The Return (Once Upon a Time sequel)

Chapter 56

ZEN

"So, that's it, huh? " I sighed, as I layed eyes upon the area that was in front of me.

"They must have gone through a lot to make this open area in the middle of a ruined city, that's for sure. "

Now, I wouldn't call it a crater, but a wasteland definitely fit the description.
I took the last steps on the road and stepped on the dirt in front of me.

Before me lay hundrends, no, thousands, of his fiends that filled an open area a couple of times larger than the camp itself.

Seriously, where do these things even come from?

I cracked my knuckles before letting one final sigh roll off my lips and then took a step forward.

As I started paving towards the horizon, some of the fiends were quick to spot me. And they definitely were not the lesser ones.

Good lord, why am I not surprised that he kept the strongest of them near him?

I glanced around me a few times, as most of the fiends had already caught glimpse of me and some had even started moving around me.

But never towards me of course.

The way I see it, most of them were still class A's. Hunters and, the most scathing of them, were reapers.
Yep, the others were gonna have a pretty tough time getting here, if they made it at all.

As I walked towards the center of the wasteland, the fiends were walking off to the side, out of my way and eventually revealed a tall, bulky figure standing right in front of a shining, black pillar.

It was my beloved Brutus, who would already have expected my arrival. There was something about this pillar though, I could distinctly remember Shadow saying something about creating a mist able to cover the sun with something like this. I guess I know where it comes from now though, given the odd glow and trails oozing from the stone.

"Such a foolish and ambitious young boy. " Brutus' voice broke the silence, as he turned around to face me under his damaged helmet.

A few scratches decorated the left top of his helmet after our fight and the armor on his left arm was damaged. I wasn't sure what Pan was hitting him with, but it seemed to have worked. Sort of.

"Oh, sweet dear, look at you. You're all tuckered out. You sure you don't want me to do the other arm as well? Even you out a little?" A smirk formed on my lips as I pointed to his right arm.

"You imbecile. I'll make you pay for what you have done to my brothers- " Brutus threatened, before an eerie sound filled the area.

"My, my. Zen. My child." An all too familiar voice echoed through the air.

"How much have I missed your company." It spoke up again, almost immediately.

A cloud of dark shadows formed behind Brutus, quickly giving form to my old master.

Shadow himself.

Brutus immediately turned around and kneeled down in front of him, as I glanced behind me, to see the fiends, that had completely surrounded me, all mimicking the general's move.

"What a faithful audience you've got. Too bad their brain is as functional as a boat on land. " I turned to face Shadow.

"My child. " He said, passing through Brutus and getting up close to me.

"How much stronger have you grown? You have completely embraced your power. The power of the shadow that was inside you all along. " He went on, walking up to me and placing his hands on my shoulders.