Elegor wanders through the forests outside his home, drifting through the realm as a lone shade. The immortal spirit has kept guard over their siblings' bloodline for near a hundred thousand years. It has come to accept its fate as the only immortal. It shifts through the beautiful forests, which is filled with the bright presence of fairy-like species and moves past the sleeping fauna. Yet as it moves towards the home of one of its sibling's descendants, it finds a new presence there. Two strangers sit on the couch, holding cups in their hands. Their faces seem like any other of its race. The golden eyes with blue slits, the tiny mouth covering their sharp teeth, and bright yellow skin. Their ears are pointy and jagged, and the flat nostrils let out deep breaths. They appear like any other of its race, yet Elegor sees something wrong with them. Their movements are perfectly mirrored, and they speak with its brother's descendant as if they know what the other is thinking. The descendant walks through the room, whistling through its nose, to take the cups away. It returns with a refills for the twins.
"Thank you." the twins say together.
"How did you hear I was selling the place? I haven't placed an ad yet."
"We heard from your sibling." the twins reply, their voices matching perfectly.
"Yeah, they love to tell everybody."
"We know. They are a very big gossiper."
Elegor motions to the bloodline's newest member, the owner of the home, and points them towards the kitchen. Selzer, wondering what the family's protector desires, stands up and moves away.
"Do excuse me. I need to get something in the kitchen."
"That's alright. We can wait."
Elegor meets with Selzer away from the eyes of the twins.
"What is it?" Selzer quietly asks, being able to see the spirit due to his familial relationship with Elegor.
"There is something wrong with those two."
"I figured as much. But I didn't want to tell them that they're creeping me out. It might be rude."
In the other room, the twin devils sit, waiting for their potential ally to return. They speak in shared thoughts, hidden from the ears of all others.
"It seems they suspect us, brother. Perhaps we shouldn't have been so obvious."
"But that's part of the fun. Watching them slowly realize how completely, horribly screwed they are."
"Almost twenty thousand years and your love for sick games hasn't changed in the slightest."
"Of course not. The games are my payment every hour of every day."
The twins remain motionless as Selzer and Elegor return. The twins release light puffs of air through their nose. A strange clicking sound echoes through the room.
"Why are you laughing?" Selzer asks.
"No reason. No. reason. at. all." they reply in perfect harmony
Selzer now knows something is wrong with the deranged twins. Elegor prepares to use its demonic power to scare them away. The lights in the room begin to flicker, and Elegor makes itself known to the twins, appearing as a specter in the room. It hovers in place as a dark presence, hoping to frighten the twins away before resorting to more dangerous measures.
"Oh dear. I think you have a problem with your electrical wiring." Thamiezel says sarcastically. Elegor begins to use more offensive strategies. Glass shatters and lightning shoots forth towards the twins, scarring their faces. Yet the twins remain motionless, as if nothing is affecting them.
"My sibling, I think something doesn't want us here."
"Well, obviously. Very rude if you ask me."
Elegor concentrates its dark power and fires at the twins. Their forms erupt into flame and their bodies begin to burn, yet their dark presence is not affected in the slightest. The skeletal twins stand and meet their opponent's gaze. Elegor stares down its enemies, preparing to unleash the entirety of its power. But Zelestra effortlessly casts it down, forcing Elegor to kneel as the twins extinguish the flames.
"What are you?" Selzer asks.
"We are the solution. And we want you, Elegor."
The spirit stares up at the twins.
"Yes. We know your name. We know what has happened. A travesty of a corrupted universe… One hundred thousand years."
"You will not harm us!" Elegor shouts with a demonic voice that bellows from every corner.
"Harm you? Why would we harm you? We are here to help you."
The twins remove their hold from Elegor, allowing it to move again. Their nostrils click again, the high pitched sound of their mockery and laughter.
"We must admit. These bodies… are very interesting. We still prefer our own, but these are quite wonderful."
"You will not harm Selzer!"
"We have no intention of hurting you or your friend. Haven't you been listening?"
The twins snicker again while whispering to each other in their own language. A feeling of dread crawls through Elegor's skin, recognizing the language from the empire of Thamiezel.
"Yes. We are speaking English. Funny how a harmless language has become so feared throughout the cosmos."
"I beg of you, don't hurt us." Elegor squeals in a high-pitched voice, now terrified beyond all measure, realizing that the twins come from the empire that has spread itself like a plague through the cosmos.
"We already told you, we are not here to harm you. For such an old soul, you are fairly slow."
"What… what do you want?"
Thamiezel steps forward as his sister goes silent. The demon prince begins to speak by himself.
"You… your name is now Elegor… but it was once Velsur… meaning starlight. A beautiful name. And a supreme injustice that you have become this corrupted, immortal being. Tell me… how many of your siblings' descendants have you watched die? Your children? Their children? How many more will you bear with your ancient soul?"
"You… stay away from me."
The entity backs away, terrified of the demons that stand before it. They know exactly who it is, exactly what it has suffered. Thamiezel looks down at the creature.
"I was once like you, Elegor. I accepted my fate. I followed the laws of this universe, because I believed it was best. Best to bear my pain in solitude while all others changed… but I have found another path. A path back towards the ones I hold dear. A path that will reunite all before the banner of my master."
