Miguel emerged from the cocoon of darkness that his realmwalking summoned into a dark room. He walked through a door and entered a hallway. He walked down it, peering down the paths that intersected his own. He shook his head, thinking, ‘I have spent a long time away from this place, secluded in another realm. But it is time for me to take back control. I have given them long enough to grow without me and become more independent, but now it's time I return to my throne.’

Miguel walked down long halls with long shadows. Every surface was covered in a writhing black ooze, and small insectoid and arachnid-like creatures skittered about, only noticeable due to their glowing purple eyes. He heard them muttering and whispering in that accursed language they had developed.

Reaching his destination, Miguel faced the Throne of the Shadow Tyrant.

“TYRANT,” he shouted.

Every head in the room turned towards him. A massive black body with fat folds galore turned to stare. It had malice in its glowing purple eyes. It had tiny little sticks for arms and legs, and the rest of its body was rounder than his home planet, Terra. It was crowned with a headdress of black ooze and shadows.

“Ẅ̷̢̛̮̗̗̫̱͕̲̳̼́͐̑͝ḧ̸̨̛͍̮̫͔́͛̾̓̓̀̓̚͝a̴̡̧̞̝̽̍͠t̸̰̬̿͊̓ b̸̛͖̩͉̰̹̩̞͇́̒́̂̆̈́̐͑̏ȗ̸͚͇s̷̯̣͇̿i̷̙͓̖͙̠̱̜͛͝ͅͅn̵̛̰̮͉̠̭̳̖̫͖̮̐̀̐̆͘e̶̖͉͈̼͇̒͛͑̇͌̀̓̑͊ͅṣ̵̉̾̒͊̓̉͂̚͠ş̴̤̩̝̝̹̌̒͊͒ ḑ̵̬͙̟̪͈̫̹͌̚o̴̲̥͙̒ y̴̡̳͉͉̪̳͓͎̮͋̅͂̕o̶̧̦̺̯̳͛͊͝ủ̷̪̻͂ ḩ̸̡̜̥̐̔͑̈́̇̄̾ͅa̶̢̝̲̯̼̞̙̥̻̙̾̽̈̋̈́̀͌̇͋v̶̗͠e̷͇̠͇̜̼̲̣͕̚ h̵̰̓̊̂̂ę̷̛͙͔̺̳̘̰̜̈̊͒̃̈́͋͂̂̎r̶̘͖̣͖͚̽̿̍̚ẽ̶̠͙͎̥̜̫̭͙̱͑͋̏͘͜, M̵̨̡̡̦̤͕͓̀͐i̴͖̠͂͋̏̽̊̿̔̈́̈́ͅg̷̢͍͔̰͗̽û̷̢̡̻͇͎̭̲̗̈́́ę̸̛̪̼̳̣̯͓̦́͂͋͛͆̒̀̕l̶̰͓̲̩̻͙̦̑̒̀͘ͅ?” said every voice in the room.

“Give me back my throne, and give me back my army,” Miguel commanded, his voice booming throughout the large chamber.

