Strongest
Chapter 13: Pram Tempting Fate
Written By Illuminet
Disclaimer: The cast of characters from Makai Kingdom : Chronicles Of The Sacred Tome do not belong to me, and are the rightful property of N.I.S (Nippon Ichi Software) America.
"..."-Indicate Speech
'...'-Indicate Thought
:MK:CST:
Pram's Netherworld, Remains of Overlord's Castle
:MK:CST:
'This might be harder than I originally thought...our powers are at dead even.'
Pram thought to herself when her transformation was complete. Zetta-Baal didn't seem worried, and stood still as if allowing her the first attack.
'If we exhaust each other's power at the same time, no one could initiate the final kill. On the other hand, my vassals can just do it for me...but what if Zetta has his own vassals hiding somewhere and waiting to ambush my army and myself? I guess I have no choice but to take that risk, so...'
She formed a massive icicle in the palm of her hand before hurtling it at the Overlord's location. It came toward him quickly, and Zetta-Baal brought up his sword to guard and was pushed back by the weight of the heavy projectile that didn't shatter very easy due to it's size, making him skid back along the uneven flooring thanks to previous effort on her castle. Pram teleported behind him, reeling back her arm before bringing it forward with a mighty claw swipe to Zetta-Baal's back. Thanks to the her transformation her physical power increased substantially, and not only did she deeply wound Zetta-Baal from the back, she also forced him to whirl around and smash into the icicle. The icicle shattered, many large and jagged shards of ice biting into Zetta-Baal's back to disable the function of he decided to activate the dimensional rip. The Overlord recovered quicker than expected and charged at the former Oracle with his sword, not a single sound of pain having escaped his lips even with the many deep wounds he just incurred. Pram evaded the downward slash, but was slammed in the stomach as Zetta-Baal came forward to ram her with his left shoulder.
"Oof!"
She grunted out as Zetta-Baal then aimed his hand at her, tossing a black fireball that collided with her and sent her back further as she hit the ground with her side. She clutched her stomach that had been singed slightly with the dark flame, having burned off a small but decent sized portion of her clothing. She almost allowed herself to be momentarily surprised that Zetta used another dark fire spell, but didn't dwell on it as the Overlord came forward with a sweeping slash of his blade that forced her to evade high. She flew higher as she formed a large ice cube in her raised arms as Zetta-Baal came flying after her. He swung up with his sword as Pram swung down with the block of ice. The cube broke into pieces, and Pram hoped that the sharp fragments would injure the Overlord further, but Zetta-Baal anticipated this and evaded by veering to his right before speeding higher up to meet Pram. She didn't have the time to evade the quick thrust sent at her, and had to catch the blade's blunt sides with her hands to prevent it from impaling her. Zetta-Baal was still physically stronger, and made the blade inch closer towards her chest. He played a particularly mean trick when he decided to heat up the blade's surface, forcing Pram to let go of the Genesis before her hands melted off. He continued the thrust forward, and Pram barely evaded to the side.
'Damn...he's...!'
Pram was struck in the side as Zetta-Baal clubbed her with the hilt of his sword, striking her out of the air. He came down quickly, tackling her to the ground with enough force to cause a decent sized explosion of brick and dust that caused many of Pram's soldiers to flee before they were buried alive.
"Damn you, Zetta..."
Pram muttered out. She could hardly see with the thick dust cloud in the way of her vision. Her cat ears twitched as she heard heavy footsteps a few feet away. Following on instinct to give her the advantage, she hurled an ice spell in that direction, but the shrouded figure evaded by soaring back up into the sky. Before Pram knew it, Zetta-Baal unleashed a mighty sword beam that dispelled her only means of cover at the moment. She erected an ice barrier to protect herself, riding the attack as it lifted her upwards until she could safely escape. The Overlord kept the fight going strong again as he instantly went for her.
'Hah! There's no way I can lose if I keep attacking boldly like this. Pram won't have much longer to live with my advantages: my physical power is superior to her's, my magic techniques are superior to her's...she'll will truly know what it means to try and cross a Demon of my stature! Pram...I won't forgive you for what you did to my magnificent body! Never!'
Zetta's rage fueled Baal's control steadily more and more. He cracked Pram's shield in one mighty blow, and the former Oracle could only gawk in surprise.
