" Certainly ... and now sit down and don't disturb. Unless you don't want to hear the rest... "
" Okay... "
Ramiel took one last glance at the figure of the menacing-looking creature. Perhaps it was indeed not real.
~~~~~~
Lucifer, with appreciation painted in crimson eyes, watched the little rascal's actions.
" Who would have thought that this little blighter could turn out to be so very interesting..."
~~~~~~
" Filled with grief and remorse, Azahiel took his last farewell to his family and the rest of the village. He did so, according to their ancient tradition, by burying the bodies deep underground. This was to allow their souls to leave this world forever. It was the least he could do for them. "
" Normally, a person would break down after a tragedy that befell a man. However, Azahiel has always been different from the rest. Sadness and grief were quickly replaced by self-loathing. He may not have been the one who killed those people... but he was responsible for their deaths. If he had listened to the village chief and followed his advice, everything would have ended well. "
" As if life wasn't mocking Azahiel enough, the figure of an older man appeared out of nowhere behind him. It was none other than the village chief, who should have been dead long ago. "
" The old man's indifferent eyes scanned the ruined village, and a quiet sigh escaped from his lips, which expressed more than a million words. "
" Tens of thousands of years ... all gone ... "
" ... "
" His rough voice resounded in the ears of the bereaved adventurer. "
" How are you going to deal with this mess? "
" Azahiel remained silent, trying to hold back an onslaught of aggression. Unleashing his boiling emotions on a being he didn't fully understand wasn't the wisest move. "
" Isn't it obvious? I intend to clean up the mess I've made. "
" How will you do it? "
" I will kill what I released... "
" The village chief of the now defunct village snorted at the man's carefree words. "
" Do you even know what you are dealing with? "
" Does it matter? Weren't you the one who told me to prepare to take responsibility for my actions? "
" The village leader looked at the man with pity painted in his eyes. Sometimes, all it takes is one small error in construction to negate the efforts of hundreds of thousands of people put into building a castle.
" Sit down, boy ... this will not be a short story. "
" Although reluctantly, Azahiel followed the village chief's advice. He had already disobeyed him once ... the consequences need not be mentioned. "
" You have freed the Night Deuce... A being so old that no one remembers it anymore. If not for this village and a meaningless mention in the mystical book of creation, it would have fallen into eternal oblivion. Gods, deities, dragons, phoenixes, demons, and humans have already forgotten the terror and terrifying power that the Night Deuce brought with it. At a time when the Earth you walk on today didn't exist, this being was the undisputed ruler of all matter. Nothing, nor no one, could exist without his permission. "
" However, everything has an end one day. This is an unquestionable law of the universe, which no one or nothing can challenge. One can try to delay the end, but it is pointless. You will only bring yourself more trouble. Night Deuce painfully learned this the hard way. Together with the birth of the great Nenneke, some of his unparalleled power was lost forever. "
" Night Deuce couldn't accept the humiliation he had suffered. He set himself the goal of destroying everything our magnanimous goddess had created. Unfortunately, he couldn't do this in the simplest way. He found himself under the yoke of rules that he couldn't break ... unless he resigned himself to eternal oblivion. "
" After countless years of searching, the Night Deuce found a way to exact its desired revenge. The solution had been staring the creature in the face all along. All he had to do was sacrifice the power he had amassed over the miles and be reborn as a new life in one of the worlds created by Nenneke. "
"As you pointed out, the forefather of chaos and destruction came to us. I don't know what we deserved... maybe we offended the goddess in some unique way... or lost her favor... For miles, I searched for the answer to this question... As you can guess, I found no answer. "
" Springs were replaced by cold and unpleasant winters... along with the seasons, the Night Deuce grew in strength. Over the years, it developed a unique ability. Through magic, its body divides into billions of parts, perfectly replicating the original. Each of them carries with it a modest fraction of its original power."
" Unfortunately, like all children of our mother, they are subject to the laws written in the book of creation. Sometimes, as the result of long-lasting struggles and uninterrupted challenges, their potential grows, and their strength doubles. "
" I don't understand what this has to do with me..."
" The old man hated it when someone interrupted him, but this time, he let the petty insult pass his ears. "
" The problem lies in ability. For every creature killed by a Night Deuce specter, the original receives a fraction of their power... "
" Have you never wondered why these oh-so runes are erected around cities and villages? "
" With indifferent eyes, Azahiel looked at the seemingly meaningless signs hovering above the village chief's hand. "
" It's pointless ... the runes you are talking about are a relic of the past. They can still be found on the walls of older towns, but that's about it... Everyone has long since forgotten about them. "
" The corners of the old man's mouth dropped at Azahiel's words. "
" In that case... the annihilation of our world is inevitable..."
