While my breakthrough was not a significant accomplishment, something ancient and dark pulsed from my crest, The Ring of Bael and The Mark of Sacerlage began thumping in harmony, and I felt my body begin to churn and burn.

Flames matching the crimson heaven appeared around me, but my torment never came but rather an icy wave of meticulous thought. An Influx of Knowledge that was never there began to form as memories of war and slaughter filled my soul.

I stood over billions of demons, devils, monsters, filth as they all prostrated before me… their king, their prince quivering like little rats they were.

“Father, please forgive us.” my son, the very spawn I fucked from a whore I didn’t even remember, begged like that of a common whore.

With disgust, I stomped on the bug begging for its life, “Ezrith, how many cycles have you followed me. Together we dethrone the previous Bael, yet…you betray me!” I amusingly declared, watching him squirm like a worm.

Horror shone like massive suns from my foolish child as he shook his head in panic, “Father, please! I was only following the Doctrine of Sin!” He foolishly bellowed, “Are we not Devils, are we not higher being. I am your strongest creation; will you really kill me?”

“Doctrine of Sin? Kill you?” I questioned in bewilderment, “Ezrith, I am the new Prince of Hell! How could I kill my own son? You will burn Ezrith; you will burn for the next Dao Cycle. Your wife and children with also burn. All your loved ones will burn in an eternal hell of my design. I am the NEW LORD OF WRATH. I AM FUCKING BAEL!” I bellowed in a fury

Time and space shattered as the billions of insects before my son and me burst into a mist of blood that showered the planet like a flood.

With a sight filled with ruby red, I stomped down as my dear son’s head exploding it like a watermelon. With brain matter beneath my feet, I ripped his backend soul from his carcass, “YOU WILL SUFFER EZITH! ETERNITY WILL BE YOUR TORMENT! ”

“Dao Cycles will seem like seconds, Pain will feel like a luxury, death will be a fleeting concept. Your existence will fade, and when you are just a blank empty shell, I will rebuild you just to destroy you over again.”

Howling with laughter, I turned towards the massive golden gate shimmering with heavenly radiance as hundreds of angels, lead by a single arch-angel descended towards this barren hell, “You are too late. I have already opened the Gates of Brimstone. They are already here. It has already begun Yeshamiel; we will begin slaughtering every mythology to grace this omniverse; we will destroy every religion every legend, for we are the ORIGIN of it all.”

“BAEL!!!” Yeshamiel howled with his so-called righteous indignation as he came crashing down with heavenly might.

***

With a hollow sight, the crimson flames around me died out, leaving me barren as I fell to the ground to powerless to catch my fall. With a heavy thump, I weakly studied my malnourished frame. My muscles had all but vanished, leaving me in a mummified state. Yet, my left eye soon began to spin as an ancient force streamed through my body. Both the Ring of Bael and Mark of Sacerlege vanished as if afraid. While time had suddenly halted, a familiar face or rather loli appeared in front of me.

Evergreen hair that hung to her feet and deep emerald green colored eyes stared at me with interest as she grinned, “Arsene,” She childishly called, her hands moving through my shivered hair, “You have done well…no you have done an astonishing job.”

“Your start has officially begun,” she softly whispered, her hands gleaming with a gently emerald light, mending my broken form, “my champion…Demon’s, Devils, Angels, and Various Legends, you have much to overcome, but I hope to see you at the peak.”

“The force you carry is an ancient one, created by none but grews in all. While it was your wish, it was always with you, my Champion…My Arsene. ”

With a loving smile that didn’t match her physique, she caressed my head with her soft lips, “My Champion, Rise, for I will be awaiting you at the end.” She lovingly whispered, fading from existence before my very eyes sending my vision to black.

***

Shooting my eyes open in panic, I gasped for air like a man deprived of oxygen, my world spinning up and down as my body shot high into the air with a slight movement of my legs.

“What are you doing,” Nora hollered, a hint of anger and confusion flowing my her stance.

With my world still spinning, I poorly crash-landed on the ground, vomiting the bitter taste of sulfur from my guts. Abruptly Nora looked like she had been frozen in time before moving at light speed. Lights twisted like a sea of stars radiating their light down. Baffled by what I was seeing, I clenched my eyes shut while covering my mouth.

“Arsene?” She worriedly called. “What is going on.”

“Leave him, Nora,” Yura suddenly uttered, “his transformation is still underway. Just give it a few hours. He is still cooking inside.”

Silence suddenly descended, causing a relaxing sensation to fill my soul as I remained still for a few hours. My world slowly began to adjust, as vibrant colors like never before filled my sight. The previous godforsaken realm created by a devil had turned into a majestic beauty of dark colors.

In contrast, Nora looked like a completely different person. While she was still an enchanting beauty in her own right, something was missing. Nonetheless… Yura seemed to have grown in appeal as she stood there like a doll staring at me curiously. Various emotions that were missing now present as if I was finally worthy of seeing her for what she was.

Her enchanting amethyst eyes sucking in my very soul as she gave a rare bewitching smile that almost stopped my heart, sending it into a fluttered state of anarchy. With a glow of invisible divine light, Yura tilted her head, a little confused yet a little curious.

“Are you well?” she asked, her voice sweet as honey connected with my ears.

…I wanna eat her…No!!…Just a little bite…come on, Arsene!… Shaking my head out of my trance, I quickly nodded before noticing my clothing. “…Who changed me,”

Going ruby red Nora slowly raised her hand, looking like a child caught in the act, “…I…couldn’t…let Yura do it,” she stuttered, falling all over her words.

“See anything you like,” I asked, lightly tracing my fingers down my chest, “All yours, Nora,”

Steam could practically be seen rising from Nora as she shot away, shedding tears of embarrassment. Bursting into laughter, I saw a playful smile hanging on Yura’s lips.

Sending her a wink, I looked up at the crescent moon, “How long has it been?” I asked, awaiting the worst possibility.

“Only a day,” She playfully said, “…How does it feel to be a devil, or did you turn into a demon?”

With an arch brow, I chuckled, remembering the sight of the little loli goddess that held me, “Neither I believe but maybe both.” I said, turning to stare into amethyst.

Drawing closer, she held my face, looking up into my eyes, “Your right eye turned to crimson, and you have grown taller.” She brazenly said, not aware of her beauty, “But the greatest change is your soul.”

Widening my eyes, I didn’t back up, or rather I couldn’t as the light scent of jasmine entranced me. I wanted to remain; I wanted to stay with her, “You can see it?” I asked, my heart throbbing.

“Of course, so can you. You hold the Mark of Sacerlage, a royal emblem,” She explained, squishing various parts of my body, “Most that hold the emblem of any royal family will receive the knowledge of their origin. The first technique is usually called soul gaze.”

Remembering my battle with Tomas, I could visibly see a small white flame deep within his eyes. “The flames of Life, the Soul,” Yura continued, “It’s not a really useful technique, but it’s a way of developing some training with your soul.”

Stepping away, her bright smile slowly faded, “but when I first saw you, your fire was broken, corrupted by something. It was black as night, while the broken segment was ashen, slowly making its way through your soul.”

Placing her hand on my heart, she smirked, her eyes glimmering with passion, “but now, it’s completely different from anything I have seen. A soul, black as night with a bleeding ashen light…Can I cut you up” She innocently asked, with puppy dog eyes?

“…Just a little piece…Please”