When I was younger, I was fascinated by mortality. I can’t say when I first acquired this passion, no, this obsession. When did I first see death? Which tree or crop or bird or insect or person made such an impression on me? I honestly can’t say. All I know is that from a very young age, I decided to watch as many things die as possible.

It became a hobby of mine. I would catch bugs and rip off their wings. I’d find a frog in the grass and step on it, listening as its elastic body squirmed under my overpowering weight. I learned to set traps in the forest near my home. Once I did, the forest’s rabbits and deer ended up dying in a variety of ways. Thinking back on it, I didn’t really enjoy killing them. It was all about control. Watching them succumb to death, an ironclad rule of this world, was very…cathartic.

Even though I can’t remember what started me on this path, I do remember when I reached the point of no return. It was the moment when my snare trap looped itself around a foreign creature. This aberration crawled on the ground like an infant, but its body suggested that it was anything but human. The creature had the figure of a man, green scales of a snake and the jet-black claws and horns of an unknown monster.

“Light…give me…light.” It begged with each heavy wheeze as it struggled in my trap.

Terrified, I tried to put it down as quickly as I could. To my surprise, the creature did not die after being stabbed through the heart. I spent my entire evening whittling away at its life-force until it finally succumbed to death.

That night I had many horrifying dreams but when I awoke, I had been enlightened. Knowledge poured into me like a dry sponge in a rainstorm. With the secret of my birthmark finally revealed, I felt…justified. The sorcerer that passed this mark to me must have shared my obsession. I could tell by the knowledge that he possessed. His research was incomplete, but its purpose was clear. He wished to overcome death, to create a body that would not die.

I quickly began my own research. Of course, materials became my main bottleneck. As people began to go missing, the rest of the town started to worry. My silver tongue kept me free from conviction but it was useless in the end. Proof cannot overcome belief that is soaked in fear. The lord overheard enough rumors about my livelihood that he decided to banish me from Wren. Without proof, that was the most that castle-dwelling fool could manage. I may have outlived him and the banishment in the end but at the time, it was a humiliating affair.

After leaving my home town, I traveled all across the kingdom. I sought knowledge and didn’t stop no matter how many failures I created. Other sorcerers would come to me to exchange techniques, some of them could even be called my friends. It has been a long and difficult road but I have always been pushing forward. I can’t afford to stop.

Nowadays, I can feel it much more strongly than I did as a child. I feel its hands on my back when it pops and cracks every morning. I feel in my knees as I walk down a long flight of stairs. I feel it with every breath I take. It wracks me as I cough, it grinds away at me as I speak. I feel the inevitability of death now more than ever. There hasn’t been a single moment in my life when I wasn’t afraid. The thought of dying just like those trees or those crops or those birds or those insects or those people, it urges me ever forward.

My eyes snap open. I remember that someone with my ambitions doesn’t even have time to sleep.

~ ~ ~

My skin has worn thin over the years. That truth that has never been more noticeable than on this cold, wet, stone floor. Lying prone, I take in my surroundings. Someone has placed me in a dungeon. To be more specific, I was lying in a cell within a dungeon. Considering the perpetrator, this was probably an area underneath the castle.

With some effort, I got to my feet. Looking around once more, I was only able to confirm what I already knew: I was trapped.

“To think that a Malcolm would get in my way again…” I muttered to no one in particular. I ground my teeth. After being thwarted during my crowning achievement, I was definitely a little upset.

“FUCK! Let me out of here!” I shouted futilely.

The sound of heavy footsteps snapped me back to reality. It was difficult to see in this pitch-black dungeon, but I could clearly hear someone approaching my cell.

“So, even the great Elver can be held off by a door.” This someone wheezed. “If I’d known that earlier, then I would have just locked you in that bell tower. The key would have cost you all your souls.”

“I’m sure I would’ve killed you before paying that.” I replied with a grin.

“Well then, it’s a good thing I didn’t try it.”

I saw a familiar glow as Hades stepped in front of my cell. His expression was still as fierce as ever, but Hades’ body had clearly been through hell. Even in this darkness, I could see numerous bite marks, claw marks and even heavy lacerations throughout his figure. Most telling of all, Hades’ glowing veins were fading. Every so often they would flicker like a dying ember.

“It looks rough out there.” I remarked.

