Mina: I really appreciate it.
Year of the Metal Dragon
Month of the Rabbit
The heavenly cleric had been walking for hours in the dark road, lighted by candlelight that glowed dimly. He couldn't see anything but the blanket of darkness that mysteriously enveloped the area.
"Where am I?" Elias pondered as he continued to trek down the road of no end.
As he continued this journey, he started to remember everything what happened before he arrived here. Elias had absolutely no idea how he arrived in this cold, dark place. He remembered the battle that took place at Mt. Mjolinir.
He stopped. His eyes and hands trembled as Elias recalled the gruesome deaths of his comrades. A damned, powerful creature appeared out of nowhere and killed everyone in sight.
His magic failed. His divine spells, which was feared by his colleagues and demons didn't damage that damned creature. It only tickled the dark, hideous creature and continued to destroy every living thing.
Then, everything went blurry. He couldn't remember what happened next. He only knew that death was waiting for him around the corner. Elias tried his best to recall, even though pain surged through his body.
I'll render you soul useless!
Hidden memories resurfaced as that phrase rang in Elias' head. He looked down and noticed a katana slung on his waist.
He unsheathed the sword, revealing wave-like patterns on the blade. A red tassel was hanging at the hilt of the katana. On the other side of the hilt were letters, written in runic language.
It was Melissa's katana, Heryuu. Once, during a mock battle, the squad leader showed the fiery powers of the sword. She told him once that her grandfather handed this weapon to her and it contained the power to control the flames of hell.
She also had another katana, Hiryuu. Unlike the first weapon, Hiryuu controls the freezing waters of Niflheim.
Abandon the light! Become the darkness itself! Use the forbidden art!
The sword spun in his hand. He remembered everything. Elias had summoned the powers of the underworld to vanquish the demon. It was the forbidden arts, Soulrender. It was a powerful craft that used the soul of the person to perform devastating attacks. The Sanctuary had forbidden this technique, as it devoured the body and mind of the user, making them demented and damned.
According to the ancient books that he read in the Great Library, those who used the technique became demons.
And it was the main reason why clerics weren't allowed to use swords and such deadly weapons. These, such as axes and pikes, weapons were the best weapon to perform the forbidden arts.
Was that true? Elias observed himself. He was still human, although he noticed that his skin became paler.
Was this the path to heaven?
Or to hell?
He shook his head.
Sheathing the katana, he planted his foot behind and raised the sword. He closed his eyes, trying to remember what he did. Elias was certain that he used a powerful technique, a strong one that it destroyed the demon in one blow.
His eyes widened.
"Soul arts!"
The katana vanished. Silver orbs danced above Elias. As the orbs merged, a weapon materialized.
Before he performed that technique on the demon, he used another weapon.
The orbs exploded; wisps of silver light slowly disappeared. The heavenly cleric quickly grabbed the weapon and swung it furiously until it landed on his back.
It was a large, black scythe. The sharp blade of the weapon glistened amidst the darkness that enveloped the area. Intricate designs were engraved on the weapon and so was a language that he couldn't decipher.
"Deathscythe…" Elias muttered as those words mysteriously formed inside his head.
An eye formed on the blade.
Elias swiped his scythe on his left.
"Soul arts! The darkness that lingered beneath the ground, come before me and show your real form." Elias smashed the blade on the ground. "Arise, Soul Explosion!"
Nothing happened.
He retrieved his weapon and observed his surrounding.
Something didn't feel right.
"Bravo…" A voice said. "My new Soulrender."
Elias spun and a female figure was floating in mid-air. Amidst the darkness, her green eyes glistened. Her long, curly hair resembled the color of sea-kelp. She was wearing a solemn white robe, adorned by spike-like leaves.
At certain circumstances, men would fall in love with this person.
But he wasn't amazed by her beauty. In fact, he wanted to know who she was the minute she came down.
Barefooted, the girl landed.
Elias pointed Deathscythe at her, ready to behead her if necessary.
