Part 1 –
Exrite suddenly shot up from his slumber with an outstretched hand. When he failed to grasp anything, reality quickly settled in as his shoulders sunk.
What was that?
He shivered, drenched in cold sweat. Morning had still yet to arrive. Only darkness remained beyond the giant windows. As his hands fell in front of him, he glanced around the room to ensure he was alone.
He confirmed that no one was here, save for the lonely shelves that housed his belongings.
“… was that Uru…?”
A silent utter of the Demon’s name left as naturally as his heavy breaths.
The cryptic dream left his thoughts in disarray. It had been a while since such a strange dream had come to haunt him. More precisely, the last time he experienced anything like it was two weeks ago during their return from the mountains.
And like that time, he felt as if he was in the body of a dark-skinned being. But unlike then, he realised that it was Uru’s body. The dream was strange, riddled with bizzare figures who spoke in unrecognisable whispers. However, it was the ending that truly rocked him to his core.
He caught a glimpse of a small clock above the door. It was still far from daybreak.
I need some fresh air to think this through…
The sweat and his obnoxious heart rhythm made it impossible to relax, let alone return to sleep. Pondering on this matter within this confinement would undoubtably suffocate him. He wanted to mitigate any risk of the Eye of Despair from manifesting, even if it had been dormant for the last two weeks.
He promptly threw the thick covers off and began to dress himself appropriately for the chilly stroll around the Capital. Trousers and a shirt would be all he needed, but he hovered his gaze over a thick coat.
A few days ago, Frosty gave it to him since he never wore anything remotely warm even on the coldest nights. It was a gift to remind him to take care of himself properly, no matter how trivial it seemed.
He warmly smiled and wore it over his pale shirt. The black trench coat was a perfect fit, although he wished that the hems were shorter. It didn’t quite reach his knees, but it felt longer than it needed to be.
That aside, his eyes fell onto himself in the mirror. He could’ve been imagining it, but he looked slightly taller than before. Not enough for others to notice, however.
Then, his focus drew to his eyes.
It’s changing, huh. Strange. This never happened with the Eye of Despair… Maybe it’s tied to how long I’ve been alive with it? I’ll have to ask Gaia when I get the chance.
The light blue iris of the Eye of Hope had a peculiar appearance. It wasn’t exactly round like his other eye nor did it resemble any specific shape. He believed it was in the process of changing. Into what exactly, was uncertain.
However – he remembered Gaia’s eye.
If the iris were to morph into anything; it’d likely be in the shape of a gear.
The thought stuck with him for some time as he quietly left his room. Through the silent, golden hallway and the spacious vertic-ports, he eventually found himself on the first floor.
The beauty of the floor brought a smile to his face.
‘Benevolent’ could only begin to describe this place. It was vast place that contained four intersecting hallways which led to the open vertic-port he stood on.
Not a single shadow was cast in this place. Many orbs of light hung from silver poles high above the hallways and along the many thick pillars which carried this mighty castle.
He moved into one of the hallways and was greeted by one of the standby White Knights.
“You’re up awfully late. Can’t sleep, can you?” He clearly spoke through his metal visor. “Well who can blame you after everything the Guild Master’s been putting you through.”
“I’m fine with it. But don’t you White Knights go through something tougher?” Exrite stopped before him with a small smile.
“Not like that! Aha! We’re not pushed to break our bodies like yourself.” He laughed as another knight joined in.
“We’re drilled with a strong mind before a strong body.” A female White Knight firmly knocked on her helmet. “You out for a stroll or something?”
“Yeah. I just need some fresh air.”
“ – Ah! Apologies for interrupting you then. You see, it gets quite boring during guard duty. Well, best be on your way then, companion of the Exrenity!”
“Fool! It’s Exrite! Have you not remembered his name already!?” The female knight hissed and smacked his back with an armoured hand.
Exrite became quite well known by many of the knights ever since he undertook Anoma’s training. His hard work and relentless struggle against the Guild Master was like a beacon of an inextinguishable fire, and served to motivate them in their daily routines.
It reminded many of Kalis’ journey on becoming the first Greater White Knight.
For Exrite, it was flattering but also something he didn’t really want. After all, being well known was actually a detriment to him. Truebirth was one of the many kingdoms that regularly traded with Enthile through airships, so there was someone bound to recognise his face.
The only thing that protected him from further suspicion was his name. Although if the time came and someone were to try to bring him back to Enthile–
He’d kill them without a second thought.
Amid the knight’s humorous groan, a voice suddenly spoke from behind them.
“I see that the guards on night watch are doing their jobs properly.” It was a voice of authority, yet it held a tinge of kindness.
The two guards quickly split off to the sides and erected themselves to the best of their ability. Anything less would be a disrespect to the benevolent man who had entered the grand hallway.
Upon their parting, Exrite pleasantly smiled as his eyes met with the kind King’s. His appearance surprised Exrite, as he wondered what Inclark would be doing at this time.
“Oh? A pleasure seeing you here, young Exrite.” Inclark greeted as he stopped before him, wearing a gentle smile.
“Likewise, your maj– I mean, Inclark.” Exrite quickly recorrected himself as the old king lightly laughed.