“It’s been hell on earth since the start of the festival. I was doing fine, but then some demons managed to catch me off guard.” Hades shrugged. “I’ll let you out, so patch me up with some healing sorcery.”

I nodded and he placed his hand on the metal lock. After a few seconds it dropped to the ground, now a hunk of molten slag.

“Door’s open.” Hades whispered.

For an instant, our eyes met. Then, he quickly looked away. It might have seemed like a trivial exchange, one that wouldn’t even be worth mentioning. However, I only survived because I saw Hades’ intentions in that instant before he averted his gaze.

The moment the door opened, Hades lunged forward like a starving wolf. I shouted a quick chant and just like that, the fight was over. Hades stood at the threshold of my cell, immobilized.

“You…” He wrought out each word through gritted teeth. “Give…them…to…me! That…light! There’s…so many…squirming around…inside.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You…will!” Hades glared at me with eyes that I had seen all throughout my life. They were the eyes of a starving demon.

“This is the most I can do.”

I placed my right hand on his chest and started another chant. Slowly, his body began to vibrate. Hades’ veins grew brighter and brighter, threatening to burst in a fiery display. His skin grew taut as it expanded in random bulges. The demon gritted his teeth and accepted the pain in silence, although that could have just been the result of his paralysis.

Then, without warning or ceremony, Hades exploded. His blood clung to every surface of the room for a short period of time. I stood in silence while a thick mist filled the dungeon. Once it dispersed, there truly was nothing left of him.

“…Ah.” I noticed that my right hand was still outstretched. It was still where Hades’ chest had been moments ago. “…Another failure.” I shook my head and left the dungeon.

To its credit, this outdated castle seemed to be the one place that could weather this storm. Once I was out of the dungeon, I found people huddled throughout the Lord’s home. Malcolm must have decided to shelter anyone that he could find. The tightly packed mass of refugees had begun spilling out of their rooms, making it difficult to traverse the castle. Of course, it could have been a lot more difficult if they weren’t trapped in a fear-induced stupor. Not a single one of them looked at me as I waded past them. I didn’t know what they had witnessed out there but now they seemed to have resigned themselves to wait. Whether they were waiting for salvation or death was anyone’s guess.

“…How did you get out?” A quavering voice hailed me.

I turned around to see Malcolm huddled in a corner of the castle’s foyer. If he hadn’t spoken up I would have assumed that he was just another trembling citizen.

“…No, don’t tell me. I’m sure you had some trick up your sleeve. I told the King to do away with you for good but he wouldn’t listen. None of that matters now, though. It’s all over…”

“Over?” I questioned.

Malcolm shut his eyes, his swollen red eyelids quivered as he spoke.

“You’ve seen the people hiding in this castle, right? That’s everyone we could save. It’s hell out there, this city is swarming with monsters. We’re safe in here for now but who knows when a demon will burst through those doors?”

“That’s true. However…” Slowly and deliberately, I stepped towards Malcolm. He shrank back with a whine. “That is not the question I’m interested in.”

“What? What do you want!?” Malcolm screeched, flinging his arms up in a pitiable attempt at self-defense.

“Why did the king betray me?” I glared down at him. “You had something to do with it, right?”

“Yes, yes I did!” Malcolm peeked out from behind his raised arms. “I overheard you two talking after Howes’ confession. It seemed like the King was finally starting to doubt you, so I stepped in after you left. The King didn’t give me any concrete details but he told me that you two were planning something big. I tried to convince him to cut you out of the project and he eventually agreed.”

“Really…That’s all it took?” I shook my head. “That greedy old man.”

“I didn’t know, though!” Malcolm sunk further into his corner. His words became intermixed with sobs. “I didn’t…didn’t…know that it would be like this. I…I’m not a part of this. Why were you two trying to destroy the city!?”

“Ignorant to the end, I see.” I released a long drawn-out sigh.

“D-Don’t kill me!” Malcolm shrieked.

“I’m not going to kill you.” I replied flatly. “You can spend the rest of your life cowering inside this castle for all I care. Although, I will need you to answer one more question for me.”

“W-What?”

“Where is the King?”

“I don’t know.” Malcolm sniveled. “He left the castle with Rowan but I don’t know where he went. The King and your pupil are the only ones who can handle those monsters, so they must still be alive somewhere.”

