Chapter 23: Relation
It's time for a story to be told…
I have many names…I have no name…but you all know me as Leader, Head Master of the West Side School for Paranormal Boys. On account for recent events, I believe its time to tell you all a story…one that took place 50,000 years ago…
This particular story takes place before I was born…then again maybe I already was…
But I know for a fact that this story took place long before Mystel or any of the current teachers of the school were born.
"Lord of Nightmares the council of Gods finds you guilty for attempting to—"
Oops…wait let me start from the beginning…
Fifty thousand years ago…I had a brother…and I still do…
He wasn't always bad…at one time he even enjoyed giving the children of Earth their nightmares…
But one day that just wasn't enough for him…
Night escaped to Earth the evening of June 5…something B.C.
–sweatdrops-
He flew through the small towns of the Human Realm spreading his darkest nightmares along the way. Sending images of death, starving, disease…the things that I sure he wished he was in control of.
But alas my poor brother was not after chaos and mischief that night…no…he was after something far more dangerous.
I used to think that my brother was the most foolish of the fools for attempting the stunt he pulled that night. I mean…I designed the last layer of—
Oh…I seem to have gotten off topic again…sorry about that…
Flying past the giant land masses my brother finally made it to his destination.
The middle of the Pacific Ocean…otherwise known as the center of the Ring…
The Ring of Fire that is…
It's also the quickest way…to get to the center of the Earth…
As taught in Mika Tseke's History class there are four layers of the Earth, each having some sort of obstacle to stop whoever dares to try to make it to the core. When new teachers come to the school new spells and traps are made by them to replace the old ones.
Getting back on topic again…
My brother parted the sea and dove down to the entrance. He was then met by the First Layer Challenge.
Not a very difficult spell to overcome but it would've been challenging had it been anyone else but my brother facing it.
The first layer challenge was created by the Spell Casting Teacher and by the Potions teacher.
Several large statues were what my brother had faced, statues that could tell whether or not his intentions were for good or evil. After seeing the malicious glint in his coal black eyes the statues came to life with the help of the spell placed on them by the teachers.
Drawing their large stone swords they lashed out at my brother…
But as I said before…it would've been a challenge…had it been anyone but my brother facing off against them.
Without even having to draw his own sword, Night lifted his hand and let out a wave of dark energy, making the Stone Soldiers' line up formation useless. The waves of darkness had knocked them all down like a child's set of dominos…and I probably would've found this funny had I not known the dark desire hiding behind my brother's eyes.
With the soldiers defeated the Potion Master's trap in the first layer came into effect. A magical barrier set by the Spell Casting Professor activated and the room began to fill with an acidic poison. A large waterfall of the concoction appeared in front of the entrance to the next layer just as an extra precaution.
But this wouldn't be a difficult obstacle for Night to overcome. As the platform around him began to melt my brother used his cunning and jumped into the air. Flying directly at the poisonous waterfall he began to pick up speed and then began to spin creating a sort of whirlwind around himself as he flew directly through the waterfall and making it to the door.
Walking down the seemingly infinite number of steps that followed the door my dearest brother had then made it to the Second Level which was protected by none other than the History and Defense Professors.
Here on the Second Layer Night was met with a room-sized puzzle that would require an immense amount of time accomplish properly. The layer had been adorned with a labyrinth that seemed to be a harmless child's game when in fact the labyrinth was enchanted to go on infinitely unless my brother solved its riddles.
Using his elite psychic abilities, Night had discovered that there were numerous switches throughout the maze and an army of moving statues guarding each of the switches. Unfortunately the second layer would not be a challenge for my brother. Concentrating his power into the palms of his hands, Night then released wave after wave of raw psychic power. The waves of power crashed through the hedges, destroying everything in their path. My brother followed the waves closely flying low to the ground to pick up more speed.
With the hedges, soldiers, and switches destroyed Night had a clear view of the hole in the floor which would lead him to the next layer. Unfortunately for him, as soon as he caught sight of the portal the hedges began to rapidly grow back from behind him. He would have just about twenty seconds to make it to the portal or else the hedges would catch him.
He kept on building speed…
Faster…
Faster….
Faster…
But unknown to my brother the statues had rebuilt themselves as well. Reaching out with a loud grunt, the stone soldier clamped his hand around Night's ankle and dragged him to the ground.
The hedges had sprouted up around him again but even if Night was closer to the portal no one could miss the way his eyes began to burn bright red in untamed rage.
"You dare touch me? The Lord of Nightmares? Insolent fool!"
Night unleashed an unbelievable amount of psychic energy, destroying the soldiers, hedges, and anything else in his path.
Looking around the room at the destruction he caused, Night rose slowly and with a slight limp, he threw himself down the hole to the Third Layer.
My brother's eyes closed as he felt a spell enchant his body. It wasn't as if he didn't know, but the Third Layer was protected by spells from the Physical Education Teacher and the Care of Magical Creatures/Types of Demons Professor.
His body shrunk and he was sent into what seemed like the box-like thing otherwise known as the Mini-Wars Stadium. Around him was a desert environment and several yards away Night could spot the small portal…then again the artificial sun was beating down hard on his pale skin and he could've been hallucinating.
