Darkness: "You oppose me in vain! As long as humans exist, I shall remain! I WILL NEVER DIE!" The presence then started to reach out of the wall, and slowly it started revealing its true form.
The twisted entity continued to jerk itself forward from the wall, as it outstretched portions of its body, piece by piece, and with each jerk forward it yelled anew.
Darkness: "I AM THE WANTON LUSTS IN THE EYES OF MANKIND!..." It proclaimed as it clawed its hand out, yelling further.
Darkness: "I AM PRIDE!" While reaching out with its other arm.
Darkness: "I AM GREED!" It proclaimed while forcing a leg through.
Darkness: "I AM MALICE!" And kicking its other leg through.
Darkness: "I AM WRATH!" And after this remark, Ira looked up at Theo while the Darkness started to pull out the remainder of its body from out of the wall.
Its full form in plain view, the ominous presence towered several feet over Ira. The Darkness then stretched its arms far to its sides as it revealed its true nature and name, yelling out.
Darkness: "I-AM-SIN!!!!"
The Darkness’s form was somewhat human-like in structure, though it had elongated arms and legs. Its outer body was darker than the dead of night, which even the light from the flame could not touch. Similar to the other malicious entities, there were exception to its dark form, which were its glowing white eyes and its wide sinister grin. Every joint the creature had was jaggedly pointed like rusted metal, and the elongated hairs on its body stuck out like sharp pointed quills or enormous thorns.
Seeing the true nature of his enemy in the flesh, fear was setting in, as Theo pulled his sword out in front of him to prepare for the imminent fight. In his heart, Theo couldn’t help but hope that his resolve alone would somehow aid him fight back against the terror he felt.
Even though it was not yet completely whole, the Darkness towered above Ira. The creature’s appearance matched the presence it released in the room. The malice and dominance its very presence emanated, would strike fear into the most steadfast of hearts. Pained to even need to, the young champion asked of his old friend.
Theo: "Ira, if there's anything left of you in there, tell me why! Why would you do this?!" His question would go partially unanswered, as Ira replied back with dogged determination.
Ira: "Step aside, Theo! I need the orb’s power to avenge our families! You of all people should understand!!" His words pierced Theo, who didn't want to believe what he was hearing.
Still in somewhat disbelief, the champion despairingly said back.
Theo: "You can't be serious… You don't mean that." And seeing Ira's unflinching reaction, Theo clenched his teeth before he said angrily cried out.
Theo: “How much are you willing to sacrifice?! What about all those soldiers out there from the Free Peoples of the West! Are they just necessary casualties?!" Ira's cold stare towards Theo slowly turned to a bitter glare, as he spoke in resentment.
Ira: "It would be you, wouldn't it?-“ He paused before continuing, “-I truly do need to lose everything I once held dear, in order to achieve my vengeance!"
Ira’s statement at first had Theo curious, but then the possibility of what he’d implied finally sunk in, as Theo asked his old friend back in worry.
Theo: "Ira, what do you mean by that?..."
His question was met with a few seconds of no response back. Instead, Ira looked down in shame, holding his head in remorse. Seeing his reaction, Theo persisted.
Theo: "I said; what do you mean?! Tell me! What’s happened to Cherise?!"
Now showing some regained emotion, the taint of the darkness was lifted when Ira looked back up to Theo, as he started speaking defensively.
Ira: "I didn't mean for it to happen! I...I…-" And stuttering for a moment, he continued to say despairingly, "-It's not my fault!!" The words Ira spoke were vague, but there was an immense pain filled regret in his tone.
The young champion grew pale, knowing in his heart exactly what Ira meant.
CHAPTER 61 – GRACE
At an earlier time in another place, night had fallen on the land. Not even the shine from the stars in the sky above could pierce through the curtain of dark clouds to reveal the surrounding landscape below. There was an overcast of rain clouds nestling above. The constant streaks of lightning making their way across the sky were the only brief moments offering clarity upon the ground below.