Elegor stares down the demon. Thamiezel offers it a claw that glows with blue fire.
"You… I will not make deals with you!"
Elegor attempts to destroy Thamiezel. It concentrates all of its power into an attack against the unholy monster, but its greatest power is effortlessly deflected, blowing a hole in the ceiling of the house and sending a beam of light flying into the sky.
"Was that it?... you will need far more strength if you are to defy a god."
"Who are you?"
"Look above, and you will see the instrument of this world's doom."
Elegor looks up and shrieks in terror. There are countless specks of light, burning brightly and drowning out the light from the rest of the universe. Within the center of the great spectacle is only blackness, and within the darkness is one giant, shimmering dot. The light from one of the largest stars in existence, claimed as a prize from a long destroyed enemy. The lights are from all the stars of Thamiezel's empire, shifted into the appearance of a great eye that stares down the entire world.
"One of my favorite tricks. Manipulating the waves of light to instantly appear throughout the millions of planets. It is my realm, anchored before yours and ready to destroy this pitiful galaxy. Soon every single world in this galaxy will see the same thing."
"What are you?!" Selzer shouts. Thamiezel changes his appearance. He appears as a cloaked man, yet his silver eyes betray his nature. His teeth are sharpened into fangs and his lips are pulled back in a permanent grin. A glowing aura appears above his head. Within the bright center is an iron crown, glowing red in the language of Tartarus. The language describes the original bearer of the crown, Mammon.
Master of the third sphere, lord of wealth, king of kings
"I am Thamiezel, Lord of Sorrows, The Dread God, Master of the Realm of Sol, Herald of the Dreaded Dark, Servant of the Night, Bringer of Ends, Slayer of the Divine, King of Gaia Marred, The Traveler, The Butcher, The God Eater, The Sun Slayer, and Sir DippingSauce."
Zelestra snickers along with her brother at his last name, the fake name given to him by his sister millennia ago.
"My eye has turned upon this wretched galaxy. And I am offering you a choice. Serve with me and be free from your bonds to this doomed world. Or wait in shackles until the final war unites all realms."
"You… you will destroy us all!"
"Death is nothing but a mere hindrance. A path that separates those who love each other. But there are far worse fates in this existence. I have witnessed terror and madness that you could never dream of, not even in your darkest thoughts or most wrathful moments. I have seen the ancient days of this universe, before it was tainted. Before the legacy of evil allowed Inferno and Paradise to rise above all other gods. And I will turn back the wheels of time and ruin. I will reverse the entropy suffocating this cosmos… but that can only come at a great cost."
"You… you're insane."
Thamiezel's dark laughter echoes from every corner, as if his voice speaks from the deepest halls of existence. He is a mad deity, filled with the blood of countless innocents, and appearing before the lowly spirit.
"I am the Son of the Dragon. I may walk amongst the devils, but I am not one of them. My sibling, Zelestra, may have stood within the ranks of the angels, but she is not of them. We are a new path."
Thamiezel looks up at Selzer, who stands motionless, afraid of the monstrous creatures. Thamiezel smirks, thinking of Elegor's family.
"Your siblings… and their children. And their children. And their children!... so many you have lost… I will bring them all back… every last one. And all shall unite again, free from the bonds of this damned universe."
"Damned? You are the damned one! You've killed so much! Do you even know how many have died?!"
"Yes. I do."
"What?"
Thamiezel giggles at Elegor, who had not expected an answer.
"I lost count a while ago, but I've recently regained it. My personal kill count, minus the dead caused by my servants attributed to me and the sub-sentient animals that no one ever cares about, is... six hundred billion… six hundred thousand… and forty two… I'm closing in on the high score…"
The twins begin cackling psychotically.
"You… you'll ruin everything."
"Of course! That's the idea! You can't build a new house if the foundations' rotten! Time for some universe-class renovating!"
Zelestra stands with her brother and looks towards the dark spirit of Elegor. She begins whispering in the language of the angels, speaking a spell meant to revive the sorrows of old. As her words pierce through the shell around Elegor's heart, they drive him to remember the love for those it has lost. And when the words fade, Elegor remembers the loss of its first family is if it were fresh in its mind. The sheer weight of sadness crushes the lowly spirit, driving it to cry out in despair. Selzer attempts to aid the family's guardian, but Thamiezel forces it back, preventing Selzer from bringing Elegor out of the depths of madness. Zelestra sits down next to Elegor and allows her power to restore the creature's physical body. She holds it close as she whispers in its ears.
"You… I too was once lost… chained to the realm of light… my sibling was once like you… Thamiezel tried to let me go. To leave me in that world of light… but this… this will not end in anything but ruin for your people… the war between Inferno and Paradise is inevitable… but we can ensure that your bloodline is not harmed by the greater madness. We can bring them all back. Every last spirit that has faded, we can restore and save them."
"Help… help me… it… it hurts so much…"
Zelestra offers a warm embrace, petting the lowly creature's head, holding Elegor like a mother holds her child. She pulls it to her chest, keeping the broken creature still as he sobs in agony.
"We will help you. And we can ensure your family is unharmed."
"Yes… yes… please!."
