TRAILING SHADOWS

"Our king is rising. All Hail The Imp King. Our king is rising. All Hail The Imp King. Our king is rising. All Hail The Imp King. Our king is rising. All Hail The Imp King..." 

The demon imp chanted, pacing the breadth of the empty, windowless cell that held him bound and in captivity. The imp had a skin tone of reddish brown with two large bat wings folded at his back and a continuous swinging tail having a triangular end, wearing just a tight short.

In front of the imp, standing behind a bar of iron, observing, were two sleeveless white robed figures, each having almost white eyes, watching the Imp with a fierce gaze. Dr.a.p.ed at the waist was a black belt strapped with a sword in scabboard while spiral white bands at their arms glowed slightly, revealing their nature as Irunmole beings.

Footsteps sounded off from the distance, coming closer to the white robed guards, shuffling impatiently. The guards turned their heads in a way that they could see whoever was coming and still keep an eye on the imp.

Just then, an elderly figure, dressed in white robes, bald with a long beard and a staff came into view. Shortly after, a lady, Second Prime Anu, donning a white kimono with golden short sleeves and elaborately decorated golden waist beads followed, motioning to someone behind her. The guards shifted, taking steps backwards as they allowed for the Elder and his entourage to occupy their place.

"Greetings, Elder. Greetings Primes." They bowed slightly in unison.

"How long has he been chanting this?" The Elder spoke, ignoring their greetings as he fixed aa cold stare at the imp, his hand trembling slightly on his staff.

"Since he was brought into the council house, Elder." One of the guards replied.

Footsteps shuffled now and the guard who had spike turned his head to look.

Just then, a third figure shuffled in, tugging at the silver streak of beard on his jaw while his b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.t flexed of rippling muscles, undoubtedly being Maerius the Third Prime.

"Where was he captured?" Second Prime Anu enquired, ignoring Maerius as did the Elder and the others. 

"In the central market, Elder. Good day my Primes." A new voice sounded, earning brief glances from the new observers.

"Of the recent times, since the Prickled Bane Winged Wolf and the incident of the Phoenix, we have noticed a high influx of demon presence in Orun Rere. This Imp is just one of the numbers that we were barely able to hold back from totally destroying, Elder." The new speaker had a crew cut with sleeveless gown. Other than his gown, he looked ordinary.

The one addressed as Elder turned to him now, sighing. He made to speak but the chant of the imp grew louder, drowning every sound out.

"Make. HIM. STOP!" Elder yelled, light cascading around his form. Instantly, symbols shimmered, whisking the iron bars away from existence as the crew cut fellow burst in, his aura exploding fiercely.

GBAM!

His punch rammed into the imp's face, crunching through bones. The imp doubled back, stunned by the attack as it fell down to it's bum.

"Finally, some peace." The b.a.r.e c.h.e.s.ted figure, Maerius, spoke. 

"What? What do you want, demon?" The Elder spoke, his visage darkened.

The imp focused on The Elder, the leader of the Irunmole Forces, and overseer of the Irunmole Society.

"What do I want?" The imp snarled. "The king is rising. The imp king is coming. And this time, there is nothing you can do about it. You sent Trixius to damage him but he has survived and with the rage of the depths of Orun Apaadi, he will march your world down and ascend and bring down the gods to the pits. As for Trixius, we will find wherever you kept him and drain his life essence out of him for the injuries he cost my King."

The imp drew closer, sniffing. With a crazed look, he pointed at The Elder.

"Y-you, you have his scent. His bloodline is in you. Listen o son of Trixius, your own blood will be food for the ImpKing and there will be nothing you can or ever DOOOOOO." The imp snarled.

GBAM! The crew cut Irunmole launches another jaw shattering punch at the imp's mouth.

"Creation Agbara; Heavens Chain." The Elder muttered.

"We know your son has made it to Earth. And we know exactly what to do with him... Gheheheh..."

