Tabahi sat on the edge of his bed, gazing intently into a white, ethereal sphere that displayed the haunting scene of Krurika's agonizing demise at the hands of the fairies. His expression was one of weary detachment as he listened to the heart-wrenching cries that emanated from the sphere. On the side, Riti wept silently, her eyes brimming with sorrow as she witnessed the traumatic spectacle.
In the midst of this grim tableau, Krurika, who had met a terrible fate, knelt amidst a raging emerald inferno, her voice trembling with despair as she pleaded for mercy from the queen fairy. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she begged, "Queen fairy, please, I won't do anything."
Yet, the fairies remained unmoved by Krurika's pleas, callously disregarding her suffering. In a cruel twist of fate, she was swiftly reduced to ashes, her anguished cries silenced forever.
Ruh, displaying a disinterested demeanor, nonchalantly remarked, "She reminds me of a pig grilling in a pan," provoking a hearty, albeit dark, chuckle from Tabahi. His amusement was short-lived, as Riti, incensed by his callousness, swiftly responded by slapping him across the face, sending him tumbling away.
Riti, her anger palpable, lashed out, "What's the point of your presence here, Tabahi? You're utterly useless, you bastard!" Her words were filled with venom and frustration. But then, in an instant, Tabahi drew near, tilting his head slightly to one side. His eyes radiated an eerie darkness as he used a single finger to lift her chin, a gesture that sent an ominous message. "Next time, remember that I am the destroyer of the universe," he warned ominously, his words hanging in the air like a grim omen.
However, a sudden interruption emerged from behind Riti " leave them Tabahi they do not know whobyou are" , leaving both her and Ruh in a state of shock and disbelief. Standing there was Krurika herself, her demeanor a peculiar blend of mischief and confidence. She playfully tossed a shard from her sash from one hand to the other, a sly smirk gracing her lips as her chestnut hair cascaded over her crimson fairy gown.
Ruh stammered incredulously, struggling to form words, "H...how are you...a...alive?" His voice trembled with disbelief.
With an air of nonchalance, Tabahi, now seated on the bed, responded, "You can thank me later."
Riti, still grappling with astonishment, finally managed to articulate her question, "But how? The abyssal cave was impossible to enter, and if you're here, who did they kill this morning?" Her confusion was evident in her voice.
Krurika, maintaining an air of intrigue, replied, "I will tell you, but not here. Someone could catch us in this vulnerable state." With that, she motioned for them to follow, and in a blink, they vanished into thin air, reappearing within the crumbling ruins of Kritya Lok's castle. The castle's once-majestic terrace now lay in ruins, a stark reflection of the devastation that had befallen it during the fairies' ruthless attack.
In the tattered remnants of Kritya Lok's castle, amidst the shadows of destruction, a goblin, towering in stature like Riti, clad in a leather cape that billowed behind him, brandishing a sword at his waist, and wearing fur pants, stepped forward. His voice carried an air of reverence and relief as he greeted Krurika, "My queen, you have finally come back."
Krurika, now seated upon her bat-shaped black throne, regarded the goblin king Orkar with a composed demeanor. Her voice carried an undertone of purpose as she responded, "I had to come, goblin king Orkar. After all, we still have to complete our plan."
With an insistent tone, the goblin king pressed on, emphasizing his curiosity, "If you may, please tell us how you are still alive, not dead." His eyes bore into Krurika, awaiting an explanation that defied the boundaries of life and death.
In response, Tabahi took the initiative, sharing the secret of their escape, "Our helper fairies from the crown informed me about the location of the Abyssal cave and the magic it holds."
As the night clouds veiled the moonlight behind their looming presence, Tabahi ventured deep into the forest, behind the castle's ruins. Amidst the heart of the woodland stood the enigmatic Abyssal cave, an unparalleled wonder of nature. It was encircled by nine majestic trees, each adorned with leaves of all nine shades. Above the cave's entrance, a daemon-like visage sculpted in the rock seemed to scrutinize all who dared to approach. What captured his attention most were two statues flanking the cave, both portraying fairies. Their wings were outstretched, and one hand held a sword, while the other gripped a shield.
Without hesitation, Tabahi sought entry into the cave, only to be repelled by an invisible shield, hurling him backward. The carved eyes upon the cave's entrance burst to life, revealing three imposing, vertical eyes, with a single horizontal eye in the middle.
In a voice that resonated through the cave, the stone guardian declared, "Who dares seek entry into the Cave without permission?"
With unwavering confidence, Tabahi proclaimed, "I am Tabahi, the most powerful being in the universe, and I seek to enter to rescue Krurika."
