Ashes To Flames
"Being reincarnated into a devil boosts your lifespan into basically immortal status, you gain superhuman strength, endurance and enhanced senses," Ruax said. "Night-vision, wings to fly around that can be retracted with ease and the passive ability to understand any language and speak to others as well as access to demonic energy. Unfortunately, [Language] doesn't cross over to reading and writing as well."
Nick nodded as he rubbed his chin.
"Being reincarnated into a devil would make you a Low-Class devil," Ruax continued. "Unfortunately, Low-Class devils are looked down upon in devil society, and to be promoted to a higher class would require impressive feats to the Underworld."
"Wait a minute, Lower-Class?"
Ruax sighed before taking a drink of his coffee.
"Unfortunately, the Underworld society for devils is ranked in classes." Setting his cup down, Ruax created four magic circles stacked on top of each other. "Low-Class is filled with reincarnated devils or devils that have fallen far from grace. Mid-Class are devils that have achieved feats worthy of acknowledgement that help the Underworld or devil society in general. High-Class is devils of nobility or reincarnated devils that rise to power - an extremely rare case - and most that fill these are the seventy-two pillars, many of which have gone extinct."
"To be completely honest with you, Nick," Phenex looked Nick in the eyes. "Pure-Blood devils are slowly but surely starting to disappear completely as more and more reincarnated devils begin to fill up our population. It's making the higher-ups worry, resulting in rushed decisions."
Nick blinked before taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. Setting them on the coffee table, the teen took a long drink from his mug before setting it down.
"So, low-class is what I would be if I was reincarnated, and mid-class would be very hard for me to reach," the demigod muttered before glancing at Ruax. "Tell me, are you a high-class devil?"
Ruax nodded.
"My Clan in the underworld is one of the last thirty-three remaining clans of the original seventy-two pillars," Ruax said. "The rank of my Clan is Marquis, and while we aren't the most powerful in terms of strength, we provide extremely valuable potions to the Underworld."
"Judging from your rank of Marquis, your ranks of nobility are European based?"
"Something like that," Ruax waved his hand. "Regardless, High-Class devils and above have the privilege of receiving these chess pieces which can be used to reincarnate humans and creatures of other mythologies into servants." Ruax said that in disgust. "Some devils treat their servants well, but many devils abuse their servants and force them to do what they wish."
"I-!"
"And that includes sexual activities," Ruax said, cutting Nick off. "If the servants don't comply, then their Master can declare them a Stray Devil."
"Stray?"
"Devils that have been outcast by their masters or - in most cases - killed or ran away from their masters." Ruax shrugged. "Many get drunk on power and kill their masters and become disgusting mutations of their former self. Many go insane, and devils are generally sent to eliminate before they become a major problem."
"Would there be a certain group of devils to hunt them down or...?"
"It depends where the stray is and whose territory it is residing on." Ruax finished his mug before placing it on the table. "Continuing on, evil pieces function like this." Summoning one of each piece, Ruax placed them on the table. "The Pawn. It doesn't give the user any extra power-ups without their master's permission - I'll get onto that later. Anyway, the Pawn piece allows its owner to Promote to either Rook, Bishop, Knight or the Queen piece which utilises all three pieces power."
Ruax tapped the remaining three pieces.
"Rook enhances your physical capabilities by an absurd amount," the devil said. "Basically makes you into the tank for the team. Bishop enhances all of your magical capabilities and increases your reserves. A tank, but magic instead. The Knight piece increases your speed by an absurd amount, but everything else stays the same. Seeing the pattern?"
"Rook is meat-shield, Bishop is the Wizard of Oz and Knight is hit-and-run tactics. Pawn gets to pick from these and Queen is all three together?"
Ruax nodded, dispersing his evil pieces.
"Correct. As a side note, each piece's power is measured in terms of Pawn pieces." Seeing Nick's face confused, Ruax grinned. "A Rook is worth five pawns, a Bishop is three as well as the Knight and Queens are worth nine."
"Each piece has its own set value, so..." Nick's face lit up. "If the person or creature your trying to revive is too powerful for once piece, you can use multiple pieces?"
Phenex nodded.
"Another side-not; evil pieces can also undergo transformations and become mutation pieces," Ruax said. "When this occurs, the value for the piece can range from one pawn to possibly fifty-five. It's completely random, though these pieces are generally used for powerful servants. Apart from mutation pieces, there are also Unused Pieces which grow with the owners of the evil pieces."
Nick blinked before retreating to the depths of his mug. Setting it down, the teen let out a sigh, the last of his coffee disappearing.
"That's a mouthful," the demigod said.
"Moving on from evil pieces, the last two classes are Ultimate-Class and Satan-Class."
"That doesn't sound dangerous at all."
"Ultimate-Class devils are seen as heroes of the Underworld," Ruax said. "They hold power amongst the highest in devil society and have strong political power and territory in Ars Goetia. They are not to be trifled with, and to reach that rank is an accomplishment in its own."
"What about Satan-Class?"