“O̵̧̨̯̠̝̚͝r̵̬̲̤͇̋̾͜ ̷̧͕́̄̓̐ŵ̶̨̛̰̩͕̘̋͝͠ḫ̵̝͊a̸̤͙̙̮͊̍̌͝ͅt̶̡͈̦͍̭͒̑̌̉̍,̸̫̼̩̓͊̀ͅ ̴͕̪̤̖͔͐̾̊̏̀͗M̶̨̲̲̣͕̤̔i̷͓͉͗g̷̹͕̗̭͑̅ǔ̶̻̓ȇ̵̬͚̬͗͝l̴̰̻̺͚̬͎̈́͛̚͘? T̶̩̲̦͊̎̈́̇̋͌ḧ̴̛̙͋͠e̶͉̤͂̋r̴̦̓̄̓ě̸̡̳̳̱̪ͅ į̵̍͆̈̈̋̾s̸̢͓̰̳͉͌́̂͆̔̚͜ n̴̞͖̟͊̈́́̃̄̚͜o̵̦͖̮̻̽̔t̸̫̊̏̉h̴̖͉̍͆i̸̭̥̔̈́n̸̨̦̘͇͚̈̽̀̀ͅg̸̪̃͘ͅ y̷̳̩̒o̸̜͕̠̝̜̍̏̀̆̄͘ů̴̫̪̪̑̀̓͘ c̸̟͗̂̊̆̏o̷̻̣̪͈̰͖͐͆̈ụ̷̝̳͙̑̽̚l̴̬͔̆͒̓͐d̴̨̝̖͙̆̿̂͋̇̾ p̴̞̌͑͘ǫ̴͚̣̯͎̕s̴̲̣̎s̸̭̝͍̃ĭ̸̘̭̽̊b̵̡̡̧̘͈͙̔̊͋̂̂̕l̴̻̼̅y̵̙̠̟̮͖̱̏̂̐ ḑ̷̳̹̺̖͌o̸̡̻̣̍̓͑̋͐̄ t̵̛̫͎̪̠̽͒͛o̴̻̳͔͋͝ ȟ̵̩̗̦̽͒͠a̴͎͇͗̂̅͛̕͝r̶̫͎̼̾̅͐̓̚m̴̢̛̼͍̰̾̈́̒̌̄ ů̴͖̜͒̚ŝ̷̞̞̞,” the voices asked.

Partially unsheathing one of his blades, Miguel responded, “I can kill you, and take your power. Just as I had given it to you.”

A man with four arms walked in. He had a bright yellow jacket, blue jeans, and boots on. All of his clothes had black stains on them. He had four arms, and the right two had hooks for hands. He had an eyepatch over one eye and black veins. He had a drink in his upper left hand and slung his upper right over Miguel’s shoulder. ‘So they finally gained some minions, hmm?’

“T̷͉̚h̷̛͚ï̴̫s̶̭͒ ̸͕̾ḑ̵̋ô̵̟o̴̜̓f̵͚̏u̵̙͐s̸͇̽ ̸̩̿t̶͇̀ḧ̸̞́ỉ̶̻n̴̤̾k̷̰̓ș̸́ ̸͚̀h̶̢͌ȇ̶͕ ̴̮͆c̵͔̾ã̸͉n̸͇̍ ̷̘̓k̶̝͒i̷̖̊l̸̲̓l̷͖͗ ̸̻̀ÿ̸̞a̵͈͑,̶̭̇ ̵̰̈́b̴͍̉o̵̖̿s̵͉̕s̶̝̈.̶̟̕ ̴͔̍Ḧ̴̰ŏ̷̦w̸͖̉ ̷͇̂f̴̥̐u̶̥͐n̶͓͘n̶͚̆ỳ̵̟ ̸͚̾i̴̿ͅs̵̟̋ ̸͉̈́t̷̪̔h̵̠̎á̴͚t̸̞͊?̴̦̉ ̷̫̀Y̷͎̚a̴̞̓ ̴̈́͜w̷̰̃a̵̛̻n̷͔̈́t̸̮͑ ̶̡͗m̸̙̄e̶̢͒ ̴̤͗t̴̥͑ó̵̱ ̸̖́t̵̙̓ä̷͔́ḳ̴͒e̴̼̐ ̴̲̎‘̸̦̅i̵͉̿m̵̝̏ ̴͚̀ö̸̰́u̴̝͆t̶̝̄?̶̧͒” the strange man said drunkenly.

“I̷̡̼̘̻̗̤͎̜̦̞̘͋̋ͅv̴͖̱̯̜̍̓̆͗͐͒͌̎̽̾͘͝o̶̟̰̳̓k̸̡̡̡̮̱͔̞̟͍̹̮̩͒͆̿͐̐̒̔͗̕͜͝͠l̴̗̪̰͍͚͗͑̍͛͗͂̃͊̅͊͗̂͘͘͘ę̷̞̪̰̘͉̜̻̠̜̰̥̦̤̊̒̾̾̎͗͜p̷̡̨̜̽̓͂͐̉̽͋͑͐̿̂̉̒͠͝ẗ̵͍̟́̊̄̉͌, N̶̺̂̆̉̏O̸̩̣̯̼͓͋̇͑͛͒͝ͅ!” every voice shouted, including the strange man’s. He left the room shortly after.

