Argus walked back to him while the others remained dumbfounded.
"Well, he does seem to have a point," Uranus noted.
In the exits, Argus spoke to Alucard.
"Do you know the number of people who have spoken up like that to the Lords of Order and survived? One. You're the first."
Meanwhile…
"I hate being chased!" Karina complained, nervously looking behind. She was safe in Johnson along with the others. "Look at this! Aurora can fly around while I can't do anything!"
"Hey, at least we're safe here!" Gossen pointed out. "Let them do the heavy lifting. If we're needed, we'll go!"
"It's awful Hylos ain't here," Johnson said in the stereo. "We really need a huge boost with his pathway, now that the Dark Lord is out for our behinds!"
Gatotkaca shoots lightning from his fists while in the air, incinerating the corruption. It only delayed them for a second, but that time was enough for them. Aurora freezes the landscape, forcing the darkness to veer around to get there. After a couple of seconds, the ice barricade was shattered, the fragments splintering to the group, causing a defensive backfire.
"We're so screwed!" Bane yelled, shaking. "What chance do we have against this scum?!"
"He's still weak," Franco said calmly. "He's enraged, but that slimy cod is going to exhaust eventually. All we have to do is hold on!"
Gord rides through with his board, speeding up. He casts a projectile that he lobs toward the mass of darkness, blowing up. However, the force ricocheted, causing a major blowback. This actually turned into the heroes' favor, as the velocity of the wind caused them to speed up even faster.
(It's funny, because Gord is so slow in the game. XD)
"We can't stop it, Gord!" Eudora warned. "We must try and slow it down!" She shoots lightning from her hands, but the corruption has somewhat adapted. The lightning forked and bounced off, shooting through the trees and causing a forest fire that blazed faster. A burning tree nearly fell on Johnson's roof. The smoke made it even harder to see, but the cyborg knew they were close.
"A kilometer left!" Johnson warned. Grock was charging through, causing a few rumbles here and there. Though, it didn't affect the heroes. His aura was slowly mending the rapidly growing forest fire, nullifying the damage.
"Fire tickles. Darkness very bad," Grock said. "Huge dark place. Scary."
"Grock!" Lancelot called out. "What's going on there?"
"Nothing but darkness behind… Trees being swallowed."
If you're Grock, then you'd clearly see what the Dark Lord has done with the whole landscape. Beyond the mountains that hide Keva Infernus was foliage all around. The forest was harmless, and spanned for miles. It was friendly for commuters. But now, all that Grock saw was the darkness, enveloping the whole forest and tracking them down.
(And yes, it has most probably affected the other lands beyond their reach.)
"RUN ALL YOU WANT, BUT YOU WON'T ESCAPE! I'LL GET ALL OF YOU ONE DAY, MARK MY WORDS!" the Dark Lord's voice echoed.
Johnson saw the portal. "There it is!"
Aurora casts her final ice wave behind her, preventing the Dark Lord from being able to reach them. Suddenly, Johnson slowed, his vision being nullified. Minotaur, who was chill, suddenly bellowed in a panic, not being able to see.
Which is disturbing… because the ice was keeping the corruption at bay.
"Johnson!" Karina jolted. "Ah… I can't see!"
"Me neither!" Bane said. "Just drive, rust bucket! Our salvation is just straight ahead!"
"Hold on!" Gusion said, concentrating. "I hear something…" the assassin could hear a faint, hollow voice. It was small, but he could feel the presence growing closer. He stepped outside blindly.
Out of impulse, he launches all of his daggers at once in multitudes of directions. He heard the startling cry of something that felt animalistic, but human-like nonetheless.
"You'll pay for that… Your deaths… do not concern me…"
"A Shadowbringer!" Lancelot warned. "Gossen, get here!" Their visions were returning, and the presence was gone. Gossen immediately raced for his car seat in the dark.
"Johnson!" Lapu-Lapu yelled. "Full throttle, now!"
The car sped up along with the mages, the ice wall shattering completely. Before they could be swallowed up, they dove straight through the portal, safe and sound. Everyone was intact, along with Grock. They were now in the underground chamber of the citadel.
(Don't worry, Grock was sent to the outside of the city.)
"That…" Lancelot breathed out. "That was a Shadowbringer."
"I thought they were all dead!" Lapu-Lapu said. "My men scoured around to hunt them in my land. I thought we killed all of them."
"All except one," Minotaur barged. "And he is absolutely pissed."
Meanwhile…
"You, my friend, have a death wish," Hayabusa told Alucard. "How in the world aren't you even blasted to ash yet?"
"Because they technically can't," Chou noted. "Sure, Alucard has a point, but damn, I didn't know you'd press them on like that."
"Darn it, can we please stop talking about this for a second?" Alucard pleaded. "I don't wanna hear that."
"I still can't believe there are 200 million demons that we're gonna fight," Kagura added. "And the number's growing by the thousands!"
