Chapter XXXVI: Return To Darkness
The shadowlord opened his eyes. The eyes that had seen every event in history. The eyes that would watch the planet scream out its final breath, that would watch life itself crumble. The eyes that had seen its own race be slaughtered.
"Bring them here." The shadowlord ordered.
There was a semi circle of wicked demons around him, and they all nodded. One by one, they all walked away, leaving the shadowlord alone.
The shadowlord itself was of the Tilo N'Gar, and a powerful one at that. It used its magic and power to create this world, a world outside of reality, a world where only demons could return to.
But the Valentine was special. He had defied the shadowlords rules, and come even though humans could not enter. It was a disturbing thought, one that the shadowlord did not like to dwell upon, but had to. For if one human came with a demon, how many others would follow?
It was disturbing thought, one that the shadowlord would have to deal with.
And he would.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Vincent looked at Kahn with puzzled eyes.
"What?"
Kahn's smile widened.
"What's your oppinion on cheating?"
The mutiple possibilities of the word 'cheating' passed through his mind. He decided to keep it safe.
"I don't approve." He said.
Kahn frowned.
"Not even if it would get us out of this hell-hole?" The demon persisted.
Oh, Vincent thought, THAT kind of cheating.
"Well, I suppose it would be alright." Vincent murmurred.
Kahn smiled.
"Ok, then follow my lead."
The demon began a steady chant.
The air swirled around Vincent suddenly. It becam a small whirlwind around him.
"Hold out your wrist." Kahn hissed.
Vincent did as he was instructed.
"Now cut it!"
Vincent gave the demon a sceptic look.
"Do it!" Kahn said.
Slowly, Vincent moved his claw over his wrist. He laid a singel digit over his skin and pressed down. He felt brief pain as the claw dug into his flesh
"Stop!" A stern voice called out.
Vincent did as he was instucted, and removed the claw from his wrist.
"Zann Talrath Kahn," The voice continued. "conspiring with a human?"
Kahn smiled.
"Gotta get out of here somehow." He answered.
A shadow was slowly coming near them.
"Well, the shadowlord is not pleased."
Vincent squinted his eyes to see the approaching demon. Its eyes began reflecting in the darkness. They had a strange quality that Vincent couldn't quite make out. but as the demon came closer, Vincent made a shocking discovery.
Vincent gasped.
It had no eyes! It was merely a moving mass of... Something. Its body was an oozing thing that flowed continuosly.
"The shadowlord is an old demon that should be killed." Kahn remarked.
"How dare you speak in such a way against the shadowlord!" The thing said, appalled.
Kahn pointed to himself.
"But I'M the demon lord." He said.
"Yes," The thing replied. "The demon lord that cost us the war."
Kahn flinched.
"I resent that!" He said.
The thing made what Vincent thought was a look of contempt.
"Yes, who could know that the Cetra WOULDN'T appreciate an exploding cake as a peace offering!" It hissed.
"I thought it would be funny!" Kahn countered.
"A hundred Cetra would like to say otherwise!"
Vincent began trying to fade into the shadows.
"I think I'll be moving onto the next test." he muttered.
The thing whipped around from Kahn. Something that resembled an arm grabbed Vincent.
"You have also been summoned."
Kahn tried breaking the grip on Vincent.
"I forced him to come."
"You BOTH have been summoned, and you BOTH will be punished."
"What?" Vincent asked.
"You have cheated on your test. The shadowlord is not pleased with EITHER of your behavior. At best you can hope for an exile." It said.
Vincent didn't know what was going to happen, but knew one terrible fact: He wouldn't be able to return to Yuffie.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
For the shadow lord, nothing came as asurprise. When Vincent arrived in his world, he expected it. When Khan began reciting the ritual of revival, the shadowlord had been prepared. But that didn't stop the shadow lord from hoping they WOULDN'T happen.
When Kahn and Vincent were dragged into his presense, the shadow lord hoped to high heavens that Kahn would keep his mouth shut.
But this was too much to hope for.
"I demand to be returned to my station!" Kahn yelled.
