A, long haired, white bearded, dark skinned middle aged man, was floating in front of a mountain range. A dense, green mountain range, that spanned over millions of kilometres. And at the edge of the mountain stood a variety of savage beasts, accompanied by valiant soldiers of various races. They, were filled with the intent to kill, and power to gives means to their intentions. Also, the man could feel even more ferocious powers hidden in the forests, who were ready to pounce. Now facing this endless horde of experts, and powerhouses would drain the colour out of the mightiest of warrior, but this man, donning a scaled leather armour, didn't have a shred of fear.

For behind him, stood an army of nightmares, of monstrosities unimaginable and he himself was an expert of great strength the ruler of his continent. He was the Heavenly Demon of Decay and behind them stood his Abyssal Army, and beside him stood the monstrosity his sect had created. He he eyed The Skeleton with pride. There it stood, wrapped in its bone wings, only opening them for slaughter. The Skeleton had served him well this war. Its battle accomplishments were frightening and its rate of growth unprecedented. The best part about the skeleton was its lack of free will. Though his friend thought that sentience in these bio golems could achieve a lot more, he thought differently. He's always been a cautious person, and he'd rather not risk it, for little boost of strength.

Thus there he stood, every particle of his being oozing confidence.

While he was eyeing the battlefield, and the this foreign continents last remaining forests, a voice echoed throughout existence.

It was not aggressive, nor was it passive. It a heavy texture, yet it was not rude. All that filled it, was dignity. A confidence different from the Demon of Decays, a confidence that stemmed solely from strength. And that voice spoke, in a tone that was not hurried nor dull. Not aggressive nor afraid. Only, dignity,

" You have indeed come Demon of Rot, and I dare say you do not plan on returning. Or rather, you can't, even if you want to. "

And with the shaking of the lands, the woods parted. And what had appeared to be on of the mountains in the range, opened it's yellow gold eyes, as the behemoth rose. It rose, and gradually took shape, of a Drake. A green scaled Drake with fauna all over it, and it's weaker residents falling down, while the stronger ones eyed the Demon.

Yet, seeing all this, the Heavenly Demon of Decay, did not back down. It met the gaze of the dragon, with all his might. As his aura burst out, creating waves in the air, and a dark domain of Rot spread out from him, as the laws everything in that area gave way to Decay. Then he shouted, with all his might,

"Everglade, I know that you found an origin of Shukra in the ruins of Paatal. I only demand that, and you can keep your continent. "

"The realm of Laws and Daos, I see. So you can already apply it. Genius indeed. Also, you want something from this Monarch. Why don't you, TAKE IT.!"

As it finished speaking, the dragon rose, and stood tall in the image of a Monarch. It fangs in a savage grin, it's wings spread out wide enough to cover the skies, and a single flap from them caused the army behind heavenly Demon to be obliterated.Only ten percent of Abyssal Decay Sect was left, as the aura of the Dragon surpassed the Demon. His domain of Storm raged out, as he eyed the invader mockingly, and with ridicule.

"Tch, two domains. It's a good thing we made preparations.",

The Heavenly Demon said as he pointed to the ground, from where an ash colored summoning circle appeared. The circles width was as much as The Everglades Monarch and it's appeance was accompanied by, a mountains roar.

The Heavenly Demon, looked really tired after thus, and while breathing heavily he said, "As steel cuts steek, a Dragon cuts a Dragon. "

And out came, an ash colored dragon, with a smooth chalky body, with few scales, and a deep red patterns on it body. It's size was a bit smaller than the Everglades Monarch, and it looked like, no, it was the Dragon, The Sovereign of Ash, who the Heavenly Demon wa trying to subdue, only, it's eyes lacked any hints of intelligence. And as soon as it came out, the Everglades Monarch had a complicated look on his face.

He faced the Heavenly Demon with a solemn look, and questioned him, "Is this your trump card?"

"Why, too shocking for you. "

The dragon looked at him again, and then turned to face the other dragon.

Then he burst out laughing,

"Ha ha ha ha. Yaha ha ha ha. Ha. Ha. Fool, what do you take us Dragons to be. Wajaha, haha ha."

"What do you mean?"

The Heavenly Demon asked in a flustered manner.

"It means, that a Dragon "can't" be enslaved. Nevertheless, thank you for your part of the inheritance from the Asuras of Paatal. I'll certainly utilize it to the best of my ability. Isn't that right brother."

