Narikas wasn't the only one watching the king and queen's reunion with a wary eye. They met as if it were all part of their plan to meet like this. But the thing that gave Narikas pause was the queen's glowing red eyes. The Wardens around him tightened their grip on their weapons. Meera looked the most concerned.
What is going on? Narikas thought.
Your bitch failed to honor her part of the deal with me. The armor answered. But this might be even better...
Narikas knew the armor had asked Meera to bring back the heart, but he didn't understand what the armor was talking about. He didn't see Meera or her new companions—the Wardens—carrying a heart, but he never expected them to bring it back in the first place. For now, the armor was silent and watched.
Rokibor reached Nisaya, but the two didn't embrace. "By the looks of things, our contract was satisfied?"
Nisaya smiled a ghoulish smile. "It is indeed."
"W-What contract?" The masked man asked. His voice was familiar. Too familiar.
Is this the Shade Meera was talking about?
The king and queen ignored the bewildered man and moved inward.
"Come," Rokibor said. "We have lots of things to discuss. As per our plan, I have all my neighbors gathered outside our gates. We can get rid of them in one fell swoop."
You've been duped. As I've said numerous times, no one cares for you. The armor cackled. Now, prepare to hand over your body.
The attack began all of a sudden. A pain like someone had been running lightning through him struck him like a bolt from the heavens. It took everything Narikas had to stay on his feet.
Narikas stepped forward, hands trembling. He tried to keep his voice stable but failed. "What is this, Rokibor?"
The king looked around at all the gathered people in the room. There were some decorated generals and high-ranking officials in their army. The king was displeased with the lack of disrespect, but Narikas was way past disrespect.
"Everyone out." Rokibor snapped.
All the generals bowed to Narikas first and then Rokibor, which Narikas knew irked his brother. He would have relished that one day, but given the amount of pain he was in, he didn't care, nor did he have the time to care. The only people who did not follow the king's command were Dagon, Meera, the Wardens, and the masked man.
"Was my command not clear?" Rokibor seethed.
"You're not my king, so I don't have to follow your orders," the three-sword-wielding Warden said.
Rokibor gritted his teeth and motioned to Dagon to deal with them.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Dagon took a step, and Narikas nearly lost control.
The room was flooded with darkness. Dagon faltered, and the Wardens drew their weapons, jumping away from Narikas. He let out a grunt of exertion and got things under control for the moment.
You'll have to give in to me soon. The armor spoke, but Narikas ignored it again.
"Rokibor…talk now!" Narikas barked. "What did you do?"
The king's look of certainty faltered. "I made a deal with a being of legend and myth who resides in my wife now."
"Doromar?" Hilnoa hissed, emerging from the shadows. You made a deal with a monster for what? Dominion over your neighbors? That's it."
He wasn't surprised by Hilnoa's appearance. "The lack of disrespect coming from you all is unsurprising. But you think too small, Hilnoa. Staying here with this servant of mine…" He motioned to Narikas with his head. "Has rotted your brains, you hag. No, the deal I made with the great Doromar was that I provide him with a body of exceptional power, and he will make me the king of Rhione. I will have dominion over this entire world."
"And he has given me an exceptional body," Nisaya, or rather Doromar, said. He still sounded like the queen. The only thing that had changed about her was her eyes.
"This is why you egged them on." Narikas stepped forward with incredible difficulty, almost falling to the ground. He was losing control of his body. The pain was immense. His voice trembled as he spoke. "T-This is why you had me p-pull back my forces...and let them come this far into the kingdom. All so you could wipe them out in one blow."
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Rokibor laughed. "See, I told you we would never lose."
Narikas trembled as the armor laughed even louder, knowing its victory was at hand. Narikas could not hold it back any longer. A part of him wanted to let go and unleash this monster on his brother.
Give me control, and your brother will be the first to fall.
No! Narikas shouted in his head.
Pain wrecked Narikas's body. He cried out and fell to a knee.
"Narikas, are you okay?" Meera stepped towards him, and Aunt Hilnoa practically ran for him. But it was too late.
Let me out!
"NO!" Narikas screamed, half from determination and the other from pain.
"Oh no, he's losing control." Aunt Hilnoa stepped back and flipped open her book.
"That won't save him, woman," the armor snapped, gaining control momentarily.
Narikas fought back with his life on the line. The armor fought with the only weapon it had—pain. It was so much that Narikas thought his heart would give out.
“Narikas, listen to me,” Meera said. "Remember, our deal. I brought you your queen. You promised you would not die or succumb to this armor before you told me about my brother. So, you better fight."