The shadow lord sighed.
"You have broken our rules, Kahn. Now you shall recieve our punishment." He said levelly.
Vincent merely stood to one side, with his puzzled silence.
"Vincent Valent, alias The Black Angel, why have you joined with... Demon lord?" The shadow lord asked.
Vincent looked up.
"I just want to return." He answered simply.
The shadow lord considered this. What was the suitable punishment? Both were merely guilty of wanting to get away from this desolate world his. Vincent had something to return to, and wouldn't want anything more than to return to this, but Kahn was a problem. Kahn could open the gates to the shadow lords world. Kahn could destroy the illusion the humans held onto dearly. Kahn would have to recieve a sterner punishment.
"Kahn, what do you wish to do in the world of the living?" The shadow lord asked.
Kahn shifted nervously.
"Answer me!" The shadow lord persisted.
Kahn merely looked up at the shadow lord.
The shadow lord sighed.
He raised a hand, closed his eyes, and clenched the hand into a fist.
Kahn immediatly tensed up.
"Answer the question." The shadow lord commanded.
Kahn tried to resist, but the shadow lords magic was to strong. Slowly, Kahn's resistance faded, and the demon began his plight.
"I want to set the story right. The world shouldn't go on cursing our name blindly. They need to curse us for a reason. They need to see the beauty of our malice, our cruelty, our wars. They need to know more than what this human," Kahn gestured to Vincent. "Can show them. Or what the blasphemous human Hojo can do to our warriors. His perversions of our race STILL run across that world. I wish to put an end to them too. And finally, when all this is done, I mean to retire to Egg isle, the final resting place D'Rak Taul."
The shadow lord looked Kahn up and down. This was indded a legitimate reason for life.
"Granted. But you shall recieve exile and twenty years of confinement in Gaea's peak." The shadow lord said. He turned to Vincent. "What do you intend to do when you return?"
Vincent gave the shadow lord a look of purest confusion.
"I honestly have no idea. But I shall return to my," Vincent paused. "Friends, and I will help them win their war."
The shadow lord let his head tilt to one side.
"And what shall you do after this?"
Vincent's look of puzzlement disappeard.
"I'm going to ask my loved one a question. A very special one."
The shadow lord knew nothing of what the human spoke of, but deemed that all-in-all a question wouldn't hurt anyone. More importantly, it would keep Vincent out of the shadow lords way.
"Vincent, you will be exiled to the outside world. Your immortality will become non-existant. Your ability to return here will be revoked, and you will be unable to house another demon. But you may keep your present form if you so wish." The shadow lord said.
Vincent sighed.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to keep the wings, and the claw and the eyes. I didn't realize 'till now, but they actually fit me better than normal things. They're more handy." Vincent said.
"Good." The shadow lord said. "As of now, you are now banished from this realm, your souls will be returned to lifestream when you die, and you will be returned to the humans world. Kahn, you retain your immortality, but when you die your soul will also return to the lifestream. And now, if you don't mind, I shall carry out your sentence."
The shadowlord closed his eyes. He concentrated. He began chanting. He finished his spell. He opened his eyes.
Vincent and Kahn were gone.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Yuffie ran.
She ran from what she knew was certain death.
She ran in hope of finding Vincent.
She ran because one of people who might have the faintest inkling of what was happening told her too.
But mostly, she ran because there was a pissed demon chasing her.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Mech-Head flapped his black wings. His claws clenched and un-clenched as he flew towards his quarry. Today he would kill the girl, for she had lead him here for no reason.
As he flew out of the Cetra building he saw the girls silhouette running away from him.
He bellowed a howl of rage, and renewed his effort. Finally, the girl would die. There was nobody to stop him now, nobody to keep her safe. She would die.
as he neared his prey, Mech-Head was slammed on the back by something. The demon fell to the ground.
Mech-Head slowly pushed himself up, staring up at the person that challenged him.
It was a man with red and black clothing. A man with a claw on his left hand. A man with black wings. A man with crimson eyes.
"I have returned." Vincent Valentine said coldly.