"Right indeed. Hahaha. "

Heavenly Demon watched, as the Sovereign of Ash, who he'd most certainly transformed to a husk, returned with his sentience, and conversed with his brother. His plan to utilize this modified dragon puppet, to win this conquest crumbled. Yet, instead of despair a slight smile crept on his face. And at that moment, the sky tore open, to reveal a greenish black hole. Out of which, stepped a pale zombie like man, with a silver skeletal right arm, and he slithered in a hushed voice. Yet that voice managed to reach every corner of thus battlefield,

"Aren't we the De..D..Demonssssss. Won't you give us some cr..cr..Credit, for betra.... ayal. Huh!"

With that he broke out in a sinister laughter, and pressed a button. Following which the Sovereign of Ash started withering up, and red energy from him started flowing in the 10000 skeletons of the Abyssal Bone Battalion.

The Everglades Monarch was shocked, while the Sovereign of the Ash, gave his all to free himself from the suction force. The Heavenly Demon' side was the one laughing now. All these peak level experts were engrossed in their own schemes, desire, workers, and that one Legacy from Paatal, when the missed out on a detail.

(Author's note. Here I suggest listening to this music "on loop" while reading the rest. And using very vivid imagination. https://youtu.be/cEaEdLQbAFM.)

Some where else, another battle was going on, way more intense than the ones between the two continents. Although, it's shockwaves did not destroy the world, a white global of light was colliding furiously with an evergrowing blood flame in a dark space. The flame was growing furiously and it suddenly had a new source of power which boosted it's growth even further. But white global, though not as large as the flame, was sturdy. The white global was sturdy, and structured. For it was Arun's soul, powered by his undying will. It sensed a n imminent threat from the evergrowing crimson flame, and it knew that it had to act now.

Thus it slammed it self, against the flame, furiously. Again and again, as it was whittled away. And in one last attempt, it managed to pierce the flame. And a dot of white light, sat in the center of the crimson flame. The soul had lost a lot this time, very little remained of Arun this time.

But what remained, harboured hatered. Sheer wrath, for those outside.

Back on the battlefield, the armies were tense. Because in battles of these Supreme figures, they were useless. For a single existence of above tier 70, was enough to wipe out all below tier 50. So they watched, helpless, as these figures of power, treated them like grass, in a battle for their selfish desires.

The life force, qi, and all sorts of energy were being sucked from the Sovereign of Ash, and before his elder brother could help him, he was being delayed, by Heavenly Demon and his accomplice. But suddenly, he felt the pressure stop. A strange movement occurred on the battlefield that no one expected.

The Heavenly Demon, and the green researcher were shocked, the Monarch watched in awe and the Sovereign heaved, as the General of the Bone Battalion, moved. It spread open it's wing, and gave out a monstrous shriek. That struck fear in hearts of everything present. No exceptions.

For it was a construction not meant to speak, then how could it shout, unless. It was from the soul. It roared once again, more terrifying than a Dragon and colder than a snake. Then it pointed to the rest of the Battalion, and the disintegrated. The whole Bone Battalion of 9999 more skeletons disintegrated, as the parts and energy fused with it. Two endless streams of black and red shard entering from its wing blades, and being emitted from its eye holes.

It suddenly, disappeared in a flash of red and appeared on the back of the Ash dragon. It wasn't that it was too fast, only the rest were too shocked and oppressed by its aura to move.

As it appeared on the back of the Ash dragon, it's claws extended and it pierced o e of the red viens on its back. And a huge suction force, threatened to pull the existence of Ash dragon into him.

The Everglades Monarch finally moved, unobstructed by the stunned Heavenly Demon and green researcher. Its claws slammed into the Black Skeleton, as it was sent flying away at sonic speed and crashed into a mountain. Then he quickly withdrew the Shukra origin, in the form if a bead, and placed it near his brothers head. The bead absorbed all his red runes, and the white color. The Sovereign of the Ash, returned to his previous complexion of red golden scales, and his dragon vitality kicked in bringing him back to top shape in no time.

Even though the reason for the war, The Shukra Origin, had been brought out, the Abyssal Decay Sect forces did not give it a glance. All, their eyes were fixed on the hole created by the crash of a skeleton. They watched, with bated breaths, as the skeleton emerged. It had no lost its wings, there were no more red runes on its body. And the red in its eyes was very dim. The aura it gave was of a tier 50ish cultivator. This weak looking skeleton, held the edge of the hole, as it pulled itself up. Smoke coming out of its mouth. It eyed everyone present, and everyone single soul that came under its eyeless gaze shuddered. As if they had met their natural predator. No exceptions.

