#5: Demon, Serpent And A Man

"Father…"

I have no strength… suddenly my knees go weak.

As soon as the creature pulled the sword from father's head… I didn't even react.

The first thing I realized was… the figure of this being who is even stronger than the demon lord.

I'm scared.

However, as soon as I turned around, the sword was again in front of me. The creature also said something that made me even more confused…

But… for some reason that just triggered emotions in me.

Full of anger… I wasn't even sure I was who I was at the time. The next thing I knew…

"I see, huh… you've made up your mind about your choice. That's why you're brave."

That sentence… came from the being who destroyed Theras. I don't know what to call it… god. An evil god.

That's what I believed at the time.

After the big battle was finally over, I just sat there staring at my father's body.

The energy was completely gone. It was as if it had been sucked out.

My thoughts were still not correct. Until finally the priests and father's subordinates came and enthroned me as lord of the Theras land, and so the underworld.

Their reasoning was quite simple. Because I had killed Ouroboros.

Without any sympathy in words of condolences, they don't care about my feelings.

The gods even leave the surface just like that.

This power and authority doesn't fill my empty heart at all. Even though I rebuild Theras and those creatures life... I still feel empty

I threw that weapon far away. Lose it from the sight of my eyes. I would never want to keep the thing that killed my father.

Until one day...

"What is it, Borlen?" I asked Borlen the librarian.

"Ah, this? Oh my… this is an old book… let me check it out."

He briefly checked the contents of all the sheets in the bundle of papers.

"Oh… my goodness…"

"What is it?"

"Your Majesty, maybe this can be an additional insight for you about events of the past."

"What do you mean? Explain to me briefly."

At first, Borlen was a little hesitant because of our difference in status, but I dared him.

"In the past... humans and serpent were eternal enemies. Humans are symbolized by beings who will reach the process of perfection, while serpents are symbols of demons.

For hundreds of centuries, human and snake have fought each other while supervised by the Truest. The battle is never-ending, until one day, the Supreme True decides to change.

The Supreme Truth changes the concept in life for both of them. In the process, the self asks, do serpent really have to be demon and human to be perfect?

From there, the serpent said it opinion, that it only wanted the peace that the Most Righteous gave to this universe. On the other hand, the man said that he liked it when the world was no longer inhabited by the serpent and he was alone with the Truest.

Finally, The True One decided to give each of them a meaning in life. The serpent was finally given a home, which resides with the Truest and is given the task of maintaining peace in the entire universe. It is given endless life and will continue to serve the circle of life. Its name became Ouroboros.

Just like the serpent, the man is given a home in every stars and moons, and surfaces. He must maintain peace and thus man can achieve the perfection he desires. He will continue to produce unlimited offspring and they will worship the One by various names. For himself, he would be known by one name, Menoth.

For hundreds of centuries, universal life was finally realized. However, it was never thought that most of the human descendants actually deviated from their proper duties.

Menoth apparently still couldn't let go of Ouroboros. With that, he kept trying to disturb the peace of Ouroboros. Killing creatures that are not human.

Knowing this, Ouroboros finally served Menoth. For hundreds of centuries, they fought again, until they finally understood how to kill each other.

Ouroboros cut off Menoth's head and ate it deeply. Removes Menoth's life essence from the universe. However, the Most Righteous One actually resurrected him in the hope of fulfilling his duty. In the end, the two creatures fought each other in different forms.

All the disasters that occur in this universe are finally imposed on Menoth as one of the causes of chaos fragment. And that is only for fighting Ouroboros."

I can only be silent. Borlen also became difficult to say words.

What's this?

I've never known anything like this…

Did father know?

"Since when did this story exist?"

"Hm… judging by the cover… this book was written since the time of the Primordial Devil's reign. More precisely when Azazel's name is still reverberating throughout the underworld." Borlen explained.

"What?"

Since the time of the Demon King Azazel? But… that means 600 million years ago… wait… then this book…

"Borlen… didn't you feel anything when you opened this book earlier?"

