Mickey sat alone in a dimly lit corner of the demonology library. Surrounded by ancient books, he feverishly flipped through the pages of countless bestiaries and a grimoires simultaneously. Apparently, he had picked a few more books in addition to the ones recommended to him.
His eyes darted across the words, searching for any shred of information about demonic pacts and his demon companion, Zany. The glowing lamp casted eerie shadows on his face as he delved deeper into ancient knowledge.
Mickey's heart raced with anticipation as he discovered mesmerizing accounts of breathtaking historical events and diverse catalogs of demons. Some descriptions were terrifyingly hostile, while others depicted surprisingly affable creatures. Yet, among the intricate narratives, one burning question constantly nagged at Mickey's mind.
'Why do demons, who should be united, make pacts with humans to fight their own kind?' He whispered to himself.
Driven by a zealous thirst for answers, Mickey's fingers continue to turn the pages with increasing speed. The air crackled with heightened tension in the secluded space he occupied.
His eyes became fixed upon a passage that spoke of a rare phenomenon - demons aligning with humans to challenge their own brethren. Mickey's mind raced, intrigued but puzzled by the revelation.
"This... this might hold the key. Why would they turn against their own kind?" He whispered, squinting through the letters, "What drives them to such unlikely alliances with humans?"
With a renewed sense of purpose, Mickey delved deeper into the tombs of knowledge. As he scrutinized every passage, his hope ignites into a flicker of understanding.
"I see," he exclaimed, "Since the beginning of all things, there was always rivalry amongst demons."
'But what got humanity involved?' He pondered. 'Any ideas, Zany?'
"I have no idea, lad. I was never interested in this mess and how it all began." Zany replied.
'What a scoundrel.' Mickey couldn't help but realize how useless Zany was. Even now, he had no idea of his demon art, putting Mickey through the trouble of rummaging through books.
In the end, that information was incomplete. There was nothing else written on that subject. It seemed humans didn't know the cause.
Mickey went on to gain knowledge on demon races. Especially, the races that had formed pacts humans so far.
The first ones to be cataloged were the ones that the ARA formed pacts with. Surprisingly, he discovered more than just the four elemental demons.
The Alchemist Revolutionary Army formed pacts with other races like the Illusis, Ashwraiths, and Vilia. Upon reading on each of these races, he reveled in the thoughts of what even could do with an Ashwraith. This was because they were the most intriguing.
However, the thought of his useless demon burdened him.
In the dark space, Zany was beyond amused.
'Haha! He marvels at the demon art of these wastrels.' He chuckled, lounging gloriously in his throne.
___
In the depths of the realm of demons, within a dark column filled with malevolence and dread, a powerful presence lurked unseen, yet unmistakably felt.
It bore an aura that sent shivers down the spines of all the demon inhabitants, its influence stretching far and wide, casting a sinister shadow over the entire domain.
Amidst this darkness, a figure emerged, tall and slender, its form wrapped in dull yellow-scaled skin that seemed to pulsate with an eerie glow. Its piercing crimson eyes gleamed with malice, and a misty ember gem was embedded in the center of its forehead.
This demon, known among the rest as Illusis - harbinger of messages, was one of the many demon races of the astral planes.
With cautious steps, the Illusis ventured forward, bowing its head in submission before the hidden being that held dominion over this realm.
The very air seemed to grow heavy and thick as he began to speak, his voice carrying great fear.
"Great Overlord," he began, his tone laced with reverence. "I come bearing news of utmost importance, news that concerns your lineage." The words hung in the air, mingling with the ominous silence.
The unseen entity remained motionless, its energy rippling through the column like an ethereal wave. The demon continued with his voice faltering slightly under the weight of the message.
"I have been informed... Informed of the whereabouts of your son, Sephiroth," the Illusis demon whispered with his lips trembling. The name hung in the air, imbued with a sense of dread.
The muted tension seemed to intensify as the words lingered, awaiting a response from the shadowy force that remained concealed.
All beings present, both seen and unseen, held their breath, awaiting the Overlord's reaction to this profound revelation.
"At last, my beloved son," the presence spoke in a low rumble, yet the weight and magnitude of its words reverberated through the minds of every demon present. The Illusis demon clutched his ears as a yellow liquid trickled from it. "Bring him home!"
