Chapter 16: The Realms [1]

Chapter 16: The Realms [1]

The cries receded as soon as Daniel's piercing scream and the talk of revenge reached their ears. However, the silence was short-lived as the cries resumed, shattering the tranquility.

"Daniel, you can't possibly know who attacked you. How will you even take revenge?" Lucifer whispered, his face draped in a veil of sorrow.

Upon hearing this, Daniel's agitation subsided, though his eyes still quivered.

"You're right... I-" Just as Daniel pondered over the task of identifying his assailant, an unexpected voice echoed within him.

[It was one of the Grand Wizards.]

Startled, Daniel jumped at the sound of the voice.

'You...,' Daniel had believed he had gone away from the Devil, yet here he was, once again subjected to the same voice.

'Unbelievable. You're...'

[The so-called Devil.]

Daniel gulped down a chunk of saliva, for the situation was mysterious.

'I don't think my curse has spread enough to become your pawn, to hear your voice…', Daniel said.

[Of course, it has.]

[I used my powers to save you. Do you think it was for no reason?]

"Don't lie…", Daniel blurted out, almost instantly pulling his hand away from the locket he wore.

Apparently, he could check the progression of the curse from that artifact as well.

As he pulled it out of his cloth, he noticed a few numbers with a white glow floating above them: 100%.

His eyes trembled more as he slowly turned his gaze to Lucifer, checking if he had somehow seen this.

But Lucifer, his gaze turned to the other side, looking at other dead bodies.

He quickly put the locket back inside and then resumed his talk with the devil.

'Have I become your pawn?'

[Pawn? Haha. A fancy name that you people have made. You are my child, under my protection, nothing else.]

'Child, eh? A fancy name for a pawn,' Daniel gritted his teeth upon hearing that.

[Haha.]

'Tell me, why did you save me?', Daniel asked, his gaze sharp as he sat there, watching people walk beside.

[Because I liked you.]

'What!?'

'That's it?'

[Indeed. That's the only reason.]

Daniel gritted his teeth, clearly knowing that the Devil didn't want to answer him.

'So, what now? I am at a hundred percent. You will force me to do your tasks, wouldn't you?'

[Haha, not really. It's your choice, boy.]

"What?" he raised his voice yet again, this time catching Lucifer's attention.

"What?" Lucifer too asked, turning towards Daniel after hearing his voice.

"N-nothing.", Daniel's reply was abrupt.

Lucifer squinted his eyes and, with a soft tone and concern, asked, "Are you alright, Daniel? You are sweating… Should we go back?"

Daniel shook his head, "Ah, it's hot here. That's the reason for sweat. I'm fine honestly."

"Alright… do let me know when you want to return," saying this Lucifer turned his gaze away, looking at the women who sat on the hard floor, crying.

And Daniel resumed his talk.

'What do you mean by it's my choice?'

[Just as I mentioned. It's your choice to decide whether you want to awaken your powers and ascend to higher realms, or merely remain a child until the end.]

Confused, Daniel asked, 'Realms? Do you mean ranks? The global list of wizards and witches?' And upon the mention of that, the devil laughed loudly.

[Hahahahaha!]

[Fool, that's a ranking that you humans have made.]

[What I am talking about is realms…]

'What?'

[Hahaha, let me show you.]

Seconds later, Daniel fell to the ground with a thud, losing consciousness yet again, surprising Lucifer. It was as if he was transported to a different realm. As he opened his eyes, he found himself in front of eight doors, each represented by different colors.

"This is…?", confused, he looked around, surrounded by darkness with the exceptions of the doors which shone in different colors.

From left to right, the colors indicated were: Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, White, Black, and Red.

He kept staring at them as he finally heard the Devil's voice.

[The Yellow door is the first realm.]

The sudden voice surprised him, which was further accompanied by the opening of the door. As the door with the faint yellow glow opened, inside it stood a silhouette that was adorned with a yellow glow.

It looked like it was made from wood, but at the same time not, for it was just a concentration of energy!

[Watch closely.]

[This is the Seeker realm.]

[There is a story… just look at it unfold.]

The Seeker Realm:

The silhouette marched forward. It raised both its hands, palms facing the sky. Swinging them down once and then raising them - it repeated this twice, exactly when different structures started to erect from the ground - boulders.

Then with a flick of its hand, the figure could destroy one of the boulders entirely, shattering it completely - which surprised Daniel, for this was the power of a Senior Wizard. The difference was that the silhouette didn't chant any spell.

Lore:

A soul kept seeking many things his entire life. No books nor anyone could help him with what he had to find. He had but one wish: to save his bedridden wife. He sacrificed everything - his happiness, his youth, his time - all for his true love. Yet in the end, he couldn't find the cure.

He sat close to the bed where his wife remained dead, yet he gently and warmly grabbed her cold hands. Unable to do anything else, he used the little knowledge and powers he had gained in his journey to construct a tomb, a grave for his wife's body - but not from wood or any other such materials. He used his own body, sacrificing his life and transformed himself into a coffin where his wife rested.

The Wanderer Realm:

The silhouette then opened the next door, causing it to undergo a change in color from yellow to orange. He marched forward again, this time raising his hand and effortlessly lifting the gigantic boulders he had created previously, causing them to collide with each other and shatter.

