Chapter 1004

Chapter 1004: The Crossroads

*Cough, cough,* blood guzzled down her chin. Undrar painfully watched, her armor cracked, splitting Lixbin’s domain. ‘Undrar,’ screamed, ‘-where is she,’ the void eased, allowing the devastation to be thrust into center-stage. ‘-she’s there,’ her presence hung tight. Igna limped with one hand on his shoulder. Clean holes went through his torso, he bled profusely, lowered blood pressure took its toll, ‘-I feel lightheaded.’

“I-I-Igna,” Undrar held tightly on her chest, “-my heart, it’s, it’s...”

“Steady yourself,” he knelt and held her head over his legs, “-don’t do anything rash.”

“Igna,” came a kind smile, “-don’t worry so much,” her fingers rose to tap his chest, “-see, you’re healing,” darkness from the death element spread. A plague of death washed the ground into a pit of despair. Greenery or wounded bystanders melted – leaving a gel-like substance.

*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 nor 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 press of the palms altered the very essence of the air. A hemisphere of unknown origin cupped the crater, “-not making that mistake again,” he said, unleashing everything he held dearly, ” *O’ goddess forgotten by the ages, o’ goddess who spread victory and peace over the souls of true warriors. I, humble vessel for thy Symbol, plea to have a sliver of thy strength.* a faceless outfit of a dame rose at his back, she leaned and pecked his cheeks – the veins bloated into a golden hue. Energy gathered around the duo. *See the unseen, feel the unfelt, knowledge deep within, awaken for I order so; Eye of Truth,* pure white sprinkled with red and purple gaze upon the wounded Harbinger of Death.

“Igna,” her colder hands reached to cup his, “-it’s enough,” she smiled, “-Artanos’ curse has already taken effect. I was doomed the moment I absorbed Viola’s energy.”

“Oh, shut it,” he snapped; potentially world-ending grimoires summoned at each beckoning call, “-you will do well to remain silent, I’ll take care of the rest,” a warm hue flowed from his palm, “-I’ll do what I must,” and in the moments he spoke, knowledge from Origin and unaltered usage of ancient symbols granted by Alfred lit the field as if fireworks. For what seemed hours, minutes passed.

.....

“Enough,” said Undrar, “-the more you heal, the greater the wounds become. I don’t feel pain – my symbol’s destroyed, there’s no changing the truth,” she tapped his chest, “-the death element’s returned to where it belongs.”

“No,” he refused, “-no, I don’t care, I don’t want it,” he gripped her palms, “-if gaining the element means losing you... I-I-I-I’ll give it up!”

A fissure splattered dark energy unlike they’d ever sensed, “-my,” a gentlemanly voice approached, “-it would seem my pupils are in a rather tight spot,” a top-hat, a lavish suit and a silver walking cane, “-I see you’ve taken good care of Undrar.”

“Lord Death?”

“In the flesh...” he paused, “-something along those lines,” he waited opposite Igna choosing to stand and pour tea on a hovering tray. “Igna,” the gloved hands warmly caressed Undrar’s bloodied forehead, her tenseness seemed to ease, “-you have grown strong, what’s with that look of despair. Are you not an esteemed member of the Watchers, he who guards the Shadow Realm, protector of what he deems close. Looking at her state, there’s no saying otherwise – she’s dying. The afflicted curse has taken effect. You made a crucial mistake,” he sat on a boulder, “-escaping the curse of misfortune wasn’t the greatest of an idea. I guess it’s partly my fault too. I had hoped the Death Element to have carried Alfred, the cursed king, to greater heights. We made a deal, and in said deal, I was able to stop the growing atrocities. Guess it was the first time I ever chose to get personal. Alfred,” he spoke directly, “-we meet after a long time. I knew this day would come; I knew it was you the moment Staxius chose to enter the Hall of Rebirth. You’ve grown, were bested by the elites, and left in lingo between life and death. The sturdiness of your soul, the sturdiness of the capabilities as a vessel – drawing in Origin, making friends out of demons and gods, and scheming thy way forth. Staxius, you knew deep down the reincarnation wouldn’t allow thee to take hold of the host. Everyone inside,” he tapped Igna’s chest, “-entered thinking they could control the beast that lives within. Alas, on entering the beast’ cage, they realized there was no beast to be found, only a cage and a lock. They who reside within are now the beasts. A poetic end I dare say. Duping misfortune is like tricking the devil. Once she knows, the lass shan’t stop her hunt until the prey lays in complete waste. Igna, you stand at a crossroad,” he rose his brows, “-a hard choice has to be made. The Death element yearns to return to its host. Undrar’s element’s broken and mine has reached its limit. If I were to die, the power would completely destroy the remaining self-control.” Igna stared at Undrar’s peaceful expression blankly, “-you feel it, don’t you?” whispered Lord Death, “-the energy from within, the mana pool being refilled, the element’s return. You feel good, you feel amazing, emotions and affection towards others become an object of your control, you choose to get angry, you choose to get sad. As the element returns, so does the curse of misfortune, the curse to start again, the curse to always suffer,” Igna’s gaze shifted from Undrar to lord Death. He sat with hands on his cane – a serpent ethereally swirled, its tail laid within Lord Death’s heart, the body coiled around Death’s torso to a pair of unblinking daggers.