Thamiezel and Zelestra stand. They allow their dark powers to enter the lesser spirit and corrupt it. Its eyes begin to glow a sickly green, and its skin cracks and darkens, becoming like the fissures of a volcano. The demons' gift has changed Elegor into one of the line of Dracula. Its mind fills with the memories of Thamiezel's beginning. It sees the demon king as a small child, changing and eroding over time until he became the creature now feared throughout millions of galaxies. Long ago he struck a bargain with an ancient being, and Elegor realizes that there is another power in the universe. A force hidden from the sights of all others and ever so slowly goading the realms of Inferno and Paradise into ending their armistice and commencing Armageddon. Elegor feels its mind change and become corrupted. Its thoughts are now protected by the hidden Dracul, preventing any other spirit or mind from discerning Elegor's thoughts. Dracul's sleepless eye is upon Elegor, giving it power and goading it into indulging its vampiric desires.
"Rise, Elegor Dracula. Now you know the name. You have probably heard a similar word before on your world. A dark presence that butchered its way into infamy before fading into history… now we offer you the same power. The might to ensnare this corrupted world and bring it under your domain. Elegor, will you serve?"
"Yes."
Elegor turns towards Selzer, who stares at the now corrupted guardian. Elegor walks over and embraces the mortal creature.
"Selzer… it's better this way."
Elegor sinks its new fangs into Selzer. The alien's eyes close, and it fades into Elegor. The new demon stands, shivering as it buries the sadness within. The twins speak together as they meet the gaze of their ally.
"You… do you desire to save your species? Or will you devoir them, giving them passage into our world? This choice is yours."
The twins leave in the blink of an eye, having corrupted another into their Order. The twins travel through the gap between dimensions, returning to the seat of power in their empire, the planet Cul-Cerberon. Thamiezel returns to his vampiric form, along with his sister. Red eyes, pale skin, and sharpened fangs.
"Well, that was fun. Right, sister?"
"Yes, although I do feel bad about, you know, forcing his sadness back out. Can't be good for his mental health."
Thamiezel scoffs as he turns his gaze upon the galaxy he seeks to conquer. It is so small before Thamiezel's empire. Then Thamiezel smacks his head.
"I forgot to ask him to the annual cursed immortals party!"
"How did you forget?" Zelestra says in disbelief. Her brother, with the mind and memory of a divine force, has committed a very human error. He simply shrugs as she rolls her eyes.
"Well, I'll go tell him some other time, Dumby Dipper."
"Rude… well, shall we go again, sister?"
"I'll join you later for the battle with those god jerks from Malzor Seven."
"Alright. I'm meeting up with Wendy. We're going to ambush one of the other Malzorian gods."
"Try not to get ahead of yourself. The other eleven might be a match for you alone."
"Have faith in me, sister."
"Stop jumping into battle with things that are more powerful than you, then I will. Seriously, I don't want a repeat of Thamiezel Invasion Three."
"Yes. So many bodies. That was a fun war." he says fondly, reminiscing about the mass slaughter.
Thamiezel giggles before vanishing, leaving Zelestra in the throne. Millions of light years away, Thamiezel reappears. Wendy sits on a tree, one leg hanging down and lazily kicking, waiting for her lover. Thamiezel uses one of his newly designed shapes. His body is shadowy and dark, appearing as a cloud of black smoke. His eyes glow dark red as an eye appears in the center of his body. The crimson red in his torso gives way to a dark slit, which engulfs a burning eye. Within the burning eye sits more blackness, and within that is more fire. The fire and shadow continue down into the center, as if there's no end to the chasm in Thamiezel's soul. Any who gaze into his body risk being driven mad by the infinite void.
"Ah, my Queen Taurgarus."
"That name's dumb."
"I like it. And besides, we can't go introducing ourselves as Wendy and Dipper."
"I know." Wendy mutters, annoyed at being reprimanded by her lover.
"So, how do I look?" asks Thamiezel. Wendy looks at the center of infinite chaos in Thamiezel's body.
"Ugh, that's giving me a headache. Stop that."
Thamiezel snickers while turning away from Wendy, freeing her from the pain of seeing his dark essence. They walk side by side to a large temple nearby. The stonework is like that of an early Mayan pyramid. The structure is painted green with an all seeing eye on the top, looking down upon the world.
"Spooky. Did Bill have something to do with this?"
"The eye thing? No, I don't believe that was him. Maybe a distant relative."
Wendy chuckles as they approach the temple of the warrior race. The people of Ansular, meaning the Burning Gulf, have lived for three hundred thousand years. There was a time when they nearly rivaled humanity at its greatest, but they were destroyed in a cataclysmic explosion. The explosion was designed by the weak gods that Thamiezel and Zelestra hunt, and was meant to break down the species and make them accept their new pantheon. The twelve gods have enslaved the world, and within the temple is their high priest, an immortal who has been forced to watch as his people are degraded over the years, simply to be transformed into the willing slaves of the divine forces. Wendy and Thamiezel walk towards the guards at the foot of the stairs leading to the top of the temple. The alien race appears as large, nimble bald humanoids. They have three eye-like sensory organs attached to their head, allowing them to see from all sides. They are dressed in the skin and fur of slain creatures and wield crude weapons.