He was still careful around the king. Not in the sense of the possibility of betrayal, but more so to avoid coming across as disrespectful. The King had already given so much to him and his companions.
And not to mention the efforts he put into running this kingdom. From the darkened bags beneath his eyes to his seemingly ungroomed beard; they were all proof of the many late nights he spent tirelessly working for the sake of his people.
They briefly continued their exchanged in a semi-formal manner. After all, the king was a busy man and had places he needed to be.
But before they parted, the King’s interest piqued as he carefully studied Exrite’s physique.
“– You’ve grown taller, I see. Well, carry on with your stroll. May the Gods further bless you on your perilous task.” He excused himself and walked past Exrite with a satisfied face. “Farewell, Exrite and goodbye, Rondo and Jae.”
The knights stiffened in shock when they heard the King personally say their name. So much so, that their mouths failed to utter a response.
“Likewise, Inclark. Please get some rest.”
A warm sensation surged within Exrite. Only the King had noticed his slight height difference. Such a small thing spoke volumes of the King’s compassion and genuine interest in others.
Unlike the wretched Kings of the Enthoric region – including his father – Inclark was nothing but kind and genuine.
“Oh, and have a look at the gardens while you’re outside. The gardeners did a fantastic job planting the new fruit trees.”
Inclark sounded proud of their work.
But Exrite wondered whether any gardeners were awake at this time. He discretely glanced back at the departing King and noticed a discrepancy in his words.
Because when his eyes fell onto Inclark’s hands, he found the remains of dirt and soil.
* * *
The Capital was uncharacteristically quiet during this time of the night. Exrite wandered the near empty roads like a clueless ghost. He let his legs carry him around, never knowing where he might end up.
But it didn’t matter. The stroll was quite calming, and he saved most of his focus on the dream he had.
The cold breeze would tickle his cheeks and send his coat a flutter. The occasional carriage would continue to roam at this time, along with a heavy patrol of soldiers. Any adventurers he came across seemed to be in close cooperation with them.
Whether it was because of a job they undertook from the Guild or stemmed from a sense of duty wasn’t something he was particularly concerned about. It was only natural for people to stand guard at this time, particularly in the time of war.
As a side thought – he was glad that no one was being murdered on the streets. Once again, he compared Truebirth with Enthile.
He sighed. The warm mist brushed his face before it fizzled away. As he dug his hands into the warm pockets of the black coat, he uttered something.
“I have a bad feeling about this…”
The dream returned to him.
The vibrant events of Uru’s past unfolded like he was watching through a kaleidoscope. Except there, he felt every moment and every breath she took as if it were his own.
Every minute felt like an hour, although he didn’t mind.
Not until what happened at the very end.
Phase’s mother was Uru’s most beloved friend. Their history, according to the dream, went back as far as Uru’s childhood. Her character was beyond kind, particularly with children. However, at the end, she became miserable and incomprehensible.
As if wanting to die with what little sanity she had remaining, she asked her closest friend to kill her.
And there – for the first time – Exrite saw Uru hesitate.
She didn’t kill her. Or rather – she failed to.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to kill her beloved friend. It broke her into despair, and when she finally drove the last blow onto her – she heard the woman’s final words.
“… betrayer…”
The accompanying wails of her daughter were like the cries of a banshee.
The dream ended there, just before Phase suddenly rushed at her mother.
But Exrite never heard the words from the dying woman.
In fact, it was Uru who said it as she read the woman’s lips.
However, Exrite read it as:
“I’m sorry.”
The wind howled. A dangerous premonition stirred his heart as he stared into the near vacant distance. As much as he wanted to travel to the mountains, he realised that he’d only get in the way and make matters worse.
His feet suddenly came to a halt. If he moved any further, then he would be unable to resist following Uru into the mountains. He couldn’t shake off the terrible feeling, and it was further amplified by his inherent weakness.
It left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth – but what could he do?
For now, he could only hope for the safety of both Phase and Uru.
Because the death of either would carry peerless consequences.
With his hands leaving his pockets, he looked up into the night sky and devoured the shimmering lights with contrasting eyes.
All it took was a misunderstanding to push the first set of dominoes. And after all this time, they continued to tumble.
But now – the finale was nearing, and the mountains were poised to house the ending of the chain.
* * *
Thick clouds gathered around the mountainous peaks. Dawn had just arrived, the creeping sun causing the sky to bleed a dark pink. The howls of the wind rivalled the noisy Bouldermites as they snagged any unsuspecting prey that strayed too closely to the giant water hole.
From the antlered rabbits to the fluffy hopping goats of the golden valley; all were prey to the giant boulder-like crabs. Even the birds that flew overhead sparked numerous Bouldermites to snap into the air.
No adventurer dared to tread this sanctuary. Not after what happened two weeks ago. Regardless, some few adventurers still ventured the outskirt plains.
But the very moment one tried to set foot in this place –
“Sleep.”
A child-like voice would echo throughout the valley. The command wielded an absolute authority. No mere human or corporeal being could ever dream of resisting such a powerful [Statement].
Even if the Spirit herself wasn’t very proficient with it – the power was more than enough to subdue the weak-willed adventurers.