*Hand of the Lamented, I bring upon the earth the powers of the shunned child, watch me, the heavens and cower for I, Alfred, have reawakened. Watch as tis my forthcoming, my return, and my message to those who dare stand against me, repent!*

‘What’s with this person?’ palms reached for the serpent, ‘-must be my imagination, no one’s the power required to see, let alone understand or tam-‘ the grip tighten around its neck – he pulled emptily, or so observed Lord Death. ‘WHAT?’ the snake wrapped its body around Igna’s left arm, ‘-how did he catch me!’ it wiggled.

“Igna, are you okay?” wondered Lord Death, ‘-he’s zoning out.’

“Lord Death,” he rose his head and tapped, “-is this the curse of misfortune?”

“...”

“Pardon?”

“Teach, look, can’t you see the snake?”

“What snake?” he narrowed, “-where exactly do you see it?”

“HERE!” he vehemently shook, “-on my left arm, the snake’s wrapped, I hold its head between my thumb and index, can’t you see?”

“No, I cannot.”

A burst of energy flung Igna across, the crater rattled, ‘-my head,’ he nonchalantly pushed off the indented place of impact, “-what’s the matter with you?” the grip tightened.

“NO, THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!” screamed telepathically, “-who are you?”

“No, who are you!”

“Excuse me, I was chilling in Death’s shadow, causing havoc and sowing despair. Whoever you are had to intervene and break my hold on his element. Do you know who you’re messing with?”

“A snake?” he returned logically, “-wait...” a smug grin appeared, “-are you the Curse of Misfortune?”

“M-M-Maybe?”

“AHA! So you’re the bitch who’s caused me and my other selves trauma,” the right knuckles cracked, “-I’ve waited for this day for a long time. Because of you Undrar’s... my family, those I deemed close to me... everything I built, you, it’s you, IT WAS YOU!”

“Slow down!” it fired, “-it’s true, I’m the one who causes misfortune. But then, why does it matter? You cause death, everything has a role to play. The weaver of destiny, the creator, the destroyer, the very soil to the very endlessness of space. Everything has its purpose. My question is how can you acknowledge me?”

“We’re in my domain,” he said, “-suppose you unknowingly revealed yourself... happens, don’t let it get you down.”

“Release your grip, oaf.”

“Fine, what will you do?”

“This,” it slithered up the arms and wrapped around his neck, “-I’ll stay here, we need to talk.”

‘The element beats anew, I feel my strength return. This feeling is what I longed for. No matter the extent of power I borrow from the Shadow Realm, it’s never enough – the smallest of droplet suffices to blow my enemies away. A realm shouldn’t be used to fight ants... wait, what am I thinking,’ drifting blond hair, “-Lord Death, what about Undrar?”

“Don’t know,” a ritual circle burnt in white flames, “-she’s going to die one way or the other. Igna, you can’t help the situation.”

“I think I can,” he knelt, “-Lord Death, you were thinking of separating her soul and sending her true form through the circle of life and death.”

“Yeah, it would be a shame to lose her...”

“The Bringer of Death won’t die on my watch,” he pressed his palms, the ritual symbols shattered for a greater magical circle, her eyes reopened, “-Igna?”

“Undrar, take it easy. You won’t die, I won’t let it happen.”

*Ancient Magic, Spatial-Arts: Disruption,* a slash severed her core, the hand of the lamented dove into said core and crawled – color faded from her cheeks, the breathing came to a slow stop – her presence vanished bit by bit, ‘-I knew it,’ he gripped, *I am the slayer without fear, I am he who shall be the last of what thy see. Heed mine call, thou whomst dared to fight the natural order, tis the day thou ought to be destroyed, Ancient Magic – Astral Binding,* a clockwork worm found its whole body riddled with golden lances, *-knowledge known to only the watcher, I, master and inheritor of Origin, beckon thee; Mantia, Library of the all-knowing,* pages claimed the paintedesque landscape, *-Book of Rue, on the first day of the devil’s awakening – the ancient art of creation falls, for the conjurer is a priest sworn to the gods but led astray by evil. The anti-god, the devourer of angels, the embodiment of evil, cursed King Alfred, reaches the heavens and swallows Creation’s heir, gaining the powers of Creation. Fashion into life a perfect replica, grant the symbol of Creation; Yeve,* the body of a higher-tier entity rose blankly, Igna panted heavily, *Living or dead, I invite all to the realm of absurdity, serve me and my companions, be one of a greater family. Forgo the past and look towards the future, one in which thou art be immortal and without regret. Box of Soul: Shadow Realm Transmigration.* Undrar’s soul disappeared, only to reappear seconds later, *I beckon the souls of the Shadow Realm, be free,* a whirlwind blew from the Box to the vessel. Igna collapsed and coughed, the beating element raced, “-got you,” a soft expression caught his fall, “-you really did it,” said Undrar, “-you saved me...” he rose his hand and pressed her cleavage, a line of symbol manifested above the hand, “-still have a job to do,” he smiled, the symbols impaled his hand, spraying blood and breaking bones, “-I return thee thy element,” the last symbol pushed, the hand dropped and lost consciousness.

‘My powers,’ she stared at her arms and legs, Death’s armor returned, her element beat thrice the strength it held previously, “-what happened?”

“My,” lord Death smiled, “-seems my heir has grown stronger than ever before. Reality is nothing more than a game – your element, it’s reported. This domain, the Shadow Realm, is the real deal – a never-ending torrent of pure power. He discovered the best was to utilize the element – forsaking his own strength for the sake of a place where he could borrow said strength. I’m impressed.”

‘Igna Haggard,’ the serpent hissed, ‘-strong and weak, who are you, what are you, what’s your potential... I’m excited.’