Chapter 46 - Shades of Secrets

In the Kingdom of Tamasi, Igorus had been summoned by King Kasama. He entered the royal palace accompanied by the soldier who had announced him, and soon stood inside the royal chamber where the king awaited him upon his throne.

"Your Majesty, King Kasama," said Igorus, kneeling before him.

"Welcome, General Igorus! I am deeply sorry for your loss," said the king.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," replied Igorus.

"The passing of a loved one leaves a wound that never truly heals. I can only imagine how devastated your wife must be," said the king with a tone filled with empathy.

"I cannot imagine it myself," Igorus said quietly, his voice tinged with sorrow.

At that moment, a young girl entered the royal chamber.

"Father! I just came back from playing with my friends!" the girl said joyfully.

"That's wonderful, Morana. Go and study now. It's already afternoon," the king replied with a parental smile.

"Alright, dad," said the girl.

But Morana noticed Igorus kneeling before the king, and her curiosity got the better of her.

"Uncle, I saw you with Voidanos today. Are you his father?" she asked.

"Morana, this is General Igorus Friola. Next time, show more respect when you speak," the king said, slightly admonishing her.

"No harm done, Your Majesty. Yes, Princess Morana, Voidanos is my son," said Igorus, lifting his head slightly to look the young princess in the eyes.

"It's nice to meet you then! I'll be going now," said Morana as she dashed out of the royal chamber toward her room.

"She's quite the lively one, Your Majesty," Igorus remarked, watching Morana disappear through the corridor.

"She's one of the few things that can still brighten my day. She's about the same age as your boy. I don't want her surrounded by any negativity. Come with me," said King Kasama, rising from his throne and stepping down the royal stairs.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but where are we headed?" asked Igorus.

"To someone who, in all likelihood, knows a thing or two we need," said the king as he walked behind the thrones' dais.

Igorus had no choice but to follow him. The king drew aside the curtains covering the back of the throne room. Behind them stood two old, archaic elevators. The king closed the curtains again to conceal them and approached the one on the left. Igorus watched curiously as the king placed his hand on the wall and spoke:

"Koraf dube."

The elevator slowly opened, and both of them stepped inside.

"Irub ash amog na ëaha."

The elevator began to descend slowly.

"It's the language of the dragons, by the way. Only the queen and I are permitted to learn this ancient language," said the king.

"The stronger the Fernia, the better one can understand the dragon language," Igorus replied.

"If you ever become a king one day, you'll have the privilege of learning it yourself," said Kasama, just as the elevator reached its destination.

The doors opened, revealing a dimly lit passageway flanked by burning torches. The king began to walk forward, with Igorus following close behind. They kept walking, past empty cells that gave off an eerie feeling, as if death itself still lingered inside them.

"Besides myself and Kaliga, only you and the Marshal have ever stepped inside Kluzh'Krapol," said the king.

"Kluzh'Krapol?" Igorus repeated the name.

"The name of this former prison. It was once built specifically to hold dragons, until they vanished. Since then, it served no purpose... until this individual came to occupy it," said the king as they finally reached the end of the corridor.

There, in the deepest shadows of that forsaken place, was Eliael, in the most miserable state an angel could possibly be in.

"An angel?" asked Igorus in disbelief.

"Not just any angel," replied the king. "The brother of the King of Angels, Eliael Frizina. And most likely, the one who knows something about the death of your brother..."

Igorus stared at Eliael in disbelief, the angel sunk in hopeless darkness within that cage of despair.

"Could he have information about Kaies?" Igorus asked, confused.

"Myself and Kaliga have our suspicions," replied the king, "but I am certain this angel knows something. He must, considering the crime he's committed."

Igorus stepped closer to the prison bars to get a clearer look at Eliael.

"Atbara and Aldes might have been a little rough with him," said the king. "It was their duty to bring him in alive."

"Now I understand why he's in this condition," said Igorus. "Hey, you!" he called out to the angel.

Eliael didn't even bother to lift his head to look at him.

"You're Eliael Frizina, aren't you? Brother of Tarnael Frizina, the King of Angels?" Igorus asked directly.

Eliael gave no reaction. Silence was his only response.

"You can't solve anything by staying quiet," Igorus said.

"W... wa..."

"Hm?" Igorus leaned in, trying to catch the weak sounds escaping the angel's lips.

"W... water... water..."

Igorus turned to the king the moment he realized Eliael was merely asking for water.

"Heeeh... we've got no choice then," sighed the king, walking over to a spout along the corridor to fill a glass of water.

"To be honest, you've been treated horribly, Eliael. I wouldn't wish this on anyone," said Igorus, looking at the angel with a trace of pity.

"Empathy? For your enemy? How ironic, coming from a war general," the king said as he returned with the water.

"Shinku nebadden."

A small section of the iron bars vanished, creating a narrow opening. The king slid his hand through it and placed the glass on the ground inside.

"Feur."

As soon as he withdrew his hand, the bars resealed themselves.

Eliael struggled to grasp the glass with his feet, lifting it shakily toward his face and pouring the water into his mouth.