Phase – the Spirit of Balance – remained on the sandy banks of the lake. The Bouldermites kept their distance from her, allowing her to have free reign of their lake. They were creatures without sapience, but just this once, they showed some sort of rational thinking.
Or perhaps it was an instinctual drive. Whatever it was, their judgement remained the same. They equally feared her like the Demon who previously landed in their lake.
“Dear, you know it’s not good to fight.”
A mature voice left the Spirt, who stared into her perfect reflection. The face of a mature-looking version of herself stared back, mimicking her every move.
“I know mom. I know.” She spoke back to the reflection with a child-like voice. “But this is different. This is for you, mom. I promise I’ll avenge you properly this time.”
Phase placed a cold hand against her own cheek.
“Stop it mom. I’m not a kid anymore.” She softly smiled and savoured the imaginary warmth.
The warmth that she remembered countless of years ago was exactly the same.
It was her mother’s body, after all.
Despite her appearance, Phase still had the mindset of a child. Normally, a spirit matures after the first two thousand years, but Phase was easily over six thousand.
Five thousand of those were spent in solitude, mostly with her mother. If it weren’t for her, then she would’ve broken long ago. Through thick and thin and the coldness of the dark place – her mother was always there beside her.
Phase’s fists painfully tightened in frustration.
“After everything you’ve done for her… why did she have to betray you like that?” Her childish voice was sombre as her gaze shifted to sands beneath. “I don’t understand…”
Her teeth suddenly clenched as she strove onto her feet.
“I don’t understand!”
The centre of the lake violently erupted. A column of water surged many meters into the air before it came crashing back down.
Every Bouldermite retreated from the shores and moved onto land, snapping into the air as if in irritation. It was noisy.
Too noisy.
“SHUT UP!” Phase yelled at the top of her lungs and threw a blue orb at one of the annoying crabs.
The orb exploded into countless of ethereal spears a mere meter away from the crab. Within an instant, the creature became unrecognisable chunks of meat and stony rubble.
While its grey blood thickly oozed from the light-blue spears, the girl frantically dropped to her knees.
“I-I’m sorry mom! I didn’t mean to kill it! Come back!” She cried, searching the lake for a calm surface but to no avail. “Please come back! I’ll be a good girl so please, come back!”
A hand was dearly held by the side of her face. The crabs had stopped snapping at this point and disappeared further inland. The mature-looking woman ran to the other side of the lake and tumbled onto her knees.
Grasping onto the fine grains of sand, she smiled again as she found a perfect reflection.
“Do you promise to be a good girl?”
“I promise!”
“Are you going to properly look after its soul?”
“I will!”
“And will you kill Zeluru to avenge me?”
“Of course!”
Her voice resounded in the golden valley.
A flock of birds left a nearby thicket, as if startled by her cry. Or, it was perhaps due to the presence of an approaching woman.
From the darkness of her flesh to the faint etchings across her body – it was Uru.
Her eyes returned to their jet-black colour, and her stark-naked body sent the surrounding wildlife in disarray. With every step she took, the scrunching of the grass became louder.
She was thoroughly prepared for Phase at any moment. Every trace of light across her body glowed a soft pale. Uru stopped a few meters away from the Spirit and sinisterly smiled.
“You’re disgusting, little Phase. I come eleven days later and you’re already insane.” She spat. “Maybe it’s why the Gods imprisoned you for so long.”
“… be quiet Zeluru.” The woman sharply retorted and slowly climbed back onto her feet. “You have no right to speak before the people you betrayed.”
Uru haughtily laughed in response. “Hahaha! Betray? I didn’t kill her in the end, little Phase. You did. You never listened to her, did you? Or maybe you just couldn’t accept that she wanted to di – “
“I SAID BE QUIET!”
The lake erupted once again.
And in that moment, two light blue swords appeared in both hands as she primed herself for combat. They were built like Frosty’s scythe, except they were exceptionally detailed and carried an unfathomable power.
Likewise, Uru’s claws shot from the tips of her fingers. She fiddled with them beside her face and snickered.
“You’ll fight me in your mother’s body? How fitting. Maybe this way I can finally grant her wish.”
Uru’s eyes gently closed as she muttered something.
“I’d rather kill you with her own hands, you traitor!” Phase dangerously pointed the tip of a sword her way. “I’ll kill you Zeluru! Mark my words; I’ll avenge my mom and rid you from Exrite’s side! I won’t allow someone like you to sway the Exrenity into corruption!”
Her spiteful words didn’t faze the Demon a single bit. Her complacent demeanour greatly contrasted Phase’s frantic, uncontained urge for battle. But to be perfectly honest – Uru wasn’t much different as well.
However, she realised that it’d be an uphill battle. Not because she wasn’t confident in her abilities to kill the Spirit. Not at all.
Instead, it was because of two things.
The first was Exrite’s wish to spare her, and the second –
Was that Phase’s mature body undoubtably belonged to her closest friend. It wasn’t simply a look-a-like; it was the real, physical body of her nameless friend.
