The void between stars was not empty. It pulsed with a quiet, terrible awareness—a breathing darkness where forgotten things stirred in their slumber.
Constellations hung like distant, watchful eyes, their cold light a language of fire and time, spelling out stories no mortal tongue could speak. Some were already dead, their final gasps of radiance still traveling across the endless black. Others were newborns, their light still sharp and hungry.
And then there were the ones that did not belong.
The sky above the barren planet was a wound—a vast, swirling bruise of violet and smoldering crimson as if the heavens themselves had been clawed open.
Thick, shapeless smoke coiled through the air, parting only in ragged strips to reveal the distant, uncaring gaze of the stars. They watched. They always watched.
Beneath that bleeding sky, the planet was a graveyard of forgotten ages. A desert of black sand, fine as powdered bone, stretched in every direction, shifting in slow, whispering waves under the weight of a sulfurous wind.
Rivers of molten gold and hellish scarlet cut through the wastes, their surfaces bubbling with half-heard voices—whispers of the damned, or perhaps the echoes of warriors whose bones had long since turned to dust beneath the sands.
And at the center of it all stood Xavier, a lone figure drenched in sweat, panting heavily, catching his breath.
*DRUM *
*DHUM *
*CRASH *
" You have mastered my 40th demonic formation with this," Belheir's voice echoed in Xavier's mind.
His chest was going up and down breathing heavily, white in his eyes was turned into black with a purple pupil in the middle. Black veins could be seen through his bare chest, smoke evaporating from his body swirled in the air.
His surrounding was a desert with no life or even a single plant. Only a river of lava flowing through the dry sand of the desert made the surroundings hot.
But that had no impact on Xavier.
" There are in total 50 demonic formations of yours. Only 40 are known to the demonic cult and the rest 10 vanished along with you," Xavier's calm and chilling voice echoed in the silent air full of sulfur and malicious demonic energy.
" Hmm, I just taught my subordinate 40 formations because the remaining 10 were beyond their capacity," Belhier replied, casual and unbothered.
" But you are going to teach me that, aren't you?"
Belhier scoffed, " Why will I? You are just a brat who doesn't even surrender himself to the great demon lord."
Xavier's eyes narrowed, looking down at his black twin blade in his both hands, he sneered, " Do you think you have an option, Belhier?"
" Huh? You think you can negotiate with me-" " Nope, there are no negotiations. It's just....." Xavier lifted the blade in his left hand and placed its cold, sharp edge on his throat.
" WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? YOU CAN'T DIE WHEN MY CONSCIOUS MIND IS WITHIN YOU?" Belhier screamed frantically, playing right in Xavier's hand.
" Oh really? Then teach me your forbidden 10 demonic techniques," Xavier replied simply.
He couldn't see Belhier's face but he could feel his emotions. It was that Belhier didn't wish to teach him the forbidden 10 techniques, it was something else.
" Even if you threaten me to teach you, I can't do that." Belhier sounded annoyed as he spoke. Xavier lifted his right eyebrow, dropping the blade on the ground.
" Why so?" " It requires strong emotional triggers to even understand the 10 forbidden demonic formations let alone follow my steps," Belhier replied.
Xavier blinked his eyes, " Strong Emotional Trigger?"
He could feel Belhier nodding his head, " Do you know the main source of demonic energy?"
" Aren't you the main source of demonic energy, the evilest being who caused havoc on earth because you were jealous of humans being favored by Heavens?"
Belhier didn't reply for a while and mumbled in a low tone, " So, this is what you all know about me. The one abandoned by Heavens."
Xavier sat on the ground and shrugged his shoulder, " Why? Is that wrong?"
Belhier didn't reply, but as Xavier could feel his emotions, Xavier frowned realizing how Belhier was feeling sad over that fact.
" The real evilest being is meant to exist in the world till the doomsday. I am just....." Belhier paused.
Xavier narrowed his eyes, " The real evilest being?"
Belhier sighed, " Yeah, something like this."
" Why are speaking in a circle? Just speak properly, you ancient mold." Xavier snapped in irritation.
Belhier scoffed in disbelief, " You brat! Can't you understand how I am feeling?"
" Am I supposed to care? Just tell me what you want to say," Xavier's casual and unhinged tone made Belhier irritated. He clenched his fist tightly, throwing his hand in the thin air.
But knowing how he couldn't do anything to Xavier while being locked inside him, he just admitted defeat.
" History gets altered over the years. Explaining it will take too much energy so let me just tell you about the origin of demonic energy." Belhier calmed himself down.
Xavier waited calmly for him to start.
" To put simply, there is an ancient being who is the source of all evil. Throughout different civilizations, he is called by different names, and mortals never truly saw him in his original form," Belhier paused for Xavier to understand.
Xavier arched his brow and smacked his lips waiting for Belhier to continue.
" During my time, he was called Satan. He was and is still too powerful for humans or even dragons to face him directly and due to the heavenly restrictions, he can't appear in his real form in front of anyone. But he can influence any living being."
Xavier blinked his eyes at the new information he was receiving. His grip on the hilt of the black blade in his left hand tightened.
" And demonic energy is mainly the strong malicious emotions of every living creature on the planet. Warth, avarice, envy, Pride, Fear, Greed, Lust and Despire. The stronger these emotions, the stronger the malicious energy. And once malicious energy is gathered into a core from the surrounding, it turns into demonic energy. That's the real source of power of demonic energy also Satan's power."
Xavier gulped, sweaty beard appearing on his forehead, and his mind felt heavy.
" Are you saying, it's not you who is the evilest being in the world?" Xavier asked in disbelief.