A deluge of the pouring rain pounded the marble tiles of the temple grounds underfoot. Drenched from head to toe, Ira’s clothes and face were not wet from the rain alone, as he slowly walked forward, baring his bloodstained black fangs like a ravenous wolf.
With merciless eyes to match his demeanor, it was plain to see he wouldn't allow anyone to get in his way. Laid strewn all around him were the unfamiliar dead bodies, and faces from that of another temples warriors of the Order of the Light. Alongside their fallen comrades were others in this Order who still valiantly fought in its defense, each one of them, standing in opposition to the man touched by darkness. But having no fear of the last few warriors, Ira charged them.
He ruthlessly, and brutally dealt with every man of the Order that dared stand in his way, one by one, without showing so much as a hint of emotion as he cut them down.
He did notice that this temple was unlike the others, in that only the combatants of these Order grounds remained. However, he considered this matter of little consequence, as those who stood before him now would be dealt with all the same. Just like all the others.
As Ira was getting too close to the temple’s doors’ to be allowed any further, in desperate gambit all the remaining defenders of these temple grounds rushed at him all at once. Their final attempt was swiftly and mercilessly dealt, as Ira ended their lives in just a few quick movements, only making his approach to the temple doors that much quicker. With those who stood in his path vanquished, Ira looked towards the temple, eager to claim his prize.
Accompanying the violent cracking sounds of the thunder claps, were the constant raging lightning strikes, illuminating his path ahead. Walking towards the marble structure, Ira made it to the temple’s doors. Still he showed no hint of emotion, even as he was right about to claim yet another one of the orbs.
Sheathing his blades, Ira slowly pressed on both doors, opening the way slowly to reveal the contents inside the temple’s hall made visible by the lightning through the ever widening crack in the doorway.
This temple was different from the one Ira had grown to know, in that it had skylights instead of torches to help illuminate the interior. With the crackling of a lightning strike, it was revealed by the light shining through the temple’s openings’, that one last person stood in between him and his goal.
Standing before him, in front of the temple’s orb was none other than Cherise. She looked back at him with the same shock he showed when seeing her. Both were momentarily stunned, staring at each other in disbelief. After seeing Cherise, Ira's recent appearance of being void of emotion quickly eroded as he stood wide eyed.
Stepping inside for a better look to confirm his suspicions, Ira slowly walked towards her. Partly unbelieving of his own eyes, he asked.
Ira: "Cherise, is that really you?..." To which she paused for a second after hearing Ira’s voice, which confirmed to herself that she wasn’t seeing some sort of illusion.
Cherise: "Don't come any closer!" She painstakingly cried out.
And seeing that he stopped approaching her after she said this, Cherise started speaking more softly as her eyes started swelling up with tears.
Cherise: "Don't get any closer..." And forcing herself to ask, she said further, "-I can hardly believe what I’m seeing… Ira, how could you? How could you do this? How could you have killed Keller?... And why did you give into the Darkness? Why’d you let it inside of you!?" She said while looking above and passed Ira.
Through a mixture of pain and disappointment, Cherise pointed out the fiend lingering at his back, as she exclaimed out.
Behind him was death and evil in physical form, the evil in the hearts of the world made manifest, the dark creature known as the Beast of legend, and to others the Darkness. The foul being emerged from Ira's back, towering several feet over him.
But yet the Darkness seemed worried, troubled, even frightened, as it looked back at the lone young woman.
Hearing Cherise point out the Darkness lurking over him, it astonished Ira. Looking upward and slightly behind himself, Ira stared at the enormous figure in black, not surprised in the slightest to see the fiend she mentioned, as he was already well aware of its presence.
Ira: "In all this time, no one else has noticed it. Those times you said you could see the Darkness, they were real after all." He said in wonder before continuing to speak with regret.
Ira: “If I only listened to you. If I didn’t cast aside your warnings, maybe things would've gone differently." Heartbroken, Cherise looked at him, and unable to hold back her tears, she pleaded for an answer.
