Irnis turned back and started walking with delight towards her 'arsenal-spaceship', getting repaired by those guardsmen.
The princess's gaze fell, her eyes unable to bridge the chasm between her and the sea of tear-stained faces before her.
She stood frozen. Her silence, was a contrast to the anguished wails that filled the air, her eyes downcast in a mixture of shame, regret, and heart-wrenching sorrow.
Guardsmen increased their pace as Irnis was coming.
But then... it started to change.
Irnis felt something that shook her whole psyche.
Princess looked up with unease. Guardsmen paused like a statue. The crowd became silent. It unfolded with a sense of ominous foreboding as if the very fabric of reality was about to be torn asunder.
The flames, once a vibrant yellowish-orange, darkened to a menacing crimson and black, like the depths of a malevolent soul. A humanoid shadow coalesced within the inferno, its presence seeming to draw the air out of the surroundings.
Irnis and her guardsmen exchanged confused glances, their eyes darting at the emerging figure. Irnis can feel her skin crawl by the heat of those weird flames.
The princess, her face a mask of terror, cowered in fear, her voice barely audible as she whispered.
"It-it is-i..."
"What? Say it out." As perplexed as Irnis was, every word related to it was going to increase her curiosity.
Princess fell to the ground, her eyes widening in horror as the figure came out. "It's the calamity... the calamity from five hundred years ago... it's... it is our end..."
Princess's words trailed off, lost in the rising din of the dark flames. The air grew heavy with anticipation, the flames dancing in rhythmic mockery as the shadowy figure began to take form. The darkness seemed to coalesce into a palpable entity, its presence suffocating, like a shroud wrapped around the land.
The princess's whispered words hung in the air, a dire prophecy that sent shivers down the spines of all who heard them.
Irnis' eyes narrowed, her mind racing to comprehend the unfolding events.
"What do you mean?" she demanded, her voice laced with a growing sense of unease.
The princess's response was a mere whisper, her words barely audible over the crackling of the dark flames.
"'The Calamity'....the being that almost destroyed half of our planet.... five hundred years ago ... I-in that legend, it was said to be imprisoned, locked away in a weapon... I-I didn't know it was in this sword..."
As if in response, the figure emerged from the heart of the inferno, its presence a cold, dark wind that seemed to snuff out the light around it. Nandak, once owned by Irnis as a treasure, now gleamed with otherworldly energy, its blade seeming to drink in the light around it.
The ground trembled beneath their feet, the skies darkening as if night itself was falling. The air grew heavier, the pressure building. The onlookers watched in horror, frozen in place, as the figure began to move forward, its pace slow, deliberate, like a harbinger of doom. The world around them seemed to be unraveling, the darkness spreading like a stain.
It looked a little similar to K but its hair was longer. The darkness of its hair was so profound it seemed to absorb the light around it, cascading down its back like a waterfall of night. Its physique was bulky but at the same time lean. Also, its clothes were very similar to K's as it had nothing on top but a dark bottom-wear. Its eyes were black, except for the pupils which were gray, and a psychopathic smile on its face.
"Been a while outside...." It talked in a language unknown to any human but for some reason, Irnis and other Dramons seemed to understand it.
That creature was more like a human, but that was only look-wise. The strength he had was incomprehensible by a human. Irnis can feel the amount of pressure coming from him.
That being was just walking out from the flames, but his walk was creating dark-black lightning, burning everything it touched.
As the black lightning bolts continued their relentless assault, the park's landscape was transformed into a twisted realm of darkness. The air grew thick with an almost palpable sense of dread, each labored breath, a testament to the crushing weight of the atmosphere. The sky above seemed to writhe in agony.
Some people outside the barrier even fainted because of it.
Irnis is the third strongest commander and the strongest female commander among the Dramons. Her normally unyielding spirit now beset by trepidation, stood transfixed before the 'calamity'.
Her hand trembled with a fear she couldn't contain, her mind wasn't but her body was already scared enough to not remain in control.