"Your brother should be the least of your concerns," Rokibor said. "You won't be leaving this fortress alive for failing to follow my command. You did this by failing to find Delkoris. If you had, we wouldn't be in this situation."
"N-No," Narikas said, looking at his brother with rage. Even lifting his head was enough to make him almost blackout. "You did this…You will never be the king of Rhione."
Narikas looked at Meera through teary eyes.
Don't be so sad, she'll join you soon. The armor spoke. But she will suffer before she does.
"I'm sorry, Meera…"
----------------------------------------
"No…" A tear dripped from Meera's eye as Narikas' right eye turned golden to match his left. His hair turned completely white, and his skin ashen and scaly as the evil spirit of the armor took over his body.
The Wardens pulled out their weapons and fanned around the downed and trembling Warlord. Even in his last moments, Narikas fought against the armor. He was not making it easy for the armor to take hold.
"Looks like we've got two monsters to deal with," Lexa mused.
"They're both about the same level—" Pallas said but stopped. "Is everyone seeing this? His levels are rising."
Thanks to quickly checking her levels before, Meera knew her Identify sat at level 12, which let her see up to level 130 more than her level.
[Shadowsteel Overlord – Level 402]
[Shadowsteel Overlord – Level 406]
[Shadowsteel Overlord – Level 412]
.
.
[Shadowsteel Overlord – Level 425]
[Shadowsteel Overlord – Level ??]
"What was his final level?" Meera asked, stepping away from the Warlord.
"452," Melas answered. "And the possessed queen is level 469."
Before anyone could say anything else, a black box engulfed Narikas. Meera knew what this box was and what it entailed.
Hilnoa stepped up beside Meera with tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, son…"
"I had heard about the famed shadow cages of the Shadow Scribes," Brison said. "Didn't think I would get to see one in person."
"Does that mean we don't have to worry about the Warlord?" Lexa asked.
Brison never got to answer as reptilian laughter filled the room. Meera's fist tightened around her chakram. Thanks to her Mirrorstrike Vision, she saw Nisaya or Doromar crack a hint of a smile.
The black box formed cracks and dissolved into darkness, which fell on Narikas' form as heavy smoke. Narikas stood and turned their way with a smile.
"Ah, it's so nice to be finally free and stretch out one's limbs after so long," the armor in control of Narikas said. He raised a finger. "First, proper introductions are in order. I am Erenyx, a Cosmarian. The gods imprisoned me in that cave during the Eclipse." He turned his head to Doromar. "Hello, husband."
Nisaya smiled. "Hello, wife. So, you've gained your freedom, after all."
"As did you. For a moment, I was worried that these Wardens would hurt you seriously."
That's why she wanted the heart to be brought to her.
"If only they could," Doromar said as he stepped toward his wife, who was in Narikas' body. Erenyx went to her husband, and they embraced and shared a deep, passionate kiss.
Rokibor and Dirik both groaned and looked away. Meera felt a strange queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, seeing them kiss so animalistically.
"So, the wife is in a man's body and the husband in a woman's," Tekton said. "Am I the only one confused about whether to call him a she or him a her?"
"They're both monsters," Zona finally said. "It doesn't matter what we call them. As far as I'm concerned, they're both an it."
"They are in mortal bodies now. So, it should be easier to kill them," Brison agreed.
"Everyone, take your pick," Melas said. "We're all equal in numbers, and—"
Rokibor interrupted him. "Doromar! You still have to hold up your end of the bargain."
The reunited husband and wife finally parted and shared a laugh. "Do I?" Doromar asked his wife.
"No, husband, we do not." Erenyx dropped into the ground and emerged in front of Rokibor. She raised her hand, and a sword made of shadows formed in it. "Your brother is enjoying this, by the way," she said.
She brought down her mighty sword, but Dagon, the king's personal bodyguard, appeared between them and stopped the shadow blade with his fiery long sword.
"Your Majesty, run. I will take care of this beast," Dagon said.
Rokibor staggered back, wide-eyed.
"Will you now?" Erenyx said. A sharp Shadowsteel spike erupted from the ground from between Rokibor's legs and speared the Blazer through the heart.
Meera gulped. She had identified Dagon earlier. He was about the same level as her, and Erenyx had taken him out in one blow.
Erenyx turned, leaving Dagon's lifeless form impaled on the spike. "Who else wants to come between me and my prey?"
The Wardens raised their hands. "We do."
"Oh no," Doromar stepped between them. "You're all mine."
Erenyx's eyes looked to Hilnoa first and then to Meera. "Dear Narikas really doesn't want you two to die, so I'll be killing you first."