The Spirit of Balance could harvest the souls and bodies of those they killed and become them. It was the reason why Phase killed her mother. Because in order to save her –
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She had to kill her.
The contradicting logic brought the Demon to smile in ridicule. Phase was no different from an ungrateful child, who only cared for her own desires. Her nameless friend’s countless years of torment was prolonged because of Phase’s selfish wish.
Uru vowed to not make the same mistake as she did in the past.
She had to kill Phase’s mother, whether she liked it or not.
“Very well then – “ Uru’s eyes slowly opened as she prepared an orb in her unclawed hand. “– You didn’t wait for nearly two weeks just to talk. Come and try to kill me then, you ungrateful brat!”
* * *
Part 2 –
A sudden explosion caused the surrounding mountains to tremble. In the valley where the sun had yet to bestow its light, another source of warmth emerged. It was a frighteningly powerful source of heat, one that left vast patches of charred grass in its wake.
And then – a more sinister impact of metal against metal resounded.
Uru zipped across the golden plains with frightening speed. Where Frosty excelled in short bursts, the Demon was unparalleled in sustained and prolonged movement.
Her initial explosive orb forced the two apart. But that didn’t matter. Uru would quickly close the countless of meters that separated them. The grass shredded beneath her fleeting figure as she rushed straight for the distant Phase with drawn claws.
The Spirit threw her swords into the air and pointed her hands forward. They floated and spun beside her, forming a make-shift magical circle that glowed with a violent blue light.
There, a brilliant javelin of light fired from each of the circles. One straight for Uru, and the other to the side of her. Before Uru could even smugly grin, she leapt to the side.
Those weren’t any ordinary javelins.
They exploded in an array of bladed fragments and weaponry. The place she was just at became riddled with serrated weapons. It was the same for the other javelin.
Uru’s momentum didn’t break despite the dodge however. She kept pressing forward with calm eyes. Phase clicked her tongue in annoyance. Those javelins were only the beginning of what resided within her arsenal.
Phase threw herself backwards, perfectly clutching onto the handles of her spinning blades as she held them in front of her face in the shape of a cross. It caught Uru’s heavy cleave well, but the impact left her skidding across the field.
The soil clumped behind her ankles as they were dragged into the ground.
“What’s wrong Phase? Don’t tell me this is everything you have?” Uru’s snicker caused the girl to clench her teeth.
“Shut up!”
Eight blue orbs suddenly surrounded Uru.
Before they could explode into dozens of ethereal weaponries, she dug her free hand straight into the girl’s stomach.
“– Urgh!”
She refrained from arching forward in pain.
The strike failed to penetrate the tough robes she wore, let alone her flesh.
In that time frame, she retreated as two orbs disappeared while the rest fired giant swords at where she just was. Phase’s concentration slightly derailed upon that strike, hence why only two of the orbs disappeared.
A constant stream of concentration was necessary for magic, even if it was a mere chant. However, had they fired any earlier, then it wouldn’t have mattered and Uru would’ve sustained a mortal injury.
The very thought caused the nonchalant Demon to devilishly grin.
“How weak. All it took was a mere scratch to make you lose focus.” Uru spoke with a vile tongue, intending to spark a reaction from the woman.
“ – I won’t lose to something like you!” Phase’s eyes became sharper than her swords. “I won’t let a monster like you betray anyone else!”
Uru’s delight sinisterly grew.
“Monster? If I’m a monster, then what are you? Did I – Uru Lust – come from Western Corozin like yourself? Don’t make me laugh. You reigned the Hallowed Gardens, killed countless and still wonder why the Children of Balance imprisoned you.”
Her words were intoxicating for the Spirit. What could a Demon like Uru possibly know about her? Phase became riled with rage when those words clicked within her mind.
They were tormenting and reminded her of a time without her mother.
Not the time after she killed her of course, but before she was imprisoned for four thousand years. In that time of chaos, she only knew of death and destruction.
Only her was mother able to keep her in check. And if she hadn’t killed her to preserve her body –
Then Six Point would’ve had to endure her uncontained wrath.
“… You don’t understand, Zeluru. You’ll never understand what it’s like to devour souls.”
A seeping energy left the woman. Her voice was devoid of any anger.
Now, it was only of pity.
But that was a façade. Because deep within was a searing hatred for the Demon. Now, she wasn’t going to hold back.
Sensing this, Uru’s smile faded, yet there was a tinge of mischief in her dark eyes. After all – the battle was already over before it began. Struggle as they may, but fate wouldn’t bend the knee to mere willpower or courage.
There wasn’t a shred of doubt in her heart that this was the case.
“I don’t have a single clue of who I am. With the many millions I can become, which of them is the real me? Tell me Zeluru, which of them am I!?”
Phase’s cry signified the next stage of battle.
Before Uru could even blink, Phase was already in the middle of charge with both swords held in a cross formation. She backed off out of dire instinct and watched as the blades pummel into the ground with enough force to shake the entire valley.
“You could’ve been an amoeba for all anyone cares!” Uru continued to pour fuel over the blazing fire that was Phase.
“SHUT UP!”
The ground shook again. Uru’s feet suddenly fell into something as the soil suddenly loosened around her. A deadly chill ran down her spine.