“So? What do you say?” I asked.

“F̷̲̙͓̙̖͓͗̿̚͝͝͠i̸̼̟͇͑̎̊̏͗̽͑ǹ̴̛̘͎̹̳͉̤̘̃̿̀̈́̉̓͌ë̵̡̖̥̳̟̱͓̣̠̪̹̲͎́̒̎̎̉̄̊͝ͅ. W̸͎͍̦̼͕̖̻͙͉̃̔̎̂͋̈e̷͉͍͒͠’v̷̹͙̥̞̗̗́̔̈̀̈́̏͘͝͝ȩ̸̛̬̞̣̮͍̺̈́́̇̅̒̅̊̉͆̏͜͜͝͝ ạ̶̡͋̽̿́̿́͂̒̚͘̚͠ͅĺ̴̢̡̡̡͓̗͚̯͈̮̯̼͕͚̣ŗ̴̥͖͔͚̼̾̋̔͋̾̑̾̔̅̀̋̓̋̉͘ȩ̵̥̥̞̺̗̼̖̗̰̝̻̭̞͑͆̀͂̃̓͒̈́̑͐̃̏̏͛̈a̵̻̝͌d̷̛̛͔̳̻̭͍̦̤͙̻̻̘̰̪͍͖͂̇̀̄͆̓̈̃͊͋̃̍ỷ̴̧̛̠͙̪̲͔͔͓̖̄̄̍̇̈́͗̈́̔̋̈́̋͋͠ s̷͔̭̻̳̫̣̫̙̯̯͙̠͗͑̆̐͌͊͛͑͒͂͑ͅt̸̡̲̺͕̺̝̱͚͍̯͔̮͂̑̿̌̍͌̈́́͑͒̈́̈́̾͜ͅą̶̛̠̲̌̇̃̀͊͌̾̀̔̿̋r̷̨͈̝̀̽̊͊͆̐͌̈́̉̔̒͗͝͝t̶̛̝̝̗̹̪̰́̇͒̀̏͌̊̍̂̒͜͝e̷̢̮̘͓͍̰͑̄͗̆͆̍d̷̛̘̜̜̟̜̘̟̫̘͖̣̘̤̈͆͆͑̆̉̉̓ w̷̢͇͍̻͖̰͙̜͓̩͔͚̲̏̓̐̾̀͐̈́̾̑͜ǫ̶̭̤̫͖̠̥̜̰̻̮̼̱͆͐͑̊͊̾̌ȓ̶̡̛̞̠̲̼̈́͗́̑͂̀͊̅̚͝ķ̵̢͇̰̺̼͈̱͗͐i̵̪͊͒̈́̑̚͝ņ̴̢̛̱̫̼̆̊̄̇̓͒͐͛̒͑̌̀͘g̵̢̢͉̹͍̮̭̝̜̥̘̟̲̮̀̑͐̅̓̀͗͂̏̉͋́̀͑͘ͅ t̶̡̧͚̹̱̪̥̟͚̟͖̳̲̰͘ǒ̶̭̝̥̯̯͓̫̮̙̠̜̔w̴̛̲͚̠̋̀̈́̽̓͌̊̐͌̄̕ḁ̶̧̙̠̆̈́́̓̋̏́́͝͝r̷̨͈̭̰̥͖͓̪͌̂̇̉̇̈͛̄̽̚d̴̫̙͕̰͒́̐́̒͒͜͜ṣ̵̑̉͠ c̶͎͓͓̏̍̓̽͛̓̚͝ͅớ̴̧̖̬̮̪͖̦̰̟̾͆́̿́̌͌͠n̵̛̯͎͇̗̣̖͒̄̓͋̑̅̀̽̔́̊̕̕t̶̻̻̓͊̑͗ͅr̵̡̯͔̼̗̣̠̗͈̭̹̺̓͌͑̆͒̈̂́̈́̚̕͜͠o̸͓̳̪̖̤͋̂̉̊̃͑͘l̶̢̪̗̦͇̊̐͗͂̕̕ ȏ̷͍̞͙́̆̂̍̍̔̈́̋͠f̸̧̯̬̪̞͔̗̼̠͈̖͔̑͐̓̃͊͆͛̏̓͘͝ t̵̛̞̳̪̗͓̥͖͙̰̙̼̗̍͋͛̂̈́̔̓̓̾̃ͅḩ̷̜̻͔̮̭̭̳̦̲̱͈̭̟̬̔̑͛̂͋͋̉̂͋͐̍̚e̶̛̯͛̌̍͐̐̀ f̶̨̢̛͔̪̯͕̲̣́̓̾͛͒̄̀͒̾͋͘ą̶̫̪̠̲̯̮͚̞͔̒̒͝ͅl̶̨̬̼̺̬̯̥̟̏̌͗̈̑ş̷̧̨̣͍̰͎̞͔͉͙͇̞̾͋͑̽̑̎̃̌͑̽͝e̸̜̞̋̈́͋͛ͅͅ h̵̨̖̩̖̳̼̠̤͙͚̝̮͐͆̉̔̉̄̂̀̄̑̕͝͠ë̸̤̞̳͔̣̻͍́̂̾̾̽̐̄͐͐͛̾̌͜ͅĺ̶̼̮͍̹̮͎̝͕̞̯͎̻͂̑̎̂͛̎̆̾̀̕l̶̛̝̺̘̀͋̉͐͛͊̋͐̆̈́̍̾̚̕. D̷̢̛̤̲̬̳͕͉͙͍̝͍̝̬̝̋̑͌̾̆͆͂͒͝͝͝o̷̡̨̝̹̪̰͔͔͖̳͆͂̎͗̒̐̅͋̈̉̄͝n̴̡̧̢̺̪̪̲̱̗̞̪͚̮̠͔̈́̆͐̋̈́̓’t̶̳̼̺̹͉͎̫̝̘̃̌͂͌̂͂͗̾̕ͅ ụ̸́̎̀̐̆̐̔́̌̚n̷̰̼͆̈̽͌͊͛̿̓̚͝d̵̯̘̯̦̺̭͖̎̉̄͗̿̒́̄̀̿̀o̴̮̊̍̽̀̋̊ ò̷͎̹̬̝̻͚͖͕̣̒̆̂͑͐͆̊̽̓̿̎͘͝ù̵̳̼̈́r̷̢̘͈͉̱̜̙̼͆͆͌͌̏͐ p̴̧͇̞͚͇̠̽̈́́̎̆̉́͂͝ȑ̸̡̨͖͙̠̙͉̫̚͜ǫ̷̧̻̲͚̜͇̥͚͙̤̬͓̽̑̔̽̒̆̈́͂̂̑͘͘g̷̺͎̑̈́̐͑̽͌̏̚r̴͖̖̯̭̫̻̖̥̊̑̏̾ē̶̢̱̩̼̣͛͗̂͋̈́̊͘͜͝s̶̹͔̫̏̔̃̌̉̔̒̋̏̈́̓͘͘s̸̯̣̐̇̒̍͛̾̒̍̈́͆̌̉̽͝͝,” the voices all announced.

