Chapter 11
"Me," Shadow replied calmly, his cold smile never wavering.
His answer struck them like a physical blow. They were about to face the source of their strength—the one who had pulled them from their personal hells and granted them the power they now wielded. They were about to face their God.
In a flash of light, they teleported to Ron-Davak. The Knights stood as a united front, eyes locked on the lone figure of Shadow. The realm was eerily quiet, the only sound the distant crackle of magma. No one dared to make the first move.
"Begin," Shadow muttered.
He vanished instantly. Reappearing high in the air, he unleashed a massive torrent of purple flames that rained down like a collapsing sky. The Knights scattered, dodging with practiced fluidly. Beta and Delta launched themselves upward, fists clenched, while Alpha and Gamma provided cover fire with a barrage of their own dark flames. Chaos added to the onslaught, firing laser-like beams of concentrated heat from every direction.
"Huh... that's new," Shadow thought, impressed by their coordination. He teleported mid-air, appearing directly in front of the charging Beta and Delta, and sent them both crashing back to the earth with a single, swift strike.
Shadow touched down on the obsidian floor, but before his feet could even settle, Nemesis struck from his blind spot. Shadow reacted with god-like speed, catching the blade with one hand. He launched a counter-punch with the other, the resulting shockwave sending Nemesis tumbling backward.
Watching them recover, Shadow analyzed their formation. He noticed a glaring flaw: their teamwork was actually a disadvantage for Chaos. Because she possessed such massive, destructive power, she was holding back to avoid hitting her teammates.
"Battles aren't always fair," Shadow mused. "She must learn to adapt her destruction around her allies."
Deciding to push Nemesis, Shadow charged him with the training sword he had brought. As their blades collided, a sharp crack echoed through the realm. Shadow's blade shattered into a thousand fragments.
"What just happened?" Shadow thought, staring at his empty hilt. "What was that?"
"I carved this myself from a material stronger than steel," Nemesis replied, his voice steady. "It is my own blade, the Punisher. You will not find this one so easy to break."
"Oh, really?" Shadow muttered.
Suddenly, a notification flashed in his mind:
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: COSMIC ARAMID MANIPULATION]
"What's this?" he whispered.
He activated the skill, and a pitch-black, slime-like liquid surged from his palms. It instantly solidified into a dark, regal sword. As Chaos seized the moment to fire another barrage of laser-flames, the liquid material wrapped around Shadow, forming an indestructible shield that absorbed the heat effortlessly.
"It can liquify, solidify, and become whatever I want," Shadow realized, his eyes glowing. "This is perfect."
He slammed his hand into the ground, and dozens of black spikes erupted from the earth, racing toward every Knight. They leaped back in a panic, narrowly avoiding the lethal obsidian-like shards.
"What is that?!" Alpha shouted in shock, mid-leap.
"Is that... a black spike?" Beta gasped, landing in a defensive crouch, staring at the alien material that now coated Shadow's arms.
Shadow lunged toward Nemesis, the Aramid sword in his hand humming with a dark, cosmic resonance.
"Let's see if this weapon truly surpasses the Punisher," Shadow thought. "If his blade can shatter steel like a biscuit, I expect this to be far superior."
He brought the Aramid blade down in a heavy arc. Nemesis raised his legendary sword to block the strike, confident in its unbreakable material. However, instead of a clash of metal, the Cosmic Aramid simply slid through the Punisher's blade like butter, severing the "unbreakable" steel in a single motion.
"WHAT!!!" Nemesis screamed, staring in total disbelief at his broken weapon.
Shadow didn't give him a second to process the loss; he delivered a powerful kick to Nemesis's chest, sending the assassin flying into a jagged rock wall. Shadow then raised his sword toward the sky. Neon purple lines instantly raced across the entire horizon, web-like and lethal, encasing the entire realm of Ron-Davak in a grid of doom. His eyes flared with a blinding neon light.
"Look and behold my almighty power," his voice boomed, echoing through the dimensions. "For in this moment, you stand face to face with a God... I AM KARMA."
The realm ignited. A cataclysmic explosion of purple flames erupted from every coordinate. Sensing the end, the Knights teleported behind Chaos. She let out a defiant shriek and transformed into her full Phoenix form, acting as a living shield and bending the laws of the realm to dampen the potency of the blast.
