Dorian raised his hand over the Sealing Tube, his eyes glowing. He could sense the ominous Aura it gave off, a familiar yet dangerous feeling.
Slowly, energy began to coalesce as he reached down, his hand mere centimeters above the stone tube. Light and energy began to flash off it as he reached down, grabbing hold of it.
The two Demonic Shades in the room, the Mistress of Lust who didn't give a name, and the reedy old Shade, who had introduced himself as Baron Radishow, the Master of Gluttony, were both members of the Demonic Council.
When he heard that, his suspicions had been confirmed.
The duo in front of him were related to Fifteen. The vicious Anomaly that had attacked him and proclaimed he would murder Dorian. When they had first fought, Fifteen had stated he was a member of the 'Demonic Council.' While the detail was a rather minor one at the time of the fight, his Jade Memory kept him from forgetting it.
With that thought in mind, he immediately knew he had to keep his true identity a secret. If they learned that he was actually the famous Lord Inigo…
"Hup!" Dorian shook the thoughts from his head as he imbued the Sealing Tube with energy from his Soul Spell Matrix. Immediately, just like with the other tube, he felt the world around him start to shiver. Energy fluctuated, crackling and exploding in the air.
"Great Demon Disciple?!" Baron Radishow yelled out loud, his voice full of caution. The Shade was covered in green energy again, protecting himself despite his alleged faith. It seemed that while he was convinced Dorian was 'the chosen redeemer of the Demon Race,' it didn't mean he fully trusted his safety to him.
"Calm yourself and be on guard! The vile Lord Inigo could attack at any moment! Releasing the Seal that has locked the Emperor away will take a few moments, it will require my full concentration! These energy fluctuations are arising as a result." Dorian rebuked him, his voice domineering just like a real disciple of the Demon Emperor would be.
In his mind, Dorian visualized the world around him. The vision automatically appeared when he began to pull on the Sealing Tube, mystically present. In this vision, the same, mountain-sized chains existed, thousands of them, all bearing down and Sealing the world of Moria.
'The other chains… they are still absent!' His eyes flashed as he realized this, ecstatic. The chains that he had broken off with the other Sealing Tube, they hadn't reformed!
According to Fabian, these castles had been wiped out before, largely destroyed by heroes of the past. Yet, somehow, they magically reformed, the world remaining in its desolate, unchanging state.
'I really can cleanse Moria! Perfect! Not only can I do something good, but I will 100% also be able to cement my public image and ensure Helena's and my safety!' Excitement filled his veins as he confidently confirmed the conclusion he had drawn earlier,
'I just need to safely finish.'
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Meanwhile, at the center of Moria, there existed a grand city set atop a small mountain. A large lake surrounded the northern side of this mountain, transforming into a slow-moving waterfall that dropped off on the southern side of the mountain.
Large bulwarks, grand walkways, and towering stone towers dominated the mountain, with small homes and buildings seemingly set about haphazardly. A relatively small castle could be seen at the peak of this small mountain, one and all carved from cool, white stone.
This scene contained a certain epic scale, a feeling of historical greatness, as if this had once been a place where the mighty dwelled.
This was known as the Central Castle of Moria to the Shades. Among the Demons, it had another name.
The City of the Demon Emperor. The Capital of the Demon Race. The birthplace of Demonkind.
Ba'artova.
(Image inspiration for Ba'artova – https://i.imgur.com/NuHZbJ5.jpg )(Doesn't Open In App)
The lake that surrounded this mountain split off into a large river, one that wound its way through several grassy plains and small to large hilly mountains, coated in trees. On one hilled area, in particular, a large, white stone tower rose up, rather nondescript apart from its above average scale.
A figure could be seen, standing calmly atop this tower.
A human, wearing a grey wool huntsman's vest and pants. His face was lined with age, a small, greying beard borne upon his chin. His eyes were a placid brown, at odds with his constant pacing.
In his hands was a long, red bow, held at the ready.
"How incredible…" Leader muttered as he looked out at the City of Ba'artova.
"Who would've guessed the entire place is a true dead zone to the Laws of the Universe." He shook his head.
After establishing a temporary alliance with Fifteen, the duo had talked and planned. Leader got the feeling that Fifteen was rather unstable, but the fact that he was trying to kill Lord Inigo was undeniable. They shared a common enemy.
'According to Fifteen, the world's changes are caused by that cretin.' Leader's eyes flashed coolly as he thought of his target. Energy fluctuated around him from his Law of Pride.
Leader wasn't actually within range of the dead zone at the center of Moria. Instead, he was about 100 meters out from it. The reason he had set up shop here in this tower so far from the city was because of that.
