Chereads / Tales of Zeroth / Chapter 10 - Him

Chapter 10 - Him

Akal, a continent diverse with kingdoms five-hundred-odd years ago, from the two titans of the continent, The Battle-hardened Kingdom of Arksan and the Massive and Rich Empire of Demeos, to the sea-faring nations near the sea of Osila, up to the mountain kingdoms near the modern-day Boerian mountain range.

The continent was also known as the period's mightiest continent, with Arksan and Demeos in the top five of the strongest nations. But this prosperous continent was then purged in a multi-century war, against a single nation, with the whole continent being taken over by the Kindom of Zania, or its modern-day name, Zan.

The war was waged by a nobody, a boy who had just gotten the Zanian throne; yet, he was a beast both on the battlefield and in strategy, leading a tiny kingdom against the behemoths of the continent, and wiping them off the map, this boy later grew up to be an Emperor, known as the Great Lich of Zan.

All breaths held still, as those brave enough exited their homes in the city of Dartine, their joyous city once filled with laughter and joy now sounded like a cemetery. The sky was a dark crimson, and the blue moon had turned into a pure black.

A song cried through the entire city, mothers inside homes held their children tightly, tears coming from their eyes knowing what would happen. Newborns began to cry, they knew very little, but they were born with an inherited fear of the man with red eyes.

Hardened soldiers and adventurers felt dread that they had never felt before; it was like one's throat being gripped tightly, a whimper replaced their breaths. And men, brave enough to move, stared with dread at the walls of Dartine, such as the city's mayor, Sylian.

"W-What?" He questioned himself, he was the champion of this city, he wasn't one to cower at anything, but this sensation was different, it felt like his entire body was getting heavier the more he stared at the wall.

"He's here," a voice announced in the room, it was the old government worker. Sylian turned to him, and he saw the worker's sole eye pointed at the walls, he slowly got the prosthetic arm under his table, connecting it to his body.

"Marqi!" Sylian tensely called, "A-Are you n-not scared?"

"I'm terrified," the worker named Marqi announced, stunning Sylian, "The last time I met the Lich was in Nerio, and ever since then I have been living with fear all my life, I just know how to move with it." Marqi walked to the exit of the room, opening the door before turning to Sylian one more time, "I'm going to go to my wife's magic shop to say goodbye, but please Sylian, if you can, beg for him to spare our city… Goodbye." Marqi closed the door gently, leaving Sylian with his thoughts.

But Sylian bit his lip, "I'm the mayor of Dartine, I will not let my people die," he stated, mostly to himself as he began to walk, each step felt like it was weighed down.

Meanwhile, at the tavern, the adventurers fresh from defeating the basilisk, stood still like statues, but somehow, out of everyone there, Rapl managed to slowly move, his eyes filled with both dread but also curiosity as he powered his way to the door.

But then his arm was grabbed, and Rapl turned to see Bok, his entire body sweating with absolute fear in his eyes, but Rapl merely brushed his arm off, it was as if he was hypnotized. Rapl opened the door, each creak heard clearly, and outside he saw many people just like him, hypnotized, like moths running into a raging flame.

Seeing everyone's heads pointed in one direction, Rapl copied them, it felt like his head was trying to resist turning, but Rapl's curiosity got the better of him, as on top of the wall of Dartine, he saw him.

A monster with glowing red eyes, his pupils swirled into a dreaded spiral. His hair, slicked back with the colour as black as the abyss. His mouth was covered with a black mask, but there was a dark smoke that emanated from it like a volcano. His armor, obsidian and red, was covered by a black cape, adorned with silver shoulder ornaments pointed like horns.

This was him, The Omen of Desolation, The Conqueror of Akal, The Ceaseless Wheel of Hell, The Ninth Circle, The Lord of Darkness, The Wrath of Zan, The Underworld's Fury, The Blackbird, The Bringer of Extinction, The Horrid King of Chaos, The One Foe of All, he whose name brought Kingdoms to their knees and Empires to ruin, he who makes wives to widows and children to orphans, he who makes the most legendary of warriors into meaningless corpses with a single word. The Abomination, The Deceiver, The Terrible, The Usurper, The Emperor of Zan, The Great Lich. Artefus.

The Great Lich stared at the city, his eyes searching for a certain person. And there he saw him, eyes as blue as the ocean, "Found you." Artefus walked to the edge of the wall, jumping the almost hundred-foot wall, and as he landed, it created a smoke cloud.

