Chapter 680: True Demonlord [11]

"Am I missing the joke?"

"Not really," replied Origin regathering his breath, "-I expected something big to happen. The blank expression matches the initiation more than I could have hoped. You're now a Watcher of the Shadow Realm."

"And, what is that supposed to be?"

"Let me explain. We go back to Mantia, the summoned realm into the real world. When the barrier is expanded, it allows for the host to draw knowledge from the library and apply it to only that limited barrier. As Watcher of the Shadow Realm, by the symbol of power, is what I expected. Athnak saw the eligibility to be granted dominion over space and time. In other words, the reality is what you wish it to be. There's a catch, for the Watcher's power to manifest, you must first expand Mantia, which has merged with the Shadow Realm. Your domain is stronger than before, and there's no one to take it away. Mantia is yours fully, congratulation other-self, you've grown stronger by doing nothing again."

"I thought so," eyes to his palms, "-I'm always granted power at the least expected time. There's no cause or reason to it, whatever happens, happens. The question which bugs me, how strong am I compared to deities?"

"I can't say," paused to check the reaction, "-not going to take no for an answer?" the arms crossed in thought, "-here, this should do fine. Depending on the rank of the Domain, Watcher of the Shadow Realm, thee might be able to forever seal a god's power, steal said ability, and do whatever thee wishes on conditions Mantia's been expanded. Partial or Full expansion will work either way. Forgot to mention, once's the realm is deployed, there won't be a need to cast spells, just think, and it shall appear. The use of a personal domain expands a person's greatest expectation. I've efficiently given you my never-ending knowledge and the power to rule over reality. What say you, other self."

"Awesome," he smiled, "-thank you very much, Origin, I can't repay the favor."

"Who says repay," they hugged, "-we're one of the same, what's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine. We share, we cry, and we fight. If you die, I'll die, and if I die, you'll die."

"Should we head on back?" inquired Origin.

"You excited to go?"

"Hell yeah," he cheered, "-I want to see what sort of chaos thee'll cause," the friendly tone promptly halted before a portal, "-remember what I say. Swear to protect the Shadow Realm and the people closest to us. I don't ever want to see them be hurt. Use whatever means is necessary, turn the world against us if tis the price, their safety is the only payment I ask." 

"Understood," they elbowed, a subtle light swallowed their figures to a pinch of dust. 

Shivers went from the legs to the neck, the fresh sensation of the cold morning air being inhaled, the eyelids opened slowly to the sound of gunfire. '-What's happening?' eyes rubbed and off the bed, the curtain parted grandly to a jarring sight. The gates broke, the lovely yard of which Éclair had cared for so long laid in a pool of dust and debris. The bodies of many unknowns were on the ground, '-an ambush?' reality settled, the distant sound of helicopters rattled his instincts. 

*CLICK!* a figure barged into the room, blood poured down the head, the right shoulder rested emotionlessly, it barely hung, "-save the master's body," panted the figure, "-we must save the master…" it lent forward and buckled.

"Hey, hey," rushed forth, "-watch your step," he caught the injured lady, "-Kul, talk to me," he tapped her bloodied cheeks, "-Kul, wake up damn you." 

"M-master," her eyes shone in recognition, "-good morning, took your time," despite the pain, she pulled a smile and coughed, "-trust me, you need to run, this guy is the worst enemy we could have faced…" 

"Do you know my name?" the eyes dowsed in bloody-red, *Mana Control: Healing Element Variant: Restoration.* '-my mana capacity is back to when I lived as Staxius. This is what I'm talking about,' the healing hue restored Kul without hassle, her injured mind suddenly cramped and eased. 

"Master…"

"Welcome to the world of the living," said he, *Come Forth: Portal to the Shadow Realm.* "-I have a lot of questions, though, I'll content myself with this act. Go to the Shadow Realm and ask for Goddess Miira to prepare for potential injured allies. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes sir," she rambled on with a singular thought, '-master's stronger.' The cacophony of the impending battle approached, connection to Éclair was ruptured. 'Who's brave enough to attack us?' the ajar door opened fully to the scent of burns. '-The lift's a bad idea.' The mere thought and the right pupil bleached white thus came the ability to see and gauge the invaders. 'Very meticulous in their advancement.' 

*Guardian Spirit of mine, Vengeance, I, thy master, beckon thee!*

"How might I serve?" it knelt.

"Do you have the ability to create a portal to the Shadow Realm?"

"No my lord, I can only teleport myself."

*Then, per the title granted by Athnak, I, Igna Haggard, Watcher of the Shadow Realm, grant Vengeance the authority to teleport whoever he wishes to the realm of mine.*

"Are you sure my lord?"

"Definitely, here are my orders. Find and rescue my companions, spare none. Aceline and Vanesa are the priorities."

"What if I encounter monsters?"

"Fight only if thee can destroy them, if not, retreat. I have my doubts the enemy's far stronger than we imagine."

"Shall be done, my lord," it vanished. 

*Ancient-Magic: Teleportation.* 'About the invaders,' he reappeared in the scorched corridor, "-Greeting gentlemen!" 

"HUH?" fully-geared soldiers posited towards the lift jumped, "-who stands there!" the weapons faced back immediately. 

