Chereads / Eclipse of the Magi / Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Finished Business

Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Finished Business

Jackal was shot down, his body heavily wounded, with Sabnock crushing down at the body using its feet, stomping upon the body to ensure he doesn't come back again. Their weight was heavy, able to crush solid stone without any issues, having said weight and damage caused to be insurance in the case Jackal woke back up from the very dead. Zazel had to take a breather as he looked towards Graves, at the very least happy that he was "alive." The Demon looked back at the tree where his clone was, thanking it as it disintegrated. He could recall it vividly, with the performance being done after scaring Oaking to such a high regard:

Zazel alongside his two other clones looking onward to see a strong light upon the Horizon. After the trio finished their activity, they went to investigate that very light, being the 3rd clone made to serve as a signal to capture their attention in regards to the criminal in question. The wounds and damages made upon that clone made it evident that there was a struggle, and such damages are perhaps the culprit in question causing it. With this knowledge in mind, Zazel and the two other identical duplicates all created their sigils to summon Sabnock into action, with Zazel himself using one of Harvard's cards to cast an identical sigil to summon a second Sabnock, adding them up to around four of the mechanical monstrosities. Zazel got atop of one of them using the sigils left behind as their transportation, as the Sabnocks moved out to that desired location, the clones disappearing in simple blasts of energy, slightly tiring the demon out. Had he not reached there in time, disaster would've struck towards the likes of Graves himself.

He'd relax himself after finishing such a business, with Graves sealing his life away by planting the houses atop of him, each house taking up a space to hold them all in one location. Such houses were organized almost like a tomb for Jackal, acting as his resting place. "Well...There yah go! Found out the real criminal, and put him down for go-. . . Graves?" Zazel was confused towards the ghost, as he would see him slowly disappear before his very eyes. Graves was disappearing. His top half was slowly disintegrating, sparkles of light slowly floating upwards, his other eye slowly leaving just as well. Graves, however, didn't drop his expression. He wasn't scared. He wasn't sad. He wasn't even angry. His body was disappearing, yet he was not worried in the slightest, much to the concern and sudden action of Zazel, whom tried to reach the ghost. It only made his body disappear faster.

"Well....this is a new one. Usually when I disappear, it means my life is complete..." Graves merely smiled as his body goes away.

"What?? Wha-. . I don't understand what you mean!" Zazel shouted, still trying to understand what he was saying. Then, it hit him. When he realized what was happening, Graves added on.

"I don't either. Yet.....I believe it has resolved now. Whoever that man is...Whatever he is....He was connected to me. I guess this was one way to bury my life good...Thank you, Zazel."

Zazel didn't said a word. It was all being clear to him. Graves was nothing more than a Ghost who couldn't remember everything. It was most likely what he couldn't remember being the reason he roamed. Unfinished Business, one would say. The very thought that lingers until it has a resolution, and such a result was done here, in the Mangrove Graves. The ghost of the Mangrove's unfinished Business was simply tied to Jackal, meaning once he was gone, so was Graves. As the ghost disintegrated however, Zazel can't help but shed a tear, smiling to himself. He can rest peacefully now, his family by his side, all to remain quiet upon such a swamp-like home. "You're welcome....Graves. Take care, buddy!" Zazel waved to Graves as he disappears into the rising sun, dawn breaking good after such a bloody battle. He'd return home with one of Sabnock, as the rest returned as sigils once more, their energy giving rejuvenation to Zazel. To think he gave peace for the ghost of the Mangrove, and all by himself no less.

As he returned, he'd see a young boy in the distance with a tuxedo, having himself atop of a fog-like substance. "HIYAH ZAZEL!! DID YOU DO IT!!?" shouted the young boy, to which Zazel laughed and responded in an equally loud voice.

"SURE DID, HARVARD!! SURE DID!!" With that, Zazel snapped his fingers and had Sabnock make its feet launch him upwards to the sky, with the fog-like residue grasping at the robot without even a hint of resistance. Zazel would rest himself at the fog, knowing it was Fantasia's work. "So, Where do you think we should go next? Never expected us to travel far.." Zazel would look to the horizon amidst the coming dawn, as Harvard would answer his question.

"Well, my Parents told me that if I was traveling, I'd outta pack a LOT of stuff! They even gave me a specific kingdom to start off with: Salvandi!"

"Sa-what now?"

"Salvandi! It's a desert kingdom! Papa and Mama visited it when they were on their honeymoon....whatever that is. It's supposedly made up of stone buildings and a coastal shore, pretty cool huh?" Harvard would take out what looked to be a map from the fog, indicating that it is acting as his bags. The map unveiled itself, spanning nearly 30 meters, with all sorts of lands and drawings to act as keys for what the locations represent, with Oaking having the Mangrove Graves and the once intact mountains that housed the Silver Dragon. Details regarding the area of Salvandi had what looked to be a skull and crossbones around the coastal side, as well as a six-pointed star with circles on its end. Another detail to note was the likes of the sun itself, which seemed to be drawn smiling. 

"Hehe! Hey look! That's a pretty cool drawing of the Sun, eh Harvard?"

"Drawing? What do you mean by that, Zazel?"

"Eh? Is this not a-" Zazel would look up and see what Harvard referenced. While at the horizon being the only chance to see the sun itself, it would showcase to have a face. A face similar to a comedy mask in theatre, smiling towards the lands below, which made Zazel wide-eyed and in terror somewhat. "SINCE WHEN DID THE SUN HAVE A FACE!?" Harvard merely laughed at the confused demon's reaction, Looking back at the map.

"Told yah it wasn't just a drawing!" Zazel looked to Harvard in bafflement at how nonchalant he took it. Were humans really that OK with the Sun smiling down at everyone like that? When did it happen? By who? Where? Why?? Zazel lied down on the fog and sighed to himself, realizing he probably won't have these questions answered in a long time.