The illusis demon squinted, bearing through the pain from his throbbing head.
"I will, great Overlord!" He managed to say.
___
Mickey had drifted off to sleep in the midst of his little research on demons. Prior to that, he had come across information about a demon race that shared resemblances with what a certain demon in his head had previously mentioned to him.
The very thought shook him to his core, filling him with fear and causing him to doze off.
Once again, he found himself in an endless monochromatic void. When he had last appeared here, it had been empty, but now there was a solitary throne standing amid the vastness.
"Hahaha!!" A high-pitched laughter echoed from the throne. However, Mickey was positioned behind it, unable to see the individual responsible for the hysterical chuckling.
That is, until a dark figure emerged from the front of the throne. It looked grotesque and shrouded in shadows. Its twisted, leathery skin was covered in protrusions, while its eyes glowed with a sinister red hue, reflecting an insatiable hunger for chaos.
Its hideous face was contorted with razor-sharp fangs and horns, contrasting against its elongated, claw-like appendages. This abhorrent being, devoid of any semblance of humanity, projects an atmosphere of desolation and dread.
Mickey's eyes widened, his body frozen in place.
"Shadow-wraith!" He shrieked, abruptly waking from his slumber.
The fear had gotten the better of him, causing him to snatch his notebook and storm out of the library.
It was already dark, causing him to constantly look behind him, despite the bright light poles illuminating the route to his room.
This was because of what he had learned about these shadow-wraiths.
They were born from pure darkness. They possessed the ability to manipulate shadows and blended seamlessly into dark environments.
They fed on fear, draining their victims' life force by inducing terrifying hallucinations.
"No! No! No!" Mickey regretted ever touching his grandfather's medallion. "How did I end up with a shadow-wraith?"
Just then, he heard the sound of a system notification in his head.
[You gained more knowledge about your demon counterpart]
[10XP gained]
[11/100XP]
'What's this? Another proof that I'm screwed?' Mickey's thoughts raced, without the slightest hint of excitement for gaining XP from reading a book.
His eyes looked worn-out as he walked down the dimly lit corridor. He couldn't stop his mind from replaying the haunting realization of the demonic pact he unknowingly formed, and the weight of this devastating mistake burdens him.
As he reached the corridor leading to his room, Mickey's eyes caught sight of a kid pinned to the wall by two bullies. A surge of déjà vu washed over him.
Throughout his school life, he had brushed past scenes like this, making him somewhat immune to the suffering of others. Consumed by his own turmoil, he decided simply passing by.
But then, Mickey's heart skipped a beat as recognition sets in. The pallid skin and shock of white hair belong to none other than Flynn, his roommate. In that moment, something within him snapped.
All the chaos, frustration, and helplessness brewing inside him fuse together, creating an overwhelming force.
[99% rage]
[Your chaos has reached its limit.]
[Forced quest received]
[Opponents: two level 1.1 bullies]
[Defeat them for 30XP each]
[Devour their souls for 100XP each.(optional)]
The boys could hear something growling behind them. They slowed turned, thinking it might be a beast. But to their utter surprise, they saw a kid of the same age, with 1 glowing on the chest plate of his armor.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" One of the bullied with blonde hair barked.
"You better scram before you end up like this guy on the wall." The other said, pointing at the bloody face of Flynn.
Despite their efforts to scare him away, Mickey just stood their like a growling statue.
"I hope a level 1 punk like you ain't thinking of interfering." The blonde kid grinned.
Mickey's condition only got worse. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his face looked to be twisted beyond normal.
[ ! ! ! ]
[Your chaos has spilled over]
[Forceful breach in skill panel]
[Passive skill activated: Blood boil]
Suddenly, with an agonizing scream, Mickey writhed in pain as his blood surged, boiling and overheating within him.
Stretching on relentlessly, the heat he felt within started to manifest physically. It engulfed his arms in black inky flame, which shimmered and danced hungrily.
Surprisingly, the leather armor seemed to withstand the heat enough to stay intact.
Mickey's eyes started to mirror the darkness from within, which leaked out in the form of black flame.
He had become a literal vessel of uncontrollable chaos.
***