The feast ended a few hours just before dawn. Servants arrived to clean everything up just as the guests started leaving. Cultivator Willow, Senior Brother Kayden, Senior Sister Eliana, and Senior Sister Zenia invited me back to the latter’s estate, in order to continue drinking, but I felt melancholic and wanted to be alone. I declined the invitation. However, I didn’t miss the disappointment in Cultivator Willow’s eyes. Despite this, she took me aside when I made to leave the feast and brought me somewhere private.

“Is something wrong, Cultivator Darian?” she asked, concerned. “You seem troubled.”

I took a moment before responding.

“I never thought about it before,” I said, “What it means to be a divine demon.”

Cultivator Willow gave me a solemn nod.

“I understand.” she said in a soft voice. “We are given much, and much is asked of us in return.”

I nodded. She understood. I knew she would, since she was also a divine demon.

“I’m afraid of failing and letting everyone down.” I said. “In the future, my actions will affect the lives of countless others and I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

Cultivator Willow smiled.

“I feel the same way.” She said. “It’s a good thing we have time to grow into it, isn’t it?” She gave me a light punch on the shoulder. “For now, all we have to worry about is advancing our cultivation and growing stronger. We can worry about everything later, when we’re more powerful.”

I gave her a smile in return.

“Thank you.” I said.

“If you want to thank me, why don’t you join me and the others at Cultivator Zenia’s abode?” Cultivator Willow asked. “The night is still young, and so are we.”

It was impossible to miss the invitation in her eyes. She was talking about something other than drinking.

“It’s almost dawn.” I pointed out.

Cultivator Willow snorted.

“And?” She asked. “Join us anyway. It won’t be the same without you.”

She leaned in closer. Her scent filled my nose: earthy but in a pleasant way.

“Not tonight.” I said, shaking my head. “There’s someone I need to discuss things with first before I take things further with you or anyone else.”

After my encounter with Cultivator Jasmine, I realized that if I didn’t impose any restrictions on myself, my behavior would spiral out of control. To that end, I decided not to take any more lovers until I discussed it with my current ones. Otherwise, I would end up as nothing more than a scoundrel who only cared about his own pleasure.

“You mean that snake spirit beast servant of yours?” Cultivator Willow asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I blinked at her in surprise.

“You know about her?” I asked.

Cultivator Willow scoffed and shook her head.

“Of course,” she said, “When you first said that you intend to have more than one wife, I made some inquiries. I wanted to know who my competition was. It wasn’t difficult to find out about your relationship with her. You two weren’t subtle.”

Fair enough.

“I don’t want to take her for granted and act without considering her feelings.” I explained.

Which was why I planned on asking Ellen for forgiveness when it came to Cultivator Jasmine, even if the latter didn’t end up becoming my lover.

“Nor do I want to take you or the others for granted either.” I continued. “Honestly, I’m surprised that you’re still interested in me despite everything.”

Cultivator Willow sighed.

“That’s because I’m a stubborn fool.” She said. “However, while I’m willing to wait some more and give you time to make up your mind, I won’t wait forever. I can’t speak for Cultivator Harlow or that junior sister of yours, but I will not allow anyone to toy with my heart.” She smiled, which took the sting out of her words. “I value our friendship, and regardless of whether or not we become lovers, that will never change.”

“Once again, thank you.” I said. “I mean it. You’re a better friend than I deserve.”

Cultivator Willow snorted.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she said, “One way or another, I’m going to make you pay me back, for making me wait so long.” She grinned. “For now, I’ll give you a taste of what you’re missing out on.”

Before I could react, Cultivator Willow grabbed me by the shoulders and kissed me on the lips. We must have made for an interesting sight, considering how much she towered over me. Cultivator Willow was rough and unskilled, at least compared to Ellen and Cultivator Jasmine, but she made up for it with raw passion. When we pulled apart, I felt dazed and out of breath. Cultivator Willow fled before I recovered, her face beet red.

After I regained my composure, and my breath, I turned to leave. However, I froze when I caught sight of Elliot. He stood nearby, an inscrutable expression on his face. I felt guilty, though I didn’t know if it was because of the kiss itself or because my lover’s brother caught me kissing another woman.

“Shall we head back, Young Master?” Elliot asked.

“Elliot, I…” I started to say, before trailing off.

What could I say? While I was sure that Ellen would forgive me, I couldn’t take that for granted. I couldn’t take her for granted. There was a difference between having more than one wife, and being unfaithful.

“It is not a servant’s place to question his master, Young Master,” Elliot said, “However, as Ellen’s brother, I must ask this. Do you love and respect my sister?”

I nodded.

“Yes.” I said in a firm voice.

“Good.” He shook his head. “Ellen knew what she was getting into when she chose to be with you, and you made your intentions clear from the beginning.” He paused. “That said, I support your plan to include Ellen in your decisions going forward.”

I winced.

“You heard that?”

Elliot nodded. I sighed.

“I have a few things I need to ask her forgiveness for.” I said.

Elliot raised an eyebrow at me.

