Episode 14: Wraith King
A piano key slightly had been pressed with a vibrant dark tune residing after it. It repeated the feeling of the lost condemned souls pouting from every stroke of the key played. One after another, the piano slowly coughed up a tune. A slow burn of a harmonic dark calling. The player was a specter of the night who smiled in harmony with his faceless head. All that could be seen was an oval mouth smiling at the dark abidance.
The chambers he resided in were poorly lit. Lit enough to see the dusk of the night hiding in plain sight, while the specter continued to play his instrument. The shadows surrounding him did not faze him at all. He admired them and played for them as well.
On the other side of the room, lay a small dozen stairs leading up to a throne chair, with a black banner raised above it. The banner raised was a large necromancer white skull with two slashes through the black eyes. A throne made for a true king of the land of prophets. From a distance, it appeared five thousand swords were embedded and melted into the throne chair. The silver platinum chair glistened in the dawn of night. Sitting on the seat of the chair was a blade. The one blade every human and creature of Eurafalia knew all too well.
The Lotus Blade…
The great sword that when wielded created greater chaos than the ongoing war of the continents. A single blade that can destroy mankind. The entire blade glowed with a distinct lava-red aura that mauled for death. The petrifying glow seemingly had an eye of its own watching the specter play on the piano, just on the pommel of the blade. The cross guard had two chipped red metal wings ready to fly back into the heavens like a fallen angel rising from the ashes. The grip seemingly connected the pommel eye and blade together like nerve endings. It sparked out a frenzy red glow once more and the specter stopped playing for a moment.
“What news of thy vessel…? Hexivus?” The blade's demonic outburst of questions, followed by a steady number of agonizing screams calling for help intensified the piano player.
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Hex continued to play on the piano, but with the mood shifting to a more compelling darkness surrounding the room, so did his music. He focused all his energy on the piano and not on the blade. It is like a rebellious child standing up against their parents finally. Only in this instance a specter king standing up against death itself.
“Ah, yes. You mean how are the two Diborn? Malakai Blade of Der Prismona and Jericho of Brightfall. Yes, they are quite interesting subjects I presume.” Hex eagerly licked his oval mouth.
The Lotus Blade charged up with a red speech glaring at Hex. “Ignorant, Hexivus. You were to find suitable vessels. One worthy of making the realms bow to the Spectors once more. Not subjects.”
“I understand, master.” Hex stopped playing his piano and bowed his head.
“But what…? Speak child.” The blade responded.
Hex looked to his feet. A sinister laugh began to spark up and out of the creature. He stopped playing the piano and stood up from his seat. Hex began to approach the blade laughing repeatedly. Both of his hands were put together, tapping his fingers off and on each other.
“What happens when two Shardbearers travel together?” Hex asked the blade. It remained vigilant while the specter finished his statement. “They almost certainly end up killing one another. Whether that may be physically or mentally. Shardbearers cannot coexist with their Superiors inside of them.”
“Hmph.”
“Master. I ask you to let my plan play out. Only the strongest vessel may host you. One of them has been broken inside, while the other is broken outside. Both by their Superior forms. The question is who wins now…? The Eyepatch or the Diablo’s Oathbreaker?”
Light began to beckon on the secluded dark chambers. Hex and the blade continued their idol chats when the light finally touched the platinum throne. From the throne chair, something spawned. A new being replacing the Lotus Blade. Purple burnt skin, with overwhelming red eyes and a massive physique. The creature leaned all the way back into its chair, holding a smaller Lotus Blade in its right hand.
The bald head of the demonic being whispered to the specter. “Fail me never Hexivus. I shall see you once the deed is completed.”
Hex bowed with a gracious smile. “Of course, Master Insidious. It’d be my great honor.”