Despite her protection, the impact was devastating. When the smoke cleared, the Knights lay scattered and unconscious, badly damaged. Delta and Nemesis were bleeding from the mouth, their bodies broken by the sheer pressure. Chaos remained the only one semi-conscious, having taken the brunt of the hit.
"Oh no... I think I went overboard," Shadow muttered, his godly aura fading as he rushed toward them.
He touched Chaos gently on her cheek. Seeing she was the least injured, he looked around at the environment. Surprisingly, the realm was in much better condition than he expected after such an attack.
"So, the realm gets stronger the more powerful she becomes," Shadow observed with a proud smile. "And it's obvious—she is growing much faster than when she fought Delta. I can tell the others have evolved as well. I'm truly impressed."
He stretched out his hands over his fallen comrades. A surge of pure, restorative dark energy flowed from his palms and into their bodies, mending their wounds and replenishing their exhausted souls.
One by one, the Knights began to regain consciousness. Alpha was the first to stir, followed by Beta, then Gamma and Chaos. Delta and Nemesis were the last to awaken, their bodies having sustained the most damage during the final cataclysmic blast.
"My apologies for ending the battle so abruptly," Shadow said, his voice echoing through the quiet realm as the Knights struggled back to their feet. "But I needed to test this new skill. Its potential is vast and intriguing. For now, none of you will possess this ability until I have mastered it to its fullest potential."
Beta looked at the lingering black shards embedded in the ground. "My lord, what exactly is that black material?"
"I don't fully know yet. I believe it is called Cosmic Aramid," Shadow replied, looking at his palms. "But unlike regular aramid, this has a liquid state and can become sharper than any steel. I believe I can forge this into our future arsenal—swords, blades, needles, arrows, spears, and shields. It can become whatever we need it to be."
Nemesis remained seated on the ground, staring silently at the metallic dust that used to be his pride and joy. Shadow walked over to him, tilting his head downward to meet his gaze.
"Are you okay?" Shadow asked softly.
After a long pause, Nemesis responded, his voice trembling slightly. "My blade... it's gone. How did you generate a sword from nowhere strong enough to cut through the Punisher?" He looked up, the shock still visible in his eyes.
"I possess limitless potential," Shadow replied calmly. "As I learn and grow, so do my skills—and yours as well, since you are my Knights. Do not worry. Soon, you will be able to generate your own unbreakable weapons that can shift forms at your command. This Cosmic Aramid is the real deal."
"My lord, forgive me," Nemesis said, his voice heavy with sadness. "But I will need a little time to mourn my sword. It was my first and only true creation."
Shadow paused, seeing the genuine grief on the young man's face. "My apologies. I didn't realize it meant so much to you. Take your time." He turned away, giving the assassin the space he needed to process the loss of his legacy.
After a short while, the group departed the Flame Realm. The next day, the Knights executed the master plan with precision: Nemesis successfully reclaimed his mother's company and confessed his father's hidden atrocities to the authorities. As planned, Gamma officially pinned the Freeman murder on "The Shadow," while Beta managed her own corporate empire and conducted a final inspection of the Shadow's Labyrinth. Meanwhile, Alpha and Delta continued their physical conditioning at the temporary base while Chaos slept off the exhaustion of her Phoenix transformation.
That night, Shadow called an emergency meeting. He informed the group that he would be departing for one week to master his new abilities in isolation.
"I need time to understand the true capabilities of the Cosmic Aramid," Shadow explained. "In my absence, Alpha will take command. Beta, continue gathering intelligence and keep a summary of all events for my return. The rest of you, carry on with your daily missions."
"We will keep everything in order until your arrival, my lord," Alpha promised.
"I expect the move to the permanent base to be complete before I return," Shadow added.
"Yes, my lord. We will be moved in four days," Beta confirmed. With the orders given, the meeting concluded and the Knights dispersed.
The following day, Shadow journeyed deep into the woods near his original hometown. For the first several days, he pushed his limits, practicing the fluid transition of the Cosmic Aramid.
He experimented with the material's structural integrity, shifting it from liquid ropes to jagged blades, testing the boundaries of what he could manifest.
