The day went by smoothly after the run in with Mariella and I took Raven back to The Pride HQ so she could rest up. After dropping her off, I decided to go to St. Meishi Academy to visit Nagini and tell her about what happened between me and Mariella. I felt as if only Nagini would understand me at this moment as I didn't want to break the news to the others too early.
Making it to the academy, I parked the van and made my way inside the academy building, a wave of nostalgia hitting me as I looked around the halls. Before heading toward Nagini's Lab, I decided to see if Ms. Ray was here at the moment to tell her about my adventures thus far.
Noticing she wasn't at the academy, I decided to just head straight to Nagini's Lab, knowing she would still be here. I knocked on the door and opened it, stepping inside.
"Did I say you could enter?" Nagini asked, sitting at her desk on her floating device.
"Nagini," I began.
"Ahh. You might be my favorite Lab Rat and human that isn't within the ranks of the Infinity Council, but you still need my permission," Nagini said, writing down information upon a notepad and glanced at her computer.
I exhaled softly then stepped back and closed the door. I knocked on the door gently. "Nagini, can I come in?"
"Yes you can, August," Nagini answered, setting down her pen and turning to look at me.
I walked inside her lab and closed the door behind myself then walked toward her desk. I sat down in the seat beside her desk, letting out a soft sigh. "I want to talk to you about something.."
"You seem to be a little down. What's the matter, my Lab Rat?" Nagini asked, reaching over to run her deft digits through my hair. "You seem...a little worn out. You aren't pushing yourself too hard, are you?"
"I might be. I mean I don't know who else to talk to about this. I've spoken to Leona and Mama Sephora about my dilemma already, but I guess I just want to seek out a third voice," I said softly, leaning into Nagini's touch, gently placing my head upon her lap.
Nagini looked down at me, gently rubbing my head, her fingers running through my hair. "What's wrong? I've never seen you...look so... conflicted.."
I closed my eyes and let out a soft exhale. "It's about what happened in th dungeon earlier...when I was with Mariella alone. I'm just kinda lost right now. She opened my eyes to the gray areas of life and just has me thinking about...if I'm going through life the wrong way as the Hero of Origin."
"What do you mean?" Nagini asked softly, tilting her head to the side.
"I mean...maybe the Dark Lords aren't as evil as we thought. She told me that she and her sisters were manipulated by Chaos to serve him. They may be Destroyers, but they only destroy when necessary and they just want to escape the prison they were sealed in. The universe needs them essentially and they are just trapped on Earth," I answered, my tone lowering to a softer tone.
"I told her that I want to understand them...and she told me to understand them, I need to become like them. My Demon Form was upgraded...to become a Dark Lord Form. Now I'm part Dark Lord now," I continued, staying still as Nagini's fingers continued to run through my hair.
Nagini listened to my words, gently trailing her nail along my neck. "I understand what you're going through essentially. You sound genuine so I'll take Mariella's words with a grain of salt and believe she does mean what she says. What do you want me to do?"
"You have extensive knowledge about the Dark Lords...I was hoping you could...help me learn the ropes. Y'know, use your Infinity Realm to help me learn?" I asked, looking up at Nagini.
Nagini's gaze met mine, locking eyes with me. She closed her eyes then exhaled softly with a smile. "You know...you're very fortunate that I care so much about you. I would do anything to see you succeed so... alright, I'll help you learn how to be a Dark Lord...this stays between us until you're safe to expose your secret alright?"
I smiled at Nagini, nodding my head. "Thank you, Nagini..."
Nagini closed her eyes and hummed softly. "You're welcome... now stand. We've got some training to do."
I nodded then stood up, straightening out my clothes. Nagini snapped her fingers activating her Domain within her lab, transporting us to the Infinity Realm. I looked around and noticed a wide and vast open area all around us, the lands stretching out infinitely.
Nagini placed a hand on her hip, her gaze meeting mine and smiled at me. "Alright, my Lab Rat...Are you ready for your first day of training to be a Dark Lord?"
I nodded, a determined glint showing in my eyes. "I am ready to learn. What is first on the agenda?"
