Zawish the Unseen – Chapter 3: The Reckoning
The world had barely begun to heal from the devastation Zar had caused. The streets, still cracked and scarred, were littered with the remnants of battle. Every corner held the echoes of the destruction — shattered glass, torn metal, and debris that had once been homes, businesses, and lives. The air itself felt heavier now, as if the planet was still holding its breath.
In a dimly lit underground bunker beneath the Pentagon, military leaders, world scientists, and strategists gathered around a massive holographic map of the Earth. The blue orb was no longer just a symbol of life, but a battlefield. There was a new threat, one greater than Zar, and it was moving toward Earth.
A massive entity, cloaked in shadow, emerged in the farthest reaches of space. The probes sent out by Earth's finest had detected its arrival. It wasn't just another alien — it was something far older. Something far more dangerous.
"General, you need to see this," a scientist muttered, pointing at the hologram. "This… it's coming straight for us. It's enormous."
The image flickered to life, showing a rip in space, a cosmic tear where no tear should exist. The universe itself seemed to shudder at the presence of this new entity, and the voice that followed was like an earthquake vibrating through the very fabric of existence.
"Zawish," it boomed, "You have no idea what's coming."
High above Earth, on the summit of a forgotten mountain, Zawish sat alone. His eyes were closed, and his mind was still, but he felt it — the familiar hum of the Dar Metal glove pulsing against his wrist. The energy was strong, and it was growing stronger with each passing day. But today, something felt different. A presence lingered, far beyond the scope of his understanding. It gnawed at his senses.
Suddenly, a voice echoed inside his mind, deep and ancient, like the whispers of forgotten gods.
"The time has come, Zawish. You are not the only one awakened. There are forces — older than time itself — that seek the power of the Dar Metal."
Zawish clenched his fist, his eyes snapping open.
"Who speaks? What do you mean? What is coming?" he demanded, his voice barely above a whisper, though the words resonated through the empty space around him.
"You are the Guardian of Earth, but your power is fragile. The one who comes — Karnok — he is beyond you. Beyond all that you have ever known. He seeks what you protect, and once he has it, nothing in this realm will stand."
Zawish stood abruptly, his pulse quickening. His fingers curled around the Dar Metal glove. It was still warm, almost alive with energy.
"Then I will stop him," Zawish said firmly, though doubt flickered at the edges of his thoughts. Could he truly stop this new threat alone?
The voice did not answer immediately, but when it did, it was filled with foreboding.
"You may be the chosen one, but there are forces who control what you cannot even comprehend. To defeat Karnok, you must learn to control the Dar Metal in ways you cannot yet fathom. If you fail, it will not just be Earth that falls. It will be the entire multiverse."
Meanwhile, a shadow in the depths of space moved. Karnok — an ancient entity, the architect of chaos — had awakened. His cosmic armor, forged in the heart of dying stars, was nearly indestructible. His sword, a blade that had slain gods, crackled with dark energy. His eyes burned with the intensity of a thousand suns.
"So… the chosen one has arrived," Karnok mused to himself, his voice like thunder rolling across the stars. "Let's see if he's truly worthy of his title."
He looked down at the images of Earth, watching as the blue planet spun innocently in the dark void. Soon, it would be his. Soon, the Dar Metal would be his to command.
"It is only a matter of time," Karnok whispered. "And when I claim what is mine, nothing will stop me. Nothing."
Back on Earth, Zawish had begun to prepare for the inevitable battle. He meditated, centering himself in the quiet of the mountainside cave. But the silence did not last long. The distant rumble of engines, the thrum of something powerful approaching, reached his ears.
A flash of light blazed across the sky, and in an instant, the very air around Zawish trembled. He looked up, his heart pounding as he felt the presence of an unstoppable force coming closer.
Suddenly, the ground cracked beneath him as an enormous ship descended, its hull like blackened steel, glistening in the fading light. The ship's engines roared, and its massive bulk dwarfed the mountain range.
The door of the ship opened with a hiss, and from within stepped Karnok — clad in black, his form towering and ominous. The air itself seemed to distort around him.
"So, the Guardian stands," Karnok said with a twisted smile. "I am impressed that you are still alive. But now, you must face your fate."
Zawish stood tall, his heart thundering, but his resolve was ironclad.
"You're too late. Earth will never fall to you."
Karnok chuckled darkly.
"You don't understand, do you? The Dar Metal was never meant to protect. It was meant to destroy, to create chaos. And I will take what you guard. You cannot stop me."
Zawish clenched his fists, and the Dar Metal glove flashed brightly. He surged forward, his speed nearly breaking the sound barrier. In a heartbeat, he reached Karnok, landing a powerful punch that shook the very air around them.
But Karnok wasn't phased. He grinned, his sword flashing to life as he swung it toward Zawish with terrifying speed. Zawish barely managed to dodge, the blade missing him by inches, but the force of the swing sent him hurtling through the air, crashing into the side of a mountain.
"Is that the best you can do?" Karnok taunted, his voice echoing through the wreckage.
Zawish struggled to stand, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead. His powers surged, but the strength he needed was still beyond his reach.
"You're strong," Karnok continued, "But not strong enough. Let's see if you can survive this."
He raised his hand, and the air around Zawish twisted into a violent vortex. The winds screamed as debris was sucked into the cyclone, and Zawish struggled to stay grounded.
"You think you can win? You think you're the chosen one?" Karnok's voice reverberated with the force of a thousand storms. "I was the one who forged the Dar Metal. It is mine. And now, so is your world."
Zawish fought against the storm, pushing through the crushing winds. His mind raced as he looked for a way to fight back. Then, he remembered something — a vision he had seen during his training, a glimpse into the true power of the Dar Metal.
In that moment, his glove pulsed with a new, intense energy. Zawish lifted his hand, and the winds around him began to calm. The energy of the Dar Metal surged through him like a tidal wave, filling him with strength he had never known.
"Enough!" Zawish roared, his voice a force of nature. "I will not let you destroy this world!"
With a flash of light, Zawish shot toward Karnok at impossible speeds. This time, when he struck, there was no hesitation. His fist collided with Karnok's chest, and the impact shattered the villain's armor like brittle glass. The punch continued, bypassing the armor, and for the first time, Karnok's eyes widened in shock.
"No…" Karnok gasped, as Zawish's hand plunged into his chest, pulling out the beating heart of the ancient god.
Zawish stood over the fallen Karnok, his chest heaving with the exertion of battle. The air around him crackled with energy, but there was no joy in his victory. Karnok's lifeless body lay at his feet, a symbol of the power that Zawish had just barely managed to defeat.
"It's over," Zawish muttered, but even as he said the words, a deep unease settled in his gut.
Karnok had known something about him — about the Dar Metal. The words that haunted him echoed in his mind:
"The chosen one…"
Zawish turned, disappearing into the shadows once more. He had won, but the war was far from over. The true enemy had not yet revealed itself.
End of chapter 3