Chapter 4: God of Shadows.

Kev thought back to five years ago. How the system inside his head implored him to accept it's presence. How crazy he had acted. How cunning her words are. How she had threatened her. How she lived up to the threat... How his brother had died. Brains... Blood... Oh, no!!

A normal individual who isn't power hungry won't even like to hear anything about Zruffy any more. But in this case, Kev still loves his life, and behind this door is his death.

This seems like another threat from Zruffy even if she hadn't said anything since. This whole scene is giving the "accept me or you die this time around" energy.

The once upon a seven-year-old boy who cowers in the shadow of his brother would have disagreed again... Like he did in the train five years ago. He would have cried his eyes out with mucus flowing out of his nostrils, begging the system to let go... To free him. To "get out of his head."

But now, Kev feels like he had grown. A twelve year old boy is not expected to be a coward. Little doubt, serving under Zak and his guards has toughened him up. Or maybe it's just a trauma issue, remembering and regretting how he would have saved his brother if he had accepted Zruffy.

But why do I need to accept the system if it has a free will to enter my head as it pleases?

You could have just installed yourself and get done with it.

You could have saved my brother's life.

I could have become powerful.

Zruffy, you did me bad!!!

[Ahem! Do you know I can listen to what you're thinking?]

"Oh, good for you." He blurted out angrily. "Now, answer the question."

[What question, Kev?]

"Why did you screw me up?! Why did you let...?" He was cut short.

Bang! Bang!! Bang!!! The guards are trying to break the door.

[Don't ask questions right now. Save your skin first. Accept me.]

"Or else?" Still angry.

[You die, stupid.] Zruffy replied.

Bang! Bang!!

Crack!!

The oaken door gave in to the hits from the other side. If splintered on the right side and chunks of wood hit Kev on his injured arm. He let out a painful cry, then fell face down, bleeding.

[You're bleeding to much. You will die, Kev... In 10... 9... 8...]

"Why... Do I have to accept...? He asked with a very low voice. His eyes has lost its colour. "Can't you... Possess me without my consent? You are powerful... Why... Is...?"

[5... 4... 3... 2...] Zruffy continued the countdown.

"Yes." Kev said in a voice so low for a human to hear. "I accept..."

[Interesting, Kev. Took you so long, but sorry your death is here. Hahaha.] Zruffy made a sarcastic laugh.

Kev pushed his face up for one final look at the door. It is broken. The guards are rushing in.

Zruffy did it again. I have been betrayed... Death... This pain... Let it pass...

"Why..?" He managed to say before the world went still. He can still hear Zruffy's soft laughs. The rushing sound of boots on carpet and the shout of commands.

"Why..?"

Darkness. Silence.

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I am floating. Why am I floating?

Right. I'm dead.

I'm on my way to heaven. No, hell.

This place is too dark. This darkness is blinding. This silence is deafening. This numbness is painful.

Regrets is all I feel.

Victor will laugh at me.

I never grew. I am still a little boy.

I did nothing.

I died in vain.

Oh, wait... Hell is near.

I can hear noises.

[Welcome to hell, stupid. Haha.]

That voice again. My greatest nightmare.

[Shut up and wake!]

Hell no.

He could hear faint words. There are people clamouring. The slap of swords on thighs, and angry commands and rebukes.

Kev's eyes fell open.

He could feel rocking movement under him. Four guards lifted him on their shoulders as they mad their way towards the castle's exit. Everywhere was silent except for the marching sounds and the constant complaints and cursing coming steadily form behind the guards.

"You annoying dimwits. You good for nothing loads of junk. You godforsaken leaked casks of wine.

I bet your father fucked a pig to to give birth to you..." This went on and on till they stopped at the big gate of the castle.

Kev turned his head slightly to take a look at the excellent curser.

Zak! Damn!

For the five years of working for Zak, he has never seen him this close. He can only be seen, lounging at the big balcony of his castle far away from the plantation.

Seeing him up close, he is not as scary as portrayed. Zak has a stomach large enough to fit six cows and a half bald head that looks nothing like a head. He is in a red night dress, tied just in the middle with a lace, displaying the enormous stomach and his little dick for anyone who cares to watch. In his right hand is a bottle of wine which he downs noisily as he continues his cursing ritual.

Kev straightened his head and listened to be dead, as they thought. He can feel that his left arm is no longer hurting and he feels stronger than he ever was.

His senses became super sensitive too. He could make out the sound of crickets outside and the water fall very far away from the castle. He also felt tingly where the guards' shoulders met his skin. He could see through walls as dey walk by. He could smell the kitchen from here.

Zruffy? Are you there?

[YES, MY LIEGE!]

Maybe it's because of the transformation coursing through his body, but Zruffy's reply sounded so loud to Kev that he jumped and slipped from his "human palanquin" and landed with a very loud thud his weight has no right to.

The carpeted floor succumbed to that as it cracked under the impact.

What the hell, Zruffy?!

