Confrontation 2

Azel stood in the room with the smell of scorched flesh filling the air.

He turned focusing his attention on the shivering stout man.

"Now you." His voice was eerily calm and unsettling.

"You tell me all I need right."

The stout man whimpered and began to nod his head furiously, showing full subservience.

"I will tell you everything you want just please." His voice became low and his eyes lingered on the ash behind Azel.

"Don't worry as long as you don't lie to me, I promise not to hurt you."

The stout man hearing Azel's words relaxed and his shivering reduced.

"So, tell me, who is your backer."

The stout man hesitated, he held his tongue and began contemplating.

"Now." Azel's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Don't lie to me, I know someone like you can't have this high of a position without a strong backing, you have neither the strength nor the connections to secure this yourself. So I'll advise you to tell me the truth...Unless."

Azel paused and didn't continue but the temperature surrounding him began to rise slowly.

"Wait, wait I'll speak."

The stout man stood up from his puddle and shouted frantically.

His chubby arms were up and he pleaded with Azel to calm down.

"I'll tell you." He paused, his beady eyes darted around the room as if looking around for something, he took a loud gulp and continued.

"It was the court of common."

He said in one breath.

"The court of common?"

Azel repeated.

"Yes, the cour-"

"I know who they are." Azel said cutting him off.

'The court of common, what a pain.'

The Court of Common contrary to their name isn't filled with common people but a rather powerful old bastard, the court of Common are a radical group that believes mortals don't deserve any post or position and all should be ruled by the celestials, that mortals are nothing but common commodity who need guidance from above.

'But, why would the court of common disturb me?'

Azel questioned genuinely confused.

"Why are the court of commons after me?"

Azel asked the stout man.

"The rumours."

"You mean the one about me being a demon born."

"No, the one about you being a returnee, the one about you surviving the impossible."

Azel mind widened and it all clicked, it all made sense, everything that happened.

"HAHAHA." He laughed out loud. "Let me guess, that senile old bastard is part of the Court, isn't it?"

"Who?" the stout man asked timidly.

"The head priest at the Un. Avalox temple."

The stout didn't respond with words but just steadily nodded his head.

'No wonder Tian Yi was able to get in, and no wonder that damn lightning felt way too powerful, there was probably an array under it.'

Azel inhaled deeply, feeling good about the fact that the veil covering his eyes was lifted.

{So, the arb elf works for the council of shadow and the stout bastard court of common, meaning...}

'The two most dangerous organizations are working together to get rid of me.'

{Why not ask him, why? Like really go deep into why they are so scared of you?}

'I would love to ask him but looking at this idiot he probably doesn't know, besides I need him.'

{True.}

Azel cut off his conversation with Vena and gave his attention back to the man.

"You are going to send them a message." His tone commanding and leaving no room for an argument.

"You are going to let them know that I see them and they and all related to them have till the end of my Odessey to surrender… if not I show them the reason why they should fear me."

"You...you are insane, you really want to go up an entire organization. You should know that they never listen and they will rebel and come for you."

"Let them." Azel said. "Let them come and let me show them that their fear is well-founded… let them come and let me paint the world in their blood."

Azel said with a wide grin showing all his canines, his aura was dark and suffocating, his entire being reeked with blood and his presence became heavy.

The stout man trembled and something deep within snapped, he realized that what was before him was a monster, a beast ready to burn the world if he saw fit.

"Leave."

The man scrambled to his feet and bolted from the room, leaving Azel alone with his thoughts. Vena's voice broke the silence.

{do you know what you are doing?}

"Nope, but it should be fine."

{Should?}

"Yep, should."

Vena was speechless not knowing what to say, Azel just challenged two old organizations and he had no plans.

{This feels oddly familiar.}

"Really?"

{Yes, you doing something stupid and me trying to talk you off it.}

"I mean I don't do stupid things a lot so-"

{You do it a lot Azel, a whole freaking lot}

Azel just shrugged his shoulders in response.

He walked over to the window looking out over the city. The sun was setting, casting a luminal shadow over the streets. Shadows where his enemies were watching, lurking and plotting his downfall.

Azel clenched his fists, feeling the heat rise within him. The thought of enemies plotting against him only fueled his resolve. He had come too far and sacrificed too much to be undone by whispers and shadows.

He turned away from the window, his mind racing with thoughts of his next move. He needed allies, people he could trust, though in this world, trust was a rare commodity.

"Vena," Azel said, his voice steady. "Compile a list of potential allies. We need to strengthen our position."

{Already on it,} Vena replied. {But remember, alliances can be as dangerous as enemies. Choose wisely.}

"I know, I have been bitten once and I don't plan on being bitten again."

As he walked down the hallway and his thoughts drifted towards Shinra, his and the former body.

Shinra was a brother ready to ride through hell with him according to the memories and emotions hiding in this body.

"Let's test that theory."

He descended the stairs, his mind a whirlwind of strategies and contingencies. When he reached the main hall, Shinra was waiting, his expression serious.

"Did you get what you needed?" Shinra asked.

"I did."

"And?"

"Well, I have good news and bad news; which do you want to hear first."

"…..the good news."

"I know the path we need to take and the road we are going to work."

Azel responded.

Shinra a bit happy about the good news asked: "And the bad news?"

"We have an impending war on our ass."

Azel broke the news.

"War? How?"

Very sceptical about the whole thing, he was perplexed by how his friend went inside for an hour and the next thing was war.

Azel calmly explained a part of the whole debacle to Shinra.

"So, what do we do now?"

Shinra asked awaiting the orders of Azel.

"Now we recruit and power up."

"Do we tell them?"

"No, we don't," he said. "We are the sons of Drakonov and Ayanakojii it's high time we start painting our hands red besides we can't stay under them forever."

Azel said walking out of the now clean main hall.

Shinra stared at the young man back astonished by his growth.

Shinra couldn't shake the feeling in his bones, a legend was being made, a legend that would make his debut to the underworld in the upcoming battle, a battle that would change the annals of Avalox forever.

Shinra called out to Azel and ran to his side, ready to walk side by side with the one who painted the whole world red.