She managed to condense a ball of explosive energy in her free hand and shove it beneath her as she leapt. And in that very moment – a few hundred spears jutted from where she was, with many skewering her hand.
The explosion of her ball propelled her high into the sky as flames remained far below. But when she looked back at Phase –
She disappeared.
Like a tap, her mangled hand dripped with blood while her eyes frantically searched for the Spirit. For possibly the first time, she instinctively regained the sense of ‘paranoia’.
Uru now hovered at a grand four hundred meters.
She shifted and turned in every direction for the Spirit but to no avail. It was perhaps because Phase had no way of reaching her at that height, leaving her safe for the most part.
But she didn’t want to count on that.
As black tendrils wrapped themselves around her mutilated hand, the dreaded purple magical circles spread across her back like demonic wings.
“Find her, my [Seekers].” With the command given, a destructive hailstorm of many purple rays dispersed in every direction.
They hunted in the valley like a stalking predator. They weren’t incredibly fast, but they made up for it in power and numbers. This was without a doubt a magic of the [Seventh Tier]. Not only was it refined demonic magic – but she could also focus on scanning the valley without having to concentrate on keeping them up.
“You really are a coward. Hmm… forgive me, Exrite – but this will be necessary.” At a mere thought, she commanded them to raze the surrounding thickets and any patch of grass that seemed suspiciously long.
And in the meantime her eyes were drawn to the collapsed entrance of the largest mountain. Since she couldn’t form anymore explosive orbs in her free hand, she resorted to something a little more… destructive.
With her clawed hand, she pointed the tips together at the mountain. Pale light suddenly shot through the razor-sharp nails and clumped into a tiny ball at the tip.
An extreme wave of heat engulfed the air surrounding in an elusive haze her as she softly smiled.
“Let’s hope you’re not in there, little Phase.”
However –
Her blood suddenly ran ice cold as she heard a distinctive noise in the distance. By instinct, she erected a [Physical Barrier] in the direction of the sound, and not a second later – a giant sword found its way into her stomach along with the ear-splitting shattering of her barrier.
“W-what?” Genuine shock overcame her as she stared down at the five-meter long sword.
The width covered her entire abdomen and lower, however, she was lucky that only the tip that had sunk into her flesh. The broken twenty-sided barrier remained there with the dreaded crack to serve as a reminder of Phase’s indomitable power.
“… You’re not all talk after all, little Spirit.”
Phase could utterly shatter a [Physical Barrier] of beyond the [Seventh Tier]. Although at a closer look, it hadn’t shattered entirely. And after considering the size and power of the sword –
“Splendid. I’m learning a lot from this fight.”
Uru was rather pleased with herself.
Letting loose of a silent grunt, she pried the sword away and let it drop into the lake below. As this happened, her [Seekers] were already on route to Phase’s location.
It turned out she was in one of the thickets. The inferno of what remained of the other thickets sparked a malevolent wildfire in the valley. Many animals fled in terror, while the Bouldermites relentlessly snapped in the air from their lake.
The sun’s light was no longer needed, for the flames did a superior job in both heat and visibility. But such a trivial thing wasn’t needed for the two superior beings who possessed an innate ability to see in absolute darkness.
As Uru dropped her hand, the distinct sound returned. And with it – came a devastatingly large lance from the depth of the thicket.
Uru was utterly stunned as she felt the tendrils wrap over her wound. Riding the charging lance, was a steadfast Phase with an assortment of orbiting balls.
“– Just what kind of mana are you sacrificing for that!?”
She formed a [Physical Barrier]. The purple shield was much smaller than the previous, focusing more on density than surface area.
She could not afford to collide with something of that calibre.
Uru didn’t have any time to shift herself from this space. With every ounce of strength she could muster, she thrust her claws straight into the approaching Phase.
However – it missed her, barely grazing her shoulder as the Spirit smote the Demon with a powerful cleave. Her left arm was brutally sliced clean off.
“… huh?”
Uru, amid the shock of losing her arm, uttered with a stupefied face. Her calm demeanour shattered in an instant as pain suddenly surged through her entire being.
But Phase wasn’t done just yet.
She shoved the other blade into Uru’s stomach as she grappled onto her as they fell from the sky. Uru’s body went numb momentarily as the orbs closely surrounded her in their rapid descent.
Staring at the ends of her flailing pale hair, she wondered what this strange sensation was. It stirred her heart uncontrollably. Its quivering was far more violent than the first time she fell in love.
“What is it, I wonder?” She softly smiled and savoured the pain.
For it was the first time in a thousand years that she’d get to enjoy the heat of combat, as well as the taste of mortal pain.
This was perfect experience for her.
“Zeluru – I can never forgive you for betraying us!”
One orb skewered her body with multiple harpoons as she groaned in agony. Her thick blood dripped upwards and coated her limbs like ivy.
“For all those times you spent with mom – “
Three orbs fired an array of swords and knives into her body as chunks of flesh hung out like a peeled fruit.
“ – she trusted you as a friend – as her family! And you betrayed her! Were the times you spent together nothing but a joke to you!? Was it all a lie, Zeluru!?”