"Oh, when Your Majesty is talking about seals, the energy was already transferred in the time of Demon King Morax. Hence, now it can be found in libraries like this."

I was surprised. But thankfully the magic has been transferred.

Notes. The problem now wasn't about the magic that sealed the book, but…

Suddenly the library door slammed loudly.

A shot of dark energy was fired at us. Luckily I pushed Borlen away, so he survived.

"Wow, well… what is the Demon Queen Egaria doing in a place like this? You didn't come to read did you?" said the figure who then appeared in front of us.

"Jah'im! Do you realize what you have done here?" I growled.

"Ah, Your Majesty, I'm sorry. That's how I realized, that your government is now really threatening all life in the underworld!"

Suddenly, three shadows of other figures appeared behind him. Zahab, Musrik, and Fitana.

That's right, they were no ordinary underworld higher-ups. They were the former djinn kings under the reign of the Demon King Bhemoth.

"We are really keeping an eye on you, father and daughter. You both stupid!" Zahab said.

"Peace with Theraz? It's ridiculous." chirps Fitana.

"Therefore, Demon Queen Egaria… today is the day for new powers in the underworld." said Musrik while pointing his palm at me.

"Today, you will die and be reborn as the new government's pet dog." After declaring his revolution, Jah'im immediately swung his silver spear here.

I quickly dodged. Leaving the library wall split and then replying to the swing with a snap of a finger.

Instantly, Jah'im was blown away until almost his entire body fell into the wall.

Then, reflexively I pulled my head back slightly, waiting for the energy shot to pass me.

Glancing at Musrik, I gripped his body with my astral hand. Crush him so he can't move. Now only Zahab and Fitana are left.

As soon as I looked at the two of them, I was wide-eyed.

Even though it wasn't visible, I could tell that Borlen's lips were touching each other's with Fitana's. My only demon librarian friend was sucked up by one of the genie kings.

I didn't scream, even though I wanted to. But…

"Ah. it's really delicious. So this is what it's like to be a librarian of the underworld. Now that I know, how to touch you Demon Queen, Egaria…"

Her body suddenly disappeared.

As soon as I realized the energy of her existence, I immediately swung my palm with the highest level of sharpness.

"Huh… you missed!"

My body stopped. Can not move. Leaving only my eyeballs looking down.

"Oh, how unfortunate and ridiculous is your fate, O Demon Queen. Died just because I tried once to take your heart. It's really sad."

As soon as she squeezed it to pieces, my legs went limp. I feel like I'm starting to lose consciousness.

In front of the view, I could see four pairs of legs standing.

"Seems like this is the end of your reign… congrats on being our pet dog…" I could feel Zahab having lowered the tip of his sword above my head.

In this moment, time seemed so slow. I also remembered the words of my father.

"One day you will rule this world. Being a lord alone is not easy. What you need is strengths as your strengths and weaknesses as motivation to expand your strengths. If you understand this, one day you will truly become a great Demon Lord."

What are my strengths and weaknesses? I've been living in my father's shadow all this time. I wanted to be like my father, unconsciously the thought locked me in an invisible prison.

What does it mean that thought becomes my weakness?

Instantly, I felt tremendous energy from within. It was so great, it brought me back to my senses. And quickly, I threw the four of them up hard.

Right… that thought limited my potential. Now, I can't do that.

As soon as I realized, my hand was already gripping Ouroboros' weapon. Although a little reluctant, there seems to be no other choice.

"W-what happened… I crushed your heart…!"

"You think I need something like that? I am the Demon Lord. I alone is the heart."

This weapon then glows. As if channeling it energy to me.

Quickly, I raised my index finger up.

While staring coldly into their eyes, I smiled.

"Disappear into soulless dust."

With that, I bent my index finger and quickly torn their body apart. Their entire limbs fell off and began to disappear into dust grains. And their souls also began to crumble, until in the end leaving only a grain of dust that would disappear in one blow.

I… really did it.

This weapon also began to extinguish.

