The Underworld

The horde of goblins launched themselves into the attack. Shirei swiftly accelerated and struck the first of them with the flat of his blade, forcing him back. The other green and grey-hued creatures wasted no time, but Cragar's son wasn't worried. He cleanly severed the head of one enemy before moving on to the next. Grabbing another goblin by the neck, he used it to leap over an entire row; as he landed, he rolled forward, gaining momentum to hurl the monster against its allies. The creatures collided with each other and fell to the ground, like a bowling strike. Shirei didn't hesitate and crossed the veil of the Interworld, vanishing from their sight. He reappeared on the opposite bank of the Vaverli, where he took the chance to recover the flames. He removed the ring Chris had given him and, pressing the central button, it transformed into a large barrel.

Shirei dipped the amphora into the river until it was full. Contrary to popular belief, the Vaverli was the river of the Underworld that could harm only monsters. The flames had beneficial effects on Blendbreeds, though their outward appearance might suggest otherwise. Cragar's son himself had made use of the tributary's healing powers many times after his grueling training sessions. Some of his father's servants were accustomed to using the waters for their baths—only in that moment did Shirei connect the two concepts. He briefly reflected on it while the goblins kept flailing about; one of them, in particular, seemed to have taken a running start to leap. The creature jumped, convinced it could cross the river, which was nearly ten meters wide. However, the Blendbreed's blade pierced it mid-air. Shirei straightened up, the barrel now full, and fixed his violet eyes on the enemies. Shadows once again wrapped around him, and he traveled to the middle of the adversaries, ready to continue the slaughter.

After several minutes, the frenzied clash was nearing its end when the remaining monsters underwent a sinister metamorphosis. A dark curse suddenly enveloped the creatures, causing them to wither instantly and transform into skeletons. Their organs turned to dust and vanished, until only brittle bones remained, collapsing piece by piece to the ground. Skin and flesh crumbled swiftly, disintegrating the creatures into powder. Shirei stood observing the scene of scattered bones. Yet, in the silence that followed, his attention was drawn by an unexpected presence.

An individual with a terrifying aura materialized among the shadows. Shirei's eyes met those of the mysterious onlooker, and the very air seemed to chill in anticipation of an imminent encounter.

Cragar, the blood-red-haired god of the dead, stood tall and unnaturally thin, an imposing figure wrapped in an elegant black suit, tight and form-fitting. The glossy black trims, like fragments of darkness, created a captivating contrast against his pale skin.

Beneath the black cloak, strands of crimson hair emerged, cascading neatly over his shoulders. The god's face was concealed by the dark mask that symbolized his status. Through the hollow spaces of the mask, his piercing violet eyes—identical to Shirei's—radiated an intensity that reflected the power and wisdom of millennia of knowledge.

The Blendbreed offered a slight bow.

"Shirei," the god replied, "I should have known it was you."

The boy's blade reappeared in his hands; he had even forgotten to retrieve it amidst the goblins.

"Thank you for recovering my weapon."

"Think nothing of it," the deity said. "You should never fight barehanded."

"I thought the monsters were your doing," the boy asked, confused.

"I would never attack my children. Don't compare the way I treat you to how Emion would act."

"Forgive me."

The deity's lips curved upward. "There's no need to apologize. Rather, how are things on the surface?"

"Good, I suppose," Shirei made the weapon vanish from his hand. "Dahlia seems to have made some friends, and my training is progressing without trouble."

"I've noticed. You too are slowly drawing others closer."

The Blendbreed nodded. "I think it's more fruitful. I can't rely solely on spectres for information."

"And yet, you still haven't used the ring I gave you."

Shirei glanced at the index finger of his right hand. He wore a silver ring, elegant and slender, its craftsmanship emphasizing its refinement. The surface, carefully polished, reflected the faint light of the subterranean realm softly. At the center of the ring, a tiny gem was meticulously set with precision. The violet stone, nestled in the heart of the silver, seemed to capture the surrounding light, making the ring shimmer with a magnetic glow—like a black hole one feels irresistibly drawn into.

"No," the Blendbreed confirmed, "but I will finally have the chance as soon as I return to Lilies Park."

"So you've befriended Ien's daughter for that reason?"

"Marina is one of the most renowned Blendbreeds in the park. Though her combat abilities aren't exceptional, she has an excellent network of connections as her house's representative."

Cragar's gaze wandered toward the endless horizon. "That's not the answer I was hoping for."

"You were the one who told me I need to become stronger as quickly as possible."

"I'm aware," the deity admitted. "But I had hoped you might live a normal life, even if just for a little while… like before."

Shirei remained silent for a few seconds, wondering what his father meant by those words. It seemed the god was saddened.

"Forgive my insolence, but why haven't you arranged for me to regain my memories?"

"I cannot do that. If you were to receive all the information about your past again…" Cragar's violet gaze fixed on him once more. "I wouldn't know what might happen to you."

"Was I different?"

"The other you… was consumed by hatred and pain."

Silence once again fell between them. Shirei struggled to speak with his father, mainly because they both shared a certain taciturn nature, but his past was always a subject Cragar tended to avoid.

