Return to ignorance

We were standing infront of the great soultree and we saw Siel'Kel looking at us with wary aura. He started walking towards us and he began to speak.

- Are you off to another trip to a demon prince's realm?

- How did you guess?

- Nor's visits here have twice now led to me sending him to another realm. It was just a guess made by previus experiences.

- Oh yeah, you did send me to the third layer back then.

I ask.

- Did you forget already?

- Not entirely. It was an unpleasant experience after all.

Siel'Kel asks.

- So which realm this time?

- The realm of ignorance, Hou.

- Again, why?

- We need to get the fragment of destruction from the demon prince of ignorance.

- Fragment of destruction? Is this due to the appearance of destructive presence up north?

- That's right. We are trying to lessen the power that original power of destruction still has.

- So you are... I see. Then how do you two know of these fragments?

- Lex told us who he realy was.

- I see. While he hasn't changed his form for quite some time now, I didn't expect him to reveal it so easily. He could have just told a lie. Then again, you are bearer of his sister Soul's soul fragment, so I'm not too surprised.

- Oh right. He didn't mention anything about that. What do you think he feels towards me?

- My guess is that he sees you as someone who happens to bear his sister's soul fragment. Nothing more. Nothing less. I doubt he has any emotional attachment towards you. Not at least in the soul fragment's case.

- You realy think so? Huh. So, which layer are you going to send us?

- I can send you to the fourth layer. From there you have to go to the fifth and final layer where he lies.

- Why can't you just send us to the fifth?

- Two reasons. One, I haven't been there myself. And two, it is protected by a strong magic so that the gate in the fourth layer is the only way there.

- I understand. Then will you sent us?

- In a moment. Just remember that the fourth layer is the layer for worshipers. While they may be the worhipers of demon prince ignorance, they still are worshipers of a demon prince.

- We will be carefull then.

- Good luck.

Then we are sent to the fourth layer of Hou.

We don't see many light sources from here. Just enough to tell where you are going. Some of the worshipers are carrying lanterns with purple or blue lights on them. We saw a big building that was lit up. We decided to go inside of it.

We saw verry few guards just laying around the place. There are few cultists walking around and no one is asking our purpose for being here. We tried our luck by asking around where the last gate was located, but we were just ignored. Cultists of ignorance truly live up to their name.

We walk around for a while and we finally see some resemblance of instructions. We start following them and we are then led to a big hall with a long set of stairs down. At the bottom we se the gate with some guards laying around. The stairs take some time, but we are finaly infornt of the gate. A guard start guestioning us while laying on the ground.

- What is your business here?

- We are here to see the demon prince of ignorance.

- Are you accolytes of other demon princes or their messenger?

- We are just some guys looking to meet the lord of ignorance himself.

- Sure, whatever. It nice to have some newcomers, I guess. Head on in.

- Thanks?

We walk trough the gate. We are then standing on a warm hallway with barely any light around us. We walk for a while and eventually we are in a hall with a slime and a demon woman with four wings on her back infront of us.

- Who are you?! What is your purpose here?!

- I am Nor and this is Aktor. We came to talk with the lord of ignorance.

- Oh, there is another? Uhm, well you should leave, since my lord is not taking visitors at the moment!

- We are here just to...

- Silence! As you can see, his excellency is currently sleeping!

She points at the tiny slime in the middle of the room.

- Wait, that is the demon prince of ignorance? I thought he'd be something... well... something else.

- You dare question the form of his excellency would present to us?! Now leave at once! Or else you might make his highness see bad dreams.

- Wait! We realy need to talk to him. When would he wake up?

- He sleeps for the entire time he wishes to, so always. Now leave!

A soft voice is heard in our heads.

- Wait.

- What was that?

The demon starts kneeling and talking to the slime.

- Your excellency. I appologice for waking you up. I was just getting rid of these trespassers and...

- It's fine... I'm already awake... and I'm presented with... a visit from an old friend. ... Aren't I Soul?

Is he talking to me? Aktor nudges me and whispers.

- Just go along with it.

Realy?

- Yes, its me. It has been some time now hasn't it.

- Even I... the prince of ignorance... to be able to tell... it has been long... is quite something indeed. ... But Soul... you voice sounds... a bit different... than I remember. Have you finally... changed your form? ... You seemed quite fond of it... back then.

- Yes, I have. Felt like changing it a bit would be nice every now and again.