'How...? Our powers are equal. How can he have so much more of an advantage over me?'
Pram could barely deflect his sword with a swipe of her claws as sparks flew.
'True, his magic is one I can't contend with, but I still shouldn't be having this much trouble. I should be able to do some harm to him. I'm a freaking powerful Overlord too, dammit!'
Pram deflected another strike as she was driven back by the power of the blow.
'All my analysis done on you, Zetta...I had believed it was intelligence that could come out on top in the end. But what is this?'
Pram was driven back further.
'Zetta...what is this power that you possess? Is this the so called undiluted and absolute power of a true Overlord? Of the Overlords who fought tooth and nail with the Angels and the Humans to be given this particular universe?'
Pram was now at the edge of her mountain. She was bleeding profusely from the deep wounds inflicted upon her that she didn't even realize she had. Zetta-Baal took a slight moment to pause as the former Oracle looked to be on the verge of collapsing. She breathed in heavily.
'Then...intelligence won't win this situation, will it? Like it has for me so many times in the past? Zetta...I was the one tempting fate after all. My army has fled, perhaps out of cowardice, but they still have the best idea. I wouldn't want to be in my position like this either, yet here I am...this is punishment. I never thought I would see the day, but it's come and I was too entangled with other things to see it coming. Saving Salome's life was not enough to save my own. We are Demons after all...we can choose to follow a code of honor at our leisure. You decided to go back on your word...'
Pram sunk to her knees, her transformation expiring for the time being, and her form going back to normal. It had not been much of a fight as she thought it would as he completely outclassed her, much to her chagrin. Zetta-Baal began focusing energy into his blade, a fiery black aura extending from the Genesis to make it longer and larger. Pram eyed the black fire that emitted from the entire sword as Zetta-Baal brought it up over his head.
'There is only one option left for me if I want to continue living...run away.'
Pram thought to herself as Zetta-Baal brought powered sword down on her head, and she teleported away at the last possible moment. A good chunk of her mountain had been reduced to small pebbles.
'Did I...?'
Zetta was put into a deep slumber once more by Baal while his control was even greater due to Zetta's rage, so there was no reason to forcefully sink Zetta into the darkness of his mind with the imposter figure the Overlord so loathed.
'It matters not if she survived. Though I did want to do more to her, there are more important things to accomplish...the horrific death should be set fo Babylon, Trenia, and Salome for sure. Then Zetta...'
:MK:CST:
Salome's Netherworld, Canyon
:MK:CST:
"Where am I?"
Pram spoke softly as her eyes opened.
"Hey, your awake."
Pram heard a young voice addressed to her. She got up stiffly into a sitting position, seeing a boy with a striking resemblance to God of Destruction Alexander.
"Who are you?"
She asked, her mind a little foggy and disoriented.
"Name's Alastor, but you can call me Al. You're the Overlord, Pram, right?"
Al asked. Pram nodded.
"Yeah, I'm Pram...but where is this place? And has anyone ever mentioned that you look a lot like Alex, the God of Destruction?"
Pram inquired.
"First, your on Salome's Netherworld, second, the reason I look like Alex is because he's my older brother."
Al stated. Pram's eyes widened.
"Then...you're the successor to the title of God of Destruction. Wait...how the hell did I get to Salome's Netherworld? I could have sworn I teleported only a couple of thousand light years from my Netherworld..."
Pram said with evident shock in her voice, wincing as she felt a couple of small bumps in the back of her head as if she had been hit from behind. Al scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
"About that...you did teleport into space. It had been a few inches in front of me and Alex, and we sort of...bumped into you."
Al said sheepishly. Pram sighed.
"Sheesh...thanks for the killer headache."
Pram said sarcastically.
"Sorry about that."
Al said as he lowered his head.
"Don't worry about it. Seriously, though...why did you take me to Salome's Netherworld of all places?"
Pram asked. This was the last place she wanted to be.
"Well...me and my big brother wanted to enlist your helping in killing Salome."
The boy said. The former Oracle just stared at him.
"Say that again. I don't think I quite heard that right."
She said to him. A gruff voice spoke to her instead of Al's
"Shut the hell up with that crap, Pram! You damn well heard what he said!"
Alex flew down to occupy a spot of few feet away from her. Pram scowled.
"You don't have to bite my head off! What the hell possessed you two to want kill Salome...! Unless the same thing that happened to me...!"
