The flame Monarch

•••• South of Egypt •••

There were currently 14 men clad in army attire on the sand walking to the South East. 

Their uniforms had a small flag that was quite known. 

This flag was Atheria, a country half the size USA but had a very strong foundation. No one knows who founded it but it's known to come to existence in the early 1700s .

The soldiers all had AK-47 on their back as they leisurely walked behind a middle aged buff man . He had a deep scar that ran through one of his eyes. He walked tiredly yet authoritatively. 

" Attention soldiers, we're currently entering the forbidden zone . " The middle aged man shouted and the soldiers who seemed to be lazy with the walking suddenly armed themselves and stood attention. 

Infront of them was an entirely different scenery from where they were. 

They stood on a sandy desert but right in front of them was a forestry filled with animals, trees and even water. 

However the most beautiful and disturbing thing about it was that at the centre there was a temple. The temple to a creature even gods feared. 

Their commander, the middle aged man turned to the soldiers who were currently at attention. 

" I maybe pessimistic when I say this but most of you won't make it. The risks are high but the reward is higher. Remember soldiers, if we survive and bring back the artifact requested we will be honored personally by his highness the king.

Not only that but we will get enough money to last to our grandchildren. 

Remember to give it your all . This is for our country!!! " The commander shouted and the soldiers responded enthusiastically.

All of them for personal reasons to do this. Either money , glory or to be etched down in history. 

All of them wanted to complete their mission. All except one. 

They walked into the forest with guns on their hands. Constantly aiming for anything suspicious which didn't make it any more helpful with the constant noise produced by the fauna . 

Everytime they had a creature jump near them they shifted their gaze in worry with their guys pointed at it. 

However they soon relaxed after reaching the entrance to the temple. 

The soldiers at arriving here significantly relaxed as it was well known that the forest was the one that was the most dangerous. 

There were two young men at the back . One was a tall well built young man with brown hair and blue eyes. His looks in itself could make any woman thoroughly fail.

The other was a person with medium height with black hair and eyes. Part of his face was burnt and even the ugliest women would think twice before considering him. 

The blue eyed man leaned to his short comrade and asked.

" What will you do once we get back ?" 

The burned man didn't respond and walked away. He knew after that nothing was that simple.

The commander commanded them to enter the temple and they did so excitedly. 

It was a narrow road and as it progressed it became darker for them to see . 

They had to use their flash light at some certain point. 

They finally arrived at their destination and what they saw shocked them. 

Multiple giant portraits showing the might of whoever creature this temple was dedicated. 

The army didn't need to have a translator to know this wasn't a benevolent god.

It showed a man with red painted eyes with a demonic smile standing on top of a pile of corpses . He held the decapitated head of a creature with golden paint. 

Horror gripped the people who knew who knew who this creature was. 

" We need to get the hell out of here " Lucas( the tall young man ) said. 

" Calm down soldier " The commander said looking at Lucas with Sharp eyes.

" Calm down? How the fuck should I calm down when we're in the temple of Diabo " Lucas nearly screeched. 

This made the rest of the people start shaking in fear. Who didn't know Diabo, the creature even gods feared. 

However there was one who slightly smiled. 

Lucas turned around with his flashlight to the exit and to the horror of many, it wasn't there. It was as if it never existed. 

The soldiers who looked back also gapped in fear . This wasn't supposed to be happening. 

" All of you soldiers calm down. We just need to get the sculpture and find a way out. We just need a volunteer. " The commander said with a smile.

The object in question was on a slightly raised platform. It was a small sculpture of a the demon Diabo that could even be held in one hand. 

This made the people look at him in disgust. He was willing to sacrifice his men just to get such a cursed object.

The men though didn't have the guts to tell their commander like that so they shuffled themselves looking at each other fear evident in their eyes. 

One of them finally responded. 

" I'll do it " 

It was the burned man. 

The commander grinned. 

" Hahahaha very good Cole Kaari. You'll be honored for this " The commander said walking to Cole and patting him. 

Everyone looked at him with pity . They looked at him as if this was the last time seeing him. 

The commander slightly nudged Cole to Walk towards the artifact. 

He walked slowly and with careful calculated steps with slight fear of tripping any mine that would instantly kill him. 

Everyone else looked at him with anticipation in their eyes. 