Five orbs riddled the limp Uru with even more swords. The Demon was no longer recognisable, save for her head.
An eerie, blank stare remained on her face as she the surface of the lake arrive.
“ANSWER ME!”
In the wake of the final orb, Uru’s figure submerged into the depths of her aquatic slumber. Her viscous blood spread into the surrounding water as she painfully stared at the glass surface.
And then the final orb arrived at her face.
Only then did she realise what the sensation was –
– What the throbbing in her heart was.
And why it rivalled the pain of her entire body.
Uru – for the first time in a thousand years – had the honour of experiencing fear, no less from the daughter of the one she held so dearly.
She closed her eyes with what little strength she had and smiled.
Uru, the Demon of Lust, now had a valid reason to kill Phase in the body of her closest friend. No matter how much her body screamed, she couldn’t imagine it comparing with the pain in her writhing heart.
Phase was perfectly gauged – and only now – could the [Curse of Desire] finally settle in.
* * *
The [Seekers] superheated the lake and evaporated every trace of water. A thick haze engulfed what was left of the lake, and spanned many meters across. Phase patiently remained within its depths as she savoured the silence.
For once, she felt like something in her heart was lifted without the aid of her mother.
The many Bouldermites that were unlucky enough to remain in the lake were cooked almost instantly and remained as bloated carcasses. They were fed on by their own kin in silence, picking away at their thick armour in search of the steaming meat beneath.
She wasn’t certain of Uru’s death, but she couldn’t imagine her surviving her onslaught. This outcome was to be expected by the Spirit, who had far greater experience than the Demon in combat.
With the countless lives she took in Western Corozin and all the battles she faced, Uru was undoubtably the strongest of anyone she had ever faced.
Apart from the Children of Balance of course.
Her gaze was filled with nothing but spite, yet her heart throbbed soothingly.
“Zeluru, you’ve fallen so far that you couldn’t even regain your original strength after you were mortally wounded so long ago. After all this time – after a thousand years – you still couldn’t recover, except for that annoying appearance...”
Her spiteful monologue was accompanied with swollen eyes.
She remained there for countless of minutes, staring into the thick haze nonchalantly. When nothing, not even a whisper of remorse sounded from within, she assumed that it was her victory.
Not that she was expecting anything else. Uru was as weak as she remembered. Like her imprisonment in the mountains a thousand years ago, Uru’s mouth was as sharp as her claws. The Demon was all talk, for her power had been whittled long ago.
After the death of her mother, Uru was shortly betrayed by her closest aids and left to flee Demora. The Spirit stalked her until the far ends of Colight, where the Demon found her one and only true ‘love’.
For betraying her mother, she would make the closest person to her betray her in an act of retribution. It was the ancient Exrenity who led an army into the mountains to imprison her for all of eternity. But now that she was free, the only form of permanent imprisonment was only death.
A sudden smile crept across her face.
“… I won… I won, didn’t I mom? I won – I won!” A giddy voice left the mature woman, whose eyes were like those of a child’s. “I really won! I beat the terrible Demon for you mom! Are you watching me!?”
Her swords fizzled into thousands of fleeting particles as she ran towards the empty lake. The newfound crater sizzled with intense heat and created a shivering mirage over its surface.
The lack of any reflective surface caused a hand to quickly caress her cheek as a face-splitting smile formed.
“Thank you! I did good, didn’t I!? I saved the Exrenity and everyone from the Demon!”
It was a cold hand, but for her it held an endless warmth. As the Spirit continued to spout incomprehensible pleads and praises from her non-existent mother, the mist quickly dissipated into thin air. During this time, Phase confirmed that the strange skeletal figure at the centre of the crater was indeed Uru’s.
However –
“Dear?”
Suddenly, a familiar voice struck the heartstrings of the Spirit.
She could never forget such a pure voice.
After all, it was her mother’s.
“Mom!?” The voice left her before she could even turn around in a frantic jolt.
Her eyes quickly mellowed and swelled with unrestrained tears at the sight of her beloved mother.
“ – Is that really you!?” Despite her words, Phase ran into the mirroring image of herself with outstretched arms.
She embraced her like a lover, burying her face into her chest as she burst into tears. The warmth and scent of her mother was exactly as she remembered so long ago.
“My, who else would it be? Now, don’t cry! Ahh~, there there.” She cupped the face of her look-alike daughter, paying no heed to the form she took. “It’s my fault you’re crying isn’t it? I’m sorry dear. I’m so sorry for disappearing like that.”
With a thumb, she brushed the endless stream of tears away with a motherly smile.
“N-no! I never s-said it was your fault!”
“Hmhm~ hush dear. Just let it all out.”
“I-its Zeluru’s fault! It’s all her fault! She betrayed you on that day, remember!? You were always so close with her, but she never saw you as a friend!”
Phase’s spite and arrogance caused her to fail in recognising the discrepancy with her words and what was happening around her.
It seemed like the [Curse of Desire] had fooled her.
Because the figure before her wasn’t in fact her mother, but an illusion created by her most sincere desires. In reality however, it was Uru who was being embraced by the Spirit who wore the body of her beloved friend.