Using what little energy he had left Night flew into the air heading for the portal. Sand Dragons reared up their heads from the sand and shot mighty flames at my brother. He began to spin, using the same technique he used to defend himself from the poison on the First Layer, unfortunately the dragons caught on to his trick and swung their tails at him, knocking him to the ground next to the portal. Because the sand was soft and giving and because or the dragons' immense strength, my brother hit the ground and like a rock skipping across a lake, bounced off the ground ever so slightly and fell into the portal.
Night coughed as he felt the portal pulling him along. Strangely he didn't feel himself falling…which could only mean that he wasn't done on the Third Layer.
Another minute later he was flung into a different Mini-Stadium. It was a forest that surrounded Night this time. The lush green trees seemed a bit overwhelming with their branches that reached higher than the walls of the stadium…
Higher than the walls of the stadium…
Night concentrated; summoning all the energy he could into his feet and jumped onto one of the branches above his head. A series of squeaks was heard beside him and he turned his head slowly only to find a number of Vine Dragons staring at him innocently.
Night began to sweat as he eased himself back against the trunk of the tree. The dragons slid closer, the large flowers on their backs beginning to shake violently.
Gathering energy into his feet once more, he jumped as high as he could just missing the poison clouds of smoke released from the small Vine Dragons' flowers.
He landed on the edge of the stadium and held his breath, waiting for the poison cloud to pass on. Once it did Night caught a view of the other sic stadiums that he had yet to enter.
So far he had been in the Desert with Sand Dragons. Then there was the Forest and the Vine Dragons who were ready to poison his ass off. Night probably figured out that the Magical Creatures Professor had chosen a dragon theme for this layer.
At the last stadium, my brother caught sight of the final portal, the one that would lead him to the Fourth and Final Layer where the prize he so desired was awaiting him.
And so he gathered energy into his feet and took off, jumping from ledge to ledge and making his way to the Light Stadium, where the portal was.
Night pushed off from the final ledge with the last of his energy into the swirling silver portal.
On the other side…I came face to face with my brother…for the first time in three centuries.
"Step aside brother…too long has it been the age where nightmares are merely shoved aside…I've come to claim the power I deserve!"
"Don't be selfish brother! You know perfectly well that you and I are equal in power…" I tried reasoning with him. But it seemed that my efforts would be proven futile.
"YOU LIE! …Get out of the way brother…" His eyes gleamed evilly "Or I'll make you…"
"Don't be a fool! You've wasted all of your energy on the previous layers…You have nothing left!" I yelled as the Council of Gods appeared beside me.
"Then die!"
I regret not being able to sense the small amount of psychic energy left in my brother. Or perhaps during the short time that he was being transferred here, he managed to gather more energy…whatever the case I wasn't prepared for the sickle-like waves of energy directed towards me.
I closed my eyes, awaiting the pain…but…it never came…
"My Lord…pl-please…you m-must punish Lord Night…if he had…if he had got-gotten a hold…o-of the Power…there would be no future…for the next g-generation…"
The young God of the Winds, Taro Tseke, had sacrificed himself for me…and for the daughter that he wouldn't know.
Mika Tseke is the name of his unborn child. Rin Tseke was currently heavy with child but Demi-Gods or Sprites take many years to mature which is why many mothers often commit suicide before the necessary date.
But we all know what will come of Mika-san…
"Lord of Nightmares the council of Gods finds you guilty for attempting to steal the Power of the Souls for your own selfish desires…and for the murder of Taro Tseke, God of Wind…" spoke one of the council members.
"I-I hereby banish you…to Hell…for 500,000 years…brother…" I looked Night in the eyes and drew the Sword of Sacrifice from its sheath "I hope you learn your lesson…and that we'll meet again…"
"My Lord!" cried out the council members.
But it was too late…I had struck my brother down…banishing him…but also…using my own soul as the sacrifice.
After all…the Infinite rule of Equivalent Exchange applies to all…
Of course…my banishment was lessened because of the interference of the Council and I was released 40,000 years earlier.
Not wanting to return to the Summit of Gods, I spent my time roaming around the Earth freely…
And in fact I watched my own birth 10,000 years later…
I watched myself grow…
And I watched it all happen again…
But this time I was the one to be banished…
And my brother was left behind…
"Mtae Ammon…you are no longer the Prince of this Side of the Nile…and are hereby banished from this Egyptian Kingdom!" screamed my father.
I don't really know what I did…
I was only trying to protect my brother…
Why was I sent away?
And so I watched myself walk through the desert…until I could no longer…
Then I decided it was time to join with myself…
And I returned to that Kingdom…to watch my brother from afar…
But one day…
"You'll...make me strong then...if I let you reside in my body?" My brother asked my brother.
I must stop him before it's too late! I thought. But…in fact…I was too late…
My brother became corrupted by my brother…
Night would take over Mystel's body…and slowly destroy his soul…
Unlike how I joined souls with myself…
I looked into my brother's future then…and saw that he would be attending the Paranormal School for Boys…
Deciding to look over my brother once again…I went and became the Head Master of that School…
And so the story ends…or maybe…it's just beginning…
I reached my hands forward and pulled off my hood, revealing my tanned skin and platinum blonde hair, my mismatched eyes, and my very tired face.
"I am Mtae Ammon and the Lord of Dreams…I am Mystel's older brother…and I am the Lord of Nightmares' older brother. But if you're to call my anything…don't call me Leader…not even Head Master...for I won't have it any other way…if you are to call me anyone…please just call me Day…"