"How'd these dorks make such a big temple?"
"They didn't. Their ancestors did. They were much more advanced before a giant explosion wiped them out. Still won't stop them from worshiping overrated deities."
The pair approach the guards, who are busy watching a member of the less respected gender being beaten and brutalized. The creature is shorter than the others and only has two eyes.
"You'll find all sorts of silly reasons that people brutalize each other, but sexism seems universal in gendered species." Thamiezel thinks aloud.
"Idiots."
"They are, aren't they?"
"Let's hunt them." Wendy says. Her eyes begin to glow with demonic fire. Her hair begins to burn, trailing embers. Thamiezel's dark essence begins overwhelming the minds of the lower life forms. The guards begin screaming and howling. Some commit suicide by impaling themselves on their own weapons. Others run off into the night. One charges towards the steps leading up to the throne of the temple, smashing his head against the rock to remove the mad thoughts. His brain oozes out into a puddle on the stairway. He laughs with an echoing voice, reveling in his mad games.
"Wow." Wendy says, looking over the massacre.
"I love a blood bath… anyways, shall we get started? You get that half of the planet, I get the other half."
Wendy smiles, all too ready to indulge her darker nature. She howls like a wolf before transforming into a powerful demon, charging against the lesser creatures. Thamiezel walks up the steps to the temple, driving lesser beings to madness with his presence alone. One of the warriors jumps off the top of the temple, smashing into the ground below. Thamiezel spots the high priest of the council of twelve. These divine have come to abuse the cycle of life and death, forcing souls back into flesh, reincarnating them without their memories and cutting off the stream of spirits to Paradise and Inferno. This act has brought the wrath of Thamiezel and Zelestra upon them.
Thamiezel approaches the final guards of the high priest. The elite warriors at the top are able to hold their resolve, readying their weapons to defend their high priest. Thamiezel recreates one of his favorite weapons. He appears to wield a simple, elegant, silver sword. A bright red gem is embedded in the gold handle. His blade clashes with those of the two elite guards. Their blades shine and spark in the darkness. Thamiezel's elegant dance gives him the perfect defense, as he seems to know exactly where each warrior will hit.
"I enjoy a good battle. The blood, the death, the ruin. And chaos. Love me some chaos."
Thamiezel grins, pressing the red gem. The sword breaks into segments held together by a chain. He spins and twirls with the newly formed whip, slashing at his enemies. His whip wraps around one of the swords. He rips it out of the grip of his enemy, throwing it into the distance. He swings the whip again, decapitating the elite warrior. The last soldier retreats back to the high priest, who sits solemnly upon a throne, a captive of the weak gods. Thamiezel approaches as the whip floats around him like a cage, pulsing with ancient magic.
"That was fun."
"You and your master will burn." the priest says calmly.
"My master?... oh, you mean the giant devil lady. That's funny. She isn't my master. Neither am I hers. But that doesn't mean we are equal in power. In fact, I am the greatest devil. Thamiezel, Bringer of Chaos."
The priest inches back, terrified by the name. He's heard it before. Whispered by his god in dreams, the name of one of the greatest monster in the cosmos. An unholy beast bent on consuming everything in existence.
"What… what do you want?"
"A favor. You've communed with one of the twelve Malzorian gods. The most powerful of them. I want you to bring him here. Only him."
"Why?"
"I'm hungry. And in return, I can give you back what you've lost."
Thamiezel turns to the priest's last remaining guard.
"I can give him back to you."
"… What? Who?"
"Don't listen to him!" the elite guard shouts. Thamiezel moves closer, his breath filled with the heat of the universe itself. He easily incinerates the guard before turning back to the priest.
"Listen, Lord Balegord. I've come to restore the ones you love. I'll claim the thrones of your tiny gods and burn it to the ground. And you and everyone you've lost will be freed. I just need to take out the most powerful one first. It might prove a problem otherwise, especially with its friends around. Do we have a deal?"
Balegord sits in thought, ignoring the sounds of war and ruin brought out by Wendy. Then the ancient priest speaks.
"I accept your offer."
Thamiezel approaches and extends a hand with blue flame. The priest clasps his hands around Thamiezel's hand. The deal is sealed. The priest calls down his deity from a higher dimension. The entity appears in the form of Balegord's species. But it is an illusion of a shapeless entity, one Thamiezel sees through immediately. The vampire smiles as before Thamiezel and the priest.
"Why have you called upon me?" the divine creature asks. Balegord points to Thamiezel, who begins to back away, feigning fear of the divine creature.
"This lowly creature and its master are destroying my world."
The presence of the greatest Malzorian turns on Thamiezel, who hides his true power and appears as a lowly pest. The divine force that has been summoned prepares to strike out at Wendy, who continues to ruin the planet from afar. The god keeps its gaze focused on Wendy. With its mind centered on Wendy, it is exposed to Thamiezel for less than a second. It is all the vampire needs to destroy his enemy. He drags the divine Malzorian through a void in his chest. Within the void are corridors of endless darkness. The mangled minds of those Thamiezel has consumed dwell within, forever fueling Thamiezel's power. Within the maze of madness, the old god is lost. And then Dracul, forever watchful of his servants' movements, opens the gateway to his realm. The eye of Dracul glares down on the lowly deity, corrupting and consuming its power and taking its soul within his realm. Dracul seals the path into his world shut. Thamiezel is no longer paying attention to his master, instead choosing to watch Wendy indulge in carnage. He sighs happily before Balegord pokes him.
