"How do you not know that they've met each other!" the voice said and Zucar got so scared he couldn't hide his shiver as it continuously run over his body
The air in the room got colder but for some reason, he was feeling hot on the inside
"You had one job Zucar, one job" the voice said again, this time with a low shirl effect, one that made an hollow build in Zucar's head
"My lord!" Zucar said as he got on his knees, the hollow in his head causing him to feel dizzy
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I was away and left someone in charge of the watch, I didn't intend to slack off" Zucar said breathing heavily
"I left you with a task and you slacked" the voice said again and Zucar looked to where the voice was coming from
A dark hollow with a red hue that kept shrinking and bouncing out with the voice's intensity
The more Zucar looked into the hollow, the more the one that's in his head kept pulsing and the more he kept feeling the urge to go closer to the hollow
Knowing first hand what will happen if he gets five steps closer to the hollow, he took his eyes away, closed them and started praying
"Oh you Lord of the Darkness, I beseech thee, forgive thy servant for he has sinned against you, free him from your shackles for he wishes to serve you better, bring him peace as," he was saying before the voice shrilled at him, the red hue in the hollow becoming lighter, and the room getting hotter
Zucar could only pant and pray for safety
He knew he had offended the Lord of darkness and he knew he was going to pay for his sin, one way or the other
'If I get out of this alive I'm going to kill that bastard' he said to himself as he sweat his skin off
"You know what this means Zucar" the voice said and Zucar shivered "we can't trust you anymore" the voice said with a multiple voice effect
"My lord!" Zucar screamed as fear gripped him "please show mercy!" he begged tears in his eyes, mingling with the sweat on his body, with his mouth shivering and body shaking
He couldn't help the fear he felt even though he wanted to have a strong resolve
He used to think serving the Dark Lord all his life was going to make him escape one moment of slack but with the situation of things, he realized he was wrong
"Mercy you say" the voice said, still with he multiple voice effect
"Your predecessor lost the moon's star, that was the start of this mess!" the voice said with a low shrill
"We had to wait on fate" it said again, with distate evident in it
"You were loyal and diligent, so we had you in charge of the watch, and just when you almost had them, you messed it up!" It shrilled so high Zucar's ear started bleeding with his eyes losing focus and his mind distorted
"You brought this upon yourself" the voice said after some seconds and with the multiple sound effect
Then a fire started around Zucar, intensifying the heat he felt as it slowly burnt towards him
"I have served you diligently for over a decade! Have mercy on me" Zucar plead, pain and anger building in him
If only he had not stepped out of the watch room, leaving his assistant there. If only he had not coveted a woman that was not his, if only he didn't waste time killing the woman's man because he caught them, maybe, just maybe he would have gotten back in time for him to see the two stars allign. Maybe he would've seen it before the Celestial Palace did and before the Dark Lord knew of his loss, then he would've been able to avoid his peril
"You mock us because we can't see the world ourselves and have no choice but to see it your eyes" the voice growled and the fire's intensity increased, burning Zucar and making him shout in horror
Pain clouding his senses
He wanted to reply the voice, he wanted to tell it he would never do that, that he was brought up to fear it and nothing could've made him think lower of a spiritual figure but couldn't reply. He couldn't say anything with his mouth, other than scream
Also there was no use replying, he knew he would've died anyways
Unless he was cured
And then hope surged in him
"Forgive me and I will find the third star," he cried inbetween screams "before anybody gets to it, I will get to it" he said to the voice but didn't get a response and that scared him
He started losing hope
"I will help you lord! I'll bring him to your feet and let you have your way with him!" he said, his voice louder but he still couldn't help the screams that came with it
But again, the voice didn't say anything and the fire was already burning away at his left leg while his skin melts slowly, all causing great indescribable pain
He kept howling and crying
"I'll do this in three months!" he cried
He felt like he was going to die, he knew with the degree of the burn he shouldn't be able to talk, but somehow, he still felt his mouth and his brain could still function despite the pain's intensity, so he took the signs as a chance and went in for it
"No lord! Give me two months and I'll make it happen!" he said and immediately the fire disappeared and water washed over him, burning him while cooling him at the same time
"Oh lord" he cried from both pain and relief since it means his death is not today
"How do you intend on doing it?" the voice asked, with a low growl and Zucar who had tears in his eyes sniffled and looked into the hollow
"I will make it happen, no matter what" was all he could say to the voice as blood ozzed from his wound and his body felt heavy because of the pain
He knows he doesn't have a plan, but he felt he was going to make it happen
"And we're only supposed to trust your words?" the voice said and heat came into the room again
"My lord, I promise you this, I shall make it happen, if I don't, kill me in the most cruel way possible, kill all my down line too" Zucar said, images of his sons and daughters passing through his head
He knew he was making a deal with the devil while putting his precious things on the line but he felt he had to do all that he can while he still could
"Two months from now Zucari Olbet, without good result, you lose your entire generation" the voice said with a multiple effect and slowly but evidently, Zucar's wound stopped bleeding and it healed with scars all over his body
He used to be a handsome man who was coveted by many women. He had full black hair and brown eyes and his body was lush and scarless but now, he lacked hair and his skin is wrinkled, an effect of the burn he suffered
And above all, he lost his left leg
"Thank you, Your Greatness" he said, tears of relief in his eyes
He was relieved he still had his life and he was relieved he was no longer in pain
"If progress is evident after a week, you'll regain your previous body" the voice said and after that, the hollow disappear, leaving Zucar confused as he assessed his surroundings
He found himself on the ground, surrounded by trees and in the rain
And seconds later, he could hear horses neighing as they got closer to him