The demon’s laughter didn’t even register in my head.

My entire being frozen on that one name.

"Absalom."

My entire heart shaken by the revelation.

Not because of who he was, but because,

"Impossible..." it wasn’t supposed to be possible.

"You’re not supposed to be alive."

I’d watched Father sacrifice himself to take out his attackers, and the demon called Absalom was one of them, the main spearhead of the assault on father.

The one I’d unfortunately come to learn from aunt k the other day was somehow someone father had trusted enough to call my godfather.

A traitorous bastard true to his demonic nature, turning on his friends the first chance he got.

Yet now, I was supposed to believe that this ghost had somehow survived that suicidal move from father?

"Impossible..."

"Oh. But it is possible. I am here am I not?"

"You lie. Just like demons always do! You’re lying!" I refused to believe it, my father’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain.

"Oh but it was... hahahahahaha... regulus that fool, he thought he could kill me by sacrificing himself? Did he think me foolish enough to actually appear there in my true form?? Naive! Just like always."

"Shut up..."

"Absalom was nothing but a part of my soul I had sent to accompany your mother, to keep her... safe."

"The one human I truly cared for."

"Shut up.."

"I was there when no one else was. When others mocked her for her pathetic talent and bloodline. When they said she wouldn’t survive in these shark infested waters, I was there. Her shield. Her protector. Her last line of defense."

"Shut up...."

"Yet your father had to go and take even that away from me too. It wasn’t enough that he stole my glory as the most renowned genius of our generation, stole my Pride, stole my reputation, he had to steal the one person that saw me for me too..."

"Shut! Up!"

"So yes! It was extremely fulfilling watching him bleed, watching him be helpless, watching him... die. So what if I lost a part of my soul? So what if I need a few centuries to recover? I will sacrifice a few centuries more if only to see his face in despair once more, the oh so indomitable Vanquisher, finally brought to his knees, oh what a fitting sight, and now, I get the joy of knowing his own son is as twisted as I am, if one didn’t know any better....."

"They’d have thought you were my child with sera instead."

"SHUT!!!! UPPPPPPP!!!!!!!"

RUUUUUUMMMMMBBBLLLEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Booom! Booom!!! Booom!!!!

The sky churned and twisted as the dark clouds regathered, a furious storm immediately picking up as the entire city trembled.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... YES!! Despair!!! Just like your father!! I shall enjoy taking you...."

SHIIIIIINGGGGG!!!!

A crimson sword slash immediately split the dark clouds, the raging storms and the face within the clouds apart..l

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

The attack didn’t stop until it obliterated half the entire city, leaving a gaping wide trench within the earth.

"VALEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!"

"YOU BASTARD!!!! THIS IS NOT THE END!!!"

I could hear the demon’s pain filled wailing as the presence that had fallen over the city began disappearing.

SHIIIIIIIING!!!

Another crescent blade crossed an impossible distance to appear right before the dissipating cloud, splitting it into countless pieces.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! VALEEENNNNN!!!" Another pain filled roar shook the entire city as drops of golden blood fell from the skies.

"DANTE!!!" Khalifa’s voice immediately snapped me from my thoughts as I turned towards her.

"DANTE VON DRAKEN!!! THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, I SHALL SEND YOU TO YOUR FOOLISH FATHER WHEREVER HE IS!! MARK MY WORDS!!!"

SHIIIIIING!!!!

Another crimson slash immediately tore through space, ignoring whatever distance existed between it and the demon.

"NOT THIS TIME YOU BASTARD!!!"

"FLAMES OF ENVY!!"

"TAKE IT ALL!!!"

A pitch black malevolent flame ignited within the air as it collided with the oncoming slash.

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!

The sky imploded as a massive rift was torn open within it, the sight not unlike the arrival of the end.

"MARK MY WORDS DANTE!!" The demon yelled one last time as its presence finally disappeared..

"OH NO YOU DON’T"

"Absolute series...."

Roooooooarrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

Snapping out of my frozen state, Elira’s form immediately appeared within my grasp as I channeled everything, and when I say everything, I meant EVERYTHING!

Collapse.

Inevitability.

Heat.

Despair.

Fire.

Wind.

Lightning.

Storms.

Soul.

Every ounce of energy was pumped into Elira as her entire form changed colors rapidly, one moment she was red, the next blue, purple.. white.. until eventually she became a pitch lightless black!

Her blade elongated, becoming a full crescent as I poured every once of Chaos Energy into her,

HUMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

Her form began vibrating so intensely I thought she would fall apart, but, she held,

"CLEAVE!!!" The moment the words left my lips,

SNAPP!!

Something snapped audibly within the fabric of existence, and then....

"ARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!

It felt like the entire continent was trembling as half of the entire northern part of the continent, the part the kingdom of Enviria was located on, specifically The Capital of envy, was wiped from existence..

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

A shockwave of catastrophic proportions traveled through the entire continent as the demon’s roar echoed one final time,

"DANTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!"

"Haaa.... Haaa.... Haaa.... Devour." My breathing came out heavy and labored, my face pale as beads of sweat fell like rain.

That would be the first time I’d dumped my entire tank on an attack, and,

"Damn..." was all I could say.

[DING!]

A crisp notification sound pulled my attention, yet before I could get to it,

"DANTEEEE!!!!" A soft body wrapped around mine tightly.

"You’re okay.. you’re okay... good.. good.." I could feel Khali tremble softly as she held me tightly.

"Hoooo...." My arms rested on hers gently as I caressed them, "I’m fine, Khali.... I am... fine.."

The demon’s words had been effective to some extent, but then again, so what?

I already knew didn’t I?

Deep down, I already knew what I was.

But so what?

So what if I was vengeful?

So what if I didn’t care for the world?

So what if the fate of others wasn’t a bother of mine?

So what?

So long as my loved ones are safe.

So long as my family is protected.

So long as what I cherish remains.

Then even if the world itself calls me a devil, I shall bear that title proudly.

The thought settled fully as,

Click!

I head a subtle clicking noise within myself.

I pushed the feeling away as I stood fully, arms resting on those of Khalifa as I replied once more, this time, my voice came out more relaxed, more certain, because truly,

"I am fine."

........

Aeternumn .

Instructors wing.

Valen’s eyes snapped open, a burning rage clear within them.

"What happened?" Tian asked, voice solemn, all forms of playfulness gone.

"He escaped. I don’t know how, but he did." Came valen’s reply.

"How... how is that bastard still alive?" Raven’s voice came out low and quiet, yet the bubbling rage within was unable to be hidden.

"I do not know, but I know someone who does." The moment valen said those words, the eyes of everyone flashed.

"I think it’s time we have a proper conversation with the old man."

**************

A/N: well that shit escalated fast! Damn! And what the hell were those slashes? This valen guy might be the final boss we all didn’t know about..

Anyway,

**************

Thanks for reading...