Chapter 23 Awake to Justice: Hail to the King

A brilliant flash of light surged from Mundus' fist as he flew full force toward Sparda. Bolting toward Mundus, Sparda drew his sword parallel to the ground as red flames poured from his blade. They headed toward each other seemingly in slow motion; the greatest duel Hell had ever seen was about to commence. Sparda's sword and Mundus' fist connected with such force that a crater formed beneath the demons, quickly filling itself back up with blood. Sparda and Mundus stopped, realizing that they had exchanged positions.

Both turned at the same time, and stared into each others' eyes. Neither of them even breathed, not a muscle moved in either body, as both waited for the other to make a move. Mundus clenched his fist, small pieces of loose stone cracked and fell off. Sparda tightened his grip on his sword.

With lightning speed, Sparda's wings snapped and he flew into Hell's murky sky. Mundus' eyes flashed and red arrows flew at Sparda. Deflecting the arrows, knocking them to the ground, Sparda was set on Mundus. The Dark Emperor chuckled and glided backward, dissolving into nothingness amidst the gloom.

"What's wrong! Afraid to face me, Mundus!?"

"I hate to admit it now..." Mundus' words echoed from nowhere, "...but I had such faith in you, Sparda...you were my diamond in the rough..."[1]

A stone pillar shot from the ground, cutting Sparda's skin across the shoulder blade. Mundus re-appeared and kicked Sparda to the ground, and disappeared into the darkness once more. "You were grimy, uncouth, outwardly worthless, but I saw that your true value was beyond even my reckoning, and I sought to uncover it. You were more than just a puppet on a string, slave to my whims, you were to be my masterpiece. There was always something different about you; you had ... "[2]

"A soul,"[3] Sparda said staggering upward...

"Hahaha, a soul?! It seems your time with the humans has not only made you weak in body, but also in mind!" Mundus's laughter bellowed out of the darkness. "Do you truly believe that a simple rebellion makes you like them? Just glance at your reflection below and see how 'human' you are! Demons struggle amongst themselves ceaselessly for little reason at all; it is in your nature to do so. If you think that one act of treachery grants you this 'soul,' then you are indeed deluded! The 'soul' is nothing more than a superstitious illusion created in the face of the bleak, pathetic reality of human existence: that there is truly no hope for them! I assure you, young Sparda, humans are made of nothing but frail flesh and blood, and in the end they are nothing but dust and bone before us." Another melee attack resulted in Sparda being knocked into a statue of a "Fallen One."[4] Sparda landed on his feet and cleared away the debris of the crumbling Abyss statue with his sword.

"What is it you seek? To purge the darkness from the 'light' of the universe? The Light cannot exist without the Darkness to define it.[5] Even if you did succeed in destroying Hell, you would remain a lone shadow within the human world, a blemish on the very purity you strove to create. Give up this futility!" A beam of light erupted from Mundus' palm. Sparda rolled away in time to see the Abyss statue burst into flames.

Melee attacks hit Sparda from all directions at once as he began to show his weariness from fighting, falling to one knee, but refusing to accept defeat. Fatigue washed over him, as did pain, fear, and hate; hate for everything he had done, and the impossibility of making it right. But most of all, hate for the one who had plucked his strings and watched him dance: Mundus. The hatred rested deep within his soul, the thing Mundus did not believe in, the thing Sparda had once not believed in.

"All so suddenly, you hate your own kind and take up the mantle of humanity? I did not think this kind of treachery possible for you. Why? Why do hate those who actually act on the will to power? Is it not proper that we seize what is within our grasp?"

Sparda raised his brow sardonically, "Spare me another 'I am better than Argosax' speech, Mundus, I grow weary of your arrogance..."

"Ha! That useless wretch?! No, naive Sparda...I speak of One whose teachings give the pathetic, ignorant fleshlings hope. A hope that you can be sure He will not deliver on."

