Hero of Darkness

In the realm of darkness called the Eternal Abyss, amidst an ethereal atmosphere swirling with shadows and whispers accompanied by trillions of corpses of hundreds of varying species and millions of wandering souls, an overwhelmingly tall figure that spanned for more than 50 kilometers in height while seated on a throne was revealed.

This realm was the one created and ruled solely by the personification of Death and Darkness that existed in the world of Vantrea… also called as the God of Darkness.

Before him, knelt a warrior clad in black and red armor with a towering figure of 12 Kilometers even in the kneeling position. This was none other than the strongest being among the roaster of Deities also knowns as the war Deity Kravel.

The God of Darkness, emanating an aura of power and mystery with glowing red eyes that exceeded the bloodlust and killing intent any being in vantrea could possess, looked upon Kravel, awaiting his report.

"What did Mors say?" inquired the God of Darkness, his voice resonating with an otherworldly timbre.

Kravel, with unwavering loyalty, relayed the outcome of his encounter with Mors, the Deity of Slaughter.

"As you expected, he declined." Kravel responded, his tone a mix of resignation and admiration for Mors' defiant spirit.

The God of Darkness contemplated this response, his piercing gaze fixated on Kravel.

"Yes, Mors has always been a being of chaos, unpredictable and fiercely independent." he mused.

"He would rather embrace death than bow down and serve another being than himself."

A knowing smile tugged at the corners of the God of Darkness' lips.

"However, it is precisely his unpredictability that makes him… predictable." he continued, his voice filled with a blend of intrigue and admiration for Mors' unique nature.

Kravel nodded in understanding, his eyes reflecting a deep comprehension of God's words.

Mors' inclination towards chaos and rebellion may seem contrary to expectations, but it was this very characteristic that allowed the God of Darkness to anticipate his actions to a certain extent.

"Even though I went there to recruit him to our side, I found a pleasant surprise.

And as you advised me beforehand, my liege… I made a few suggestions here and there." cited Kravel with a light smile under his helmet.

"By suggesting that he not be told to create trouble, I inadvertently led his next course of action." revealed Kravel.

"And you believe that our adamant Deity of Slaughter has taken the True Demon subordinate created by Kahn as his Apostle?" he inquired, seeking confirmation.

Kravel nodded, affirming the God of Darkness' deduction.

"Yes, my liege. It is highly likely that he has recognized the potential and strength of that particular subordinate, and thus elevated them to the position of Apostle since he is bored since the past few decades."

God of Darkness reveals a smirk made of his bones and teeth.

"Whether it's a Human, a Dragon or even a Deity… There is one common thread that binds them all.

No one can betray their true nature." he declared a truth of the world known only to the enlightened.

"Those who believe they can elude their true selves, hiding behind masks of loyalty or righteousness or some higher purpose, will ultimately be exposed. Their true intentions, their darkest desires, will always come to light when no one is watching them." he stated a hard fact of the world that was true regardless of civilization or era.

"No matter how they may try to conceal their true nature, it will inevitably reveal itself when one feels like no one would judge them."

"Mors always sought chaos and to ensure his entertainment, he ended up aiding us.

Being told to not do something is the very thing that ticks him off even before he was a saint. Thus, his very nature worked in our favor." spoke the God of Darkness in a ghastly tone even though it appeared as if he was joyful.

"Velsharoon, the Deity of Necromancy and one of my first two servants, has chosen Ceril as his Apostle, adding the forces of death and armies of undeads to our cause." the God of Darkness stated, acknowledging the strategic move made by one of his most loyal retainers even without commanding him.

He continued sternly, "Brokkr and Eitri, the divine blacksmiths, recognizing the potential that Kahn and Blackwall possess, have blessed both of them, bestowing upon him their gifts.

With the Primordial Titan bloodline and their blessings, Blackwall becomes a formidable asset with the potential to become as similar as the ones from the immemorial era who created wonders with their knowledge and craftsmanship."

