Like they had not had enough the circular portals filling the air around them began to vomit more monstrosity– their twisted forms were adorned with razor-sharp claws and jagged fangs.
With a thunderous roar and the ground shaking, a towering ogre jumped out of the portal, swinging its massive club in an arc as it emerged. A brave knight, his eyes ablaze with determination even though his armor was full of scratches immediately stepped forth to face the monster. But before his sword could find its mark, the ogre's club crashed down with bone-crushing force, ending the knight's valiant existence in a spray of crimson.
"Aarhgggghh Dallas!!" Prince Andre screamed, it had happened so fast that no one could react.
The ogre advanced towards the Emperor who was taken aback by this creature. They had fought several monsters, ogres included but not one this big, its bloated belly resembling a grotesque mound of rotundity jutted forward with each step the monster took.
It was coming closer to the Emperor, but another knight got in its way, two of them actually. Blocking its way to the Emperor with eyes full of determination to protect, yet to avenge.
The ogre made a pause, its dark sagging, flabby skin hung in loose folds, bearing the marks of time and indulgence. With beady eyes, small in proportion to its massive head– peered out from beneath a heavy brow, looking down at the small humans in front of it.
The ogre raised its club defiantly towards the sky—the knights, their hearts filled with honor and perhaps a touch of foolishness– believing they could withstand the devastating blow of such a colossal monster.
They braced themselves, taking a stance of readiness, preparing to block the impending strike. But as the ogre's club descended upon them, a deafening sonic boom pierced the air, shattering the tranquility. The impact was merciless, delving a web of cracks into the earth and transforming the knights into nothing more than splatters of blood.
In the presence of chaos and despair, the ogre was not all they had to worry about.
"How horrendous"
Thud!
Amid this chaos and despair, the ogre was not the sole threat they had to worry about.
Another presence emerged, landing between the ogre and the Emperor with a resounding thud. Slowly, the figure removed the hood of its cloak, revealing dark-scaled skin, piercing green eyes, and a grotesque horn. A grin spread across its face, exposing shark-like teeth as it locked eyes with the man before it
"Oh my, oh my, will you look at this? Alex, you were but a mere child the last time I saw you," the figure spoke with a growling voice, though a relaxed and jovial undertone accompanied its words. A slight giggle escaped its lips. "You have grown so much... I've been up there, watching you for a while." The figure glanced briefly towards the top of the building, a nod to its previous observation point.
It wasn't a lie seeing that he just jumped down.
What was more fantastical to note was the fact that all the monsters around halted as he landed– even the ogre.
"Who are you?" Emperor Alexander asked, attempting to step forward but Prince Andres and the other knights immediately encircled him, shielding him from this enigmatic and foreboding individual.
A mockingly exaggerated sigh escaped the figure's lips. "How sad, I am hurt. You do not remember me? Your esteemed teacher?" With arms outspread, the figure's words carried an air of irony.
The Emperor squinted his eyes, suspicion brewing within him. Though the appearance was altered, there remained a glimmer of familiarity beneath the unnatural exterior. As the pieces of the puzzle began to fit, the Emperor muttered in disbelief, "No way..."
"Yes, way... It appears that your memory remains as brilliant and retentive as ever," the man declared, pointing towards his head, a subtle indication that his words were directed at Emperor Alexander.
Prince Andres cast a concerned glance at his brother, witnessing the tremors that shook his face and the chaos that reigned within his eyes.
"Your Majesty?! Your Majesty?!" Prince Andres called out desperately, attempting to pull the Emperor back from the depths of his disarrayed thoughts.
"BROTHER!"
The final desperate cry pierced the air, jolting Emperor Alexander back to reality.
As his gaze met the figure before him, a mixture of confusion and disbelief etched upon his features.
"Why? Why are you here? What is your purpose?" Emperor Alexander's voice wavered showing a reflection of the turmoil swirling within his mind.
The figure chuckled eerily, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
"What am I doing here? Oh, come now. Is that the way to greet your long-lost teacher, whom you believed to have perished over two decades ago?" His voice carried a hint of reproach as he playfully chided the Emperor.
"You died... I saw you executed by the guillotine," Emperor Alexander stuttered, his voice twined with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
A wicked smirk played upon the figure's lips, evoking an icy shudder that coursed through the Emperor's being.
"Indeed, indeed. I did die there... But, my dear Emperor, I imparted something to you. Death, as universal and ominous as it may appear, does not mark the end of all things."
His words were a confirmation of the Emperor's speculation. Dread and disbelief intertwined within his gaze, commending the turmoil of unsettled emotions that churned within him.
"No, no, no... this cannot be happening," the Emperor muttered, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and defiance.
"Ah, my dear student, do not be so disheartened," the figure replied, with a hint of satisfaction tainting his tone.
"I was blessed, some may call it a sin, but I consider it a pact with the devil. And today, I have come to liberate your world."
The Emperor met his gaze head-on, his eyes reflecting the storm of conflicting emotions raging within. With a furrowed brow, he cast a commanding glare at the man before him, a silent demand for answers.
"Did you unleash these monsters upon us?" he demanded.
The figure's gaze shifted toward the open portals, through which airborne monstrosities wreaked havoc upon the land. A mask of disappointment settled upon his countenance and his features etched with a grave seriousness.
"I am ashamed, Alexander. To think that a student of mine would be so lacking..." The figure's voice dripped with disdain and frustration, a hint of anger tightening the cords in his temple as he glared at the Emperor. "All those years of training you to be astute, and only now do you suspect my handiwork? Or perhaps it is mere conjecture on your part? How foolish you are, Alexander. How utterly foolish."
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