The wretched Uru had her body regenerated back to utter perfection, although there were some mild issues with her body. Tendrils needed to replace her entire left hand and any bone that was shattered by Phase’s weapons.
Unlike her old self, she had a mana reserve that encapsulated a millennium of mana draining. A demon like herself couldn’t die unless her reserves were to be extinguished entirely, or if she were to be obliterated without a single shred of her body remaining.
This was a power granted to her by Desire. It wasn’t immortality – it was simply the need to constantly feed on lust and desires in order to survive.
The tendrils that writhed within the depths of her body were the devourers of lust and desire.
Stuck in the embrace with Phase, she could already feel her mana reserves refill. After all, the [Curse of Desire] would bring out one’s ultimate desire.
It would grant a single false wish for the affected individual.
“That Zeluru~” The woman seemed delighted to say her name. “She was an odd one. A Demon through and through, but she was like anyone else. She just wanted to do what was best for everyone, unlike me – ha~”
She drew in her daughter tightly and whispered something.
“Dear, please stop this.”
“… what… what do you mean?”
“Stop trying to blame Zeluru. Hasn’t she suffered enough? We all don’t need to keep suffering. We need it to end…. I needed it to end…”
Phase couldn’t understand what her mother meant.
“B-but why!? Why are you trying to forgive Zeluru for betraying you!? Haven’t we suffered enough!?”
“… of course we have, dear. Of course…” The woman looked down at herself with a pained smile. “I don’t remember who I am anymore. I’m just your mother, but… what was I before? I’ve eaten so many bodies, that I’ve finally lost myself. I’m sure you feel this way as well, dear. I’m sure of it.”
Her sincere words reached the arrogant Phase whose face shrivelled in frustration.
She already knew that this was the case – but none of it mattered so long as she had her mother by her side. Her anger only came from Uru, who had destroyed her only happiness in life.
But this was where she was wrong.
Because Uru hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I’m sure you would never come to terms with me going away, but please dear – let me rest. Let me die while I still know that this is me. The me who took care of you, and the me who ran across those swollen hills with the tiny Zeluru.”
This was her wish.
Yet Phase was too stubborn to accept it. No, she was afraid of it.
“No, no – no no NO! Mom! Moooom!”
Phase knew exactly what her wish entailed.
It would mean that this entire time, Uru had done nothing wrong and it was her own misunderstanding that toppled the first domino, which had continued the chain of events for countless of years.
This was where the booming tumbles of the final pieces resounded.
Phase’s grip tightened around her mother’s waist like vices. Even if Uru were to charge at her from out of the blue, Phase would not retaliate whatsoever. But little did she know, that this was indeed Uru herself.
The wails of the Spirit became annoying for the Demon who had enough of listening to her nonsense. Uru was determined to finally end this.
However – Phase’s cry caused her to unexpectedly freeze.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry mom! I’m sorry for killing Zeluru! I’m sorry for being such a bad girl! Don’t go! Don’t die! Don’t leave me behind! I’m scared! I don’t want to be left in the dark alone without you anymore!”
Perhaps it was because those words came from the image of her closest friend that she instinctively hesitated to finish her off.
Uru suddenly realised something.
The movement of Phase’s mouth as she apologised caused Uru’s eyes to moisten.
You never called me a “betrayer”, did you…?
Her face was filled with nothing but shock when the realisation struck her. A single tear trickled down the side of her face.
It was always “I’m sorry” with you. Ever since we first bumped into each other on that lake when I was just a child…
Uru steeled herself and gently smiled as she too, tightened her embrace around Phase. She somehow didn’t mind the wails so much anymore. It became rather melodic.
It was an odd feeling, one that gnawed at her chest. The child of her closest friend was in her arms, and for the first time, not out of spite. There wasn’t a shred of malice in her embrace.
However, she wasn’t going to allow this moment of reconciliation to hinder the wishes of her friend.
She wouldn’t make the same mistake she made so long ago.
But maybe it was for the best… She never was the person to leave loose ends. That woman never left me alone, and nagged me for every little thing…”
Uru thought of such a thing as her embrace further tightened.
“My, the darkness was only there because I was with you. The world is too vast to only love one person, my Phase. My lovely, sweet little Phase.”
“Ahhh! Ahaaa! I’m sorry!” Her pouring tears and heartfelt emotions made it nearly impossible to say anything else.
Only a lingering sense of regret remained.
You’d always run up and down the hills on the mountain side, and help everyone you met… hey… I’m sorry for never noticing your pain until the very end – “
Uru’s embrace tightened again, causing Phase to wince in pain as she realised what was going on.
“Mom!? MOM!?” Phase’s eyes reeked with concern, for she knew what the illusion was trying to do.
But despite that – she continued to believe in it and refer to it as her mother.
In an attempt to stop herself from being crushed, many orbs suddenly surrounded her mother and threatened to annihilate her with hundreds of ethereal spears.
But with what conviction? Phase couldn’t bring herself to harm her mother, not after everything that had happened. But even so, she didn’t want her to go.
“Please mom! I don’t want to go back to the dark again!”
Her mother’s smile softened.