Cherise: "Why?..." She simply asked, hoping beyond hope that Ira's actions were somehow justified.
And looking back at her with genuine regret, he said.
Ira: "You were right back then, Cherise. Something was wrong. For my last trial, they led me far from the Order’s grounds, with the sole purpose to kill me. But not only me! When they heard you trying to warn me of their plans, they also had the intention to come back for you!" He said desperately trying to justify himself.
Getting angrier as he thought more on it, Ira spoke out with conviction.
Ira: "It was all Keller's plan! He saw me as a threat to the Order, and sought to kill me!"
Cherise: "So you killed him, and the others!?” She asked in near disbelief.
Ira: "They were all in on it, Cherise! It was self-defense! THAT DAMNED OLD FOOL WOULD'VE KILLED ME OVER A VISION!" He proclaimed out, still in a seething rage.
For the first time in her life, Cherise looked back at Ira, afraid. Even as she gazed on him with fear, she still had a sound mind, noticing that he was showing a similar rage he'd shown earlier at Kings Height. His temper was once quelled then, so she thought there still may hope for him yet.
Closing her eyes to organize her thoughts, Cherise was determined that she could help him turn from his dark path, before asking him further.
Cherise: "What about the other temples in the Order?!-" And stopping for a brief moment to bare the pain of her next words she’d speak, she said further, "-And what about that Aelaan town? Even the children, why did they have to die?!" He exhaled in frustration before answering her with the same conviction.
Ira: "How could you say that?! You should know more than anyone else why I did it!-" And his tone changed to utter disgust as he spoke further, "-They’re Aelaans. They are a blight upon the world and must be destroyed!” He said determinedly, not realizing the familiarity in the words he’d chosen.
Calming down and regaining his composure, he continued to speak.
Ira: “And I finally found a way to do it. By using this gift, I'm the only one who can." She looked back with unbelieving eyes, as Ira spoke further.
Ira: "Before I met you, my people stood in opposition to Aelaa for years’. I was there when our last city fell to the terror of the Empire. While my city was still burning around me, right before I was sent away with my mother, do you know what my father’s last words for his son were?" And knowing full well Cherise couldn't possibly know, he answered his own question.
Ira: "He said; Aelaa must never be forgiven for what they've done to our people. That our people must be avenged!" He paused before letting out a loud burst of a laughter before speaking further.
Ira: “Can you believe that?! Who would say that to their son as their parting words? For the longest time, I tried to drown out that memory with the ones we shared, but throughout all the years, it still remained. That unrealistic request just kept rolling around in my head!”
Ira: “Well that was the case, until now..." And excited to explain himself, he happily said.
Ira: “I now have that power! I will make the Aelaans pay in full for what they've done to us!" And seeing her unconvinced expression, he almost seemed to give up.
He then spoke more quietly and menacingly, as he finally explained his reasons.
Ira: They annihilated my people. It's only fair I return the favor." Distraught to hear this, Cherise edged closer to him, pleading with him as she said.
Cherise: "Ira, please, don't do this. Don’t let your anger define you. You remember that time when you came for me?... The Aelaan who was there saved me. They're still people like you and me, they’re not all cruel. There’s still hope for them…” Her voice trailed off after seeing his cold reaction.
Cherise: “…Can't you find it in yourself to forgive? Can you not find it in yourself to show mercy?" He sharply yelled back.
Ira: "And what mercy was given to my people?! To my mother!? To us!? No Cherise, I can’t find room in my heart to forgive them. I can’t! Not after what they’ve done!!"
After seeing Ira's enraged reaction, with every passing second, Cherise was becoming more heart-broken. Slowly she started forcing herself, step-by-step, to walk closer to him. Seeing that she was approaching him, he despairingly said back.
Ira: "There's no use trying to stop me. I’ve gone too far to turn back now!" Undaunted by his protests, sobbing as she went, Cherise continued walking towards him.
Ira: "Cherise, stop! I don't want to hurt you! You're all that I have left." He despairingly pleaded.