"As...As..Asura."

The green researcher managed to eke out a small whisper, before gulping. Then it watched, as the skeleton moved at sonic speed, and with a large 'Boom' punched the Everglades Monarch, which sent him flying.

His laughter grew hysterical, as he laughed at the thought of having created an Asura. The green researcher laughed, and yelled,

"I am a genius. I have revived the lost race of Asuras. I am greatest under Heaven."

In his madness, he yelled without stammering. But that also made it the target of the black monstrosity. It rushed at a speed unfathomable, and held the researcher by neck. Yet, the researcher didn't stop laughing. Eventually he had to, as he was getting suffocated under that hold. And when he couldn't laugh anymore, another laugh resounded. This one in the soul, way more hysterical and shrill.

The skeleton laughed by throwing its head back, but that was only an action, for it couldn't produce sounds. But it laughed. And it's laughter pierced all souls.

As it laughed, it squeezed. And the researchers neck snapped. An expert, above tier 60, was beaten in a single move, by a tier 50 skeleton. Unbelievable. But, the researcher wasn't an expert for nothing. An astral projection separated from its body, as it made its distance from the skeleton, and reformed his physical body. Although clearly, his energy levels had fallen down. He lost a tier of cultivation.

The skeleton stopped laughing, and tilted its head from the body in his hands, to the new researcher at a distance. Then it raised its free hand in the air, and clenched it into a fist, following it which each and every expert felt their blood rebelling. The practitioners below, 30 died in an instant, and all living being, be it humans, elves, magical constructs, plants, felt their blood, not the red blood that flows in mammal, but the carrier of their life essence, tricks from their bodies and congeal around the skeleton in a crimson violet sphere. And then it manipulated the congealed blood, to form in a river and sweep at every one present.

The aftermath, was carnage. The 4 exemplaries, the top experts, immediately engaged it in battle. With all tier 60 above experts joining them. And the rest quickly retreated. Both the warring sides having a tactic understanding, as they retreated from this common disaster, an Asura. Something associated with Supreme God of Destruction in myths. The harbingers of carnage. Omen of the End. Yet, a mighty race that flourished and contented with immortals and Devas.

An Asura, had appeared and they could only escape.

Even the Dignitaries came to an understanding, as they coordinated to engage this disaster. 10 plus saints of tier 60, engaged him. With the Heavenly Demon taking lead. The purple liquid had a mind of its own, as it changed shape to swords, blades, webs and shields as it engaged Heavenly Demon in hand to hand combat. As all of this was happening, the two Dragons stood at opposite sides and prepared to engage in their strongest attacks, the Breath, to pincer the Asura.

A golden green hue appeared behind Everglades, as it sucked in life energy from all plant life, and sunlight from the plants on its back, as it prepared for its 'Storm breath', using his two domains of vegetation and Storm to its fullest.

While Sovereign of the Ash, prepared the hottest furnace inside it, as it prepared to unleash a blazing fury.

And then , they let go. The Heavenly Demon, being ready for the move, instantly teleported from there. A fiery storm envelopes that area, as few of the saints were obliterated. Everything was enveloped in a nuclear explosion. The air there had disintegrated, leading to vacuum, as the surrounding air moved at unimaginable speed to fill in.

Eventually the dust settled, and there it was tattered, dissipated, but moving. It again started laughing, and eventually that turned into wailing. Miserable, cathartic, shrieking and wailing. It raised its hand again, to recover the purple blood sea, to restore its strength. But then, the researcher moved. He opened a hole to abyss, and summoned a magic circle.

"Saints, this is our only way out. Everyone pour their energies in the circuit. Let the abyss take back, what it gave. And we will survive. Otherwise, all of you can forget leaving this place alive. Vikraal, Do it."

With his shout, the Heavenly Demon made a seal on the ground and the land parted like a swallowing mouth. And as everyone pushed their energy in the circle, the abyss started sucking the darkness from the skeleton. It started losing it color. White spots slowly emerging on its bones. But unlike the people were expecting, there were no final violent struggles.

It just stood there, letting people assume that the magic caused it to be docile. Hmph, none could fathom, that in there, there was only the desire to rest now. Only a longing, for rest.

And thus the skeleton fell, into the pit that the ground had opened. After which, the ground close its mouth. Like a devouring beast. And the skeleton only moved, from one abyss, to another. Finally, getting the long desired rest.

But as fate would have it. After a thousand years, a hand came out of the ground. A bony, white, skeleton hand.