Will of a Prince

Chapter 207: No Longer Human

The same maddening call was emanating from its dark edges in reality. Both Maria and Jacob stared at it silently for three moments before one of them finally spoke up.

"No. What is one doing here? This...this can’t be right."

Jacob took a step towards it, his face ripe with anger.

"We have to close it before someone else gets marked. We can’t let someone share a destiny similar to ours."

"But how? We were helpless last time we were sucked into it. What’s going to happen to us if we get sucked in again?"

Jacob considered that but was afraid to face the truth. There was no telling what would happen to either of them if they were to survive the rift not once, but twice, under the assumption they would survive a second encounter.

As if responding to his thoughts, both of their marks hummed with a strange energy. Jacob and Maria stared at their respective arms as they urged their hosts forward. Jacob grabbed on to his arm and tried to pull himself back, but he had lost all control of his bodily functions.

Maria was stuck in a similar situation. She slammed her feet in the dirt, but it didn’t matter. Mounds of rock and dust were being kicked into the air as her legs coursed through the ground with little effort.

"We’re being pulled in! What do we do?!"

Jacob began trying his newfound power.

"Stop!!"

Nothing happened. For the first time since he’s discovered his new ability, something didn’t obey his command. He tried again desperately.

"Stop moving! Close! Freeze!"

Nothing once more.

Jacob looked at Maria with a stern expression.

"Whatever you do, please make it out safe! We can’t escape this!"

Even though their marks carried them both into the rift with ease, neither one of them stopped trying to run away until they were completely swallowed.

Silence.

Jacob was brought back to the same dark expanse of powerlessness. He felt the pressure weighing on every inch of his body. However, it strangely felt more bearable than the first time he was teleported to this place. Jacob screamed and thrashed trying to make something happen.

Nothing.

He looked down at his arm. His original mark was still there; however, something strange began happening with it. An eye began growing inside one of its sockets.

Suddenly, an indescribable pain shot through his body. It felt like every cell in his body was being torn apart and fused back together over and over again. He tried to scream, but his lungs wouldn’t let him. Jacob was dying.

A chilling laugh echoed through the infinite expanse, making Jacob’s bones vibrate.

"You are... almost complete."

Jacob clenched his teeth and screamed.

"ARGH!!"

The eye in his skull had finally been created. Its color was constantly changing to every shade imaginable as it rested on his arm. The pain subsided in his body. Jacob felt like vomiting his guts out.

"Rise, my prince."

Suddenly, Jacob was shot back out of the rift and thrown into the dirt. He began sucking in as much air as he could while holding on to his stomach. His voice was weak and frail as he called out to his companion.

"M-Maria... Maria, where are-... where are you?"

He looked around trying to find her, but there was nothing to be seen. The tall wheat made it difficult to scan the area. He desperately began moving it in hopes she would hear the noise.

"Jacob."

Jacob turned around. Maria was walking over a small hill while holding half of her face with her hand. Her armor was still in a good condition, but the baby dragon kept clawing at her feet, either looking for attention or because it was worried.

"Maria!"

Jacob stumbled towards her and embraced her gently while holding back tears.

"You’re okay. We made it. We really-"

"My face, Jacob. Somethings wrong with my eye."

Jacob’s heart dropped. He pulled her away from himself slightly and stared into her eyes. One of her eyes was the same gorgeous green color that he was used to. But her other eye...

"Your... eye."

It was the same ever-changing color as the skull on his mark. Not only that...

"Your eye too."

Jacob held his own face. It appeared that whatever happened to them had affected them equally. The only difference was Jacob’s right eye was affected whereas Maria’s left eye was affected, similar to which of their arms was marked with the black skull.

There was something else.

Jacob took a good look at Maria’s figure. Slowly, small bits of text started floating next to her.

Name: Commander of the Fallen

Zale: Strength Enhancement

Zalo Type: Curse

Zalo Description: This user is able to greatly enhance their strength or durability to inhumane levels.

Release: This user can explosively strengthen a single part of their body for a devastating attack. Those under her command gain an increase to their strength as well.

Transformation Status: 66.66% Complete

[Race]: Demi-God

[Role]: Harbinger of the End

[Marked]: This user’s destiny is locked. This mark will feed upon Zalo’s and life forces of those who meet is dreadful glare.

[Sore Loser]: Every battle the commander loses explodes their strength beyond human limits for a short period of time.

[Conqueror]: Every battle won by the commander permanently increases the strength of her legion.

[Fair Fight]: This user is immune to sneak attacks.

[Commander of the Fallen]: Must protect the Prince of Everything at all costs. Anything slain by her or her legion must follow her every command

[Demi-God]: This user is no longer bound by the limits of her mortal flesh.

Jacob tried rubbing his eyes to make sure he was seeing things properly. After a few slaps to his own face to confirm he was not still asleep, he took a few steps back. Maria followed his lead.

"What are-"

"What are you?"

Both of them asked the same question to each other. They stared at one another in silence. Jacob sighed deeply and looked at her desperately.

"What are we?"

Maria couldn’t find the words to speak.

"I... don’t know anymore. I think this is what Slimo and Lidia were hiding from us. But... I still don’t know how I feel about them refusing to tell us the truth."

"Can you also see strange text that’s next to me when you look at me with your new eye?"

"...Yes."

"I’m assuming the information is a bit terrifying?"

"... you can say that. Yes."

"Is there a way for us to look at our own runes?"

Maria was silent for a few moments. She looked to be lost in a daze.

"I believe so. Let me try something."

Maria covered her normal eye and rolled her new one towards the back of her head. She covered her mouth with a gasp. Her body shook lightly as if caught by a cold breeze.

After a few moments, she slowly returned to her normal posture.

"I saw my runes. Just try looking at yourself. You’ll see them."

Jacob hesitated and covered his left eye.

"Am I going to like what I will see?"

Maria shook her head.

"I... just know that I still love you no matter what. Okay?"

Jacob’s heart dropped. Hearing something like that come from his girlfriend is never a good sign. Using a little bit of effort, he rolled his magical eye into his head. In the black expanse of his skull, light text began to glow in front of him.

Name: Prince of Everything

Zalo: Will of a Prince

Zalo Type: Rend

Zalo Description: Everything and anything must bow to this user’s command. The voice of Zalo resonates within this user.

Release: Nothing will stop whatever you are commanding from listening. Not even a being without hearing is safe. As long as it exists, it must obey.

Transformation Status: 66.66% complete

[Race]: Demi-God

[Role]: Calamitous Witness

[Marked]: This user’s destiny is locked. This mark will feed upon Zalo’s and life forces of those who meet is dreadful glare.

[Zalo’s Avarice]: This user’s hunger is a weapon of mass destruction. Nothing is safe from being consumed. Once consumed, the user can either adapt a new aspect of the creature or evolve an aspect of one they already possess.

[Prince of Everything]: This user is destined to outlive everything.

[Calamitous Witness]: This user is incapable of forgetting anything when the end times begin.

[Demi-God]: This user is no longer bound by the limits of her mortal flesh.

Up until this point, Jacob didn’t understand why Maria was so hesitant about him reading his own runes. It was no doubt that the powers he possessed were extremely powerful and would make any normal person cower at the responsibility of having it, but Jacob was ready for that responsibility, even willing.

But all of the hope and determination was quickly snuffed out when he read the last, final line.

[Corrupted Destiny]: This user will experience the loss of everyone and everything they love. A fitting destiny for one abusing the powers of corruption. Rot in the darkest depths of The Damned, Zalo.