Judas grimaced as Void laughed maniacally, the outcast knew he couldn't do anything, Void had him trapped with no way out but he wasn't going to give up, he believed his friends would stop this evil man and the candidates would stop Soledormir. " You can laugh now, but my friends are going to stop you! And then you won't be laughing!" He shouted.

~[Song: "Nakarkos (Osutogaroa) Phase 1 BGM" from Monster Hunter X]~

Void slow his laughter and then stopped with an smug smirk " Judas, Judas~? Just how blind are you really?" Void swiftly moved over to the Vaseterm and grab him by his horns " maybe I should Enlighten you on just how dire the situation really is, hmm? and maybe you will finally realize no matter what they do, no matter what they try, The candidates you so trust to save the day will be saving no one, that they are no heroes, that they can not even save themselves! " the evil man spat in Judas's face and then added "the happy ending's you hope for, is nothing more than a dream Judas, an illusion "

-

Void let go of the Vaseterm and before the outcast could reply the Shadow man turned his back to Judas and raised both his arm making The Shadows move to his command, the Shadows form into life size chess pieces, but they we're not ordinary chess pieces, each piece was shape like /Judas's friends/, Alex, Mina, Catch, Eira, Fiona, Terra, Hiiro, Purity, Crystal, Crimson, Weaver, Blue, Ai, Boo, and Malice " they are the most disorganized group of Misfits that the Realms have ever seen! do you really think they could stand the slightest chance against Soledormir's Legions?! " Void challenged as he turned to face Judas, the Shadows in the room took on shapes of various monsters and their number stretched out across the room. " Tell me Judas, just how will a handful of fools far against the armies of Soledormir? When not even the kings who commanded their own armies could not stop him? What chance do they have?" Void taunted as he slowly walk around the chess pieces and wave a hand to the monsters surrounding them.

-

Judas was quiet as Void made his mockery scene. His amethyst eyes look over the chess pieces // that all people are to him and Sol...we're nothing but pieces in this sick game of theirs...// The outcast look to the rows of shadowy monsters, he knew all to well Soledormir had worlds with his Abominations waiting for their dark king order, he also knew the candidates would have had allies if it wasn't for Void " it hasn't been exactly a fair fight ether, you hold the cards in your favor and get rid of anyone who could help them, just like you did Rubyturehx?! " Judas snapped back as he glared at Void

Void smirked at the outcast, he was responsible for many such Acts of evil and took pride in it " I had to make things interesting, and it has been, " the shadow man chuckled " To watch the so called chosen candidates run around like wild dogs not knowing what way to go or who to trust? It's been most amusing" the Shadow man put his hands behind his back and started to walk as he talked " and I do believe I have given them a chance...why do you not think the guards did not arrest them for the chaos they caused in the land of dreams? Why the Shadows Hunter did not intervene for the destruction they were responsible for? " Void said smoothly and stopped, glancing over his shoulder at the outcast with a smug smirk " They were only able to get away with what they did because I allowed it to happen. "
-

Judas watched Void the best he could being constricted, it made him angry just how cocky the Shadow man was and how he was toying with the candidates, he knew Void was posing as one of the heads of the Council of the land of dreams, that Void had control over the guards system and even the Shadows Hunters. "Then why let them get away with it then? Why didn't you get them arrested? That would have stopped them from getting the keys?" Judas asked glaring at Void // there more going on isn't there?//

-

Void place a hand to his chin and smirked " I told you, it's been most amusing watching them" the Shadows man started to walk again as he started one of his riddles, " Judas, do you know the best way to kill a wolf in winter?" He asked and glanced over his shoulder and continued before the outcast could reply, " You don't poison it, the poison spoils the meat, you can't trap it and starve it, because that will diminish the wolf entirely, shooting it or cutting it with a sword will ruin the hid..." Void stop in front of the chess pieces of the candidates " I'll tell you a little secret....you take a dagger and soak it in blood and let it freeze and then place the dagger securely someplace with the blade sticking out and just leave it...." A dark grin spread across his face as he stared at the candidate figures " the wolf's will come and think they have a free treat, and start licking the Frozen blade, but before they know it their tongues become numb to the cold and without them realizing it, they have lick off all the Frozen blood and have started to cut their own tongue but they do not know it, how could they? All they know is they taste Blood, but what they fail to realize they are now drinking their own Blood and soon they bleed out.... keeping a perfectly intact deceased wolf " Void turned to face Judas, he gestured with his hands boastfully " Why have I not done more with the candidates, is because I have already supplied the dagger and now I'm just enjoying watching as they kill themselves" he said with a sinister tone