"But if the Dark Lord awakens, he wouldn't be able to gain the same intensity or force," Alpha said, running his calculations. "He will be weak when he awakes from his slumber due to his literal essence stripped off. It will take him weeks to recover-"
The cyborg stops talking as he eyes out the convoy for the fifth shard, exhausted. Alpha also notices Aurora along with them. "Yo, guys, they're here, with Ms. Freeze."
"Ms. Freeze?" Bruno asked. "Who's… oh… it's Aurora! Wait… WHY IS SHE HERE?!"
"Vent your steam somewhere else," Ruby told him. "I mean, yeah, she literally had us on the edge before, but this could be different…"
"I hope," Alucard muttered. He heard the group conversing nervously. Estes and the others crowded in the underground chamber to discuss matters. Johnson and Saber eyed the group with curiosity. Argus and Minotaur entered as well.
So technically, everyone was there.
(I do not want to list everyone's names. It's so tiring. XD)
"The mission is a success," Estes began. "We haven't made any losses up until now, but we'll need more than just luck if we're to last and execute our plans." He waves his hand, activating the Ocular Sun, showing the diagram of the gem that was in progress. The shards were floating around each other slowly, links of pure light keeping them in place, yet never seeming to join together. Alucard can imagine the outline of his body imprinted on the said gem.
He wondered hard about what would happen if things would go right… because the prophecy itself never stated a thing about the aftermath.
"I have noted down all the possible outcomes, and it's only right if our mages join the fray," Hylos added.
"At least one mage should stay close here and speed up the process. The gem's radiant energy will also provide a huge boost to the mage's power, giving us an edge in the battlefield. With Aurora's help, we can pin down the demons a lot longer."
"However, we must be aware of the new threats," Aurora barged. "The Dark Lord has returned."
Collective gasps and murmurs filled the chamber. You'd expect them to be panicking, but they've expected this.
"He is now amassing his forces, but he himself will NOT be of fighting shape until the last day of the war approaches. We also have a double-agent there now… Moskov."
And there goes the increasing tension.
"Wait, how is this possible?" Kagura asked. "After all this time, he'd go against them?"
"So far, we don't know," Tigreal said, calming them down. "Natalia informed me of this, and her words are authentic. We cannot trust him for the time being, but his actions have significance. Whatever happens, we must keep a watchful eye on the marksman. As of now, there are no illusions. The shard is authentic, and so is the Dark Lord's awakening."
"There's also a Shadowbringer we have to worry about," Bane pointed out. Barely anyone reacted, since they didn't know what it was.
"Shadowbringers consume light," Lapu-Lapu explained. "It is their innate ability. They have spiked tails tipped with extremely lethal toxins. We have the cure for the toxins, and can be easily replicated, but Shadowbringers will be a hindrance in our vision. Luckily, we have confirmed that there is only one remaining, but we must keep our guard up."
"Its intention is not yet known?" Victor asked.
"It seeks revenge," Karrie replied. "All of us, especially Lapu's tribe, have hunted down their kind, as they have proven to be violent. They are half-immortal, which means they can only die when killed in combat. Hurting them can already be effective, as it will cancel out its abilities. But this one is stronger. I didn't expect it to have enhanced abilities…"
"If it charges, we have to accept the inevitable," Eudora added. "We will have to fight it. Some of us are immune to being blinded, and some of us aren't. Crowding together will deem fruitless, and most likely, catastrophic."
"All that we have to focus on now is bolstering our defenses," Roger reminded. "We have a week to prepare, and no time to waste."
The other heroes nodded and agreed with the statement.
"Resume normal patrols. Let's round up all the support we can get," Estes commanded. "Take your time and get some rest. You may go."
The others left calmly, talking about the new routines they will have for the phase. Argus and Minotaur returned to guard the gem.
(The gem is hoisted below the ceiling of the huge citadel like a chandelier. It will be lowered on the war to come.)
Aurora stayed with Estes and Hylos.
"What made you come back, Aurora?"
"I have done so many mistakes, but back there, in my place, must certainly be my last. I had a dream. I predicted that the Dark Lord would wake, so I left. I arrived just in time."
"What about the dream?" Hylos asked.
"I've dreamt of dying, along with them," the Queen of the Snow replied. "If it shall be for the good of this world, then I'd have to commit. All of us will most likely perish, no matter the outcome. We have barely any support from the Lords."
"If we are to die, then promise me one thing," Estes said. "We mustn't die kneeling. We must die standing, as long as the boy is alive."
"Alucard is in great peril, no matter how hard we keep watch," Aurora added.
"He know what happens if he keeps using his abilities," Hylos assured.
"That's not what I meant. In my dream… I… I saw him inevitably fight the Dark Lord prematurely. No matter what occurs, this will happen! For the best case scenario… someone has to come in and save him-"
"And then what?"
"The one who saves him must take his place as the one that dies fighting against the menace."