After quickly checking through all the gadgets and materials he’d saved during his imprisonment, Veles decided to bid farewell to his dutiful assistant. He glanced at the floating skull inside the jar, tapping its lid gently.

“Take your time and rest, Kristy. One day, your services will be required again,” he said.

Of course, the poor skeleton couldn’t answer. Though, Veles caught a small flicker of relief in the two blue flames dancing inside his skull. No matter how much Veles tormented him, it was obvious the previous Emperor of Osvalen still held a tiny hope for his future.

Deciding it was time to proceed. Veles looked at the horizon, focusing on the gate that separated him from the outside world.

“Finally, time to leave this place,” he said. Barely holding his excitement.

He teleported the three of them in front of the gate—his greatest creation, without a doubt. The time and effort spent on creating this dimensional door had been astronomical. However, when he first woke up in this place, he felt conflicted… almost betrayed.

The image of the dead tree plastered in the middle of the gate wasn’t supposed to be there. Veles, like Olivia and Davis, saw nothing else except this image. All of this felt inexplicably wrong… He had no idea what the image was supposed to represent, nor what was hiding behind those chaotic lines dancing amidst it. But the only thing he knew was that he was the culprit who made all of this. Which obviously meant that the best course of action would be to ignore it!

Doing just that, he spread his senses beyond the gate and noticed the events he’d already predicted brewing outside.

“I will be brutally honest with you,” said Veles, addressing his two ‘pupils’. “When this door opens, you two will face a challenge. I don’t know exactly how it will affect you. So, I cannot give you proper advice. However, I will only tell you this,” he paused, taking his time to look at them seriously. “If you overcome it, numerous potential doors for your future will be open. What you signed back then isn’t only a contract—it’s the best gift I could give. Don’t waste it. Because I cannot grant you another chance.”

Olivia just nodded her head. While Davis stayed oddly quiet…

Veles narrowed his eyes at him. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” confirmed Davis.

“Good. Now, onto the most important part. When you step outside, do not by any chance allow even a minuscule amount of mana inside your body! I will inform you when the time comes to absorb it, but for the time being, you must avoid it at all costs.”

Done with warning them, Veles strode forward. As he neared the gate. It opened itself, signaling the beginning of what was to come.

The holy pressure burst from the opening. Washing over their surroundings with resentment and fury. Veles was unfazed by this. It was just annoying to have a foreign being trying to probe his very soul, but that was something he’d expected—his defenses were already prepared.

He crossed the gate’s threshold, finally taking his first step into the unknown world. But he stopped and turned around—wanting to check how the two fared with this situation.

As expected, they were petrified. Both stood rooted in place, unable to move a muscle. He was about to encourage them when he noticed one of Olivia’s fingers twitching. That was a good sign. She should be the unruly one. Defying this kind of pressure should’ve always been her second nature.

So, when Veles saw her breaking out of the restraints placed on her, he showed no surprise. She took her first step forward, which made all the previous pressure weighing her down seemingly disappear.

This also seems to have been a trigger for Davis, who also showed enough will to break through and take a first step. Traces of blood trickled down from his nose, which he wiped with his sleeve.

Smiling in satisfaction. Veles had made the right choice with these two. Hopefully, the gifts he granted them wouldn’t be wasted.

“Hurry up. Or you two will miss the show,” urged Veles.

***

The red lighting danced between the dark clouds, bringing forth apocalyptic scenery that threatened to destroy everything in its way.

However, the bursts of golden light managed to escape the blackness of the clouds, giving uniqueness to the event. These rays of gold never left the visage of a lone man. Every piece of hatred, resentment, disdain, and fury it aimed at this man completely contradicts the holy presence the light excluded.

Veles had the urge to chuckle. Looking at dark red lighting cracking between the clouds, he just expressed mild annoyance like someone would when they wore their brand-new shoes on a rainy day. This wasn’t something new to him. In fact, he faced this exact event numerous times.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his two pupils coming from the cave, both in a sorry state. Still, He couldn’t help but praise them inwardly. It was hard not to kneel under these circumstances, especially for the individuals born in this world.

As for him? It was like a walk in the park. His whole life, he was treated like a menace, especially when his curse decided to kick in.