" If you put in the term of living beings, I am."
Xavier's brows arched, " Hey, were you Satan's worshiper or what?"
Belhier snapped back angrily, " Who worships that dirty hell creature? I am just.... Just..... Just...."
" What ?" " Knowing too much isn't good. Just know to master my 10 forbidden techniques you need a strong emotional trigger. Unless you fall into that state, you can understand the forbidden 10 demonic techniques but know, if you lose your sanity, I am taking over your body."
Xavier pressed his lips tightly, his heart was beating fast, and he felt his throat burning. A hot breeze flew across the sky and ground carrying a metallic smell of lava.
Earlier a week, he had Edwin open a space portal where he couldn't be found by any matter. Since then, he had been practicing non-stop on the 40 demonic formations he was taught during his confinement inside the Imperial palace.
And finally, he managed to master 40 demonic formations, unlocking an even greater demonic energy pathway inside his body.
Xavier knew he could fight on the same footing as Sylvester at that state but listening to Belhier, he knew he couldn't be over-confident about the other demons.
He could barely guess Belhier's story. And knowing about an unknown being who is truly behind all the evil in the world, he felt conflicted.
Xavier took a deep breath and looked up in the sky. The sky was covered in his own purple demonic energy which he had been using without any thought ever since he came.
He blinked his eyes and a small sigh left from his lips.
" You should be prepared," Belhier suddenly spoke.
" I won't let you take over my body, so fuck off!" Xavier was fast to reply. Belhier smacked his lips in annoyance.
" Seriously! It's not about that." " Then?"
" No matter how strongly you resist melicious energy now, a day will come when you will find yourself giving up on the urge to fight against this malicious energies due to many reasons," Belhier paused thinking Xavier would deny but Xavier said nothing.
Belhier found Xavier's silence weird but didn't stop.
" When that happens, even if I don't take over the body as a mercy to the young you, you will lose your reasoning and then you will be slayed by the woman who loves so dearly."
Xavier's eyes fluttered as they instantly returned to their original color.
His grip on his blade tightened, " I love no woman."
He denied but Belhier didn't buy that.
" Stop denying it when you are still sane, at least at your last moment you should be able to recognize your beloved." Belhier's tone got a little heavy at the end of the sentence.
Xavier started chewing the skin of his bottom lips, he had to say something but he didn't.
" Don't tell me, are you scared of naming this feeling as love?" Belhier touched the core problem instantly, and Xavier's shoulder flinched.
Belhier burst into laughter making Xavier roll his eyes in frustration.
" Shut up, you ancient mold."
" What's the point of shutting me up? You know, let me give you a demo look into your future." Belhier grinned evilly.
" You will give in to the malicious energy, that girl will get together with the guy's divine power whose energy you felt back in the forest after all those two are chosen ones unlike you the bearer of the world's evilest malicious energy. "
Xavier's eyes widen hearing Belhier. Belhier's words were slow and tempting, almost as if like an illusion. Xavier's heart was burning with a strong unease and anger. And right before him, he could imagine Ezekian and Selentia together.
They were holding each other's hands, there was a warm smile on Selentia's lips as she looked at Ezekian who kissed her forehead lovingly.
" See, how beautiful they are! " Belhier's whisper made Xavier's heart tremble.
He stretched out his trembling hand toward the illusion of Selentia, his body shaking ever so slightly with the strong feeling of despire.
Selentia turned her head at Xavier, her silver hair shining like a moonlight fluttering in the air, her soft green eyes bearing the warmth of spring looking into his eyes full of helplessness and despire.
" If you want, you can change this future. All you need to do is to give in to me, I will make sure that girl never gets together with anyone else but you."
Xavier's chest was tightening, in his mind he had a thought,
- What's the point of fighting so hard against him and malicious energy? If I am bound to be slayed by her, shouldn't I just make sure to have her by myself? If I give in to Belhier, won't it be possible with his real power?-
Belhier's eyes sparkled in excitement, his plan of tempting Xavier's innermost desire was working. Xavier's resolution was getting weaker. Bit by bit.
It was an illusion magic he manifested to make Xavier feel his helplessness. But just when he was about to say something more, he watched something unbelievable happening through the eyes of Xavier.
Selentia let go of Ezekian's hand and ran toward Xavier, falling to her knees, she pulled her arms around Xavier.
Xavier's breathing hitched in that moment, his eyes were burning and his heart was pounding hard.
" I choose you, so don't worry about me abandoning you, Xavier," Her soft voice sent goosebumps to Xavier's body. Xavier couldn't understand if it was an illusion or reality but what Selentia would be doing there?
His hands trembled, trying to wrap them around her but before he could do it, she broke the hug.
Xavier looked at Ezekian behind her, he was fading but before fading Xavier could steal a glance of a smile on his lips, a soft and kind smile.
He looked at Selentia in confusion, she was fading slowly, she was looking at Xavier with eyes full of love and affection which made Xavier's ears turn red.
" Even if you become a demon, even if it's my destiny to Slay you, I will follow you through life and death."
Selentia before Xavier scattered into a golden Patel, a golden Patel landed on Xavier's cheeks and he regained his composure.
" You showed me an illusion which only made my resolution stronger, Belhier," Xavier said with a smile plastered on his lips as he touched the golden Patel before it vanished in the thin air.
Belhier didn't say anything to Xavier, as if stiffed and speechless by what just happened he found his conscious form trembling.
Only a whisper left in his mouth, a whisper barely audible to even Xavier.
" Impossible!Nonsense! How and Why did.... they..... !"