A day had passed since my meeting with Salvador. The reason I had met and selected Salvador as my broker, was due to two reasons.

One, because if all of a sudden I bought stocks from TK, before Robert's death, and suddenly TK’s worth increased in market value. The most suspicion will fall over the people who steadily invested before Robert’s death.

In the end he was an influential man.

Two, it was more or less my fail safe plan. By letting Salvador doing my bidding and promising to give him his share, he could bale out at any moment and not leave any traces or evidence.

He was a real son of a bitch, who would never let his hard earned money just go down the drain. So that’s where his speciality as the greatest broker comes in.

Because after Robert’s death, Lesveŕo’s stocks will reach a maximum height before going in decline.

So that’s where TK comes in. When the Lesveŕo company is going to lose it’s owner, its going to go into decline, so the more sought after products will be that of TK's.

He will use his means to secure a way for him to bid and bale out when the time is ripe.

Because most people who just invest through a broker, do this to not face the backlash that may come with their requests.

That is why brokers require a fee depending on the task at hand, which ranges from easy to difficult.

And Salvador was still not as famous as he was when I heard of him in my past life.

But one thing I was certain about that he did the job he was assigned without asking a single question, if he was given his payment. His skills to back up his claims was the reason why he became the best broker. So giving him the fee he requested was only normal. But still, a little too expensive at the same time.

But I was not one to regret my decisions.

But I already had a few more things in mind, which will require me getting help from Salvador.

Well, earning money was my end goal, but on the way what if I gained a trusty and competent ally?

In the future, Salvador is going to be a big help to me.

I stepped inside the room where the portal was, which I would take to go back to Lock.

I had already said my goodbyes with Jihye. And I was currently standing inside the portal house.

The portal majestically stood over the platform to which led a flight of stairs.

I stepped on the tiled stairway and ascended upwards to the platform where the portal stood.

Soon I was only a few meters away from the portal.

Every time I looked at a portal I was always left in awe.

The flutter of the mysterious hue and the sparks of mana which held the portal frame together. The mana was held by a subtle force which created this gate like pathway for one to move from one place to another.

It rippled as if telling that it was almost alive.

The man on the side, who operated the screen gave me a nod. Following his nod, I closed the gap and now stood only a few inches away from the portal.

Then taking a step forward, the portal sucked me in, the mana surged outward, then with a quick burst inward, and I slowly felt my consciousness drift inside the portal. The frame gave one last sheen which glowed with a subtle oily greenish pale, as I disappeared from my spot and inside.

The nothingness which caused me to feel at ease, but at the same time a slight tuck on the back on my head, or so I thought. The cold sweeping into my skin and through my bones.

I couldn’t tell just how long I had been floating through this empty void of nothingness. Although it was apparent to me that it took less than a fraction to cross, I didn’t.

I became worried. I wasn’t crossing forward. Every time I almost became comfortable floating through this nothingness, a light enveloped me and spat me out of the portal on the other side.

But this time something was wrong. I could feel my consciousness, my emotions, my power and the mana bound to me.

Every time when I entered a portal, I remember it only took a mere second to cross over but one which felt like an eternity.

But this time I didn’t cross over.

I was simply floating through this dark void of nothingness. As if I was a part of it and at the same time not. There was no sound, except the worry laced sound of my own thoughts.

My body felt non-existent—as if my existence had turned to nothingness, similar to this void—but at the same time I could feel every muscle, every fiber of my body.

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My mind raced, the gears of my brain ran on full throttle. My eyes felt shut, but I could instinctively tell they were open.

‘System,’ I Inwardly grunted. But nothing happened.

My worries only increased, as long as I floated inside this plain of nothingness.

“Why...?”

“Why, you ask...?”

Suddenly I heard two voices come from the depths of the emptiness of this void which I floated through. The first voice sounded hoarse, almost saddened. And the other absolute, as if some mighty warrior's.

“You were nothing more than a fool.” The voice echoed inside my non-existent ears. My entire body shook with a sudden shiver, but one which made my mind to me lodged with fear. I felt afraid for some reason.

“You led your people to their death, but I led mine to glory.”

“By dragging them to their own deaths.” The other voice scowled, with a tight hoarseness which i had never heard or witnessed. The sorrow and pain in his voice evident. But at the same time the language of authority not leaving his words, being chained to his words.

Who did these voices belong to? What were they talking about?

“Unlike you, I’m not a slave who awaits death, or even if there is one...” He solemnly spoke, his voice boomed in my ears, making this entire void to shake.

“... You’re only a prisoner, a prisoner to your own fate.”

His next words felt directed towards me rather than the other voice. As if he was speaking to me the entire time.

I felt weak, no, my existence, everything felt meaningless. I incredulously thought inside my mind, "Meaningless...,” everything felt meaningless. But the only thing keeping me from being swallowed up by the madness of this emptiness and succumbing to my own thoughts, was my will alone. The solitude and emptiness grasped hard over my mind and heart. Unshaken.

