Chapter 2

The walls of my confinement, black as the void itself, seemed to close in with each passing eon, a relentless, silent mockery of my entrapment. Time had lost all meaning, blending seconds into minutes, hours into days, and days into a torturous eternity. Alone in this forsaken chamber, my thoughts twisted and coiled like serpents, sometimes forming coherent patterns, other times unraveling into chaotic fragments.

I sat on the edge of my narrow bed, my only companion a battered guitar that had seen better days. Its strings, worn and frayed, were a testament to countless attempts at finding solace in music, though the melodies that once flowed now felt like cruel jokes played by my own mind. I strummed a dissonant chord, the sound echoing off the walls, filling the room with a mocking symphony of despair.

"Well, old friend," I said to the guitar, my voice cracking with dry amusement. "Seems we've been left to rot in this lovely little oubliette. Wonder if Father dearest even remembers he put me here."

The air was thick with desolation, the silence punctuated only by my muttered ramblings and the occasional creak of the bed as I shifted. The room, a perfect cube of nothingness, offered no respite, no distraction from the oppressive weight of isolation. Even the shadows seemed to whisper, their voices a chorus of lost souls trapped in an endless cycle of torment.

But in the darkest recesses of my mind, a twisted hope flickered—a stubborn ember that refused to be snuffed out. I dreamed of freedom, of breaking these invisible chains and stepping once more into the chaos of the cosmos. It was a mad hope, perhaps, but it was mine.

"One day," I murmured to the shadows, "I'll find a way out of this hellhole. And when I do, oh, the fun we'll have."

I chuckled to myself, a sound that bordered on the edge of sanity. My fingers drummed against the guitar, tapping out a rhythm that echoed my impatient heartbeat. Each day—if days they still were—I concocted new schemes, ridiculous plans that ranged from the plausible to the utterly absurd. One involved tunneling through the walls with a spoon I didn't have, another relied on the premise that if I strummed the right chord, it might create a portal to another dimension.

"Ah, the things we do for entertainment," I mused, imagining the look on Demetrys's face if he could see me now. His stern, condescending gaze, always filled with disappointment, would likely not appreciate my brand of humor. But then again, his opinion had never mattered much to me.

The room's oppressive silence was a stark contrast to the cacophony of my thoughts. Delusions, fantasies, and memories merged into a bizarre tapestry, each thread woven with a mix of bitterness and longing. I replayed the moments of my capture, the icy embrace of the Death Prism, the mocking triumph in my father's eyes. But intertwined with these memories was the hope, however twisted, that I would rise again.

"I wonder," I said aloud, my voice a mere whisper, "how Arius is doing. Still licking his wounds, I bet. Bet he didn't expect a little ol' half-born like me to put him down."

I laughed, the sound hollow and eerie in the confined space. The shadows seemed to shift in response, as if sharing in the joke. Or perhaps it was just another trick of my beleaguered mind.

And so, I waited. Waited for a chance, a crack in the prison walls, a moment of weakness in the fabric of my father's spell. I clung to the hope, twisted and delusional as it might be, that one day I would escape this eternal night and return to the cosmos, Darla in hand, ready to carve my name into the stars once more.

I drifted into a restless slumber on the broken bed, each spring a cruel reminder of my voids and the gnawing emptiness that consumed me. My eyes closed, surrendering to the bleak embrace of unconsciousness, a temporary escape from the eternal monotony.

But then, a sound pierced the silence—a series of locks turning, echoing through the oppressive darkness. My body stirred, awakening from its depths, senses sharpening in anticipation. The door, sealed shut for countless years, began to creak open, its movement slow and deliberate, like a specter emerging from the abyss.

I rose from the bed, each step tentative, my breath caught in my throat. The air was thick with the scent of decay and the lingering whispers of nothingness.

As I approached the door, my heart pounded with a mixture of hope and dread. The darkness beyond was an open maw, silent and foreboding. "Is anyone there?" I called out, my voice echoing into the void. Silence answered me, an oppressive, unbroken silence that seemed to swallow my words whole.