- I see. ... Well, no matter. ... Your presence... does still feel... like it has... back then. ... Calming... and warm.

- Glad you like it.

- I felt... your presence... here a moment... ago, ... but you didn't... come to see me. ... I wonder... why is that.

- You see my friend here got stuck at your third layer and I came here to free him. I was so preoccupied back then so I didn't think to come and see you. Sorry.

- That sounds... understandable. ... But it doesn't matter... I was just sleeping so... I can ignore that. ... You see... my brothers and sisters... have been coming here... from time to time... and vent their worries... at me. ... But as you know... I just ignore them. ... But for some reason... they keep coming back. ... I don't undertsand why though.

- That sounds like they rely on you. You are someone who won't talk back at them. And you are the same kind of being as them. So they feel that they can talk to you.

- I guess that's... something. ... Even though I... just ignore them... and sleep. ... Yet I can hear... them. ... I wish... I was not a demon prince... but just a... small organism... floating away... at the sway of the world.

- That sounds nice, but if you weren't a demon prince, you would have to worry about survival and the likes.

- That sounds... quite bothersome. ... I changed my mind... I don't want... to be anything else. ... Just me... sleeping away.

- Oh, by the way, we have a favor to ask you.

- You can call me Null. ... Like you used to. ... What do you need.

- Null, we need your fragment of destruction.

- What for?

- The will of destruction is getting out of hand out there and we are trying to make it less bad with getting rid of the fragments.

- That sounds like... it could be bad... for a lot of people... but not me. ... Why should I care? ... The fragment is a gift... from our father. ... So it means... a lot to other... demon princes.

- The destruction could spread in to your realm and by your doorstep.

- That would be... inconvenient. ... I was going to give it... to you from the start... but I just wanted to know why. ... Then again... I don't realy care... either way... what happens to it. ... Just that Saat, ... or whatever he calls him self, ... won't like me givin it up. ... Much less givin... his own fragment.

- I see. But thanks. That means a lot to me.

- Whatever. ... Servant go and fetch it for him.

The demon answers.

- At once!

- Is there anything else... you would like to discuss?

Should I tell him? He said that her presence is calming and warm. Perhaps it feels lot to him to believe that she has come to visit him. But should he still know the truth about her death? What is the right choice.

- Is there something wrong?

I made up my mind. I will...

.

.

.

The demon hands me the fragment. It's size is of a small boulder.

- It still was... nice for you to visit. ... Good luck with... whatever you were going... to do with the fragment.

- Thank you. Rest well.

- I always will.

We are then transported back to the great soultree. Lex was there with Siel'Kel. Then while we were walking towards them, Aktor nudged me and asked.

- Are you sure you made a right choise? About her death.

- I can't be sure, but I feel like I did the right choice.

Siel'Kel asks.

- What are you two talking about.

- It's nothing. Why is Lex here?

- He said that since I'm going to transport you to the other realms, we should make a base here. I already asked one of the scales to make accommodations for you all. Now, I see that you got one fragment.

- Yes. He gave it up quite willingly.

- That was probably the easiest one to get. I suggest we go for the demon prince of rot Verm next.

- Why do you think that?

- Because she is the most likely to give it. Right next to ignorance.

Lex starts talking

- A little info from way back. Verm was once a demon prince of pride until her boasting got Saat, the demon prince of change, angry and made her into what she is today. Due to using a lot of his power, Saat lost much of his power, yet he did not regret it. Verm knows her past, but does not share the memories of it.

- What will we do with this information?

- Not much, just wanted you all to know. Maybe you can use the fact that she once held pride in owning two of the fragments. What I hear, she hates her past self and has made great effort in making her past dissapear.

- Two fragments?! Does she still have both of them?

- As far as I know she should have them. Though I have not delved deep into their doings in their realms.

- I see. Well I want to rest for a moment if you all don't mind.

- No, feel free. I haven't detected any consentrations of destruction appearing anywhere. I still haven't figured out how to get rid of them, so you won't need to hurry. Though I should start to hurry, since the fates of possible hundreds of thousands of people are in our hand. So no pressure.

- Thanks a lot. I realy needed that. Now I can rest peacefully the rest of the day.

- What? I just stated the facts.

Aktor nudges me and says.

- We should go. We already done our part for the day, so let's get some rest.

- Let's go.

We spend the rest of the night resting. But I barely can calm down since the stakes of the situation.