My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 1011: Dreams of the Past: Dungeon Lord Marduk

But before he could say anything more, the world around them seemed to tilt, the pressure on their bodies growing unbearable. The Dungeon Lord’s eyes glowed brighter, and for a moment, Rael thought he saw the reflection of a second sun in them.

"No! Wait. Please give us a bit more time..." Rael’s voice was a desperate roar, shaking his body as he fought against the gravity that pinned them to the floor.

The glow in the dungeon’s eyes dimmed, and a frown appeared on his face. "The choice has already been made. The girl will die. If you want, I will give you some time to say your last words to her."

"I can’t live in this world without my sister." Rael’s voice was a hoarse whisper, thick with anguish, tears streaming down his eyes. "Please, take my life instead. We can’t—"

"No, I told you already. The choice has been made." The dungeon Lord’s eyes once again glowed. Concentrated energy formed in his eyes as if he were going to shoot laser beams or something.

Eon shook her head gently, her cheeks filled with tears. "I didn’t know we would go apart this soon, my dear brother. Live well for me. Go stronger and..."

"No..." Rael interrupted her. He looked at the dungeon lord and roared. "You over there, you bas*ard. Listen to me. If you want to kill her, you might as well kill me. We live together, or we die together. Even if you spare me and give me your powers or whatever, I would take away my life. If you really think I would be happy to be alive after receiving your gifts that forced my sister to sacrifice herself, you are a fool. Your entire inheritance would go to hell. Mind you..." Rael’s eyes filled with tears, his heart sinking in his chest. It felt like his world was crumbling around him. He had never imagined he would be forced to face such a situation.

And then, as if mocking their desperation, a cold and amused voice echoed through the throne room.

"How touching."

The gravity around them suddenly lifted, the pressure that had weighed them down vanishing in an instant. Rael and Eon blinked in surprise, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they stood, dazed.

Before them, the Dungeon Lord—no longer just a shadowy figure—stood in full view. The eerie, god-like presence of the being in front of them radiated an overwhelming aura of power. His features were sharp, but his eyes glowed with an ancient light, and a smile played on his lips. "You pass."

Rael looked up in shock. "W-What do you mean? You... you were going to kill us?"

Marduk, the Dungeon Lord, laughed softly, his voice resonating like thunder in the hall. "As I have said earlier, this is your ultimate test."

Rael and Eon both stared at the being, stunned, trying to process the truth that was unfolding before them. They exchanged their glances in confusion.

"You both passed my trial," Marduk continued, his voice softening. "I was testing your will. In the face of death, you both chose to sacrifice for one another instead of pleading for your own lives. That, young ones, is the greatest strength any being can possess."

Rael’s mind raced, his heart still pounding from the earlier anguish. "But... you gave us no choice! You made it sound like we were going to die! You made us powerless."

Marduk’s smile widened. "Ah, but that is the nature of an ultimate test, isn’t it? Kids, one’s true nature can only be seen at the time of one’s death. The thoughts they have when they are dying, whether it is hatred, love, regrets, or whatever emotions or thoughts they are, come directly from your heart."

He stepped forward, and the air seemed to hum with divine energy. The throne room flickered with golden light as Marduk’s presence filled the entire space.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly," Marduk said, his tone more solemn now. "I am Marduk, an ancient god lost to time. Once a deity of great power and status, my pantheon and I protected this world and its mortals, regardless of whether they were our believers or not. But the world fell into chaos when Tiamat, the Dragon Goddess, my ancestor—a primordial deity, waged war upon it, in order to avenge her husband. She sought out to destroy the whole world."

Rael and Eon listened intently as Marduk recounted his tale, the weight of his words settling over them like a shadow.

"In an attempt to protect humanity and the realms, my pantheon and I fought against her. But we were doomed from the start. My kin were slain, one by one. To defeat Tiamat, I had to do something unthinkable. I absorbed my kin’s powers. I slayed her and used her body to create a new world, a world where we and our believers can live without any interference from any outside forces. In that world of utopia, mankind would be able to live in happiness for eternity. Naturally, the Angels and those Olympians didn’t like their authority to be threatened by outer gods such as me. We were massacred in the name of restoring cosmic balance, and I had to seal my spirit here so that I may pass my will to a fated individual. After so long, both of you managed to reach me."

Rael and Eon exchanged a glance, understanding dawning on them. This being was no mere dungeon lord. He was a god, and his tale was one of immense tragedy and sacrifice.

Marduk’s eyes glowed with a divine light, and he extended his hand toward Rael. "But my story is not over. I offer you both a gift—my divine essence. Take it, and you will become more than what you are. You will become my successors. You will be half-divine beings, chosen to wield my power and carry on my legacy."

Before either of them could respond, Marduk raised his other hand, and suddenly, two objects materialized in the air, glowing with ethereal light.