"W-who are you?! You're not that human from before..." Her voice shook as she ventured to speak to the being emerging from the blazing depths.
Irnis' voice was laced with a mix of awe and trepidation. Her eyes were fixed on the gleaming blade. Its presence seemed to distort the air around it. The flames dancing at its edge cast flickering shadows on the ground, the sword itself was a portal to a realm of unbridled fury.
Irnis cleared her throat.
The being's gaze remained fixed on her, its eyes burning with an intensity that made her very soul quiver. He didn't reply to that question like he wasn't hearing. Irnis' words fell on deaf ears, and the silence that followed was like a slap to her pride.
Her irritation simmered, then boiled over as she bellowed, "WHO ARE YOU?! ANSWER ME!"
It was like a thunderclap, shaking the air and sending nearby leaves scattering.
A deep voice "You are ruining my mood. I just came out...." It lifted Nandak a little. Irnis' instincts screamed at her to retreat, her senses honed to the realization that this foe was a force to be reckoned with.
Irnis turned back to run away but before she had even completely turned, it reached behind her "....and you started blabbing...phew, Now then continue."
Inis' frustration erupted into a furious torrent, her words spilling out in a passionate crescendo: "I... I asked you something, damn it! Who the fucking hell are you, and what business do you have here?!" Even her tone and speech style changed.
"Woah, you got some spirits... but...." It stepped forward.
It was a swift motion with which he almost looked as if he teleported to her side and then he put his hand on her shoulder. "You should know your place."
A small stream of blood came out of her ear.
Princess, not too far, was watching this from the corner behind the guards in a petrified state. She was looking traumatized as she remembered something from her memories.
A guardsman in front of her looked at her and then aimed his weapon at that Being. He was going to shoot at him with his plasma shooting gun, Arcion-3, to protect the Princess, but he was too slow for that.
His weapon remained clutched in his hand, his finger still hovering over the trigger while his body turned to burning ashes. It wasn't something that happened from afar but instead, it was that Being who just moved towards that guardsman and hit him with Nandak.
Other guardsmen fell on the ground, at the same level as the Princess, and dropped their weapons. Princess screamed upon seeing this. Irnis was shaking at her place.
"What the hell is going on?" Irnis couldn't believe what was happening in front of her. The being's expressions remained unchanged, its eyes gleaming with unsettling intensity like it was savoring her ire, her fear, her very soul.
But Irnis still had her pride.
She took a fast turn towards it, lifted her hand used Getour, and attempted to reclaim Nandak with it. The blood from her veins started flowing towards her hand while the generators from her gauntlet- Getour-moved at maximum speed to regain control of Nandak. But it refused to budge. Its very existence had anchored it in place. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she tried to tug it free, but it wouldn't yield.
The being's gaze shifted to her gauntlet, and in an instant, it glowed with a fierce, dark crimson light. The metal began to sear, burning her hand with an intense, white-hot heat. Irnis cried out in pain, hastily ripping the gauntlet off her hand.
The Princess, once a paragon of grace and poise, was now a picture of abject terror, her body trembling like a leaf as she sat frozen on the ground, her eyes wide with fear. She seemed to have retreated into a state of catatonia, her mind overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the being's presence. Her silence was deafening and was just opposite to the cacophony of emotions that churned within her. The only sound was her ragged breathing, a faint whisper of fear that seemed to echo through the stillness.
Those guardsmen can feel Princess' fear.
"It looks like you still haven't given up." It moved towards Irnis.
Irnis looked at her hand which now had black marks on it.
"Let me reward you for your bravery." It sat on an invisible chair, basically air. "Except for leaving this place, do what you want until my sword falls on the ground."
Irnis looked at it with wonder.
"Just for your information, my sword will fall as slowly as the stars in the night sky move from one place to another. Quite good for you, isn't it?"
Irnis clenched her mildly burned fists.