"The first thing you need to learn to do is create your own Domain aka manifest your own Dungeon. Every Dark Lord has a unique basic Dungeon. A basic dungeon is basically a Basic Domain. Every Dungeon comes equipped with a Battle Room, a Prison Room, and an Altar," Nagini explained, crossing her arm and watching me.
"Remember that all basic dungeons have only nine rooms to start. Go ahead and try it out. Create your first dungeon. Feel free to use as much room as you need and can, just remember only nine Dungeon Rooms for a basic dungeon and a Boss Room," Nagini said, watching me and stepping back.
I nodded and closed my eyes, envisioning a basic dungeon. I took a deep breath then exhaled. "Domain Creation: Simple Dungeon."
Suddenly, a dungeon began to form around me, a basic cave like structure and environment forming in front of Nagini's very eyes. Within the cave, nine separate rooms began to form, a Battle Room, an Altar Room, and a Prison room. There was only one entrance to my Dungeon, the cave entrance.
Nagini warped inside of the dungeon, standing next to me and smiling proudly. "Hmm~ A quick learner I see, plus you can't get any more basic than a cave. Alright, let's move on to the next step."
I nodded and looked at Nagini, ready to learn the next steps of being a Dark Lord. "Alright, what's next on the list?"
"Next on the list is that you'll need a Secretary who will help you manage your Domain. Every Dark Lord has had a secretary when they first started and it is vital for them to keep their secretary. Why? They keep you on track and help you maintain the core strength of your Dungeon," Nagini explained, twirling a strand of her hair around her fingers.
"Where will we find a Secretary exactly?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Nagini hummed thoughtfully, thinking about if she should create a new secretary for me or find an existing one. Suddenly, she hatched an idea and smirked. "Wait here, I'll be right back."
I watched she made a portal and slithered her way through it and wondered what she was planning to do. After a few moments of waiting, another portal opened and I heard some struggling, noticing Maliz stumbling inside the Infinity Realm and Nagini walking out of her portal.
"Geez, woman. Not only do you just drag me out of my comfort space, but you brought me here into a Dungeon?! Are you mad?!" Maliz flared toward Nagini then realized something. "Wait, a Dungeon in the Infinity Realm? How—"
As Maliz turned around she noticed me, her eyes widening in shock. I stared at her and rubbed the nape of my neck, glancing at Nagini silently asking if she was sure about this. Nagini read the look in my eyes and nodded, a reassuring smile stretching across her lips.
I looked at Maliz then gave her a soft smile, exhaling softly then gently placed my hands upon her shoulders. "Maliz...promise me that you won't judge too quickly okay..?"
"Okay.." Maliz nodded, her gaze meeting mine.
I took a deep breath then exhaled. "My Demon Form you helped me unlock...it has evolved. I am now part Dark Lord now..."
Maliz's eyes slightly widened at my confession. Instead of terror or slight nervousness, her eyes reflected a dark excitement and she held my hands tightly. "Wait! Really?! You're a Dark Lord?!~ In my mother's name, tell me it's not a joke!"
"It isn't. This happened maybe a few hours ago after saving the Teal Tanzanite Kingdom from Mariella...well after she willingly left after making me a Dark Lord. Just know that Nagini has chosen you to be my Secretary.." I said, smiling at her then grunted softly as she gave me a hug.
Maliz nuzzled my chest and hummed happily, looking up at me and leaning up to plant a tender kiss upon my lips. "Mmm..~ I've been waiting an entire month for your Dark Impulse to grow stronger~ I've always wondered what kind of Demon you were..and now I know that you're the Highest Rank of Demons..~"
I smiled at Maliz and chuckled softly, gently caressing her cheek. "Can you promise to keep this a secret for now..? I don't want to let anyone else know until I'm ready to reveal myself..."
Maliz nodded and hummed darkly. "Anything for you, Lord August..~ So, have you transformed into your Dark Lord Form yet?"
"No, I haven't yet," I answered truthfully, letting go of Maliz and placing my hands in my pockets.
"Well how about you show us your new form? Each Dark Lord has a unique transformation that reveals their Nature, Element, and Desire. For example, Mariella. Her nature is rather mischievous yet playful being a mermaid, her element is both Water and Ice, and her desire other than destruction is to Rule the Seas of the Universe," Nagini explained, crossing her arms and watching me closely.
