"Ring!"
Aiden suddenly felt a ringing sensation in his head as a large amount of information invaded his brain causing major confusion.
This information consisted of snippets repetitive in nature, he remembered being in the middle of a black rain, as the water that dropped on the soil rose as razor-sharp spikes impaling him slowly.
He remembered fighting a skeleton and killing it with a stone to the head.
He remembered fighting a demon that was no different from a giant that smashed him to bits with its war hammer.
He also remembers a goat-like demon that ripped him in half with its human-like arms.
The experience was so vivid overtaking every inch of his mind, Aiden felt his head crumple as a large amount of information mostly pertaining to the different ways in which he died surfaced, so vivid that he could feel it, his muscles twitching with the memory.
With the dawn of his punishment, Aiden had completely let his guard down, allowing the singing demon to invade at will, its song flowing freely as it observed the snippets of Aiden's memory.
Fortunately, Aiden, although confused and agitated struggled to block it.
Seeing this, the demon's smile widened even more, its tone rising as it sang.
[What's this I hear a strange and vile realm,
what lies within, deaths taste its guile, do you not remember, ohh please do tell, I'm hungry for more, just give me your all.]
[It's futile to resist, like a leaf in the storm,
wherever I blow you're compelled to follow,
a vile world awaits just die a noble death,
were the reflection of your stories, endlessly replays on itself.]
The demon's song was like torture, although Aiden resisted his emotions were in shambles, as his being shivered, allowing the demon's song to momentarily slip through again.
[Ohh what's this I see, flesh torn from flesh,
such might in its stare a demon of noble birth,
though mighty quite lifeless like a puppet to a string, is this how it's been
or is there more to see?]
The demon's words hung in the air, resonating with a kind of nostalgia that Aiden couldn't bear, once again, its song slowly slipped through as it sang, invading a completely random memory, the memory of a lover.
[Ohh, my child, please do tell,
I'm waiting for the secrets you'll endlessly reveal.
Wait what's this a spark of pure emotion, one of love, so sore and hopelessly unrelated.]
As the demon sang Aiden's eyes widened as its shriveled face began to change to that of a female human, a human he was very familiar with.
"Mary!"
Her name resonated in his mind, shaking the walls he had so painstakingly raised.
Seeing such a reaction the demon leaned in the intensity of its song increasing once again.
[Yes, succumb, to the weakness of mortality,
unveil all your secrets, to the books of obscurity.]
As the demon sang Aiden's mind trembled even more, he felt cornered, he felt tired, but there was nothing he could do.
In this state, Aiden couldn't help, but think about the actual Soul Sovereign, an almighty figure in fully black armor, if he was the one in this situation how would it have been?
"He certainly wouldn't be as panicked as I am now, calm down Aiden, calm down," Aiden shouted to himself his words echoing in his mind with newfound resolution, but as he thought of this a voice echoed in his mind.
"You want to be calm, say it don't think it," the voice that spoke was a voice that Aiden was familiar with, it was the voice of the Soul Sovereign.
With newfound hope, Aiden used all his might to envision the aura of the Soul Sovereign before managing to force a word out.
"CALM!"
Aiden's voice, though subtle echoed with a might that shook his surroundings at a certain level, the instruments stopped, and the demon stopped singing, even Mai and Jonathan who were in the distance felt their minds waver.
After uttering that sentence Aiden suddenly felt weak, as he lost a large amount of soul energy, but the demon although stunned had managed to take yet another memory from Aiden's mind.
Feeling angered the demon resumed its song so forcefully it seemed as though it wanted to swallow Aiden whole.
[Wait, what gleams in this enigmatic night?
A flicker of amusement, a Sovereign's silent smirk?
A moment of struggle, a foolish attempt,
but please do try, I'm eager to taste,
your words hold such power, I want to find out why,
I can't wait to have such stories, give them to me.]
Upon reaching this part of her song Aiden had lost all energy to resist, the demon seeing the opportunity crackled, as it turned into a lump of black smoke that flowed into Aiden's being through his eyes.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Aiden let out a large gasp as he fell to his knees, before losing total control of his body.
His consciousness was suddenly transferred to a familiar place, the realm of his subconscious.
As his eyes adapted to his surroundings, Aiden noticed something, there were in a world of towering pillars filled with humongous flowing chains, sitting loftily on one of these high pillars was the shadow of an imposing figure, adored In the darkest of armor.
The demon upon seeing this being shuddered visibly, it seemed to have realized something as it hurriedly acted, its voice lingering in the air as it escaped in a puff of black smoke.
[Oh no, oh no, the Sovereign of Souls a being of legend a god among gods,
this must not be kept, nor shrouded in nods,
to the rulers of hell I must swiftly tread,
And ring the bells, where darkness nods.]
The realm was suddenly enveloped in stifling silence as Aiden watched the Soul Sovereign let the demon escape.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Mai and Jonathan looked endlessly worried, their emotions evident on their faces.
From beginning to end they had watched Aiden struggle to even near the demon, they had watched Aiden collapse and they had watched the demon enter Aiden body with a puff of black smoke.
With the demon gone, the instruments had stopped playing, as for Binder, and the unknown candidates who seemed to be affected by the demons, they had passed out as well.
