by Road Warrior
Marakia was different. If it was someone as skilled as Marakia, then he will be able to withstand the threat of the demonic forces and be able to protect himself as well as annihilate the ghost form of Hesthnius Max.
As Sungchul reached this conclusion, he heart grew light.
This is the most assured method.
Sungchul immediately stood before Marakia. “Let’s bargain.”
Marakia, who had been tongue wrestling with Bertelgia, shut his beak and looked up towards Sungchul. “A bargain?”
“Come with me to the Demon Realm to kill the Demon King.”
“The Demon King? Are you talking about Fuhrst, the Fire Eater?”
“That demon has been gone since ages ago. The demon I speak of is Hesthnius Max.”
“Hesthnius Max? I’ve never heard of this demon. Ok. Is this demon strong?”
“He’s weaker than you.”
“Then why do you need to take me?”
Sungchul concisely described the circumstances between Max and himself. Marakia laughed out loud after hearing the story.
When the laughter finally died, Marakia’s violet eyes grew bright as he spoke. “Ok. You want to use my magic to take care of that vile demon. What do I gain from this?”
“If you cooperate with me to kill Max, I’ll grant you your life and freedom.”
“Life and freedom you say?” Marakia asked in a ridiculing tone, and Sungchul’s eyes grew a degree colder.
“Or I could just kill you right here.”
It was a quiet and calm voice, but it bore an unbearable weight to it. Marakia, who had been mocking the offer, suddenly felt the threat of death press down upon him. The man named Sungchul possessed enough power to kill him with ease. However, a question filled Marakia’s mind.
“Just why do you wish to kill this demon king? Is it out of vengeance? Or maybe you wish to secure peace within the kingdom you rule over?”
At Marakia’s question, Sungchul unhesitatingly made a short reply. “It’s to end the Calamity.”
Curiosity filled Marakia’s eyes. “I did not realize that the one who defeated me is a being who wishes to call himself the Savior of the World.”
“Your answer?” Sungchul’s voice rang out once again, and Marakia nodded.
“I accept. I swear upon the name ‘King of Nahaks’ that I will help you, human.” Marakia pulled out a single black feather on his body and held it toward Sungchul. “It’s a symbol of my promise. It is a royal gift from the great king of the Nahaks, so receive it well.”
“I don’t need it.” Sungchul raised Fal Garaz. When Marakia saw the hammer once again, he was reaffirmed in his need to keep his promise.
“Let’s take care of it right away.” Sungchul left the tomb with a few dexterous movements. Bertelgia flapped her pages to follow after as Marakia wrapped his one remaining wing around his body and followed them with his two feet.
The Despair of the Abyss, who was now left alone within the tomb, looked toward the departing party and disappeared into the darkness.
The second underground floor was filled with countless Cave Elves. He didn’t know the objective, but it couldn’t possibly be good. Sungchul pulled out Cassandra, the demonic weapon, from his Soul Storage. Marakia who saw this scene, stepped forward, and opened his beak letting out a clear and loud sound. The long and crystal-clear call that sounded like the cry of a Black Kite rang out throughout the dungeon, causing all the Cave Elves residing within to respond simultaneously. It was out of pure terror.
“Ki….Kiiiiiii!”
The Cave Elves that simply ran away at the sound of the demonic whip Cassandra began to shriek as they scattered in all direction in utter panic and chaos. It was not a rational fear. It was an instinctual terror that was residing deep in their blood. They were responding to the fear sealed within their bloodline.
It was the genuine and inhumane cry of their masters and predators.
“How’s that?” Marakia who was watching the Cave Elves scatter like rats in panic asked in a relatively cheerful voice.
“Not bad.” Sungchul moved forward as he put away Cassandra which had been made redundant. The party eventually made it through the dark and long corridors of the Underground Kingdom and reached the entrance. The shuttle connected to the pulley was waiting for them. However, an unwelcome guest awaited them. It was the Despair of the Abyss.
