The Damned Demon

On the precipice of a hellish landscape, Kira stood resolute, the crackling air around her alive with the heat of rupturing volcanoes painting the horizon in a palette of fire and smoke. The scene was apocalyptic, the land a mirror to chaos and primal force. And yet, she stood unfazed, her three golden tails frozen in the air while her mind seemed to be elsewhere.

She couldn't help but think how alive the lands before her were despite in a chaotic way compared to the dead ones that was once her home. Just looking at these raging bursts of lava before her made her feel a sense of yearning she didn't want to feel.

Amidst this turbulent view, a pair of glowing blood-red eyes pierced through the swirling smoke behind her, heralding the arrival of an old, yet imposing figure.

Clad in a simple white chiton that starkly contrasted with his surroundings, the figure emerged with a palpable presence.

His skin was a deep, unsettling red, and his thick white hair and mustache were stark against his powerful physique. Muscles rippled under the ancient skin, pulsing with a vitality that seemed both otherworldly and firmly rooted in the primordial energies of the earth.

"When I was very young, I thought this world was more cruel than anything I knew and wondered why we had to live in such a doomed world. But after what happened, I feel like maybe this world isn't that bad when compared to those who live in it. At least our world doesn't know how to be deceptive. Do you believe the same, Guardian Lupus?" Kira asked, her voice echoing slightly as she slowly turned to face him.

Lupus, his hands clasped behind his back, stepped forward. His eyes took in the chaotic scene before them, a landscape as fierce as it was unforgiving, "I believe that we are in a cage of fate," he said, his voice deep and resonant, "What happened to your kingdom has happened so many times ever since our world existed and will continue to happen. It is a never-ending cycle which I wish to not be a slave to."

Kira chuckled, her smile cold and calculating, "Are you saying I am a slave to it?"

Lupus narrowed his eyes, the red glow intensifying slightly, "Your intention to destroy the Bloodburn Kingdom is proof of it. Would you say otherwise?" Novel Fire - novelfire.net

Kira let out a dark chuckle, her amusement tinged with a stark defiance, "Now that you say it like that, then I would rather be a slave to fate. But since you seem to know so much about it and even divine one's fate, why don't you tell me if I will succeed or not? I have always wanted to ask you but have never had the chance to meet the great Moon Guardian like this until now."

Lupus gazed solemnly at Kira, his eyes reflecting the tumultuous landscape around them, "Do you really wish to know that, child? No matter what I say, we both know it wouldn't change what you plan to do. Besides...I have long lost the power to see glimpses of fate. You should ask my granddaughter if you can convince her."

Kira, undeterred by the stark revelation, nodded, her cold smile belied by the pain glinting in her emerald eyes, "You are right. It wouldn't change what I want to do, but I want to know if I can look forward to it," she said, her voice tinged with a dark strength. Raising her hand, she continued with a hint of pain in her voice, "I still remember my father holding my hand and entrusting his kingdom and my people to me while my mother chose to stay with him. But the next day I couldn't even hold their corpses but only smell the stench of death and blood of my people. Not even our lands were spared."

Her eyes simmered with resentment as she added, "So I have planned for more than a century for the downfall of the bloodburn snakes who took everything from me. And I know for a fact that you wouldn't have made acquaintance with me if not for knowing how exactly I am going to be useful to you. All Moon Guardians are like that. So I know that you must know something about my fate."

Lupus slowly nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly, "I do, but we moon guardians can never divine fate as we please. We only see what the moon wants us to see. As for your fate... yes, you will succeed in wanting to see what you have been desperately waiting for. But..."

"But what?" Kira interjected, holding her breath, her gaze intense.

"...your own fate seems to be so shrouded in blinding darkness that makes me believe that you might not have a future," Lupus revealed gravely.

Kira's eyes briefly flickered with the impact of his words, but she quickly composed herself and smiled, "Is that all? I have always been and still am prepared to sacrifice my future to avenge my people and ensure a safer future for whatever is left of my people. I don't care what happens to me to achieve that."

"You should look out for that alien. Based on what I remember, he is the cause behind the darkness surrounding your fate," Lupus stated, his voice carrying a warning tone.

Kira furrowed her brows deeply, her lips curling, "Asher? It isn't that surprising. He has the potential to become the strongest being in this world and is the king of the bloodburners. But now that you said it, I feel more glad that the 100 years I spent in his kingdom wouldn't be overkill."

Her gaze then became piercing and calculating, posing her question with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, "But you don't seem bothered at all that your granddaughter is staying with Asher. How could you be so calm when your successor might be used against you? I even heard rumors that those two are a bit too close. Considering how naive women seem to have a weak spot for him, you should be more worried about her."

Lupus, his presence as calm as the eye of a storm, responded without hesitation, "Because she will have to find her way back on her own. There is no point in forcing her."

Kira's eyes narrowed, hinting at deeper gears turning within her mind, "Or is she secretly trying to steal that 'key' from Asher for you? I wouldn't be surprised if you two have such plans," she speculated, adding a more probing thought, "When my kingdom was at its peak, my people were highly knowledgeable scholars who always kept learning, including the history of our world. Their records...I still have some of them, which allowed me to learn something interesting about the key you want."

Lupus regarded her calmly, unfazed by the implication, "What did you think after learning whatever was in those records?"

Kira's expression shifted to one of intrigue, her voice laced with the gravity of ancient lore, "The Legend of the Void Reaver... I never knew the history behind the most ancient sword in our world could be so interesting. It was supposed to be a myth long forgotten by our ancestors, but somehow, it does really exist. If the myth behind it is true... should I feel worried if you were to get your hands on that?" she asked, her tone mixed with genuine concern and curiosity.

Lupus's stoic facade remained unchanged as he responded, "What do you think? Do you think I would act against the interests of my world?"

Kira raised an eyebrow, the historical weight of her words carrying centuries of implications, "There is an ancient prophecy that only seniors like you remember but forgotten by everyone else, like the Void Reaver itself. 'Only through the sacrifice of the pure can the Void Reaver's wrath be tamed. A heart untainted by darkness must bind the blade, sealing away its power, lest it consume all that exists.' I wonder if this prophecy would really turn out to be true, and if it does...which way would it turn out to be? No wonder it's also known as the Key of Chaos. It's not like any of us are pure."

Lupus, his calm demeanor a mask to his deep-running currents of thought, acknowledged her insights, "As expected from a Caleumbra, you are highly knowledgeable about a lot of things. It is thanks to your people that I also learned a lot of things in my younger days. But as for the prophecy, it depends on the one who wields it, and you can guess how it would turn out if I had it," he concluded, his voice as calm as ever.

Kira's laughter briefly lightened the atmosphere, her chuckle resonating with a dark amusement, To be honest, I don't really care much. This world has always been a doomed place. So I have no interest in what you do with the key. All I ask is for you to keep your word and wait until I destroy the Bloodburn Kingdom," she stated firmly, her stance as unwavering as the jagged rocks that lined the cliff.

Lupus emitted a deep hum, the sound rumbling like the thunder in the crimson skies above.

He slowly nodded, his agreement coming with the weight of centuries behind it, "Take your time. Time is on our side. It will be easier for you since we have the right people to help us even if things go wrong," he assured her, his voice deep and resonant.

Kira's lips curled into a cold, calculating smile, "Indeed..."