On the third night, after bathing in a nearby river, Shadow headed toward a cave he had scouted for shelter. As he drew closer, his heightened senses picked up frantic whispering. Activating Clairvoyance, he scanned the interior and found three armed men standing over two terrified, bound children.
Witnessing the gang's barbaric treatment of the girls, a cold fury washed over him. Activating his Stealth skill, he glided into the cave like a ghost. He manifested the Cosmic Aramid into thin, whip-like cords that lashed out and bound the men instantly. It happened so fast the gang didn't even realize they were trapped until they were pinned against the stone walls.
"What... what the hell is this?!" the leader screamed, struggling against the unbreakable black fibers.
Shadow stepped out from the darkness, his presence heavy and suffocating.
"Who are you?!" another gang member shrieked.
"Silence," Shadow commanded, his voice a freezing blade. He looked back at them, his mask obscuring his face, leaving only his glowing neon-purple eyes visible. The sight sent a primal chill down their spines; they were too terrified to even breathe.
He knelt down to check on the victims. They were shaking with fear, but as Shadow looked at the face of one of the girls, his heart stopped. His hands began to tremble.
"Laura...?" Shadow whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.
On hearing his voice, she managed to mutter through the pain, "Big brother?" before passing out almost immediately. The other girl followed her into unconsciousness, her eyes closing in slumber now that the torture had finally stopped.
In that moment, Shadow's rage spiraled out of control. The cave shook with terrifying intensity as dark energy flooded the cavern, suffocating the air.
"What did you do to my sister?!" he demanded, his voice a cold, echoing roar.
"What... what are you?!" the second gang member shrieked in terror. Almost instantly, a sharp obsidian spike sliced through the air, cleaving the man's head in two before he could even blink.
"I will ask again," Shadow said, his voice dripping with unfiltered rage. "What did you do to my sister?"
"We didn't do anything, I swear! We only kidnapped them for ransom money... please, spare us!" the leader begged. His remaining accomplice stared in horror at the bisected corpse of his partner, unable to move.
Shadow pointed his index finger at them, a tiny, flickering purple flame appearing at the tip.
"No one touches my family," he whispered.
He launched the flame, and the cave erupted in a localized purple explosion. Both girls were instantly encased in a cocoon of Cosmic Aramid, protecting them from the heat and debris as the kidnappers were erased.
Shadow, appearing as Damian once more in his mind, stared at the two badly injured girls. "How do I heal them?" he muttered. "It's easier with the Knights because they share my dark energy... but I don't want to give my sister this power. She shouldn't be like me."
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: HEALING]
"Right... always on time," he said, stretching his hands out to manifest the new light. A gentle glow washed over both girls, mending their wounds and stabilizing their breathing.
Damian teleported with both girls to his parents' house. Inside, Lucy and Mike were sitting in the living room, haunted by the silence of the home.
"I can't lose another child," Lucy sobbed, her head in her hands. "I lost one before... why is this happening to me?!"
"The police are doing their best, Lucy. They will find Laura. I have to believe she'll be fine," Mike said, though his own voice lacked conviction.
"My heart aches... she's all I have left," she cried.
Suddenly, a sharp knock at the door interrupted them.
Standing outside, Shadow had been listening to their conversation. A single tear ran down his cheek beneath his mask. He placed the two unconscious girls gently on the porch, laid a letter on top of them, and teleported away just as the handle turned.
Mike reached the door first. "Who's there?" he asked, his hand trembling. He received no response. He looked back at Lucy, who had stood up in anticipation.
He opened the door and saw an empty street. Then, he looked down.
"Lucy... darling... come here! Look!"
Lucy rushed forward and gasped. There, lying on the floor, was her daughter and another child. She scooped Laura into her arms, weeping uncontrollably. "My baby... my baby!"
Mike picked up the other child, intending to call the police to find her parents. As he did, the letter fell to the porch. He picked it up and read the words, his face turning pale with shock.
"Lucy... look at this," he whispered, handing her the paper.
Lucy took the note, her eyes blurring with tears as she read the short sentence:
"Please keep Laura safe... Mum."
