Chương 44: The Chains of Apocrypha
It had been a full day since the shocking revelation. Inarius remained shackled in the center of the throne room, the thick chains still glowing faintly with their crimson light. The oppressive silence of the realm was broken only by the distant roar of molten rivers and the low hum of energy that seemed to pulse through the air.
The Dark One sat on his throne, his hooded form watching Inarius with an intensity that made his skin crawl. Every so often, the being's massive presence would stir, the flames behind the throne flaring slightly, but he never spoke.
Inarius couldn't stop his mind from wandering. Memories of the battle that led him here flooded his thoughts—his friends, the Hellions, falling one by one. Emma's unconscious body. Empath cradling him as his life slipped away. The guilt and rage churned within him, fueling his desire to escape this place.
Finally, he couldn't bear the silence any longer. He raised his head, locking eyes—or what he thought were eyes—with the shadowed void beneath the hood.
"What are you?" Inarius demanded, his voice hoarse but firm. "What is this place? And how do I get out of here?"
The Dark One chuckled, the sound like a deep rumble that made the very ground tremble. "So many questions, my son. But I suppose you are entitled to answers."
The chains holding Inarius rattled slightly as the Dark One spoke from his throne. His voice was a symphony of a thousand tones, each layered with menace and authority.
"I am the Dark One," he said. "A being older than creation itself. A Cosmic Entity that embodies all sin, evil, and darkness. I am what exists in the shadow of every soul, the corruption that lies in every heart."
Inarius swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. He'd faced powerful beings before, but none of them compared to this. "And this... this place?" he asked, gesturing weakly to the hellish landscape outside the throne room.
"This is Apocrypha, my personal realm," the Dark One said, spreading his arms. "It exists outside the multiverse, a sanctuary of darkness where my power reigns supreme. Here, there is no escape unless I will it."
Inarius clenched his fists against the chains. "So that's it? I'm trapped here unless you let me go?"
The Dark One laughed again, louder this time, the sound echoing endlessly in the cavernous room. "Indeed. But freedom comes at a price."
Inarius stared at him, the weight of the revelation sinking in. "What do you want from me?"
Instead of answering, the Dark One extended a clawed hand. From his chest, a mass of dark energy surged forth, twisting and writhing before solidifying into a fiery form. It hovered in front of him for a moment before plunging into Inarius' chest.
Inarius gasped as his body shuddered. Suddenly, he felt his spirit being ripped from his physical form. Flames engulfed him, and when the pain subsided, he looked down at himself. His body was gone, replaced by a spectral form made of flickering, fiery light.
"Your spirit," the Dark One said, his tone colder now, "is raw and untamed. If you wish to leave, you must prove your worth to me. Follow me, child, and I will show you what it means to wield true power."
The Dark One turned and began to walk, his movements slow but deliberate. The flames behind his throne parted as he moved, revealing a path that led into a swirling vortex of darkness.
Inarius hesitated, the chains that had once bound him now lying shattered at his feet. He glanced at the path ahead and then at the throne room behind him. If this was the only way to leave, he had no choice.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, the fiery essence of his spirit flickering with resolve as he followed the Dark One into the unknown.
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