'And that vile bastard will be warping in here, once he's fully shattered the protections or wards or whatever it is that the Demon Emperor put into place, preventing the power of Law from being used fully on Moria…' Leader's eyes zeroed in on a spot in particular about 1500 meters from him.
On a large bridge that led across the flowing lake to the base of the small mountain the Demon Emperor's Castle was on, a large, circular plaza could be seen. Several hundreds of mysterious inscriptions could be seen, carved into this circle.
'Fifteen has done a ton of research about this place, apparently. I hope his knowledge is accurate.' Leader pulled back on his faintly glowing bow, aiming it precisely.
"I won't be missing this time, Lord Inigo." His words rumbled out, a deadly promise.
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Energy whipped around Dorian as he pulled fiercely on the Sealing Tube. Once more, he felt and saw the chains that were holding down the world of Moria, restricting and damaging the foul haven, tremble, stretching taut.
SNAP
Dorian pulled the Sealing Tube out.
The chains broke.
The world around Dorian seemed to whiplash back to a completely normal state, the wild and fluctuating energy spreading out in a wave and dissipating. At the same time, Dorian instinctively felt that the world had changed.
Once more, he could feel a closer connection to the Laws of the Universe.
"Great Disciple Obelisk, you succeeded!" Baron Radishow didn't quite know what all Dorian was doing, but he could tell that it had been a success. The changes the Demon had wrought were quite noticeable.
"Yes, another of the Seals that chains my master has been shattered." Dorian clenched his fists,
"Only 5 remain! I shall cleans-, cough, the Demon Emperor shall be revived!"
Baron Radishow cheered with Dorian, the old man's body shaking with excitement. Even the Mistress of Lust who had remained silent up to this point seemed to be caught up with emotion, trembling as she heard those words.
Both had been fully convinced of his identity.
RIP
A glowing portal appeared, floating in mid air over the throne. The air around this portal vibrated, shaking ever so slightly.
"Now, before I travel to the next castle…" Dorian began, looking around the circular sanctum, as Baron Radishow called it,
"The Inheritance left behind by the Demon Emperor, I must receive it. It will refresh my understanding of the Law of Gluttony. Long ago, I was Sealed away, just like the Demon Emperor. I only recently managed to break free and return here." He made up a convincing sounding excuse, twisting on Fate slightly just to be certain, opting to not elaborate further on his made-up backstory.
"Of course, Great Demon Disciple Obelisk! Right here!" The reedy looking Shade immediately waved towards a specific spot in the inner sanctum, pointing down at a place between the throne and the center of the room.
"The Inheritance is open to anyone with a soul that is aspected towards the Great Seven Laws!" According to what Dorian had found out, non-Demonic beings often had great difficulty accepting or even sensing any of the Seven Great Demonic Laws.
Part of accepting the power of the Demonic Laws would transform a being. It was why the two Shades in front of him were 'Demonic Shades' and not just 'Shades.' The Laws were extremely powerful, and power like that did not come free.
Despite that, it was still easier to sense one of the Seven Demonic Laws than it was to sense one of the Seven Virtuous Laws. There was a reason many of the Laws Dorian used were practically unheard of in the greater 30,000 Worlds. The Virtuous Laws might not transform the user, but they were much harder to acquire as a result.
He shook the thoughts from his mind as he looked at what Baron Radishow was pointing at.
On the ground, a complex and miniature Array could be seen, carved into the floor. This Array was shaped like a circle and covered in mysterious symbols. It glowed faintly with Magical energy.
Dorian walked up to it, feeling a strange allure. He could almost sense the Array itself, feeling his soul seem to resonate. This was, indeed, the Inheritance.
Without hesitation, Dorian sat directly next to it. He then reached out with his hand, placing it atop the Array. He felt an odd, unsettling feeling sweep over his body, faint sparks of energy appearing in his vision.
Dorian blinked.
WHOOSH
Instantly, when he opened his eyes, he found himself in a completely different place.
The transition was jarringly abrupt, causing him to gasp out loud as he looked around in confusion. He was standing in what looked like a public park, back on Earth in America. He could see several large picnic tables and a long table off to his left, and further down a playground full of swings and slides. To his right, the park eventually ended and a large road began, leading to several different neighborhoods.
"I recognize this…" He muttered out loud, rubbing his chin.
This was the park across the street from his neighborhood! Champion's Park!
A cool breeze blew across the empty park, rustling the grass. Dorian took a deep breath as he felt it, nostalgia filling him.
'It's just like in my memories…' He smiled, bittersweet.
