A/N: And here his the next chapter, stuff will start picking up from here. I can only hope I take this somewhere enjoyable have faith and I'll deliver something.
"Leo is that you?" Said a familiar voice.
Hearing the voice I ran into the temple, only to be stopped in my track. Standing inside the entrance was a girl with bright green hair, She had hands on her shoulder one belonged to a man and a woman. The man had bright green hair the same as the girl, and the woman had jet black hair, you could tell they were the parents of this girl as she looked like a bit of both of them.
"Wait that's Leo? I last remember he was my little adorable baby boy. Not a kid on with the look of a man." Said the older woman in a sad tone.
"It seems he's grown up a lot in our absence. You were right Kanae he isn't much of a child anymore." Said the older man, you could hear in his voice that he was proud.
"It's no fair, hmph he looks nothing like you guys besides mom's hair." Kanae rolled her eyes while saying that. "Anyways nice to see you again Leo." She smiled.
"Mom.. Dad… Kanae? How.." Tears started to form in his eyes. "I watched you guys die.."
"Boy that's the power of my temple, it can gather the souls of the dead for momentarily." Nypherius said as his voice echoed through the temple.
I walked up to my family, tears rolling down my face. "I'm so sorry I forgot you guys, I'm so sorry I wasn't strong enough to save you guys… you all died in horrible ways because of me.." I started to break down in front of them, this was too much. Seeing the people I loved again after seeing them died. I can't take it. Closing my eyes I tried to make this world go away. "I'm so sorry, so so sorry.."
I felt a warm embrace that silenced all my thoughts and words. I opened my eyes to see my family holding me.
"Leo, you are alive. The survivor of our family, with you alive and holding us in your heart there is nothing to be sorry for. Just carry our families gene, that's all I want from you." My father said. "Oh I also want you to grow into a good man one day."
"Baby boy, don't you be sorry bout a thing okay? We all love you so very much, and are happy so happy to know that you are still alive. Make sure you get a good looking girl one day!" My mother said, she was smiling kindly at me.
"You sure have turned into a man on me little bro, can I even call you that now? I mean you're older than me now. Never thought I'd say that oh well." Kanae said while smiling, than she glared at me slightly. "And Leo, don't you dare let just any girl have you since I'm not around anymore." Hearing her say that sent a shiver down my spine and made me sweat a little.
"I uh.. okay sis I promise I won't.. Hey everyone I miss you guys so much and I love you all." I was nervous, sad, happy all at the same time. This hurts so much, but it also feels amazing. To know they aren't mad at me, it helps so much.
"One last thing Leo, we all have a gift for you to remember us by." My mother said as her and dad started to take their plain silver wedding rings off. "The dead have no use for these anymore child." They put the rings in my hand.
"Now son, these are for when you find a special person, since clearly your mom and I have no use for them, we want you to have them."
"Hey Leo I want you to have my silver necklace, to remember me by, since I don't know what to give a boy, well besides my body, but alas I am dead." Kanae had a grin on her face that slowly turned into a smirk as my face heated up. I could never do such a thing with her. Don't get me wrong she is a beautiful girl but she's my sister and that is just a no no.
"I uh.. we're brother and sister we.. we can't do such things." I managed to say while trying to hide my face. My parents were giggling to themselves.
"Oo my little brother is a perv! I was only kidding silly, now here close your eyes I need to do something." I closed my eyes and stood there waiting. I felt something touch my hands for a moment and take the rings. Uh what is she doing, maybe I should open my eyes or maybe not she might kill me. I felt the necklace going around my neck and being wrapped up. "There we go, you can open your eyes now."
I opened my eyes and looked down to try and see the necklace, only to notice that the two rings were on it.
"It's so you don't lose the rings, I know you can be an airhead. Oh one last thing to remember me by." She leaned in a kissed my cheek quickly and hopped back. "I love you Leo and I'll miss you tons, but we'll see eachother again one day!" She said while a blush started to take over her face.
With that my family disappeared as if they were never there in the first place. "Now Leo it is time to to get through my temple and come out alive."
