Chapter 717 Darkness
The darkness levitating in the center of the Orion Shelter rumbled.
Ripples formed on its surface and black silhouettes emerged from within. Expanding slowly, the darkness moved, seemingly as if it was alive.
The black silhouettes pushed against the surface of the levitating darkness, attempting to escape the imprisonment of the abyss.
"Is it finally time?"
A hollow voice rang from within the darkness.
"To think that our second master was foolish enough to fall prey to the same existence as first master. It is about time that we take charge of their misery," Another silhouette said.
"Take charge? We were always too weak to support first master, and now you want to take charge? Just shut up and follow second master's will!"
The third voice that rang throughout the center of the Orion Shelter was not hollow. It was a very familiar voice to those around Nial.
A humanoid being, enmantled in darkness, emerged from the levitating mass of darkness. It had long claws and eyes that shone bright ruby in the afternoon sunlight.
The being was a Devil, emanting dark energy and condensed killing intent toward those who were daring enough to challenge their second master.
"Calm down, Kaeldur. I was just joking," The second voice said hurriedly, "Furthermore, I don't get why you're so agitated. Isn't it great that we're finally able to fight again, side by side?"
Another being, looking just like the humanoid Devil, emerged from the mass of darkness. The Devil's claws reached out to the head of the other Devil which it grasped tightly. Kaeldur clenched his claw with tremendous force, strong enough to hear the sound of breaking bones all over the shelter's center.
"Wow Wow Wow…calm down! I didn't even do anything, so calm your horns, brother!" The Devil blurted out in between two breaths.
He looked just like Kaeldur, but that seemed to be only more reason to tighten his grip around the Devil's head.
"Shut up, and heed master's will."
"..."
'He changed…" Kaeldur's brother thought, watching Kaeldur as his head was finally freed.
'...what did second master do to gain brother's trust? Didn't we say that we would keep low and watch the second master once chosen? This doesn't look like staying low…'
Kaledur began to rile up all hibernating Devils the moment Nial awoke them. Even when Nial fell into eternal slumber, Kaledur continued to control the Army of Devils.
This had been far from easy, but that was not a problem for Kaeldur. He didn't shy away from trouble as long as his actions could improve Nial's situation, no matter how little.
Nial's situation was far from good over the course of the last year. There had been several times in which Nial's Cursed Divinity malfunctioned. The dark energy inside him had disappeared a few times as well.
No matter how one looked at this, it was not normal.
It was far from normal, and something nobody had ever encountered before.
Nial had been alive, but his body had entered a state in which it was questionable whether he was comatose or on the verge of dying.
Some Devils wanted to abandon Nial when he lost his powers. They were loyal to the Late God of Darkness, the God who saved and protected them when they were at their lowest.
Following Nial was something they had to do. After all, they were bound to the Godly Fragment of the Late God of Darkness.
Most thought that repaying their gratitude toward the God of Darkness was different from following Nail to death.
Despite that, they followed the will of Darkness, thus, staying loyal to both Nial Orin and the Late God of Darkness.
"Warriors of the Darkness, Slaughterer of Heavens, and Devout Followers of the one and only wielder of darkness. Spread your darkness, devour your enemies."
"Arise, and fight until the last rays of light have been devoured by the everlasting eclipse!"
Kaeldur's imposing voice resounded through the entire shelter.
Nial had yet to regain full control of his consciousness, but his will had already reached his Army of Devils instantaneously.
Ripples spread through the levitating mass of darkness as it expanded in all directions rapidly, consuming light, life, and death equally.
Simultaneously, the dozen races attacking the Orion Shelter went into formation, ready to raise the area to the ground.
They attacked from all directions, bulldozing the walls and damaging the constructions in the outskirts even before the defenders could react.
Not even a minute passed before the kill-count increased to more than ten thousand, and the numbers were bound to increase exponentially.
Countless citizens were victims of astray elemental attacks, and various abilities affected them as well. Their endangered life in the Orion Shelter turned into pandemonium.
Meanwhile, Nial was still not fully awake.
Thousands of Angels and members of other races charged inside the shelter. Their attacks were merciless and their killing blows lethal.
It was obvious that the perpetrators were not willing to leave behind any kind of evidence.
While screams, blood, and corpses filled the outskirts, darkness had spread across the ground of the plateau. All light was devoured, creating a domain of darkness, a place where no light and hope resided.
In a matter of seconds, the corpses littering the ground disappeared without anyone noticing.
The expanding darkness distracted everyone presents too much. It forced everyone to look at it as long as the light luster of bountiful colors created through the destruction of the Ancient Dome was still present.
The ground was flooded with darkness and the air was sprinkled in a jumbled mess of vibrant colors, creating a vast contrasting scenery across the crumbling shelter.
"When the darkness clashes the light luster, chaos will descend. Wicked powers will rise, and righteousness will die. What seems to be real turns out to be trickery. When right and wrong clash only gray will remain," The Oracle mumbled, a glassy hue shrouding her eyes.
Everyone looked at her, unable to comprehend the meaning behind her words.
However, somehow, staring at the scenery around them, they felt as if they had to understand what was about to happen.
Of course, that didn't mean they would like it…
"He woke up."