"Where are my people? The ones I have lost to this pointless game?"
"I have one more stop. After my girlfriend Taurgarus over there has her fun, she'll leave. Then you must simply wait a little while."
"Very well. Bring me back the ones I've lost and I will serve you without question."
"Of course. And I'll be seeing you at the annual cursed immortal's party!"
"What?" Balegord mutters in confusion. Thamiezel gives a bow before leaving, returning to Cul-Cerberon as Wendy finishes her rampage. Thamiezel meets up with his sister.
"Ready for the big show, sister?"
"Yes. Time to kick some divine ass."
Zelestra punches her open palm, ready for the last battle before their armies conquer the galaxy. The twins leave again, moving to their final destination, the world of Malzor Five. The planet is home to the last of the lone immortals they wish to transform into a servant of the Order of the Dragon. They walk down the street, clad in the image of the aliens who inhabit this world. Their skin is now a dark pink, and their black eyes with blue slits are like a chameleon's, capable of moving independently of each other. The twins approach the home of the entity they have searched for. The immortal creature known as Halstur has dwelled for fifteen thousand years, watching those he loved die and be reborn only to die again, every time losing the people he loves and watching their memories fade. He sits at the edge of his town, watching his sister's reincarnation playing with her friends. He carries a sheathed blade at all times, forever vigilant of supernatural threats to his sister. He sees the twins approach, carrying an aura of dread with them. The twins approach their new target and his sister. Thamiezel walks forwards while Zelestra goes to sit on a large rock, kicking her feet while waiting for her brother to make his deal. Thamiezel approaches the girl first.
"Ah, you must be… Helzeen… a beautiful name."
The child stares up at the dark stranger as he offers a warm smile. Yet she can see the malice within his eyes. She doesn't answer Thamiezel, instead moving away from the vampire. Halstur approaches Thamiezel, who turns to meet his next soldier.
"And you are?" asks Thamiezel.
"Halstur."
"A wonderful name… I would like to meet with you."
"What do you want?"
"To sit down and speak with you, my friend."
"Stay away from her."
"I will… but I have something I need of you."
Halstur eyes the vampire, not knowing what sort of game Thamiezel is playing. Halstur glances at his sister's reincarnation and her friend.
"Helzeen, go play with Selga by the fountain."
Thamiezel smirks before walking away from Helzeen and her friend. Halstur follows the vampiric king, wondering what sort of trickery Thamiezel is hiding. Halstur and Thamiezel walk towards a table in the park. The evening night is glistening with small, glowing fairy creatures. Thamiezel and Halstur sit side by side, looking each other over.
"Who are you?"
"A traveler from a distant land."
"Where?"
"The shapeless chaos, ruled by a king unnamed to all but his closest subjects. And I want to introduce you to him."
"Why would I want to help you?"
"You aren't simply helping me. You are helping yourself."
Thamiezel looks over at Helzeen, who still looks over at the vampire occasionally.
"And who is that wonderful child?" asks the vampire, thinking of Halstur's sister.
"She's… a friend."
"A friend… but she's more than that to you, isn't she? I see it in your eyes. I see the way your pupils shift, as if she were the most important person in your life… is she your daughter?"
"No… no, she isn't."
"So… who is she to you?"
"My sister, you could say."
"Yes… your sister, Velice…"
Halstur turns and his eyes flash white at his sister's original name. Thamiezel simply grins, showing his teeth like an animal ready for battle.
"I know what it is you've lost… I've lost someone too… but I have regained her. My precious Shooting Star…"
"You… I will not make deals with a demon."
"A demon? I am so much more than that."
"Leave in peace, or I will destroy you."
"I see it in your eyes. The pain. The loss. You have rebuilt your soul. I must admit, I am humbled by your strength. Even with the knowledge that you will never truly know your sister again, you continue along your path… there was a time I would have envied your resolve… but now I know that my anger is my greatest power. … that without me, those I love would suffer a worse fate than even our own."
"What are you speaking of?"
Thamiezel turns to Halstur, eyeing up and down his body, almost sexually. Thamiezel licks his sharp teeth, grinning at the ancient creature. Thamiezel speaks again with a firm, soft voice, hiding his inner darkness.
"Your gods. Twelve of them. You believe every world to be trapped in a cycle of rebirth? No. These gods are weak. There are gods behind the gods, and even they are not the first to dwell in this sick cosmos."
"You speak blasphemy."
"Don't insult me. You and I both know that only a broken throne would allow this sort of suffering…"
Thamiezel looks towards another creature walking along the grassy path, eating a chunk of food wrapped in leaves.
"That food… what is it?"
"Clemork."