But the people of Dartine saw the two red orbs behind the smoke, it began to move forward, and from the smoke; Artefus made it known, that they were in his mercy, "Kneel," he commanded, and as if their bodies obeyed, everyone who heard the command aside from high-rank soldiers and adventurers knelt. The sound of metal clashing with metal emanated from the streets as Artefus walked through the crowd.

His height was gigantic for a human male, eight feet at the least, standing tall in the crowd of paralyzed people who shunned even their breaths.

Rapl was in absolute horror at the sight of the Great Lich, but worst of all, it looked like he was walking towards him. Fear consumed all of Rapl's curiosity as he tried to backtrack, but his legs were pinned, and he couldn't do anything.

But then when Artefus was only a few meters away from Rapl, he suddenly stopped, and for a few seconds he stayed motionless, "I see you swordsman, don't even try it," he stated in the most horrific voice Rapl had ever heard. But a few seconds later, Rapl saw a wind slash directed at the Great Lich, turning to see Bok, his face full of fear, and behind him were Sevi and Alex.

Rapl saw the twins start to use their elements, but as he turned to the Lich, Rapl saw something he didn't expect, in his eyes, was surprise, "Z-Zerith?" He remarked as a combination of fire, ice, and wind hit the Lich, causing the nearby houses to be destroyed, it was possibly the strongest attack the three ever produced.

Blood began to drip down their mouths and noses, and that's when Rapl realized, "Dammit, we can't fight even if we want to."

"Freeze," a voice remarked in the smoke, causing the three to lose their ability to do anything, "You surprised me with your last name… Sevian, and Alexandria," he remarked as he turned to Bok, "You also…"

"LICH!!" A shaky voice called behind Rapl, leading him and the Lich to turn to see who it was. There, in the street, his legs shaking in absolute fear, was Dartine's mayor, Sylian, "As local c-champion and mayor of Dartine, I ask what is your reason to be here?" He questioned.

The Lich stared at Sylian for a while, then he opened his mouth, "I am here to take Rapl Tsukumo, Sevian, and Alexandria Zerith, and… this swordsman," he answered, his voice having a surprising amount of respect in it.

But Sylian wasn't just going to let some of his people go, "Emperor Lich, t-these people are Kendrian citizens, you are not allowed to just take them," Sylian exclaimed. But then the aura of the entire place turned darker, causing Sylian to regret the tone he used to talk to the Lich.

"That is why," Artefus remarked with a hidden fury, "I'm asking you for permission, mayor." Sylian saw the fury inside of Artefus, he did not want to give his people away, but, "To make it more easy," Artefus interjected Sylian's thoughts as he opened his palm, "If you give me these four, I will not massacre the entire city, hows that?" The Lich warned.

Sylian was given a conundrum, although easy at first glance, Sylian was directly giving away four souls to Artefus, and something about it make him feel so guilty, "I will go with you," a voice announced, stunning Sylian, it was Rapl, "Just spare these people."

Artefus chuckled, "Smart assessment child," he remarked, "That is all the permission I need mayor Sylian, goodbye," he announced, using his magic to pick Rapl, Bok, Alex, and Sevi.

"N-NO!!" Rapl exclaimed, "I did not tell you to take the-" But before Rapl could talk any further, Artefus opened his mouth.

"You have no right here child," he stated, a fury on his voice, "I will take whoever is with you, no matter who." But as Artefus said this, he stopped walking as he also stopped his spell on the four. An arrow whizzed towards Artefus, but he caught it, looking at the arrow he saw there was a slimy substance in it, "Basilisk venom," he remarked.

On top of a roof, Leena and Rico were looking down at Artefus, they were as silent as silent can be. When she saw her party members move when Rapl was about to get taken by the Lich, she took Rico and made her way to the roof, now using her mouth, she was trying to fire shots at Artefus.

"And who might you be." But a cold chill went through her spine as Artefus suddenly appeared behind her and Rico, "Such annoying brats… oh~ Leenamille Vashkarti, I knew you weren't dead, I guess it was just fake news after all." Artefus remarked as Leena's eyes widened in shock.

"H-How did y-you know m-my name?" She questioned, but then she was picked up by the throat, Rico tried to bite Artefus, but the Lich paid him no mind.

"Tell me, why is the Order of Night's Princess here in Kendro," he asked, ignoring Leena's question. Seeing this, Rapl and the rest of the party began to panic, but then Rapl remembered one thing.

"LICH!!!" Rapl yelled, "YOU TOLD ME YOU'LL TAKE WHOEVER IS WITH ME RIGHT!! SHE AND THE SALAMANDER IS IN MY PARTY!!" He announced. Hearing this, Artefus scoffed.