The stone guardian responded with mocking laughter, dismissing Tabahi's audacious claim. In a swift retort, Tabahi unleashed dark rays with the mere blink of his eyes, shattering the guardian into a hundred fragments, each dissolving into nothingness. The guardian's arrogance proved to be its downfall, and Tabahi's resolve remained unshaken.
As Tabahi persisted in his attempt to breach the Abyssal cave, his determination was met with a relentless force. The scattered fragments of the stone guardian merged mid-air, and an eerie transformation began. The result was a grotesque creature, boasting four formidable legs and two menacing arms, each terminating in razor-sharp stone. Its mouth, a gaping maw filled with jagged teeth, exuded an aura of dread. Three gnarled branches protruded from its head, forming sinister horns, and in its grip, it wielded a stony spear adorned with a wickedly sharp blade.
A thunderous roar emanated from this nightmarish entity, sending birds and other creatures fleeing in terror. Meanwhile, the two fairy statues on either side of the cave entrance were enshrouded in a radiant luminescence, revealing their transformation into resplendent warriors, each brandishing a gleaming sword with an aura of power.
The guardian, now transformed into this grotesque amalgamation, menacingly confronted Tabahi, issuing a stern ultimatum, "Go back or meet your end."
Tabahi's smirk remained unwavering, even in the face of this formidable adversary. With a sinister grace, he summoned a sword into his grasp, a weapon as formidable as the creature itself. The handle of the sword was crafted from dark black matter, taking on the form of a demon's visage, while the blade glistened with a malevolent black sheen.
Undaunted by the stone fairies' attacks, Tabahi's eyes erupted with dark energy, and with swift and decisive movements, he annihilated them, reducing their luminous forms to nothing more than fading echoes of their former beauty.
However, his moment of triumph was short-lived as a powerful punch struck his face, propelling him violently into a nearby tree. Pain coursed through his being as he groaned in agony. Rising with unyielding resolve, he sought to launch another assault, but the monstrous guardian employed its spear, targeting Tabahi's wings with devastating precision. His wing was lacerated, and blood spilled forth, staining the earth below.
The sinister guardian's malevolent laughter filled the air as it conjured the very branches of the trees to ensnare Tabahi. His attempts to escape proved futile as the branches tightly entangled his limbs, rendering him immobile. His sword fell from his grasp, its clatter on the ground serving as a lament for his predicament.
A defiant smile crossed the guardian's monstrous visage as it declared, "No one can pass through the gate as long as I am here."
In response, Tabahi made a fateful choice. His body transformed into a searing fireball, igniting the nearby branches and engulfing the area in an inferno. The monstrous guardian struggled, but the flames grew larger and more consuming with each passing moment. The very environment was reduced to ashes.
Reverting to his fair form, Tabahi emerged victorious as the guardian's fury was reduced to smoldering embers. Nevertheless, the guardian's resilience proved astonishing as it regenerated, taunting Tabahi with the claim, "It is impossible to kill me, poor child."
Unperturbed by this revelation, Tabahi's determination intensified. He underwent a transformation, growing in stature until he matched the guardian's imposing size. His mouth opened wide, and he began to inhale with immense force, creating a powerful vacuum. The guardian struggled against the pull, attempting to resist being drawn into Tabahi's maw. Yet, despite its struggles, it was inexorably drawn into Tabahi's mouth, and within moments, it was reduced to nothing but ashes.
Tabahi reverted to his previous form, standing victorious over the vanquished guardian. The cave's entrance, once protected by the formidable sentinel, was now vulnerable. With a fiery burp, Tabahi shattered the guardian's final defense, and the shield guarding the cave was breached.
As Tabahi ventured deeper into the Abyssal cave, he found himself surrounded by darkness and despair. The wails and cries of the various imprisoned beings echoed through the cavernous passages. The cave was divided into a labyrinth of curving sections, each holding a myriad of eerie artifacts. Bottles, lamps, and a wide array of stones and crystals filled the subterranean depths.
Fairies imprisoned dark powers not in cages, but within various crystals, bottles, and other vessels, each tailored to contain the malevolent forces they held captive.
"Where are you, Krurika?" Tabahi yelled into the echoing darkness of the cave, his voice bouncing off the walls. He had been searching for her for what felt like an eternity until his eyes finally fell upon an elevated platform. Without hesitation, he unfurled his coal-black wings and soared towards it. This elevated platform was divided into five distinct caves, and in the fourth, he recognized the unmistakable bottle that held Krurika. His hands closed around it, and as he opened it, a swirling black smog emerged, gradually forming into her.