After him saying the walls started to slowly change into a hallway, expanding in length. I was in awe as four columns rose on each side of the ground. It was amazing too see something like this happen. After the columns spiraled into the roof, a shadow being rose in the middle of each set of columns. "That… was cool." Was all I could say. After the shock and awe wore off I approached the first shadow being. As I was a foot away the shadow stretched out, it touched the walls and roof, blocking my path.
"They follow and lead, but only as you pass. Dress yourself in darkest black, and they are darker still. Always they flee the light, though without the sun there would be none." Said an unrecognizable voice, it sounded like that of a man and woman, deep but high at the same time.
"Uhh.. what am I to do here Nypherius?" I have no clue what to do, oh cool say a sentence after blocking my path yay. I was slightly irritated, my family was taken from me again, who wouldn't be irritated?
"Boy it's a riddle, find the answer in itself and you can pass through, if not you must fight."
"A riddle, a fucking riddle, fuck okay." Why the fuck do I have to do a riddle? Why not just let me through?
"You do know I can see into your mind? It's a test, to see if you're worthy of what treasure lies here."
"Ah a test, great, okay." So if this is a test a basic answer, it's dark here. 'They follow and lead, but only as you pass. Dress yourself in darkest black, and they are darker, still. Always they flee the light, though without the sun there would be none.' Okey what follows and leads, it has to be something that can be in front of you at times, and behind at others. It's darker than black. It flees from light, but it also needs it, what needs light to live but is killed by it. Fuck this is hard, I could feel myself scowling while closing my eyes, trying to think over the riddle. Wait 'Future shadow bearer' and I am in a shadow like world, that has to be the answer. A shadow follows you when the sun is in front of you, when it's behind you the shadow leads. It can't exist without light, but it hides from it. It's also darker than black itself.
"The answer is a shadow." Wait what if that was too obvious. Shit..
"Correct. You may pass." A light came from the middle of the shadow, and it slowly expanded across it until there was nothing but light between the columns.
I placed my hand into the light. It was warm, it felt inviting. Taking a deep breath I walked through the light, appearing on the other side of it. After stepping through I felt the warmth fade away. The light was gone but there was another shadow wall in front of me blocking my path again. I walked up in front of the shadow, and waited. and waited… and well you get the point. "Tch where is my riddle?" I said, I'm kinda pissed, I want to get through this world and begone.
"Boy there is no riddle this time. but you are being trapped by two of the shadows, you must let stand in the right spot or be crushed by the shadows." After Nypherius finished talking, spots on the floor started glowing a faint green, while the shadows started closing in.
"Are you fu…" I stopped and took a deep breath. "No, stay calm." I searched the glowing spots for anything different, but no luck. They are all green. I watched the walls too make sure I have some time, shit they are getting close in a couple minutes I'm a sandwich. The walls are closing in, I have a little room left. Not much going for me is there?
"AHAHAHAHA." I broke out into a crazed laughter, it just felt like something finally snapped in me. No way, I fought monsters, I watched my family die, I told a kid to get stronger, I left a girl on her own. Would I have been safer by staying with Esdeath? Would I have been safer if I never saw my family die? I wouldn't be in this damn mess. "Mom, dad, Kanae it seems like I'll be joining you guys sooner than expected. For my future in this world holds no light anymore." Wait. No light, I'm in a world of darkness, I'm not looking for what glows! I'm looking for what doesn't exist! I got on the ground and searched in between the glowing lights. I have to find darkness itself, a shadow that doesn't exist, but through the green lights it can!
I felt my body getting squeezed slightly, shit I know what I need to find, I just don't have the time anymore. The shadows slowed down at the touch of my body, I put my arms against one wall and legs against the other, trying to stop them. They weren't stopping, but I could feel the bones in my hand starting to crack. Shit you can't stop a shadow, you truly can't even touch one. I fell onto my knees, giving up. "This is such fucking bullshit Nypherius!" I screamed at him, this isn't fair.