“Oh, come on, you know my goals are loftier than that. We need someone who could sneak into Shogun Noryki. Hell won’t help us do any of that,” I stated.

“W̷̛̛̤͙͛͠e̷̜̣̪̓̑̾͒ w̷͕͗̊̏̀ë̵͇̖͖̞̏͐͘r̸͙̟̣̔̈́̀͝è̴̡̩̗̪̈́ g̶̦̘̱̈̎̎͠ȯ̸͔̌͘í̴͇̗ͅn̷̹͖̹̳̈́ĝ̴͉̼̗́ͅ ṭ̶̓̉o̸̿̏ ā̶͔̹̞͛͜s̴͖̊s̷̤͐̾͆͠i̴̦̮̯̅͛́̂m̸̪̲̜̋ĩ̶̧̻̭́l̷̰̈́̓a̷̝̞̮̖̽t̵̥̬̣̤̽̏e̴̪̋̒̚ ț̸͈͒̐h̴̢͚̺͍͋̽͋e̵̢̢͚͈̊̄̉̕ Ȃ̴̖̿r̵͈̲͕̒͌͝ç̶̇͐͝ͅh̷̬̎̾̿̈́d̵̳͍̱̠̈́͘͠e̵͖̪̳̔̅m̶̛̤̌̐̕ơ̸̲͍̇̚͘n̸̫̽̆́̚ ǫ̸͖̍̈́̅͝f̵̛͍̦͍̓͜ P̸̱͚͎͠r̶̜̰̃́͊̾͜i̷͉̘̎̈́̿̇d̵̬̂̓̅͜e̵̤̐̌! Ĭ̶̡̗͍̔̑̇t̵̥̤͐̀̈́ͅ ẁ̷̨̢ͅĩ̷̳͎̿l̴̹̀͜l̸̞̄͑ e̷͎̬̠͠m̸͉̣͖͛̑̎͝p̴̖̜͙̻͋o̸̢͎̟̍͗w̵̱͔̰͂̅̋͛͜ȅ̵̗̀͐̚r̵̨͕̤̙͒ ų̵͇̹̒̒s̵͎͕̪̥̅͑͝ s̶̻͝ǫ̵̘͊ m̶̻̩͓̍̈̏ͅu̶͉̮̣̦͛̕c̴̟̥̣̺̀h̴̝͚̑̅. Ḋ̷̲̺̬̦̆ō̷̡̮n̵͍̯̂́͂’̴̼̥̩̖͗̔͝t̴̞̼͇͐͐ ẗ̵̩̣̖̂h̷͔͂͌r̵͍̋ǫ̸͉̖̅̽̇̉͜w̸̛̜̻̹̾̕͝ i̶̢̅t̸̘̱͙̏̾ a̷͚͓̔l̵̢͛ĺ̸̼͌ ą̶͉̬̀̏̀͠w̸̝͉͊͑̂͝a̸̟̺͝y̵̨̨̫̍͗̆!” the Tyrant shouted through every shadowspawn in the room.

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“Just the Archdemon of Pride? There’s no way you could manage something like that. Pfft. You would struggle with the Archdemon of Sloth. No. I have bigger plans for us,” Miguel stated.

