Chapter 268 - Nathan Evenhart and Jormungandr

Nathan Evenhart:

“They are demons…” a deep voice whispered beside me. I turned, only to find the orange glow of the eyes of the massive serpent that inhabited my soul. “That’s what the ‘Illuminated’ really are. They are not gods. They are demonic beings.”

I continued to stare at the three giant figures with red eyes. As the shadows dissipated, I saw two more thrones, but they were empty.

“I’m here, my lords,” said a smaller dark figure, the only visible part of it being its two vibrant pink eyes.

“This is just an echo of what happened… it’s safe to observe…” the voice of the serpent echoed once more throughout the space.

I watched the interaction, intrigued.

One of them brought its massive finger to the woman, and a drop of black liquid dripped from it, falling and condensing in her hand, transforming into a black stone. The same stone the dragon-serpent had told me to destroy. I was witnessing the moment that had been recorded in that stone.

After that, the memory faded, leaving only darkness.

“Demons…” I murmured, intrigued.

Was I truly sent to a hell? If the world I was reborn into is my hell… then I’ve just found the demons of this place…

Only two yellow-orange glows remained in that darkness. I knew it was the giant serpent. She was there.

“Explain to me what those creatures are,” I said.

“They are called many names: Darkness, Demons, Illuminated, Ancient Evil… or Nidhogg.”

I tried to reason through this.

“Why did you make me destroy that entire ‘temple’? Why make me kill Nikolaus Wolves and destroy the stone he held? I could’ve tortured him until I knew everything I needed, then killed him.”

A laugh echoed.

“You’re quite hasty. For years, this has been one of the few moments we could have a conversation, and you just want answers…” said the orange eyes with a hint of humor in their voice.

“I don’t care. You made me take a hasty action, but you assured me I’d get my answers. I’m here demanding those answers.”

A crushing weight descended upon me, as if gravity itself was trying to force me to the ground. The murderous intensity of it was absurd.

“Enough! This doesn’t work!” I shouted, struggling to remain standing against that relentless pressure. Suddenly, the force ceased.

A soft laugh echoed around me. Slowly, the two eyes approached from the shadows, revealing a monstrous serpent with a face that resembled a dragon’s.

“It was just my welcome gift, bearer. As always, you’re not afraid of me… intriguing,” said the creature. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other ‘personally’.”

The serpent was gigantic, yet its size somehow made it feel close.

“Call me Jormungandr,” it said. “That’s one of my many names, or you can call me the Destroyer of Water, or the most beautiful serpent that ever existed,” it said with a laugh.

“Don’t stall,” I said, staring at the immense serpent. “I stopped interrogating Nikolaus Wolves because of you. I want the answers you promised me. What was that scene I saw? Explain what you know about the Nidhogg.”

The serpent burst into laughter, a deep sound that reverberated through the darkness.

“No one has ever spoken to me like that,” Jormungandr said, still laughing. “No other bearer has dared treat me with such disdain. They all called me ‘lord’, ‘honorable’, or ‘magnanimous’.”

“I don’t care about your opinion or the opinions of the other bearers. I want the answers you promised,” I said.

The creature stared at me with its orange eyes and then started laughing again.

"Ah, ah," it said, laughing between words. "Let me tell you something interesting first... this place, where we are, is your soul. This darkness is yours," it said, with a more serious tone.

I looked around, facing the vast emptiness that surrounded us.

"I thought it might be..." I murmured. The endless, dense, and impenetrable darkness around me felt infinite.

"I'm not complaining. I like dark places," the serpent added, showing a slight smile. "But, before we change the subject, I need to tell you something: you almost killed yourself trying to make your lightning turn purple. Don't do that unless necessary. It brought you to the brink of death. If there's no one to help you or if, by chance, the spell demands a higher price... you'll die."

I remained silent, reflecting on his words. I still hadn't found a way to fully control those purple lightning bolts, but I used that power to reduce everything to ashes in that place. Not just Nikolaus Wolves, but the temple, the creatures, the entire dungeon. I destroyed it all.

