Alex's soul slowly drifted from his battered body. It took the shape of a glowing orb the size of a baseball. The orb soul was not sentient nor visible to mortals. It felt nothing, it knew nothing, it merely was. When the bright orb floated up from Alex's now lifeless form, another, more massive object floated not far away. Julia’s head flew from her body when the enraged Laurence’s blade struck true.

A sudden eruption of darkness washed over the room, beginning from the now lifeless form of Julia. Before Laurence's emotions could calm and take stock of losing so many precious people in a single moment, he was struck full force by this wave of destruction. The incredible explosion of energy, with a FTOOM sound, sent everything crashing away from its source, including the smaller orbs within the room. The glowing and ignorant orb that was Alex, however, remained unaffected by it all.

An unseen godly hand was slowly reaching down from the heavens; its goal was clear, the glowing sphere. The orb was still innocently floating; blissfully unaware of the going’s on around it, above Alex's now lifeless corpse.

The dark violet eruption that rocked Laurence and his remaining guards was the remainder of Julia’s soul, corrupted and corroded to the point of instability. Her broken soul could not maintain a spiritual body upon her death. With such instability, it ruptured in a massive amount of howling, evil energy.

The being which possessed her floated out of the burst of energy, like a mass of black miasma; it looked wispy and weakened. Peering around for its next meal, the smoky being focused on Alex’s recently departed soul. After the host was killed, it was forcibly detached from its soul resulting in an energy explosion. This not only weakened the demon severely but also wounded it. It did not have the power to enter another living being without regaining some strength first. Luckily a meal sat here right before it, waiting to be consumed.

The thick black cloud came in a rush, a swarm of black mist with red eyes, straight for Alex's essence. The oblivious and defenseless soul just slowly floated upward, utterly ignorant of the danger currently approaching it. As the miasma reached Alex's soul and attached, it seemed unable to consume the orb. The confused darkness began attacking from different angles and ways, desperately trying to get to its meal. The demonic mist looked visibly frustrated, so it was wholly focused on the rather diligent food. When another unseen force, the godly hand, that neither this demon nor Alex were aware of, finally reached its target. The hand dragged Alex's unwitting soul away from the scene, at a tremendous speed no less, with the hitchhiker demon still attached.

***

Demon

I was the child of the great demon, I was born of darkness itself and had only one task; feed. So feed I did and became stronger for it. Weeks I fed on the unwitting souls of these mortals until I found one host I found exceptionally enticing. A young noblewoman who did good deeds for all those around her, but she wore a mask. A mask of happiness, she truly hated the commoners she was forced to help, her father swearing it was for the best she did.

I came to her in the night and instead of just feeding like the others I offered her a deal, I would free her from this self-imposed cage, and she in turn would be my host. With a true host I could grow much further, maybe even surpass father. She agreed without hesitation, as I knew she would. Together we spread my children across the manor and I grew in strength. Slowly at first, I infected her family then the staff, turning them into my slaves. My children were not like my fathers, no free will was given, only orders to be obeyed.

Then the child took up a new hobby; gathering strays from around the area and “playing” with them. I didn’t mind, it left me with snacks for later. But this most recent toy she grabbed had drawn to much attention. I could not just leave my host unlike the ones before, I haven’t finished taking her over yet, Id only eaten half her soul.

That’s when disaster came, who would have thought a simple guard would wield and enchanted blade, with darkness no less, the one element I could not consume. The man struck my host down, killing her body and releasing her unstable soul, which exploded. My dinner exploded! I was frustrated beyond measure, to top it off when I recovered from the blast; all my little snacks were gone.

That when I saw it, the biggest juiciest soul I’ve even seen, just floating there for me to munch on. I wasted no time going for that plump soul, only to find it rather stubborn. I could not find a way to eat it, no mater what I did it resisted me. As I was gnawing on this stubborn things shell I suddenly felt myself being dragged upward, all I could do was hold on for dear life. Then I saw what drug me here, it was a friggen’ Goddess, she quickly grabbed me and shoved me in a cage. I didn’t really fight it; after all she could have just vaporized me. I’d rather be a pet or an ordainment than dead.

***

I felt my consciousness slowly return. I panicked, thinking that demonic woman had found a way to prolong my torture even after killing me.