Before Pram could finish speaking, Alex interrupted with a singled word question.
"Zetta?"
He said. Pram lowered her head.
"Zetta."
She confirmed. Alex gritted his teeth together in anger and frustration.
"You notice anything odd about him?"
He asked. Pram looked up at him as if he had insulted her.
"Did I notice anything odd about him? Your talking to me, the super genius Overlord here. Of course I did! Hell, even a dumb log like King Drake would notice a difference from a mile away!"
Pram shouted at him. Alex backed up.
"Damn, woman. Talking about biting heads off...you don't have to bite mine, dammit! It was just a simple question!"
Alex spoke. Pram lowered her head, as her cheeks became flushed crimson.
"Sorry...talking about Zetta angers me as much as it does you, I see. I take it he ended the tie breaker between the rivalry between you and him? Either way, I'm sure your performance was quite stellar compared to my own..."
Pram said. Alex lowered his own head in embarrassment.
"Sorry about going off like that on you too...and I doubt your performance against Zetta was lesser than mine. That bastard...listen, Pram...I've experienced it for the first time...when a Demon obtains too much Mana to handle and making it go rampant."
Alex said. Pram looked back up to him with surprise.
"Your Mana went rampant? Because of Zetta? How is that possible?"
Pram was in pure shock. Alex growled at just thinking about how he was defeated.
"He played my like a harp...He faked his death and let his Mana flow into me as my rightful prize...but his Mana was so much more than I could have ever imagined. He was toying with me from the very beginning. All that time I thought as I was reaching closer and closer to his level of power...he had soared above me so much more than I could believe...that was how powerful his Mana was, that someone like me could not even control it...a power that surpasses even Salome's. How can he be that strong if he doesn't have her support, Pram? How can he...? Wasn't he suppose to be weaker?"
Alex was visibly shaking. Al also started shaking.
"Zetta then took Raiden and the others...he killed them so easily..."
The boy looked on the verge of crying.
"He had that much power then...so we really were never equal in terms of power like I originally thought when I faced him even with my transformation. Zetta...and I thought only Babylon was rumored to have such a level of Mana at one time, or so the old Dragon claimed..."
Pram said, more to herself than the other two as she began to shake just as violently at this new information. Talking about Babylon made them draw a conclusion about something, though.
"Gramps Babylon said he used to be so powerful he could have taken us all on. One Overlord against all the others at the same time is not something to be done lightly. Did Zetta...steal Gramps Babylon's power? Is that why he is so damn powerful himself?"
Alex inquired, his eyes wide with shock, and Al and Pram mirroring his own expression as they all drew to one possible conclusion to the truth behind Zetta's power.
:MK:CST:
Salome's Netherworld, Overlord's Castle, solemn looking Throne Room
:MK:CST:
Salome's throne room was beautiful though it was not quite so elaborately decorated like many other Overlord's throne rooms.
"So we've finally arrived. I suppose you'd like to hear about Baal and Zetta's story now?"
Ophelia asked.
"Actually, let me get dressed in my Overlord robes, Ophelia. If there is to be a fight, I don't want to be caught unprepared."
Salome said. Opelia nodded.
"Very well. But hurry. Time isn't on our side, remember?"
Ophelia warned before allowing Micky to take the lead once more. Salome nodded before leaving to go to her bed chambers.
:MK:CST:
Salome's Netherworld, Overlord's Castle, Salome's room
:MK:CST:
'Something doesn't feel right...but I can't put my finger on it.'
Salome thought to herself. A Maid was in her room, sitting on a small chair and sewing a cloth.
"Oh, Lady Salome. Welcome home."
The Maid said, bowing her head. Salome nodded briskly back.
"Has someone come to visit me while I was away?"
Salome inquired. The Maid shook her head after briefly thinking.
"No, Lady Salome. Not that I know of."
She said. Salome still felt somewhat uneasy.
"Very well, you may be dismissed. Overlord Valvoga is visiting to tell me something important, so don't mind him. And please inform my army to be on the highest alert for battle."
Salome ordered.
"My lady? Highest battle alert?"
The Maid asked in confusion. Salome sighed.
"I can't go into the details, so I can only ask that you trust in my judgement."
Salome said. The Maid nodded.
"Of course. By your leave, then."