And Mech-Head shivered in fear.
The shadowlord opened his eyes. The eyes that had seen every event in history. The eyes that would watch the planet scream out its final breath, that would watch life itself crumble. The eyes that had seen its own race be slaughtered.
"Bring them here." The shadowlord ordered.
There was a semi circle of wicked demons around him, and they all nodded. One by one, they all walked away, leaving the shadowlord alone.
The shadowlord itself was of the Tilo N'Gar, and a powerful one at that. It used its magic and power to create this world, a world outside of reality, a world where only demons could return to.
But the Valentine was special. He had defied the shadowlords rules, and come even though humans could not enter. It was a disturbing thought, one that the shadowlord did not like to dwell upon, but had to. For if one human came with a demon, how many others would follow?
It was disturbing thought, one that the shadowlord would have to deal with.
And he would.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Vincent looked at Kahn with puzzled eyes.
"What?"
Kahn's smile widened.
"What's your oppinion on cheating?"
The mutiple possibilities of the word 'cheating' passed through his mind. He decided to keep it safe.
"I don't approve." He said.
Kahn frowned.
"Not even if it would get us out of this hell-hole?" The demon persisted.
Oh, Vincent thought, THAT kind of cheating.
"Well, I suppose it would be alright." Vincent murmurred.
Kahn smiled.
"Ok, then follow my lead."
The demon began a steady chant.
The air swirled around Vincent suddenly. It becam a small whirlwind around him.
"Hold out your wrist." Kahn hissed.
Vincent did as he was instructed.
"Now cut it!"
Vincent gave the demon a sceptic look.
"Do it!" Kahn said.
Slowly, Vincent moved his claw over his wrist. He laid a singel digit over his skin and pressed down. He felt brief pain as the claw dug into his flesh
"Stop!" A stern voice called out.
Vincent did as he was instucted, and removed the claw from his wrist.
"Zann Talrath Kahn," The voice continued. "conspiring with a human?"
Kahn smiled.
"Gotta get out of here somehow." He answered.
A shadow was slowly coming near them.
"Well, the shadowlord is not pleased."
Vincent squinted his eyes to see the approaching demon. Its eyes began reflecting in the darkness. They had a strange quality that Vincent couldn't quite make out. but as the demon came closer, Vincent made a shocking discovery.
Vincent gasped.
It had no eyes! It was merely a moving mass of... Something. Its body was an oozing thing that flowed continuosly.
"The shadowlord is an old demon that should be killed." Kahn remarked.
"How dare you speak in such a way against the shadowlord!" The thing said, appalled.
Kahn pointed to himself.
"But I'M the demon lord." He said.
"Yes," The thing replied. "The demon lord that cost us the war."
Kahn flinched.
"I resent that!" He said.
The thing made what Vincent thought was a look of contempt.
"Yes, who could know that the Cetra WOULDN'T appreciate an exploding cake as a peace offering!" It hissed.
"I thought it would be funny!" Kahn countered.
"A hundred Cetra would like to say otherwise!"
Vincent began trying to fade into the shadows.
"I think I'll be moving onto the next test." he muttered.
The thing whipped around from Kahn. Something that resembled an arm grabbed Vincent.
"You have also been summoned."
Kahn tried breaking the grip on Vincent.
"I forced him to come."
"You BOTH have been summoned, and you BOTH will be punished."
"What?" Vincent asked.
"You have cheated on your test. The shadowlord is not pleased with EITHER of your behavior. At best you can hope for an exile." It said.
Vincent didn't know what was going to happen, but knew one terrible fact: He wouldn't be able to return to Yuffie.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
For the shadow lord, nothing came as asurprise. When Vincent arrived in his world, he expected it. When Khan began reciting the ritual of revival, the shadowlord had been prepared. But that didn't stop the shadow lord from hoping they WOULDN'T happen.
When Kahn and Vincent were dragged into his presense, the shadow lord hoped to high heavens that Kahn would keep his mouth shut.
But this was too much to hope for.
"I demand to be returned to my station!" Kahn yelled.
The shadow lord sighed.