-

Judas grimace as Void talk, he knew all to well just about the Shadow man setting things up for his benefit, for now the outcast was quiet but he was thinking...

Void smirks at Judas, " What, nothing to say?" He taunted and then put his hands behind his back and continued " You see, the thing is that no one question anything, they just go on there merry way causing chaos and mayhem, and I must say, Faye and the kings would be rolling in their graves on the stupidity of the candidates they picked!" he waved a hand towards the chess pieces and a new set formed making the kings themselves.

Void walk over to one in particular, a Venatavis, " You see Judas, the candidates may think they are helping the kings, but the cold bitter truth is they have been doing /my will/" the Shadow man slowly walked around the figure of Gorgeon " The kings' own spy against Soledormir... Wasn't he who helped convince Shoji about turning against her own father? " Void said smoothly and then chuckled darkly putting a hand to his forehead "And to think that the candidates actually found Gorgeon's hideout in Shiverglow! That I myself could not locate if it was not for them! And if it wasn't for the candidates I would not found All the hidden wonders of Gorgeon and the truth behind the albino Venatavis!"

~[Song: "Power-Hungry Fool" from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance]~

" You see Judas no one stopped to question, just why the albino Venatavis in Vahlemas we're not wild savage beasts, no one ever stopped to think about just how they knew and we're expecting the Key Hunters, all they cared about was a warm place to sleep and food in their bellies," Void said with an amused chuckle " You see Judas as the key Hunters were too busy in there own selfish concerns and murdering the leader of the very same people who sheltered them, I got to discover the glorious truth! That Danger was still alive! " Void place a hand to his chin with a smug smirk " Did you know Danger was a half Blood who was abandoned by his parents in fear for his life? That he was raised by /humans / who were the keepers of Gorgeon key? That I had at one time found the original resting place and sent forces to claim the key nearly 40 years ago? I was so close to gaining it but Danger was still alive and got vengeance for his slain family, he took the key back and without a trace he vanished with it...that was until the key Hunters led me right to him...I must give Danger credit in gathering abandoned albino Venatavis and teaching them to better then others of there kind, he had gathered a small army that would have helped the key Hunters more, but in the Temple that the was meant to be a test of the candidates Valor only shows their Bloodlust!"
Void said as he face Judas with his arms out and a dark grin on his face " But what do they care? They got the key didn't they? And they had to go rescue the Damsel in Distress didn't they? Only to leave the people who not long ago aided them without a leader and their best warriors!"

Judas thought back to that time, he remembered it really confused him on way the key Hunters were killing the Venatavis because they were allies with Gorgeon who was one of the Kings, the outcast even asked Alex if that's what they were supposed to do that and she said yes, even though it still felt wrong to him...but he trusted Alex and the key Hunters, because to him they were the good guys... Judas thought back even further and then it all clicked // He was setting stuff up all back at the Granditxknox! That why Emilia's Temple had a Akuma in it! Void was trying to get the key Hunters to think the Temple we're bad! It's why Arthur's Temple in Howaito was corrupted to! He was hoping the key Hunters would think that everything was bad!// Judas huffed angrily "It's real fun when you stack the deck in your favor and don't even play your own game! You piece of cow dung!! You hid behind others and let them do your Dirty Work! " Judas glared at Void and then thought about one of the last thing the Shadow man said and the outcast frowned " did you just call Catch a girl? I mean I know you kidnap Crystal to and she a girl so she be a Damsel but Catch is a dude soooo?"
-