“You see this little thing over there,” said Veles loudly. Despite the turbulent winds, he ensured both Olivia and Davis could hear him. Unfortunately, they can only listen without the ability to reply. The only action they could perform was to look at the swirling clouds Veles pointed at. “This should be a direct representation of Heaven’s wrath—you know, the thing some of you people worship. It’s funny when you think about it. Something as holy as Heaven itself could display such negative emotions toward a person who refuses to fall under its influence. It’s kind of hypocritical when you always hear the phrase: Everyone is equal in the eyes of Heaven.”

Without prior notice. One thick bolt of red lightning escaped the mass of black clouds and went straight toward him. Stopping momentarily, he looked at it and made a slapping notion, making it vanish without a trace.

“I do not have time to play with you,” Veles boringly said, “I released my presence not for you to try and exert some authority over me. But to summon someone more important. So, keep quiet, and let the adults do their job.”

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But the clouds took his words as a challenge. They sent the next strike down. The one that packed a punch Veles couldn’t ignore. Not because it would damage him, but because the clash would for sure vaporize both Davis and Olivia.

Yet he just smiled.

“There you are,” said Veles with a beaming smile. “Come on, Old Hag. I know you love dramatic entrances, but this is too much!”

When his words bore down, time stopped. Everything, be it material or incorporeal, was stuck, frozen. Everything except him and the lone figure slowly walking his way. This figure was someone Veles knew very well, and she was the same as ever, explainable by just one word: Dark.

Her black hair was long and lush, almost two times bigger than the woman herself, covering her whole back with most of this beautiful hair gently floating above the ground. She was garbed with the knit woolen dress and a robe, also black in color. Her dainty right hand sticking out of her clothes held a strange stick, showcasing her coal black skin, the same color as the stick she held and leaned against.

This stick looked like it was made of black wood, shaped like a shepherd’s crook. Her face was covered with a wooden mask made of the same material. The mask was shaped like a wolf’s head with oddly precise carved lines that gave it an alive look. Just her eyes were visible, which was the only difference other than her usual black color. Her pupils and irises were like one, the same black as everything else on this woman. But her sclerae were different, colored in an eerie, almost sickly green color.

Her other hand clenched tightly a golden scroll as she finally formed some words “I see you are unpleasant as ever,” her voice quiet like a whisper in the wind, yet the anger carried within was hard to miss.

Veles chuckled, “And still, you rushed here the moment you sensed me. It seems you never lost the edge of your stalking abilities.”

She displayed no reaction. But Veles knew he had pushed the wrong button, so he wisely chose to get to the point.

“Mind explaining what happened to me?” Veles asked. It was a simple question containing many others. How did he end up here? What happened to his memories? How much time had passed? Why did he imprison himself?

He was sure she knew everything. Yet, he knew very well that she wouldn’t provide any helpful answer.

“You knew there would be consequences after leaving that place. Everything that had happened to you was a product of your own hands,” she quietly said. “You can only blame yourself for your current situation.”

Veles clicked his tongue. “Useless as usual. That also means you cannot transport me home?”

Hearing his question, her grip on the scroll considerably lessened. “No, Veles. I cannot do that. You’ve already claimed all the favors we owed you. I can only tell you that you’ve achieved your goal, but not in the way you predicted. The aftereffect of your journey through that place is something you alone must face.”

“Ugh, annoying,” grumbled Veles and looked at the golden scroll. “Just do your magic. I hope you won’t have a problem doing that?”

“It won’t be a problem…” she quietly confirmed after scanning him. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“You very well know this is something I pursued my whole life. There is no turning back now,” Veles said with a smile.

“I had to ask…” she replied before proceeding with his request.

She leaned the stick onto her shoulder, and both of her hands worked to unfurl the scroll she held. Her gaze scanned ancient words written with white ink that shone beautifully alongside the golden parchment.

“The Rite of Origin will commence.” Her tone took a slight change. It was still quiet as usual, but this time, it held a certain level of authority behind her every word. “Individual named Vele-”

“Don’t,” Veles warned. His gaze narrowed. “I don’t want to deal with those crazy people. Do not speak my full name.”

Unfazed by his interruption, she stared at him. “One way or another, they will find you. They showed nothing but kindness. Why push them away?”

Veles found her questions interesting. The pure curiosity behind them didn’t match her status at all.