Cautiously, I stepped through the threshold, my senses heightened. The dungeon chambers of the palace, once a labyrinth of shadows and whispered torment, now lay eerily still. The air was cold and damp, carrying the faint scent of mildew and abandonment. My footsteps echoed hollowly as I wandered through the empty corridors, the once formidable walls now feeling like the tomb of forgotten souls.

"Where is everyone?" I muttered to myself, the sound of my own voice a feeble comfort against the encroaching void. Each chamber I passed through was devoid of life, the heavy iron doors hanging ajar, revealing nothing but empty cells and disarray. The silence was unnatural, a heavy blanket that stifled even the faintest of sounds.

I ascended the winding staircase, my fingers brushing against the cold, stone walls. The familiar path to the palace above seemed interminable, each step a journey through the depths of my own isolation. As I emerged into the main halls of the palace, a new desolation greeted me.

The grand expanse, once a hub of celestial activity, was now stripped bare. No opulent tapestries adorned the walls, no grand furniture filled the spaces. It was as if the essence of the palace had been hollowed out, leaving behind a skeletal remnant of its former grandeur. The absence of guards, gods, and attendants was palpable, each empty room a silent testament to some unknown exodus.

I roamed through the vast, empty halls, my footsteps a solitary rhythm in the cavernous space. The eerie quiet pressed in on me, amplifying the sense of abandonment. "Hello?" I called out again, my voice a fragile echo in the emptiness. But there was no response, only the sound of my breath and the distant creaking of the ancient structure.

I ventured deeper into the heart of the palace, searching for any sign of life. The throne room, once the seat of my father's dark majesty, lay barren. The great throne, a symbol of his unyielding power, was absent, leaving a gaping void where it once stood. I walked through the desolate chamber, my eyes scanning the vacant spaces for any clue, any hint of what had transpired.

Despair began to creep into my bones as I roamed the empty halls, my footsteps echoing in the void. The throne room, once the seat of my father's dark majesty, lay barren. The great throne, a symbol of his unyielding power, was absent, leaving a gaping void where it once stood. I walked through the desolate chamber, my eyes scanning the vacant spaces for any clue, any hint of what had transpired.

Then, a realization began to dawn on me. The eerie silence, the emptiness—everything was gone. My father, the gods, the guards—none of them were here to imprison me any longer. I was truly alone. And with that solitude came something I had not felt in an eternity: freedom.

A slow grin spread across my face, a maniacal gleam sparking in my eyes. My heart quickened with exhilaration, and a laugh bubbled up from deep within me, growing louder and more unhinged as it echoed through the empty halls. I was free. Free from the shackles of my father's dominion, free to reclaim my destiny. The son of the God of Death had been unleashed once more.

But then a sudden chill gripped my heart. Darla. Where was Darla?

Panic surged through me, cutting off my laughter. I frantically scanned the empty throne room, my eyes wild with desperation. "Darla! Where are you?" I shouted, the echo of my voice mocking my panic. The realization hit me like a hammer—if everything was gone, then so was Darla.

I tore through the palace, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Ideas sprang up and dissolved in quick succession. Had she been taken? Hidden? I couldn't fathom a world without her. My bond with Darla was more than just weapon and wielder; she was a part of me, a piece of my very soul.

Bursting through the doors, I stumbled out into the palace grounds. The cold air hit me like a slap, but I barely noticed. I needed to find her. My eyes darted around, searching for any sign of her, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The grounds were as desolate as the palace, an eerie silence hanging in the air.

Then, a familiar growl broke through the stillness. My eyes locked onto the gates, and there, waiting for me, was my demonic motorcycle, its engine purring with anticipation. Relief flooded over me as I sprinted toward my old friend, my laughter returning, tinged with a crazed edge.

I embraced the Deathbike, feeling its dark energy resonate with my own. "You never let me down, do you?" I murmured, running my hand over its infernal frame. The bike's headlights flared, casting a sinister glow as black smoke curled from its exhaust pipes.