Sparda looked at Mundus as his puzzlement mingled with dazed hallucinations. "Does it come as a surprise? Did you really think it was so simple as humans and demons? I should expect nothing more. How could I have thought so highly of you..."

Mundus blurred in and out of focus before Sparda's eyes. This was not how the Fight for Humanity was supposed play out...this was a battle of willpower in which Sparda was being seriously undermined. Sparda loomed ever closer to the edge of complete physical and mental collapse as Mundus continued his admonishment.

"Most of the beings in this realm worship the King. Those few peons that disobey are made to lay low. You know that it is no different in their realm. Here, my word is law, but there...a disgusting communal effort, a few simple rules, and no law for their King is silent. I seek only to bring order to their world.[6] But tell me, who do you think is responsible for such chaos in the first place?"

Another being...? Sparda thought...

"Oh yes, young Sparda, of course there is another. Do you know what He is, though? A Watcher, just as hopelessly gluttonous as Argosax was. While His people literally burned in His world, dying deaths that give even a demon pause, what did He do? NOTHING!

If the Creator of All Things will do nothing to help his own shining kingdom, what makes you believe that you, a demon with a heart of darkness and evil dripping from his pores, can do a thing to stop me?"[7]

Sparda's mind raced. Another being….but who…how…I sensed nothing in the human realm…is this just one of Mundus' tricks? Sparda did not know what to make of this newfound information and it only deepened his confusion and further separated him from the battle at hand. I must remain focused.

"I do not know if what you speak of is true, Mundus, but it does not matter. All that matters is here and now. And now, I will defeat you once and for all; here is your final resting place, amongst those who have fallen before you. This is where you die!"

Sparda leapt from the ground and made beeline towards Mundus. Fool…Mundus thought to himself. Dodging the incoming attack with ease, Mundus clasped his stone hands around Sparda's abdomen and squeezed tightly. His grip was so strong that it almost caused Sparda to drop his blade.

"Tell me, Sparda, how did you think this pathetic rebellion would end? Surely, you were aware that your failure was inevitable. Do you even believe in what you are doing? Do you understand what it all means? Or are you, once again, being twisted and guided by the machinations of another? That….woman, Anna….."

"You do not deserve to speak her name!"

"Haha, and why not? After I dispose of you, I will burn her entire world to the ground, and let the sarcophages feed on her corpse."

"That will never happen."

"Oh really? Who is going to stop me? You?"

"I will."

"No, Sparda, you are mistaken; you will find it difficult to oppose me from the grave!" Mundus tightened his grip around Sparda's waist, surely rupturing some internal organs; though they would heal in seconds, the experience was excruciating nevertheless. Sparda writhed in pain as Mundus threw his body back to the ground. Before Sparda could regain his composure and vision, Mundus had disappeared once again.

"After I kill you Sparda, I will re-dedicate this room to your death. And your epitaph will read, 'Here lies Sparda, the traitorous fool. He died, in vain and with no honor, for things beyond his understanding. May all demons spit on his grave.'"

Then, without warning, the many statues surrounding Sparda sprung to life, with glowing red eyes under the power of Mundus. Sparda was surrounded on all sides by the living statues of Abysses, Shadows, Hells, Frosts, and the ever so dangerous Vanguards.

"As always, you send others to do your bidding. Have you no integrity?"

"And what do you know of integrity? My loyalty has always remained with Hell and its denizens. You may not have agreed with my methods, Sparda, but you cannot deny their efficacy. For the first time in our history, the human realm is within our grasp, and I will hold both worlds in the palm of my hand. But you, however, have no loyalty to Hell, your own kind, or even yourself. You ravage the human world, slaughter them like livestock without a thought, and then you turn on your own brethren. Even the dullest of fools would distrust you, a traitor to both your cause and your heritage. You would be doomed wander both realms forever as an outcast…but I shall grant you reprieve!"

