How will the universe end?

As human awareness of the world we live in increased, so did the knowledge of how the world would end.

Saying, there are three main ideas on how it would end.

And one of them is Heat Death.

As the universe slowly, but steadily expands, matter (stars, planets, etc.) will slowly be separated by dark energy (the space between matter).

And as they continue to expand, it will get colder. And as the universe receives colder, stars dim and fade, galaxies lose their light, and planets freeze over.

Pretty soon, the only thing left is weakened black holes. And as those fade away, all that is left is the discarded remnants of the heat of what once was.

The name ‘Heat Death’ isn’t saying the universe will heat up and be destroyed. It's the opposite. It’ll freeze over and be destroyed.

Instead, the name is the final testament to what once was.

***

Astarte’s POV:

As my anger for this human scum grew to its all-time high, I swung for the final hit. However, as I did so, the human suddenly grabbed my khopesh’s blade.

Although I could have easily sliced through his hand and then also disembodied his head, I refrained from doing so, leaping back in disgust as the human’s blood splattered onto my sword.

‘To think that humans can be this dirty,’ I thought as I activated my sword-cleaning spell. As the blood evaporated away, my hatred grew even more. ‘They are nothing like us demons.’

And then suddenly, the human looked at me.

And my blood chilled, shivers shooting up my spine.

His eyes…

It was like I was staring into an abyss…

Shaking my head, I repositioned my blade.

Although I could be reckless sometimes, I wasn’t stupid. There must be a reason why the human’s aura would change like this.

‘Perhaps it's a skill?’

Activating my Skill Tree, my blade flared to life with flames.

[Flame’s First Step: Crimson Dance]

I launched forward, my sword and body seemingly becoming one as we both danced an intricate fiery dance.

However, as I was just about to put the sword in his throat, he quickly raised his hands, and a dark pulsing energy erupted from his body.

As I tried to reach him, the power pushed me back, sending me flying.

‘Ukh.’

[Flame’s Second Step: Weaving Embers]

Quickly using the second step, I used strings of fire to pull me back to the ground, avoiding injuries.

I quickly followed with a sharp jab to his stomach, but my sword was merely pushed away by the force radiating from him.

Jumping back, I pondered how to kill him, when the force coming from him suddenly halted.

‘Eh?’

Leaning forward, the boy collapsed to the ground, exhausted from exertion.

I couldn’t help but giggle quietly. It just was so pitiful. To think that he was unable to keep his skill active for not even a couple of minutes.

Walking over to him, I positioned my khopesh on his neck.

'To think humans are this weak...'

“Goodbye,” I murmured, jabbing the blade in, expecting the sweet crack of the bone snapping, and flesh giving way…

However, there was no resistance as I thrust the blade in.

Sharply looking at the ground, my anger increased even more.

‘To think that he would run…’

‘That coward.’

***

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Leon woke up with a start.

Where was he?

The last thing he remembered was activating the skill…

“Ah, so you're awake.”

The sudden voice jerked him in surprise.

‘What's with everyone and scaring me?!’

Sighing, he turned around, noticing that he was on a creaky wooden bed.

An old man was sitting on a rickety chair. The man's face was weather with wrinkles, and his hair was pure white. 'Is he human?'

However, his hopes were soon vanquished as he saw the pair of twisted horns growing from his skull. ‘Another demon?’

The old man chuckled lightly at his hopeless expression. “Ah, no. You weren’t captured by her. I got you out in time.”

The old man stood up and extended his hand. “My name is Clement.”

Staring up at him, Leon shook his hand.

Staring at his hand being shaken, Clement shook his head in exasperation. “Humans…” He muttered.

“You’re supposed to put your pinkie on my palm. It’s a pledge that we won’t harm each other,” he said, sighing in exasperation.

“Oh.. sorry.” Doing as Clement said, Leon pledged. After all, if the old man had been able to rescue Leon that easily, he was sure that he could also kill Leon that easily.

After he did so, Leon looked around the place he was in. It was poorly lit by a fireplace, but had a rather cozy feeling, with the small room stocked with books and small stone figurines.

Noticing him looking around, Clement spoke. “We’re at the outskirts of Sheol. You’re rather lucky to come here instead of the Inner Districts. If you had arrived there, you wouldn’t have lasted a second.”

‘Lucky? I almost died!’

Sighing at Leon’s incredulous expression, he added, “The girl you fought - if you can even call that a fight - was extremely weak. The only reason I didn’t kill her, and no one does, is because her father is the Baron of one of the Inner Districts.”

Leon’s face paled at the thought. She… was weak? Was he talking about the right person?

“S-so, why did you save me? Aren’t you strong enough to kill me easily?”

“Boy, do you know what my name means?”

Cocking his head in confusion, Leon stared in confusion.

“Humans… all pretty and no brains,” the old man cursed, adding, “I’m just joking about my name. The true reason I saved you is because of propaganda.”

Propaganda?

“To put it simply, our demons don’t like the guy that rules over us. And so we’re doing a revolution. The classic, y’know? I don’t care about why you're in our world, and I won’t ask. Just do this as a payment for me saving you.”

