284 The Gate of Traitors (1/2)

Red-hot fire burned under black clouds. Lightning danced crazily between the clouds. Furious waves tossed in the limitless sea. Chaotic vortices appeared one after another before crashing and disappearing the next moment. The skies and earth cracked apart under the fulminations.

A majestic yet unclear sound rose, shaking the earth. Shadowy flames burned above the silver-white throne. The sitting figure looked down at the pure white city under his feet that was being invaded by the spreading fire.

The city was breaking apart. The flames pulled the carcasses away from the material world and sank into the deepest part of the aether sea together.

The giant shadow rose from the throne and unsheathed his sword. The dazzling light spread in all directions as if a blazing sun had descended to Earth. He pointed the sword to the sky but the flow of the blade suddenly extinguished. The blade shattered, the pieces shooting away. The man roared in the darkness and fell into the shadows.

He had fallen into eternal darkness. Eternally isolated.

”What a lonely ending,” the Shaman murmured as he opened his eyes. The only sound in the quiet secret room was the gentle noises of the alchemist machine maintaining his life.

Ghosthand, sleeping in the corner, looked over. ”What’s wrong?”

”I had a dream. It’s a bad premonition.” The Shaman reached out for Ghosthand to help him up.

Candlelight shone through the hole in his chest and cast menacing spots of light on the wall behind him. One could vaguely see the shadows of the pulsing incomplete heart. Snot flowed from his nose as he stood. He looked sad and pitiful.

Ghosthand sighed and handed him a handkerchief.

”What day is it?” the Shaman asked.

”Sixteenth.”

”Oh.” The Shaman nodded. ”It should be today, right? The astrologers told me that the Blue Moon will awaken within the Pure White Moon today. The stars will stop moving. After the power of Avalon’s Shadow enters the low tide, Elizabeth Tower’s power will be at its weakest point as well. If the parliament wants to act, they’ll choose today.”

Ghosthand nodded. ”Mr. Holmes already took what you prepared for him and set off. He came before he left but you were sleeping. He did not want to wake you.”

”Did he say anything?”

”Nothing except to remind you to uphold your end of the deal.”

Guilt flashed past the Shaman‘s eyes and he closed them. When he slowly opened them again, the twilight in them was gone. His eyes were determined once again. Like a blade cleaned of rust, it had a tinge of blazing light.

”Guard outside the door,” he said. ”Don’t let anyone come in.”

Ghosthand nodded and left.

Silence returned to the room. The lone candle flickered before finally dying out. A pair of dimly glowing eyes closed in the duskiness. Darkness swallowed everything.

-

”He has arrived, he has arrived.” That same night, Naberius shook his bell in the dark city of the demonic territory. ”The great one has arrived, the lord has arrived, the dark officials have arrived! The followers shall arrive!”

Behind him, countless followers in red ceremonial robes began chanting the poems and songs in unison. Under the nightmarish recitations, the shell in Naberius’ hand broke apart.

The blood-colored shell shattered into a scarlet haze. The demon with an eagle’s head and a man’s body was called forth. He unfurled his wings, covering the moonlight, and cawed into the darkness. It was Malpas, one of the sixth incarnations of the natural catastrophe Kehlsteinhaus!

He looked down at the city that had fallen into the shadows. Heavy dissatisfaction appeared on his face. ”Such pure power tainted by such dirty resentment…the scepter is forgotten, what a joke, what a joke…”

Layers of overlapping feathers sprouted from his back. Each one had an unclear face on it. The thousands of faces opened their mouths in unison and uttered with the same voice as Malpas, ”Your Majesty sleeping in the shadows, the time for anger has arrived!”

Malpas raised the crystal eyeball high and called to the White Tower that shot up to the sky like an illusion, ”Wake! Wake! Wake!”

The illusionary White Tower deep in the city instantly rumbled.

As the pivot swung, the lever moved, the gears rotated, and the enormous copper bell vibrated. The enchantment that enveloped the entirety of Avalon’s Shadow shook under the grave and terrorizing ringing. The darkness in the path of the sound waves surged wildly. Crazed shadows shot to the sky.

The eagle wing unfurled and countless feathers floated down into the shadows. Absorbing power, they transformed into thousands and thousands of pure black falcons. They swept past like a tidal wave.

The city of demons finally woke from its slumber. The demons that had been sealed in their spots felt the calling of the natural catastrophe and awoken one after another. They crawled out of their shells. Bathing in the cold moonlight, they howled.