Inferos was seated atop his throne when the sky shook. He felt the unique surge of power that could only mean an empyrian had met its demise. The power coursed through the vast sky and then reached the molten ground below. He felt no remorse for his former kin, nor did he feel any wrath towards the slayer.

Feelings were a foreign concept to a former empyrian like him. Unlike their demonic counterparts from the void they never desired nor wanted. Their reason for existence was that they existed and vice versa. A concept utterly foreign to most other races.

It felt like an eternity had passed since the day Inferos assumed his current ethereal form, yet he still remembered it clearly. It was at the times when all beings rejoiced over obtaining souls of their own while also mourning the deaths of the aspects who created them. It was not long after time itself was born, during those times a young nameless empyrian was approached by the only true son of the mother of light, Lumen.

Inferos never desired any of this. Not the honour, not the immortality, not the name and not the consciousness. In the long years he adapted, learned to draw the little joy he could from his life. He faked smiles and pretended bliss, yet at times like these when death was near yet still barely beyond reach, he was filled with melancholy. He felt the fantastical power of his kin would soon enough impact this castle. He could stop it, but did not move, since his lord was present in Hell it was not currently his job to keep himself alive.

He touched the spark of Lumen in the middle of his forehead. The glittering gem that was a mark of all empyrians. It was so warm whenever Ignis Lumen was present, as if the gem wanted to relay through him the affection of a mother, perhaps the one thing Inferos was jealous of as he delved with his mind into the cycle of reincarnation, searching. That was his current task. He spent almost all his time lately searching, looking for the perfect vessel his lord could use.

As the pressure above became crushing he suddenly found it. He found exactly what he was looking for and more.

Inferos opened his eyes and looked at the close flaming sphere that melted a large chunk of his tower's wall; he was, however, completely unfazed. When his death failed to arrive in the next moment he realised the empyrian's remnant was no longer moving, instead something held it midair. Inferos looked down and as he expected, Ignis Lumen stood there, his arm with open palm raised towards the flame sphere. Then he clutched that palm and the blazing sphere vanished, all that was left behind was a single dim yellow gem that fell to the ground and shattered with melancholy only Inferos felt.

“Second one,” Inferos spoke “that is not a coincidence.”

“I am aware, but I already dealt with the cause before rushing here. How is the search going?” the situation was not entirely explained by Ignis Lumen, but Inferos was not of the curious bunch. Since it was already dealt with there was no reason to bother himself any further.

“In fact I just found it, the perfect vessel you asked for and I even found something extra," Inferos instead relayed the joyous, although unexpected news.

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“Really? Elaborate," Ignis Lumen had perfect control over his visage, but despite the deadpan expression Inferos was sure that his lord was at least slightly excited.

“Besides a body with highest fire and light affinity that you requested, I also found one with perfect fire and void affinity, both due to be born in a bit over eight months,” Inferso spoke words he himself considered nigh unbelivable.

“2 appeared at the same time? That has never happened before,” that naturally immediately cause slight doubts.

“It may seem unlikely, but I have enough experience to be certain about what I found.”

“I trust your judgement, I am just slightly surprised, but at least I don't have to wait for several decades like I expected. Since that is the case I will depart immediately, the rebellion is now without its mastermind and should gradually disperse if you give it a little push.”

“Before I sent you on your way,” Inferos decided to for the first time in millenia indulge his curiosity “it is almost over, isn't it?” he asked, making it clear that he had a request if that was the case.

Ignis Lumen was silent for a short while, looking at Inferos curiously before he spoke.

“Yes, or at least I believe that the end is nigh. It is very possible that I will not return here, or at least not in this ghastly form. What is it you desire for those many years of service? I will grant you anything within my power.”

Desire. He truly did desire something. That is something that should not be possible for an empyrian like him, yet there was clearly one thing he wanted from his very core.

“I only have one wish. I wish to return to the times before you chose me, to reincarnate without the burden of my memories and become just one nameless star among the many upon the vast sky.”

“Do you really wish to forsake the countless years of your life, to forget everything since and from before the beginning of time?” death was far from a common wish and naturally piqued curiosity.

“Yes, just the fact that I wish for something means that I had stranded from the right path,” Inferso would, however, not be swayed by such a simple question. 

“You created something you lacked, how can that be considered wrong when creation was once the essence of everything. In creating something considered impossible you become nearer to the aspects than any other empyrian.”

This made Inferos pause, perhaps he was wrong, but even if that was the case his conviction remained unshook: “Whether or not that is true, my wish remains firm.”

“Alright, although I disagree I will not deny you this one thing. Should I finally succeed in my own quest I shall personally fulfill this wish of yours,” Ignis Lumen eventually agreed. Despite his opinions the son of Lumen knew gratefulness, or at least gratefulness to those who he met before... no, it was wrong for Inferos to have doubts like this so he simply supressed them.

There was a while of silence before Inferos spoke again “Thank you. I shall begin your reincarnation now.”

Ignis Lumen nodded, and suddenly his features became less distinct, then even less and then once again even less until he no longer even looked like a soul, but like a small sphere. The process before reincarnation was to use multiple seals on one's soul in order to not obliterate the new vessel right upon transference, Ignis Lumen was undergoing exactly that.

Inferos jumped down, walked closer and raised both his hands above the sphere. Then he fully focused, guiding it deep underground on the way to reincarnate, he quickly found the perfect vessel Ignis Lumen requested and merged the two into one. It was a lengthy and exhausting process, when Inferos was finally done he wearily jumped back into the throne room through the hole and sat back on his throne, closing his eyes and falling into a rare slumber.

Soon enough he might just be able to finally truly rest.