Chapter 238: The meeting

'Oh, dear. He is coming to get you, to get us. Do you still want to sit here and do nothing?' the Shade said, speaking with a mocking tone.

My hands were still holding onto the hilt of my sword, and my dark armor was still clanking with each move. I felt a sharp pain in my head, as the Shade's voice echoed in my mind.

I groaned in pain and looked around, trying to get my bearings. It was hard to think clearly with the bastard's voice in my head. "What have I done?" I whispered, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me as the memory of the corpses rushed back. "How many innocent people have I killed?"

The Shade laughed. "Oh, my dear Ari, you have no idea. We were a killing machine, slaughtering anyone who stood in our way. It was beautiful to watch, really."

I felt sick to my stomach, imagining the carnage that I must have caused. How did things turn this way? Why did things turn this way? I was no better than the dragon... "I don't want to be a monster," I muttered as I struggled to keep my tears at bay, and tried to push the Shade's voice out of my head.

The Shade snorted. "Too late for that, I'm afraid. You are a monster, and you always will be. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, you know. Monsters can be quite powerful. Just look at the dragon that's after us. We need to fight back, and you need my help to do it."

My grip subconsciously tightened around my sword, but before I could do anything, the Shade sensed my intention and I quickly lost control of my hand.

"Now, now. What did we talk about? You can't kill yourself, you were close though before, but now my dear, I'm afraid that is no longer a viable option, so it is in your best interest to cooperate."

I gritted my teeth, the monster's voice was hammering at my psych the pain quickly becoming intolerable as the sword fell from my hand to the ground with a loud clang.

I won't let you control me," I said, clutching my head. "I won't become like you."

The Shade burst out laughing. "You don't have a choice, my dear knight. It is already too late to play the innocent card. Your hands are eternally stained with the blood of those villagers, of those knights, of those mages,"

"No, no, no!" I shook my head, feeling the pressure in my head intensify. "No," I muttered, through gritted teeth. "I won't let you. I'll fight you with everything I have."

The Shade sighed. "You're being foolish, my dear Ari. You can't win this battle. You need me, and I need you. Together, we can defeat the dragon and get your revenge, then we can move on to get more, we can get anything and everything!. Think about it, all the power, all the wealth. It can be ours if you just let me take control, and stop fighting back. Just embrace it."

I closed my eyes, feeling tears roll down my face. I didn't want to become a monster, but It was slowly becoming harder and harder to keep myself sane. I didn't know how long I had before I completely lose myself.

'What did I do to deserve this?'

"Exactly, the world is cruel. It does not care for your feelings, it took away your lover, your life, your everything, so why should you care? Let it all burn, let US burn it all!"

****

As I soared high above the snow-capped peaks and frozen tundras, I scanned the horizon with an intensity born of desperation. I had been searching for what felt like an eternity. The Shade had eluded me for too long, and I was beginning to lose hope.

But just as I thought it was going to take a few more days, perhaps even weeks, something suddenly changed and caught my attention. A flicker of energy, a surge of aura that sent shivers down my spine. I turned my head, squinting my eyes against the blinding glare of the sun, and there I saw it. A mountain in the distance, its peak wreathed in a halo of light. The Shade was there. I just knew it, it's disgusting aura was close enough that It was impossible for me to miss it.

My heart leapt with joy, and excitement, as I beat my wings with renewed vigor. The wind roared in my ears as I flew towards the mountain, my eyes locked on the glowing beacon of the Shade's aura. I could feel the thrill of anticipation coursing through my veins, the fierce determination for the battle that was to come. It awakened something deep inside of me, something primordial and I could not help but release a mighty roar to the sky.

As I drew closer, the mountain loomed larger and larger, its slopes becoming steeper and more treacherous. I could see the jagged rocks jutting out from the side, the icy cliffs that glinted in the sun.

At last, I reached the mountain's peak, and there, standing in a cave at the summit, was the Shade, or the form it was inhabiting. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly red light, as the dark knight's body pulsed with disgusting energy.

I did not hesitate, nor did I give it any time to think. I spread my wings wide, baring my teeth in a fierce snarl, and unleashed a blast of dragon breath that engulfed the entire mountain causing it to collapse.

Dust, rocks, and rubble rained down as I hovered in the sky, the figure of the shade disappearing in the aftermath. Yet I continued to scan the destroyed mountain with a frown, I could still sense the aura of the bastard. It was still alive, somewhere within the chaos.

And so with a click of my tongue, I descended towards the wreckage, my massive wings beating against the dust-filled air. It was hard to see anything, but I had my way of dealing with that.

I reached out to the earth's elements and tapped into the mana inside my soul space. The dust and rubble suddenly settled and cleared out in one full swoop, leaving behind a scene of the aftermath.

I did not care for any of that, however, and instead, my gaze was fixated on the figure standing a distance in front of me with their sword drawn.

"Good, it would be too disappointing if you die so fast."