“With Rowan?”

That didn’t make any sense but I decided to cross that bridge when I came to it. As I turned around to leave, Malcolm spoke up.

“You’ll be fine out there, won’t you.” It wasn’t a question. Malcolm glared at me from his corner. Despite his all his trembling, he still seemed to have something to tell me. “I heard that Vole was really friendly with one of the king’s advisors, that was you wasn’t it?”

“It was.”

“Then you know how to handle these monsters, right? You can kill them?”

“Easily. Demons are no match for an experienced sorcerer.”

“If that’s the case, then don’t go looking for the king. Stay here and protect us.”

“Why?” I cocked my head. What bargaining chip did Malcolm think he held at this point?

“B-Because it’s the right thing to do!” Malcolm shouted back.

“…Hmm.” I stifled my laughter and turned around once more.

“I figured as much.”

Just before I reached the door, Malcolm let out a shrill cry. Before I could collect myself, he jumped up and rushed me. Malcolm wasn’t exactly a strong man, neither was he a fit one. However, I wasn’t in the best shape either and a desperate attack from this enraged dwarf was enough to knock me to the ground.

“This whole mess is your fault, isn’t it!?” He seethed. “I’m going to…”

Malcolm didn’t say anything more, he couldn’t. Because the instant he began his mad rush, I had already begun a quiet chant. Demons succumb to paralysis much faster but humans certainly aren’t immune to my sorcery.

“Like I said, you can cower inside this castle forever.” I replied, spitting out blood.

It took me a few tries just to heal myself. The chant was too long and I would fall into another coughing fit before it ended. Once I was finally healed, I looked back at Malcolm one last time. He lay on the floor, drooling with vacant eyes.

“That curse will only wear off when I die. So, with any luck, you really will be here forever.” I chuckled and finally made my exit.

The castle was situated on a sizable hill and so I had the opportunity to take stock of the current cityscape. It only took one look for me to tell, this truly was hell on earth. Fire raged through the city, devouring everything in sight like a wild beast. If that inferno was Satan, then the city’s demons were truly its followers. Monsters swarmed both the streets and the sky, killing and destroying indiscriminately. The smoke that rose up from this devastated city gathered in the sky like a massive storm cloud. Looking up, I noticed that this was the one place where the sky was still clear. That wouldn’t last long though, because large black clouds had begun to swirl around this empty space. Slowly but surely, the sky above the castle would be covered as well.

“…A whirlpool?” I stared up in awe. If anyone cowering within the castle had dared to look up at the sky, then they would have believed themselves to be at the center of this maelstrom.

My thoughts snapped back to Rowan and the King. I wracked my brain to try and think of where they would go. Waiting out this storm would have been the smartest choice. Why deal with every demon when you could wait for the festival to choose a winner? If they wanted to wait, though, then they would have stayed in the castle. Unless there was a safer place that I had missed.

I made it to the garden gate when a familiar voice grabbed my attention.

“Elver, Thank goodness you’re awake!” Rowan cried out as he rushed through the open gate. “There’s too many of them for me to handle, you have to help!”

“That’s why I’m here.” I lied. “Where is the King.”

“The King?” Rowan cocked his head. “He’s in the castle isn’t he?”

“No, I heard he was with you.” I scratched my head, wondering why Malcolm had told me such a strange lie.

“Hmm, well anyway, demons are everywhere but there’s survivors as well. Come on, we have to help them!”

“Yea…” I replied.

It wouldn’t do to make an enemy out of Rowan now. I decided to think of an excuse to return to the castle while we fought. Hopefully killing a few demons wouldn’t weaken the result of the grim festival. According to old stories, a powerful demon would be born from this chaos. So long as I gain control of it, even the King won’t be able to stop me. Researching it may even bring me the key to immortality. I grinned, this festival couldn’t be over soon enough.

The instant I turned my back on Rowan, I heard a sickening noise. It was the nostalgic sound of a blade cutting into flesh. The intense pain that followed it confirmed my fears, I had been stabbed in the back. I reflexively began a chant but before I could finish, I was struck with an electric current. I recognized this sensation as a curse but it was one that I had never seen before. Fighting it was impossible, I collapsed in a mess of spasms.

