Shudders: Retribution

Chapter 50 - The Address

      Maybe she can be his wife? Have kids? Small little demons running around. One of them is named Xed Jr. maybe?

'No. Kids are a burden.' Xed dismissed the thought as he entered the throne room with Indi.

       He saw the room filled with other Elitists who all stood in anticipation for what their Mother wanted to address. Xed would've felt the same as them but then his sweet came into his life and made him realize that he wanted more than this. And he was going to get it.

       He would miss his mother as well as his sibling but he was at the point where he'll happily betray them if it meant getting to the love of his life.

       As B entered the building through a back window, she inspected the halls and noticed that most of the Elitists were heading somewhere. She waited until the coast was clear before following after them, sticking close to rooms and trying not to draw attention to herself. The robe and mask she stole from the Elitist she killed must've been helping keep her scent covered. She followed the Elitists to a room labeled 'Cafeteria' and stopped before going to find a different way in. Rueben was instructing her as she went, this being the longest he's ever been present in her mind but she appreciated the extra help.

      Soon she found herself to the second floor and made her way toward the throne room where she can see the large room filled with demons below. She can see how the room used to be a cafeteria and looked up at the floor she was on and the others above her that were all caved in. There were demons on the other floors with her who watched from above so she kept close to a broken wall and hid underneath a table.

      And there B saw her. The leader.

      Zankora emerged from a whole in a wall covered by tarp as she began walking toward a large throne in the center of the room made entirely of concrete. Many of the Elitists shouted their admiration and love for her as if she was their actual mother.

      Zankora held up a hand to silence them all and took her seat on the throne. The throne that used to belong to the King.

      B can feel the old man in her head shake his head at the sight. She was just a pretender.

"My children..." Zankora began, her voice seemingly more tired than usual. "We've done it... Our successor has returned to us."

      A wave of cheering and thrill moved through the crowd of demons. With Zankoku's successor back, they can continue his will and use the girl's blood against the filthy humans so they can pay for what they did to their fallen King.

       Xed had to keep his eyes from rolling. Their happiness about hurting his little monster only made him angrier.

       Zankora held up her hand once more to silence everyone before she continued. "But... there's still more work to be done... The humans want to bring the fight... to us."

       B narrowed her eyes at the leader. So they do know about her team's plans? Not just that Xed guy.

"I say let them..." Zankora lowly spoke. "We've raided... and destroyed several communities bigger than their whole team... We're not afraid of them... we have the girl after all. We'll treat them the same way we've treated the others... They'll learn to bow down to us..."

      Giving the humans what they deserve and teaching them who their new leaders are made the crowd of demons around her more pumped than ever. They ruled the surface and were undisputedly stronger than any human who ever lived. They should be the ones taking control of the surface and the rest of the world, not them. Once they claimed this whole region, the Elitists will spread deeper. Further up north, further down south. Spreading the word and the will of Zankoku to more demons across the board and strengthening their power on the surface. They'll be unstoppable and they'll make their fallen King proud.

       And it was all going to start here in this very asylum.

"I want everyone here... No... No leaving until the fight is over." Zankora ordered, but her head started drooping a bit. No one seemed to notice but Xed did as he watched his mother closely.

       B also watched as Zankora carefully leaned her head back up but noticed her posture lacked energy. The demon leader was practically slumped against the throne.

"I don't... I don't want a single enemy soul... alive." Zankora muttered as her hand moved to her head and she took a deep breath.

"Did she have her cleansing?" Indi whispered up to Xed who shrugged. He was too busy capturing his sweet.

        Zankora continued her speech and gave orders. She spoke to them all in a motherly way but also held her strict and authoritative tone for how she expected the fight to end. The Elitists clung to her every word despite how tired she was becoming. It was like they were too enthralled in their loyalty to her that they didn't notice when her mask began to slip and she quickly caught it before it could fall.

      B kept her sights on her and the rest of the Elitists. Despite how much Rueben called Zankora a fake, a mere pretender who was a wannabe Zankoku, he had to give her some credit. She achieved what the harsh tyrant couldn't do and that was gain the complete and utter loyalty of her followers.

      As soon as Zankora was finished with her speech, as quick as she could without stumbling, she rose from her throne and began making her way back to the whole in the wall. She held the mask close to her face as her Elitists got to work following her orders and preparing for the battle.

       B wanted to follow her, there to be more information she can learn, but she needed to find (Y/N) first. Getting caught now would only get her killed.

       But unlike B, Xed did follow after his mother. Indi went to go relay the information to Chey, leaving Xed all alone.

       He followed Zankora into the hole in the wall and deeper into her private quarters not many were allowed in. He usually was able to under her permission but he didn't want her to know that he was here. So he hid behind a wall just before a room with a large tub in it and listened as his mother climbed into it and let out a shaky breath as she submerged herself in the dark liquid.

       Xed peeked through a crack in the wall and watched her slowly pull the mask off and set it to the side, her long dark hair hid her face as her head fell forward and she moved deeper into the liquid.

       Silence followed and Xed almost decided to turn away, she was just in the middle of her cleansing, nothing special here.

       But soon she started to speak and Xed made sure to listen.

"I'm trying..." Zankora whispered, but her voice seemed lighter this time, unlike her usual low and whispery tone.

"They're... going to come..." Came a low raspy voice somewhere else in the room. One that Xed recognized. "I... expect you to... deal... with them."

"I will." Zankora spoke, but the way she so sounded so flat, so devoid of life. It sounded strange to Xed. He watched closely as his sights remained on her.

"I'll make Zankoku proud..." Zankora muttered as her voice kept growing lighter, a voice that sounded familiar to Xed. "And I'll make you proud, Bodhi..."

      A low growl reverberated through the room as the dark liquid Zankora submerged herself in began sticking to her body and stabbing into her skin. It traveled throughout her body and slowly she went from being sluggish to sitting up straight as the dark liquid absorbed into her body. When Xed watched it closely, he realized it was blood.

      Her large blackened arm which was longer than your average arm lifted up out of the blood to grab the skull mask and return it to her face. It was like the blood appeared from her skin and hardened around the edges of the skull to keep it secured to her face.

       She lifted out of the tub and stood to her full 8 ft height with more energy than before.

"Leave... no one... alive..." The dark and slow voice echoed through the room, the voice that belonged to Bodhi.

"Not a single soul..." Zankora spoke, her voice back to normal, the way Xed has always heard it.

       He began to back away and leave out of his mother's private dwelling, feeling stranger than before.

       That lighter voice, he's felt like he's heard it before...