Void chuckled Darkly at Judas last comment " that is why your the court jester Judas, your always the fool " he said sarcastically because he was insulting the red hair Prince. Void then walked over to the outcast and put his index finger under Judas chin and forced his head to look up into the dark man hallow eyes as he got back on topic "now are you mad because I'm using them? Or are you really upset because they use you? the truth is they are no different than the ones who made you Judas"
-

Judas grimace been forced to look into Void creepy eyes, one he knew belongs to Crimson as the other was just a hallow abyss of darkness, Judas stomach turned at what Void said and he truned his head to look away "..." there better than my mother, they don't kill baby's..." He whispered, and then glanced back at Void with a hurt look " you twist everything..." It hurt Judas to know that Void was using the key Hunters to do his work and that they didn't even know it, it hurt him because he to was used and been used by Void and Soledormir like that but the difference was Judas knew he was being used and couldn't do anything.

"they just make orphans" Void said smartly as was referring to the albino Venatavis, he then tip his head with a cocky expression, because he knew the truth about one of the key Hunters who ate children but for right now he wasn't going to bring that up /yet/.
-

Void move his hand to the outcast shoulder as he took a small oval shape Stone out of his pocket, the strange stone was dark in color and radiated corruption " you see Judas the candidates have been doing what /I want them to do/ and now what could have been Soledormir enemies will be /my/ allies "
-

Judas grimace seen the stone " oh....I was really hoping they would have found that...." He whispered, the outcast knew that was one something that belonged to Gorgeon that the Venatavis use to be gifted with abilities but it fell into Void's claws and now it was tainted with Darkness and would corrupt a Venatavis instead and Judas was hoping the key Hunters would ether find it or it get destroyed along with death door, but seen Void was still alive he wasn't even sure if the candidates succeeded in that // Alex said everyone was still alive and that what matters most as long as there still alive it's not the end // he try to say positive.

-

Void smirk at Judas " I'm sure you had hoped for a lot of things Judas and one day you will wake up from fantasy and realize what they really are!" Void then grab Judas horn and made the outcast look at him again " so tell me Judas, what makes the key Hunters any different than the monsters they face? "

-

Judas had tears gathering in his eyes as he whispered " there still good guys... they made some mistakes, some pretty bad ones but people aren't perfect... it still doesn't make it right but...there still hope...I know it...I know they'll stop Soledormir..." The outcast wasn't going to give up on the key Hunters, he glared at Void with a determination look "my friends will save the day! I know it! "
-

Void look at the outcast with disgust " your the most idiotic creature the realms have ever seen" he spat and let go of Judas horns, the the forsaken Lord turned his back to the outcast as he looked to the chess pieces " Judas with everything you know you still trust them? You still think they can stop Soledormir, even if you took out they key Hunters flaws, Soledormir has armies waiting in the shadows realm and the other dark worlds, what do the candidates have?"
-

" They have a Hiiro, that what!" Judas said confidently and even gave a head nod.

Void chuckled at that " a Hiiro..." he chuckled more, he knew the Xanos was the candidates tank, there Hulk of brute strength and because of him they were able to defeat powerful enemies, but it was also because of Hiiro the key Hunters ended up in a lot of the mess they did.

-

Void walk over to the chess piece that resembled Hiiro, he slowly walk around the chess pieces with his fingers brushing acrossed it's surface, the Shadow man stop facing the chest piece " it really is a pity that he blind in one eye..." he said as he brushed a hand over the scar on Hiiro face and then added " because he has such /beautiful eyes/...."

-

Judas grimace he knew all to well what that meant, but he also knew Void wanted more then just Hiiro's eyes, // you want his body as a frame to don't you?...// He remembered helping Eira and Alex looking for Catch, he knew Void was wanting the Dreamer Prince but that wasn't his only option // You can't take girls body's so all of them are safe... Terra he safe because he dead and a ghost, you would have taken Crimson's a long time ago if that was your plan...Eater a Nightmare so that a no go, just like Mal...you already try to take Catch because he related to Faye buy Hiiro doesn't have any of those qualities and he is a dragon...//the outcast knew there was only two male's in the group of key Hunters that the Shadow man could possess and he seem to favor Dragons out of other species. " Hiiro not just going to let you take his body! He'll fight and he doesn't lose! "
-

Void glanced over his shoulder back at the outcast " Hiiro has lost before, Judas..." He mentioned knowing about Hiiro been exiled by Damien... " everything has a weakness to exploit Judas..." He looked back at the chest piece of Hiiro " you really should not put so much trust in him, he isn't much more than a Savage Beast "

-
The forsaken Lord of Soledormir will was going to break Judas's spirit, he knew how to do it by tearing down the people outcast trusted so much to be Heroes and Hiiro was going to be the first of the key Hunters Void was going to rip apart in front of Judas to crush him.