"Looks delicious… have you ever wondered why? Why you consume flesh?... because it offers more than the plants. It gives more strength to devour a sentience. It fuels you… I remember the woods of my home world. I found a bear once. A giant, ferocious animal with claws like daggers and teeth like grinders. It was eating a young deer calf. That calf was the child of another creature. A simple one. But a living being nonetheless. It watched it's young being ripped apart by another. It could feel the loss just as greatly as you or I. And yet that bear, the monster, needed that food. For its own children would starve without it. The entirety of the cosmos is the same. It is rotten to the core by entropy and chaos. I am the solution."
"Leave or you will die." Halstur states.
Thamiezel stands and clasps his hands, watching the eye of his prey.
"You really believe that would be best?... there is a war on the horizon. There are two powers in this universe that have not entered it in hundreds of millions of years. But that does not mean they haven't been waiting. The time is nearly at hand for them to go to war one last time. A powerful battle that will shake the universe to its foundations. Stars, galaxies. Everything will be ruined as a side effect."
Thamiezel gestures wildly, almost ranting as he tries to make the silent alien understand. Thamiezel's eyes begin to glow with dark power, revealing his vampiric lineage.
"Your sister, your friend, whatever she now is, will see the ruin of all things. And you will be powerless in the great war. I can offer you many things… her safety, shelter from the looming war, and I can even offer what you have desired in your darkest moments … her memories restored."
Halstur stands and unsheathes his blade. It is a holy sword capable of killing a mortal with a single cut, for the angelic power spreads across any wound like a disease, burning away until an enemy's flesh has become ash. The weapon glows blue, and Halstur ready to cut away at Thamiezel. The dark prince yawns while stretching, unafraid of Halstur's weapon.
"That weapon… a fairly powerful blade. Still, I prefer this one."
Thamiezel shoves his hand into his chest, spilling his blood out onto the ground. His tainted blood begins to burn the plant life, reducing the alien vegetation into a murky liquid. He rips out another weapon. The curved blade is dark, save for the crimson image of a dragon on the blade. The dragon looks outward with piercing golden eyes and white fangs. The insignia glows, pulsating like a heartbeat.
"Now this… this is a wonderful sword… it is one of my own designs. It is an extension of my will. A single cut will reduce my enemy into a puddle. And their blood, their memories, and their soul become my own… tell me… do you want to play?"
Thamiezel grins psychotically at his opponent. Halstur attempts to strike down the demon. Thamiezel counters with his own blade. Yet Halstur's power is not simply immortality. He unleashes lightning fast blows against Thamiezel, forcing the demon back with the speed of his onslaught. Thamiezel can only seem to react, forced on the defensive by the powerful immortal. Zelestra hums in boredom before realizing that her brother is battling with Halstur.
"Brother, why are you wasting time?"
"Because this is so much fun! I love sword duels."
"They are fun, but our armies are waiting for us. And I want to see what happens when his sister has her memories restored."
"Just a couple more minutes? Please?"
"Alright, but you owe me an ice cream."
A cone of vanilla and strawberry ice cream swirled together materializes in Zelestra's hand. She smiles as she lifts the sweet, sugary treat to her mouth and begins licking. But she frowns, finding the alien body to be repulsed by sugar. She rips the alien tongue out and regrows her human tongue, and then proceeds to savor the sweet flavor. Thamiezel continues to be forced back, coming to the wall of a house. Halstur aims to pierce Thamiezel's heart. The vampire dodges out of the way and elbows his opponent. He punches Halstur and begins to go on the offensive. Thamiezel slashes against Halstur with a flurry of blows. He approaches the immortal and begins speaking.
"So, I don't know about you, but I'm getting bored. Are you getting bored? I am."
Thamiezel finally reveals his full power. The blade pulsates and meets Halstur's weapon, slicing through the holy sword as if it were paper. The weapon disintegrates and Halstur is left defenseless, mouth agape in disbelief.
"What… what are you?"
"I am the man who is going to give you back all your friend's… sister's… thing's memories… you know, I've never done this with a reincarnated soul before. I do hope he, or she, or it doesn't go insane."
Thamiezel giggles psychotically while grabbing Halstur. He throws the immortal aside and walks towards his prey, the young child, who cowers away from the demonic warrior.
"Hello child. Don't be afraid, I want to help you. Tell me, in your dreams, do you feel like another? Like someone who should not be, yet is? As if a thousand different lives might lie within?... or is that just me? I mean, I have eaten a lot of people. I think their memories are starting to affect my sanity!"
Thamiezel grabs the small girl, who screams in fear. Zelestra holds back Halstur, spreading his legs apart with her own to prevent him from kicking and bending his arms back. He can only watch in horror as Thamiezel turns towards him, cackling insanely.
"So… Halstur… for my next trick, I'm going to make this soul… remember."
Thamiezel turns back to the child, meeting her eyes. The girl convulses and shakes violently, having lost control of her entire body. She spasms and jerks about as the memories of all her past lives bore into her conscious mind, overwhelming her body and thoughts. Halstur cries out, begging Thamiezel to stop torturing the child. Eventually the painful convulsing ceases, and the child hangs motionless in Thamiezel's grip.
"Oh dear. I think you broke it, brother."
Thamiezel sighs as he drops the child on the ground.
"I guess this is why dad never let me have a pet."
Thamiezel turns towards the captured immortal.
"What have you done?!" Halstur shouts.