“F̴̨̱̫̱͉̗̣̎̒̽̒̑̽̌̋̋̄͂̎͜i̶̪͓̟͓̖̞̮̳͕̹̣̓͐̌̀̑̇͛͘n̴̢̻̘̲̳̗̾̈́e̶̢̛̛̱̮̰̙͓͈͖̩̘͍̘͆͗̐͐̀̽͑̽ ţ̶̤̪͙̟̣͚́̈́́̈́̐̄͛̋̉̃̏͊̊́͝h̵̛͉̣̩͎͕̗͓̟̗̼̹̙͍̄͌e̸̱͕̭̜͙̋͊͜ń̶̙̰̯̬̆̈́̌̓̚͝! D̸̢̻͇̱͎̩̘̣̣͓̖́̈́̽̾͒͛͌̍́̊̊̆̇͝͝ͅo̴̺̺̽͐̅̅̌̀̆̓̚͝ w̴̧̜̟͔͔̮̥̤͕̰̻̫͔͍͋͜h̷̖̳͉̭̟̭̬̮̔̕a̵̠͕̱̫͈̎̈́͗͒̀̾͒̾̌͋̂̓͗͝͠t̶͇͖͙͖̻̯̜̗̬͔͖͙̅e̷̳͎͗͆͑̑̔̑͘͝v̸̩̺̙̱̄̈́̓͐̓̂́̑̐̚̕ẻ̴̡͕̫̻̬̣̙̪̙͊̋̈́̇͑͑̀̌̈́͊̾̕͠͝r̶̮̘̰͙̣̯̗͕̳̘͎̤̰̾̽͠ y̶̨̝͙͖̺̪̟̜̭̟͋͑o̴̲̩̜̮͇̦̘̙͔͈̙͔̰̒̌͊̈́̀̇̅̏̒́̐̍̑͘ͅͅu̸̜̠͑̆̎̈́̒ w̷̡̛̙̏̓̏͂̍ä̵̢̡̛͚͇̥̣̤̳́̆̊͗̂͛͗̕͜ͅǹ̷̩͇̙̳̟͍̦̦̠̤͖̬͇̆̓̉̄̃̂̊̋̽͗͜͠ͅt̷̩͇̖͌̄̾́͑͑̌̋̀͒̓̂̚͠͠! D̷͙̟͇̮̼̗̲̃͆̅̑͊̃̈͝ǭ̸̦̬̠̫͈͔̲̤̱̱͔̳̿n̶̡͎̉̆̈́͊̓̈́̄͗̌̔̕’t̷̖̦͇̞̞͕̱̟̮̠̔̏͑̒̏́̒́̉̐̅͐͒̄̚͜ͅͅ e̷̛̘̫̠̟̼͈̠̬͕͉̠̜̭̗̋̾̒̈́̒̊͒͛̓͐̚͜v̸̨̫̹͚͙̫̮̫͌̀̈́̑̾̿̉è̸̡̧̧̥̗͖̖͎͈͓͈̞̼̳̿̒͌̍̈́͗̃̀̍͜n̵̢̡̢̞̠̠̦͕̻̲̮̓̌̈́̂̅͋͊͆̿̏̑̈͛͜͜ b̷̨̛͍̱̥̖̯̥̼͈͌̈́̾̑̆̍̃̽̓̇̽̓̕͝o̶̧̝̱̮̯̘̻̤̾̊͂̾̿̇́͑̑͝t̸̡̰̞͉͔̃̈́͌h̷̨̧̘͉͓͇̪͂̎̅͌̇̽e̷͈͗͒̒̀̓͐̿͒̃̏́̕͠r̶̨̛̙͕̮̟̥̳̲͙͑̒́̀̌̔͆͂̂ w̸̞̫͍̋̎̓̎͑́͛͝ȉ̵̥͓̙́͋͆̋̒̿̈́͂̂̅͑͒͝ţ̷̨̯̱̭̮̺̾̉̎͛͜h̸̡̛̏̽̑̉ m̷̮͚̝̯̫̭̭͉̲̈́̈́̓̚͜ẙ̷̻̞͙͔̪͔̼̯͕̦̲͙̹̖͕̍̂͗̊͋̚͝ i̴͔̪̲͇͔̞͎̺̥͗̀̋͗͂̾̆͑͋̕̕͜͝n̷͕̥͕̺̦̮̘͕̥̗̫͕̫̏̔̿̔̍̀̃̚͜͝ͅp̴̨̳̺͍̲͈͒̾̈́̀̒͗͛̓̈́̆̑͘͝u̸̢̻͖̱̞͎̽̌̌͂ṯ̶̨̡̧̩̮̞͙̞̹͉̰̻̲̱͛͒̈́̆͐́͌̈́̄̔!” the voices shouted, frustrated. The Shadow Tyrant slumped further into his throne and crossed his stick-like arms.

Miguel looked upwards and spotted a balcony above the Tyrant’s head. It held a throne, much smaller than that of the Tyrant’s. He unsheathed his blades.

