Chapter 598: Empire's Invasion [16]

"Reason, will action suffice?"

"Actions?" the flamed eyelashes lowered to gaze upon the mortal, "-what can you accomplish?"

"A whole lot of things," said he with mild intent, "-a barrier's been placed around this house. The Curse has yet to fully activate."

"Igna, what's the curse actually do. The subject's been changed every time it comes up."

"Didn't I explain?" *snap,* reality split into an eye-shaped portal. Translucent steps of purple block materialized, "-I've come to help," proclaimed Gophy.

"Goddess," gasped Igna.

"Stop being sarcastic," sighed she, "-is the curse ready or not?"

"Could you explain what's supposed to happen?"

"Want me to tutor the prince?" glancing back, "-I suppose there's nothing much to do, is there."

"You guessed it," a struggling grin returned, the energy around the soles reacted to the ground. Inner locks were being picked, any moment, he stared, the aura would run wild. The mind ran in conjunction with the body, there had to be an answer, a solution to please the rightful heir to the demons. 

"Listen here," another barrier summoned before Gophy, "-the curse I inflicted upon that girl was of perpetual agony. It cannot be easily cleaned; I doubt even the various religions to stand a chance. Not that it matters," she picked up on his emotions, "-the curse, after fully activating, will give birth to a demon, which one, tis up for debate. Think of it as one of those mystery boxes containing toys."

"Please," the face sank further, "-I implore thee to cut the humorless jests."

"Fine," her eyes rolled, "-no sense of humor. After the host gives birth, the babe devours the mother and her soul to be granted unlimited power akin to a demi-goddess awakening her truest of potential. It's a simple procedure of give and take."

"What about her," he pointed, "-will she make it?"

"No idea," she leaned seductively atop a cheaply made table, "-depends on Igna. Never expected Akina to possess the priestess. As legends say, Akina was a beautiful chaste maiden unlike anything demons had ever seen. She was stolen from the garden of Angels, a bud of a blossom, and taken to the world of Balone. There, after the demons refused alliance to the princes of hell, were invaded – the rest is history. One truth stands strong, the princess was meant to be an angel of love and compassion, a lady of virtue and righteousness. To this day, some say, her soul gets intertwined by whoever is cursed. The stronger one feels love and affection, the higher the chances of her appearance. I guess," a lowkey side-glance showed a distraught Julius, "-she felt strongly."

"Boy, what's the hold-up."

"Give me a moment," asked he without much tact. Faced against the ruler of demons, the composure stood ever strongly. 'Preparations have been done. I've linked the outside mana source to my own, it should supply and bypass when needed. This would be a whole lot easier with Goddess Nike's symbol.' Deep breaths later, '-Awaken, eyes of truth.' All-knowing glares scanned, searched, and yearned down the tiny room. 

*Death Element: Unleash Aura.* A cocoon of dark aura surged to link atop his head, the pressure sank, nausea soon hit Julius's stomach. "Princess Akina."

"Have you decided to speak?" her head tilted, "-might not look it, the curse is seeping throughout the girl's body."

"I have a proposition."

"I TOLD YOU BOY-"

"-Please," he interjected, "-do not speak unless I say so." A rival sword of a glance stumped her flow, "-let's start with an introduction, I've inherited the will and symbols of many powerful gods. Look behind, Lady Gophy, a high-tier goddess, stands as my forever watchful companion."

'Surely a mere human cannot do so.' 

"I bet you're thinking, surely a mere human cannot do so," he smirked.

'How did he?'

"And now, it's, how did he?" a snarl broke the barrier of refusal.

"Go on, I'm all ears now," the body lowered to a stand, "-what can thee offer."

"A new life," he smiled, "-I have the ability to split the curse of Akina and grant a body identical to that of a divine being."

"Stop it," she refused, "-no one has that much power…"

"Oh, but I do. I have the support of Creation's heir," glancing back, "-I'll explain only if thee agrees. As a man of my word, I guarantee safe passage. Looking at thine soul, tis locked in limbo between Balone and Estna, the fragments must have been split to keep the princess of demons from reviving."

"I admit," the rampaging flames moved to hover above her palm, "-no one except I, knows of my situation. You," she sat with a firm stance, "-there's more to that puny body than wit."

"Oh, I also forgot, my being has merged with Origin. In a way, I have power over the strongest entities in the known multiverse. Therefore, remedying said situation is childsplay." 

"Good, good," she laughed and smacked her legs, "-that confidence is going to be thy end."

"Back to the matter, will you accept or not?"

"Well then," she paused, "-why adamant. What drives thee, depending on the answer, I'll either accept or refuse."

"Oh," straight in her eyes, "-my goals are rudimentary. My whims are what guides me to do what I wish. Currently, I've made my cousin a promise to save the girl whomst possessed. What I yearn for, in the greater picture," leaned back, "-is to bring down and take what was once mine. Lucifer, Zeus, and the conniving Lixbin, I'll take them all down a notch. Balone was invaded by Lucifer's army, the demons were enslaved and you were made a breeding ground for stronger demons. I know because I was there," said a disfigured voice, "-I've seen it all, bliss to wrath, the curse of Akina is a manifestation of thine hatred."

"Boy, if my story is known, tell me my greatest wish."

