Ten days later....
The moon shone brightly over the capital of the Shadow Realm casting a ghostly onto the city. On top of the tallest tower of the palace, a shadow could seen gazing down at the city.
"The last day to back out," Kioku said quietly to himself. He wore a black long sleeved shirt with a high wide collar that covered his mouth.
On his right hand was a leather gauntlet lined with a red dragon pattern, his trousers were black and tucked inside his usual leather boots. He wore a belt around his his shirt and attached to it at his back was the black sword Hakai had given him.
Kioku put his hands together and a black travelling cloak materialised on him, the cloak had the mark of three sword stuck in stone, the symbol of the Shadow Realm. Kioku dissolved into his shadow and reappeared on top of the wall at the entrance of the city.
"Its me."
Mora and Zeru appeared at either side of Kioku both wearing a uniform of the same design and material the only different being their collars were not wide and they both did not wear gauntlets. Mora held the Regetsu in his hand.
"This is the last chance for either of you to back out," said Kioku, facing towards the horizon that awaited him.
"Do you really think I'd bitch out," said Mora with a grin.
"I already made up my mind, my father will acknowledge me," Zeru said firmly.
"Our goal is to help our allies who are in desperate need of assistance across the multiverse. Remember they are fighting forces even supreme gods such as they cannot handle," Kioku said as he turned back slightly to face them with a narrowed eye.
"Are you ready for what we're up againist."
Kioku asked that question to them and himself. That was the moment where he had to make the choice of whether he would really go or not.
"Do you really need to ask," said Zeru.
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't emo prince," Mora said grinning from ear to ear.
"Throughout this mission, one order remains crucially important," said Kioku taking a step forward, possibly to his death or to his victory. "Don't die, if you die I'll kill you."
Mora smiled and Kioku and Zeru charged forward, Kioku's words had lit a fire inside him. He put his hands together and did a small bow.
'Thank you Master, your teachings did not fall on deaf ears, I will avenge you.'
♤♤♤
Standing on the cliff of the mountain that the palace of Hakai stood upon was Chaos. He wore his usual darker than black robes and his hair flowed with bright purple energy, his face was young but his eyes were older than time.
"How interesting," said Chaos, as he stared at the city. Tsukiyomi appeared in a flash of silver light, he wore silver robes and had tied his hair in a long pony tail. He knelt before Chaos and came to stand next to him gazing at the city.
"Grandfather, the ritual station is prepared," said Tsukiyomi respectfully.
"Hakai, Yona and myself are setting out to deal with the advance force of Heaven that managed to infiltrate the Shadow Realm."
"Where are the brats?" Asked Chaos in an amused tone.
"They are out training their Arch," responded Tsukiyomi.
"I see," said Chaos sounding even more amused, as if he had just heard a joke.
"Tsukiyomi do you trust Hakai?"
Tsukiyomi was taken aback by the question and thought for a while before answering.
"No, I can never trust him. Every plan of his feels like it has so many layers to it that you don't know what to believe, he is the most untrustworthy person I know."
Chaos laughed loudly, his laugh made Tsukiyomi uneasy. "Indeed he is like that. But he is the most trust worthy person I know, however-,"
The air around Chaos changed instantly from cheerful to deadly, his eyes were cold and blank and seemed to take away all life around him.
"He is the person I trust the least."
Chaos turned and walked towards the palace without a single word to Tsukiyomi who remained confused by the comment Chaos made. Tsukiyomi started to slowly disappear as he stared hard at the back of the being that was the mysterious of all, his eyes glowed brightly with silver light.
"The future remains clouded...but I can still see it...the culmination of events caused by the Arcane war....the war that will be both the end and the beginning."
♤♤♤
"What the hell."
Hakai, Yona and Tsukiyomi stood shocked facing bodies of numerous Seraphs scattered across the ground which was bathed with blood.
"Who did this?" Asked Tsukiyomi to no one in particular.
"We did."
Kioku, Mora and Zeru appeared in front of the three with their travelling cloaks. Zeru held his hand out and a black portal appeared, Zeru looked at his father and gave him a slight node which was not returned and he stepped through the portal with a sad smile.
"Where do you think you are going?" demanded Tsukiyomi. Mora stepped up to explain but Kioku held him back and stepped forward instead.
"We're going to help our allies and change the war situation," said Kioku firmly.
"Are you both fools!" Shouted Tsukiyomi, silver energy exploding around him.
"Do you even know what awaits you out there! There are forces apart from the Heavenly Society who are equally dangerous and will show you no mercy, you, who barely survived an encounter with an Apprentice to a Heavenly general!"
Mora stepped towards the portal and looked back at his father with a sad expression. "This is what mother would've wanted."
Kioku alone remained, he made for the portal as well and only now did Hakai speak, his tone both mocking and curious.
"I sense your fear Kioku, I know you're afraid," Kioku momentarily stopped and faced Hakai.
"You know that this will get you killed, there is no mercy out there, existence is a cruel place. You seriously intend to go there when you haven't shaken that weakling mentality of you've developed?"
Hakai looked at Kioku, his response would determine if his plan would succeed or not, if the Shadow Realm would acquire what it had lacked for so long.
"On the battlefield, the commander is the most eccentric soldier," Kioku said as he stepped into the portal.
"You taught me that as my first lesson, so this crazy idea of mine, I thought of because I was taught by an eccentric tactician, plus-."
"The heir of darkness feels no fear," said Kioku with a smile.
Yona and Tsukiyomi remained shocked at what had just transpired in front of them. Only Tsukiyomi was genuinely shocked, Yona was faking it to show that he had no hand in the matter. Hakai was smiling inwardly for the first time in many years, not an evil smile but one of genuine warmth and caring.
'You're in greater danger than you think but as I taught you that shouldn't hold back an eccentric tactician,' thought Hakai.
'I sullied the name of this place that Shina created because of the Arcane War but you Kioku can show them that the Shadow Realm isn't to be underestimated.'
'Echo the voices of darkness that those of light refuse to hear and lead us to victory and become what they need most. Become...'
"Hakai, are you really going to allow this?" Asked Tsukiyomi furiously.
"Calm your breasts Tsukiyomi," said Hakai in an indifferent tone, his mouth curved into an evil smile behind the veil of darkness.
"Before darkness all is devoured."