Then, as Mundus towered in the background, each statue descended upon Sparda with ferocious intensity. Sparda attempted to slay them just as he had millions a mere few hours ago. But to his dismay, their strength was more than triple what it had been before, and their skill had quadrupled. Their stone structure was more than just brittle rock; it acted as a near adamantine body armor, infused with Mundus' power, that repelled Sparda's long range projectiles. What….how can this be….I cannot be out of energy…they cannot be this strong…

"No, Sparda, this is not an illusion. However, if you still doubt my power, then allow me enlighten you once again."

Suddenly, in a burst of raw power, the statues erupted with energy and began emitting a wispy purple aura and seemed to increase in strength. Sparda, overwhelmed by fatigue, braced his body and gritted his sharp teeth. The living statues assaulted Sparda, attacking from all angles, each with its own unique fighting style and abilities. The Frosts used their agility to out-maneuver Sparda, while the usually unintelligent Hell Jailers relentlessly attacked in strategic formations. For the time being, Sparda managed to fend them off but they gained ground with each wave and slowly began to suffocate him.

Sparda's flawless defense began to wane with each passing second, as his body was met with uninterrupted attacks, slowly counter-acting his healing factor. And as Sparda stood in the center of his sanguine graveyard with a battered and bruised body, he started to doubt himself and his cause. Falling to one knee, with his sword planted in the ground, Sparda continued to take the fierce beating, while his previously immutable resolve began to whittle away. With shards and blades embedded in his chest, neck, and back, Sparda prepared himself for his imminent defeat. Never would he have thought that his life would end this way; everything he had worked for, strove to accomplish, his awakening, all for naught.

"Goodbye, young Sparda" Mundus murmured as he looked down at the slaughter.

And all hope seemed lost….Mundus had won….

But not yet. As Sparda lay beneath the pile of the demon onslaught, his body torn beyond recognition, an ember was ignited within his subconscious mind. Like a treacherous, deadly whisper, a voice called to Sparda. You see, you cannot do this on your own. You need me…accept it. Sparda knew this voice and he recognized its tone. He was being confronted once more by the evil that dwelled within him. This is not how or where you die. You know this. Now get up!

And all of Sparda's higher intelligence and his soul told him to reject the voice, to deny the devil within. But Sparda's basest instincts and warrior ethic said otherwise. His waning will to live was overcome by a will to power, a raging desire that suffused his body and mind as it screamed for vengeance and carnage. Sparda lay motionless and prone on the ground, as his body continued to be pummeled. All he could do physically was move his eyes, and glanced up, he saw the face of Mundus in the distance, looking down on him as he had for so much of his life; looking down on him as if Sparda was not worthy of looking him in the eyes.

All Sparda could think about was his hatred and disdain for him, and his growing anger and resentment that had started so long ago when Mundus took the throne of Hell. Unlike all other demons, he had never feared Mundus and had always felt that his power was far greater than his. I…I have always been stronger than you….you do not deserve the throne…Sparda thought as he slowly began to get sucked into his thoughts, his darkness. You do not deserve your power!

Then something began to happen. In the most unlikely of events, Sparda had given in to his own occult power and it raged over his body like a thunderstorm. I will show you what true power is! I will claim what is rightfully mine! Suddenly, all of Sparda wounds healed instantly and he rose to his feet with sword in hand, as a red sphere of energy surrounded his body. With one roar, a burst of fiery energy exploded outwards and shattered the stone armor of the surrounding demons. Now standing defenseless, the demons stood no chance of making it out alive; they were slain by Sparda in a blink of an eye, as trails of flames were left in his wake.

Perplexed and taken aback, Mundus quickly gathered himself. "You have more fight in you than I thought, young—"

Sparda stared Mundus dead in the eyes with a cold gaze of death. His muscles tensed up and not even his wings so much as flinched. "You will not forget this devil's power, Mundus! You are not worthy as my opponent!"