'Well, only without any people.' The park had always been semi-crowded, from what he remembered.
Abruptly, a mostly transparent bubble appeared, just a couple of meters in front of Dorian.
"Ah! Master Bubble!" Dorian exclaimed, his eyes narrowing. As he reached for the various energies linked to his soul, he realized that, once more, he couldn't access any of them.
'Just like the other one… I must truly be inside another Law Inheritance from the Demon Emperor!' He was picking up Laws like they were candy. If either of the two members of the Demonic Council had been aware of his exploits, or that they were actively helping 'Lord Inigo' get stronger, the duo might have died from anger directly.
After all, picking up even a single Law was an exceptionally difficult task, let alone picking up more than one. Even for the Wise Jade Dragons of the Wise Jade Dragon Tribe, with their inborn Jade Memory, it was a difficult trial. Most Laws wouldn't resonate with each other. This would make sensing other Laws far, far more difficult.
"Ah… Ah! You again!" The bubble seemed shaken as it floated in front of Dorian, flying back and forth in the air forcefully. Well, as forcefully as a bubble could look.
"Oh? You're the same Array Genie?" Dorian gave the bubble a winning smile.
"You!" The Array Genie was indeed the same one, magically linked to all of the Inheritances.
"I take it this is another Inheritance, yes? Well, this Godly Demon is humbly willing to accept it." He gave a slight bow.
"…"
The bubble merely glared at him. As much as a bubble could glare, anyway… Which wasn't really much at all. Life as a bubble must be hard. Dorian shook the stray thoughts from his head, focusing on the present.
"Very well, but ONLY because his Great Highness set the Inheritances up in a way that I cannot reject you." The bubble seemed to sigh in defeat, despite its lack of a visible throat.
"This is the Inheritance of Gluttony. It draws upon your past memories, melding them together to create a challenge unique to yourself." The bubble's voice echoed.
"Ready yourself, for it will start immediately!"
WHOOSH
Without giving Dorian actual time to prepare, the bubble vanished.
A moment later, the world transformed. Instantly, the empty picnic tables were replaced, with tables teeming with, of all things, hundreds of delicious smelling hot-dogs. The long table off to his left suddenly was covered with a large table cloth, with several figures appearing sitting on one side, all holding up signs with numbers on them.
A large number of figures appeared as well, all sitting at the picnic tables, or standing near them.
When Dorian saw who was sitting down, his jaw fell open in shock.
A man with long brown hair and a mustache, dressed in a brown vest and a white shirt.
'The actual Inigo Montoya?'
A man with short brown hair, dressed in a brown cloth shirt and pants, and a set of brown boots.
'The Jedi Obi-Wan-Kenobi?'
A man wearing a full set of black armor, covered with a black mask that echoed over and over with a mechanical breathing noise.
'The Sith Lord Darth Vader?"
A gargantuan, towering greenish-blue colored demonic beast, somehow sitting down on the opposite side of several of the tables, taking up more than a dozen meters of room.
'The actual God Monster, Obelisk the Tormentor?'
A man with mid-length dark blond hair wearing glasses and a suit,
'Is that John Denver, the singer of 'Take Me Home, Country Roads?'
A bald, muscular and very tall man with a mechanical mask covering his mouth.
'Is that… Bane from the DC Comics universe?'
A tall, muscular purple-skinned man wearing a metal gauntlet on one of his hands.
'Is that… Thanos from the Marvel Universe?'
Dorian's eyes widened as he realized what had happened.
This Array had drawn upon his memories to create the challenge he would face. It seemed to have drawn upon his memories of Earth. However, it must've drawn upon some of his more recent memories…
And of those memories he had, some were of him impersonating several figures from movies, or borrowing famous quotes to intimidate, or other random things…
'The Array didn't differentiate from real people and fake characters…' He stared, his entire body physically shocked. Before he could do or say anything, however, a loud voice echoed across the park,
"On your marks, gentlemen! The official Champions Hot Dog Eating Contest will begin in 30 seconds!" The speaker was one of the five judges sitting at the long panel. Thankfully, all five of these appeared to be regular humans, albeit ones he didn't recognize.
Only his competitors appeared to be drawn from his recent memories, perhaps in an attempt to seem more familiar.
"I have to… I have to out eat all of them in a hot dog eating contest to complete the Inheritance of Gluttony?" He stuttered in disbelief.
"20 seconds!"
Dorian threw up his hands in the air at the sheer ridiculousness of the scenario and sprinted towards one of the open tables, his eyes flashing with determination.
It was hot dog eating time.
.