“Ẇ̸̠͝H̶̪͗̆A̵̪͔͛̊͝Ṯ̶̱̋͆̓͠ À̷̻̱̰̻́̿͜R̸̫͚̝͐̆͜ͅE̷̫̦͇̽͌̕ Ỹ̵̲̗̞́̈́̈́͝Ö̵̗͎͓̞́̌̈́̅U̷̱͊͂ D̵̯̜̀Ö̵̭̦̪̻͉́͑I̶̠͙͖̘͑́͋̂͝N̶͖̘̯̫̭͐̒̈G̸̥͊͋̋?!? Í̷̗̦̫̺͖̈̏͝͠ T̶̗̈́̎̂̇̍H̴̦̐̽Ȏ̴͖̖̼̺͕̂̈́̍̚Ú̵̺̀̽̂̑G̵̖͌̓H̸̬̱̞͓̣͐́͋͋̕T̸̰̫̆̀͑͝ Y̵̪̏͋͛̒͒O̶̫̱̍̽̎̚͘Ư̸͓̩͇̾ W̸̧͚̹̰͖̐̐͝Ö̵̗́̎̃̂̀Ư̴̫̬̙̘L̷̘͍̱̈̑̕͜ͅD̵̘̜̈́͊͝N̵̩̋̇̓̋’T̸̗͕̫̹̥̈́̃̕ Ķ̷̝͇̏I̶̛̗͖̺͓͔L̵̩̔͘L̵̬͔͍͛̎̽̊̀ Ṁ̸̲̙̖̙̠̐̚E̴̝͍̽ͅ B̴̢̼͉̠̈́̎̓̈́E̴̖̅̄C̵͎̼̥͆A̸̰͂͛́͠Ư̶̠͖̺̈́̚͘S̷̭͝E̶͓͗ Ĭ̸̲̘͎̙̓͝ A̵̜̒̂̐C̷̫̙̲̬̾͑C̸̦̓̽E̵̡̬͚̝̬͒̒̈́̈́͐P̶̼̉̈͜Ṯ̵̘̭̑͋͝E̸̡̡̪͠D̵̡̙̣̀̓͑ Y̴̳̯̚͝Ȯ̷̧̢̼̇̾U̴̬̓̎̀̌R̶̟̦͎̯̊́ D̸̢͈̦͔̂͑̐̈́͘È̵̲̞̬̑̕Ă̸̛̝̪̮̗L̷̂͛́͐ͅ!!” the Shadow Tyrant began shouting.

Not responding, Miguel slowly cut through the air with the precision of a surgeon and opened a tear through space. Walking through it and appearing on the second throne's balcony, Miguel sat upon it and felt the shadows engulf him. He was momentarily blinded but found comfort in their dark embrace. When his constraints finally relented, he was crowned in the malicious darkness, his eyes glowed just as the Shadow Core’s did.

* * *

Miguel sat upon his new throne of darkness. 3 clouds appeared in the space where he stood when he was negotiating with the Shadow Tyrant. One purple, made of dust that would’ve twinkled if there was any light, one orange, appearing of silk and butterflies, and one green, like a fog with faint numbers flowing through it. The clouds dissipated, leaving a singular man. He had a mustache and wore sunglasses, a big fedora that obscured most of his head, and a trenchcoat that almost reached the floor.

“Shadow Core!” the strange man shouted, with a seeming double echo.

The Shadow Tyrant barely looked up.

“I’m... no it’s we’re… no, we’re just one guy…” dissonant whispers came from within the trenchcoat before he returned to his double echo voice, seemingly reaching a consensus with himself, “I’m here to stop you!”

Miguel stood up and folded his arms behind his back regally. “Oh really? What makes you think you can stop me? Which lord sent you, hmm? Who is trying to destroy me this time?” He asked.

“The Agent sent me. And I have the divine daggers of space, time, and spirit!” The man shouted.

Miguel laughed. “Oh, yes, now what might your name be?”

“I am Em!” One voice said.

“I am Kay!” another voice stated.

“I am El!” a third voice answered.

“Oh, how wonderful.” Miguel scowled. “I have to waste resources for ‘one man’ that’s truly three? Horrendous.”