But the moment I was about to give into the emptiness, a bright light—one which shone as bright as the sun—enveloped me. I felt the grasp of the void leaving my being. My body shook with a final curl, as my mind returned and focused on to that light.

Soon I felt my consciousness leave the empty and dark void.

***

My insides seeted with nausea, as I took a step out of the portal.

What I had witnessed inside that nothingness... I couldn’t perfectly describe it.

It almost felt unreal, as if I had just woken up from a bad dream. Almost like an illusion, which felt real but fake at the same time. A distant memory.

I felt a bone deep fatigue overcome me the moment I stepped out of the portal. Or was it just my mind playing tricks on me? I didn’t know?

I descended the staircase and left the portal house.

On my way to the dorm, every step I covered felt longer than I had remembered. On the way to my dorm building, my vision blurred with each step. My breathing became heavier as I fastened my pace. A headache made its way on to me, as I felt cold sweat at the back of my head. I couldn’t describe what was happening to me.

Soon I reached my dorm room. Unlocking the door, I entered. The room was the same as I had left it.

Closing the door behind me, I walked up to desk, but on my way my vision blurred again, becoming worse, and I almost stumbled over my steps, as my knees almost buckled.

Placing my left hand over my face, I started to breathe heavily. My eyes felt like lead, some with my body. I wasn’t in control.

‘What is happening to me?’

I inwardly thought as my mind raced and the only thing occupying my mind were the foreign voices I heard in that void. My mind returned to that conversation over and over again.

I started losing control over my body. My body felt numb, foreign to my own touch. I felt an alien like presence envelope me as I stumbled on the floor and I soon lost consciousness.

***

“Huh?!”

Turning my head left to right, I saw I was inside a wide and long throne room, adorned with the most expensive and beautiful of accessories. The silk shades which hung on the pillars which were placed a few metres away from one another, looked beautiful.

It was lavish, but nonetheless dull to my eyes, insignificant, meaningless.

“Your Majesty?” I heard a voice coming from in front of me.

Turning my head slightly downwards, I gazed down at Ashmedai whom had taken a bow and had respectfully addressed me. He lifted his head barely to look up at me.

I sat inside the throne which was made from the most rarest molken wood. A rare variety of wood which only grew in a dimension where the atmosphere was hotter than even that of hundreds of suns coupled together.

Even a small amount of this wood was worth a fortune, which anyone would kill to acquire.

“Is something the matter, Your Majesty?” Ashmedai asked.

His black hair were shoulder length and the pigment of his eyes which matched my own crimson eyes.

His stature and build was well maintained. And among many of my followers, he was the only demon that had devoted himself to me entirely. His face displayed a deep wisdom so were his eyes which and a deep maturity in them.

“Continue...” I solemnly replied, with a nonchalant wave of my hand.

I felt like I had just woken up from a long dream. In that dream, I saw something, or... someone, but I couldn’t remember who or what. It felt like I knew what it was but as the same time a blur, as if my mind was filled with a thick fog, which caused me to not remember what I had wanted too.

I closed my eyes and looked through that fog.

Aimless! I didn’t know what I was looking for in that fog? What was it or who was it that made me, the demon king to so desperately remember?

But I felt it was something important. Something so very, very important. As if remembering that something was necessary for me.

“—will take us only a few more years until we completely conquer the dimension where the Orcs reside. And we have already deployed more demons in that dimension."

Then my eyes shot open. It dawned upon me, what I was so desperately trying to remember.

“A human...” I whispered, but my voice came out loud enough for Ashmedai to hear.

“Your Majesty?” Confusion flashed on Ashmedai’s face as he gazed at me.

But I was preoccupied by this sudden revelation. Why did I remember about a human? Whom I had never met or seen? Who was he?

His face, I couldn’t remember perfectly—as if a blur, the fog inside my mind covered his face, not allowing me to remember—, but I was not certain if I had ever met a human who caused me such desperation?

Just who was this human?

I felt I had met with this human but at the same time not? It was more or less like the feeling you get when you wake up from a dream. It takes a moment for someone to realise that they were dreaming. But I felt certain that it was not a dream or rather my mind betraying me.

I wasn’t sure? It was more like the distant memories that you start to forget about the more you grow up. Like a hollow.

“Ashmedai...” I said with an authoritive tone of voice.

The moment I said his name, Ashmedai bowed respectfully, lowering his gaze.

“How long until we can enter the Human’s domain?”

Ashmedai held his bow and began to speak. “It will at most take us ten more years until we can enter.”

“But the humans are merely bugs, that his Majesty mustn’t pay any mind to. Eventually they will be under the command of the great and merciful Demon King.” His voice confident.

“Good...” With a way of my hand, I dismissed Ashmedai.

With another respectfully bow he turned over his heel and left.

Then I was only left with my thoughts. I still couldn’t get that human out of my mind. My brows knit together as I again tried to remember, but all I was met with was a thick fog again.

"Who was this human?"