A Story of Evil

Chapter 83: The Cylinders

"So do you know where the king is?" Sol asked, looking straight ahead as Alice pushed his wheelchair.

"Absolutely. There's only one place he'd be at in Pentagon." The girl said in reply.

Although Pentagon looked simple, the building was actually a complex maze in itself. Pandora has a certain amount of control on all the rooms inside the building. Meaning, no matter how hard a trespasser tried, they wouldn't be able to reach Pandora. Not unless certain requirements were met.

"Oh by the way, the king ordered you to refrain from using any of your powers. He said something along the lines of your mana spilling out of your veins. Kinda disgusting really but, Pandora's shadows already blocked the holes. You just need to recover."

"Yeah, I can somehow feel that would be the case."

"By 'that would be the case' do you mean that all of this was within your expectations?" Alice's tone was sarcastic.

"Alice, what do you take me for? I'm still a twelve-year-old." Sol said, not being amused as Alice let a few chuckles escape her lips.

"I'm kidding of course." The girl said with an entertained grin on her face.

The two moved in circles. With Sol memorizing the number of steps needed while also ensuring that there was nobody in sight. As always, the corridors of the building was poorly lit. Enough to see the pathway but, not enough to make out the details on the wall. Not unless one came closer to inspect it.

"So how long do you think will your recovery take?"

"Why? Are you worried about me?"

"Idiot. King Jubilee was the one that asked." The girl said, actually blushing a bit.

"I've got zero clue honestly. But I don't mind even if it takes time, I'd have a longer chance to think of a dream for myself."

"Geez you really took that seriously, didn't you?"

"Why shouldn't I? You and I have basically escaped death at this point so I should find a new meaning to this existence of mine." Sol sounded like an old man all of a sudden.

"I thought you were supposed to be a twelve-year-old kid?" 

"Sometimes." 

The two walked a bit more and, finally reached their destination. A part of the wall on the left side of the corridor.

As mentioned, one needed closer inspection in order to make out the details. This was the reason why the entry point wasn't that obvious. Even if it was, nobody could enter it. Not without the same key which Solomon used at that moment.

He took out the crystal necklace given during their training. The same one which had a black shade. He gave this to Alice and, the girl looked for the small hole in the wall. Placing it inside as soon as she found it.  Making the wall glow and, begin taking shape as, another corridor opened up for them.

"Come on Alice." Sol invited.

"You really turned me into a full-time nurse huh." The girl said.

"Well, you aren't exactly complaining."

As soon as they entered through, the opening behind them sealed off. Creating another dead end, with an open corridor in front of them. Alice continued pushing Sol's wheelchair. It was probably because of the silence. It may have been from the fact that they were getting closer to the king. But at that moment, a thought entered Alice's head. One which she also decided to ask before it escapes her.

"Sol, have you ever stopped to think that the King might be too paranoid?"

"Is that really the right question to ask now? We are kinda inside his turf you know. He can probably hear us." Sol said, referring to the fact that they were near Pandora's core.

"Ugh, you're probably right about that." She said, with Sol giving his reply nevertheless.

"But I do agree with you though. As to why I do, I think we can discuss that some other time." Sol said as, they finally reached the end of the corridor. Seeing another dead end in front of them.

Alice placed Sol's crystal inside once again and, the wall responded in kind. Deconstructing and opening up for the two. Showing the same scenery that was the core of Pandora. An area reserved, mostly, for Voids who unlocked their Seed.

Within it was the same glass case enclosing Pandora's body. A number of lines that glowed on the wall. And, three orbs glowing brightly in the darkness. With a man controlling them as tentacle like shadows assisted him. It was the Void King.

"Ahh so you're finally awake?" Jubilee didn't have his usual cape and armor. Instead. He only had a regular V-necked white shirt and black slack pants, coupled by black strapped sandals with brown soles. Over his shirt was a black lab coat which looked suspicious to Sol. Thinking that it was probably made through shadows as some parts of the tip looked transparent.

The king wasn't looking at them. He was staring at the orbs. Focused on the task he was performing. The two went even closer and, finally realized what the orbs actually were. They were cores.

"You're just on time, I'm actually about to finish. Just enjoy the show while you wait." The two did as the king suggested. The watched visible shadow conjured runes cover the three differently colored cores. Just from the glow itself, they were able to distinguish what elements these contained. One was earth, the other was water while, the last one was wind.

There was air circulating wildly within the room. All being controlled by the Void King's space magic which held it back.  The cores were already shattered from their solid form and, were condensed balls of mana at that point. All being held back by Jubilee who continued placing rune after rune. 

The king then moved one of his arm, commanding machines at the side of the room to come to him. Cylindrical devices that floated to where the king was. Slowly but surely, the cores entered these. All while giving resistance to the power of the king. Making the room tremble in the process. In fact, Alice and Sol could've sworn they heard the transparent wall shattering.

The mana flowing within that room was strong and dense. Enough to make anyone back away. Yet the two stayed calm because, they knew that the thing could handle it. In fact, the only thing on their eyes was amazement as Jubilee slowly but surely contained all the mana. Making another set of runes light up around the cylinder. Having a glow similar to what core it held.

"That should do it." The king said, finally descending as he held the three cylinders on his hands. Moving towards the two who were still at a loss at what they just witnessed.

"So, how are you feeling Sol?"

"Oddly sore while numb my liege. Although I could move my upper body a bit, my lower body is completely limp."

"I figured as much. The method you used was too much of a gamble after all."

"So you disagree with my choice of action?"

"Oh far from it, I like people who are willing to risk it all for the sake of their goal. You took fate into your own hands. Nothing could make it more agreeable than that."

"Thank you, my liege." Sol said, with Alice bowing in his place.

"However, that is only my comment as Jubilee the person. As the Void king, I think that your method was lacking. I know that Blaze was a powerful foe but, if the match went on a bit longer than it did, then you would've died." Solomon expressed his apology to the king who gladly accepted it. Moving the conversation out of the introductions. 

However, Sol knew that it wasn't time to ask the question he had in mind. Not with Alice in the room. Not with King Jubilee holding the three cylinders which also piqued his interest. His eyes were basically sticking to the items at that point. Making Jubilee figure out what the boy was thinking. Something which wasn't that hard.

"Wanna know what these things are?" Alice and Sol nodded, the latter doing so with much effort.

"You know, I really want to explain it but, I think that I may miss out a lot of details." The king looked at his wrist. A bracelet he wore had its crystal glowing right at that moment. Making the king smile as if saying that his problem was solved.

"You know what, it would be better to just show you right now."

"Show us?"

"Yeah. Lilia's done with the preparations." The two watched as King Jubilee activated his powers once again. Creating more shadow runes that filed the room. There was anxiety on both Sol and Alice's faces so the king patted them on the shoulder. Making the cylinders float just at his back.

"Relax, this will be a quick demonstration. We're just going to teleport." 

"Teleport?"

"Where?"

"To the balcony of my castle of course." King Jubilee said as if this was an obvious fact.

"But how is that connected to the cylinders?" Alice asked while, Sol looked like he was already searching for answers. 

"Oh it's connected alright." The king said, snapping his fingers which placed all the runes on the ground. Marking an area in a circular shape with the three at the middle. Wind blew from under them and, they slowly disintegrated as the Void King followed:

"We're going to deactivate the Void Domain's rune barrier."

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