The time for a trial came. It wasn't just I and Lilith who were nervous. Everybody had some doubts. Stress accumulated in all of us over the months, now hearing the possible release. If things would go well, we would be able to move on and leave it behind us.

For this trial a lot of people showed. A lot of Val were present to witness the first real Val'Luna guardian. Regios was here as well as Lord Hooligein. Neither could miss me becoming a demon. The first I needed to to restrain me if things would go wrong. The second just wanted to watch me become his kin.

Frez was here and finally his twins too. Bella finally decided to show up, with two guys in tow. They seemed to have been fighting a lot lately, some issue that didn't concern me. Elders were there, also curious about the ritual. This Rite would be my last one and one that would make me a true legend. A guardian of all six tribes.

My girls all took off some time, their attendance wasn't optional. Eleanor had some queen business, but I made it crystal clear that I didn't care. She was nothing but compliant since her betrayal. A thing I really liked.

Lord Galadrim and a Lady Cerebria also came. They liked the last trial, it was something to behold. And party that lasted for days after... Let's just say that after last one there would be another little Lord or Lady soon.

Flaer was somewhat excited, she liked the fighting with Regios before. She was little saddened that I wouldn't be kicking his ass now, but she got over it quickly. The promise of booze and some meat made her happy.

The preparation for the rite of passage were smooth, nothing really hindered or made any problems. Whatever business we had, it was going smoothly.

This right would have me walk through the fifteen meters of coals, with whips, stones and sharp weapons thrown. They were non issue, I haven't really felt them since three trials ago. The poison from last time was there and a new addition was a heavy chain with some stone with engravings on it. When I put it on, I heaved under the weight of my own body. The chain tripled my weight, which would usually be a bad idea, if not for my extremely strong skeleton. It still made it hard to move around. Perhaps I should use it in future training.

The trial itself was easy as always, even with the chain. I made my way across, no problems. Then I was in front of Lilith, her in ceremonial clothes, almost nude. She seemed to tinker with them a bit, as all her curves were accentuated well, making her appearance more alluring than usual. I felt longing for her at that moment and my tail slightly swung left and right, as if preparing for a hit.

As the girls previously, Lilith shed her blood and threw the dagger on the ground. Her smell was sweet, no real distinct feature to it like Elaya's. I didn't wait long and put my lips on her wound, hoping not to let her bleed too much.

When I tasted her blood however, everything was different. Lilith was sin incarnate, and that also applied to her taste. It was supreme, so sweet and intoxicating. I felt in heaven and hell all at once, my body shuddering slightly from the divine feeling I got. It took me few moments to realize that I actually dug my fangs into her wrist making her wince in pain. I reluctantly let go of her, still wishing for more, and turn my attention of my senses.

Lilith's blood was warm, but the sense it gave off wasn't hot, it was opposite. Chilling feeling ran through my body, starting at my tongue, going down my throat and accumulating in my stomach. The chill was increasing slightly, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. Waiting for my transformation I look within.

Inside me, there is a bright light that is me and five red lights, almost all exactly the same, but different in some ways. And now there was another light, or should I say, dark? It was a more of darkness, looking similar to the other five little lights. It just floated there, not intertwining or getting closer to my light. It seemed to be waiting for something.

I felt slight probing of my mind, like something trying to poke it. In reality, it must have been pretty powerful for me to feel it, mind control immunity and all. I was hoping it would end there and nothing more would happen, but it was for naught. For few moments nothing happened. Then, as all the blood reached my stomach, the mote of darkness shot out towards my soul. If it couldn't control it, it would then devour it. That was the thought that came from it.

As soon as black tendrils touched my soul, my body began convulsing in pain. No, in Pain. Big Pain. It was hell on earth for me, my form boiling like in previous trial, but instead of forming into something else, it was just melting, expanding and contracting. I felt like I was going to explode. Also the pain, it was both scorching, like a hot iron going through every orifice I had, trying to burn my eyes, my ears, all of me. It also felt bone-chilling cold, like I was frozen to zero degrees kelvin. Actually, I remembered how that felt from before, and this was worse.

My soul was screaming in pain, it and the beasts trying to resist, to fight the darkness, fruitlessly trying to extend my life. The demon power wanted control, it wanted to consume, to grow and to live. I couldn't let it. With my soul, my body also screamed. Out of my throat, six different voices all rang out, six of us fighting against the dark god's power, hoping to survive. It was nerve wrecking, hearing me scream like that. Shiver ran down everyone's spines, they never imagined such a scream possible.