"Finally, you have come to save me," Krurika remarked, a smirk playing on her lips.
"How could I not? After all, I owe you my life, dear queen," Tabahi replied with sincerity. "But we should act swiftly before they come to take you," he urged, and she nodded in agreement.
Krurika broke a strand of her hair and cast it onto the ground. With a mere click of Tabahi's fingers, it transformed into a perfect duplicate of herself and entered the bottle.
"Now, we should depart from here before anyone discovers us," she said, her eyes scanning their surroundings. However, a sudden sound halted their movements.
"What about the chaos I've stirred outside the cave?" Tabahi inquired, concern evident in his voice.
"She will handle that, don't worry," Krurika assured him, a sly grin forming on her lips. Unbeknownst to the Immortal Fairies, one of their own had been living amongst them in disguise.
Before they could make their escape, a plea reached their ears. "Take us with you, please," two voices resonated from a cave adjacent to Krurika's.
"We are the Demon Brothers, and we despise the Fairies as much as you do. Please, take us from this place," they beseeched with a desperation that cut through the air.
Krurika regarded them, her eyes calculating. "But what use are you to us?" she questioned, her voice laced with suspicion.
"We will serve you faithfully until the end of our days. Please, take us with you," the other voice implored, determination evident in its tone.
As the gate of the cave began to close behind them, Krurika made a swift decision. She took the crystals containing the Demon Brothers in her hands, exchanging them for the two artificial ones she had prepared earlier. With that, they made their escape from the confines of the cave.
But where are those crystals, then?" Ruh asked curiously, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Krurika grinned slyly and held up two blue-shaded crystals in her hand. With a swift motion, she hurled them to the ground. Sinister sounds echoed through the cave as dark smog poured forth from the shattered crystals.
From one of the smog clouds, a white demon emerged. It had a grotesque appearance, featuring a large, sharp jaw filled with spiky teeth, a devilish smile, and an absence of eyes on its face. Instead, a larger eye adorned its chest, and three long horns protruded from its head, along with two smaller ones on either side of its chin that curved upward like jagged teeth.
The other smog cloud transformed into something even more unexpected. This monstrous entity had four impossibly thin legs connected to a small, grotesque stomach. Three long necks intertwined, leading up to three identical faces. Each face bore two red, bloodshot eyes and a devilish, unsettling smile. Its two hands didn't end in palms but rather featured spiky, lethal nail-like appendages.
The sight of these nightmarish creatures sent shivers down the spines of those present. Ruh immediately sought refuge behind Tabahi, while Riti, overwhelmed by fear, shut her eyes tightly. The demons exuded an aura of ugliness, terror, and deadly intent.
Bowing before Krurika and Tabahi, the newly formed entities introduced themselves. "We are Xyntar and Kryzix, and from this day until the end of our existence, we pledge our unwavering service to you," they declared, their voices resonating with obedience.
The Goblin King stepped forward, his curiosity piqued. "Why don't we launch an attack now? We have the most powerful allies, and Tabahi, the Lord of Darkness, by our side," he inquired with a hint of confusion.
Krurika explained, "I've made the same mistake before, dear Goblin King. Tabahi is merely the essence of those foul fairies, and last time, the fairies themselves took the battlefield. If they could create Dhruveen, they can do so again to confront us." She descended from her throne, her words infused with determination. "Moreover, my ambition extends beyond being the Queen of Moonrun. I aspire to rule the cosmos and become the Goddess of the Universe," she declared, her laughter echoing through the chamber.
"Tabahi," she continued, her gaze directed at him, "as my plan proceeds and settles, you will find a way to the Black Ocean, where I shall awaken those foul fairies once more."
Krurika revealed her intentions further, "According to their beliefs, Riti and I are deceased. This deception grants us the advantage to work toward solutions to the problems posed by the immortal Fairies, ensuring the end of Moonrun without hindrances."
Approaching the two demons, she issued a command, "Now, both of you will venture into the dark world and assemble the demon armies I require."
Their loyalty unwavering, Xyntar and Kryzix bowed. "We will," they affirmed in unison.
With a sense of finality, Krurika declared, "From this day forth, the end of goodness has been set into motion. My reign shall begin, and none shall be prepared for what lies ahead."
Her proclamation was punctuated by her casting waves into the sky, causing thunder to roar and acid rain to cascade from the heavens. Goblins danced with fervor, Riti indulged in her glass of liquor, and all present joined in the celebration. However, Tabahi remained in the shadows, a sly smirk adorning his face as he chuckled softly. "No one knows what awaits them," he mused from his concealed corner, hinting at the dark and tumultuous future that loomed ominously ahead.