A smirk played across the God of Darkness's skeletal visage as he reveled in the cunning manipulation at play.

"The Sky Deity Indra, seeking a new Apostle to fill the void left by the traitor who defected to the Empire of Light, found himself in need.

Following your suggestion, he chose Oliver, further strengthening our side with another Apostle."

The God of Darkness contemplated the situation, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.

"This makes the 4th subordinate of Kahn an Apostle of a Deity. Added with Kahn himself as Apostle of War Deity, there are a total of 5 Apostles in his group.

The God of Darkness leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with sinister delight.

"With these many Apostles aligned with our cause, each bringing their own unique strengths and powers, we have assembled a formidable force.

Due to such diverse and powerful Apostles by his side, Kahn will no longer be without loyal forces to fight beside him as he keeps becoming stronger.

These many preparations should be more than enough compared to our previous expectations." stated the God of Darkness.

"Yes, these preparations should indeed be sufficient." affirmed Kravel, his voice laced with confidence.

"Now it only leaves Omega, Armin, Ronin and the one they call Rudra.

However, Ronin already has a Psuedo Soul. The offer of becoming an Apostle might not be so lucrative for him at this point.

I believe that with his abilities… Only the King of the Underworld can give him any proper blessings that would enhance his innate potential." spoke Kravel, sharing his honest opinion.

"Good thing Yama has always been my loyal retainer." responded God of Darkness, further planning his next objectives.

"I am aware, my liege. Yama and Velsharoon were the first two deities who pledged their allegiance to you millions of years ago." he revealed the order of the first two deities who pledged their neverending loyalty to the God of Darkness.

The God of Darkness's voice resonated with a mixture of caution and anticipation as he addressed the assembled saints.

"Yes, the wheels of fate are turning, and the deities and gods are making their moves." he acknowledged.

"Among them, there may be other Apostles within the ranks of the other summoned Heroes and Heroines' parties, aligning themselves with different forces of Empires serving other Gods."

He paused for a moment, a skeletal hand reaching up to stroke his bony chin in contemplation.

"However, our primary concern lies with the one chosen by the Goddess of Knowledge, Minerva.

She is known for her meticulous planning and strategic thinking, many of her previous summoned heroes have always caused trouble and we must be prepared for her schemes with this new one as well." spoke God of Darkness in a grim voice.

The God of Darkness's empty sockets seemed to gleam with a mixture of caution and determination.

"It is crucial that Kahn maintains his sanity and focus amidst the trials and challenges that lie ahead.

He has run afar from his supposed mission to fight the Demon God for all these years while we orchestrated many things that would help him in the long term without his knowledge."

He looked towards Kravel, a silent acknowledgment of the assistance they had provided to Kahn thus far even though the latter was completely oblivious about it.

"We have done what we can to support him, but the path ahead is treacherous. Our aid can only go so far, and ultimately, it is up to Kahn to overcome the trials that await him."

The God of Darkness's voice carried a sense of intrigue and confidence as he revealed their hidden strategy.

"And finally…

If the God of Time believes just because his own chosen Hero coming to the past, altering the timeline and manipulating the current events with his knowledge of the future will secure their victory…" he mused, his voice filled with a hint of amusement.

"But little does he know that we possess our own tricks, our own plans that have been set into motion since the very day Kahn was chosen as the Hero of Darkness." revealed God of Darkness in a sinister voice.

Kahn had no idea that without him even knowing, things were already set into motion on the very day he was chosen as the Hero of Darkness and sent to Vantrea. Without any knowledge, many ploys were implemented in the realm of Gods and Deities that would shape his future in the upcoming great war.

"After all, the archaic formation on his back is a…" stated God of Darkness, hinting at their biggest ace under the sleeves that even Kahn had no idea of.

"Transcendent Rune of Reminiscence ."

------------END OF ARC/VOLUME 6--------------