My body went limp again. While lying on the floor… I could only stare at the beautiful sky of Theraz.

Oh, I see. I guess dying while looking at a scene like this isn't bad either.

Though… even though I finally found out the truth. But I had to pay a heavy price… so much that I couldn't share it with anyone else.

And again… this Ouroboros weapon that I'm holding… slowly turns to dust as well.

"Father, I will join you soon…" With that… I gave up and started to close my eyes.

"Join? Where to, O Demon Lord?" Suddenly a man's voice was heard clearly beside me.

The eyes immediately widen. Silver eye, grimacing menacingly. In front of me is a human figure holding a silver cup in his right hand.

"You look beautiful, but you also seem pitiful to a ruler of the underworld and Theraz. Hmm… did you know? It's true you've reached the truth and that's a very high price, that you can't tell anyone else. Your philosophy is awesome!"

His smile is so sly. This is the first time I have felt such horror. What is this feeling of fear?

"But… if you want to catch up with your father… you'll have to die at the hands of Ouroboros… too bad you killed him… you're so cruel…"

I gasped. Suddenly his palm had penetrated my neck.

"That's why… let me own your soul…" while laughing, he brought his face closer.

"Have fun… Egaria… in the new world…"

Darkness slowly began to envelop me.

Slowly lead me to a strange hole of light. As soon as I realized… I was already in a clear place. The air is so strange… fresh…

…

Noisy voices. I could only hear the sound of crying. The voices of two people calling "Tia" repeatedly in a language I don't understand while showing their smiles. And…

"Surya… this is your sister, Tia."

A red-haired dark elf boy then came over to me. Slowly his lips began to curl up and show his teeth.

"Welcome… Tia."

***

I immediately threw a fist to break Menoth's shield. It had created a void between us.

Menoth quickly swung Longinur to behead me. However, the tip of the spear was instead blocked by the blade I made from the void and dust.

"Kh! Ouroboros!!!"

While putting all his strength into the spear's tip, Menoth repeatedly tried to break down my defenses.

But, it's uselss. Every time another weapon is destroyed, there will be more things blocking Longinur's blow.

Now his furious teeth are starting to show. An expression of annoyance because now he didn't have a slight chance to touch even a hair of my body.

"AAAARRRGHHHH!!!!" Concentrating all his strength on his wrist, he immediately split the space horizontally.

The power was so great, that buildings and air had to separate.

Command Confirmation. Connect the thoughts of the Void. Synchronize The Void.

My hands immediately formed chains from the void, threw them and bound Longinur. Makes us compete with each other in a tug of war.

"What do you think you're doing, huh?! The Righteous One gave this weapon to me! And now you want to take it? Absolutely despicable, Ouroboros!!!"

Longinur's body turned red. Released itself and broke my chains. But, regardless I went forward.

From behind Menoth, a large spear directly pierced him.

I had to receive the blood right in front of my face.

My hand then tried to grab his face, but Menoth quickly grabbed my face first.

"Feel this!"

In an instant, my head shattered, leaving a body that immediately retreated backwards.

Menoth didn't waste this opportunity. He quickly threw the Longinur right at my chest and stabbed it into the surface of the field.

"Kh…!" I tried to free myself once the head had returned, but the energy was too strong.

"You really need to be finished immediately, you damn snake!"

Just as he was about to detonate the energy in his Longinur, suddenly Egaria appeared and swung her sword steadily, despite being badly injured.

However, Menoth easily withstood the devastating attack with only the blade of the sword that emerged from within his silver cup.

He then summoned Longinur so that this weapon was forcibly removed from my body. However, he allowed his restraining energy to keep holding my body.

"You, annoying little demon…!"

Once Longinur was grasped, he attempted to decapitate Tia.

Desperately, Egaria grasped the spearhead with her hand. She also tried to burn it, but only partially burnt the weapon.

"You…!" The creature immediately grabbed Egaria's leg to make her fall.

However, the girl was still standing on her knees.

"Why don't you just let me eat you?"