"There's another important point: you've reached the critical limit in the use of your special eyes. Don't use them more than necessary. I managed to heal your vision, but the wear and tear remains. Their power comes at a price, and if abused, it can lead to blindness and the permanent shutdown of your abilities. Your power drains the eyes seven times faster due to the elemental diversity they carry. So, save them. Use them only in future battles; you'll need them," he told me.

"I understand... I didn't know they wore out that quickly. My teacher is almost two hundred years old, and she's not blind. I thought I'd live until I died of old age with my eyes still working..." I said, still trying to process all the information.

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"Stop training the Celestial Aspects," he warned firmly, with a seriousness that sent a chill down my spine. "Or you will die."

That left me unsettled. "But why? What do you mean, die?"

Jormungandr moved closer to me. "The Special Eyes use your mana to function, but they are also a physical part of your body, which wears out over time, like any organ. They consume the longevity of your eyes, and that’s why blindness can occur. But what do you think the Celestial Eyes consume?"

A chill ran through my body, and then I understood. "Lifespan..." I murmured.

"Exactly." The serpent's voice reverberated. "Every time you used the Celestial Eyes, they devoured days from your life. More precisely, the longevity of your soul. You are not like that dragon-girl you know. Her soul and mana are one, so she can regenerate. But you are 'human'; your soul and mana are separate. These eyes are not compatible with you. As the Celestial Eyes devour your soul, your lifespan is shortened; your soul does not regenerate."

I was stunned. "It was almost five years... training with the Celestial Eyes..." I began to say, feeling the weight of the revelation. "How much life have I lost?"

Jormungandr watched me for a moment. "Hmm... it took a few years for you to master them to the point where they started actively feeding on your soul. And as your mastery increased, the more your life was devoured. But in that time, you also grew stronger. Don't worry too much; you still came out ahead. The years you lost were 'extra'. You'll continue to live longer than an average human, thanks to the awakening of your elven blood."

I processed those words in silence. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"I live in a dormant state," Jormungandr explained. "Rarely am I conscious. My voice couldn't reach you. Even in the times I woke up, it was only for seconds, insufficient to explain something so complex, and for you to hear me. Now, after you've awakened the Aspect of Life, we can have this brief conversation."

"By the way," he added, "my Aspect of Life is not compatible with your human body, so it also has limitations. That’s why, when you used it, your eyes turned orange. But don't use my power unnecessarily, or there will come a day when there won't be enough lifespan left to consume, and you... will die."

I understood that.

The Special Eyes drain the life of my eyes, and the Celestial Eyes drain my life... It seems I won't be using them anymore, unless it's absolutely necessary. I need to save that power for the future.

"Now let's talk about the demons," I announced, turning my attention back to the giant serpent.

"Before we begin, I’ll reinforce something: you are the bearer, so I cannot lie to you. If I lie, I would be breaking the original agreement that allows me to exist. But understand that there are things I will not reveal. Just as you have difficulty speaking about your past, I have the same difficulty when it comes to mine. What do you want to know about the figures you saw?"

"Everything. Especially why I had to destroy that black stone," I replied.

"The black stone was a direct channel to the beings you call 'The Illuminated’. When I practically 'begged' you to kill Nikolaus Wolves and destroy the stone, it was to prevent the demons or their subordinates on the other side from discovering your identity. Have you considered the danger these dark beings represent? If they knew you were the bearer of my eyes, they would come after you and your family."

"I need to know more. How dangerous are they? Is any negotiation possible? What are their goals? I just want peace."

He laughed, a sound that echoed in the darkness. "There's no negotiating with them. If they offer something, always be suspicious. Manipulating is in their nature. I had you destroy everything so they wouldn't see you, but I can tell you this: if the 'Illuminated' were involved with Nikolaus, a great conflict is about to unfold."

His words resonated in my mind, like the prophecy Sisika had given me.

"What do you mean, a great conflict?" I asked, uneasy.