Ruax scoffed.
"Satan-Class only exists for the figureheads of devil society: The Four Satans. Beelzebub, Leviathan, Asmodeus and Lucifer. There are without a doubt the four strongest devils in the Underworld, with two being Super Devils of all things."
"I don't even wanna know."
"Apart from the class systems, there's also the politics in the Underworld," Ruax continued. "As you said before, we have Marquis, King, Duke, Barons - all that jazz. There's also a higher-up system which implements new laws and changes or updates existing ones. That's run by the Elder Devils and some Ultimate-Class devils. Then, there's also the Great King and oh boy is there a lot to say about him."
Dawn seeped through the cracks in the curtains as the devil and human sat in silence, mugs once filled with coffee now empty and cold.
"So, that's how the Evil Pieces work alongside devil society, huh."
Ruax looked out the window as embers danced in the palm of his hand.
"Unfortunately, yes, and that's barely scratching the surface. You can tell why I wish to face the system now."
Nick nodded idly as his eyes wandered around the room.
"I'm... still not sure," Nick admitted. "But I trust you enough to not lie to me."
Ruax shrugged.
"it's really down to you," the devil said, stifling a yawn. "I'll be here for a couple of days before I go off again, so take your time."
They sat in silence as the sun slowly rose into the sky before a knock on the door brought them to their senses.
"That must be something important," Ruax muttered, getting to his feet. "See you if I see you, Nick."
Sliding a flyer onto the desk, Ruax exited the room, leaving the demigod to ponder in silence.
"...I guess I'll go home first."
"As Boss said, this is now all yours. We shall do as you say, Boss."
Ruax patted the man on his uninjured shoulder, his other arm a stump of its former glory.
"I have plans for this place, Jeff." Ruax looked around at the aftermath. "First, it needs a new look."
The man looked up carefully at Ruax, his eyes unfocused.
"...what do you plan on doing?"
The devil clapped his hands and grinned.
"Well, clean-up of course. Once that's over, we're gonna bring this hotel to heights it's never seen before. And you," Ruax looked at Jeff, "will be the one running it all."
Seeing his confusion, the devil made his way towards the elevator, gesturing for the man to follow.
"I'm a busy man," Phenex said. "And I know Richard trusted you, so you must be capable."
"Not with an arm like this, Boss..."
Ruax's smile faltered before it reappeared.
"Don't worry, I can get that fixed."
Passing the shoddy gate to camp, Nick walked the uneven dirt path towards the place he called home. Passing a tree, the teen took an apple and ate it slowly, looking around for his friends.
It was a peaceful morning, but Nick could feel the stillness in the air, the lack of insects chirping creating an eerie, silent atmosphere.
Something was wrong.
Summoning his pistol, the demigod jogged forwards.
"Guys?"
Feet moving faster, Nick sprinted forwards, his boots catching dead leaves and sticks alike as the smell of copper slowly became stronger and stronger. Smoke began to cloud his vision as the haze thickened. The crackling of fire brought the teen to his senses.
Coming to a stop in the bushes, Nick slowly parted the leaves as his eyes widened at the sight before him.
Ḓ̶̤̊̅́ę̶̛̾a̵̞̲̐ţ̵̡̡h̴̛̤
Bodies of his friends were strewn about gruesomely, their blood staining the broken furniture and creating large puddles. The smell of burnt flesh mixed with the smoke created an acidic cloud that would force him to cough violently.
The searing crimson flames reflected off Nick's lenses as he slowly stood up and walked forwards, his weapon slipping from his fingers.
Thud
Slowly looking down, the demigod's eyes widened at the naked form of one of his best friends.
"Alice..."
He fell to his knees and slowly examined her body.
Clothes were torn, face contorted in agony and desperation, the familiar smell of the succubi den's infiltrating his nose.
"...I'm so sorry, Alice... ...I-I'm so, so, so sorry..."
Ravens cawed as the fire intensified, burning everything in sight as it began to expand outwards, consuming all in its way.
"That fucking bitch... that succubus, she did this, didn't she?"
Nick's hands balled into fists before he slammed them into the ground, his tears evaporating before they even left his eyes.
Pulling out a flyer from his back pocket, a drop of blood and a wish murmured, the paper disappeared in a flash before a golden circle appeared.
Stepping out of the summoning circle, Ruax's eyes narrowed as he saw the fire.
Without a word, the devil raised his arms and began to motion towards the sky. Manipulating the flames, they listened to his desires and travelled towards the sky, creating a raging cocoon.
Gathering all the flames, he clasped his hands and condensed the fire into a small orb. Summoning the flame orb, Ruax pocketed the now solid fire and turned to Nick.
"What happened."
"The only one who could've done this would've been that succubus," Nick said coldly, pulling off his jacket. Placing it over his friend, he closed her eyelids and murmured a prayer.
Ruax dispelled the smoke in the area and sighed.
"We'll sort that out later," the devil said. "Right now, I think we need to give your friends a proper burial."