With a smirk, Egaria tried to get her energy out.

FLAMES: IGNITION!

Menoth's body was gradually burning.

"Ah! This sucks!" with the force in his body, he retorted with more intense energy, thus bouncing Egaria away.

The burst of energy temporarily numbed the nerves connected to the magic core.

The girl tried to stand up again and aimed her hand at Menoth. However, nothing came out

"What happened…?!"

"Egaria! Run!" I shouted as I kept trying to unshackle Longinur's energy.

She just sat there. Stuck while looking at Menoth who was carrying Longinur.

"Damn... you guys make it even more difficult! ... with this... you won't be able to go anywhere" Longinur's tip was pointed at her.

Instantly tremendous energy gathered and shot a divine beam at Egaria.

Damn it! I won't make it in time…!

I thought I had failed, but it turned out that my guess was wrong.

The divine beam shot for so long, that even Menoth shook with anyone who held it back.

Sure enough, Egolas had stood before Egaria blocking that powerful energy shot.

With all his remaining strength, the former demon lord blocked the beam from the spear that was said to have stabbed the god's stomach.

"Father!!!"

Menoth was full of emotion.

"Get out of the way!" now the energy that is being fired is getting bigger.

Egaria tries to pull Egolas away from the energy shot. However, Egolas doesn't let it go. He pushes Egaria away and locks himself in a huge invisible barrier.

"Father! Let me help you!"

The light gradually removed some of Egolas' hands.

Menoth, who was impatient with Egaria's strength, finally walked over.

With the spearhead already right in front of Egolas's eyes, Menoth didn't hesitate to stab him. Allowing Longinur Doom's energy to burst forth from within.

"Egolas!" I shouted.

"You really are a bother! You should still die there, O Strongest Demon Lord!"

However, Egolas smirked instead.

"Precisely because I'm a demon lord, I can influence anything I want…" he held Longinur's neck with the remnants of his hand. "…Including death."

Menoth's eyes widened. Now Longinur's body is slowly becoming charred. It slithered and devoured all the energy within the spear.

Annoyed, Menoth immediately restrained and kicked Egolas' body to release his weapon. But, it's useless. Now Longinur was nothing more than rusty and charred old metal.

With uncontrollable emotions, I immediately let go of Longinur's energy shackles and ran toward the two of them.

"How dare you, Egolas! Your soul will be my temporary source of power—"

ICE: FORST REIN!

Instantly part of his body was covered in solid ice.

Gilbert with his remaining strength in the midst of his powerlessness was still able to rise and withstand Menoth's movement.

"You damn brat—"

—BANG!

The sound was so great that it pulled the creature away from Egolas with a huge hole in its head, as soon as it turned around.

While straightening his skull, Menoth got up again and glared at me angrily.

"OUROBOR—"

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

His head was completely drained from the gun shot I made from this dust.

While approaching the regenerating body, I reshaped a sharp thick wand and stabbed it right at Menoth's neck.

"Ah!... Ou…ro…bor..ros…! Y-you…"

With full control, I ordered the tip of the wand that pierced his neck to stick out to restrain his physical brain.

"It is over. You're done, Menoth. And from now on I will follow your game to the end of the hereafter!"

I gripped his head tightly. Made him look at me properly.

"Listen to me, Menoth. You can attack me, torture me, and kill me. But… once again you touched a friend, love, children… mother…"

Sweat was dripping down my five fingers.

"...I will kill you. I will fucking kill your physical body and soul—and every time—no matter how many times The True One revives you—I don't care—because I will eat your fucking soul until you never hope to be born again!"

His eyes are now glassy. His mouth could only gape like a receipt.

"W-what are you really?! W-why I-I can't beat you!?"

I was silent when I heard the question. But I was ready to answer it.

"I… am a tiny speck of dust beneath all existence. An endless circle of serpent. I am the eternal nothingness of the void. It is I, Ouroboros."

And in the mirror of his vision, a huge mouth was ready to devour his face.

Finished. Remove that body from this world once and for all.

