Passing Time

Passing Time

Another Year Later, Year 87

When I woke up, another year had passed.

I had no idea whats happening, other than my mana was still pushing back against the corruption, but... it was easier for me to maintain it. Easier, and yet the pain was here. Constant, even, and it struggles. I could feel the demonic power was having a dip, a temporary one, thats why I could be conscious.

Why did I sleep from the pain? Does this pain restrict me so? Or is it the curse?

I could feel the demons fire swirl and turn around me, and I could now vaguely, just very vaguely, sense that theres... something outside, no... around me. Something beyond the flame.

Is this the valley? It should be.

Why are my senses so confused?

Theres solid rock around us, held back by my roots. Funny, its like molten lava that has now solidified, and the demonic mana is slightly less intense. Still very strong, but slowly it is subsiding. This demonic mana will take some time to decay. Maybe... ten years? Maybe twenty? Clearly it is dissipating, very slowly.

Unable to do much, and all my energy is still concentrated on maintaining my barrier and dispersing the absorbed demonic energy, I fall back to sleep.

-

I was in a dark place, it was massive and dark. It resembled my soul realm, and that was when I saw a young boy. He sat on a chair, and he looked like he was... part demon?

Am I in the soul realm? I didnt have this ability back when I went into long periods of sleep, so... is this new?

Where am I? He asked, noticing that I appeared. Who are you? Why do you look like a... tree? What are you? Have I gone crazy that Im talking to a tree?

Another girl appeared. She too looked like she was corrupted, her lower half was part demon.

The two kids looked at themselves, and then they looked at each other. What have you done?

Me? The other asked. Couldnt be!

Then who?

Uh...

Both of them turn to face me. Oh my god a talking tree monster. Were doomed! They tried to fight and move, but couldnt.

I dont even know who you are.

The two kids looked at each other, they kept flailing but then they stopped. Eh... we are the heroes.

Well, looks like both of you died. Whats your name?

Simone. The girl said.

Victor. The boy said.

It was then both of them suddenly shouted as if theyve gone crazy, and then an eerie voice emerged. It was a ragged, twisted voice.

WHO? It asked, it came from both of them, as if both of them were mind-controlled. I didnt reply, if I could have guessed, it must be the demon king, or maybe some kind of demon. ARE. YOU?

I thought for a moment, wondering whether I should reply. Are you the demon king Sabnoc? I asked. It died, right, but lets ask. Maybe demon kings have souls too.

YES. It said, but then a while later. NO. SABNOC. DEAD.

Then both of them suddenly shouted again for a period of time, and then, all at once, they both stopped. They were both back to their human self. Ouch...

It looks like both of you are sharing a body with some kind of demon.

We know.

Simone looked at Victor, and they stared at each other. Its reading our minds. Its going through our... memories.

Well, now we know why the demons are getting smarter each round. I mean, if its reading their minds, they are reading it for a reason, right?

Simone and Victors face paled.

Well, if it could read your minds, surely you could do the reverse? I wondered. How did these two even get here? Is it because their souls are still embedded in the demonic corruption somewhere, thats why? The heroes didnt do a complete job and left this part hanging?

Is that why the demonic corruption is still strong and is able to keep up its pressure?

Uh....

Victor nodded. We must try, then. What are we.... and what are you?

I am a tree and I believe the two of you are some kind of trapped, corrupted soul. Your appearance as part-demon is probably the demon kings attempt to corrupt you. I say, its probably successful.

And... where are we?

If my understanding is correct, you two died, and somehow, your soul drifted here. Either that, you two are somehow trapped in the demonic flesh and because Im linked to the demonic mana, you are able to see me and vice versa.

The two started wailing and crying, and screaming. They seemed to be unable to accept that they died. But, thats strange, they seemed perfectly able to accept it earlier.

NOOOOOOOOOO~

Uh... Do you vaguely recall anything? I asked, they were still screaming. Like.. how?

Victor was sobbing, and it was Simone who somehow calmed down a bit and responded. We... I.. we were fighting the demon king, and there was this bright flash of light and... thats all I remember before I was stuck in this dark, disgusting place where I dont feel things, and where I want to sleep but I cant freaking sleep.