"Yeah.. sure. But I don't think I'll do that good as propaganda, though."

“Don't worry. Won’t it help morale if they learn that a mere human managed to escape from an Ensnare? You just showing yourself to them will be enough."

Leon made a middle finger under the blankets of his bed.

He was getting sick of hearing Clement curse his species right in front of him.

Frowning, Clement leaned in closer and peered up and down at Leon’s physique.

“Dang… you are weak.”

Ouch.

“Even if I show you off to everyone, no one will believe me…”

Clement suddenly jerked his head up, staring at Leon with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“C’mon, you need to work out a bit.”

He smiled, the sight sending shivers down Leon’s spine.

“It won’t be hard at all.”

***

Astarte’s POV

I trembled under my father’s gaze.

He was sitting on his chair, at the study of our mansion. His face was slowly becoming red.

“Now… let me get this straight… YOU LET A HUMAN ESCAPE FROM YOU?!”

His sudden shout jerked me back, wincing as I did so. I had never seen him so angry.

To think that even my father, the Baron of Zoshox, could lose composure like this…

He jumped up from his chair and appeared before me. His crimson eyes hovered over me, shimmering with anger.

And then slapping me so hard that I flew into a wall, he screamed, “YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO OUR FAMILY! IF YOU WANT YOUR HONOR BACK, YOU WILL BRING ME THAT HUMAN!”

And then he quickly vanished into the Glass Realm, probably teleporting to the Capital, where no doubt that mockery was being fired at my family.

‘And all because of him.’

Just thinking about that pitiful human’s face, my hate rose again.

Gritting my teeth so hard that my blood began trickling down my lips, I silently vowed, ‘Human, I will find you. And I will make you suffer such pain that you will be begging for the medicine of death.”

And with that, I stepped out of the small bunker. Massaging my cheek, I summoned my Bound weapon, the khopesh’s blade twinkling in the fires.

***

Unbeknownst to Astarte, Leon was unfortunately already wishing that he was dead.

“Ukh!”

As he again pulled at the stack of burnt wood, his muscles burned with exertion.

“C’mon. We don’t have all day.”

Leon shifted his sweaty face and gave a stink-eye to the old man. Normally, he should have been able to handle this much, if just barely, however, the air in this place was thin, and the crumbly black soil offered virtually no support.

Clement was sitting on top of the bricks of wood on the sled that Leon was pulling.

“By the way… do you have a Skill Tree?”

“Hmm… oh yeah.”

“What type?”

“Cosmos.”

Clement jumped down. “Never heard of that one.” He motioned Leon to a clearing, “Try it.”

Leon, grateful for the break, walked up to the clearing.

[Cosmos’s First Step: Heat Death]

Activating the skill, Leon stared in wonder at the strange dark, pulsing power that erupted from his hands.

“I think it’s a skill that pushes your enemies back,” observed Clement, as he felt a bit of resistance as he stood next to Leon.

“Course, it won’t work on me. You’re too weak for any of that. However, the skill has potential.”

Motioning for Leon to sit, he continued, “Every Skill Tree has 7 branches. Some people even develop their Skill Tree, though that’s very hard. Most people have a Sponsor, or some higher deity that gives them the Skill Tree.”

“In a week from now, we’ll be going into the Inner Districts. You must have thought our world sucks, huh?” Leon had to agree. Although the view of the endless amounts of plains, and fire, and those ghastly beasts were almost majestic, there was virtually no technology, nothing that noted the demon race’s accomplishments.

Clement continued. “However, the Inner Districts… are very advanced. That’s also another problem, you need to develop your mana channels enough so that you can use a hiding skill. Judging from your fight with the princess, your channels are utter trash right now.”

“And so… I got you this.”

He showed Leon the orb in his hand. It was a pale red, with an insignia stamped on the top.

“This is a Resurgence. You’re lucky I was able to get my hands on one. Eat it, it’ll boost your mana recovery by 50%.”

Leon took the small orb. And then, wincing slightly, he forced it down, gagging at the sharp, metallic taste that invaded his senses.

“Now, we have a week. You’ll mainly focus on your overall physique, and I’ll teach you some basics in mana control. That should be just enough for them to believe you were able to escape from her.”

Clement turned back to the sled. “Come on. I need that wood by night.”

Leon groaned.

***

Abbadon stood at the peak of the Unknown.

His scales rippled in the dark, dim light, and his whole being radiated power. The Seven Cores were nestled in his pristine black armor, gleaming brightly into the void.

He looked into the darkness, eyes gleaming bright crimson.

Then, upon feeling the human use some of his magic, he smiled faintly.

Then a hopeful expression appeared on his dark, majestic face.

‘Maybe this one will be able to accomplish it.'

'Come, Incarnate of the Abyss.’

[Cosmos’s First Step: Heat Death]

Activating his skill, Abbadon slowly vanished from reality.

And all that soon remained of him was a faint trace of heat, lingering in the air.