As I stepped into the courtyard, the sound of my footsteps echoed off the stone walls as I followed Aoxiu deeper into the palace. The air was thick with an otherworldly energy that seemed to pulse through every stone and brick. As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the intricate carvings on the walls, each one depicting scenes from a dark and twisted world.
The courtyard itself was surrounded by high walls, with towers at each corner that seemed to be watching me as I moved. Aoxiu led me to the center of the courtyard, where two massive stone statues stood guard. They were unlike any I had ever seen before - their faces twisted into grotesque grins, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light.
As we approached the statues, Aoxiu stopped and turned around to face me. His eyes locked onto mine for a moment, and then he vanished through a fissure in space that had appeared suddenly beside him. I stared after him, bewildered, as the fissure closed behind him like a mouth devouring its prey.
And then, without warning, two abominations materialized on either side of me. The air seemed to writhe and twist around them as they stepped out of their respective portals, their very presence seeming to draw the light from the air.
The first creature was a demonic hellhound, its fur aflame with malevolent energy that licked at my skin like hot tongues. Its eyes glowed red as it charged towards me, jaws wide open in a snarl. The second was a specter wielding flames, its ethereal form crackling with electricity as it hurtled towards me.
I raised Red Moon, feeling her weight and balance in my hand as I parried the hellhound's attacks with swift, precise strikes. But it was relentless, refusing to yield despite the injuries it sustained with each blow. Meanwhile, the specter seemed almost indestructible, its flames licking at me like a constant reminder of my own mortality.
As I fought on, my body began to ache and my mind grew foggy from lack of sleep, food and water. The world around me seemed to grow darker and more twisted as time passed, but I refused to yield.
The hellhound's attacks became more frenzied as it sensed its own demise approaching. It lunged at me with a ferocity that sent me stumbling back through the courtyard, dodging and weaving as best I could while trying to find an opening to strike back. Meanwhile, the specter continued to attack with unrelenting ferocity, its flames dancing across my chest like a living thing.
In the end, it would be sheer willpower that would allow me to emerge victorious in this gruesome battle.
Having deducted that the hellhound was merely a summon, due to the fact that it was regenerating after each vital strike I would give, I went for the specter. With a dash, similar to the pinpoint accuracy strike I'd previously displayed when first setting foot onto these demonic lands, but much weaker in power and speed, I struck the phantom's core, driving the combination of the last of my fire and lighting energy, completely draining myself, but eliminating it in the process.
The hellhound fell silent at my feet, during its lunge, soon after, its flames dying out as it slumped to the ground beside the light-coloured, viscous substance exuded from its fallen summoner.
Panting in silence was all that remained, as Aoxiu would be nowhere to be seen, but his words would weigh heavy on my mind as I thought about its master.
Without taking the time to rest, knowing that I would soon collapse if this adventure into the unknown demonic territory would not cease, I would turn to face the palace.
While scanning its imposing structure, I would notice that the walls were made of black stone, ornate with gold, depicting carvings of dragons, my kin. "H- Here goes nothing..." I would say, as I would straighten my back, barely catching my breath.
My footsteps would echo off into the distance, and as I would enter the palace, there would be... nothing. And as I would step into the white infinite-like void of the room, it would feel like my body would enter another dimension. The room's sudden shift in air would weigh heavy on my body, the gravitational pressure barely allowing my hand to raise my sword.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Uh- Ugh... Wh- What the hell is this room?!" I would mumble, struggling to barely remain standing.
Words would be heard upon finishing my sentence, echoing through the area, "Hmmm... It's been a while, old friend," the voice hoarse, demonic in nature, but strangely familiar, just as the black shape forming in the distance. As the black shape would start to make sense, it would start resembling a dragon, at least the humanoid form of very twisted individual. With an evil laughter, while at the same time, putting massive pressure on my body. And in the time I took to squint my eyes, this powerful being would deliver a fatal blow, the ground crackling underneath my feet. A blow so incredibly powerful, that my frail body would be unable to take it, and I would lose consciousness and fall through the formed crater in the ground.
