Shadows Of Deception

The room felt heavy as Mengi continued his tale, his voice laden with sorrow and reverence for the events he described. Jin, Seiji, and the others listened intently, their silence punctuated only by the occasional crackle of the fire nearby.

Mengi's gaze darkened. "The night when Jiangshi returned to Atlantis was one of the darkest in our history. It wasn't just his return—it was his declaration of war, his attempt to rewrite everything our family and city had stood for. His presence alone was a storm, a shroud of darkness that cloaked the city, suffocating its light."

Mengi paused, then added, "Jiangshi didn't enter quietly. No, he made his presence known with Hell Magic: 5 Orbs of Divine Descent. It was a technique of devastating precision and unimaginable power. Five tiny orbs materialized in his palm, each glowing faintly, yet their energy was catastrophic. He released them, and they shot out in five directions across Atlantis, faster than any eye could follow. Moments later, they detonated in perfect synchrony."

Mengi's voice grew solemn as he described the destruction. "The explosions were not just physical—they were resonances that tore through the very fabric of existence in Atlantis. Entire districts were erased in an instant, their inhabitants swept away as though they had never existed. Buildings crumbled like sand, and the echoes of the destruction rang through the city like a death knell."

Jin clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. "He destroyed it… just like that?"

Mengi nodded, his expression grim. "It was chaos, but it wasn't enough for him. Jiangshi descended upon the prison where the Council members were being held. The soldiers of Atlantis—the best of our people—stood in his way, but they were no match for him. His compass magic traced their timelines, unraveling their very existence back to their birth and erasing them from reality."

Jin's eyes widened in horror. "He killed them before they were even born?"

"Yes," Mengi replied. "It was a power beyond comprehension, and Jiangshi wielded it without hesitation. He stepped through the carnage and unlocked the cells of his Council members. One by one, Lei Gong, Nereus, Rainbow, Cregan, Greyjoy, and Theon joined him. Together, they unleashed their fury upon the city."

The firelight flickered against the walls, casting ominous shadows as Mengi continued. "Father, King Festus, knew it was Jiangshi the moment the orbs detonated. He intervened immediately, using his power to neutralize three of the five orbs before they could destroy the entire city. But the damage was done. The remaining orbs left Atlantis in ruins."

Seiji leaned forward. "What did Festus do?"

Mengi's voice took on a note of admiration. "He did what only a king could. He confronted Jiangshi directly. The battle that followed was unlike anything the world had ever seen. They fought for five days and nights without rest, each clash of their powers shaking the foundations of Atlantis. Father's strength came from the demon inside him, the very power passed down from Grandfather Daemon. He used every ounce of the secret arts and abilities he had inherited to hold his ground."

"Did he win?" Shenlog asked, his voice low.

Mengi shook his head. "Not in the way we might hope. Father didn't lose to Jiangshi's strength—he lost to the weight of his own sacrifice. During their battle, Jiangshi revealed his plan: to turn the ruins of Atlantis into a beacon for his new world order, a source of energy to feed his gods' resurrection. Knowing this, Father made the ultimate decision."

Mengi's tone grew reverent. "He sealed the remains of Atlantis, removing them from existence. With his dark powers, he created a barrier that no one could penetrate, protecting what was left of our home from Jiangshi's grasp. It was an act of divine will, a feat only a god could achieve. But it came at a cost. Father was mortally wounded in the process. He saved you and me, Jin, but the city was lost, and Jiangshi's wrath only grew."

Jin's breath caught in his throat. "He saved me?"

"Yes," Mengi said. "You were too young to remember, but he ensured that everything he had—the demon, the powers, the knowledge—was passed to you, just as Grandfather passed them to him. But Jiangshi wasn't finished. He used his compass magic to manipulate time, erasing your memories of that night over and over until you no longer knew the truth. He molded you into someone who would never suspect him."

Seiji's jaw tightened. "And the Shadow Council? How did they become what they are now?"

Mengi's expression darkened. "After Father's sacrifice, Jiangshi had no choice but to retreat and restructure his plans. He couldn't access Atlantis anymore, but he still had his Council. He used the technique he had perfected before—contacting the Three-Headed Gods of Hell—and this time, he didn't come alone. He brought his six Council members to them."

"What happened?" Madagascar asked.

"They made a deal," Mengi said. "The Three Heads granted Jiangshi's Council god-like powers, each tailored to their essence. Lei Gong became the God of Thunder. Nereus, the Ocean God. Rainbow, the God of Wind. Cregan, the God of War. Greyjoy, the God of Fire. And Theon, the God of the Forest. Together, they became Jiangshi's instruments of destruction, his tools to harvest the earth's energy for the resurrection of the Three Heads."

The room fell silent as Mengi's words hung in the air, the enormity of the story sinking in.

"And now," Mengi finished, his voice steady but grim, "they're closer than ever to their goal. And you, Jin, are the key to stopping them."