Driven with Desperation

Ty found himself locked in a gaze with the Demon King, whose intense crimson eyes bore into him. As he stared upwards and in those eyes, it felt as though an eternity had passed,

The weight of an unspoken question was hanging heavily in the air– a question that was demanding an account of his previous life's crimes.

Memories started to flood Ty's mind, his life flickered before him just as a vivid ghostly afterthought in his orb-like form. The recollection came to him quickly and clearly, reminiscent of skimming through a video file.

After what seemed like a prolonged moment, Ty's spirit looked back up at the towering creature and calmly stated, "I haven't willingly committed any major crimes in my life, sir. At most, I have stolen some bubblegum or lied about a test."

The room hummed with the voice of the Demon King as he responded, "You did have a nagging problem with lying, but you have never committed any heinous crimes." his voice echoed across the chamber in agreement with Ty's words.

For a moment that felt stretched in time, the Demon King intently observed as Ty's memories from his past life played before him.

Much to Ty's astonishment, all of his memories seemed to be laid bare for the Demon King to witness, just as he'd experienced them.

A distinct bright red mark seared onto Ty's soul, accentuating the platinum shield that surrounded the Demon King.

Deep in thought, the Demon King eventually spoke up, "Have you ever been approached or attacked by someone unusual? Given the distinct characteristics of your soul, it's peculiar that no being from the Angelic Race ever attempted to harm or abduct you."

With a gesture, the Demon King extended his hand towards Ty and with some unseen power, drew Ty's soul near to him for a closer examination before muttering, "When the collector took possession of your soul," the Demon King then inquired further, "did he do anything unusual to you?"

In response, Ty retorted with a mix of defiance and frustration, "You mean being killed? Besides that, facing a vampire with a penchant for murdering me seemed pretty standard!" His soul seemed to emanate a palpable anger, yet, to his surprise, the Demon King bore an expression of regret.

A weighty silence lingered, for what seemed like another eternity. Breaking the stillness, the Demon King finally spoke, his voice cutting through the quiet, "I apologize, Mortal Being.

Your death back in the mortal realm held no justification.

Yet, I sense that there is something deeper at play with you, something that I can't quite grasp and is elusive."

Pausing, he continued, "It seems as though someone, or something, has placed a lock or curse on your soul."

"I scoured through your memories and experiences, but I have found no clues as to who or what it might have been. Perhaps with time, I could discern more."

Ty's confusion was evident.

"Why would an evil Demon apologize for having me killed?" There was a clear edge of annoyance in his voice as he questioned, "And what about the other souls you've claimed? Don't they deserve some kind of remorse? Or is it just because my soul seems to hold special value to you?"

His soul's luminescence intensified, reflecting his heightened emotions.

The Demon King let out a sigh and expressed, "It's more complex than you can think. The souls that I've taken went through a thorough examination and were only chosen based on the significant heinous acts of crimes they had committed." 

"Ever since the war with the Angelic race, which led to them asserting their dominance over all the realms and the sealing off of the Mortal realm, no one from my realm or any individual bearing the Demon lineage can step into the Mortal domain. They've established their own version of 'peace'."

"I understand that this probably doesn't mean much to you now, but they elevated themselves at the pinnacle of everything and are controlling all the souls in their cycles of rebirth. Whoever placed this seal on your soul, whether for good purposes or with ill intentions, allowed you to live a normal life regardless of the circumstances."

Ty, driven with desperation and not understanding what all that meant, blurted out with his floating soul resonating with emotion, "All I want is my life to be given back. My main concern was returning to my family and those whom I love. Especially Jade."

After a prolonged pause, as Ty's soul listlessly hovered above the Demon King's palm, the Demon King remarked, "Your body has already decayed and now lies in a casket, as is customary for humans. Even with my vast powers, I will not be able to restore your body to its former state. I'm truly sorry."

The light of Ty's soul dimmed considerably as he murmured, "Then why am I even here? Why hadn't you just thrown me into that peculiar door with all the other souls yet?"

"Well, while I can't restore your body, there might be a path of returning you to the Mortal Realm, at least that will give you a chance to reunite with your family and friends. It may be a long journey, but the decision is yours, and I won't influence you one way or another, young soul."

"Okay, and how do you benefit from this? Surely the Demon King and all his evilness isn't just going to help me out of the goodness of his heart. What's the catch? I might not be the brightest person, but I know when something sounds too good to be true."

"I didn't think it was fair to assume that I am evil. However, I can see how that perception was easily made up by humans from the mortal realm with their extensive libraries of books and media. It was easy to have that view, but I was no more evil than anyone from the different realms."

"Before the Angelic Race won the war, the Mortal Realm had been more of a melting pot for hundreds of creatures. However, that was a long time ago before we and many other races were banished. So that the Angelic Race could take full control over the souls, and similar to what I mentioned before, the cycle of their rebirths."

"However, their primary purpose was to maintain power over everyone else, and souls like that of yours were consumed by them to continue their quest for growing stronger."

"Should a time surface that they come looking for you again or find out about your existence, they will likely demand for you to go with them, but it will not be to your benefit, young soul."