Turning to Mai, Jonathan asked, his voice laced with fear, "Aiden's dead, what do we do?"
Upon hearing his own words Jonathan rubbed his temples, "Why would even I ask that? Let's get out of here."
At the sound of Jonathan's voice, Mai snapped out of her daze and hurriedly said, "L-lets wait a bit, we don't know if-"
"Swoosh!"
As Mai spoke the sound of wind blowing could be heard, looking towards Aiden's body one could see thick streams of dark mists flowing out of him before materializing as the shriveled humanoid demon.
As soon as the demon took form it broke into a mad dash, fleeing from the scene.
Meanwhile back in Aiden's mind, in the depth of his consciousness, Aiden stared at the Soul Sovereign's mighty figure.
The Soul Sovereign on the other hand rested loftily atop the pillar, his expression unknown, veiled by his imposing armor.
Leaning back slightly, the Soul Sovereign said, his voice echoing with a might that made one's blood boil, "You've improved Aiden, but the time of our reunion seems too soon, don't you think so?"
Feeling confused, Aiden muttered, his body still agitated, "It's not like I asked to be here, you're the one who initiated a fucking trail, how did you expect me to find a book in the enclave?"
After Aiden spoke there was a strange stillness, until.
"Hahaha!"
A deep chuckle escaped the Sovereign, as he spoke, "but you did find a book, and you lost it, didn't you? No matter, you're at the second gate so your Soul Tongue should have evolved to Soul Command, since you have been so decisive lately, I'll give you some pointers, on Soul Command and Soul Control, watch closely and see what you learn."
At the sound of the Soul Sovereign's voice Aiden saw something amazing, 33 glowing orbs appeared out of thin air floating in a circle above the Soul Sovereign.
Aiden noticed that those orbs were the 33 souls he had so painstakingly collected, from the miners and Contractor's he'd killed.
Soon the 33 orbs started rotating faster before stretching and joining together forming a huge glowing ring above the sovereign's head.
"I find your use of Soul Energy, quite primitive," the Sovereign's voice sounded out as he added, "Soul Energy has far more profound uses than granting a boost in strength," speaking to this point the Sovereign suddenly yelled.
"RETURN!"
"Boom!"
As soon as the Soul Sovereign yelled, a heavy aura emanated from his being so powerful that it sent Aiden and all the debris around him flying back, even the mighty pillars trembled.
At the same time in the real world, Mai and Jonathan argued over the decision to abandon Aiden.
"He's dead already, we should get back to the truck," Jonathan's voice sounded out, but Mai shook her head with resolution.
"Aiden's as stubborn as a roach, I'm sure he'll survive," she muttered.
"Ahhhhh, No, No!"
Just as Jonathan was about to argue, he heard the sound of desperate pleading.
Looking towards the sound, Jonathan discovered to his atonement the demon that had just fled the scene.
Currently, she looked extremely strange, the lower half of her body was misty, but the upper parts of her body were solid.
A strange force seemed to be pulling her back as she clawed at the ground, crying for help, but it was to no avail.
Soon she was pulled back into Aiden's body, the sounds of her wails vanishing.
Such a scene surprised Jonathan, who looked towards Mai with shock evident on his face as he said, "You're right, I think we should stick around for a bit."
Meanwhile in the depths of Aiden's consciousness, one could see a shriveled humanoid demon with long hair and disturbingly large eyes staring at the Soul Sovereign, in total shock.
Aiden was also shocked, he had personally watched the demon escape, but she just appeared back.
As Aiden and the demon stood equally shocked, the Soul Sovereign sat loftily, his gaze locked on the demon below.
After a moment of long stillness, the Soul Sovereign spoke, the glowing halo above his head making him look even more godly.
"Ohh a Bansheen of the lowest level, the record keepers of hell, a race that knows that which even the rulers of hell do not, your knowledge passed down since your creation. If I remember correctly, your race are spectral beings that embody the eerie songs of the banshee and the shapeshifting abilities of the jinn, it is also widely believed that your race is born from the union of a banshee and a jinn, correct?" The Sovereign asked.
As the Sovereign spoke, the demon called a Bansheen trembled, its eyes locked onto the being above it.
Laying back on the throne like pillars, the Soul Sovereign muttered gently, "Knell," and the halo above his head resonated sending a ripple in all directions.
The influence of the Sovereign's words was so strong that even Aiden who wasn't the target of the command felt his knees grow weak.
"So this is Soul Command," Aiden muttered in awe, his mind momentarily forgetting its restless state.
"Bam!"
A loud thud sounded out as the demon's head hit the floor, its song coming out in quick breaths, but this time it lacked its allure as no instruments dared to play.
[Please do spare me I'll keep my mouth sealed,
your return is a story that must never be revealed,
please ohh please I beg, I kneel, at least spare my soul it's-]
"You bore me," the Soul Sovereign interrupted before darting in, "you may seize to exist now."
As soon as the Soul Sovereign spoke those words, the halo above his head shone with a blinding light before vanishing altogether.
It was quiet, with the Bansheen looking around in confusion. Even Aiden was confused.
But just when Aiden was beginning to doubt, "Whoosh," the sound of a raging flame sounded out as the demon burst into flames, leaving nothing behind but a floating soul.