“If you want, I could give you a good thrashing, Young Master.” he said, a hint of excitement in his voice “That might alleviate your guilt.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Why did you sound far too eager when you made that suggestion?” I asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Young Master.” Elliot said with faux innocence. “You must be imagining things.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

I snorted in disbelief, but I didn’t say anything. After all, I was in the wrong here.

“Let’s return to my estate at Flame Fiend Peak.” I said, before pausing. “We can spar tomorrow, or later today depending on your perspective. I need to test out my new strength.”

I placed special emphasis on the word spar. Elliot’s eyes lit up as he understood my meaning. I resisted the urge to sigh.

“Of course, Young Master.” Elliot said.

With that, he pulled a flying boat out of his storage ring and together the two of us flew back to Flame Fiend Peak.

----------------------------------------

After Elliot and I returned to my estate at Flame Fiend Peak, I found myself unable to sleep. I didn’t know if it was because of my new cultivation realm, or if it was because I was still worried about the burden of being a divine demon. Regardless, sleep eluded me.

Rather than lie in bed doing nothing, I decided to take a walk around the estate. Maybe that would clear my mind. I met Elliot as soon as I left my bedroom. He asked me if something was wrong, but I told him that I was fine. He looked like he didn’t believe me, but didn’t say a thing.

Taking a walk around the estate didn’t help. I still felt… I wasn’t sure how I felt. Worried? Anxious? Unsure of what my future held? A combination of all three? When it became clear that I wouldn’t fall asleep, I decided to grab a bottle of spirit wine and head to the roof of my estate to watch the sunrise.

However, when I made it up there, I realized the error of my ways. The silent, but furious, storm clouds still covered the skies above Flame Fiend Peak. That somehow slipped my mind. I wouldn’t be able to see the sunrise from here. I let out a strangled sound of frustration. A moment later, I regained my composure and decided to make the best of it. While I wouldn’t see the sunrise, I still had a bottle of spirit wine and a good view around my estate.

Before I could open the bottle of spirit wine, a powerful force wrapped itself around my body and immobilized me. I tried to open my mouth to yell for help, but the force prevented me from speaking. Feeling more than a little panicked, I searched around for Elliot with my spirit sense to try and use telepathy. However, that didn’t work either. The spirit sense of a being far more powerful than me suppressed my own spirit sense. I was completely and utterly helpless.

As I tried to figure out what was going on and who was doing this to me, the force that immobilized me yanked me up into the air and dragged me towards the silent storm clouds that hovered above Flame Fiend Peak. As I drew closer to them, I struggled against the force that immobilized me. I hadn’t noticed it before, since I was always too far away, but the silent storm clouds emitted an immense physical and spiritual pressure. The closer I drew to them, the stronger the pressure. My intuition told me that if I entered those clouds, they would destroy me in body and soul.

It was all in vain. No matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t break free. It seemed that my end was inevitable. Despite this, I kept struggling to the very end. By the time I reached the storm clouds, the pressure they emitted was so strong that I couldn’t breath. I felt it crushing my entire being. My vision started to go dark. However, just as I entered the clouds, the force that immobilized me shifted and the pressure disappeared. Or rather, the force protected me from the pressure, allowing me to breathe again.

As I recovered my breath, the force continued dragging me into the storm clouds. Now that I was inside them, I saw flashes of light coming from inside their depths. They appeared and disappeared within the blink of an eye. One drew close to me, and I saw that the lights were a combination of both lightning and fire. It seemed to contain profound truths hidden within its depth. I tried to take a closer look, but the lightning/fire disappeared before I could.

More and more of these lights appeared and disappeared around me. Every time I saw one, I tried to comprehend the truths it contained. However, I couldn’t. Either my cultivation realm was too low, my understanding of the world was too shallow, or both. That didn’t stop me from trying. I couldn’t do anything about my current situation, so I might as well make the best of it.

Soon, the force dragging me brought me above the clouds, revealing the night sky above. The sudden transition caught me off guard. I sucked in a breath when I caught sight of the cosmos. The stars and other celestial bodies seemed cleared and closer than ever before. I stared at them entranced.

My soul stirred inside me. Since I practiced Soul of Divine Fire, my soul was akin to a nascent star. Seeing the cosmos in their full glory ignited a longing inside me. I wanted to join all the other stars in the heavens above, shining and shimmering. The force continued to drag me in a certain direction, but I was too focused on the cosmos to pay attention. However, I soon caught sight of something along the periphery of my sight.

I turned and gaped when I saw a massive island floating in the sky. It sat atop the silent storm clouds, as if the latter were a roiling and writhing sea. I guessed that the island was about several times the width of Flame Fiend Peak. It was made from some kind of black stone with golden streaks running through it.

In the middle of the island stood a grand and terrifying palace, which rivaled Flame Fiend Peak in size. It had a black, red, and gold color scheme. It looked like the home of some kind of demon king. Thousands of golden lights floated in the air around the palace, illuminating it. A staggering number of defensive formations protected it, with a massive black gate serving as the only way in or out. Next to the gate sat a jagged mountain, which I found odd. Other than the palace, it was the only feature in the area. The rest of the island was flat.