My bloodshot eyes writhed furiously as I watched the souls that I had painstakingly collected rush out of my body. They hung in the air like paper lanterns. I continued to stare at them until my assailant stepped into view.

“You must have been really flustered, to let a lie lower your guard.” Rowan didn’t smile, he rarely ever did. Instead, his eyes gleamed like a beastly hunter. “I knew you were behind everything from the moment this tragedy began. I suspected something was up when you sent me to the castle but I never imagined you’d go this far.”

“Rowan, guh…you…” I tried to speak but most of it was unintelligible.

“Did you really think that you’d fooled me? I’ve been your subordinate for over a year now. That’s more than enough time to realize what a monster you are. Although, even if I hadn’t noticed, there’s something that’s been bothering me ever since I started learning from you…”

“Greruhdsf…sdoudsf…belsrg.” My desperate attempt at a chant was a failure. I suddenly realized that even if I could cast a spell, I no longer had the souls to power it.

“Why is my sorcery focused around healing? I’ve never read about any other sorcerer with this power. You’re the only one besides me.”

Rowan knelt down and looked into my hate-filled eyes.

“So, the sorcerer who gave me this knowledge must have either learned it from you, or taught it to you. Maybe he was even your pupil, just like I am now. Regardless, it bothered me because there was another spell that he gave me. One that I haven’t told you about.”

In a large sweeping motion, Rowan gestured to the souls that floated around us.

“This spell was designed to disarm sorcerers. It’s extremely useful against anyone who carries a large number of souls in their body. Maybe the sorcerer that gave me this mark knew about your true nature? Who knows. At the very least, I can tell just by looking around that you’re getting what you deserve.”

Glancing upward, I immediately understood. A demon’s soul is twisted and black while a human’s is clear and white. The multitude of souls that I held, which were now suspended and on display, were overwhelmingly white.

I felt a mixture of blood and bile force its way into my throat. My body was in enormous pain and yet my mind couldn’t focus.

“A quick death would be too good for you. I’ll let you meet the King after you’ve had time to reflect on your miserable life.” Rowan turned towards the burning city. My souls began to flow into him. “I still have a lot of work to do. At the very least, these souls will be used to clean up your mess.”

“…Rowan…” The electricity running through my body had finally subsided. I could speak once more. “I’m not going to die here. I’m not going to die like this.”

If Rowan had heard me, he didn’t bother to respond. I was left to bleed out at the entrance to the castle garden. Minutes passed, though they felt like hours, each one was more agonizing than the last. However, fear overcame pain and I forced myself to stay conscious as long as I could. Restoring myself was impossible but I still clung to an invisible chance. As long as I was awake, there might be a miracle.

“Oh god, Elver! What happened!?” Another familiar voice woke me from a dreamlike state.

I shook my head to rouse myself, terrified by the fact that I had almost fallen asleep. My eyes cracked open to see Eris kneeling before me.

“Where have you been? I’ve been sending survivors here but none of them had seen you. No one in the castle would answer me either. We need your help, there’s way too many demons for me to handle.”

I smiled at her naivety.

“I just need a soul to heal myself.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ve been collecting plenty from demons.” Eris chimed, producing a writhing black soul.

“Good work.” I praised her and then immediately began the chant. My wounds remained while Eris collapsed. “Unfortunately, a demon’s soul isn’t ideal for healing. So, I’ll be taking yours instead.”

Souls can’t be used while they rest inside a body. First, they must be drawn out of their owner. The process of separating a soul from its body has always been simple. Summoning all my remaining strength, I retrieved the knife in my pocket and thrust it into my pupil’s chest.

“Eris! Don’t run ahead! I-” Looking up, I saw Ten running towards us. When the demon saw Eris, he came to a full stop.

Shit, I need more time! I thought frantically. I raised my knife and tried to bring it down once more. Instead of cutting Eris, the knife flew away into the bushes. An enormous amount of pain told me that my arm had gone with it.

Before I could react, I found myself surrounded by darkness. It was as if my own shadow had risen up and swallowed me whole. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even breathe. My consciousness began to fade and I felt an overwhelming fear. At first, I thought I had died but it was not that simple. Slowly, I realized what was happening to me.

Oh, so this is what it feels like…to have your soul eaten.

---

Author Note:

There's only one more chapter left in advent 4! Next week will have part 7, an epilogue and something extra.