Maliz seconded Nagini's suggestion, letting me go and stepping back to witness me transforming into my Dark Lord Form for the first time. I looked at the two of them then stepped back and took a deep breath then exhaled.
"Alright, I'll transform..." I said then prepared myself for the transformation.
I awakened my Demonic Energy, my Dark Impulse awakening and emerging from my chest. My dark energy engulfed by entire body, pulsating around me and I began to transform. My aura slowly began to break off into energy particles, slowly revealing my Dark Lord Form.
I had a new striking presence, blending dark, demonic features with an air of authority and power. I had long, flowing white hair that contrasts sharply with my tattered dark long coat and features. My hair flowed down past my shoulders and further accentuates my otherworldly appearance, giving me an almost regal look.
I had large, curved horns that were dark purple at the base and fade into a lighter shade toward the tips. My eyes were glowing red with vertical pupils, giving me a menacing and otherworldly look. I had chains wrapped around my torso and waist, which could symbolize being bound to some kind of power or dark force.
Maliz grew more excited at my new form, her breath catching into her throat. "Okay...yeah, I thought I was wet before...now I'm most definitely wet...I think I need a change in panties.."
Nagini glanced at Maliz then returned her gaze upon me with a soft chuckle. She admired my new form and began to think about what my form could symbolize. "Hmm..~ Interesting...every other Dark Lord has a clear cut symbolism with their forms, but this one...is so simple yet complex."
"I think I know!~ He doesn't have any elemental faction in this form so he's the Null Element symbolizing having no weaknesses, those chains are obviously telling us that he's restrained, either holding back his power or his power is sealed, and his desire..." Maliz began, tilting her head. She began to think what my biggest desire could be.
"My biggest desire...is to pave my own way through life. Break free from my chosen destiny and choose my own path. To be my own hero," I said, my tone deep and serious as if I were using my Cipher Persona.
Maliz shuddered at the sound of my voice. "Oh gods...he doesn't even have to touch me and I'm cl—"
Nagini covered Maliz's mouth and grunted softly. "Nuh-uh. I'm not letting you finish that sentence...and I thought you were obsessed with him before. Now your just completely enabled..."
"Anyways...now that we have established your form and dungeon. It's time to build upon it. There are one thing that all Dark Lords need. An army. They typically choose Monsters to serve them and luckily for you, I know a place where there is a merchant selling Monster Eggs," Nagini continued, taking her hand off Maliz's mouth.
"Where? Is this place located?" I asked, genuinely curious.
Nagini chuckled softly and placed her hands in her hips. "Follow me..~ I'll take you right to her.."
I watched as Nagini made a portal and walked through it, urging us to follow her. Maliz and I followed behind Nagini, leaving the Infinity Realm and the portal closed thus causing her Domain to disappear.
-----------------------------------
Exiting the portal, we stepped in a rather dark area that was illuminated by an e chanting arcane light. Hidden deep within the shadowy heart of a dark region within Exzodia, the Dark Lord Merchant Plaza was a sinister marketplace where the nine powerful and feared Dark Lords gather to expand their dominion. Bathed in an eerie twilight that never fully gives way to daylight, the plaza was alive with arcane energy, its air thick with the scent of burning incense, ancient tomes, and the distant echo of sinister laughter.
Cobblestones blackened with age and dark magic line the ground, while flickering lanterns cast ominous purple and crimson hues, illuminating the swirling mist that clings to the ground. Massive obsidian statues of long-forgotten Dark Lords loom over the plaza, their faces frozen in grim expressions of power, their stone hands gripping weapons and relics of dark magic. Around them, shadowy figures move in silence, their cloaks fluttering as they go about their business, occasionally stopping to barter, trade, or summon darker forces.
At the center of this foreboding square is a towering obsidian obelisk engraved with ancient runes that glow faintly in the darkness, pulsating with a mysterious energy that connects to the five merchants surrounding the plaza. Each of these vendors offers their services to Dark Lords looking to expand their power, fortify their dungeons, and enhance their monstrous armies.
"Welcome to the Dark Lord Merchant Plaza, you two. You will be spending most of your time here when you're thinking about expanding your Dungeon and army," Nagini said, leading us down a path toward the first vendor.