"You have broken our rules, Kahn. Now you shall recieve our punishment." He said levelly.
Vincent merely stood to one side, with his puzzled silence.
"Vincent Valent, alias The Black Angel, why have you joined with... Demon lord?" The shadow lord asked.
Vincent looked up.
"I just want to return." He answered simply.
The shadow lord considered this. What was the suitable punishment? Both were merely guilty of wanting to get away from this desolate world his. Vincent had something to return to, and wouldn't want anything more than to return to this, but Kahn was a problem. Kahn could open the gates to the shadow lords world. Kahn could destroy the illusion the humans held onto dearly. Kahn would have to recieve a sterner punishment.
"Kahn, what do you wish to do in the world of the living?" The shadow lord asked.
Kahn shifted nervously.
"Answer me!" The shadow lord persisted.
Kahn merely looked up at the shadow lord.
The shadow lord sighed.
He raised a hand, closed his eyes, and clenched the hand into a fist.
Kahn immediatly tensed up.
"Answer the question." The shadow lord commanded.
Kahn tried to resist, but the shadow lords magic was to strong. Slowly, Kahn's resistance faded, and the demon began his plight.
"I want to set the story right. The world shouldn't go on cursing our name blindly. They need to curse us for a reason. They need to see the beauty of our malice, our cruelty, our wars. They need to know more than what this human," Kahn gestured to Vincent. "Can show them. Or what the blasphemous human Hojo can do to our warriors. His perversions of our race STILL run across that world. I wish to put an end to them too. And finally, when all this is done, I mean to retire to Egg isle, the final resting place D'Rak Taul."
The shadow lord looked Kahn up and down. This was indded a legitimate reason for life.
"Granted. But you shall recieve exile and twenty years of confinement in Gaea's peak." The shadow lord said. He turned to Vincent. "What do you intend to do when you return?"
Vincent gave the shadow lord a look of purest confusion.
"I honestly have no idea. But I shall return to my," Vincent paused. "Friends, and I will help them win their war."
The shadow lord let his head tilt to one side.
"And what shall you do after this?"
Vincent's look of puzzlement disappeard.
"I'm going to ask my loved one a question. A very special one."
The shadow lord knew nothing of what the human spoke of, but deemed that all-in-all a question wouldn't hurt anyone. More importantly, it would keep Vincent out of the shadow lords way.
"Vincent, you will be exiled to the outside world. Your immortality will become non-existant. Your ability to return here will be revoked, and you will be unable to house another demon. But you may keep your present form if you so wish." The shadow lord said.
Vincent sighed.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to keep the wings, and the claw and the eyes. I didn't realize 'till now, but they actually fit me better than normal things. They're more handy." Vincent said.
"Good." The shadow lord said. "As of now, you are now banished from this realm, your souls will be returned to lifestream when you die, and you will be returned to the humans world. Kahn, you retain your immortality, but when you die your soul will also return to the lifestream. And now, if you don't mind, I shall carry out your sentence."
The shadowlord closed his eyes. He concentrated. He began chanting. He finished his spell. He opened his eyes.
Vincent and Kahn were gone.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Yuffie ran.
She ran from what she knew was certain death.
She ran in hope of finding Vincent.
She ran because one of people who might have the faintest inkling of what was happening told her too.
But mostly, she ran because there was a pissed demon chasing her.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Mech-Head flapped his black wings. His claws clenched and un-clenched as he flew towards his quarry. Today he would kill the girl, for she had lead him here for no reason.
As he flew out of the Cetra building he saw the girls silhouette running away from him.
He bellowed a howl of rage, and renewed his effort. Finally, the girl would die. There was nobody to stop him now, nobody to keep her safe. She would die.
as he neared his prey, Mech-Head was slammed on the back by something. The demon fell to the ground.
Mech-Head slowly pushed himself up, staring up at the person that challenged him.
It was a man with red and black clothing. A man with a claw on his left hand. A man with black wings. A man with crimson eyes.
"I have returned." Vincent Valentine said coldly.
And Mech-Head shivered in fear.