The Maid said, before exiting to the Throne Room. Salome went to her closet, slipping out of her night gown before obtaining the necessary clothing of her typical Overlord attire. Although the maids could help her with her clothing, Salome was not born into royalty to begin with in her first life, and still preferred to do thing for herself most of the time. She wasn't much of a slave driver either when it came to her Vassals and other castle retainers or Netherworld residence. Although initially viewed as a weakling Overlord, her tremendous power yet kindness won favor and loyalty with all the other Demons, making Salome someone many would want to work under. She even allowed them safe leave when she began to drain herself and her Netherworld of Mana for Zetta.
'Why do I feel so insecure? Like someone is watching me?'
Salome fitted the last of her long golden earrings on her long ears, after having put on everything else. That's when she felt a familiar presence completely.
"Seedle..."
Salome said in a low voice. The Samurai Overlord fell from the ceiling to land in front of the doors, a sadistic grin on his face.
"Been a while, Salome the Traitor. Your as beautiful as ever, I see."
He said. Salome narrowed her eyes as she turned to him.
"And your still as repulsive as ever, I see. Sneaking into a lady's room while she's away."
She countered back while summoning her short sword, Revelation, to her hand. Seedle drew the Devine Wind katanas from their sheaths.
"I could have killed you at anytime when you came here, bitch! But you were changing and I couldn't help but watch."
Seedle said with satisfaction, much to Salome's disgust.
"I'll give you credit for getting quite this close, Seedle. You were the foreign element that I was detecting all along when I came in here, yet I never realized it had been you since you hid your presence so well. But the peeping tom act...and to think you were once an honorable Samurai."
Salome said, her voice thick with anger. Seedle growled.
"I'LL KILL YOU, BITCH!"
And he lunged at her.
:MK:CST:
Outer Space, Near Zetta's Netherworld
:MK:CST:
"Okay, Trenia, the rest is up to you. Take Zetta away to your safe haven."
Babylon said, Trenia riding on his back. Trenia nodded.
"Babylon, please be careful when you go to Salome's Netherworld."
Trenia said as she got off his back. Babylon nodded.
"Don't worry. This old man hasn't thrown out the towel just yet! Ha Ha Ha Ha!"
Babylon said, before zooming toward Salome's Netherworld, a few light years away. His smiling face became serious again.
'Baal...wait for me.'
:MK:CST:
Space Battleship Yoshitsuna
:MK:CST:
"Has he talked?"
Zetta-Baal asked. The Prinny nodded.
"Yes, dood. It didn't take too long either, dood."
The Prinny said.
"And?"
Zetta-Baal inquired.
"Overlord Salome's Netherworld will be the next one, then Overlord Zetta's Netherworld, and lastly will be Overlord Babylon's Netherworld at the other end of this universe, dood."
The Prinny informed.
"Is that so? An interesting line up. Is that King Drake dead?"
Zetta-Baal questioned. The Prinny shook his head.
"He makes a request to have the honor of killing Overlord Pram, dood. He won't shut up about it anymore, dood."
The Prinny said. Zetta-Baal thought on it briefly.
"Overlord Pram probably escaped my attack and still lives. If she survives what is about to come that will bring this universe to an end, then I suppose I can allow a dying Demon's last request. He won't be very useful considering how weak he is though...can he pilot a vehicle? Well, if he can't, teach him to use the second most powerful vehicle in existence. He won't be able to defeat me with it, so he will not prove a threat to me in the slightest, but it may give him the edge he needs against Overlord Pram."
The Overlord said. The Prinny nodded.
"Very well, dood. Should I send someone up to mend your clothes again too, dood?"
The Prinniy asked. Zetta-Baal simply nodded before heading into his room. He removed his tattered clothing and left them in front of the door, before sitting naked on his small throne.
'He'll wake up soon enough...and he will witness her demise. And then you will the last one, Babylon...for taking him away from me in the first place.'
Zetta-Baal looked to the ceiling, a smirk appearing on his face.
:ToBeContinued:
Note: Well, here's the next chapter. Zetta and Pram's second fight is short and pointless, but it finally leads to everything connecting to Salome's Netherworld. The action should pick up easier in the next few chapters. I do hope everything wasn't too disappointing, plot-wise at least. Also, hopefully every reader and writer has a wonderful Christmas.