" You see... Night Deuce's specters cannot directly kill a living being. In order for the Night Deuce to receive a fraction of its power, they must first carve a mark inside their soul. "
" These monsters are extremely sneaky. They visit their prey where they are most vulnerable... "
" Are you talking about dreams? "
" Yes, I'm talking about dreams, Azahiel. Through nightly visions, they ravage their targets' souls like a slow disease that eats away at the body from within. When the Stigma is ready, it lures the helpless victim beyond the boundaries of safe walls to kill. "
" The runes I mentioned earlier protect the mind of unsuspecting people while they sleep... They were a gift... given to us personally by the great Nenneke to fight the Night Deuce. However, now... all is lost... "
" A heavy sigh escaped the tired adventurer's lips. Azahiel needed no further explanation. He didn't want to waste time. Every second seemed to be at a premium. He wasn't interested in the past of the Village Chief of the defunct village or who he was. He was guided by only one goal. To correct the mistake he had made. He transformed the negative feelings that had been gathering for some time into hatred and a desire for revenge against the Night Deuce. "
" During his expedition, Azahiel encountered thousands of deserted villages and towns. From the few survivors, he learned about the chilling monsters that, unafraid of anything, dragged defenseless people from their homes. "
" It happened just as the old man said. Without the ancient runes, the world faced inevitable destruction. "
" Azahiel doubled and tripled to kill as many creatures as possible... But he was only one man. Without help ... he couldn't do much. "
" Years passed, and the number of breathing creatures drastically depleted. There were only four major cities left in the world, which became home to a measly shortage. "
" There was a proverb circulating among the survivors - for not by any treasures of the world, don't call a sleeping Deuce out of the woods... All you had to do was say the monster's ominous name, and it would visit you in your dreams... "
The dark purple matter forms all sorts of creatures that are dispersed. Ceti removed the blanket with a deft flick of the wrist, letting shy rays of light in.
" Mom? Is it over? "
The child's high-pitched voice echoed through the air. His hands caught the hem of Ceti's dress, holding it with a hint of hope.
Ramiel felt unsatisfied. He couldn't accept such an ending. After all, there were so many unsolved cases and mysteries left! "
" Mhm... "
Ceti's quiet murmur for Ramiel was like a death sentence for a criminal in the courtroom...
" But - but how so? This isn't possible... "
Ceti was silent for a moment, organizing her thoughts, and then she corrected the little rascal in her lap.
" Well ... what else do you want to know? "
Ramiel thought intensely, stimulating all the gray cells to life. The supercomputer would have overheated little by little, releasing clouds of gray pride.
" What happened to the adventurer? Couldn't it just disappear like that? "
Of course, this wasn't the complete story. Ceti left out the brutal descriptions and scenes her grandmother always told her about. Unfortunately, along with them, she also got rid of the cruel ending.
" Together with the fall of the last city, hearing of Azahiel disappeared. Some people say that he fought a battle to the death with Night Deuce, which he lost... others instead claim that a divine being with power equal to the great Nenneke accepted him as his warrior, promising future revenge on the cruel monster. Azahiel is said to have impressed him with his extraordinary skills and will to fight. "
" What about the dragon? He also became a brave warrior? "
Ramiel's little eyes glistened with excitement. At this sight, Ceti had a strange feeling that she would have to buy new toys.
" No, the dragon of the void didn't become a brave warrior ... When the monsters tore through the walls of the last city, he offered his life to the goddess to create a portal to another world to take the remaining survivors. "
" Unfortunately, the mighty dragon didn't have the privilege called time to refine the spell fully. Something went wrong during the journey, and most humans were separated from the dragons, phoenixes, elves, vampires, and many other creatures. Separated from the rest, the humans ended up in a completely new world. It was devoid of any trace of mana... and without mana, you can't cast spells. The humans were desperate. What usually took them an hour stretched into days. "
" Fortunately, our species quickly adapted to the prevailing conditions. Some even call us annoying cockroaches! "
" Years passed, and people discovered the beauty of science. Large and extensive cities were built, and man took back control of the Earth. "
" Over time, we forgot our ancestors, who could create mountains and move oceans with a simple thought. They became nothing more than mediocre heroes of myths or stories passed down from generation to generation. "
An ugly grimace of displeasure appeared on Ramiel's childlike and chubby face. The story was going in a direction he didn't like.
" What happened to Lushia and Azasfiel's children? "
" Ramiel ... there is no magic in the world that can bring the dead back to life. Everyone is equal in the face of death... There is no exception. Lushia has gone with her children to a better place. There, she waits for Azahiel with the other Residents of the village. "
" This isn't how a story should be told ... in fairy tales ... the superhero always wins against the evil villain ... "
" Ramiel, adult life isn't a fairy tale... Goodness doesn't always win against evil... When you grow up, sometimes you'll have to do things you don't like... "
Ceti couldn't finish. She was interrupted by the loud voice of the little rascal.
" Then I will never become an adult! I will forever be your child! I don't like a world where bad people win... "
Ceti didn't have the heart to crush a little boy's innocent dream. After all, dreaming of unreal things is one of children's privileges.
Someday he will understand... - Ceti thought.
~~~~~~
" Night Deuce... I knew I had seen this hideous morass somewhere before. "
With indifferent eyes, Ramiel measured the familiar figure of the monster that had been his first nemesis during his youthful years. The memory of little Ramiel facing a menacing monstrosity that could end the boy's life with a single leap was revived in him.
" I wish ... that for once you weren't right, Mom... "