So I drift back and forth, either experiencing intense pain, or in my soul realm.

If this system works the way I think it does, only through constantly enduring and managing this pain, I will gain a skill.

And when I gain a skill, Ill be able to break through this demonic fire.

-

You guys are still here. Its been a year since I last went back to this space. I had thought the demons wouldve eaten the entirety of their soul already.

Simone and Victor didnt look pleased. Well, what brings you back? Their bodies look about the same, but I noticed a small part of their hands exhibiting more demonic features.

Honestly, I was just checking whether anything changed.

What do you think? How much time has passed? They asked.

A year?

Oh. Sure doesnt feel like it. It feels way longer with how much pain were in. They dont look too good. The demonic corruption for other parts of their bodies looked to be growing.

Then the demon took over again. GROOOOOWWWWW. The two of them couldnt move, though, so I wasnt afraid.

Uh, yeah. Grow. The demon made a scary sound, but I know very well this is a spiritual plane of some kind, so Im not afraid of it. Come on, its like watching a scary monster behind a secure panel. Scary, sure, but it cant hurt me. Not here.

CONQUER!

Okay.

ADAPT!

Sure.

WE. LEARN.

No shit, demon.

And then it stopped, and back to Simone and Victor, again. They rubbed their heads. Oh man, its been repeating the same thing so many times. Conquer! Adapt! Learn!

Do you feel like youve been captured by some kind of alien monster species whos out to assimilate you? I mean, I wonder how its like to be possessed. Is it like me, whos trapped in a pyre?

If you happen to either be referred to the Borg or the Zerg, yes, it does feel like that. Victor shrugged, one of his demonic arms rubbing his chin. Theres small demonic spots appearing on his face, which he cant do shit about.

I see. But thats not helpful. How does it feel like?

Like uh... you lose control over your limbs every now and then? Like having a seizure? I... I dont really know how to describe it.

-

Year 89

Another fucking year passed. Its been four years already since Ive entered this low-activity mode.

Four years!

This is a whole lot longer than my previous time, but then again, this corruption is probably active, and has a set command, as if its like a... computer virus that has some kind of execution hierarchy.

Is it the mind that possessed the heroes that allows it so?

This year, Ive been partially able to maintain and resist the pain for longer. I stayed awake for close to two whole days, and on average, Ive been able to force myself to regain consciousness about once every 2 months.

I kept poking at the flames, and I gradually am able to comprehend what it feels like.

Ever touched a switch when wet? Well, it feels like a super-intense version of being electrocuted. Perhaps comparable to what someone who just got struck by lightning feels like. And its constant.

Well, not constant-constant, but constant, wavelike, with peaks and lows. Thats why I can be awake longer during the lows. I hope to be able to gain a skill to withstand the peaks. But its been so long, and still without the skill, its hard.

Or maybe Im just doing it wrong.

Maybe theres a trick to this whole demonic corruption thing.

I mean, I think its a disease, but at the same time, it also behaves like... a liquid. Or a sludge. How is my autopilot handling it? Maybe its not doing it as well as it should...

[Autopilot is configured to absorb demonic mana and attempt to filter it. Failing which, it is then expelled via all bodily extremities. Bodily extremities therefore experienced damage.].

Uh. So wait, its trying to absorb the demonic mana, and then its expelling it, via my barks, branches and leaves? Is that why all of it is burning? Is that the right thing to do?

[Autopilot is configured to protect the soul from damage.]

Huh. Okay. Thats logical. Its like saving the heart and letting everything else burn. Or where a seed is encased with a disposable shell, or trees that have thick barks that insulate the core from the fires outside. I suppose thats what my bodys been naturally doing since the very first fires.

What else?

Maybe I need to spin it, like some mangas have stories where the Qi needs to be made to move in a certain manner such that it gains strength, so perhaps there are ways to spin the demonic mana in a way that causes it to weaken?

Or maybe theres a way to cause it to move slower, such that my body doesnt burn.

All things I need to explore... once Im awake.

Spaizzer

Covid19 and baby has been massively disruptive. :S