"First, you wanted to return to heaven, then, seeing the way demons are treated, chose to be the guiding light. Efforts were shunned, the ancient ones were angered, though, the younger accepted. A division of prospective sowed the seed of mistrust. Deep down, the angel of love and compassion was nothing more than a conniving pest. What thee wants, is power, the body, strength, and boon of a god. Angels are servants, the planned destiny didn't quench thine gluttonous palette. Getting kidnapped, what a bullshit lie – it was all planned, wasn't it, Lilith, Queen of Demon, wife of Lucifer. The reason Lucifer invaded Balone was to take back his lover, who was reincarnated as an angel, a great ploy spanning across space and time. The ultimate goal, kill Lucifer and rule as the sole queen. He knew, and thee failed. The greatest wish – salvation."

"Boy… you're quite fearsome. It's true, I want salvation, I want my soul to be freed, I want the curse of perpetual agony to end."

"Then," he held out a hand, "-join me, I don't care what is good and what is bad. I said it before, my whims are what moves this story along, come on, join me."

"Quite a strange story," the aura pulsed, Gophy's barrier broke, the walls thundered, "-I say this right here and now, if what I wish comes true, I'll swear allegiance to thine name."

"Then it's settled."

*Come forth: Box of Soul,* the skull-bearing black chest levitated into sight.

*Come forth: Box of Alche,* '-I forgot about Creation's gift. Such an idiot. Time to start the procedure, don't break on me.' 

*Deep slumber, deep rest, awaken for the chance at retribution. Gate of which stands before mine way, open for thy master has come: Nevermore – Hell's Gate.* The ground cracked, the floor crumbled into dust. 

"Lady Gophy, mind explaining what happened?"

"Oh," she spun with hand locked behind her back,"-Igna just negotiated with a very scary person."

"Negotiated?" the eyes narrowed, "-cut the crap."

"My goodness, heir to Creation. Haven't thee realized? Igna's a master at speech, he'll convince just about anyone. Look at me, I sure fell for his words. Not to be a bother, he's going to need help."

"I get it now," he stood, "-he wants to split their souls."

"Good," said he from a distance, "-Julius, here," the Box of Alche moved over, "-use that to create the body. Lady Gophy, please take care of the rest."

"Don't call me lady," fired she. The next instant, Miira, and Intherna swooped in for help. Other barriers were summoned around the house. 

*Span across the ages, fear is what held peace, fear is what caused War, fear is the root of evil. I, the harbinger of ultimate fear, have come to spread and reclaim what is mine of right:  Nevermore – Terror Gate.* He coughed blood, the pressure began to break the shaky foundation of the soul. 'Don't falter now,' gritting his teeth, *Unbound by the laws of Heaven to Hell; unshackle mine power, from Nevermore, I call upon the power of the Annihilation-Gate.* Consciousness faded, he stumbled to only catch the balance at the last possible instant, few shakes of the head and the grueling ritual continued. 

"What a sorry sight," said Gophy, "-the body isn't ready to handle the power of a saint, let alone a god."

"Well, that's Igna for you," added Miira, "-he'll do anything to get what he wants."

"Look well, Julius," ordered Gophy, "-he's suffering for the sake of the head between your legs. Appreciate it." 

*Gateway to the afterlife, gateway to life, gateway of those who live, open, for I order so: Nevermore – Eleo Gate.* '-My heart's about to give out,' *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads,* the thumb split, '-just in time,' the throat closed, '-my heart's stopped beating. *Blood-Arts: Extria,* '-I'll pump it manually. Last gate, here I come.' *Pinnacle of power and strength, the last stage of a men's life, the stage where all is turned to dust and forgotten. Elapsed over the ages, come forth o' power of mine who has remained bound, unleash thee at thine full potential: Nevermore – Death Gate.* *Crack,* a sudden implosion littered the ground in fluids, '-it tore a hole in my chest. Keep it together,' the air burnt, the roof and walls exploded from the release. 

'I have to make the circle,' down on all fours, '-the symbols of power,' written in blood, a convoluted circle stood erected. '-I got a few minutes left. *Reality, follower of the steadfast passage of time. Alter Void into what I see, change what is meant to be, obey what I have to say. Beyond thee stretches, far it goes to no stop. Real, fake, disrupt the woven fabric: Disruption.* A wave of immense proportion crashed against what was known and truth, 'good, the mess should make it easier.' The eyes strained till tears of blood flowed, '-found the fragments.' 

*Destitute, the passage of what's known to the masses – fallen in the grace of the depths of Kanigula, remembrance of the fallen, woven in tapestry, heed mine called.* Unintelligible jumbles flowed, *-grant I, humble watcher, the power to knit reality.* Brightly lit threads erupted from the fingertips, clear vision marred into a tinted hue of red. 'Got it,' fragments in hand, *Box of soul, holder of those who've sworn allegiance to mine cause, bind those deemed worthy and free their will; Box of Soul – Soulfeld.* The chest opened, Malley's body dropped – the queen's soul flung across, the lid fastened with a beckoning cry. 

Clambered to a stand, "-the body," ordered he, viciously shaped claws dug into his chest, arms, legs, and face, the muscles shirked, hair fell like leaves, "-Julius," the lips parched too a lifeless white, "-the body." 

"Here," said he, shock from the sight dulled the mind. A blank canvas sat at the center of the room, *Box of souls - soul bound to never be free, come forth Lilith, retake what was stolen.* Down on his knees, shaky fingers tediously carved the final symbol, *Soul Transmigration.*  'Done,' the body dropped. 

"Got you," smiled the newly formed body, "-a man of his word," lights of the rebirth dimmed, the body altered to suit the host, "-quite the strange individual," soft fingers rang along his forehead, "-rest." The heart gave, the eyes of truth followed soon after, the glimmer of life departed – blank.