The King's Game - Seven Calamities Arc (Part 2)

Chapter 20: What is Dead Surely Cannot Be Alive

A man stood and looked over a flourishing village, the village was lively and packed with people. Yet the man simply stood on the outskirts and observed the village. A strong wind cut through the trees and towards the man as he pocketed a small cube.

"I need a favour from you. I know I was supposed to go to Newgate, but there is something I need to observe here first. I would ask that you go in my place instead, besides he hates my guts."

The strong wind cut through the trees and vanished as if it was never there, leaving the man alone as he continued to observe the village formerly known as Ebonbrook.

Two masked women clad in black clothing stood and waited for the strong wind to cut through them. As the wind cut through them the number 26 was carved into a nearby tree. The two masked women said nothing and simply nodded before they faded into nothingness. The tree, that had the 26 marking, begun to bend from a strong gust before it too faded away, as if it had never existed in the first place. In its place a small symbol of a crushed skull appeared, a symbol that would later strike fear into anyone who saw it.

"Have you managed to calm down yet Newgate? As it is only a matter of time before he arrives and I would prefer not to get blood on my new suit." A man in a white suit said to Newgate as he twirled a slender cane around.

"I never did get why you only wear white suits Slash, but yes I have somewhat managed to calm down."

Slash walked over to the cabinet and poured some wine into a goblet for himself before he turned and smiled at Newgate, "You see Newgate, as much as you hate the guy, I can't seem to find one thing wrong with him. Just what can you not stand about Neo Vega?"

"It's the look in his eyes; I have faced many a foe before and I have seen the looks in all their eyes. Yet his eyes are different, they lifeless and lack a sense of self. If all my time alive has taught me anything, it's that people who lack a sense of self are volatile. You cannot read a man's eyes if his eyes are empty. By Master's orders, we are forbidden from looking into another calamity's past and that is fine by me, but there is just something about Neo Vega that unsettles me."

Slash was about to say something when he felt a cold breeze cut through him. By the time he realised it was too late, "Newgate look out!"

From thin air a tiny blade was pressed tightly against Newgate's throat and a trickle of blood ran down the blade. Slash could not understand what was happening, nobody was able to get past him without him noticing long in advance that somebody was approaching, yet her a floating blade was against Newgate's throat.

"It's okay Slash.", Newgate said as he realised Slash was getting ready to fight, "I know who this is, and honestly I couldn't be happier. It seems you have best me once again. At this rate I will lose my credibility you know."

The blade withdrew from Newgate's neck and was thrown with lighting speed at Slash's head. Barely able to dodge the blade, Slash looked back to see it was no longer there, as if the blade had never existed in the first place.

"It would seem not even the lighting fast Slash can dodge this man.", Newgate said with a hearty chuckle, "I am truly glad you came instead of him Shadow. I can feel my mood rapidly improving with every second now."

Slash looked confused at Newgate, "What do you mean I could not dodge? And who are you talking to Newgate?"

"Your cheek is bleeding Slash. Well don't be surprised, in all the krosts we've been doing this, not once have I been able to sense his presence. I would love to know how do you do it Shadow, but I suppose I won't get an answer will I?"

Slash could not believe his eyes, a man shrouded in black clothing with a hooded trench coat slowly faded into existence, as if he had always existed in that spot. The man removed his hood to reveal a black mask with a white cracked skull on the front of the mask, what shocked Slash more was the fact that there was no eye, nose or mouth openings. Not a single part of his body was visible under the black clothing he wore.

"Slash I would like you to meet, possibly the only calamity I like, Shadow. Shadow, this is my right hand man Senegas 'Slash'."

"What are you doing Newgate? Nobody should know that name!" Slash exclaimed in panic.

"Relax, the reason I like Shadow is that he never talks. Nobody knows what he looks like nor what he sounds like. He is truly the perfect assassin. There are rumours that not even Master knows what he sounds like."

Despite the black boots Shadow wore, his steps produced no sounds as he walked towards Slash and extended his hand. Slash saw that even his hands were clad in black gloves; it was true that not a single part of his body was visible. Slash took a firm grasp of Shadow's hand, after the handshake Shadow backed away from Slash and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Why have I never heard of this man before?" Slash asked Newgate.

"You have, everybody has. The only reason you have no idea who he is, is because I am using his actual name. Maybe you will understand if I call him the 'Phantom Paradox'."

"Impossible! The 'Phantom Paradox' is nothing more than a myth, an urban legend told by storytellers. You telling me that this man before us is that myth; that legend? I refuse to believe it!"

"Enough Slash! I would hate to lose my right hand man, but if you are to provoke him, not even I would be able to save your life. He is without a doubt the real deal. Now leave us."

Slash clenched his fists to the point that his nails drew blood, he could not believe that Shadow was the 'Phantom Paradox', or rather he refused to believe it. He wanted to object and stay for this meeting, but one glance at Newgate's face was enough for him to reconsider. Slash turned and walked out of the room, closing the giant door behind him, leaving Shadow and Newgate alone in the room.

"Now that Slash is no longer here, why have you come instead of Neo Vega?"

Shadow produced a note from his coat's pocket and passed it to Newgate, who opened and read the letter.

"I see.", Newgate said as he crumbled the letter and threw it onto an open flame, "So two more seats have been filled. It still makes no sense why they would send Neo Vega to deliver the message, Master has ways of communicating with us, so why sent a note?"

Shadow said nothing and begun to fade away when Newgate called out to him, "Shadow wait. I have a favour to ask."

Shadow stopped fading and turned to face Newgate. Newgate picked up his mace and observed the aged blood that stained his mace, anger welled in him as he slammed his mace into the ground.

"A man interfered in my work and killed some of my men. I need to pay him back for making the Iron Dominion look weak, yet I do not know who he is. Slash is a smart man and without a doubt he will yield results, yet it would take time and I no longer have the patience to wait. I need to know who it was, please; all I need is a name."

Shadow nodded his head and faded from existence. Little did Newgate know that Slash had remained outside the room and hear the entire conversation. Seething at what he had heard, Slash set off as he tried to process the overwhelming anger he had.

"Why, why, why?", Slash exclaimed once he had gotten far away from the Iron Dominion base, "I joined you because you were more powerful than anything, because you would never bow your head to anything, with the exception of whatever it was that gave you your overwhelming power. So why? Why are you begging for the help from some rat?"

Slash drew his blade from his cane and lobbed his little finger off, supressing a howl of pain through sheer rage he shouted at the top of his lungs, "I swear I will kill you Shadow. I don't care if you are the 'Phantom Paradox', I am Senegas, dragonkin of Baiphointar Viezil the Ragnarok and first dragon!"

Back in the Iron Dominion base, Newgate awaited the return of Shadow. Hardly ten minutes had passed when a note materialised from thin air and dropped on the ground in front of Newgate. Newgate picked up the note and read it.

Smiling Newgate looked up, "Thank you Shadow, I swear one vrot I will repay my debt to you. As for you Stain; I will hunt you down and kill you personally."