***
As the night sky loomed over and the surroundings were engulfed by darkness, maybe shadows, a single ray of light illuminated the top of the mountain.
The former emperor, now back to his powerless and weak self, sat by the campfire waiting for the meat to be cooked.
"Ah man~, being mundane is so...pedestrian." He said for some reason. He had the urge to say it, and it suited his taste somehow.
'I wonder what happened to my Nation....Damn That Nation!" He said with an Annoyed tone. He had established the Shadow Empire solely for one reason, Revenge.
Now he didn't have any reason to establish it again. If any of his speculations is correct, He wouldn't need to pursue revenge anyway. She would still be Alive.
An involuntary smile appeared in his lips, giving him a warm and...a soft vibe somehow, completely unlike the ruthless and tyrannical ruler people had known him for so far.
*rustle* The rustling sound interrupted his moment of reminiscence. He picked up his sword and looked at his ancient foe, who was killed by Shadow. Today's fight wouldn't be about survival, it was about position of power.
"Your rank is of a tyrant." He said, then looked at the mountain king with a murderous gaze, "But how Dare an insignificant being call itself King in front of the EMPEROR!"
The mountain king let out a powerful roar, shaking the surroundings. With blood stains crawling on the ground, its larva crawled out of the ground rushing at the nearby corpses of the slain slaves and soldiers.
The spiteful emperor rushed at his former horror, with an excited smile. As the mountain kings larva continued to consume the flesh of the fallen, it's mother...or father, confronted the only living person among his prey.
As an intense fight between an awakened tyrant and a mundane, previously known as the Shadow Tyrant began, the larva watched the spectacular fight while savoring the treats.
[You have slain an Awakened Tyrant:...]
At last, the mountain king, now a mere dead beast fell to the ground, it's larva having no reacting of their parent's death as they kept devouring.
[You have slain...]
[You have slain...]
[You have slain...]
The three larva also fell while consumed by their deep hunger. The former emperor stood silently with a blank expression. The distant and familiar voice, wasn't just a mistake, it was real.
A crooked smile formed in his face and distorted it into a maniac and excited expression, enough that even the darkness surrounding him stirred in fear.
He closed his eyes and put his hand on his face, trying to hide his face from, anything.
"You did it...." He began.
"You succeeded, You God Damn Lunatic!" He shouted.
"It might be the very first time you said the TRUTH!" After the excitement, his eyes narrowed in a scowl, an expression that could even send shivers down the spines of god.
"And I really hope you kept your word, for your own good." He said. A feeling of desperation washed over him as he abandoned the burning camp and walked up dark mountain. He only had his sword in his hand and nothing more, nothing less.
He have to be quick, if his assumptions are correct, he cannot stay in this sweet dream any longer. 'She' might be waiting for him.
He ascended the black mountain, killing both heroes and monsters of the future and present.
At the mountain top, cold wind brushed against his pale skin, blowing his ebony hair, he looked down at the very world, enjoying the beautiful and serene view.
"I REALLY HOPE THE WORLD OUTSIDE WON'T DISAPPOINT THIS EMPEROR!!!" He shouted at the rising sun.
He looked back, at the dark temple far below. "Time for an Exciting dive~" He said, as his body fell from the edge of the peak.
The fall gained momentum, it's speed catching up pretty fast. The thrill of it caught up to him as he spread his limbs wide, enjoying the cold wind.
His heart raced, the feeling only a mundane could feel, the fear of height and the fear of dying from fall.
He glided his falling body towards the dark temple, as his body leaned towards it.
*
Below, in the dark temple, an invisible being killed a beast and dragged it's body towards the pile of bones.
Suddenly, it sensed something, and looked up. A strange flying threat was approaching it.
Holding its invisible blade, it prepared for confrontation, when it noticed something. Something pure, something magnificent, something divine.
It stopped its action and prepared to embrace the fate it will be bestowed upon.
*
Holding his sword, the emperor prepared for the impact. He held on tightly, and as soon as he was close enough, he slashed at the invisible, but still perceivable entity.
The blade found resistance, clashing with a similar object, his momentum took in, slicing through the invisible blade and slicing through the invisible thing, which he later called, the guardian of the forgotten temple.
[You have slain a Fallen Demon: Guardian waiting for Divine grace.]
[You have received a memory...]
He then fell face down on the ground, his nose bled when got up. "DAMNATION! huh?"
He looked at the dark temple blankly, muttering in a low voice, "Damn that nation, Damnation?" He smiled, liking the magnificence of the word.
"So 'Damnation'! Receive the heavenly grace as this EMPEROR, has decided to accept you as the Imperial Curse of the Shadow Empire!" He announced to the world.
He smiled, satisfied with his great discovery of a divine curse word. He entered the dark temple with a joyous mood, humming the 'Song of Shadow', mostly used by the followers of Shadow during Shadow Dance.
Remembering a graceful figure dancing with seven shadows, his smile became wistful as he apologized while closing his eyes, "Sorry mother, I couldn't meet your remains, and maybe I never can. Please forgive this child of yours."
[A spirit watches over you.] the familiar voice rang again, this time, it was very weak, so much so the emperor couldn't decipher it clearly.
"I love you, mom."
To be Continued...