Red Demon opened his eyes and was laying in a long dark tunnel. He realized his gear was gone; Moon Ray, Sun Shard both gone from his person. His dimensional belt was also gone, his Oni mask, and cloak. All he had on him was his shuriken. He was stripped of all equipment leaving him with a tight half mask on his face his red and brown suit and his shuriken.
He focused chi into his palm creating a weak looking dagger. 'Not fully recovered from being attacked' he dismissed the dagger and called upon his soul weapon Demon's Wrath. The odachi manifested, "Well that's a relief" he said in a whisper. In front of him a yellow stone started to glow. A female voice came from it, "Testing! Testing! You awake Red?" He surged with anger. "Yeah…I'm here…what is it you want? Where am I?" He asked with annoyance. "Oh well that is simple. See you have been playing a game all wrong?" She stated. Red Demon squinted, "Game? None of this is a game!" He yelled.
She chuckled, "You haven't learned a thing. See your quest, your mission is entertainment to the Regime. The Primordials that are aligned with the World. You are a show every hundred years. Each king you kill is a sacrifice to the Regime and good sport" she explained. Red Demon's mind started to race, "That…that can't be…no. The Realms are self sufficient planets that live within the rules and natural laws made by the World! This can't be a game…" he told her trying to convince himself. When he thought about it all fit into place. Evil kings ruled for hundred years only for the World to send a person like him. He thought back to the kings faces that each mask was removed they looked shriveled and old.
To him the side effects was from his chi absorption, but what if they were corrupted by the Crowns. 'Cornelius…he may have been duped…but what if not. The World seemed to take more direct action during this Civil War. They wanted to make a new line of King's that weren't corrupt. "The World told me personally that they wished to make a new line without corruption. I've only taken down bad kings. And I know that for a fact I've seen the oppression. The Civil War tearing the Realms apart" Red Demon explained. "Yeah…they would say that but there is more going on. You think your role is good triumphing over evil. The oldest theme of time . Your no hero kid. Your a villain and you should act like it. This new test needs someone to scorched earth on these realms and Regime" she explained. Red Demon was then coated with red light and his eyes glowing in anger. "Explain yourself! Who the hell are you?!" He screamed at the stone. "You can call me Sister Spinner. I am the one who created your destiny to coming here to be a sword for the World. But I'm here to correct the course as it was written by me. Its time that I intervene inserting myself into your story. We have been connected from the very start. I knew your mother. She was a friend and the closest thing I have ever had to a sister. She was killed to begin your journey to revenge. Demon King's war with the Dragon Folk to creating you. Cause and effect at its most potent. I think it's time you walk down memory lane. See the past for yourself and then we can talk" Red Demon looked around. 'Where fuck am I? I swear I will kill this woman!' He thought. "Where am I?" He demanded standing up looking down at the gem. "It's called the House of Thoughts. It's a temple for enlightenment. You'll live through the past as a third party. Be warned seeing the past will be hard, but I want you to see it. Afterwards I'll tell you exactly who your meant to be not what you are now. You have a true name that will click everything into place for you" she explained. "Where is my companion?!" He shouted. "Oh Smiling is fine. He will be looked after I will promise he won't be harmed. He was merely an obstacle that I had to over come for you" she sighed, "To answer your next question no the Wolf King is not part of this. Nor do I work for the Factions either. I'm nothing more than a cog in the universal machine. Well enjoy your journey may it help you fill in some gaps along with lighting a fire under your ass we're done head to Lycaon Tower!" The stone dimmed and the voice was gone.
Red Demon looked down the tunnel seeing a light outlining a door. "Shit…" he said out loud. He then walked towards the light.
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When he stepped through the doorway he was a completely different person. His image was that of a Dragon Folk warrior with purple skin, yellow eyes, black armor, and a long whip like tail. He stared at the orange river water in amazement. 'I know this face!' He thought. 'My grandfather had a guard this man was named…Vesuvius! That was it. He was third in the guard lead by Captain Spark' he looked around at the Demon Realm. 'Never thought I'd come back here for a third time!' He placed a hand over his face. He looked over at a camp of warriors all eating, chatting, and laughing. 'Must be ranging…I don't see an army, unless this group is a scouting party?' "Vesuvius! Foods ready!" One hollered at him to come to the fire. 'I'm playing a fucking role right now? This part of the lesson!' He turned and walked towards the camp. He sat down and took a bowl of soup. There were three others. One was a white dragon warrior, another orange, and the third was a female with gold skin. She smiled at Vesuvius that Red could only guess was attraction. 'Fucking great! Now I'm gonna deal with a relationship too! This woman will die by my hands once I get out of here' he gave the woman a smirk back to keep up appearances. He started eating the soup, 'so this soup is real this all real food or real as it can be. So I take it I can die here' he looked around for a weapon keeping his abilities secret. He wasn't even sure if he had his powers anymore, 'I'll test that out in private' he thought chugging the soup. "So war is coming with the Demons. I dunno what's going on with the Dragon King Corrosio was thinking? He aligning his poor daughter with that Demon Prince" the white warrior said shaking his head. "It was to bring peace nothing more. She is still respected among our people. As a woman I can sympathize having that bastard child for that Prince" the gold female warrior stated with a look of disgust. Red Demon suppressed his anger keeping his face blank. 'Bit harsh to say about me. Bastard is accurate though I do not claim my father' he thought. He never had any ill will to the Dragon Folk. He felt at home amongst them. But today he was a bit uncomfortable being around these mirages. He kept his mouth shut and his head down just listening. "Corrosio seems to love that boy. So we must protect him and his family at all costs. We came out here to scout and search for signs of the enemy approaching our city. It's not long before the Demon King comes for his grandson" the white warrior explained. They all nodded. 'So…I'm truly the cost of my family's lives. All cause of me…' this is when he decided to speak up, "What's so special about this kid to him?" Red Demon said with the voice of Vesuvius. "Seems he is marked by a primordial to achieve something. Captain Spark explained it to me, but left it cryptic" the warrior explained. "How did he come by this information?" Vesuvius asked. The warrior shrugged, "Was not privy to that Ves" he said nonchalant. 'That would make sense' he was about to speak when he paused. He was interrupted as he felt a dark chi not far from them. They all seemed to feel the same as they all went silent and began to get onto their feet. They could hear growling and foot steps not far from their camp. They looked up and all around them Asura demons were looking down at them. 'Fucking great!' Red thought.