I looked around with grand curiosity then looked at my arm, feeling goosebumps along my arm. This place was eerie yet strangely inviting and welcoming. I noticed no one attacked Nagini despite her being an Infinity Council Member. "Nagini...are you immune to their hostility or something?"
"Well, I did seal away the Nine Dark Lords back during the Ancient Era and due to my impressive strength, they respect me. Plus the tavern here has some of the best drinks in all of Exzodia and I'm a frequent visitor of this plaza on my down time. No one said an Anti-Hero like me can't enjoy a simple drink with a few dark forces," Nagini chuckled, slipping her hands into the pockets of her lab coat.
"Besides, no one down here is really hostile. Everyone stays in their own lane pretty much. This place has a lot more order than the surface of Exzodia does right now. They only have one purpose to serve their Dark Lords," Nagini added.
Maliz hummed with excitement to explore this area. "August, let's come here at night. It seems like this place booms with activities during the night. Plus we could probably learn a lot about previous Dark Lords and the current ones."
I nodded, agreeing with Maliz's suggestion. "Yeah, that seems reasonable..."
Nestled in the eastern corner of the plaza, the Monster Trader's stall was a terrifying spectacle of cages, pens, and arcane runes. Her domain was cluttered with monstrous eggs of all shapes and sizes, some pulsating with life, others radiating malevolent power. The smell of sulfur and damp earth fills the air, accompanied by the occasional screech or growl from within a sealed egg. Chains and ancient locks bind the most dangerous of eggs to prevent their escape before they hatch into the dark monsters coveted by Dark Lords.
The Monster Trader, an enigmatic figure cloaked in shadow with eyes that gleam like molten gold, offers these monstrous eggs for sale. She speaks in whispers, promising that these creatures, once hatched, will grow to serve as loyal guardians, war beasts, or even minions of terror within a Dark Lord's dungeon.
"I haven't seen you around here in a while, meow~" The Monster Trader purred, her sharp golden eyes meeting Nagini's then she turned to look at me and Maliz. "And who are they..?"
"Miss Jinx, meet the tenth and newest member to the Hierarchy of Dark Lords, August Eyica. With him, his secretary, Maliz Hades," Nagini introduced, looking at me and Maliz with a smile.
Jinx's cat ears flicked as she looked at us, her gaze lingering upon me for a moment longer than usual. "Mmm...a male Dark Lord..? How interesting...I haven't seen such a dark miracle like this before. Tell me, Lord August, who is your mother?"
"My mother?" I asked with my arms crossed as I looked at Jinx. "My mother wasn't a Dark Lord. My adoptive mother is Sephora."
Jinx's ears perked up at the sound of Sephora's name. "The Goddess of Light..? How are you a Dark Lord then?"
"I am this generation's Hero of Origin. I am the Reincarnation of Henosis," I answered, noticing her surprised expression.
Jinx purred softly and her tail flowed up and down with curiosity and slight admiration. "Hmm...Hero of Origin. A Hero of Light with a Dark Impulse strong enough to become a Dark Lord. You have caught my attention, meow..~"
Nagini chuckled softly and looked at Jinx. "I'm currently teaching him the ropes. He just created his Basic Dungeon and now we need some Monsters to fill his Dungeon Rooms."
"Right, well since you're a beginner Dark Lord, I can only sell you Monster Eggs that are Rank 1. You can increase the Rank of monsters you gain by increasing your Notoriety Rank. You're only Rank 1, so you can only buy basic eggs. I can give you three of each Egg for free to start with," Jinx said, stretching and making a soft sound as she stretched her arms.
"How can I check my Notoriety or anything that regards to me being a Dark Lord?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.
"I can work on your Z-System to work with each of your Forms. I'll call it the O-System, Origin System which will give you the option to check on anything you need depending on what form you want to check on. We can do all of that later once we leave here," Nagini answered, looking up at me with a smile.
I nodded then noticed Jinx walking to the back to grab a basket of Monster Eggs for me. She carefully picked out each Monster Egg, making sure that each egg was perfect and ready to hatch. Once she finished picking the eggs, she returned to me, holding out the basket toward me.