“Because I don’t wish to deal with a bunch of lunatics. They might be kind-hearted, but in a twisted way that I don’t want anything to do with.” The people they were talking about have been nothing more than helpful during Veles’s journey. However, their chaotic behavior was the last thing Veles needed, now or ever.

“The same applies to you,” Veles added. “I expect you to leave me alone after this is done. Let me enjoy my freedom.”

“Very well,” she complied. “Let us continue.”

Her focus was yet again on the scroll. “Veles. Carrier of two hundred and fifty-two Soul Titles. By the rule of Origin. Seven will be suspended. The rest, permanently removed.”

The moment those words left her mouth, it was like someone stabbed his soul with a hundred needles. However, this didn’t induce any discomfort. Instead, he was left with a strange sense of emptiness from within. It was on the one hand unsettling, while on the other, totally bearable.

But this was of less importance. His sole focus was on the number of titles he held. The number was outrageous, almost five times bigger than the last time he’d actually looked. This raised many questions. Soul Titles weren’t something one could earn easily. What had he done to earn this ridiculous number?

Not knowing about his inner turmoil, the woman continued reading the scroll, “In compliance with the Rite and per your previous request. You will be brought back to the beginning of your Mortal Origin. All your powers will be reworked. Your achievements nulled. What will be left is your own self and your new beginning.”

And so, it began.

He could clearly feel it. Every possible type of energy his body used to wield, in a matter of seconds, was gone. Just mysteriously vanished. Leaving him utterly powerless. Yet despite this, the smile on his face only grew.

Next, his body showed the first reaction after who knows how long. His muscles twitched, and eons spent refining his body to perfection slowly degraded, returning him to the state he thought he would never experience again.

And then came the something he’d long forgotten.

Pain…

It came like a splash of cold water on a hot day. Jolting his whole body. Some might call him crazy, but after all those years of feeling nothing, the pain was more than welcome. It made this experience much more real.

Following this came many other sensations he dearly missed. The weight of his own body. The prickling sensation on his skin. The warmth. And so on…

Until finally.

Ba-bump!

Like the roar of a slumbering beast, his heart released a booming beat. It was a long…very long time since he heard this sound. And the blood…It coursed through his body, reminding him yet again how it felt to be alive.

All of this was great. Veles was certain he would relish in everything that had returned. Unfortunately, it would have to wait. The final part was about to come…

Dizziness assaulted him. Everything he’d just experienced clashed against his weakening mind…

***

“Thank you, Old Hag…”

Those were the last words she heard before Veles lost consciousness and fell powerlessly on the ground.

“No, thank you,” the woman in black earnestly said. Not bothered by the rude nickname. “You gave hope to those like us. Doomed by ill fate. Enjoy your hard-earned freedom. You deserved it.”

She had to say it. Even if he didn’t hear, it was enough. These words weren’t just her own but also from the ones who suffered a similar fate as Veles did.

The golden scroll she held started changing. Its white letters morphed from the rules and regulations of the Rite to the very detailed biography of the man who’d just experienced the biggest honor one could get. All those monstrous achievements, alongside his sufferings, were written there. Documented until the end of time.

Just looking at this scroll, she found it hard to believe. A previous unfortunate man who reached unbelievable heights used the Rite of Origin to return himself to mortal yet again. Wasting an ultimate wish-granting chance for something like this was unheard of, but reading the contents deeply, she understood. Even something capable of granting wishes wasn’t all-powerful. There were some things that one couldn’t fix…

She rolled the scroll yet again and took her staff. Her gaze snapped to the frozen clouds above them.

“Might as well…” she mumbled quietly. Her hand holding the staff jerked slightly, tapping the earth with its bottom. Instantaneously, the clouds above dispersed like they never existed.

Having dealt with a minor problem, her gaze landed on the girl with black eyes and hair that was responsible for releasing Veles.

“A Vea’s spawn…” As she said this, her expression finally took a slight change. Her gaze narrowed as she scanned Olivia’s whole being. A scan capable of digging into every possible detail of a person, not constrained to a single life…

The next moment, she threw all her previous hostile thoughts away. Her sense caught onto the contract this girl signed with Veles. Seeing the contents, she decided to respect Veles’s previous wish not to get involved.

Before proceeding to leave, she cast one last look at Veles. Shaking her head gently, she disappeared. Yet again, time continued to flow normally…