"Wait.. what's that?" I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. It was dark, but I could see it. I reached my hand out towards it while the walls started to squeeze my body, I could feel my ribs cracking against them. The world was getting dark, my body's going numb from the pain. "I'm.. done for.." Everything faded to black, and all the pain was gone.
It hurts so much, it hurts so much. My chest was burning, it was as if it was on fire. The pain burned my body.
"Awaken boy, I'm growing tired of waiting on you."
I slowly opened my eyes, and looked down at my body. My shirt was torn up, probably been like this for a long time, I just didn't notice. My torso was bruised all over, some of my ribs were stabbing at my skin, the tips of them about to break through. "Ho.." I was stopped by a cough, I kept coughing, I couldn't stop. It made my body hurt, it felt like my head was splitting open, and my ribs were turning in my body. I could taste blood coming out of my mouth.
"Don't speak, just get up and walk through the last shadow."
I slowly rose to my feet, every limb in my body was screaming at me to stay down. It hurt like hell, but I slowly cracked a smile. Smile through all the pain, you can do this Leo. The world was disoriented, everything was blurry, I couldn't see clearly. I took a step forward, just for my legs to give out, falling onto my knees. I slowly rose back onto my feet and looked down at my legs. I could see bruising all over them as well, with a bone or too sticking out. I managed to stumble my way to the shadow wall, I took a guess to where it was.
"Have faith in me and walk through that is the last trial." Nypherius' voice boomed through my head, making it hurt more than it already did. How am I even alive?
"Your hand fell where it needed be granting you safe passage through the shadows after you fell into an unconscious state."
Oh yeah he can read my thoughts. Taking a deep breath I stared at the shadow wall in front of me. The only reason I can even tell what it is, is the fact that it's the only think to cover my vision and make the blurriness seem non-existent. Slowly breathing, I cracked a grin, and tried to block out all the pain. I took a step into the shadow only to stumble through it, falling onto the ground on the other side of the wall.
"My minions give this boy the trophy of our temple."
What's the point I'm pretty much dead. I looked around and saw blurry figures standing around me, they were drenched in black clothing
"Get his head up now." One of the figures said in a stern tone. I felt my head being lifted, it hurt but it seems the person was being gentle. Feeling one last wave of pain wash over me, I closed my eyes. 'I need to rest a little.' I thought. Than I felt something metallic touch my lips, and a thick liquid going down my throat. It tasted terrible, but for now I need sleep.
"Where is the pain?" I was surprised once my eyes opened again I couldn't feel anything hurting, but when I went to pat myself down, my arms wouldn't move. I tilted my head to look at my hands, only to see chains wrapped around my arms, keeping me pinned where I was. "What's going on?"
A dark figure approached me. It was taller than me, much taller. It's head was covered by a hood with black flames coming out of it. I looked at the figures body, it was heavily covered in armor dark flames covering the armor, with what looked like bones outlining the armor. It was a horrifying sight. It was a demon. "You are in your mind. Locked away."
"Nypherius... why am I locked away?"
"Because I needed a vessel child. You may be a kid, but I know how much potential this body has, and it's time I got revenge for being hunted down." What is he saying? Why does he look that way? "I was merely a danger beast hunted down for selfish reasons. Killed and forced to live in waiting for a miracle. It seems my body has become like a human body since my host is a human. I must thank you for this chance at revenge, now watch. Watch as I get my revenge on your kind."
"There is a rebel army in the North General Esdeath, I trust you know what to do?" Said a little kid sitting on a throne, there was a big man behind him, he was eating meat.
"Yes my lord." The blue haired beauty said, while on one knee. With that she rose and left the throne room. "The North? That's where that boy said he was going oh so long ago. I wonder if he's still alive." She smiled at the thought of seeing the boy again. Than she broke into a predatory grin. "The North also has a demon of it's own if I remember. I will make sure it knows there can only be one demon in this Empire."
A/N Well now the story is going to start and pick up, I only hope you guys enjoy this story! Leave a review and have a good rest of your day or night.