The comment seemed to catch Mundus off guard, but before he could even think about it, Sparda was on him like a hawk on its prey. Sparda seemed to have regained all of his strength and was moving faster than ever before. He first attacked Mundus head-on, slicing him directly through his third eye. He then came from behind, tearing at Mundus' wings. Then Sparda attacked from the side, hitting Mundus hard with a ball of red energy. The entire assault took Mundus by surprise as he was not fast enough to defend himself.

Becoming annoyed with Sparda's attacks, Mundus resumed his psychological warfare against Sparda once more. "Is that it? Is this your so-called 'power'?" But his words fell on deaf ears and Sparda attacked like a stone cold killer, his bloodlust rendering him oblivious to, or unconcerned with, his surroundings. Mundus soon realized that Sparda's attacks were actually damaging him, and it began to dawn on him that he might actually lose this fight if Sparda's state did not subside soon. But his pride overcame him and he refused to concede. "This is nothing more than child's play!"

Suddenly, Mundus spread his wings and floated backwards, sucking out all the light surrounding both he and Sparda, leaving them in a space0like void. Then as he hovered in the distance, he began launching meteors made of light and stone at Sparda. Sparda remained steadfast and repelled the stones as each successive wave became larger and faster.

"You will never win!" Mundus taunted as meteors began to come at Sparda from all sides. But to Mundus' surprise, not one stone had so much as grazed Sparda. Becoming frustrated, Mundus intensified his attacks, shooting out beams of white light and red energy spears at Sparda along with his meteorites. The attack would have killed millions of demons at once but it did nothing to Sparda. He remained still and deflected each attack as if it was nothing. Mundus began to breathe deeply but tried to conceal any signs of weakness. The attacks had stopped and both demons glared at one another. For the first time in Mundus' life he was unsure of himself and that thought of uncertainty terrified him. But he hid his terror with arrogance and pride.

"It is not too late for you Sparda. I will allow you to come back. You can still serve me."

Disregarding the comment, Sparda spoke, "Are you done yet?" The question was met with silence. "Well, I guess it's my turn then…"

Before Mundus could blink, Sparda was charging toward him with his sword cocked back and his body surrounded by his protective orb.

Mundus prepared himself for the impact, but right before Sparda made contact, he vanished without a trace. Mundus appeared confused as the battlefield fell silent and still, as Sparda was nowhere in sight. Mundus looked up and down anxiously, and his eyes flitted around the void but found nothing but faint pints of light in the blackness. Then, growing arrogant, Mundus revealed more of his pride, "So, it seems you would rather run than face me; perhaps you are not so foolish after all. But fear not, I am a generous King and I forgive your sins. I am glad you have realized your place--"

But then, out of nowhere a subtle rush of wind caught Mundus' ears, distracting him for a moment. "Hmm?" His eyes darted to the right and left, where blazing runes hung silently in space. As he glanced around frantically, in every direction, he saw that he was surrounded by an arcane seal of 8 crimson demonic runes, with Sparda's personal glyph directly in front. Bathed in the warm glow of the seal, time stopped completely for Mundus. "Cease these juvenile games! Show yourself!"

Suddenly, his body began to tremble as if the universe itself quaked under the stress of Sparda's power. At the last moment, he raised his head to see what seemed to be a bright crimson star descending upon him light a flash of lightning.[8] As it approached from light years away with impossible speed, it grew and appeared like a black and red comet, the herald of Armageddon.[9] But before he could make out the image of the core, it was too late. Sparda had brought his sword down hard upon his helm and through his body, sending a sharp red light down its entire length.

Mundus stood frozen in mid-air as he locked eyes with Sparda once more. "You…you cannot…."

Sparda peered into Mundus, trying to decipher why he had ever chosen to follow such a pathetic being to begin with.

"You cannot defeat me…"

Sparda knew it was over and a sense of relief and retribution washed over him, "I already have" Sparda then turned his back to Mundus and began to fly away.

"How…how dare you…turn your back on me! I am the King of Hell! You shall bow before—"

Suddenly, the flaming runes surrounding Mundus' body began to pulsate and without warning, they converged upon him all at once, sending a surge of energy through his fractured body; each crack and fissure emitted a red glow. Then, Mundus shattered into a million pieces as blinding white light filled the entire area and almost all of Hell seemed to scream in agony at once.

