Legacy
Chapter 9

Shadow Kahnhad ventured into the place that even he wanted no part of. It waswhere the souls of the damned were condemned to spend eternity, and aplace that he was more familiar with than he ever cared to be.

If not fortorches on the walls, visibility would be nonexistent, though therewas nothing that anyone should care to see in such a place. The airwas also stale, so stale and putrid that one could practically feelit as they passed through narrow corridors. And to add to the bleakatmosphere, screams and moans from the tormented filled the air, aswell as the roars and howls of their monstrous tormentors.

As he grewnearer to his destination, Shadow Kahn stopped so that he could watcha most gruesome spectacle. A demon was feeding upon a wayward soul. The man was still as alive as one could be in such a place, as wasevident by the screams that burst from him every time the demon bitinto him. His misery did nothing to deter the demon, though, as itcontinued to tear into his tender flesh and feast upon his organs.

Though thedemon was consumed with its meal, it still took time to focus itsglare on the newcomer. Clearly not wanting an audience, it roared atthe unwelcome guest. Taking that as his cue, Shadow Kahn took hisleave.

The journeyeventually led Shadow Kahn up a precarious set of free floatingsteps. And at its summit was an enormous circular platform. Uponreaching the top, a tremendous ring of fire that reached as high asthe eye could see surrounded it.

As wascustomary, Shadow Kahn took to a knee before the Great Deceiver. Theone that had given Shadow Kahn his power was a small man, no largerthan a child. He wore a tattered robe with a hood that concealed hisdeformed body and most of his face, though no article of clothingcould hide how warped his body was.

“Yourprogression is going well,” said the Great Deceiver, whose standingwas so great that he refused to allow any of his subordinates to lookhim in the eye. His back was turned to Shadow Kahn, but if he wereto turn around, his follower was to avert his gaze. “Much fasterthan I had anticipated.”

“Mymission will very soon be complete,” said Shadow Kahn. “Thosewho have wronged me are quickly falling by the wayside.”

“Then theday draws near when we will meet our true objective.”

“If youwould allow me to make a request.”

“You neednot waste your breath. You knew from the start what I wanted fromyou. I humor you by allowing you to satisfy your foolish desire totake revenge on your enemies. But once you finish, you will doexactly as I say.” When the Great Deceiver turned to face him,Shadow Kahn turned his gaze to the floor. “You will bring an endto this world and all of the vermin in it. Nothing could be moresatisfying than knowing that the world will soon burn at our hands. What reason could there possibly be to spare it?”

When theGreat Deceiver turned his back, Shadow Kahn cast a glare at him thatsurely would have earned him a severe reprimand had he been seen. Tosee the way Shadow Kahn was staring at his master would make oneassume the two were the most bitter of enemies.

“And whatof the boy?” asked the Great Deceiver.

“He hasbeen reluctant to join us. I had hoped to avoid taking drasticmeasures to persuade him . . . but he left me with no other choice.”

Unbeknownstto Shadow Kahn, something within the flames was watching him,something whose size dwarfed anything the living world had everbefore seen, something that, once unleashed, would undoubtedly meanthe beginning of the end.