The scene just became a media frenzy with bystanders and news reporters alike capturing every moment on their phones and cameras.
The once-sensational headline, "Human Killed by Dramon," is now changed, to the point that it's not even about a Duel.
It was just a live, unpredictable Duel and now the fragile peace, forged in the aftermath of the Shadowfall, teetered on the brink of collapse as the clash escalated, threatening to unleash a maelstrom of chaos upon the world.
The reporters, usually jaded and detached, were visibly shaken, their voices trembling as they narrated the events unfolding before them. The crowd was on edge, their whispers and gasps punctuating the tense atmosphere, as they watched the scene before them.
The world was watching.
The stakes had never been higher.
••
In the headquarters of W.D.O. in Delhi, five of the seven leaders were watching this scene unfolding before them.
"What do you think of this Noah?" The lady on the II chair looked at Noah who was still standing beside the entrance.
"As far as I know, Miss Nalini and Sir Akira still haven't joined us yet, so without them, any decision is going to be a big problem in the future. It includes not taking any decision too."
"Then, I believe we have to do it ourselves. After all, this is.... our chance to strike back."
The other leaders communicating through the hologram nodded in agreement.
"This entity's power could be the very key to unlocking our victory against the Dramons. Imagine it, a weapon of such magnitude, wielded by us, the tide of battle would shift in our favor, and those Dramonic oppressors would finally know the taste of defeat." Leader III's voice was low and calculated, he contemplated the potential of this newfound asset.
"Let us not be too hasty in our judgments. This entity's intentions are far from clear. For all we know, it may view us as nothing more than inferior beings, worthy only of annihilation, just as Dramons do. We must tread carefully, lest we inadvertently unleash a terror upon ourselves." Leader VII's words were laced with a hint of caution. He was just considering the potential risks.
"Even if we manage to secure his allegiance, the odds are still stacked against us. The Dramons are a formidable foe, with numbers and strength on their side. Can we truly expect this entity to single-handedly turn the tide of battle in our favor? The risk of defeat is still very real, and the consequences of failure would be catastrophic." Leader V's words reminded them of the challenges up ahead.
"We owe it to ourselves and humanity to at least attempt to ally. We'll offer him our military might, our strategic expertise, and our unwavering support. Together, we might just stand a chance against the Dramons. The alternative is to sit idly by and watch our world burn. I say we take the risk and extend the olive branch. Who knows, we might just find a powerful ally in this enigmatic entity." Leader VI's voice helped them to get a bit calmed down.
"Let's be realistic, gentlemen. Our arsenal is no match for the Dramons' advanced technology. We've tried everything in our power, and still, they persist. Perhaps it's time to acknowledge our limitations and let events unfold naturally. If this entity is as powerful as it seems, maybe it will take care of the Dramon threat without our interference. We can't risk exacerbating the situation and suffering further losses." Leader VII was concerned about safety first.
The expression of the lady on the II chair was thoughtful, his eyes filled with a measured concern.
"While I understand the desire to utilize his potential, we must not forget the unpredictability of his power. Allowing him unfettered freedom would be reckless and potentially disastrous. Instead, we should employ a measured approach, one that balances our need for his assistance with the necessary caution and prudence."
She added "Let us proceed with diplomatic overtures. He looked young, before at least. Acknowledging his youth and potential inexperience. A gentle hand, rather than a heavy one, may yield the best results in this delicate situation."
Other leaders agreed to this.
That lady looked at Noah next, who was ready for orders "I hope you understand what you need to do now. You can start preparing for it now."
"Putting blind faith in me...I see. You still haven't changed Lady Anjani."
Noah left, with the same haste he came there before.
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the holographic display still projecting the image of Irnis and the being's battle.
The tension was filled in the room. Now, all they could do was wait for the perfect moment to make their move, their eyes fixed on the entity that could change the course of history.
They were determined to seize this chance to reclaim their world from the Dramon threat.
••
Nandak was thrown in the air.