"He's pretty smart," he remarked almost at Leena, "You're pretty lucky you two, I was about to split your head open Princess, since you're parents are ALWAYS a thorn to my side." Artefus used magic to levitate Leena and Rico as he teleported back to where Rapl and the rest were," Let's go, no more distractions."

As Artefus walked through the streets of Dartine, Rapl saw the faces of its people, fearful; it made him feel terrified as well, but as he turned to a singular house, he saw them. Sheril with her staff out pointed at Artefus, and the head manager of the basilisk quest, holding in his hands, a baby wrapped in cloth, weeping.

Although he feared where he was about to go, Rapl saw the people he just saved, and he did not regret his actions a single bit. As Artefus made his way out of the city, Rapl saw a man waiting for him outside.

Wearing black and red clothes with a big black hat, but having long blonde hair, the man was playing the lute, "Good work Edwin, I didn't have to kill anyone," Artefus praised, the man named Edwin lifted his head, revealing his face to the party. Seeing his face, Rapl had never seen a man so beautiful in his life.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," he beamed a bright smile, "I just have to finish this, just wait a minute." Rapl heard that as Edwin began to finish what he was playing, the poem and bells in the city began to stop, "Are these the new champions?" Edwin asked as he approached the party.

"Yeah, introduce yourself while we walk there," Artefus remarked as Edwin began to chat with the group.

"Hello guys, I'm Edwin Heilzan, current Symphony of Extinction of Lord Artefus." As a stark contrast to Artefus, Edwin was very bright and had this infectious cheerful energy, he then stared at Rapl, seeing the eyes of blue, "OH MY!! Another All-Seeing-Eye user," he exclaimed with excitement, "Would you look at this, three gift users in a very close area."

Rapl was a bit stunned at what Edwin said, "T-Three gift users?" He wondered.

"Yeah," Edwin answered, "You, me, and Lord Artefus."

Sevi's eyes widened a bit as he heard this, "Y-You're a gift user?" He asked, still scared that Artefus was near, but Edwin's bright nature subsided it a bit.

The musician scratched his hair a bit due to embarrassment, "Yeah I am, I have the gift known as Sound Storage… it's in the name," he announced, a bit embarrassed of the name of his gift, "It basically makes me be able to play whatever sound I hear to a pretty big field."

Rapl then realized the music that was being played throughout the entire city was produced by Edwin. Then finally, Artefus, Edwin, and the party reached a dragon, and near that dragon was a man who Rapl recognized, it was the dragon rider who took Sisyphus away from him.

When the rider saw Rapl, the young man saw anger in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it as Artefus approached him, "Keiro, please forgive Rapl, I don't want you guys to keep fighting," the Lich asked in a surprisingly soft tone.

"I'll try Your Majesty," he replied as he got on the dragon, a saddle located at its neck, and on its back, a carriage, like that of the dragon rides Rapl takes. Artefus performed a move with his hands, and the levitating party fell back on the earth, with Edwin helping them get up.

"Sorry for the rude introduction, but please board the dragon," Artefus asked the party, now sounding more modest than commanding. One by one, Rapl and his party boarded, with Edwin and Artefus going last. "Take us back to Nerio Keiro," Artefus commanded as he took off his mask and brought his hair down.

Everyone's eyes widened as the feared dark Emperor that had just brought the entire city to its knees now looked like a normal person with long dark hair that reached to the bottom of his jaw and the back of his neck, "Why couldn't we just teleport?" Edwin asked as the dragon started to fly up.

"We're in no hurry, taking a portal would exhaust too many materials for nothing," Artefus answered as he turned to Rapl, clearing his throat he looked at each party member straight in the eye, "I am Artefus, Emperor of Zan, I grant you all Zanian citizenship and promise you prosperity in the Empire."

The party was taken aback by this, especially Rapl, "W-why?" He asked.

"You all are going to be my new apprentices," he announced, utterly bewildering the party, "I will train you all to be new champions of Zan."

Perplexed, the group was silent for a bit, but then Bok decided to ask a question, "B-But what if we refuse." Suddenly dread came over his mind as the thought of refusing a Lich's offer may result in death.

But surprisingly, Artefus sighed, "I would not want that, but if you want to refuse you can, you'll still have to live in Zan though," he announced, his voice full of understanding, "But please before you reach a concrete decision, let me try to convince you to fight for Zan," he remarked, looking deep into the eyes of each party member.

And thus, a new beginning reached the party, with fates still undecided as the offer of power was given to them, by the Great Lich Artefus.