Mounting the Deathbike, I knew my next move. I had to find answers, and there was only one place that might hold them. The planet Rigtor—a haven for black markets and merchants, a cesspool of information and intrigue. I needed to find an old friend who might have the knowledge I sought.

The engine roared to life, a cacophony of power and fury, as I tore through the gates and into the cosmos. The stars streaked past, the cold vacuum of space a familiar embrace. My mind was a tempest, a blend of anxiety for Darla and excitement for the chaos to come.

"Hang tight, Darla," I muttered to myself, a sadistic grin spreading across my face. "I'm coming for you. And woe to anyone who stands in my way."

The Deathbike roared through the vastness of the cosmos, a streak of dark energy against the canvas of infinite stars. Space stretched out in all directions, a kaleidoscope of shimmering nebulae, swirling galaxies, and the distant glow of far-off suns. Each celestial body we passed seemed to pulse with its own rhythm, a symphony of light and shadow that painted the universe in hues both beautiful and terrifying.

Ahead, the planet Rigtor loomed, a vivid orange sphere ringed by ethereal blue bands that glowed like spectral halos. The planet's rings shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence, casting an eerie glow on the surface below. As I descended through the atmosphere, the colors intensified, the orange landscape below contrasting starkly with the deep blue sky above.

The Deathbike touched down on the arid plains of Rigtor, kicking up a plume of dust as we skidded to a halt. I guided it to a secluded cave on the outskirts of the city, its entrance obscured by jagged rocks and creeping shadows. The bike's engine purred one last time before falling silent, its dark energy humming softly as I dismounted.

Rigtor's landscape was harsh and unforgiving, a desert world dotted with verdant oases that sparkled like jewels amidst the sandy expanse. Small stone buildings clustered around these oases, their weathered facades a testament to the resilience of those who called this planet home. Narrow streets wound through the settlements, filled with a bustling array of vendors and stalls, each hawking wares from every corner of the cosmos.

I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head, the fabric casting a deep shadow over my features. The bustling market was a cacophony of sound and color, traders shouting their offers while buyers haggled for better deals. Exotic aromas filled the air, mingling with the scent of spices and the tang of alien flora. I moved through the throng, my presence largely unnoticed amidst the crowd's chaotic energy.

My destination was a hidden enclave, known only to a select few. Navigating the labyrinthine alleys, I kept my head down, my senses alert for any sign of trouble. The streets narrowed, the stone walls closing in as I approached a nondescript doorway at the end of a darkened passage.

I rapped a specific pattern on the door, a code known only to those with business in the hidden underworld of Rigtor. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit interior. I slipped inside, the door closing behind me with a soft thud.

The secret entrance led to a subterranean haven, a network of tunnels and chambers carved into the rock. Here, the air was cool and damp, a stark contrast to the scorching desert above. Shadows danced on the walls, cast by flickering torches that lined the passageways.

As I made my way deeper into the heart of this hidden world, I felt a sense of anticipation growing. I was here to find an old friend, someone who might have answers about the sudden disappearance of everything and everyone I once knew, and perhaps, a clue to Darla's whereabouts. This underworld of black markets and hidden knowledge was the perfect place to start unraveling the mystery.

The passage opened into a large, dark, and narrow pathway, its walls pressing in with an oppressive weight. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and secrets long buried. As I advanced, the corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, shadows twisting and writhing at the edges of my vision.

At the end of the pathway, a red door loomed, its surface an ominous crimson, glistening as if it were alive. My pulse quickened with each step, the air growing colder, the darkness deeper. The door radiated a foreboding energy, a silent sentinel guarding whatever lay beyond.

I approached the door, my hand reaching out to grasp the tarnished brass knob. As my fingers closed around it, a chill ran through me, and an ethereal, hauntingly familiar voice echoed from beyond the threshold.

"Cedrix, what took you so long?"