The serpent sighed, its gaze heavy upon me. "All I can tell you is that these creatures operate in the shadows, on every side of a war. They play with the desires of the living, manipulate their hearts, and use that to control them. They appear when chaos has settled, when everyone is most vulnerable. If these beings are in contact with humans, know this: at some point, a great conflict will arise. They wait for the right time to act."

His words weighed heavily on my soul as I thought about the people I loved.

"Is there any way to prevent this great conflict? Maybe by going after other followers?" I suggested, searching for a glimmer of hope.

"No," the giant serpent responded coldly. "If you cut off one head, two will grow back. Trying to put out a fire will only make it spread elsewhere. Plug a hole in the ship, and another will appear soon enough. Do you think you can contain the ocean's water with your hands?"

I sighed. "No..."

"That's how they play," he continued. "If you go after one of their servants, it won't make a difference. They have many agents scattered around. It's even possible that Nikolaus Wolves' downfall was part of their plans. They are always a step ahead. There’s no stopping them, only preparing for when they act again. And, at some point… they will come for your world."

"And where do they live? Where is the place they are?" I asked, eager for answers.

"Now is not the time for you to know..." he said.

I let out a bitter laugh. "Are you kidding me?"

"My silence on certain matters is a way to protect you. Don't you realize that these eyes you have, that woman... Sisika... she gave them to you because she wanted to, not because you were chosen to bear them? If, at any point, her people come to you, I’d rather they tell you what you need to know. I say this for your own good... one day you’ll find out why I still exist."

I sighed. Pushing the issue further wouldn’t lead anywhere. I needed to make the most of the remaining conversation to learn more about the demons.

“How strong are these three demons?” I asked.

“They’re strong to the point where you wouldn’t even be able to approach them,” Jormungandr said. “But the most dangerous is the one they serve…”

If such powerful beings were vassals to someone, it meant there was something even more terrifying, strong enough not to submit to those three creatures.

I remembered the two empty thrones I had seen. “Do those... things serve someone?”

“The being they serve... I’d rather not talk about it,” the serpent replied. “But know that it is the most dangerous of them all. The darkness you saw manipulating the one-eyed man and the man with the hammer... it is him. A born manipulator, a trickster. Someone I knew. I can only tell you that…”

“Did you fight him?” I ventured, searching for a glimmer of hope.

The serpent stared at me for a moment before beginning to blend into the darkness. “Our conversation is over, boy.”

“Wait!” I shouted, trying to follow her, but she moved too quickly.

“I’m sorry, bearer,” she said, her voice echoing in the gloom. “I’ve already said more than I should. Like you, I don’t like revisiting the past. But I gave you information beyond what was in that temple or what Nikolaus Wolves could have told you. Be careful... the servants of Nidhogg might be around. In fact, I think there’s one in the academy where you study; at some point, I sensed a peculiar scent in someone you know, but that presence quickly disappeared.”

Someone I know is a servant of the demons? Who could it be?

The serpent retreated back into the darkness, and I could only see the glow of her eyes. I felt the connection break, Jormungandr’s presence slipping away.

“Wait! And those two men? Who were they? And why were you by the side of the man with the hammer in that image on the wall?”

She paused, her voice heavy as it reverberated around me:

“I was fighting the man with the hammer. He is my... arch-enemy. Someone who was once an old friend, but I don’t want to talk about him. As for the one with the eye patch, surrounded by birds, he was someone who fell in the ancient battle against the darkness. But you... you are connected to him.”

“Connected how?”

“Well... the same scent from the one with the eye patch is on your ‘soul wife’. They are relatives. And the birds... you know what they are, one of the peoples of the ‘ancient civilization.’”

“Connected to Cylla? Explain more” I tried to insist, taking another step forward.

But the darkness shifted and began to collapse, becoming even denser.

“Be careful with the man with the hammer,” she warned, her voice echoing like a final echo. “If he learns that you have my eyes, he will try to kill you. He is extremely dangerous... and also a thunder user.”

With one last breath of her presence, I was thrown out of that deep darkness, expelled back into reality.