Chapter 10: Desolation or Death?
863 Words
After what felt like a few days, Zeryl awoke to find himself falling down a huge dark hole. He could not see above nor below him, then in the instant he blinked to adjust his eyes, did he find himself on what appeared to be black earth. Black Earth is said to be a flaky, hard, and fragile substance that is void of all nutrients and life; it only appears in areas ravaged by harsh weather, heavy fires, or nuclear waste. As Zeryl looked around him, all he could see was endless graves and azure darkness surrounding him.
The sky above him was a deep-sea blue tone fading into a dark gray. As he continued surveying the dark heavens above him, he spotted the moon or rather moons for there were three of them. He then attempted to rise to his feet, only to find that when he stood up his feet did not touch the ground. Freaked out about hovering in midair, Zeryl flew backwards into a black azure glowing scythe sticking up from the ground. Zeryl then turns around to see a strange figure a foot holding the scythe.
The figure then says as if annoyed, “Who art thou and why art thou here amongst the dead?” Zeryl assumed the worst. The volcano erupted and killed him and not only that, but he must have failed his first trial. The figure then takes notice of the weapon upon his arm and speaks again, “Thou art a seeker of justice and revenge, but whose heart speaks deception to thy soul. He who carries the weapon of nothingness rise for thou seekest retribution, yes? The criteria for the test of darkness mayest now commence.” As soon as the last words were uttered, the figure vanished.
Zeryl stood once more confused by what just happened. He looked around for the strange figure but he could not find him. Thinking about what the being said, Zeryl locates what appears to be a hollow chair floating in air to sit and think. After a while of thinking Zeryl looked at his left hand and realized the fire emblem was no longer there; also the weapon on his arm was active with a dark faint glow.
It was at this moment Zeryl recalled what happened. Just as the volcano was about to erupt; Zeryl made peace with his situation. Live or die decided to trust the fire element wholeheartedly. Then suddenly when the volcano erupted, a huge black pit opened up below him and sucked him in but as he looked up at the ledge, he noticed that his body was still sitting there as if his soul and body had been separated. Then it started coming together that he was in fact dead. The being must be the reaper of souls.
It was at this time the dark figure returned unto Zeryl exclaiming, “Thou hast committed the darkest of acts for thou hast defiled the living and the dead with the desolation of thine own soul. Do thou seek darkness to destroy darkness? Wilt thou accept the evil within thine own heart? Thou shalt be tested and tried for thy actions. For defiling the dead is a major atrocity.” To which Zeryl shouted back, “I seek not desolation but the destruction of he who betrays and destroys much for money, power, prestige, and greed! I seek the power to make things right and remove said evil. I shall not let evil or darkness possess me. ”
The figure smiled at Zeryl and said, “Thy response has been accepted! We shall see who is right and if thy will is as strong thou proclaims. It is almost time to begin the trial by darkness and deception. For this is the land of darkness; the holy land for the dead that does the evilest deeds and are defiled by their actions.” Zeryl confused by the words of the dark figure asked, “Then how must I redeem myself to leave this place?” The figure then replies, “No one can leave this place once they enter. However, thou is not normal like all else. Thou hast but one chance to leave but only one.”
Zeryl slightly afraid stood up tall and ready to fight. The figure then said, “It does appear that thou hast accepted the trial. Two things are awarded upon completion: your freedom and the right to wield my holy weapon upon command as well as the darkness itself, but first, you must prove thyself worthy. However, should thou fail this trial; ye shall remain here in this land of the dead. Thy body above shall itself perish and die, withering into nothing.”
Zeryl quickly realizes what he is getting into but nevertheless, he doesn’t back down. For he now has the opportunity to gain one of the holy relics and the darkness element. Knowing the challenge will be hard and most unfair, he agrees to the challenge. The figure raises his scythe and shouts, “My name is Laduto the keeper of the dark element! Let the test begin!”
- Writer