“…”
The strange being stood in the center of the passageway as though it had something to say to Sungchul’s party.
“Why does that thing exist within my kingdom?” Marakia spoke in annoyance.
Sungchul held Fal Garaz and walked toward the Despair of the Abyss. “Begone, creature of oblivion.”
It was a troublesome enemy, but if it stood in his way, Sungchul wouldn’t hesitate to fight. However, the Despair of the Abyss began to move past Sungchul unsteadily in a grotesque manner. It looked like it was going to back off like last time, but the Despair of the Abyss stopped before someone; it was before Marakia
“Hey, can’t you do something about this monster?” Marakia took a step back as he asked Sungchul. As Sungchul walked toward him with Fal Garaz in hand, Marakia saw it. He saw the beak of the oozing Despair of the Abyss slowly open.
“D…n’t lea…”
It was speech. The Despair of the Abyss was speaking. Both Marakia and Sungchul immediately froze at this unexpected situation.
While everyone was stunned, the Despair of the Abyss with an avian head continued to speak, this time more coherently, “D…Don’t…L…leave…”
In the next moment, Fal Garaz struck the creature’s head. The Despair of the Abyss was knocked far away following a rather weak sound of impact. But it deformed for a moment before it regained its original appearance again.
“What is that thing?” Marakia asked in anger, but Sungchul didn’t respond. It was also the first time he had witnessed this situation.
A Despair of the Abyss spoke. I can’t believe it. It should have had its body, mind, and soul taken away as it became the Ancient God’s servant. This one managed to hold onto its consciousness?
It was not something that could be figured out. It was not something that should be figured out. Sungchul thought as he got onto the lift. Marakia followed after.
“How long has it been since I came up to the surface?”
Marakia spoke in a relatively cheerful voice as though he had forgotten about the incident just moments ago. The mechanism of the lift activated, and the lift rose. When they went up the hole shaped like a well, the blinding sun greeted them. A sharp scream rang out the moment they arrived at the entrance.
“Kyaaa!”
It was Marakia’s scream. He fell to his knees and let out a wretched cry of agony like that of a bull’s.
Sungchul immediately stopped the pulley and inspected Marakia’s state.
“What’s wrong?”
Sungchul's eyes were filled with shock as he became covered in spots. Black spots blossomed all across Marakia’s body like a flower of death as Sungchul watched.
Isn’t… isn’t this the Curse of Extinction?
The scene that he had never wished to see again reappeared before him in a flash.
“Kyaaaaaak!!”
Marakia continued to scream and thrash about in agony. Rotting discharge poured out like a fountain from the stump of his severed wing, and a disgusting stench began to spread.
Sungchul immediately lowered the lift. Once they reached the Underground Kingdom, Marakia’s condition stabilized. The spots that had spread on his body receded and the discharge from his wound no longer flowed. However, Marakia did not speak as he remained hunched over with his arms and wing wrapped around himself as though the memory of the pain still haunted him.
Sungchul spoke to him after a considerable time had passed. “Were you afflicted with the Curse of Extinction?”
He nodded at Sungchul’s question as his body lightly trembled. “That’s right. The curse cast down
by the god afflicted my people without warning. It was the reason that the Nahaks that once roamed the skies were forced into the ground like moles.”
“You must be younger than you appear?” Bertelgia offered a question toward Marakia in a soft voice. Marakia didn’t deny it.
“One year. I was cursed by a matter of a single year. My older brothers were fine, but my younger brothers and I were at the risk of death. However, my father, the king, wished to hand the crown to me, who had the black feathers. That is why the ritual was performed, and I continued to live, but…”
Deep concern filled Marakia’s violet eyes. “Why does the curse still remain?”
“…Because god is cruel,” Sungchul responded.
Marakia snorted in amusement, but the fact that his body was cursed remained.
“It appears as though I am fated to die anyways.”
