[After all This]
The rearguard stood in silence, their eyes flickering between fear and determination. Egologia, beside him, Dagher...
After the royal leaders and soldiers had left, hesitation was evident on some faces.
"This war... is it my end?"
Memories intertwined with the present. The bloody nightmare, that image that had never left him since he first set foot on land. The more he thought about it, the more familiar it seemed... too familiar, as if it were reality.
"Everything repeats itself, everything revolves... So, will I die again? There's a pleasure in all of this?? That dream means death will keep chasing me."
"If I am to die, then who is seeing this now? If I am to disappear, why am I still thinking?"
He raised his hand in front of his face, looked at his fingers, moved them, felt them.
"The dead do not feel, but I feel."
He turned his eyes forward again, turned to Dagar.
"Do you know? I was afraid."
Dagar did not respond; he kept staring into the distance, toward the battle.
Egologia continued calmly:
"But I realized something. You are afraid because you will die now, and all the hesitant are afraid for the same reason. But those who jump from here will decide their own fate..."
He stepped forward, everything became clearer.
Then he lunged at Dagar in an instant, his grip exploded into a series of crimson, symbolic slashes that struck his throat, embedding themselves into his neck and continuing to spread until they reached his eye.
"Wha—what... you... Man!, doing—"
Three soldiers turned, but by then, Egologia had already crossed the distance. His elbow smashed into the guard's teeth, blood spurted, the man fell writhing. A crimson spear formed in Egologia's hand. It was thrust into the second man's stomach before being yanked out violently, his body flung down the hill.
The last one tried to flee, but the crimson sword was already embedded in his knee. He fell, his hand reaching out, begging for life, only for sharp crimson chains to burst from the ground, piercing through him, scattering everything.
Another guard turned, his eyes widening.
"What..."
But Egologia was already above him, his hand gripping the man's head, slamming it into the ground with force. The skull cracked against the rocks.
Then he continued, lifting and smashing, lifting and smashing, over and over.
Another advanced, looking terrified at Egologia, the demon.
"Who... who are you...?"
"What is this? Are you afraid? It's alright, fear is a great thing; it brings you closer to death."
He lifted the head again, then smashed it into the ground once more, ending the sequence.
He stood, his eyes searching for the remaining soldiers who were only now beginning to realize that death was creeping toward them, right in front of them, not far away.
He picked up the soldier whose face he had broken moments ago, lifted him, made him a human shield, no, a symbol for all of them.
He let him go and charged forward.
One came from behind with a heavy sword. Egologia did not turn; he simply raised his arm. The sword struck it, but it did not stop, nor did it pierce the flesh, for it was no longer flesh—it had hardened into crimson steel.
The soldier's eyes widened before he felt Egologia's grip tighten around his wrist, an inhuman force pulling his arm back. Before he could even scream, a powerful kick shattered his balls, sending him flying. He hit a tree, his body crumpling, then he moved no more.
Four soldiers remained, trembling. Egologia advanced slowly this time, his eyes watching them, as if enjoying what he saw.
"What's the matter? Wasn't war your game? Wasn't killing part of your existence? So why do you retreat now?"
"Who are you... we... we were just following orders... we didn't... are you one of their monsters?"
"Please..."
Then... they died in an instant.
"Crack."
Silence fell over the hill. Egologia stood there, his body covered in blood, the hill now just an open grave.
Then Egologia stared at the boy who had shared his hiding place amidst the massacre, fearless, without hesitation.
"I saw you."
Egologia slowly raised his head, his sharp eyes turning to the boy.
"Oh, yeah! Again."
"You are a demon, no doubt about it."
Egologia pressed his lips together, he did not respond. But his mind began to analyze the situation.
"You want to kill everyone here."
Egologia narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah! And what are you going to do about it?"
The boy did not even blink.
"I don't want to stop you, I want to erase them too."
"?!"
"I hold the greatest grudge against Zirafin and its system, I will take revenge, and this is my chance to strike at them in the midst of war."
Egologia did not respond, but he was studying every move of this shit.
Then Egologia laughed darkly.
"So... you want to kill me along with them? You're insane if you think you can take revenge alone like this."
"No."
"?!"
The boy raised his head, his eyes gleaming with cold hatred.
"Let's form an alliance."
Egologia laughed mockingly.
"Form an alliance with a boy? Wait, your name is Zora, right?!"
Yes, it was Zora...
"I saw you... I saw you absorbing the cat in the duel, you are a demon, and far more skilled than anyone could imagine."
Egologia did not like this conversation, but he did not interrupt.
"If you let me absorb the vast amount of maga within me, perhaps you will succeed."
"Wha-!?"
The boy extended his hand.
"No, we will succeed."
Egologia kept staring at him, his muscles tense, his body wary of this strange boy.
"Our goals are the same."
Egologia remained silent, then raised his hand and touched the boy.
And suddenly, energy surged.
He gasped. This was not just a flow of energy, it was an explosion, a fire raging through his body.
The energy was seeping into his marrow, trying to expand within him. It was dense, heavy, as if it carried a curse within it.
His body began to tremble involuntarily, his teeth chattering from the pressure.
"Is this human?!"
He continued to absorb, unable to stop. It was like a set of blades tearing his insides apart.
"Damn, the sheer volume, how can a boy... Fuck, I'm going to..."
The boy held on for a moment, then collapsed, his body hitting the ground hard, unconscious.
Egologia stood there, panting, his eyes wide as he felt the change within him.
Then, a cold, dangerous smile appeared on his lips.
"Who do you think you are to command me?"
He looked at the body lying before him, raised his hand to finish him—
And suddenly, the ground beneath the boy cracked, and a terrible plant emerged, wrapping around his body, a living shield pulsating, protecting him.
Egologia took a step back, his eyes narrowing.
He stared at the plant for a few moments, then spat blood onto the ground.
"This boy... is cursed."
He kept watching as the curse took root around the boy, breathing with him, as if it were a separate entity guarding him.
"No matter how much maga he loses... the curse will protect him."