"Do not pretend you aren't listening Mistress Ashera," Mane calmly stared at the ceiling right above him and said. His eyes flashed with a strange glow as he spoke and his senses that were fully spread were tasked even further.
"Are you sure you want to know this?" Ashera's melodious voice forced its way past the walls of Mane's room and reached the ears of both Mane and Sunflower.
"What do you mean by that?" Mane asked. It seemed that things were more complicated than he thought.
"If I am to tell you what you seek, you will be embroiled in a world that you may not want to be a part of," Ashera clarified what she meant.
"What is it that I wouldn't want to be a part of?" Mane asked with furrowed brows.
A mirage of Ashera appeared on the walls of Mane's room when Mane asked this question. And Mane sat up to face her. His eyes flashed as True Eyes were activated. For it was only with this power that he could face her without any issues. And this was the first time he actually saw her.
She was so beautiful that Mane was certain that he had never seen any as blessed with beauty as her. The only person that maybe had a slight edge over her was Ananse. Yet this was just a reflection of Ashera's true self. Mane wouldn't be able to truly say who was superior until he was standing before her and got to judge her countenance in person. Her appearance was vulnerable yet powerful at the same time. Ashera's pretty eyes travelled all over his figure, before resting on Sunflower's comfortable frame on the bed with a look of helplessness in them. Finally, she sighed and went back to what mattered.
"War," Ashera's reply was simple, yet its connotations were immense. Sunflower's expression was that of hesitation, and when she turned to look at Mane who lay beside her, her eyes flashed with a complicated glow. She wished that he would want to be a part of that world yet she also wished that he will stay far away from it at the same time; a mix of complicated emotions that told just how she felt about the current trend of circumstances. For that world was brutal, and many had fallen. She wished that he wouldn't carry such a burden, but she also hoped that he would be eager to watch their backs; to join her; to help carry her burdens – and her Mistress's.
"What do you see when you look at me?" Mane asked with s serene expression on his face. He knew about the war of the Three Great Races. And the fact that he was embroiled in the schemes of these races meant that Ashera must know that he knew this. But when she mentioned War she wasn't asking him to take a side. All she said was that it was a world he didn't want to enter. And that possibly meant it was a war beyond the Three Great Races. The mention of war didn't perturb him – not in the slightest.
"You have the blood of many on your head," Ashera answered simply, and Mane smiled slightly. Sunflower who was next to him shifted uncomfortably as a thick wave of bloodlust filled the room. Mane's grating voice rang alongside the bloody aura as he announced with unprecedented authority,
"I am War"
"I am Chaos"
"Why would I be perturbed by that which I stir up?"
His voice was low, yet charming, quiet yet somehow booming. And its message was received fully.
"You truly are one with experiences that do not match your age," Ashera sighed. The killing intent from this young man was comparable to that of a general of a thousand battles. She didn't know how he cultivated such vast killing intent, but he had done it. Her keen senses could pick out the blood of special races and powerful people, talents and royalty. Yet all had fallen at the hands of a young boy. This made her curious. She was really curious about this boy's true background.
For even his countenance was that of a noble. He wasn't shaken by her presence neither did he feel the urge to revere her. Although he still wore his blindfold when he was around her, he never did when he was around the triplets. But now that he seemed to have activated a strange power, maybe he could face her without his blindfold. Before he never dared call her out because he was vulnerable even before a mere image of her. Yet now he was facing her without any reservations. And he wasn't showing any signs of discomfort. Ashera didn't know what those eyes were, but whatever they were, they made her charm nonexistent. At least her passive charm was useless before him. As for actively charming him, she could never see that happening so they will never find out if he was strong enough to fight against it.
"I'm sorry," Mane quickly withdrew his killing intent when he noticed Sunflower's discomfort. He had to admit that he was envious of her in a way. She had lived for so long and had been embroiled in this War Ashera spoke of, yet she was still uncomfortable with killing.
"I'm fine," Sunflower shook her head with a small smile on her face. Although her face was slightly pale and she was a little nauseous, she was fine. It was just that his killing intent brought back memories she didn't like to remember.
Ashera smiled slightly when she saw Mane display kindness uncharacteristic of one with so much blood in his hands. But the smile was fleeting, and soon she was back to her serene self.