[I'm soorryy... Master] Zruffy whispered.

"That was not even funny," he shouted back. "My ears hurt."

Kev almost forgot the current situation he is in. He just sat there on the floor covering his ears with his index fingers. He felt lighter even though he just broke a marbled floor. He felt more agile and he felt his muscles getting bigger even though his arm remains the same.

"Zruffy, what's wrong?"

[Just let me do my work. Be calm.]

All these while, Zak and his guards stood there staring like they are being entertained. Zak had an idea what was going on. His castle housed the system all these while but he does not know how to activate it. He experimented with multiple beings but it yielded no result.

The little story is that Zak is planning a rebellion on the present God. He felt he's being abandoned despite playing a major role in the God's ascension. And originally, he heard a legend about a system similar to the God's... It was kept a secret up until this moment.

But now, he's seeing it being unlocked right before him... By his slave.

"Can't be so... You dry piece of shit." He pointed violently at Kev, while shaking with his jiggly mass of flesh.

"Whah izz goin on, my Lawd?" His right hand man questioned.

"You don't need to know, bastard! Kill him!! Kill him right now!!" He commanded as he spilled more wine on the floor.

[Stand up, Kev. Stand up... The devil is awakened. Ithske tupanhur vladhupti porgniker hadrtjs lopryhads... Stand up.]

"Wait... What are those words?!" He asked as he stared at his hands. The blood in his veins pumped rapidly. It was painful. His eyes turned black as he lifted his head back in agony.

[I'm just messing with you, aha! Now, rise.]

Kev stood up slowly, looking around him and he started feeling the presence of every living being in the castle. He can feel their breath. Their movements.

He reached out a hand and popped a grape fruit in the garden a few kilometers away. He twisted a rat's neck in the kitchen and he smacked a maids bum in the comfort of her cellar.

This is it?

[Now's not the time for child's play.]

The guards present felt the energy being drawn from them. They could feel a current surging through their body. Four of them who deemed it wise to run were knocked back down by an invisible force.

[Almost done... 10...9...]

"Kill hiiimmm, bastards!!!" His guards summoned up a little courage and unsheated their swords. They formed a circle round Kev and advanced slowly from all directions.

Zak dropped his wine this time around. He took a step back and turned on his fat legs towards the opposite direction.

A futile effort. He simply got smacked like a fly and he landed grotesquely on his fat ass.

"Fucking kid!" Zak cursed.

The air outside bacame cold and a strong wave is building up. It is morning already and the sun is out, but not for long. The sky turned dark and the clouds turned in a tsunami like pattern above the castle. The world looks like it's ending.

Screams and cries escaped the walls of the castle and it's surroundings. Servants and slaves and maids ran about looking for shelter from this inescapable doom.

The castle is falling. And in the midst of the rumble, you can hear Zak's voice shouting commands to nobody in particular. Nobody cares who is master anyway.

Kev stood still, arms outstretched, his head thrown backwards as he joined in the screaming ritual. The wind is so fierce now that people were flung around like they weigh less than a glob of spit.

The world is in chaos.

No... Not like this... Kev thought bitterly through his pain.

[Yes. Just like that, Kev.]

The clouds circled down in a funnel shape towards the earth right above Kev. Kev felt like he was going to die the second time when his legs left the ground and started floating towards the cloud.

His clothes ripped off due to the storm but he appeared solid and untouched by the wind. He just rose till his head is almost touching the now descended cloud.

[6...5...4...3...2...]

Kev cried out bitterly. He is in pain.

[... One...] Zruffy whispered.

BOOM!!!

The world went up in a big puff of smoke. Everything went black and smoky. Both dead and live bodies lay scattered on the ground, but they can't be differentiated because everywhere is covered in black.

The sky remained black but you could still see the faint glow of the sun behind it. The air is so thick with darkness, you'll feel like grabbing it.

It was like there's a fog but instead of tiny water droplets, soot was released into the atmosphere. The castle stood strong still but it's crimson colour has been replaced with black. The deepest black there is.

The plants are all burnt and the ground is all covered in ash. Survivors, all covered in soot, rose weakly to behold their once beautiful world. The world where darkness only exist now.

"Rise, peasants... And bow before me!!"

A voice commanded from somewhere above. It reverberated round the stone walls of the castle, and there is no denying the power behind the voice. Every knee, willing or unwilling bowed forcefully to the weight of the command.

"... Here comes the only God. The God of Shadows!!!

Bow before me!! And fall under my command!!! Now!! Bow!!

[Huhh... That's childish.]

"Shut up, Zruffy!" Kev lashed.

[Bow... Now... Bow...!] Zruffy mocked in a high-pitched voice.

"I don't sound like that. Shut up!" Kev fumed.

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Under the rubble and dirt and shadow and soot, Zak coughed weakly as he lay on his back. He attempted one last curse at Kev.

"I don't regret this.., but fuck me. What have I done?"

Zak died.