"So, in your opinion, it's a good thing I lost my memories," concluded the Blendbreed.

Cragar took a step toward his son. "I'm sorry, Shirei."

His voice had suddenly softened.

"I…" the words seemed to catch in his throat. "I only wish to see you happy, that you may remain in the realm of the living as long as possible."

Ironic, Shirei thought, for the god of the underworld to ask his children not to join him and not to die too soon. The situation was starting to become rather awkward, but the boy was glad to have been able to speak with Cragar. Many Blendbreeds never met their parent for their entire life, and the gods rarely treated them as one might expect. That relationship, strange as it was, was special to both of them.

Shirei smiled. "Thank you. I'll be going now."

The god raised a hand and waved in farewell. "Safe travels."

The shadows wrapped around Cragar's son, and before he could say anything else, he ascended toward Lilies Park. The masked deity remained for a few more minutes, contemplating the emptiness of his realm, the rush of the infernal lake providing background noise for his secret thoughts.

Shirei reappeared in Kore's garden. Every corner of the place was bathed in a white glow, as if purity itself had become landscape. At the heart of the garden, a spiral staircase rose sinuously, its whiteness interrupted only by the shimmering breeze of petals suspended in the air.

Flowers of every kind adorned the garden, a multitude of colors dancing together like a floral symphony. Each seemed to emit its own light, a chromatic enchantment enveloping the surroundings. It was a sacred place, an enchanted domain dedicated to Kore, whose body rested in the modest mausoleum just a few meters away from the boy. He had asked Dahlia for explanations and discovered that the mortal buried there had been Cragar's first love, whom he had later welcomed into his palace as a spirit. Shirei had wondered why his father hadn't simply resurrected her, but he had never dared to pose that question to him.

After a moment of admiration, he headed toward his chamber. However, the moment he opened the trapdoor, he sensed a hidden presence. A careful glance revealed a mysterious figure cloaked in the shadow of a corner.

Shirei initially pretended not to notice and continued toward the exit, curious to see what the intruder intended to do.

Now with one hand on the door handle, he stopped and asked, "Who are you?"

"I thought you wouldn't notice," the boy commented, stepping out of the shadows.

The young man carried with him a magnetic aura. His silver eyes, bright as the moon on a starry night, ushered in a dreamlike, mysterious atmosphere. However, their brilliance was counterbalanced by a dark soul, one Shirei could easily sense, given the nature of his divine parentage.

His black hair, straight and flowing, fell to partly obscure his eyes, pulling whoever looked at him back to cruel reality. The intense darkness of his hair created a fascinating contrast with the silvery glow of his gaze, evoking a sense of duality, as if the young man were a bridge between their world and a dream. He wore classic black skinny jeans, perfectly fitting his figure. The light pink hoodie he paired with them was unexpected, adding a touch of color that broke through his apparent darkness. The black leather jacket he wore with nonchalance tied the initial impression together flawlessly.

Despite his likely young age, the boy seemed to carry an experience far beyond his years. Shirei mentally braced himself, convinced he was facing an enemy. The dreamlike presence had transformed into a nightmare. Cragar's son had already begun to suspect who he was.

"You're mistaken. Now answer the question."

"My name is Salix. My mother is the goddess of sleep."

The suspicion of the violet-eyed Blendbreed had just been confirmed.

"You're the son of Tefine, the one from the cabin."

"Yes, I've been looking for you for quite some time now, Shirei," he pronounced the name with an odd tone, almost of disgust.

Salix watched Cragar's son, searching for some sign, but the violet-eyed Blendbreed remained completely still.

With a sigh, he sat down on Dahlia's bed. "Time is running out. I suspect Aena already knows I'm here."

"What do you want from me?"

"From you?" the boy shook his head. "Nothing."

Shirei couldn't lower his guard. His instinct screamed to keep his focus sharp. Outwardly, he still appeared perfectly calm, but his interlocutor's aura concerned him. It felt strangely familiar, though he was certain he had never met any mortal with that kind of pressure. He scrutinized the silver-eyed young man cautiously. The aura surrounding him was like a dreamlike vision that shifted into a powerful presence.

Cragar's son could sense that behind that appearance, something far more complex was hidden. Adding together the information he had gathered with what he was now seeing, the Blendbreed began piecing together something that led to a terrifying truth.

"I was sent here to retrieve an important comrade and cause damage…" Salix continued, watching for his reaction, "At first, I thought it was all a farce, but it seems you really have lost your memory."

"You know who I am."

"I knew who you were," he admitted with a grimace, "and I must admit, I'm very disappointed by who you've become."

Shirei opened his right hand, intending to summon his weapon from the Interworld, but Tefine's son stopped him with a gesture.

"Don't. I have no intention of fighting. I only wanted to confirm the rumors were true."

Saying this, he stepped closer, placing a hand on Shirei's shoulder before passing him. Salix reached the door and turned to look at the Blendbreed one last time before leaving, his silver eyes gleaming malevolently.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again. Until next time."