The spots that covered his body had faded, but it didn’t disappear. Marakia smiled helplessly as he looked up at the sky. “Tens of thousands of years had passed, but my fate remains unchanged.”
Soon, fearsome anger began to burn in his eyes.
“Since this is the way things are, it wouldn’t be bad to go out with a bang and just do whatever I want until I die.”
“…”
“Burning the humans and crumbling their kingdoms. Who knows? Maybe, after I’m done, they’ll remember me… and remember the Nahaks?”
Had Sungchul not been there next to him, Marakia might have done exactly as he had said. But Sungchul was, indeed, there.
“I won’t leave you to do this.” He glared at Marakia and spoke clearly.
Marakia laughed out loud. “I am to die anyways. What does it matter to me if I die in one way or another?”
“I will stop the Calamity. Help me. If so, it will also free you from the curse on your body.”
“That’s nonsense. Mortals cannot overcome the Trial of God. Also, Calamities are not to be overcome. They are meant to be endured like the passing seasons.”
“There are those that have managed to overcome it.”
“What?”
Marakia didn’t look convinced. Sungchul recalled Vestiare’s laughter as he replied, “They are the humans that you have looked down on.”
Sungchul expounded on his reply a bit more. “Specifically, by beings called the Seven Heroes.”
“What? Mere humans managed to overcome the Trial of God? I cannot believe such a thing.”
“You’re free to believe as you will, but let me just say one thing. I am stronger than all of the Seven Heroes combined, and haven’t you peered into me already? You should be more than aware of what kind of commitment I have made to this.”
“…”
Marakia didn’t admit nor deny anything. Instead, he simply waited for the aimless rage boiling inside of him to dissipate.
Time, as it had always done, calmed down the anger.
When the flames of rage inside of him pacified, Marakia spoke once again in a tired voice. “How do you plan on overcoming the Calamity? You will not be enough to stop it on your own.”
“There are five Calamities in total. I should be able to overcome three of them on my own at the very least.”
Sungchul spoke in a calm voice as he described the Calamities looming over the world currently. The First will arrive from the Demon World. According to the Scripture of Calamity, it is prophesied that the Demon King will lead a massive army of devils never before seen in history, burning everything as they make their way south.
The Second Calamity will come from the past. The return of the Seven Heroes that overcame a Calamity of the past. The Scripture of Calamity prophesied that they will return as enemies of mortals and spread anguish, distrust, and death across the world.
The Third Calamity will come from suspicion. The survivors of the two Calamities that have swept through the continent and turned it into a wasteland will be filled with suspicion for one another and start a war which will only conclude at everyone’s demise.
The Fourth Calamity and beyond are not known. Some have spoken of the advent of the lesser gods or the stirring of the Dragonfolk as the Calamities to follow, but nothing had been confirmed as of yet. It was because everything after the third Calamity was blank when he saw the Scripture of Calamity last. It was likely that the details in the Scripture of Calamity will only be filled in after the Calamities progress along to a certain extent.
“Half of the Calamities on your own? What great confidence,” Marakia responded coldly.
Sungchul continued to try to persuade him. “It isn’t all that difficult for me. As long as the Demon King is taken care of, the rest of the Calamities will be resolved soon as well.”
However, Sungchul’s words were woefully lacking in trying to turn Marakia’s mind. Marakia snorted in laughter as he threw out a series of questions to shoot down Sungchul’s request.
“But what about the Fourth Calamity? And what if the Fifth Calamity turns out to be something that fundamentally cannot be resolved by your strength?”
“…”
Sungchul didn’t respond further. He knew that anything he would say will come off as being desperate.
Marakia simply smirked and rose from his place. “If you have nothing more to say, then I’m going to go rest. After my rest, I shall head out and bring ruin to the human kingdoms. I feel that if I do not, then the wrath of the insulted Nahak can never be sated.”