The handwriting was unmistakable. She looked at her husband in utter disbelief.
"It's a miracle," Mike said, his voice shaking. "He is still with us... even after death."
Lucy hugged her husband and daughter, bursting into uncontrollable tears of joy and grief, believing her dead son was watching over them from the afterlife.
That night, Shadow became a literal force of nature. He tore through the city, executing serial killers, murderers, and kidnappers with surgical efficiency. He did not stop at the streets; even those behind bars were not safe from his judgment. It was a night of absolute carnage.
By morning, the city was in a state of shock. The police were baffled, as no security cameras had captured so much as a shadow. Criminal gangs dissolved out of fear, robbers turned themselves in to the authorities, and even petty crime ceased entirely. The citizenry was paralyzed by the realization that a silent, invisible executioner was watching.
His work complete, Shadow retreated back into the woods to continue his mastery of the Cosmic Aramid.
PpppOn the fourth day of Shadow's absence, the Knights prepared for the final relocation. Alpha and Beta managed the evacuation, while Gamma and Nemesis finalized the Labyrinth.
Delta was sent out to secure final food supplies. As he cut through a lonely side street, his instincts flared. He spotted a figure in the distance—a silhouette that made his heart skip a beat.
"That looks exactly like Lord Shadow," Delta thought. He began to trail the figure, following him through several sharp turns. The stranger ducked into an alleyway; when Delta rounded the corner, the figure was gone.
"I knew it was him," Delta muttered, assuming his master was testing his tracking.
"It's who?" a voice whispered from directly behind him.
Delta reacted with instinctual speed, jumping backward to create distance. He relaxed immediately upon seeing the familiar face and cloak. "Oh, my lord! It is you... I thought you had left the city to train."
The figure paused, his eyes scanning Delta with a strange, analytical coldness. He seemed briefly confused before masking it. "Oh... I came back to get some supplies," he replied, his voice a near-perfect match, yet slightly off in its cadence. He took a short pause. "So... what is the status of the others?"
"We're relocating today," Delta explained. "Alpha and Beta are evacuating the old building, while Gamma and Nemesis are in the main base arranging it."
As Delta spoke, his eyes narrowed. "I can sense an incredible amount of energy from this boy," he thought, his hand subtly twitching toward a hidden weapon. "It's far more than a normal human should possess." Delta noticed the unblinking stare. "My lord? Is there a problem?"
"No... not at all," he replied, a small, dangerous smirk forming. "I just realized you are incredibly strong."
"You praise me too much, my lord," Delta said with a humble bow. "I do not hold a candle to your power."
"Yeah... right," he muttered. "Regardless, I'd like to see everyone. Are they all available?"
"Yes! I can gather them to the temporary base; that's where I'm headed now."
"Lead the way," he said calmly. "I have something I'd like to share with the group."
"I'll gather the rest once we arrive," Delta said, pride swelling in his chest at the thought of the whole team reuniting early.
As he followed Delta, his thoughts grew darker. "If this 'Delta' is this powerful, I wonder how strong this 'Alpha' is... and this 'Nemesis.' This reality is far more interesting than I expected."
As they arrived at the temporary base, the room fell into a stunned silence. The Knights looked at the figure with a mix of surprise and confusion.
"My lord, I thought you said you needed a week. It has only been four days," Alpha said, stepping forward.
"Yeah, I came to check up on you guys and also pass along some information," he replied, his voice smooth but lacking the usual resonance of their Master.
"Oh... I'll gather everyone," Beta said, turning to walk away.
As she moved, he tracked her with a predatory gaze, mentally cataloging her presence. "So that means the guy is Alpha and the lady is Beta," he thought to himself. "Good to know."
Shortly after, Gamma and Nemesis teleported into the base, appearing in a ripple of energy.
"My lord, it's a surprise to see you," Nemesis said, bowing his head respectfully.
Gamma, however, did not bow. He stood perfectly still, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the figure.
"Is there a problem?" He asked, noticing the scrutiny.
"No, my lord. Anyway, I'll be right back," Gamma said, turning and walking upstairs.
"Hmm... that one has better perception," he thought. "I bet he's suspicious of me."