Or so I thought, as this would be but a mere illusion of what's to come if I anger this so called friend. And as the illusion would roll in my head like a film in a theater, I would see my body traversing the entire planet, as if I were already dead and watching from afar. My body would travel at such massive velocity, that it would go straight through it's core and onto the other side, traversing into the void of space and into a vortex. This vortex would be so magnificent in power that it would disintegrate my body due to the impact added on top of the distorted spatial wizardry that was happening all around me.
During this disintegration process, a memory would surface, a memory of a name, that of the Demon Dragon God, Yaozrui. Angering this individual would not be a wise choice with my current power, as I would be sure to leave the plane of existence with a single strike.
Upon waking from the illusion, panting and sweaty, my eyes barely open, I would ask reluctantly, "May I know who your excellency is? You seem familiar, but due to my many lives, I tend to forget... I am sorry If I have offended you."
"You've killed so many of my minions, and yet, you do not remember their master," he said, albeit with an annoyed tone,"You're been making a mess of my back yard, friend [https://img.wattpad.com/655aacbdea8c28f1b8986dbe0f0d5989e6c504a3/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4e50676b4c4357375451385478413d3d2d313439373438313631382e313830396632616462363336616163303833333030323130333037352e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"You've killed so many of my minions, and yet, you do not remember their master," he said, albeit with an annoyed tone,"You're been making a mess of my back yard, friend."
"Yaozrui... Yaozrui... The Demon Dragon God? What is the meaning of this encounter, old friend, why have you summoned me to your palace?" I would ask with a puzzled, tired expression. "I hope you have not forgotten my eternal mission..." I would mumble annoyed.
With a thud he would descend to the ground, "DO NOT ANGER ME!" he would say, obvious malice and anger in his voice. "You may be the original Dragon God, but you are NOTHING but a mere immortal human, at the moment.", he would threaten.
"But fret not, I am actually here to help you on your mission this time." he would proceed to tell his story about how he has grown tired of the rest of the Gods and their 'stupid' envoys, "It is about time for a change in the world, don't you think so too, old friend?"
With an uncontrollable frown, I would ask,"You... help... me? I really don't understand your intentions Yaozrui... are we not mortal enemies?"
"Like I've said before," an evil smirk on his face would make it's appearance,"it is time for a change in the world. I am willing to put aside our differences," he would stomp his food and flap his demonic dragon wings, "to end the current Gods of the era, AND THRUST THE WORLD INTO A NEW AGE!" the sound of his malicious voice echoing through the infinite white void of the room, "An age where you could also be free of your shackles," he would exclaim, with a playful, evil tone, as if to lure me into a trap.
"End the current Gods of the era? Thrust the world into a new age? Just what are you up to, Yaozrui?", but without getting an answer to any of my questions, he would pull out a sword, or should I say, a rusty blade.
"Take this, it will help you on your quest," he would say, letting me know that we do not have much time to speak. "Now, I have some information regarding the previously mentioned God Envoys.", something that would spark my interest and would require all my attention no doubt.
"They seem to be searching for you... watch your back... and you should find your apprentice too," he would say, his evil green bigger than ever, "before it's toooo laaaate," he would say, almost singing the words.
"Make sure you are both on board with my plan to rewrite history, after all, AAH HAAAH HAAAAH," he would enter a crazed laugh, as if he would have multiple personalities, "after all, you will both be benefiting from this."
And with a motion from his demonic hand, his hair would start to flutter," Until we meet again... friend.", with an invisible power, he would push me into a portal, his silhouette and presence slowly fading into nothingness.
The facts are unclear, my body is tired and so is my mind, but upon pondering, one thing is certain, I have avoided great misfortune, maybe even certain death, by showing courtesy.
The portal would send me flying outside the palace, "We shall meet again, reincarnated one!", would be the final words I would hear, while catching a small glimpse of Aoxiu, as the gates would slowly shut behind me.
"Ugh, what the hell? That was way too sudden...", I would think to myself, barely scraping myself off the solid ground. Upon close inspection of the gates and after a good push of the ornate gold handle, I would come to the conclusion that there would be no way to get back into the palace at this time, a few minutes later, the entire area would disappear mysteriously.