Lore:

After leaving his body, the soul wandered in the same world, his love for his wife immortal. He couldn't depart from the place where they had made memories. For centuries, peace reigned. He would sit on the wreckage of chairs and simply gaze at the house he and his wife had built. However, the soul soon began to get corrupted. The coffin he had constructed was destroyed by humans who dug up the area to build new homes. Becoming an evil spirit, he now only wandered from place to place, bringing curses to different homes.

The Alchemist Realm:

The silhouette now passed through the green door, which took on the same color. This time, it brought out several small shadows that resembled tiny containers, as if holding some kind of liquid - potions. Tipping them, the liquid gushed out and touched the remaining shadows on the ground. These shadows rose to their feet, forming new bodies.

Lore:

A person ended up capturing the spirit as it caused a lot of trouble in households, imprisoning him within a bottle. Initially considering destroying it, the person changed their mind after learning the spirit's story and the underlying cause. They took the initiative to help the spirit. By conversing with the locals, they restored the place and erected a shrine for the spirit and his wife. Ultimately, they chose to release the spirit. Unfortunately, that decision proved to be a mistake, as the spirit was no longer pure. Corruption had taken hold, and upon being freed, the spirit returned to slay the person and possess them, becoming the very man - the Alchemist.

The Death Walker Realm:

Upon entering the blue door, the silhouette emerged with nothing but a pair of blades - swords. Swiftly swinging them, they danced gracefully while dispatching the newly formed shadows - beheading them one by one, then elegantly bringing out a long tongue that resembled a serpent's and licking the blades clean.

Lore:

Following the possession of the Alchemist, the soul's power expanded. Harnessing the might of alchemy, he obliterated those who had ravaged his home, reducing the entire town to a mere graveyard. But the peaceful satisfaction from the revenge never came to the soul. The act of taking lives became strangely appealing, transforming him into a walker of death. Wherever he journeyed, only death trailed in his wake.

The Lone Wolf Realm:

Passing through the purple door, the silhouette, now aglow in purple, finally possessed eyes that were previously absent. The shadows, victims of his past, gave rise to numerous more shadows that surged towards him - nearly a hundred in number. However, with a mere flick of his wrist, the silhouette obliterated every last one of them.

Lore:

Gradually, the soul began to lose its memories, the root of its anger becoming a mystery. Throughout its journey, it encountered other souls inhabiting various individuals, launching attacks and seeking to consume it. These adversaries arrived in groups and packs, yet the solitary soul remained steadfast, akin to a lone wolf. Utilizing its powers, it vanquished them all.

The Joker Realm:

After extinguishing all life, the silhouette reversed its course, retracing its steps toward the white door. Its entire form transformed to white, now adorned with a new addition - a mask resting upon its face. This mask bore a red smile etched onto it. Advancing, the silhouette lifted both hands, conjuring an entire forest teeming with animals. Abruptly, it erupted into laughter, a sound Daniel had definitely heard before.

[Hahahahahaha!]

The laughter echoed throughout the place which didn't stop despite the silhouette walking towards the erected forest.

The animals gathered to witness the spectacle, as the Joker commenced an eccentric dance, swinging from branches and bounding about like a clown. The animals joined in the laughter before meeting their demise. Their hearts gouged out with just a pointing of index finger at them combined with the very forest getting consumed by flames.

Lore:

At this point, the soul's memories had all but faded, leaving behind only anger and hatred. Bound to a body impervious to decay or death, thanks to alchemical means, it mingled with humanity once more, learning a range of emotions from its interactions. Yet, these emotions were never genuine, merely a facade, akin to donning a mask. Devoid of control over when to laugh, express anger, or convey sadness, the soul became a subject of mockery, earning it the moniker "Joker."

The Reaper Realm:

Having reduced all to ashes, the Joker collected the remnants and moved towards the door. Upon exiting, the white body was now completely covered in these ashes, rendering it black. The surplus ashes coalesced into a massive scythe, wielded by the figure. At one instance, the Reaper halted abruptly, pivoting its gaze toward Daniel, fixing its stare upon him, almost as if sensing his presence.

Lore:

Finally, the soul crossed paths with a group of humans who called themselves - Wizards. For the first time, they labeled him a Criminal, finding him and letting know of his acts which were deemed as a crime! But the soul didn't show any remorse and laughed at the situation, uncontrollably. They denounced him as the Reaper who took pleasure in slaying innocents. Engaging in battle, they sought to eliminate him, although they ultimately failed, succeeding only in weakening him.

The Apostle Realm:

After a prolonged gaze, the Reaper commenced a deliberate backward stride, its stare unwavering. Ultimately, it traversed into the red realm. At last, the figure emerged, now bedecked in crimson, sporting horns upon its head. It uttered, [Did you enjoy the spectacle?]

Lore:

The soul's form began to wane, having lingered within the world for an extensive duration. Evading destiny was futile. The time had come for departure. Yet, it was precisely then that it encountered a term - Apostle, or Vessel - a role it could inhabit, living as long as an Apostle lived.

Daniel, having heard about the realms, now merely stared at the talking silhouette, realizing, the so-called devil was the actor, who acted as the silhouette for it was the same familiar voice again.