"Here you go. Your basic monsters consist of Slimes, Imps, Goblins, and finally Bats. As you increase your rank, you can get better monsters as I've stated before," Jinx said, a dark yet warm smile playing on her lips.
I accepted the basket and looked at the eggs, hearing their monster calls and cries within the eggs. I looked at Jinx and bowed toward her out of respect. "Thank you Miss Jinx."
"Please, just call me Jinx~ You'll be seeing me often, I just know it," Jinx giggled softly, walking toward the back to check on her Monsters and Eggs.
"Alright, our last stop for now will be the Facility Trader. Follow me," Nagini said, walking forward and leading us through the plaza.
Maliz offered to carry the basket of eggs for me and I handed them to her, allowing her to hold the delicate eggs with care. To the north of the plaza, the Facility Trader's shop appeared more like a fortress than a merchant's stall. Massive stone walls surround his area, within which blueprints and miniaturized models of dungeon rooms were displayed. The scent of sawdust, molten metal, and dark magic fills the air as enchanted tools and construction materials float of their own accord, awaiting orders from the Facility Trader.
This merchant was a master of dungeon architecture, selling entire dungeon rooms to Dark Lords eager to expand their domains. His collection includes everything from trap-filled corridors to lavish battle rooms, as well as arcane laboratories and chambers designed to amplify dark rituals. Each dungeon room is carefully crafted to serve a specific purpose, whether it's defense, battle, or enhancing the Dark Lord's powers.
The Facility Trader, a rugged, grizzled man with dark goggles resting around his neck, was known for his efficiency and attention to detail. He could provide custom-built rooms tailored to a Dark Lord's desires, ensuring their dungeons are both impregnable and horrifyingly effective.
"Heh...if it isn't The Serpent. What do you want?" The Facility Trader asked, crossing his arms and looking at Nagini with a slightly annoyed expression.
Nagini smirked and gently wrapped her arm around my waist, looking at the Facility Trader in the eyes. "Well, Grant, I'm here on official business today. You see, my handsome Lab Rat has become a Dark Lord and needs some basic facilities for his new dungeon."
Grant looked at me then his gaze shifted to Maliz, who stood beside me with a loving expression. He looked at me once more then closed his eyes, smirking. "A male Dark Lord..? So it seems that fate is starting to show her true colors. Tell me, Dark Lord, what is your name?"
"August Eyica," I answered, my tone straightforward and to the point.
"August huh? The same August that Lady Mariella told me about earlier? Heh...so it is true. She did turn you into a Dark Lord," Grant chuckled and opened his eyes to look at me. "Well I'm sure you've already visited Jinx and she told you about Rank and Notoriety. The same rule applies here and to the other merchants around this plaza."
"I am well aware. So what can you offer me?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"I can give you one Battle Room, one Trap Room, and one Facility for free. After that each room you wish to buy costs 50 coins and the price increases the higher the level of the room you wish to buy. So how about it? Do we have a deal?" Grant asked, his gaze meeting my intense red eyes.
I nodded, accepting his deal. With a smirk, Grant walked to the back to obtain three blueprints, one Battle Room, one Trap Room, and one Facility. He came back to the front, handing the blueprints to me.
"The rooms I've given you are Battle Arena, Trap Explosion, and Monster Hatchery. The Battle Arena increases the attack of your monsters by 2% per Room Level, the Trap Explosion sets volatile traps around the room which sets off an explosion within an explosion, not only in the current room but adjacent rooms, and finally the Monster Hatchery increases the base strength of each monster that hatches from Eggs when hatched in that specific facility," Grant explained, crossing his arms and smiling at me.
"Thank you, Grant," I said, bowing toward Grant with gratitude.
"Alright, I have work to do. If you need more rooms and better rooms, bring in some Gold and increase your Rank. Also...Mariella said she will be watching you, so don't disappoint her," Grant said as he walked off.
I watched him walk to the back of his fortress then looked at Nagini. She chuckled and began to lead us out of the building then made a portal.
"It's time for us to install your new Rooms and hatch your Eggs. We will be going out later tonight for actual training. Make sure you're ready," Nagini said.
I nodded, following her into the portal and Maliz followed behind. A couldn't deny my growing curiosity about my new power and felt a pang of excitement to see what my training would be like tonight.