Should he succeed all of them would be set for life. 

Should he fail they were certain the commander would force another person. 

Cole walked slow and steady and he was 15metres towards the object. 

His next step however would be what most soldiers would regret in the remaining moments of their life. 

* Creak *

The stone Cole was stepping on glowed slightly and suddenly a soldier gasped in horror as the corpses I'm the portrait started moving. 

The corpses started falling to the ground and slowly raising up. They were stonish grey however there gaze felt disturbingly humane. It was as if they were being controlled against their will .

The portrait of Diabo's eyes moved to look at Cole with that same menacing grin.

The stone like corpses screeched as they ran towards Cole . It seemed that he was their primary objective. 

Cole didn't hesitate to run towards the sculpture. He couldn't fail . He must reach to the sculpture.

" Everyone provide Cole support as he gets the sculpture. " The commander shouted and at his command torrents of bullets rained down on the stone corpses. 

This successfully diverted the attention to the soldiers and Cole was lucky to be given a leeway.

' I'm close just 12metres , 11 , 10 , 7 , 6 ,5 ,4 ,2 ' Cole grinned as he was about to touch the sculpture. 

His path towards revenge was there. 

However his ecstacy was short lived as he felt a strong blow to his side 

" Argh !!" Cole flew to the rocky pavement hitting his head to the side. He got a concussion on the hit and his head started to bleed.

This obscured his vision and when he recovered he saw a bulky stonish knight with a large broadsword and a red devilish glint in his eyes jumping towards his body with the giant longsword pointing at him. 

Out of instinct he rolled his body to the side narrowly dodging the strike. 

The ground slightly caved in at where the Stony knight stroke. 

And without giving Cole a chance to spare it kicked him immediately after jumping back on his feet. He spitted blood from the impact as he flew to a wall with a portrait behind him.

He was just lucky this wasn't the same portrait that the stone corpses originated from. 

His body gave up but out of sheer will Cole moved his body slightly dodging the stone broadsword that was thrown. 

' One more punch that's all . ' Cole motivated himself. 

He just needed the force the creature could give to propel him to the statue. 

He moved his body exposing his back for the creature to strike and it didn't disappoint as suddenly he felt a sharp pain . 

His body flew like a ragdoll towards the statue. 

Due to the high amount of sustained injuries his body was currently giving up . But he couldn't. He needed to strike that statue with all his might. 

He shifted his body as he approached the creature and with one last push he kicked the statue making it shatter. 

Everything was quiet and the soldiers watched in sheer horror as Cole destroyed their path to greatness.

He finally did what he set to do . He was happy. 

His body continued to fly and he finally landed on the opposite pavement with a splat. 

The group watched in horror and anger as Cole died . 

How dare he die after doing such a stunt. 

" Raagh !! " The commander gave an unearthly cry as he fired down his bullets. 

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Contrary to what Cole thought, he found himself in a grass thatched house. 

He was currently lying on a wooden bed that in every sense was uncomfortable. 

He stretched himself as he stood up. 

He touched his body feeling everything. He was completely normal !! 

This shocked him to a great degree as even his burn was gone. 

Was he in heaven ?

He walked out of the hut and was greeted by a beautiful green scenery. 

The blue sky and the sun coexisted in harmony with the landscape. 

The singing of the birds gave him a sense of relief. 

He walked through the trees his barefoot allowing him to touch the ground and feel more in sync with it. 

As he walked through the forest he heard something

Thump!! Thump!!

It felt as though someone was digging. 

He at first disagreed with his thoughts to go see it but his internal thoughts got the better part of him.

After humans by nature are curious beings. 

He approached slowly and saw a kid barely 10 years digging what seemed to be a grave. 

He froze not because of a kid digging but because of what was beside him. 

A headless corpse and it oozed golden blood signifying this was a god before his unfortunate demise. 

Suddenly the kid stopped digging finally raising up . 

He turned his head to look back at Cole. 

He had red eyes and black hair. His ebony skin gave him an extra charm when coupled with his eyes. 

" Hey wanna help me bury this body " The kids said. 

Cole jumped back in fear. His heart beating loudly. 

The kid looked super harmless and cute at first sight however Cole had fought many battles and he had learnt to trust his instincts. 

And what his instincts told him to do was 

Pray .