“How dare you insult the glorious EmKayEl! I am a mighty warrior!” the voices spoke in disjointed harmony.

The Shadow Tyrant barely looked up as it waved its hand towards EmKayEl. EmKayEl looked around in surprise as the hordes of shadowspawn that filled the realm began to swarm him.

“No!” he heard them cry out several dozen times.

Miguel grinned maliciously. The Shadow Tyrant waved its hand again and the horde ceased its swarming. Three of the spawn dived into the three short men, quickly turning their blood to sludge and filling their eyes with glowing purple light. The one face Miguel could see grinned just like he was.

“W̵̛̟̘͓̓́͑̆̿h̵͎̆̊̀̕̚ơ̸͙̋̄̄̀̐̕ h̵͍͆̒͋a̸̧̢̰̞͔̾̽̃̈́̉́͗͛ͅs̸͓͔͆̾͑́͒̚ m̸̜̋̾a̶͈̰͇̿̊̀̅͐̄̚d̴̡͖̜̦̰̥̼̏̎̓̐̍e̶͔͈͚̳̭͍̩̐ ì̸̢̩͕̖̤̫̮̀͐̓͝t̶̗͈̫̲͘͜ ī̶̡̡̱̪̙͍̖́̎͒͊̔̑ͅn̶̨͓͖̬͗̉̐̉̕͝ͅͅṱ̶̢̛͕̹̓͒̽̊o̶̳̮̾̄̆̕ t̴̯͖̩̪̝̓̀h̸̛͓̞̝͊̐́͝e̸̢̡̞͍̮̼̓̇͑͌͑s̵͎̰̑̂̅́e̸͕͇̣̤͗͝ n̴̤͗é̶̗͕͈͎̪̦̼͕̈́w̴̗͊ v̶̞̳̜̼̟̎͋̆̒̔͠é̷̩̖͕́͛́̌͠͝ś̴͇̰̩̯̼͜ş̵̘̗̳̋̈̄̃̿̈́̿͝ḛ̵͈̥͓̈́́́̈̃͊l̶̰̙͎̟̇͆͗s̴̝̭̣̤̐?” The Tyrant asked.

“I̷̤̓ ̴̩̈a̶̳͌m̵̥̎ ̷̘̽M̸̛̮e̵̮̓l̸̞͆p̶͚̈,” the top one said.

“S̶͈̅e̵̬̓m̸͔̽p̵̗̈́t̸̙͆,” another said.

“I̷̳̔ ̶̲̀a̶̤͊m̴̛̤ ̵̳͆K̸̟͐o̶̫̕ȓ̷̦ķ̴̛ẻ̴̩ṇ̸̅s̶̲̎t̵̬͝ḁ̴͂w̷̔ͅ,” the final one stated.

“And your names combined?” Miguel asked

“W̸̳̄h̴̙̏a̷̠͑t̷͍̍?” Asked the three distorted voices.

“Well, the fools that now contain you put their three names together and masqueraded as one. You three should do the same,” Miguel stated elegantly.

“H̷̖̓m̵͚̊m̴̪̍,” Melp said.

“W̷̬̅h̶̨̾ȃ̸̖t̵͍͂ ̷̓ͅa̴͓̿b̷̪͝ǒ̵̫ǔ̴̩ẗ̷̟ ̵͐ͅM̵̘͌e̴͕̚l̶̐ͅs̸̅ͅe̸͉͑m̴͂͜k̶̟͐ḙ̶͐n̷͚̐s̸̮̔t̸̞̀a̷̬͒w̶̦̿?” said Sempt.

“Y̶̻̏e̷̖͊s̶̜̑!” the other two shouted excitedly.

“Well then, go on now. Do whatever it is that you do once you obtain a vessel. But leave here,” Miguel told them.

The three clouds began to reform around them, but now veins of black flowed through each cloud. The clouds slowly engulfed the newly minted shadow core members, before the clouds closed in on the strange man. They ended up a single colored point in space, before disappearing entirely.

“And now for bigger plans to take shape.”