"Haahhh... ooff... It feels like I hadn't drunk water in centuries," he gasped, breathing heavily.

"I trust you're in better condition now to answer our questions," said the king.

"As if I'd answer you, you filthy wretch," Eliael spat, venom in his voice.

"What was your position in the Kingdom of Angels?" the king asked.

"What business is that of yours, you decrepit old man?" Eliael snapped back.

"King Kasama told me you might know something about my brother's murder. Is it true?" Igorus asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

"General Igorus and King Kasama," Eliael laughed darkly. "Hahaha! What an honor to have two fools standing before the fall of the barriers. You've made your greatest mistake imprisoning me here. I'll make your lives a living torment, with no escape. You'll watch angels tear out your entrails, choke you, rip out your hearts. You'll see death, up close, death itself!"

"I don't think that was the answer you were hoping for, Igorus," said the king calmly.

"I had a feeling it wouldn't be easy," replied Igorus. "Eliael, I know you're an intelligent boy. Think a little harder. Do you know anything about what I asked you earlier?"

"Hm? Ah, yes! About your worthless brother. I feel no sorrow for your loss. In fact, I regret not being the one who killed him myself. I'd have loved to see your empty face as I claimed my victory," Eliael said, his tone dripping with malice.

"What victory, Eliael?" Igorus asked, his voice steady.

"Hm?"

"What victory would you achieve by killing someone like that? What good comes from another's death?"

"Death is merely part of life, a stage of its own. Through it, you rid yourself of obstacles standing in the way of your success."

"What success? Tell me, Eliael, what success?" Igorus pressed.

"The success of being the greatest. Of achieving everything I desire. Of becoming the most powerful, the most intelligent, the most dominant being ever to live," Eliael declared.

"Then why aren't you the king, and your brother is?" Igorus asked bluntly.

"What?" Eliael blinked, confused.

"If your ambitions are so grand, why aren't you on the throne? Could it be that your ambitions weren't enough? That your brother was the true victor?" Igorus said, his words cutting with calm precision.

"You know nothing about me or my brother. Being king doesn't make one omnipotent."

"As far as I know, a king's duty is to hold greater power than others, and to wield it with perfection. Now I see what you truly are, Eliael. You're a coward."

Eliael's eyes widened, disbelief flashing across his face at the word coward.

"You chase your ambitions through others. You may be intelligent, I don't deny that, but what use is intelligence if the knowledge you possess is just a reflection of what others have handed to you? You take, and take, until the cup overflows with the blood of your greed," said Igorus.

"You're a general. What do you know of ambition or gain? You only know how to fight and kill. You never think beyond that. The rest is my domain. I'm the one who thinks ahead, and I have the right to use others however I please," Eliael hissed.

"I'm sorry you think that way," Igorus said with genuine sadness. "You've grown up in such a poisoned world."

"The race of angels is the most perfect in existence, something you Dominion scum will never achieve! Never! NEVER!" shouted Eliael.

"Well, as for the questi—"

"You might have been born a child of prestige, with dreams and ideas that others couldn't even imagine. But now? You've become a monster. Have you ever looked at yourself in a mirror?" Igorus interrupted the king to ask.

"I have. I know what I am, an angel," said Eliael.

"No, you haven't truly looked. You can't call yourself an angel anymore. Angels are supposed to be devoted only to justice and goodness. That's what we believed, for centuries, until my son was born," Igorus said solemnly.

"Your son? Don't tell me!? Hahahahaha! You're the father of Uanamangura, aren't you? No wonder your brother's dead! You've been a target all along!" Eliael mocked.

"So what if his fate is to slay the gods? Fate can be changed. Uanamangura is nothing but a foolish title. Voidanos is my son, not a weapon to be used," said Igorus firmly.

King Kasama listened in silence as Igorus spoke of his son, not interrupting a single word.

"Well then, let me tell you something you'll find hard to believe. Fate cannot be changed, especially when it's woven into legend. The monster isn't me, or you, or even the king, or the demons themselves. It's your son, the abomination. And when he unleashes his fury one day, there will be no one alive who hears the name Voidanos without trembling in terror. A fear so deep that even breathing will feel like a sin. We angels are doing you a favor, we'll kill your son, so no one ever suffers that fear. It's not a bad idea, I'd say. The bad idea was yours, and your wife's, for bringing that failure into the world. You're the guilty one, Igorus. Only you. The gods themselves are meaningless beings, showing off their supposed purpose like a mask to hide what they truly are. But you, Igorus, you're the third example of a god who's found his true purpose: to end this world unconsciously... and you've already begun! Hahahahahahahaha!"

The king shifted uncomfortably at the angel's deranged outburst and turned his gaze toward the general. Igorus simply looked back at Eliael, his expression filled with pity, as if mourning what the angel had become.

"You'll see how I'm changing the fate," Igorus said quietly, turning away and walking out of the prison.

The king exchanged one last look with the imprisoned angel before following after the general. Eliael watched them leave, his eyes burning with hatred, his lips curling into a twisted, maddened smile.

And in that corridor, the torchlight flickered faintly, its glow dancing like the last breath of something long lost to darkness.