"Do you still want to know?" she asked
"My desire for that knowledge hasn't wavered in the past few seconds," Mane answered with a calm expression on his face as one of his hands gently stroked Sasha's fur coat, eliciting purrs of comfort from the still sleeping Heavenly Nether Beast. The other was tenderly stroking Sunflower's face. It was unknown whether Mane was fully aware of that though, for it was something he hadn't done before. And Sunflower's slightly surprised face was the evidence that this was the first time he had touched her voluntarily. Soon her surprise was gone, and a small smile blossomed on her face. Yet when she felt Ashera's eyes on her she blushed slightly and turned away.
"Have you heard of this name before: Pazuzu?" Ashera asked Mane.
"No. I have never heard of this name. Who is this person?" Mane was puzzled. He knew that this had to do with the war Ashera spoke of. But as to how, that remained to be seen. However, the way the completion rate bar of his Status Window was growing, Mane knew that this information was vital.
Completion Rate: 16
"Not person – demon," Ashera stated calmly, yet Mane could feel a slight tremble in her voice when she spoke. And this made him all the more curious. He didn't speak up. She was going to tell him what he wanted anyway.
Completion Rate: 18
"We don't know how he appeared, or what he was before he became what he is now. But he is a Demon King of the Wind. According to texts we found, he is the son of the God of Evil Humbaba. It is said according to the texts that Humbaba was sealed. Yet Pazuzu remains, and his danger to our world is real."
Completion Rate: 20
"A Demon King?" This was the first Mane was hearing about demons. He knew they existed, but apart from that he didn't know much.
"Yes. That means he has several demons under his command. He is the reason why the Three Great Races only dare to sneakily battle each other now. For we are the only thing that can stop him."
"I see. But if he is a Demon King and has been around for so long, how come the Three Great Races didn't discover him at the very beginning. After all, a demon with several other demons under his command will see no need to hide." Mane asked
"Valid question; an intelligent one. There was one who kept Pazuzu at bay – Hanbi, the Guardian God and brother of Pazuzu." Ashera replied.
Completion Rate: 25
"They were brothers?" Mane was stunned, but then he remembered that his father's family was a mess. After all, his grandfather had usurped his father's throne to become king. And his mother's family also had their own issues.
"Yes. According to the texts they are brothers. We thought we were the first of this world before finding those ruins. There was a war before this world became barren; long before the first of the Three Great Races were born. It was the War of the Gods."
Completion Rate: 30
"Before us there was a race of mortals, and they were ruled over by their Gods. For centuries they served their gods, and the gods protected them. Pazuzu, was a Demon King, yet he was one who turned his own sword against his people. He fought other demons to protect the realm of mortals, and sought no recompense. The texts do not state clearly what occurred, only that there was suddenly a great disagreement, and Pazuzu rebelled. Joining him in rebellion were the multitudes of demons under his command. His rebellion changed the tides. And the forces of evil run wild. Enlil, the King of the Gods tried his best, yet Humbaba's power kept him at bay. And with him out of the picture, many gods fell."
Completion Rate: 33
"Yet they didn't die in vain. It isn't clear how the war progressed, but the fact that there were only four remaining means that the others perished. And the mortals of this world who were caught in the fire were all wiped out. So one could say that the Forces of Evil had their way."
Mane nodded at Ashera's words. One side wanted destruction, the other peace and calm. Since destruction doth reign, the forces of destruction taketh hold of the victory of the olden days.
"Enlil, Hanbi, Pazuzu and Humbaba were the four who remained. Two were of good; two were of evil. Humbaba kept Enlil at bay, preventing the kind god from using his power for the good of mortals. And Hanbi kept Pazuzu at bay, holding his brother back from destroying the realm of mortals. According to the texts, they had been fighting all this while – and they still are"
Completion Rate: 37
Mane was stunned by her words. How could they still be fighting? No one could possibly fight for millennia!
"The way you feel now, is the same way we felt when we found the records of old. We thought they were just stories. That was until he revealed himself – Pazuzu returned. I don't know what happened to Hanbi, but he had failed in his task. Pazuzu was free. He was powerful, and it took the combined efforts of all the races to seal him. Only three races remained after that war."
"Ancients, Elementals and Barbarians," Mane frowned and said.
Completion Rate: 44
"Yes. We called ourselves great because we thought we had won. But we were wrong!" Ashera's tone suddenly grew more frantic.
"What we fought was nothing but Pazuzu's clone! His real body was still embroiled in a bitter exchange with Hanbi! Hanbi hadn't failed at all!"
Completion Rate: 55
Ashera's words shook Mane greatly. How could a clone possess the power to wipe out many races, leaving behind only three?! How was that even possible?