The hatred towards himself grew with each passing second. How could he have been so blind, so naive? He had been manipulated and then betrayed. How could he even trust anyone? When had he become weak, so pathetic?
With a last surge of hope, he tried to use his soul energy, a resource he had never dared to tap into, as his law only required his blood. But once again, it was a fatal mistake. The pain that coursed through his body was so brutal that he felt consciousness slipping away. His soul, already cracked, threatened to tear apart.
"Fuck..."
Linfer spat blood as his vision became increasingly blurry.
The last thing he saw before total darkness engulfed him was the silhouette of a skeletal man descending before him, his amethyst eyes shining with a malicious glow.
***
According to the myths of creation, the world was shaped by a god with many names, among them the Supreme Being and the Son of Phoenix. From him, two sons were born: *MorningStar*, bearer of the Golden Flame, and *Deuce*, bearer of the Violet Flame. The Golden Flame, a source of pure mana, opposed its virtuous capabilities to the Violet Flame, which generated corrupted mana. Together, they created mortals in the lower plane, preserving the balance between life and death, good and evil, thus ensuring harmony among all species.
However, from the depths of the underworld emerged a creature born of darkness, spitting the Flame of Destruction: he called himself *Son of Dragon*. An eternal war broke out between him and the Supreme Being. To save the world, the latter sacrificed himself to destroy the Son of Dragon, thus ensuring the survival of humanity.
Following this sacrifice, MorningStar became the ancestor of the Southern Elysians, and Deuce that of the Northern Elysians. But he left behind an impious progeny: the Infernos. Unlike the Elysians, who could manipulate either pure mana (South) or corrupted mana (North), the Infernos mastered both, thus enhancing their versatility and power.
It is said that upon the death of the god and the Son of Dragon, their consciousnesses merged with the world. It is said that to reach their level, one must return to the source, draw upon their lineage, affinity, laws, and soul. This return to origins is described in nine steps, of which four are crucial. Although it is fundamentally impossible for mortals to surpass Origin 2.
For the Elysians and Infernos, the first step is to reach Origin 4, accessible only by awakening soul energy. The second step is Origin 5, marking their recognition in the upper and lower planes. At this stage, they can access the Tenshi Mode, a transformation linked to their ancestor, where Elysians are adorned with feathered wings, and Infernos with bat-like wings.
The third step, Origin 6, corresponds to the awakening of one's *Personal Law*. Not everyone possesses a law, which prevents most from reaching this level. As for the final step, it is but a legend inscribed in the archives. It is called *Ahskharsh*, the level of the Supreme Being and the Adversary. It is written:
"The creation of the inner world, or Ahskharsh, can only be achieved at the pinnacle of self-understanding and perfect synchronization with one's soul."
"He who conquers the lower plane will obtain the power of his ancestor, thus becoming the new Son of Phoenix or the new Son of Dragon."
For hundreds of years, Elysians and Infernos waged war, sometimes in large-scale conflicts involving the upper and lower planes. The Elysians, plagued by internal conflicts, always succumbed to the Infernos, whose influence grew inexorably.
Until the era of Armageddon, where the youngest prince of the Infernos paid the price...
Linfer, still kneeling, his limbs and neck bound by golden chains, opened his eyes slightly. His vision, at first blurry, gradually cleared.
"I'm... alive?" he murmured, almost incredulous.
"Of course, little brother," replied a soft voice behind him.
Linfer tried to turn his head to see the source of this familiar voice, but his body denied him any freedom.
"What's going on here?" he asked, lost, unable to look anywhere but straight ahead. There, all he could distinguish was an infinite horizon of black ashes. The skeletons, monsters, and other abominations that had surrounded him before had disappeared.
Alderbaran stepped in front of him, crouching gracefully to meet his gaze.
"I've kept you alive for thirty years, here, little brother. His army was endless."
Linfer did not respond immediately, his words seemed to get lost in his throat.
"They betrayed me..." he finally uttered, his voice broken.
"Really? How shocking," she replied, with a hint of sarcasm, covering her lips with her hand as if she were genuinely surprised.
"It's not funny."
"But why so sad?" she retorted, feigning innocence.
Linfer clenched his teeth, annoyed.
"They betrayed me, Uriel and... Zitish. They abandoned me! I trusted them, damn it!"
Alderbaran's silence lasted a few seconds.
"And so?" she eventually asked calmly.
"What? How 'and so'?" Linfer stared at her.
"Ah, little brother... You're still so naive. When did we ever try to change those we love? We love people for who they are, not for who we want them to be. You should have known that Zitish never loved you."
Linfer shook his head.
"I thought I could change for her... I don't even know what I am in reality... What am I supposed to do? I'm doomed to stay here anyway."
Alderbaran slowly stood up, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon.
"You know what my law is?" she suddenly asked.
"Anti-Stasis... something like that?"
"Exactly. Returning everything to a state of degradation, destruction."
"And so? What's the point?"
Alderbaran slowly removed her veil, revealing her face marked by deep fissures.
"Since my birth, what have I destroyed?" she asked, without averting her gaze from him.
Linfer took a few seconds to think. His sister rarely used her power. Most of the rumors about her were exaggerated. The only time he had seen her in action was when she had destroyed the apple core he had thrown, as an offense to their father. But he had never seen her burn a living being.
He finally answered, hesitantly: "Nothing notable..."
"A being born to destroy, but who does not destroy... destroys oneself. Our law applies first to ourselves," she said with a smile, as the fissures on her face deepened.