"I don't know!" screams Thamiezel, grunting and waving his limbs about while foaming at the mouth. He stops, turning to see his opponent's reaction. Halstur simply watches as he becomes even more terrified.
"Seriously, everyone always screams. You have no idea how old that becomes."
"My… my sister." he sobs.
"Give her a minute. She'll be back."
Thamiezel changes shape, returning to his favorite form. His human body is restored, save for piercing white eyes and cracks in his skin, which glow yellow and red with unnatural power. He is dressed in a white undershirt with black stripes and wears a black coat. He has a chain around his neck. The necklace is the image of an eye, filled with fire and malice, the insignia of Dracul. He wears a top hat tilted off the side of his head. Six large wings emerge from his back. The lower two are scaled red like a demon's, the middle are dark and shadowy vampiric bat wings, and the upper are angelic and white, glowing with the beauty of Paradise. He wears the crown of Mammon and a golden halo cannibalized from the remains of a powerful angel. Upon his left shoulder is an image of the Star of Telepathy, corrupted and cracked, leaking blood. On his right shoulder is an image of a golden triangle. The segments of the pyramid glow with unworldly power.
"I love demonic fashion. Don't you, sister?"
"It's a bit much."
The twins stare at the small child. After a minute of waiting, she shivers back to life. Zelestra lets Halstur go and he runs to the girl, crying in fear as he approaches.
"…what… who am I?" Velice mutters, thousands of memories all pouring through her head.
"You're all of them and none of them! You are whoever you want to be!"
Thamiezel spins in place as Halstur helps his sister stand back up.
"… brother?" the child says, staring into the eyes of her protective other.
"What… what did you do?" Halstur asks with a trembling voice.
"I gave your… let us call her your sister for simplicity. I gave back her memories. All of them. Every single life she's lived, every victory, every crushing sorrow. And I will do the same to everyone corrupted by the twelve gods once they bow to me."
Thamiezel's power allows his empire's galaxy to appear within the night above. Halstur stares up at the beginning of his world's end.
"Do you know what that is? That is my empire. I have conquered countless stars and worlds. And now yours will be one of them."
"Thamiezel." Halstur says.
"That's my name, don't wear it out!"
Thamiezel and Zelestra laugh as their armies begin their conquest. Thamiezel stares up towards the heavens as the sky opens, revealing the presence of the remaining eleven gods that rule over the planet. Thamiezel smiles as his sister joins by his side.
"You have violated our sacred order. You have disregarded our holiest of ways. You must be cleansed."
Thamiezel mocks the words of his enemies by flapping his fingers and thumb together. Zelestra giggles as Thamiezel quacks with the hand puppet, having a conversation with himself.
"What are you doing?" the god asks, now more confused than angered.
"Oh, I'm just having fun. I've heard your garbage before. You locals are always on about the sacrilege and me violating your ways. But the truth is you're all just cowards, lying to your slaves. You're weak. Barely capable of supporting ten billion souls, let alone allowing new life into this star cluster. Reincarnation. Nothing more than glorified recycling."
The entity attempts to strike down Thamiezel with a beam of divine light. Thamiezel cringes in mock agony before laughing again, joined by his sister in a mad fit of cackling. The twins extinguish the flames around their bodies and look over their opponents. The twins return to their perfect unison, as if they are of a single mind.
"We are Thamiezel and Zelestra. And you will know the madness we have suffered."
The gods focus their power together. A ball of fire grows before them, growing in size and brightness until the eyes of the native creatures are blinded. The great power is thrown against the twins. The fire ignites the surface of the planet, vaporizing all life forms that dwell there. The wall of fire approaches the small twins, who stand calmly before their apparent destruction.
"This is your demise. This is your punishment."
"It thinks it can hurt us, brother. How cute." Zelestra thinks, knowing her brother can read her thoughts.
Zelestra, with a flick of her wrist, deflects the powerful energy into the sky. The ball of fire explodes far above, and the twins yawn together, bored of the encounter.
"We have battled far worse than you. You are not even powerful enough to be a thorn in God's side, let alone a significant threat. We, on the other hand..."
Thamiezel and Zelestra unify their bodies. They combine their thoughts and memories, becoming lost in each other's souls. They are one mind, one spirit, one whole. The twins become a gigantic star, vaporizing the world with their presence. They charge at the divine beings and force them back into their own dimension, a world filled with several billion slaves that have been allowed to retain their memories. The slaves of the deities move to defend their masters, but Thamiezel and Zelestra are unrelenting. The gods are crushed and thrown about as crimson energy comes forth from the twins' unified form. The overwhelming energy fires chaotically about the celestial realm, ending the spiritual warriors and cutting through the very fabric of the gods' world. The dimension of the divinities begins to crumble before the vampires as they devour every soul within the realm. They drag the gods back into the universe as the dimension falls apart, consumed by the infinite nothingness of the void. Thamiezel and Zelestra tower above their enemies for a few moments, savoring their easy victory. They casually return to their human form. They rebuild the planet they destroyed and restore the souls upon it, now carrying the rest of their memories.
"Well then, that was fun, right sister?"
"Indeed. I always love to ruin these 'holier than thee' types. So where's Halstur and his buddies?"