***

"You know? I used to be just an ordinary demon who always imagined how beautiful the stars up there were. The dark blue sky that was probably filled with other life… very… "

"Wonderful?"

"... yes. Even though I was just full of those thoughts… however, they insulted me…"

Egaria continued to emit healing energy slowly into Egolas's chaotic body. Even so, the hole due to The Void's wound did not close.

"Back then, once I learned the name 'Ouroboros' and its stories… I always wished I could make such a peaceful world. I… always dreamed of achieving a relationship with that creature… but it turns out…" His voice was getting softer, weaker.

The Void Energy not only bore holes in his body with anti-regeneration abilities but also absorbed all other powers, including the soul.

"Egaria… I'm sorry. So far can't give you the best… let yourself into this cruel world…"

"What do you mean? You have guided me to a world where there is so much diversity… thanks to you I know everything in Theraz, in Convex…" comforted Egaria while shedding tears.

Everything became so quiet. The battle that just happened seemed to have disappeared into dust.

The sound of footsteps dragging the ground and the road slowly approached the two of them. A stout figure with his eyes blazing coldly, Blue, yellow. As if staring at the two of them with tremendous intimidation.

"Ouroboros… looks like this is the second time I've tasted a ridiculous bitter defeat…" Egolas couldn't help but laugh mockingly at himself.

Shame, but peaceful. Without envy and hatred.

"Egolas, son of Morufa and Hexon, soon you will die. In the laws of The Void that The True One had laid down, all offense inflicted by Primordials on other Primordial descendent beings would not be able to be healed and treated. In this way, your soul will enter into the dominion of Menoth 'The Human God'. Are you ready to die?"

Egolas who heard that was momentarily surprised, so was Egaria. This girl would not let her father into such a cruel world. She immediately shielded her father while glaring angrily at Ouroboros.

However, Egolas knew this. He immediately laughed out loud.

"Oh, I see? I've always wondered what our fate will be when we die at the hands of primordial entities, but I never thought I'd hear an explanation directly from you."

Ouroboros was silent. As if he was muttering and contemplating something.

"Okay, I'm ready—"

"—Wait! Is there no other way but to let his soul enter such a world?! A cruel world ruled by that monstrous creature?! Never will I'll let you! What made you primordial beings decide things like this for us, huh?! What?!" shouted Egaria while gripping Ouroboros's neck until it was about to break.

Her head slowly lowered into Ouroboros's chest limply.

"What did he do to have to accept such a terrible fate...?"

"Egaria."

Her eyes also glanced back at Egolas who was trying to make himself sit back against the rubble.

"Of course there is a way. Yes, right?" he said as he looked at Ouroboros calmly.

Her face was confused. What did her father mean?

"As long as the descendents still have their last breath left, if they are killed by another primordial, their soul law soul will transfer to that primordial realm of authority."

She start to understand, but there was still doubt that kept haunting her.

"How would I know if you weren't any different from him—?"

"—Egaria. It's okay, everything will be fine."

Egaria still couldn't calm down. Realizing that she was about to lose something precious again, made her immediately hug Egolas.

"I love you father..."

"... Me too..."

Although it was heavy, Egaria tried to let go of the embrace.

Hold the man's hand and put them on her cheeks.

Egolas then looked back at Ouroboros.

"I just regret, that we will never be able to share each other's stories and misery in this world. But, I'm glad to be able to feel the peace you provided then again."

Looking up, he prepared to accept a different death gracefully.

Ouroboros slowly knelt down. Raised hands while forming palms like blades ready to draw.

"May you succeed in finding the peace you seek, Egolas. The True One is with you."

On that day, three students walked through the chaos of the Convex campus. The festival, which was supposed to be lively, ended up in an unexpected disaster.

The sound of sirens began to come rushing to this place. Seen a group of sector officers entering Convex to secure people who have awakened from blood magic.

The sun had also shone in the sky, revealing the blood and corpses that had been scattered. The terror from the gods may not be completely over, but at least we now have some time to rest.