As Gamma reached the landing, he immediately reached out to the others. "Something feels off about Lord Shadow," he communicated telepathically, his mental voice sharp with concern.
"Really? Why do you think that?" Alpha's voice echoed back in the shared headspace.
"I don't know, but my gut tells me something is wrong," Gamma replied.
"Maybe you're just stressed," Delta added to the mental link while he continued arranging the food supplies in the sitting room. "Besides, I saw him teleport behind me earlier, and he hasn't asked about anyone's names."
While the telepathic conversation buzzed silently between the Knights, he sat in the sitting room. He watched Delta through the open door, observing the mundane task of sorting groceries.
"If they can all teleport," he thought, a cold realization dawning on him, "then why did this one walk all the way here with me?"
Soon after, the group gathered in the meeting room. Doubts rippled through the minds of some, while others remained silent, waiting for an explanation. Chaos was the only one missing, still deep within the Flame Realm.
He took his seat and spoke first, his voice deceptively calm. "I had a horrific vision, and I need your counsel on what I've seen."
"What could it be, my lord?" Alpha asked, his loyalty momentarily overriding his suspicion.
The man stood up. "Come, let us form a circle. Let me share the weight of this vision with you directly."
The Knights exchanged weary glances before moving toward him. They arranged themselves in a circle; Delta and Nemesis held the his hands directly, while the others linked together to complete the chain.
As they closed their eyes, a shared consciousness took hold. The vision he projected was apocalyptic: the world was a funeral pyre. Buildings lay in ruins, and mountains of bodies filled the cities, rivers, and deserts. He showed them their own graves—six headstones for six Knights. In the center of this broken world stood a solitary figure draped in darkness.
"Who is that?" Alpha asked within the vision, his voice trembling.
"Wait. It will be revealed," the Stranger whispered.
The flames parted, revealing the face of the figure behind the mask.
"It's Lord Shadow!" Beta exclaimed in horror.
Almost immediately, the room's temperature skyrocketed. Chaos arrived in a flash of heat, her eyes burning with recognition. Without hesitation, she launched herself at the figure. "FAKE! FAKE! FAKE! YOU ARE A FAKE!" she shrieked.
The Stranger reacted with terrifying speed, breaking the circle and catching Chaos by the throat with one hand. With a effortless flick of his wrist, he sent her flying through the wall of the building.
As the link snapped, the other Knights fell to their knees, gasping for air.
"What is this feeling?" Alpha groaned, clutching his chest.
"I can't... I can't sense anything," Beta whispered, her hands shaking.
"It's like I've become human again," Delta muttered, looking at his powerless palms.
The Stranger looked down at them, a cruel smirk spreading across his face. "Well, almost. While we were linked, I siphoned the majority of your energy. Trust me, it was a staggering amount. Whoever gave you that power must be a font of infinite energy."
"I knew it," Gamma hissed from the floor, his eyes filled with hate. "You are not Lord Shadow."
"Technically, I am," the man replied, his voice shifting into a darker, more predatory tone. "I am him, from another universe. But in my world, I am known as Mr. Black... or the Devourer."
"The Devourer? What do you want from us?" Alpha asked, his voice strained as he struggled to stand.
"You are irrelevant to my plan," Mr. Black replied, dismissively. "But I am grateful for the energy. It will be quite useful in my coming battle against your master."
"What do you want with Lord Shadow?" Nemesis spat, clutching the hilt of his broken blade.
"Lord Shadow? Is that what you call him here?" Mr. Black let out a cold, mocking laugh. "I want to kill him and take his power, of course. I intend to be the only 'Me' in the entire multiverse."
"Multiverse?" Alpha whispered, the realization hitting him. "There are multiple universes?"
"Why do you want to be the only one?" Nemesis challenged, his eyes narrowed. "What happens if you all simply co-exist?"
Mr. Black stepped toward them, his presence darkening the room like an eclipse. "Every variant is a candidate for the Void Lord. Each one possesses the potential to ascend as the Void God. If I eliminate every other version of myself, I will be the only one left—the only possible candidate for that position."
He paused, looking at the fallen Knights who struggled to stand "Damian Summers is going to be the Void God. That is destiny. The only question remains... which version of Damian will it be?"
