519. Disillusion Part Three

519. Disillusion Part Three

Was this really it?

Haec shifted where he stood as he glanced around the throne room. Rows and rows of Primeval Demons kneeled before the vast ritual circle with their heads bowed low. There were legions of Archdemons of all shapes and sizes, waiting at the back ranks. This was the greatest army of the Demon King. All of them were loyal to a fault.

And Haec stood ahead of them all.

He wasn’t nearly as high-leveled as the Primeval Demons at the front ranks. Certainly, he was an Archdemon approaching his next evolution, but so was Taburas, yet she was not here. So Haec didn’t understand why he was standing at the very front— at the right hand side of the Demon King.

“It is time.”

Regnorex’s rumbling voice snapped Haec back to attention. The Demon King’s gaze was fixed only at the ceiling. Or, rather, what was left of the ceiling. The domed roof was being consumed by a massive rift in space. It was a portal that reflected an image of another world on the other side.

It was the Mortal Realm. Haec had only ever seen it twice before. The first was a long time ago. But since then— since joining the Demon King’s forces— he had only seen it once more. Unlike most of the Demons in Regnorex’s armies, he was never allowed to cross through to the other side.

He was never given a Lair or a Domain to rule over, nor was he ever allowed to leave Regnorex’s side while in the Demon King’s castle. But he was also sent on the deadliest missions, and the most dangerous tasks. After all, Haec had been taken under the direct tutelage of Regnorex, even if he didn’t understand why.

But Haec didn’t care about any of that. None of it mattered, because he had undergone all those trials for a single reason. And it had all culminated to this.

He was finally going to the Mortal Realm. It had been his goal. He had done Regnorex’s bidding all for one reason.

And that was to see her again.

Haec closed his eyes, watching as the vast portal overhead fell upon the army. The Demon King strode forward as he bellowed, and his army followed.

“Now stand. Draw your arms. Ready for battle. Brace yourself for salv—”

And the portal… flickered. Haec blinked, watching as the image reflected above blurred. Regnorex halted. His eyes narrowed as he glanced above.

“This is…”

He trailed off as the image focused for a moment, showing the picture of a silver-haired girl. A… Demon? Haec’s eyes went round at the sight of that figure. His jaw dropped and he whispered.

“That’s…”

And Regnorex clenched a fist. A black aura wisped off him, and Haec stumbled back. The kneeling Primeval Demons flinched, while the Archdemons dropped to the ground. A powerful overwhelming force shook the room— the intense pressure sent cracks rippling across the floor. It was the fury of the Demon King.

“I see.”

Haec gasped as he collapsed to the ground, Regnorex’s rage palpable, bearing down on his shoulders. But still, he didn’t tremble as the Primeval Demons did. The fear wouldn’t keep him down, because he knew what he saw. He forced himself back up and raised his head, glancing up at the flickering rift.

Even though the image was blurred— even though she looked so different from the last time he saw her— he was certain it was her.

It was Salvos.

His companion.

And Haec just smiled.

Now Leaving [Nexeus: Mortal Realm].

I plunged through the summoning ritual, and nothingness engulfed me. But before I temporarily lost sense of my entire being, I twisted my arms, yanking the threads of mana behind me. I forcefully dispersed whatever extraneous pool of mana gathered for the spell, expending as much magic as I forced it to teleport me through the planes.

And then I was flying through the fold between the planes. The little bit of empty space between the Mortal Realm and the Netherworld. It was a trip that happened both over an eternity and an instant— like going to sleep, but somehow remaining partially cognizant. But I activated [Full Phase] and [Fragmented Pocket Dimension], covering me in a layer of true space, so that time flowed more linearly from my perspective.

As I settled into traveling through that corridor of emptiness, I glanced back towards where I came from. I saw a bright image there— I saw a large gathering of figures gaping down into the hole. Clayton Skyshredder, Helena Warshade, Alder Ashford, and a plethora of other [Mages] hurriedly circled around the summoning ritual, casting their spellsas they began to dismantle its magic.

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I watched as specks of the glowing image began to flake away. My companions huddled the closest to the summoning ritual. I saw all their worried faces. Daniel, Edithe, Saffron, and Orgaf.

But there was so much more I was leaving behind. Willy. Novis. Bellum. Oriur. Jaakko. Helen. Zack. Rana. Lamarr. Gallus. Veronica. Mountaintooth. Amberarm. Sharpbraid. Minnow. Xidra. Centina. Kron. Rachel.

And so many more.

It was the life I had built up for myself in the Mortal Realm. And I was abandoning it all, casting myself back to the Netherworld as I finally shed my disguise and revealed my true self to them all. I did wonder how most of them reacted to the fact that I was a Demon. I really hoped that they would acknowledge me— accept me— for who I was. If not immediately, then eventually.

But I couldn’t stay. I had to leave them behind. To save them, I had to go.

It was just like when I was first separated from Haec— back in Lucerna’s Lamp. I had tricked the Greater Demon into falling through the portal, only to be grabbed myself and pulled to the other side. Ever since then, I had been trapped in the Mortal Realm.

It felt like it happened so long ago. Years had passed ever since then, and I had experienced so many new things. The world I knew— the world of bloodshed and death; of rocks and wild Demons; of survival and battle— was long behind me. I now knew what it was like to live, rather than just surviving.

I knew what it was like to wander about aimlessly without fearing of a sudden attack. I knew what it was like to walk through the streets of cities and be hounded by food vendors and street sellers. I knew what it was like to sleep. I knew what it was like to eat.