A Guide to Kingdom Building

The shadow reached out its hand to Adaloun gesturing him to follow. He looked at the thing straight in its glowing red eyes and shook his head.

The shadow grinned at him, "I bet you would refuse this hand." It landed itself on the ground and met Adaloun's gaze. "We can do this for eternity…Oh! You'll be dead by then! How about if you just come with me. I know you want to get out of this…madness!" It hissed at him.

Adaloun clenched his sword and calmly said, "Shame, there wouldn't be an eternity for you." He raised his blade and pointed it at the shadow. "And what if I wo—"

Suddenly, he felt the blade weighed more than it should've. The shadow looked at him laughing as he struggled to get the blade steadily lifted.

"Well, my Lord does own that." The shadow hissed as it pointed at the blade.

Adaloun held it with all his might, but even with his ability activated, he still dropped his sword as it was becoming far too heavy for him to bear. The blade's glow went out as it stabbed itself on the cold stony floor.

"My Lord doesn't want you to lift that blade on me!" It hissed. "What would you like to do now, master Arellin?" The shadow grinned once again as he pointed at Adaloun.

He knew he had two choices, either he stood his ground and fight the unknown monster which might spell his demise. Or follow the shadow and speak with whatever Lord it claims it worshipped. He wanted to choose the latter, but his hand came flying with a ball of light before he could agree to the shade.

A big mistake…

Adaloun woke up to the sensation the cold sensation of the stone floor. He looked up and saw the green spectral light shining grimly over him. He seemed to be inside a big hall filled with ghastly figures that made his skin crawl just by their presence. He looked around and saw a line of ghosts donned in knightly armor thumping their spears on the floor. It sounded like his heartbeat, racing and chaotic as he laid down confused on the ground. The thumping was accompanied by an eerie humming from the chorus of dead knights.

The music was haunting and otherworldly. Adaloun struggled to stand up as the thumping caused his head to hurt so much from its mere sound. The ghastly knights finally stopped as he managed to stand on his feet.

The front line lifted their spears and crossed it with their counterparts on the adjacent line. Adaloun remembered a similar formation during his time as a knight on his previous incarnations. Suddenly, black petals came raining down on him. Then it dawned on him, that was exactly the same ceremony they would have done when a hero or king would walk through the halls.

A loud booming voice blasted from beyond the line, "His greatness, Arelin Matrious, my Lord!"

The hall became filled with spectral applauses from beyond its shadowy backdrop. Adaloun looked around and saw no one but him standing in the isle. The ghosts stared sharply at him, their eyes pushing him to move forward and walk to the isle.

Although hesitating, Adaloun tread slowly on the isle towards someone waiting for him on an elevated throne at the very end of the isle. His heart was skipping a beat as it seemed like his powers were completely gone from him. He tried activating his ability as he slowly walked but it wouldn't respond to him at all.

He felt a sensation of fear as he went closer to the isle. His throat was parched while sweating profusely. Something inside of him was begging him to run away from the situation, but he bravely stood his ground and decided to put it through. He wouldn't let his fears take the better off him. Besides, if ever it was another grotesque Obscurii waiting for him at the throne, at the very least, he had a good idea of beating them even without his weapon. Or so he hoped.

The dread was suffocating him, but he didn't want anyone to know that. He calmed himself down and made sure that no one in that hall other than him knew about it. The veil of mystery surrounding the throne had finally been lifted. As he walked his last few steps towards it, he saw the same shadow standing on the right-hand side of a grotesque looking monster sitting on the throne.

The shadow met him on his way to the throne and gestured its hand, "This is as far as you go." It hissed. "You are in the presence of the Great god Zados, show your respect! Bow down and kiss the ground that consecrated!"

"Zados, the god who cowered in the presence of Oyue." He said to himself. It was a good thing he hadn't said it out loud, that would've been disastrous for him. Still, even if he was on this god's domain surrounded by his minions, one thing was clear, Adaloun won't bow down to any god. Not to Oyue, and definitely not to this one.

Adaloun stood his ground, he didn't budge to the shadow's request. He stood tall in front of the god. The shadow did not appreciate his proudness towards its god.

"KNEEL, HUMAN!" Its voice echoed. "KNEEL BEFORE YOUR GOD!" The shadow's eyes glowed deeper red.

"I bow to no god." Adaloun said firmly. "Not to her and certainly not to—"

"FOOL!" The shadow suddenly grew trying to overwhelm him with fear, however, as dire as the situation was, Adaloun stood his ground and didn't budge. There was no hint of fear in his eyes, no twitching in his movements, and his voice never quivered.

"I will never." He said calmly as he looked at the shadow straight into its ethereal glowing eyes.

The angered monster bared its sharp shiny teeth and extended its pitch-black claws over to his neck, "I can cut you—"

"That's enough!" Zados commanded from his throne. "All of you, get out! I want to speak with Arellin alone." The god's voice echoed throughout the hall.

The ghosts slowly disappeared into thin air leaving green smoke in their wake. The shadow, however, was insistent.

"My Lord with all due—"

"I won't say it again, Aren." Zados' aura oozed out as his patience ran out for his servant. "Get. Out."

The pressure was nauseating to say the very least. But for an ordinary mortal, that force would crush one to death. Zados' aura was slowing crushing his chest, pressing his heart to explode, but Adaloun maintained his composure and didn't let the pressure budge him.

The shadow whimpered in fear and disappeared from their sight. The so-called god sighed and calmly suppressed the overwhelming pressure he released.

"I am surprised of the fortitude you have!" Zados looked at him impressed at his sturdiness against his overwhelming power.

"One would've gone insane just by that or worst dead! But you…ohhh…" The god pointed at him with a big smile on his face. "…ohhh, you are indeed the chosen one!" He patted Adaloun's shoulder in his amusement.

"What is it that you want, Zados?" Adaloun went straight to the point.

Zados raised his eyebrow at him, "That's Lord Zados for you. You might want to start calling me that if you value your life." The god smiled eerily at him.

Adaloun wasn't fazed. He had experienced being with these types of gods before. He had encountered them 364 times in the past and it was no difference from them. Egotistical and over-the-top, Zados seemed to have rubbed off from them the same energy of the gods he had worked with before.

"I don't have a god and won't worship one." Adaloun said firmly and returned the god's smile with a sheepish grin.

Adaloun could see the god's reaction changed from the warm and welcoming one to being cold and devious. He could feel his seething anger leaking out of him and spreading into the halls, cracking the foundation while rocking the entire room.

He could feel the god's energy trying to overpower him, but he did his best to compose himself. Zados might be powerful but compared to Oyue, he looked nothing more than a pawn. Nonetheless, he's still powerful enough to wipe him out if he wanted to—Adaloun wouldn't let him, though. He'll fight him bare if he had to.

The room shook violently as he ignored the god's wishes. He was worried of what was about to happen next, but he won't give the god the pleasure of knowing it. Firstly, the Zados couldn't read through his mind unlike Oyue, so it was easy for him to protect his thoughts.

"If you crush me with your power, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of you inviting me here?" Adaloun asked.

The angered god paused for a while, thinking about what he just said. The hall stopped shaking and the crushing weight lightened. Zados looked at him and laughed.

"You truly are an interesting individual, Arellin! Come, walk with me and I will even let you call me by name." He patted his shoulder. "Come just listen to me…for a while."