Then, he relinquished his weapon.
"I sense no evil or goodness in you." He said, looking deeply into her eyes. "Who are you?"
She smiled, turned around and lifted her hand. "Follow me, if you wish to know everything."
He walked besides her, eyes glaring at the path she opened. "I don't need too. I already know everything. "A fantail perched on her shoulder. "Death deity, Hine."
"Interesting." Hine said and they walked towards the light.
Elias stopped as they reached the abode of the death deity. He wasn't expecting this for a goddess of death. White, Corinthian pillars supported the large façade of her abode. At the endless skies, light shimmered, shedding warm light to the ground. A small pond provided water to the furry critters from the large, acacia tree.
"Is this really the Netherworld?" He asked, staring at his own reflection on the pond.
"Netherworld?" She wondered as she waltzed towards the crystal dais that stood near on her central garden. "This is my home. You expected it to be…"
"Damp, damned and dark." He answered back.
"With the sinner's soul being heavily punished according to their sins of their past lives?"
He nodded.
"You think too much, Wilhelm Von Schneider" She blurted.
He cast a glare at the goddess.
The deity laughed. "Or do you prefer to be called, Elias the demon summoner or Soulrender itself?"
"What!?" Elias stormed at the goddess but stopped as the crystal produced images.
"The heavenly cleric was the one who summoned the dark lord." A high priest said.
"He's a demon! He unleashed a strong attack that cannot be used by any clerics. The only explanation to this is that he used the forbidden technique!"
"Yes, he sacrificed them for power and immortality! He killed all of them and summoned him to gain powers of a demon!"
"He must be killed immediately!" A lord knight said.
"Issue the order!" The king said. "Whoever captures him, the Soulrender, will have the riches of a god!" He glanced at the high priest. "Make sure you kill him."
"Yes, your highness." Everyone in the room said.
Stunned of what he saw, Elias fell on his butt.
"I didn't kill them…" He stuttered, staring at his hands.
"Of course you didn't, "Hine said. " It's that demon that killed them. You are innocent but for the mortals, they believe it's you who killed them and that matter…"
"I didn't kill them. " He got up. "Someone did. Someone orchestrated this and framed me!"
"As I expected from Elias…"
"Why am I here?"
"As the one who opened the gates of Netherworld, you became the Soulrender, the physical manifestation death. I chose you to be death because this is your fate, your destiny. The moment you used the Soul arts, you accepted the responsibility of a Soulrender."
He closed his eyes. "I understand. What do you want me to do?"
"Balance. In life and death, there must be balance. Those who orchestrated this shenanigan had caused a strong time rift between the dimensions. As a result, portals had appeared and in the near future, demons will emerge from those portals."
She continued. "It affects our powers, the powers of the death deities. Without balance, there will be chaos in both dimensions."
"I see your point." Elias said, walking away from the dais. "Though, I have a question."
The goddess faced him.
"I'm a Soulrender, a being that controls a power beyond human understanding."
"Yes. You have the power which is feared by any gods and goddesses." Hine said.
"Am I a demon?" I asked suddenly.
"Define demon."
He turned around, gazing at the acacia. "Demons...lie in a creature's heart."
"There you have it." Hine walked besides Elias. "To answer the other question, Soulrenders cannot be demons because the books you read are entirely lies, fabricated by ancient people of the past. We, the gods and goddesses of death choose the Soulrender, according to our needs and preferences." She winked at him. "Don't worry, Wilhelm. I choose you because you're the right candidate."
"I understand, Hine" He faced her. "I am the Soulrender, for your will and for my vengeance."
The death goddess retreated and morphed a long sword from her hair. "To master the soul arts, I will train you for a millenium."
Elias frowned.
"Time moves slowly in my realm. A millennium is equal to one month to the realm of humans."
He conjured Deathscythe.
"Prepare yourself Elias." She shouted and dashed forward.
"I am Wilhelm Von Schneider!" He yelled.
Their weapons clashed.
The training began.