"Elder, Noo." The barec.h.e.s.ted Irunmole and the female yelled simultaneously as they motioned to hold back The Elder. A sudden blast of energy erupted, slamming furiously into everywhere.

At the same time, both irunmoles slammed their hands together, chanting.

"Ino Agbara; Temporary Boundary Seal." Moving at the speed of light, the irunmoles dived down, slamming a palm into the ground as the concussion waves from the Elder erupted fiercely only to slam into a circle of light.

After a second, the dust began settling, bringing visage once more. The Elder remained in the same position as before, except that one hand was extended that held a thick web of golden chains that had wrapped the imp tightly.

"You say I will do nothing? But look, this are the very chains that Orisha Obatala used to descend to form the Earth. In My Hands. By whatever means, let the impking know that I am The Elder, First Prime of the Irunmole Society, Under the Guardianship of the Orisha of Light. Tell him I WILL HAVE HIS HEAD!

RETRACT!" 

CLINK... CLINK...

In a flash of heated light, the gold chains, tightened, squeezing the imp into an explosion of bright light. The chains then interlocked, becoming shorter as they returned to source before vanishing.

"Elder, What is this nonsense?" The female Irunmole in kimono chided.

"You could have killed these guards here. You don't use Creation Essence just anyhow, you of all people should know tha..." The barec.h.e.s.ted Irunmole put in also.

"Oh, Be silent, Maerius. We would not be in this position if not for your foolhardy. All of this would have been easier if Sunday was here but No... in all your wisdom, you helped him escape." The Elder bellowed at the barec.h.e.s.ted Irunmole.

Looking hurt, Maerius countered. "We both know that having Sunday here was just a matter of ticking his clock to death, not with that stupid divination. You saw him as evil." 

"DONT YOU GET IT... I AM HIS FATHER!" Elder yelled, his face stony with rage as he stared down Maerius.

"You people think I don't care about my son. But I do. The gods know that I do. Having him here was the only way to contain the darkness in him but you sent him away and now, everything has gone south." The Elder's voice cracked. Panic in his eyes, he grabbed Maerius's shoulders, trembling.

"Even the gods have stopped answering us. We are on our own, Maerius, can't you see? The imp king is rising... It took My Father himself to quiet him down. But look at me? Do I look like I can do all of these knowing that my son is the cause of these things?" The Elder asked, pointing a trembling finger at himself.

"Hey, it's okay. Elder, please compose yourself." The female Irunmole finally put in, coming in between the duo.

"You keeps on blaming it all on Sunday. And that boy is only a child. Show him love and stop treating him like a potential explosive charge. Those unusual creatures that we have noticed, that call themselves Ascenders, will you blame that on Sunday too?" Maerius said, tugging at his beard frantically.

At that, The Elder turned away with watery eyes. 

This people would not understand. If the prophecy had picked his son as a progenitor of chaos then wouldn't it be even better to have his son close by to watch him?

"Moradus." The Elder called. 

"Yes, Elder." The Irunmole with crewcut walked forward.

"Find Sunday. Bring him back here, bound. Contact every Irunmole Emergency Segment Camps on Earth and those Ascension camps too. Find him and bring him back, BOUND." The Elder emphasizes, a dangerous hint visible in his words.

Sighing softly, The Elder straightened himself. If only the Gods were replying, all of this would have been easier. Right from the attack of the prickled bane winged wolf, they had gone silent, signifying that whatever was coming next was so huge and terrifying. But, without the gods replying them, the gods they were created to assist with aspectual duties, it was so hard.

Practically, they were on their own and it burdened him so much. First, the Rare Type Beasts have been popping around for killing sprees, then demons became emboldened, no longer sneaking in. And then, those creatures with an unexplainable rate of power explosion.

What did Bello even call them? 

Yes, Ascenders. Those demon set of creatures. There was so much to do but in all honesty, he wished he had a clear way of going about that.