After getting my wits about me, I looked around an unfamiliar room with eight thick almost equally black and white marble walls in an octagonal shape, four of those having entrances lined with gold. The ceiling looked like it was made from the very heavens themselves. I was sitting on a table of a whiter marble, covered in strange golden symbols. Oddly, I did not feel the cold of stone on my skin.

I sighed in relief when I realized it was not that hellish room anymore. Unfortunately, that relief only lasted until my mind took in the state of my body, or lack there of.

The shape looked like mine, except it was partially transparent and white, in its center, a bright orb hovered about the size of my fist. (Crap, Im dead huh?) Was about all the emotion I could muster while holding my hand up and staring through, processing my predicament.

I was so eerily calm as I remembered my final moments, though a shiver passed through me as I remembered Julia’s red eyes staring at me. Then an odd sense of satisfaction, seeing as the last thing I saw was a sword going to her neck. (Uncle Laurence got that bitch.)

Movement drew my eye to one of the corners of the octagonal room. In a clear case, glowing slightly and rimed with flowing blue runes, there was a floating blackness. This thick smoke had two glowing red slits that glared directly at me; it seemed rather vicious and was struggling to get out of its box-like prison, (Yea, whatever the hell that is, can stay in there.) This creature really bothered me, and I was not sure why.

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“Ah, you have awoken," I heard, but it sounded weird like it was inside my head, or like I thought it myself but in a different voice.

As I looked around for the voice source (far harder to locate when it sounded like it was in your head.) My eyes finally gazed upon a curious looking and yet stunningly beautiful woman, slowly walking in from one of the room's openings.

Approaching me was a relatively short, perhaps a whole foot shorter than me, woman clad in a slim grey dress, trimmed with onyx and gold. Her seductive body was divided down the middle with an even grey line, about the thickness of my thumb. On one side of this grey line was a light-skinned blonde, radiant and glowing. The other was a dark-skinned brunette who seemed to absorb the light around her, neither side losing out in beauty to its counter. Her hair was almost unnaturally straight, and the colors never seemed to mix. She was adorned in jewelry that only contributed to this duplicity, wearing earrings of onyx and gold. The light side wearing the onyx, the dark bearing the gold, and a necklace of the same material bisected in the middle as it passed the grey line. Her eyes were also of this nature, a pitch-black eye residing on the blonde's side and a glowing golden eye on the brunette's side.

I sat there dumbfounded, unable to process who or what I was looking at, partially drooling at her beauty, but more so confused by her duplicitous nature. Seeming to take a hint of pleasure in his plight, the woman smiled for a bit before she spoke.

“Young Alex, tell me, do you want vengeance?” her voice, soft and smooth, yet her mouth never seemed to move as she spoke.

I shook my head, shaking off the daze I’d been in, “Vengeance?” I asked, looking confused. “Is Julia not dead?” I wondered sure that my uncle had done the deed. I’ve never known a more competent fighter in my life, not that I knew very many.

"She is indeed deceased, even her soul is destroyed; however, it was not just her who did this to you, my dear child." She looked at me, seeing my obvious confusion at the statement. She continued, "You see that?" she asked, gesturing to the container with the mucky creature.

"That gunk? Yea, what is it, and for that matter, where am I, and who…or what are you?” I asked, finally regaining some of my presence of mind. The woman before me glared (she seems angry.)

Slowly the woman's face softened and regained her composure. "I suppose I did not introduce myself. I had not thought it necessary but,” she looked away, seemingly lost in thought, “Very well, then.” She struck a high and mighty pose, which only came off as cute, losing its intended effect entirely. Then said, “I am Volana, the Goddess of Balance, surely you have heard of me?”

I, stifling a laugh before at her pose, froze, who hadn’t. Volana was one of the 12 high gods and the mother of our world. The religions were more for the nobles and the rich, ever seeking to improve their stations by any means. Not for the common folk who lived modest and content lives. Everyone had, at least, been taught the basics of them.

I was not even sure the Gods and Goddesses were real, but now the High Goddess of my own world was standing before me, and after having already experienced death, what better proof could there be?

My reaction seemed to please the Goddess as she smirked. Gods and Goddesses do like to feel superior after all. "Seeing as you now know of whom you speak to, I shall address your second question; you are currently in my heavenly temple."

I looked at her, confused, asked, “So, we’re in a church?”