"Don't you dare point those toys at me," *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads* a subtle whiff passed their step, the rifles, cleanly sliced through the middle, broke into pieces. The fearful sight forced a reach for the pistols, *Blood-Arts: Extria,* the flow of blood inversed and instantly killed the invaders, '-they'd have given no information.' *Blood-Arts: Bloody Mary,* the crimson liquid poured from every pore till the long-awaited halo of the blood-king. As for the bodies, he faced away, and it turned to dust. '-What's truly happened here?' focused towards the basement, '-they haven't invaded there yet, there's a strange barrier in place. Illusion, Éclair must have used it to fool the invaders. My art-gallery's been safeguarded, how very nice of him, I ought to reward the man later.' No time wasted, the ground rumbled by the sound of massive tires under behemoths, '-they're a state-level insurgency. Which faction, can't tell.' The front door, once majestic and intricate, remained a broken relic of what used to be. Enemies arrived in full, the helicopters blatantly surveyed the area.

'Who has the prestige to call such an attack on a resident. Unless it's a raid from the police force, I don't see a reason. Or maybe a rivaling gang… questions, hypothesis, no answers.'

"Master," reappeared Vengeance, "-Éclair was slain in battle, he's back to the Shadow Realm. Lady Aceline is safe, the butler used his strength to teleport her to the domain."

"Good thinking on his part, what about Vanesa?"

"Sadly, the young mistress was taken hostage by the first attacker, by Éclair's account, she used her abilities to halt the invasion and buy time."

"Enough, they've overstepped their boundaries. Take command of a squad of Ombres, and wipe out Scouters and the nearby reinforcement. Contact me after the control center is found, take the leader hostage if possible, cut his limbs, if need be, I want the fucker restrained. They've moved against my property, and against my companions. Not to mention, my lovely daughter used herself as bait to save what I worked hard to protect. I'm a bad father," despite the composed way of speech, the intent fueled a burning desire to avenge, Vengeance's mind overwhelmed by his master's unfiltered ire. 

Imminent steps out of the manor were accompanied by the overhanging feeling of nausea. Mana exuded by each stride; the face dulled to nothingness. The spirit disappeared to do his bidding. 

*CRASH,* a meteoric proportioned boulder landed meters away, a crater spawned smoke and a desolate figure, "-How strong can that guy be," it complained. Igna watched and waited, "-he's back for more, I swear, Kul had to do and die first," few shakes of the head, and the man clambered to the invaded yard. The militarized vehicles aimed and waited for further orders. "-Oh, I'm in trouble."

"Asmodeus," said Igna, "-quite the landing."

"Master," he smiled, "-Kul managed to wake thee up, she's amazing."

"And you?" closer examination showed torn clothes and stretch marks from mortally healed wounds.

"Depends, man, the attack came so suddenly I don't even know where to start."

"Leave the talk for later," he moved in front of the prince, "-where's Vanesa." 

"Over there," he pointed above the chopper, "-the entity's held her hostage, I tried to rescue to no avail, we can't help her, are you sure about this?"

"Don't forget who I am," the face straightened, '-damned fools,' *Blood-Arts: Extria.*

Meanwhile, up in the skies, "-you'll be sorry when pops awakens."

"Shut up child, I care not for weaklings. None in this realm shall be able to defeat or even lay a hand on me. Mistress of Plague, thou art a pitiable sight, such a covenanted title granted to a listless baby."

"Oh no. Better brace for impact."

"What do you mean, child?"

"Look below," she pointed with her feet, "-pops is back and looking at us, you're dead." 

"Impossible, he can't reach-" the eyes widened, *CRASH.* 

"Do people not realize how stupid it is?" said Igna before a newly made crater.

"POPS!" she smiled, "-WELCOME BACK." 

"Good to see you," he threw her to Asmodeus, "-retreat, I'll handle the mess from here on." *Snap,* the portal swiftly evacuated the companions, the bicolored pupils gave to totally white and marred by spots of red, "-for the transgression of attacking my property and my associates, thee must face judgment."

"Impossible!" refuted the entity, "-how did you reach me from such low grounds?"

"I used Vanesa's blood to pull thee both. Must I explain my actions to a dead man?"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the one who destroys those in my path." 

*Watchers, spectators, names ring high and low, us, unknown to the world's reality, unknown to the world's knowledge, have lived in utter solemness for millennia to come and go. Watcher of the Shadow Realm, beckons my might to be fully materialized without prejudice, reality is but my playground, neither god or demon shall overcome my authority, face me in stride, face me in fear, reality's what I wish it to be for knowledge is the true strength: Realm Expansion Shadow Realm Variant – Rantiam.*

A nonchalant smirk told what awaited, two wormholes sustained above and below the manor's location in the shape of an upward and downward umbrella, noticeable for miles on end, before joined to wrap the entire hill in a mist of grand proportion. 

Leader of the insurgence peeped with, "-what's the matter?" 

"I don't know," replied the entity, "-we're trapped inside a barrier."

"Not a barrier, uncultured vultures. Tis the manifestation of who thou dared hurt," the hill flattered to a dessert-like scape. The sun, represented by a child's drawing, shuffled from side to side, "-Doth thee wish to battle?" inquired Igna.

"COCKY BASTARD," the entity charged.

He waited and said, "-back at you." *Left arm, break* the sound of crushed bones solicited a cringe by the crowd. 

"MY ARMS!" it yelled, "-MY AUTHORITY AS GOD SLAYER, WHAT'S BECOME OF IT."

"The stolen powers?" he stood still, "-try again, you might nick me." 

"DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ME!" he clawed up and dashed. 

*Both legs, break.*

"-AAHHHHHH" 

"Don't you understand, I control reality itself," blocks of void matter circled above the right shoulder, "-watch me carefully." *Insurgence's vehicles become toys.*

"Huh?" they watched cluelessly.

*Die with the harshest pain known to men.*

Said day, the screams of the attackers would forever be seared, "-head on back and tell thy leader, cross paths against me or my companions, and death shall awaits."