Marakia spoke in a clear and bright voice as he leisurely walked deep into the dungeon. He would most likely keep his promise. He had already given up on his own life and had nothing more to lose.
Sungchul’s eyes were filled with concern. Things that can’t be dealt with by strength are such a hassle.
In his eyes, there was only one option. He had to eliminate the enraged Marakia with his own hands before Marakia left the dungeon. It was the worst possible outcome which nullified all the effort he had put in.
It was just when Sungchul believed firmly in his failure that someone unexpectedly stepped up.
“Hey, you birdbrain! I have something to say!”
It was Bertelgia.
This kid? Sungchul considered restraining Bertelgia, but vague hopes kept him taking a step back from the situation.
“Can’t you hear me? Birdbrain! I said I have something to say!” Bertelgia continued to scream, and soon Marakia stopped his steps and turned his head slightly.
“Book. Your words are too crude. Even if you have that human guarding you by your side, it might be better to know your own place.”
The instant he was done speaking, a magic arrow accompanied by a black feather came flying towards Bertelgia. Bertelgia froze in this immediate change in circumstance, and could only watch as the magic arrow flew at her. As the arrow was about to be embedded into her body, a rough hand appeared to protect her.
Sungchul’s steely arm had protected her. The Magic Arrow managed to pierce his clothing, but when faced with his oppressive battle aura and his magic resistance, it dissipated without a trace.
“Keep talking.” Sungchul whispered to her in a low voice.
Bertelgia shook her body once toward Sungchul and continued in a clear voice without a trace of fear. “You say that you were insulted as a Nahak?”
“So?” Marakia turned around and nodded with his arms crossed.
“How can someone who places such importance on the pride of the species not look after his own kin?”
“What? My kin?”
“That’s right. Do you even know what kind of situation that the Nahaks like you are in right now?”
“What? What nonsense are you saying now?”
When Marakia let out a hollow laughter, Bertelgia broke free from Sungchul’s protective arm and spoke boldly. “Then follow me, O Great King of Nahaks!”
She moved away from Sungchul and led the way down the dungeon.
This kid… she’s quite something. Sungchul was looking at Bertelgia’s back in a new light. He quickly f
ollowed after and escorted her down the path. Marakia didn’t look convinced, but he trotted behind as though Bertelgia’s words bothered him.
Bertelgia led Marakia to none other than the city of the Cave Elves. Looking at the dirty and damp city, Marakia frowned.
“Truly a lowly dwelling for a lowly race. I shall burn down all of these insects before I part from the Underground Kingdom.”
He said as such before letting loose a high-pitched bird cry. The clear and high-pitched cry of the Nahak rang out within the entire area causing all of the Cave Elves to tremble in terror. Some of the Cave Elves began to collapse foaming at the mouth while others started to shit themselves where they stood.
While passing through the city, Marakia entertained himself by using telekinesis to lift passerby Cave Elves into the air and making them explode on the spot. Bertelgia didn’t say anything as she led him to their destination.
They stood before the poultry farm. The area reeked with some unknown foul stench intermingling with the smell of rotten flesh, and Marakia tilted his head in confusion as he stood before this massive tent.
“So what’s supposed to be here?”
That was when something caught his eye. It was the white feathers decorating the tent. They were smaller and much duller than his, but they were similar to the feathers he knew very well. Marakia extended his hand and examined one of the feathers.
“This… a Nahak’s feather…?!”
An ominous feeling arose as Marakia suddenly had a terrible thought. Feeling shock and goosebumps form all over his body, he turned his eyes towards the interior of the tent. Sounds of low-pitched bird cries, sounds of beaks repeatedly striking metal, and sounds of feathers ruffling could be heard. Marakia entered the tent as Sungchul and Bertelgia watched, and he finally saw it with his own eyes.
He witnessed the fallen state of the “proud and noble” people of Nahak who were now being raised as livestock by what he considered as an insignificant and enslaved race.
