'[Soul Contract]!?' Seira was bewildered by the words uttered by the man before her. 'Just what have I gotten myself into?' she nervously wondered, and although she didn't want to admit it, she was also feeling quite a bit of excitement.

A soul contract would tie the two of them together, well she'd probably be the one with the short end of the stick since it was being cast on her. After all, this would effectively rewrite her soul and all connections she has with the Goddess Nivina would be severed. 'It doesn't matter now I guess, the gods might be dead now for all I know...'

Seira watched as the elaborate magic circle beneath her feet started glowing crimson. She felt something from the spell fiddling with the very essence that formed her being---her soul.

Then she saw Xero cut himself and let a single drop of his blood flow out of the wound before instantly healing back to normal.

Seira marveled at the single drop of life essence, it was pure black with tiny dots of varying colors that sparkled---it was a sight similar to a cloudless night's sky. She stared as it was suspended in the air, she knew that there was still something profound in that blood of his that she just couldn't put to words.

The drop of Xero's blood moved from the air and toward's Seira, she opened her mouth and as the liquid touched her tongue---a sudden wave of pain washed over her, it lasted for the longest second she'd felt in her life before suddenly being replaced by a great ecstasy.

Seira felt herself changing, her hair, from the soft golden color it once had turned into midnight black with white streaks, and just like her hair, her eyes also changed in color and became a beautiful shade of dark violet, while her white robe reformed into a frilly black dress.

With the contract complete, the magic circle disappeared, leaving only the changed Seira.

Xero made a satisfied smile, he snapped his fingers and the realm around them collapsed.

= 0 = 0 = 0 =

A woman entered his quarters, she was dressed in a maid's outfit and had thin long black antennas sprouting on her forehead. She was holding a folder in her arms that she handed onto him.

"My lord, section 2-C has been repaired completely. The Shadowspire has been estimated to have around 65% functionality, and in 33 hours should be fully functional," the maid reported.

He kept an impassive expression and looked at the girl. "Is the master back yet?" he asked and the antennas on the maid's forehead started twitching. Regretfully as they calmed down, the girl answered his question with a quick shake of the head.

It was tiring work for him, even with the great power bestowed to him by the creator as one of the Twelve.

Gabriel the Shadow Walker, it was name and title given to him by his master. He acts as the creator's blade and is the best assassin in the entirety of the Shadowspire, also he was in command of all the scouting and infiltration units under the banner of Lathraia Podia.

Still, even with these facts, he was drained by the massive amounts of mana it took to keep the Shadowspire from crumbling in on itself. His body felt sluggish and heavy, it was a shameful state to be in as one of the chosen Twelve, that was why he closed himself up in his quarters---a pocket dimension of ever twisting shadows and infinite twilight.

Gabriel was about to dismiss the maid when her antennas suddenly started twitching once more.

She looked at him with a worried expression as she spoke, "one of the scouts under your command has left the Shadowspire's realm without authorization, it was a rank S, Esio."

He got up from his cross-legged sitting position and manifested a dagger from the twisting shadows, a deep annoyance rose up from within him.

= 0 = 0 = 0 =

Ana regained consciousness and with it was the feeling of pain all over her body. It only meant one thing... 'I... didn't die?'

The memories of what happened returned to her and remembered a tree smashing into her before passing out. 'Demons!'

She forced her eyes open and tried lifting herself up from the ground, vision returned but her legs weren't responding. With the amount of damage done to her and the little remaining mana in her body, there was little she could do but wait until she had enough stored up to cast a healing spell capable of letting her walk.

In conclusion... unless the demons forget about her existence or dismiss her as dead and leave her alone, she'd die. That was also considering that the injuries she piled up didn't kill her first.

For some strange reason, now that she was finally faced with a situation where she could do nothing but die, a feeling of relief washed over her. She was exhausted of always being in pain, of being exiled and being treated as a tool. Perhaps this was the salvation she had been searching for, all this time it was hiding in the form of... death.

After 11 years she finally felt a semblance of hope in this dark world.

Ana's story would finally meet its end... or so it should have.

An incredibly powerful presence suddenly appeared, something that had power matching the Emperor himself.

The sky darkened and black clouds started gathering as if they were forced to bend their will.

Something was there and not even nature could steer clear of its power's influence.

The ground rumbled, shook and tore...

In the distance Ana could see countless giant deformed monsters made from blood---they grew like plants sprouting from the back of a single man---he who had crimson eyes brimming with boredom.

The man yawned and cracked his neck to the side, his short deep red hair dancing in the stormy wind. He brought his arm forward and the monsters howled as they charged.

Ana watched as demons fell like insignificant insects. She watched the man as he casually destroyed trees, earth, and flesh with a single gesture.

It was a level of power mortals should not hold.

A body of a demon suddenly came crashing down to her side, kicking up dirt and splattering blood on her face, some getting in her eyes, blinding her.

She blinked, and when her vision came back, a man was crouched down in front of her---his red eyes examining her piece by piece.

This man... a force that could bend nature to his will, smiled at her and reached out his hand.

The aura of predatorial might vanished, the sky cleared, howling winds were silenced, and the creatures of blood dissipated all at the same time.

"I'm Esio, what's your name?" The man asked.