Inside the royal palace of the Dominions, there was also a secret chamber, one whose access was reserved only for the royal family. Within this room, Kaliga, Aldes, and Atbara entered. The queen took a seat upon the ancient stool, while the two guests watched her in humble silence.

From beneath her gown, Kaliga withdrew a small jar filled with blood. She carefully removed the lid and dipped her index finger into it. As soon as she pulled it out, crimson glistening on her skin, she began to lick it clean. Aldes and Atbara watched the process intently. When she finished, Kaliga's gaze fixed upon the lifeless body of Eliael.

"I was right. We should have acted sooner," Kaliga said quietly.

"W-What are the angels doing?" Aldes asked, uneasy.

Kaliga snapped the fingers of her left hand. Suddenly, both Aldes and Atbara felt as though something heavy had pierced into their lungs.

"What I'm about to tell you," Kaliga continued, "must never be spoken of to anyone in this kingdom. If you do, the spells within your bodies will detonate."

"Y-Yes, Your Majesty," they both replied, kneeling.

"It seems the angels have discovered a way to defeat Uanamangura. Or rather, two ways. No, three," said Kaliga.

Aldes and Atbara listened with absolute attention.

"They've uncovered the secret of Bakabali, the perfect enemy of Uanamangura. It appears to be in progress. Unlike Uanamangura, who came into existence spontaneously through natural means, Bakabal is entirely artificial, born from the blood of King Augustel, a human, and Edin'Borghia. That is their first plan. The second plan involves what they've learned about the Arch of Sizran, the weakness revealed in the Dominions when the keys are united."

"They've taken great precautions, Your Majesty," said Aldes.

"Indeed. We underestimated them. Since Oriel's infiltration, they've made astonishing advances over these eight years, to eliminate the prophet within our own hand."

"Your Majesty, and the third plan?" Atbara asked.

"The eleven Spheres of Alitus," the queen answered darkly. "I suspected the angels might have stolen them. According to the marshal's report, in the place where the spheres were supposed to be, there was no trace of Lapis detected. Unless the thief was exceptionally skilled."

"Or perhaps?" Aldes prompted.

"Or perhaps," the queen said slowly, "it wasn't the angels who stole them. Nor demons. Nor any mortal. It was something undetectable. Something unseen. Draken?"

Atbara and Aldes widened their eyes at the word that had just left the queen's lips.

"Draken is perfect energy. It antagonizes everything, and yet cannot be felt anywhere. But that's impossible. The dragons, the Kindu, vanished thirteen thousand years ago. Unless the angels somehow learned to harness that power for themselves. But how? From this one's memories, I've found no trace of—"

The queen stopped mid-sentence. Her expression shifted instantly, disbelief washing over her features. Atbara and Aldes exchanged uneasy glances, their throats tightening as they swallowed. The queen had realized something, something that peeled away every layer of the onion, reaching a truth she was never meant to see.

"Wait! This servant's hair... it's strange. Lazrael..."

Both attendants froze when they heard the name.

"Why does he have strands of green hair?" the queen murmured to herself.

Atbara and Aldes stiffened. The queen's tone grew sharper, her muttering more urgent.

"Green hair... of course. Green hair."

Her face hardened.

"Impossible! I refuse to believe it! Green hair, a dragon infiltrated the police headquarters!" the queen cried.

Aldes and Atbara were paralyzed. Their trembling hands betrayed the fear that their own secret plans could not, under any circumstance, be revealed before the queen.

"How can this be? The Kindu had green hair. The other dragons' was aquamarine. But this one, this one is definitely a Kindu! I thought there were only eleven of them. Damn it. Damn it! How could they possibly have gained control over such a being, over an ancient god!?"

In a fit of rage, the queen slammed her fist down upon the table. The wood shattered, splintering across the stone tiles, echoing the same fracture now spreading through the minds of Atbara and Aldes.

"For now, you two will do nothing," the queen ordered. "Damn it... I have no other choice. I'll have to create something."

"Your Majesty, we—"

"Leave!" she shouted, furious, trembling with anger. "And tell no one a word of this."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Atbara, and together with Aldes, they departed, the air around them thick with unease.

Once the two were gone, Kaliga drew a sphere from her gown and said softly,

"Urgent case. I need you here, now."

In the Kingdom of Saint Zagra, after discussing the third plan with his sister, Tarnael decided to visit the secret incubation chamber. He opened the door and was met by an unusual mess.

"What happened here?" Tarnael asked himself.

"Nothing important. Just an experiment that slipped from my hands," came Eliael's voice from within.

"Be more careful next time. Who knows what could happen to Bakabali," Tarnael said sternly.

"Don't worry, brother. I've thought it through," Eliael replied, stepping into view.

"How is the progress?" Tarnael asked.

"Perfectly. So far, the specimen hasn't shown a single flaw. It may be ready sooner than we expected," said Eliael.

"I see. I'm glad everything is moving in the right direction. Keep up the good work, brother," Tarnael said, turning to leave.

"Of course, my dear elder brother," Eliael answered, a wicked smile curling upon his lips...