“Neither do I…”
The grip was already beginning to rub against bones as breathing suddenly became near impossible for the Spirit. There was nothing she could do to escape, other than to cry and beg for her mother’s release but to no avail. It was as if she was wedged between a mountain and a clifface.
Uru didn’t avert her eyes from Phase’s body as she prepared herself for the final, crushing blow. No matter how much turmoil tumbled in her heart – this had to be done.
As she cupped the back of Phase’s head and brought it to her face, another tear fell.
“I’m sorry dear. But we’re both just birds looking for a place to belong to. So please, let me free from my cage.”
So long, my friend. My dear, dear friend. Maybe we can meet again, sometime, somewhere, somehow… If we were born the same, then maybe we could’ve lived a more satisfying life… Farewell, my lonely Spirit.”
Phase’s cries were cut short with the sound of snapping bones. Uru embraced her with everything she had and savoured the fleeting warmth of her closest friend as blood splatted across her body and face.
“…m…om…”
“Now it’s your turn to spread your wings, my dear Phase.” As the dying Phase stared up at the figure, she saw an overlapping image of her mother and Uru.
“Ze…lu…ru… I…m… So…rry…”
“Sorry Phase.” Uru felt obligued to also apologise.
Even with her intentions to outright kill the Spirit, she couldn’t help but to empathise with her. After all, they had both lost an important person.
Important was an understatement, but no other word could easily describe Phase’s mother any better. Uru grew from the ground up alongside the woman, who had taught her of mysterious findings across the world.
She was ecstatic about the little things, and cared for everyone, even for a crude Demon brat like herself. Surely, without her, Uru wouldn’t be the person she was today.
As the final death woes left Phase’s hanging maw, a bright light engulfed her being. It was an utterly beautiful sight. The light blue shimmer was nothing short of breathtaking as Uru watched in awe.
Then, they slowly began to dissolve into many tiny orbs that calmly floated away in the wind. The fires that engulfed the devastated valley were put off by a sudden drizzle.
The child-like Phase plopped free from the cocoon of light, caught carefully into Uru’s arms.
“… please put me down…” Phase didn’t know what else to say as her eyes were drawn to the fleeting particles of light.
It flew about in a randomized, excited manner, as if it was expressing joy. Only Phase could see it, for it was the soul of another Spirit. She could use [Soul] magic but didn’t have the exquisite gift of [Soul Sight] like a certain Frostbitten did.
“Is that the first thing you say to someone you’ve wronged for over a thousand years!?” Uru’s didn’t hold back and kept her firmly held by the collar of her robe with her toes barely grazing the charred grass underneath.
Now that her friend was gone, she had free reign to do whatever she wantred to Phase. However – she managed to remain composed.
“If you weren’t her daughter, or if Exrite didn’t order me to spare you, I would’ve killed you right here without a second thought! Lament all you want for all anyone cares, but just remember that it was you who started all of this!”
It was the truth. Just because Phase understood and admitted that she had blamed Uru wrongly for so long did not warrant her some sort of immunity to punishment or retribution.
Seeing that Phase’s eyes were still focused on something far above, Uru violently shook her to gain her attention.
“Are you listening!? Do you want me to kill you now!?”
Phase didn’t budge.
A claw appeared from her free hand as Phase suddenly clenched her teeth.
“Shut up!” She growled as an anomaly caught her eye. “Something’s going on!”
Before Uru could retaliate, the Spirit screamed something that struck Uru’s heart with nothing but shock and malice.
“ – Mom’s soul!? Where’s it going!? Mom!?”
Phase instinctively held an outstretched hand at the fleeting particles that were dragged beyond the mountainous peaks.
“Something – something’s taking her soul!”
Uru blood ran as cold as the frozen rivers of Mount Winterfall. She was utterly stunned; perplexed by the outcry of the Spirit who said such a dangerous thing. However, Phase’s eyes didn’t waver and were instead filled with nothing but shock and unparalleled rage.
“Are you going to let go of me or what!? Do you even care about my mom Zeluru!? If you’re going to kill me, then do it after we save her!”
For once, the child-like Spirit showed an appropriate face. No matter how powerful Uru truly was, she couldn’t help but to be taken aback by her newfound conviction.
At this point, Phase couldn’t care less about her life as her mother’s health – even after death – was her only concern.
Uru’s eyes narrowed into sharpened slits.
Phase’s interrogation would have to wait, for Uru could also barely contain her anger any longer. The Demon who had shone little of her offensive capabilities found herself hard-pressed to consider holding back, even if the perpetrator was a mere insect.
She needed to vent these unkempt feelings that welled within her heart.
There couldn’t be a more perfect time to do so.
A wicked smile returned to Uru’s face.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Uru dropped the girl onto the floor, who tumbled like a heap of trash. “Grovel on the floor for all I care little Spirit, but if my friend is truly in trouble – then move! But remember this – I am not done with you yet. For the countless of years of suffering and solitude – you will make amendments for the rest of your life.”
As the flames doused into nothing but blackened marks across the valley, the sun finally crept over the mountainous peaks. Approaching from afar, were the faint clatters of metal against metal.
At the boundaries of the surrounding plains, marched an army of a hundred men.