The twins look upon the world. Every single body lies motionless, reduced to a babbling, drooling mess.
"Oops."
The twins giggle together as the gods lie powerless and imprisoned within human bodies.
"What… what have you done?"
"We took your world for our own and added your powers to ours. We are the Twin Dracula. Now bow and beg for mercy."
The deities, for the first time in millions of years, bow in fear. They plea for pity, but the twins give none. They consume the spirits and allow them to pass into their realm. The people of the world slowly begin to recover. They realize what they are, and Thamiezel and Zelestra change the aliens' forms into spirits. The twins look upon Halstur and his sister.
"What… what did you do?" Velice says.
"We repaired your minds and allowed you to see all. You are now spirits, transcended from the physical. Choose whatever form fits you best."
"You… you killed the gods… do you have any idea what is going to happen?!" screams Halstur.
"The cycle of your reincarnation is ruined, the word will spread that these divinities have burned, and in the depths of the seventh circle and in Paradise on high, our enemies will tremble at the mention of our names. We know exactly what is going to happen. We will watch the two greatest empires in the cosmos battle for control of creation. And we do not care."
"You're insane."
"And you are stating the obvious. This galaxy is ours and you lost spirits now belong to us. We are now your gods. We are who your world worships and sings praise to. You belong to us. Do you understand?"
"… Yes." the creature admits in defeat.
"Good answer. We'll be inviting you to the annual cursed immortals' party in two cycles. Or four days and one hour by your time. Our capital Cul-Cerberon is located in the center of our galaxy. We'll send a shuttle to pick you and your sister up. Bye!"
Thamiezel and Zelestra return to their homeworld. It is a corrupted planet that has become one endless fortress, covered in gigantic iron towers and rivers of magma, spreading out across the globe like glowing veins. Their appearance changes back into their human form.
"So, we have three more soldiers, brother."
"Yes. And soon we will have Zelestra Galaxy Seven."
"Galactic invasion."
"One galaxy devouring the other, slowly enslaving and consuming the life and spirits within. Beautiful. Do you want to help our servants?"
"I'm bored of that. We've helped five times now. It takes too long. There's hundreds of years of trying to suppress rebellions, it takes at least five generations before they all finally give up, and it's all around just plain tedious. Let's see what our mom and dad are up to."
"Ooh, I think Dad's turning fifteen thousand soon!"
"Yes. His birthday is coming up in five cycles."
"Surprise party?"
"Of course."
The twins relax on their dark throne, a shared iron seat draped in dark red blankets, allowing them to sit together. They watch as their massive empire of demons and monsters begins to corrupt another galaxy for its own. Thamiezel stares towards the heavens, glaring in mockery of the angelic world.
"Tick tock. Tick tock. Soon it will be time to rock!" Thamiezel shouts. Thamiezel leans his head against the arm of the throne while Zelestra rests her head by Thamiezel's feet, her legs dangling lazily on the head of the seat. Zelestra retrieves her favorite video game while Thamiezel reads a book from his favorite author, Steven King, who has been revived at the behest of supreme vampire. After another hour, Pacifica, the twins other lover, and Wendy return from their travels. Pacifica wears a turquoise blue dress and diamond earrings. Wendy wears nothing, having become feral and losing her sense of modesty long ago.
"Our pets are back." Zelestra says.
"Rude." Wendy mutters. Pacifica and Wendy jump up on the large seat with the twins.
"So, another conquest?" Pacifica asks.
"Yes. Soon Pacifabel Galaxy Three will be ours." Zelestra replies.
"I still can't believe you combined your names, sister."
"It's weird." Wendy mutters.
"Shut up. I think it's sweet." Pacifica says.
"That's because you like having a galaxy named after you."
"That's not the only reason. I just think it's… cute."
Thamiezel snickers while pulling Wendy into a hug. He smiles, looking down into her emerald eyes.
"So, do you want to join me for a little more fun?"
"Nah, I'm tired now."
"Alright… So Pacifabel."
"Yes?" Zelestra and Pacifica reply together.
"Do you want to go see a movie?"
"Alright."
"What about you, Wendy?"
"I'm up for it. Nothing better to do."
"Eternity summed up in eight words."
The twins and their lovers laugh, relaxing into their seat of power together.
"Let the good times roll." the twins say together. Zelestra moves in and kisses Pacifica while Thamiezel presses his lips against Wendy's, savoring her human form. The twins love for their human companions has kept them anchored to their humanity. Zelestra and Pacifica occupy themselves with Zelestra's game while Thamiezel and Wendy read his book together.
"You… you didn't hurt anyone there, right?" Pacifica says.
"Not badly. Why do you ask?" responds Zelestra.
"Just… you've done a lot… and, just, sometimes I wonder if it's really helping."
"It is." Wendy mutters.
"I… yeah… it's got to be…"
Pacifica goes silent, keeping her doubts to herself. After another hour they go to see the movie together before returning to their throne. Wendy and Pacifica stretch and yawn, tired of the day. Thamiezel pokes the throne, transforming the large stone chair to turn into a long bed. The four begin to fall asleep. Thamiezel and Zelestra drift through shared dreams, looking through their memories and focusing on happier days.