The force that immobilized me dragged me to the gate and dropped me on the ground in front of it. Somehow, I managed to stay on my feet. The force remained, however. It protected me from the immense pressure that the palace and the island exuded. Even with the force’s protection, I still felt it. The pressure I felt just before I entered the clouds was nothing in comparison. It was like comparing the weight of a pebble to the weight of a mountain. If it hadn’t been for the force protecting me, I would have died long before this point.

I looked around for a bit. Other than the palace and the jagged mountain, there was nothing around me. The ground was flat and smooth stone. I turned my attention back to the palace, or rather, at the gate leading to the palace. It stood several times my height, tall and imposing. I felt like an ant in comparison.

Someone or something brought me here for a reason. I assumed they meant me no harm. Given their power, they could have snuffed my life out with ease. That said, it didn’t hurt to be cautious. For a moment, I considered running towards the edge of the island and jumping off. However, I discarded that notion right away. Even if the force let me go, I still had to contend with the pressure that this place emitted. The force protected me from it. If the force stopped… Well, no more Darian.

“Hello?” I called out towards the gate. “Is anyone here?”

I received no answer.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Why did you bring me here?”

Again, I received no answer. I started to get annoyed. Someone or something brought me here, but now they ignored me. Well, not quite. The force still protected me. Still, at the very least they could’ve given me some kind of sign of their intentions instead of leaving me to flounder around on my own.

I walked over to the gate to try and push it open. It was like trying to move a mountain. The gate refused to budge. I pulled at it, wondering if that would make a difference, and got the same result.

“Why did you bring me here if you were just going to ignore me?” I demanded, more than a little annoyed.

Perhaps it was foolish of me to act like this, considering the circumstances, but I wasn’t wrong. I didn’t come here. Someone brought me. Just as I opened my mouth to say something else, I heard a scraping sound. I whirled around and took a stance, ready for an ambush. I would fight to the end, even if my efforts ended in vain. Yet, I saw nothing and no one. Well, there was the jagged mountain. I studied it, wondering if the scraping sound came from there.

The jagged mountain stood almost as tall as the gate. The longer I looked at it, the more I realized that there was something odd about it. It didn’t look like any other mountain I had ever seen before. Other than the few sharp and jagged peaks protruding from it, the rest of the mountain seemed… round, for lack of a better word. Its surface gleamed. Like the rest of the island, it was black and gold.

Despite my wariness, I moved towards the mountain to take a closer look. I studied its surface and realized that it was made from countless black and gold stones that formed some kind of pattern. I frowned. The pattern seemed familiar. It reminded me of my scales, which were also black and gold.

My eyes widened when I realized that the black and gold stones weren’t stones at all. They were scales. I started to pant. That meant that this jagged mountain wasn’t a mountain. It was a living creature. I heard the scraping sound again and looked up just as a part of the jagged moun–the creature split open, revealing a giant golden eye.

The ground around me shook as the massive creature moved and unfurled its body. With each step it took, the island trembled. I scrambled backwards, before falling on my behind. Unable to move any further, I stared at the creature as it revealed its true size. When it finished unfurling, it exceeded the black gate in height.

The creature looked like a cross between a lion and a dragon. It stood on all fours, with wicked looking claws at the end of each leg. Black and gold scales covered its thick and powerful body. Spikes ran along its spine. A mane of golden fire wrapped around its neck. The jagged peaks turned out to be two massive horns protruded from the creature’s forehead. Its face was a mix of draconic and leonine features. The creature yawned, revealing a maw filled with sharp teeth. After it finished yawning, it stared down at me with golden eyes. Its pupils were black slits.

I stared up at the creature, filled with terror and awe. It looked like some legendary demon beast, one that brought death and destruction wherever it went. It was powerful and domineering, yet also majestic and noble. There was something familiar about the creature. I had seen it before, though I couldn’t quite recall where.

As I stared up at it, the creature stared down at me. It seemed… amused? I couldn’t tell for sure, since it was difficult to read its features. Regardless, I didn’t think it meant me harm. My intuition told me that this creature was one who brought me here.

The clues started to come together in my head. This creature lived in, or at least near, a palace that floated in the skies above Flame Fiend Peak. Not only that, but its scales looked similar to mine. Rather, mine looked similar to its. With all that in mind, it didn’t take me long to figure out who this creature was. My breath caught in my throat.

Now I remembered where I saw this creature. Back when I first joined Flame Fiend Hall, after I went through the Crucible of Flames, I remained unconscious for three weeks. During those three weeks, I dreamed of a beast that helped me with my physical refinement. After I woke up, I meant to ask my sisters about the beast but it slipped my mind and I forgot about the dream altogether.

Seeing the creature before me now brought the memories of the dream back in full force. In particular, I focused on the words it spoke after it helped me.

A gift, my child.

If I was right, then this creature was Nova, my mother and the hall master of Flame Fiend Hall.