-
Void glanced over his shoulder at Judas
" Judas you already know the Blood on Hiiro hands... you said the key Hunters don't kill children, but Hiiro devoured Dreamer fawns, isn't that the same thing? Were they not some mother baby's? You know his lust for Blood and destruction has cost the live of many, some that were Wicked as others as innocent as children, what hero is that? What makes him Worthy of even being a chosen candidate? Tell me Judas, tell me!" Void mock

~~[Song: "Desperation (Light Arrangement)" - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity]~~

Judas couldn't hold back his tears, hurting children was something he couldn't stand, it crush him and made him feel sick inside because the outcast could relate in some way, but that why Judas wasn't going to give up on Hiiro to even though he didn't understand everything about the Xanos
" Hiiro done some bad things...but he done good to, he might be a blockhead but he always been there when the others need him the most " he defended the Dragon and add " its Hiiro wacky Dark sid--" he was stopped abruptly by the Shadow man.

-

Void turned around and snapped " Don't make excuses for him Judas! You know what he is! Do you not think there no reason why Soledormir selected him to be the /Forsaken of Destruction/?! Hiiro was outcast from Xarveidore by Damien because he is nothing more than a monument to their /Sin/! " A dark look crossed over the Shadow man face " you have seen it yourself Judas, when Soledormir returns Hiiro will be his and he will be more catastrophic then Danieru ever was... his craving for Destruction will bring the land of Dreams to her knees and then he will turn Hiiro against Xarveidore and carve out Soledormir name throughout the realms!" He said firmly was a dark tone and add" You think that Hiiro is a hero but he would be the first to rip off your wings and then eat you Judas without even a second thought "
-

Judas closed his tear full eyes and turned his head away, he didn't know much about Xarveidore or Hiiro past, the seal on the Xanos made it difficult to see his pass, however he did see the same horrible future as Dreamcatcher did, the one we're Soledormir returns but unlike Catch who only seen one possibility, Judas had seen so many more... some even more horrible, but even amongst all the dark possible feature the outcast had seen a small spark of hope and that little spec was enough to keep Judas holding on, Judas open his eyes and glared " I don't care what you say about them or me! /I Know/ my friends will stop Soledormir!"

Void walk over to the outcast and stop right in front of him " you still don't understand do you? That no matter what /I/ will achieve my goals, Hiiro will bow and the Realms will fall into Chaos " he said and open his hand and revealed a shadow replica of Zitan key..." the dice has already been cast, Judas..."

-

Judas eyes widened at the reveal of a dark version of Zitan key, he knew the only way the Shadow man could have done that was if he had the key in his possession and Void did back at the inn at Cielo...when Hiiro misplaced it...// But if he had Zitan key, why make a replica? It wouldn't do the same thing and Hiiro still has his, that will work, so why didn't he just take Hiiro's? He could have stopped the key Hunters right then and there...// And that when it hit Judas, Hiiro key wasn't the only opportunity Void had in taking a key, two of the other temples had corruption in them meaning Void knew about them and didn't do anything...

Judas look up at the forsaken Lord with suspicion "your not really trying to stop them are you?"
-
Void simply smirk " why Judas, what would have given you that idea?"he said coy, and then turn back to the chest piece figures and out his hands behind his back "there bigger plan Judas and things have been put into motion that cannot be stopped now..."// And I do plan to win...//

( To be continued...)

Oooooh epic!! Nicely thought out e-e

I loved this so much, so well written and true to Hiiro ewe

The illusion with the chess pieces are cool too, I like it B)

The pic you did I mean, it looks cool

ooh... e3e