I was on my knees, grasping, clawing at my skin, hoping to end it, by my form was unstable, I didn't bleed or get cut. I simply was a mountain of flesh, growing bigger and smaller with each heartbeat. All over me black lighting was spreading. The dark power coming out of my body manifested in various ways, mostly like lightning, but in several places it was a jet black flame. With each second, the intensity of it grew.

I thought it was a fluke, that I didn't feel much pain in previous Rites, only slightly getting flustered when I grew horns and tail. Now it seemed I was just saving up the pain for this moment. And I wished that I would have felt it divided amongst five previous trials, hell, separate it over the last fifteen years of my life! What I was feeling was pure agony, my mind was hoping for release.

Direct attack on the soul were not possible normally, not to this degree. It would require two souls to get so close, you would need them to occupy one body, and no mage is crazy enough to leave his body or to let another inhabit it. That was why I didn't fear soul mates much, their souls would be weaker and wouldn't do much unless coming too close. This I wasn't prepared for.

The dark tendrils entangled my soul, the beasts, everything inside and then they reached for inside of me, hoping to take control directly. The pain was enormous, the sol being ripped apart and shredded. If I were to die, I would respawn later in some other world, mostly uninjured, but the pain would linger for a long time...

The fight lasted for what felt like an eternity, the darkness trying to consume my soul, hoping to take control of my body, I fought it hard, trying to expel it, but it was too late. It was a part of me and there was no escape. Trying to help me, the five beasts also sprouted their red threads and intertwined themselves with my soul, making us closed together. The consequences would most likely be permanent, across all future lifetimes, but it was the only way to survive now.

The moment that the dark tendril broke through my defenses, touching the innermost part of my soul, my body quickly expanded, becoming few meters in diameter and then quickly grew smaller, taking a shape. The black energy around me also condensed, entering my form, being assimilated by it. With that, a primal scream of pain rung out, two of us merging. The moment dark tendril got through, it was already decided. We merged, becoming one.

The moment we touched, my mind went blank and then everything was gone, turning black. Within the blackness something stirred. Then the world lit up again, fading in and I was standing.

Below me, thousands of demons, weak pathetic weakling, destined to never taste the power I was given. The pathetic God died and left me with his power, allowing me to consume it and become a god myself. Now I was all powerful. My will absolute. The seven houses demanded for my execution, for my crowning, for my exile, for my ascension... They didn't know what they wanted and they didn't care, they just wanted something. So I gave them something.

With a sweeping motion, I make the crowns kneel. I was a god now, who cares what they wanted. I was the boss now, these were my things now, without their own will.

They were all on their knees, looking at me astonished. I turn towards the elder council, who roused the people against me and set them all on fire with my thought. They betrayed me, and now I payed them back for it. Setting me up against a god, hoping me to die and for them to take over my place. Pathetic.

The people who betrayed me, they too will face my wrath. What could be fate worse than death, other than eternal servitude to somebody you hate. I extend my power and change them. The sins they all drown in, they would define these people. Their inside will be reflected in their appearance. Their sins would guide their lives. They will carry my hatred forward.

My race, demons, were proud creatures, people of unbound spirit, strong and powerful. Most of them are here now. We were simple people, only different from humans slightly in our appearance. Now, it would change.

I reach out and feel for every demon. Yes, they are all mostly here. Only few are far away, the exiles. Some to the far north-west, others to the far south! more of them in other places. Too far to have done anything in my betrayal, them I will spare.

But these monsters in front of me, they don't deserve the power demons have. They don't deserve the beauty and the strength our strength carries. Them Imwill punish.

I touch each and every one of them and change them. Their soul and their body are now one. You, slut, for your promiscuity, you will be granted appearance fitting your rotten soul. And these angry people, wrathful and angry, your sin will be reflected on the surface.

I change each one of them, making them into the fiends they are. They don't deserve to be happy or to have freedom. The sins of the fathers shall be carried by their children. Their past shall define their future.

Their betrayal is their crime. I can't allow these people to roam free, they deserve to be rules by a monster worse then they are. Now, I will become such monster. My power is monstrous, now I will make them see the monster they made me be. I will make them regret what they did to me. My world is going to become my playground, a place for my wrath to exist. The betrayal cannot be forgotten or forgiven. These people are now mine to toy with. Forever.