Ignoring his requests, Cherise only came to a stop right in front of him. Crying, she put her head on his chest, leaning on him. Caught off guard by her actions, Ira didn't know what to make of situation, as she softly begged to him.
Cherise: "Please, no more. You don’t have to fight anymore. It's time to stop." She said while gently wrapping her arms around his body, embracing him.
Through all the pain he’s endured, Ira closed his eyes, trying to hold back his own tears, before firmly hugging her in return, and saying bitterly.
Ira: "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I never meant to hurt you."
And seeing Cherise in this moment, Ira started considering the weight of his crimes, even thinking of his merciless actions against even the youngest of the Aelaans’ he’d slain. In this moment, he even wondered if he’d become worse than the enemy he had sought to destroy. With immense regret, he cried out.
Ira: "What have I done?" He said while holding onto Cherise longingly, openly weeping on her shoulder.
During this time, the Darkness remained behind Ira, grinning sinisterly as it looked at Cherise in particular with an ever widening smile.
Being unable to bear what she would do next, Cherise closed her eyes so as to give herself conviction to continue. With a steady hand, she reached behind her back, firmly grabbing the hilt of her dagger.
Upon grasping the dagger, memories she had spent with Ira raced through her mind, as she opened her eyes wide. As these thoughts flooded Cherise’s mind of all the wonderful times she’d spent with Ira, Cherise couldn’t stomach the thought of what she had planned to do. Her hand’s grip began to loosen until finally she let go of the dagger entirely. After releasing the blade to the floor, she reached around to hug Ira, wholeheartedly embracing him back. While grabbing ahold of him tightly in this moment in time, Cherise was adamant on never letting go.
Seeing Cherise release the dagger and embrace Ira made the Darkness seethe in anger before roaring in a loud and furious burst of rage. In its fury, and in a quick motion, the unnatural fiend reached its arm through Ira’s body, as effortlessly as if it were wadding its arm through water. And as the shadowy figure’s arm was piercing through Ira, it somehow left him unfazed.
The foul entity’s arm continued to reach out from Ira’s body before grabbing ahold of Cherise by her neck, tightly holding onto her with tremendous force. Once the Beast got ahold of her, its grip tightened, as it pushed her out of Ira's embrace. Lifting Cherise into the air, it held her at a distance as she dangled several feet off the ground in front of Ira.
After seeing Cherise was struggling to pull the Darkness's hand off her throat, Ira pleaded as he yelled out in protest from the innermost part of his soul.
Ira: "NO! YOU LEAVE HER ALONE! I DIDN'T WANT THIS!! I NEVER WANTED ANY OF THIS!!!" He cried out in utter desperation, but to no avail, as the Darkness didn't relent in the slightest.
The foul creature’s grip only continued to squeeze further onto her neck with every passing second. And somehow through the pain, and strain for air, Cherise managed to say a few words from the bottom of her heart, which left Ira and the Darkness momentarily stunned. Her words were answering a question that had not yet been spoken by Ira. Yet what she said infuriated the Darkness, as it let out a bellowing roar before reaching out to grab Cherise’s throat with both of its monstrous hands.
Panicked, Ira fumbled when he reached for his black fangs, and in one last plea of desperation he screamed out.
Ira: “NOOOO!!!!!” And as he was saying this, the Beast clenched down its grip upon Cherise’s neck with its enormous full force.
With the sound of a bone snapping crack, her body became limp.
Ira stood still in disbelief, as he watched the Darkness drop Cherise's lifeless body to the floor in front of him. Seeing her now, he wasn’t sure it was real, but the pain he felt was the agonizing reminder that it was so. The most important thing he cherished, his closest friend, and the love of his life was now dead. And it was all his fault.
The guilt, sorrow, and the bitter despair was more than he could bare. Now a broken man, he couldn't stand the sight of seeing Cherise like this any longer, as he turned himself around, stumbling as he headed back towards the temple’s opened doors. And letting out disheartened cracks of laughter in sheer disbelief, he headed outside.
The Shadow of Death Page 45