Seeming rather annoyed by my question, she replied in a huff, "No, you dolt, you're in my house!" breaking her high and mighty act for a moment. I was too awestruck by the whole idea of a Goddess in the flesh to notice.

An awkward silence persisted in the room for a moment, the Goddess was trying to regain her posture, and I was simply unsure if I should (or was allowed to) speak. It continued longer than it probably should have before I gave in and broke it. "Um, not really sure how I'm supposed to address you, but," I said with a long pause, "what's the black thing, your godliness?"

A choking cough was heard in the distance, followed by laughter. Volana blushed, but stood up straight, adjusted some unseen imperfection in her dress. Cleared her throat, which seemed unnecessary to me as it didn't seem like she even used it. Then she stated, "That, my child, is an elemental demon, one of a very particular rarity, the darkness breed." She paused, obviously expecting my amazement, getting only a blank stare in return; she cleared her throat again and continued. "An elemental demon is the polar opposite of a supreme spirit. A supreme spirit is more of a hermit and peaceful, preferring to live in areas highly concentrated in their corresponding element. Consuming only as much of that element as needed to maintain its existence. The elemental demon is a hunter with an extremely voracious appetite."

She gestured to the demon in the cage; it seemed to squirm under her gaze. Volara spoke again, "That is not quite the full demon but more like a child, or perhaps a more accurate description would be an appendage. This one is rather rebellious. The demon needs to feed constantly due to its uncontrollable appetite, so it creates smaller versions of itself to spread its ability to feed. Once one of these "children" is full, they return to the main body to remerge with it. However, that little guy decided to branch out on his own and formed a bond with a host. Its how the elemental demons replicate, on the rare occasion one survives its rebellion."

I thought for a moment then asked, “If that’s a darkness demon, wouldn’t it feed on darkness and evil n’ the like? Would less of that in the world be so terrible?" As if not remembering exactly what the Julia and demon combo had done to me, or maybe I was actively suppressing those memories, probably that.

"Ah yes, well, this is another area where the spirits and demons differ," Volana stated. "Elemental demons with their massive hunger consume all elements other than their own. Never able to be full or sated, they always have a need to constantly feed. A darkness demon would not purge darkness or evil but instead, leave nothing but that remaining. For example, the young Julia, and her family, had been at one time, a caring and kind family, if at least on the surface. They looked out for the commoners of the land. That was before the child Julia made a bond with the demon there. The demon soon made it’s own children, latching onto the souls of those around her. He removed Julia’s cares and inhibitions while slowly eroding her soul, you experienced personally what became of her." Volana elaborated.

I shuddered at the thought, images of the crimson-eyed Julia flashing in his mind. "So, when you asked me if I wanted vengeance, it was not against Julia, who, as you claim, was only partially responsible, but against that, that thing?" I said, pointing at the glowing box. (So Julia made a deal with a literal demon, not really surprised.)

"Indeed, but not just one “child” demon, but all of them, and their original master, you see I want you to become my champion, and rid my precious world of these beings, this blight.” Before I could respond to that, she added, “I will endow you with power and grant you a new form." She paused and pointed at the dark thing, “An elemental demon can only be injured by their own element. All others would only serve to feed them. Even then, they are highly resistant to that element as they are made of it." She sighed, obviously annoyed. “This makes them tough opponents to deal with, as it were," she said. Once again, glancing over to the box. “I will use that newly formed demon, which so conveniently followed you here. To grant you, a light spirit, the power over darkness. Ah, the balance will be beautiful!” she exclaimed giddily, nearly jumping up and down.

I responded quickly, cutting her off. "Nope, no way. You want me to accept that the girl who murdered my father before my eyes!" I screamed, took a deep breath to calm myself, actively ignoring the fact I was sure I had no lungs. "Then killed me as well, was just a some pawn!" I huffed, not even bothering to control his rising temper. “Secondly, you want to join me with one of those “things”? Which are, responsible for all of this! That is a whole ton of nope! I. Absolutely. Refuse!” Then I realized I’d probably F’ed up, I just lost my temper with a High Goddess. (Welp, I screwed up again. Goodbye soul me.)

Volana, seeing she was not convincing the soul before her. Or instead only succeeded in making things worse, looked back at the entrance she arrived from, with pleading eyes.