"You don't need to kill all of them to be the Void God, do you?" Gamma asked, his voice rasping as he sought a weakness.
"Not necessarily," Mr. Black replied, pacing the room with arrogant grace. "But the fewer there are, the easier it becomes. I have killed fifty-nine variants so far, and I have kept their powers for myself. Your boss is next. He certainly doesn't possess the strength of sixty Shadows combined. This will be effortless for me."
Suddenly, the reality of the base flickered and tore. In a blinding flash of heat, the entire group was ripped through space and dropped into the center of the Flame Realm. Standing amidst the inferno was Chaos, her body completely engulfed in a roaring, sentient fire.
"Wait... she can teleport us to this realm by herself now?" Beta asked in disbelief.
The shift gave the Knights a moment to adjust to their weakened state. They forced themselves up, standing tall despite their drained energy. Their powers were gone, but their combat instincts were honed to perfection; it was time to rely on the brutal training they had endured.
Mr. Black simply smiled. He lifted a finger, and a jagged, dark crystal dome erupted from the obsidian ground, sealing the five Knights inside a transparent prison.
"Don't interrupt my fight," he said, not even looking back at them. "I'd like to see how strong this little bird is."
He turned his full attention to the girl in flames. "What is going on?" he thought, his confidence wavering for the first time. "Where is this place? I saw flashes of this realm in the memories I siphoned, but I didn't think much of it. She is different from the others... I don't know what to expect."
Chaos didn't give him time to think. She unleashed a relentless barrage of laser-like flames, the beams cutting through the air with a high-pitched hiss. Mr. Black reacted instantly, manifesting a secondary crystal shield to defend himself.
Suddenly, the very ground beneath Mr. Black's feet erupted in an inferno. He teleported away instantly, but everywhere he landed, the floor pulsated with the same lethal heat.
He took to the air, levitating high above the molten landscape as he looked down at Chaos. "She isn't just a fire user... she is in control of the land itself," he thought. "A true home-field advantage."
Chaos didn't let him breathe. She manifested dozens of spear-like flames and hurled them upward. Mr. Black simply lifted a single finger. In an instant, over a thousand black swords materialized in the air behind him. With a flick of his wrist, he launched them; the blades shredded her fire spears mid-air, with the remaining swords raining down toward her.
Refusing to back down, Chaos soared into the sky, gathering a titanic sphere of concentrated fire between her palms. She launched the sun-like projectile toward him. Mr. Black countered with a blast of purple flames only half the size of her attack, but the sheer density caused a cataclysmic collision. The resulting shockwave sent Chaos crashing into the jagged obsidian floor, while Mr. Black remained suspended, safely shielded behind his dark energy.
From the crater in the ground, a massive Phoenix made of pure living flame erupted. She accelerated toward him with blinding speed. Just as she reached his face, she let out a piercing shriek. The sonic frequency of the scream was so intense it vibrated through the entire realm, shattering Mr. Black's protective shield.
But Mr. Black was already ahead of her. A gigantic black blade, six feet wide and fifty feet long, materialized and stabbed her through the back.
Chaos let out a pained cry as the massive sword disintegrated into dark smoke. She opened her mouth to charge one final, desperate fire attack, but Mr. Black appeared directly in front of her mid-air, smiling. Suddenly, the flames in her throat flickered and died. Her Phoenix form vanished, and she plummeted to the ground in her human form, hitting the earth with a dull thud.
"Huh... what just happened?" Beta asked, her voice trembling in shock.
"Did she lose?" Delta muttered as the trapped Knights watched in disbelief.
"It... it hurts," Chaos managed to whisper, her body twitching on the ground, paralyzed and unable to move.
"I knew the sword wouldn't be enough to stop you, so I coated it in poison," Mr. Black said, landing gracefully on the ground and walking toward her. "And unlike your typical toxins, this is a thousand times more potent. An average human would have disintegrated into bone from the inside out by now."
He loomed over her, his eyes cold and victorious. "Now, it's time to end all of you."
He raised his hand to deliver the killing blow, but was suddenly interrupted by a voice that cut through the heat of the realm like ice.
"And who might you be?" the voice asked, calm and cold.Mr black look back and said
"Oh right..... it's you".