Sparda stopped in mid-flight and took a deep breath, seeming to revert back to his normal form. Confusion and a feeling of numbness overwhelmed him. He had just accomplished the greatest feat in his life but he did not feel victorious. I let it take over…How could it have done that…I cannot let it happen again. I must lock this place, this power, away for eternity.

And with that thought, Sparda made his way back to the portal with only one thing on his mind: find Anna. Sparda had seemingly done the impossible. He had traversed the treacherous gulfs of Hell, came face-to-face with its strongest warriors and defeated them. He had even defeated the Dark Lord Mundus.

Dis aliter visum….[10]

[1] My academic associate, Dr. Ibn-Amir, notes that passages such as these have a distinct alchemical, or Hermetic, subtext to them. This is to be expected given the time period, as many pseudo-sciences such as alchemy and astrology were part of the milieu of the ancient times. Dr. Ibn-Amir believes that this particular passage, along with others, refers in coded form, to the process of purifying and separating the ore of the occultus lapis adamantis. The process "Mundus" describing is either calcinatio or separatio. This significance is not mentioned in the Vatican copy. ~Ed. with thanks to Dr. Ibn-Amir

[2] The original manuscript includes a single note here written in capital letters, as if to indicate an acronym: VITRIOL. It is prefaced by the same Tau-serpent symbol used in a previous chapter, indicating its connection to the Naasene Zurvanites, or more likely, to an alchemical process.

[3] Soul here refers not to some subtle body of manifestation, so much as it refers to the seat of emotion and the mind. It is the psuche and anima of the ancients, and it is meant to refer to the thing that "Sparda" has awakened to. ~Ed.

[4] It is clear at different places in the manuscript that the "Fallen Ones" that this area is filled with did not have any real, certain significance. Commentaries have interpreted the "Fallen Ones" as referring to politicians and failed warlords of the time in a similar manner to Dante Alighieri in his Commedia, a symbol for the evil in the world of the author "Didymus," and a mythico-religious notion of fallen gods or, in the case of the Vatican, fallen angels who became the first demons. In any case, it seems clear that, even moreso than the many fantastical locales describe by "Didymus," that the Room of the Fallen Ones was one which was most likely wholly a fabrication of his mind, perhaps to frame the symbolism of the battle ~Ed.

[5] This entire section of "Mundus'" speech has been excised from the Vatican copy, due to its implications for the principle of privatio boni, that evil or darkness is only an insubstantial lack of good, and not a metaphysical reality in itself. The passage has been rather clumsily replaced with a paraphrasal of John 1:1-5. The sentiment expressed in the text is certainly the opposite of that, with Light and Darkness depending on each other for their mutual existence. It is unclear if Light and Darkness must oppose each other violently, as in Zoroastrian doctrine, or whether they are meant to coexist harmoniously as in the teachings of the Daoists. There is a note on the original manuscript that has been reconstructed as: TZIMZTUM. ~Ed.

[6] Order here is translated from the Latin mundus, analogous to the Greek kosmos, signifying the ordered, and restricted universe. ~Ed.

[7] As all of the above is very similar to the Gnostic critiques against the Abrahamic monotheisms, it has been understandably excised from the Vatican copy. ~Ed.

[8] "And he said unto them, I saw Satan like lightning fall from heaven." Luke 10:18. Note in original manuscript ~Ed.

[9] This appears to be a reference to the star called Wormwood which decimates the earth in the Book of Revelation, most likely to emphasize the level of destructive power the character Sparda is wielding at the moment. ~Ed.

[10] This appears as a faint note in the original manuscript but is rarely included in the narrative, as it appears to have been erased somehow. It includes several question marks made at a later time, as if the indicate that not even the visionary "Didymus" fully understood the text that was being channeled through him. ~Ed.