68_ Rebirth...
"Your time is at an end. The Legendary Devil King in the flesh...Not flesh exactly." A voice echoed within the vast , endless dimension and Dai Fang opened his eyes. Seated beside him was an older man , with varying white hair with aristocratic expression on his face being no more than hundred millennia old.
"You are an Impertinent one, are you not?" The old man continued as he held a silver scroll and he ran his eyes through the lines. "And with quite an account. Responsible for the Rebellion of the Heavenly Armies against the Heavenly Emperor , afterwards Banished from the Heavens in which he became a terror to the Mortals of earth , destroying them in wrath and without mercy in an effort to fill the vacuum of hatred in his darkened heart..."
"What do you want from me old man?" Dai Fang asked bluntly tired of this antics and seeing right through him.
"Without Purpose." The older man ended and glanced at him with a knowing gaze. "You have spent all this time being a rolling stone left by wayside , desiring for an identity ...For a purpose,"
Although vexed by this strange being effrontry to name him as one with a discourse, Dai Fang realised all that he had said was indeed true. All the time he had spent alive on earth and what had he wrought , nothing but endless pain and destruction ; the same cycle that he had rebelled against.
"Then what would you consider to be such Purpose?" He asked , indulging the latter in his rantings as well as to wile away his time and distract him from his own discomforting thoughts.
"I would not know." He shrugged his shoulders and got to his feet and began walking away. By instinct Dai Fang followed him and they both roamed the mountainous region. Once , the old man turned to the other behind him , forcing him to stop abruptly as his deep gaze flickered in a profound light. "What If I told you ,You could be given an opportunity of rebirth Dai Fang , what would you do?"
"A life of misdeeds, hate and vengeance are all I have ever known." He admitted. "What else is there for me to become?"
"You must decide for yourself Dai Fang ..." The old man looked meaningfully
towards his younger counterpart. "What do you truly desire?"
He drew in a breath as he stood before the eerie stranger , his mind torn between two wants. He desired Revenge , to deliver upon his vow to Jianhuo Huang for what he had dared to do as it would be most satisfactory.
But he what craved most , was to be with Mizuki. Despite it being , he might not be gifted the chance of being reborn once again ,Dai Fang had the comfort that somewhere in that endless dimensions, Mizuki Yang would be alive and no matter what it took , he would find his way back to her.
A smile came upon the old man lips. "You can not conceal your thoughts from The Ancient One. I would not expect your heart to be pure, completed purged of all the darkness contained inside of it but still...What you desire comes at a cost."
"What would that be?"
"You can rescind your immortality ; condemn yourself to be mortal in your every lifetime ; for a new life of being with the one you love but who will not have any knowledge of who you are , your past life and what relations lie between you. All will be forgotten. "
Dai Fang looked up at the dark, starless night sky , a gentle wind blowing past as he spoke. "I would give it all up for her."
"I deem you worthy and So I shall grant your desire." The man nodded affirmatively and cast him a sly smile. ""This is your second chance at life Dai Fang. Be careful not to waste it."
The younger man scoffed as he prepared himself for what was to come next as bright white light engulfed him.
His Rebirth into the world anew...
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Once again Lucian was left all alone in the vast and infinite chasm of mist. He walked through the haze clouding the surface as he tried to search for the old man that had been beside him all that time but could see nothing for miles around.
He felt something in the palm of his hands and looked down to see the Royal diadem he had given away back at the Fuyo Empire. It brought back a flood of memories as his grip on crown unconsciously deadened. All this hardships and distress all because of a vow made a thousand years ago...A curse upon the Huang descent...
His Curse....
All that pain because Li Huang wanted to gain control of the supposed power inside of him bend him to his will...All those he had to go through, those he cared about were hurt or dead...
In anger, he threw the diadem onto the ground and it shattered into pieces and turned away , just like he wanted to do to all his problems...Walk away.
But he could not.
The shards rose in the air and encircled him , each piece a reflection of his past and present life , all just a fleeting glances into something that had once been.
Lucian tried to grasp them but they slipped through faded away into oblivion but he felt a light touch upon his shoulder and he spun around.
She stood before him , her phantismal eyes looking at him beckoning him homeward.
Suddenly the ice began to crack as it broken open and his Dragon Sword was before him , glimmering in all its light and glory. Lucian wanted to reach for it but hesitated. It promised purpose , power , Fulfilment ...Every thing he desired. But What would be the cost for it all?
No more delays. No more holding back. If he was going to take a risk , why not risk it all?!
He reached out and grabbed the sword by the hilt and a dazzling light emanated from the Blade. The engravings on the steel slowly slithered into his skin , moving stealthily as the Dragon Mark overlaid his entire body ; A sign...
A sign he had accepted his true destiny.