With that I change my appearance. The traits of pure blooded demons disappear. No longer do I have a gem in my forehead or tattoos on my body. Instead, my skin turns dark red, from my forehead sprout two massive horns, like those of the old kids tales. The satyr, the evil tormentor. That who I am. But I have to be more. From my back, two massive wings sprout, like those dragons have. I also grow a tail, long and powerful enough to strangle the weaklings below. My nails turn into claws, my teeth turn into fangs, my aura changes to black. I now share the curse my people share, we shall carry it forever and ever. They shall never be freed of it and allowed to have the true power my race has. They will remain my toys forever, until I die...

With that I wake up from my delirium, bloody sweat rolling down my body, my mind now crystal clear, free of pain and suffering. Having witnessed the change of the Gargoyle, I now understand myself more. He wasn't originally evil, his own people made him turn evil. As did my people. I wasn't turning evil because of my past or because of somebody's influence. The betrayal affected me and I just denied that it had an adverse effect. I denied the pain, hoping to carry on as nothing happened. I am in pain, but I understand now and now I can go on.

With that I open my eyes. Before me Lilith is kneeling, worried over what was happening. I push myself off the floor with my arms and stand up straight. My body feels normal, but I know it is not. I am about three meters high, my skin is obsidian black, with golden tattoos over my body. My horns changed, thin golden etchings becoming thicker, expanding, while the dark grey area compacted, as if it became concentrated darkness, becoming black. They seem to contrast, the golden parts shining and black parts consuming the shine.

My hair in this form is black, with golden ends. There is no longer yellow anywhere on me. I take a mirror that was prepared in advance from nearby stand. In there a demon looks at me, with the whites of my eyes gone, turning black, like the void and my iris and pupil both becoming gold, with a crown now coming off them, like roots sroputing through the blackness of my eyes. It is truly bizarre. I also notice a gem embedded into my forehead, a golden gem with a black core. I also notice two wings behind my back.

My appearance is that of a true demon. People look at me with fear and astonishment. Even Lord Hooligein is surpisised to see what I have become. My girls also seem to be eyeing me intensely. Regios just looks bedazzled.

I don't know what to do really, I don't feel like speaking really. Instead I decide to improvise. I wrap my tail around Lilith quickly and easily bring her over to me, raising her to my face and kissing her deeply. The tail restrained most of her movement, but she doesn't resist at all, just giving in to me. My hands shamelessly move on her back and her behind, but I don't intend to do much more than kiss right now.

I spread my wings and take to the skies, Lilith wrapped in my arms and tail. The mere flapping of my wings sends massive wave of dust and makes people and trees shake from the force of air that was released. With five other beasts, I am stronger than any demon right now. With the secret I learned, I am sure to become even stronger.

I spend few minutes flying around, making out with Lilith, until I decide to land. I fold my wings and just fall down onto the ground, where there are no people. I don't bother stalling the floor, instead using my wings to protect Lilith. When I make contact with the ground, I shatter the ground, making fissures appear, leaving a crater underneath me and myself about halfway in the ground.

I get out of the hole created by my fall and walk towards people. Now that I am somewhat calm, I can see something new. Within each one a soul stirs. I see my girls, each one having a soul and a red light circling it, disconnected completely. I see Frez, who has a soul entangled by a bizarre web of red strings, looking very wrong. I see Lord Hooligein, who looks like his soul is connected to his body, yet some of the light inside is disconnected. I can see everyone's soul and if there is something abnormal with them.

My own soul is now white, with five red and one blue lights surrounding them. The blue light gives off a black glow, but otherwise it seems pure, as if free or vile corruption. I purified the darkness, now that as know it is just a part of me and not some memory from the past, now I don't have to resist it or fight it. Changing myself now will be hard, if not impossible, it is better to accept myself.

Wishing for myself to turn back, I am surrounded by a black flame, which licks away my demon form, revealing my new human form. My hair is now very deep dark brown, turning into bright gold, with no yellow now. My eyes remain as they were in my demon form, golden iris and pupil with golden tendrils going to black outside. They look weird, but I like it and so does Lilith. With a thought, my wings disappear, consumed by the black flame. I seem to be able to change my appearance around, appearing or disappearing my wings, horns or tail, like very powerful demons. I also seem to be able to use a bit of black magic now, but that will have to be trained later.

Walking amongst people, I can feel something else. Their blood, it is calling to me, asking me to purify it. I don't know what that means, but it is something I can find out in the future. Right now I want a drink. This was a hard Rite to complete.