Nick looked up at the devil in surprise as he walked forwards, manipulating the air to move the ruined furniture and equipment into piles of rubble.
As embers hidden threatened to spread, the devil would disperse the weak flames without a glance before moving on.
'Judging from the wreckage around here and the corpses, it seems obvious that it was the one succubus that got away... but she didn't have this destructive power. She must've had help from somebody.'
Ruax looked around for more rubble and bodies before walking back to Nick.
"Nick," the devil said softly. "Let me move it."
The demigod's eyes were unfocused as he clawed at the debris blocking the entrance to the main building.
Slowly pushing the teen out of the way, Ruax shifted the charred wood with his hands, the heat not fazing the devil.
With a grunt, Ruax pulled the debris out and moved onto the next piece. As the devil busied himself, Nick collapsed to his knees, eyes jaded.
"Everyone... I'm sorry..."
. . .
. .
.
Thud
"I'm done," Ruax said. "Go ahead."
As Nick forged ahead, Ruax let out a silent sigh.
'Apart from the succubus, I can only think of Cody as another potential reason for this attack, but... didn't j leave him in Australia?'
The devil frowned before entering the burnt building.
Act now, think later. There could be lives to save.
"I'll avenge each one of you," Nick murmured, his eyes puffy. Removing his glasses, he wiped the tears with his sleeve.
Standing up, a solemn breeze brushed his hair to the side, ashes swirling in the wind before settling on the new graves.
The demigod faced the devil in the distance, Phenex on the phone before he noticed his gaze.
Hanging up, the devil made his way over before coming to a stop in front of the graves.
"What were their names?" He asked, voice soft.
"A-Alice, Jane, Natasha, Hendrick, James, Charlie and Jason."
Ruax closed his eyes and sighed.
"For now, let's get out of here," Ruax said. "I have nothing of value here, and – while it may seem harsh – it doesn't seem that you do either."
Nick glanced at the devil before lowering his head and sighing.
"You're right," the demigod said. "Right now, the only person I can rely on is you."
Nick's eyes hardened as he faced Ruax.
"I accept your deal. Turn me into a devil."
Ruax blinked before a small smile crept onto his face.
"Are you absolutely sure? There's no way to turn back after this."
Nick nodded.
"The only way to keep myself sane is to preserve the memories of the fallen and leave this place as it is," the demigod said.
"As you say."
A flash of red light emanated from Ruax's closed hand before his fingers unfurled, revealing a single [Pawn].
Stepping forwards, Ruax tapped the piece against Nick's chest. Frowning, he summoned another [Pawn] and tried again, only for the same result. Summoning a third [Pawn], a pulse of demonic energy resonated and Ruax smiled.
"Are you ready?" Ruax asked.
"As ready as will ever be," Nick said.
Merging the three [Pawn] pieces, Ruax placed them against Nick's chest.
"I, Ruax Phenex of the Phenex Clan, command you to become my servant," Ruax intoned, demonic energy condensing within the piece. "Rise from the ashes and be reborn in the flames as my [Pawn]!"
Slowly pushing the chess piece into Nick's chest, red demonic lightning crackled outwards as crimson flames flowed from Ruax's hand into the [Pawn] piece. Nick winced as Ruax pushed the piece further in, his teeth grit in concentration. The demonic energy in the area began to intensify, becoming visible to the naked eye as Ruax pushed the piece completely in.
Nick gasped as his heart pulsed once, demonic energy filling his being.
Magic circuits were broken, disintegrated and reformed within seconds before destructive demonic energy flowed freely. The anatomy of his body slowly began to reform and changeto adapt to his three [Pawn]s power.
Placing his hand on Nick's chest, Ruax's eyes narrowed before he sent a pulse of energy into his chess piece.
Nick gasped as he suddenly fell to the ground, weakness filling his body.
"Your body required three [Pawn]s to turn into a devil," Ruax frowned as he knelt down. "But it seems that it can't handle everything at the moment."
"And what's that mean?" Nick asked weakly.
"Your demigod anatomy is being transformed into that of a devil as we speak," Ruax said. "The [Pawn] pieces will reform your entire anatomy, changing your physical aspects. Though, I'm guessing because of your current mental state and the fact that you're a child of... well, him, I had to restrain your power."
"So I can't grow stronger?" Nick asked through grit teeth.
"You can grow stronger," Ruax corrected. "I'll release the restraints once your body can handle the strain."
With a sigh of reluctance, Ruax placed his hand onto Nick's shoulder and teleported them back to the hotel.
"We'll stay here for a day or two so you can recover your strength," Ruax said, gesturing to the bed. "Since you aren't being resurrected, the changes will have to take place while you sleep."
Nick nodded and stumbled over, promptly collapsing into the bed face-first.
"Guess I'll have to help you," Ruax sighed before walking over.
Helping the demigod in, the devil sighed as he fell unconscious.
'For the evil pieces to have reacted like that... is it because of his soul...? I'll need to contact Ajuka at some point in the future.'
Forming a dull grey circle underneath his feet, Ruax glanced at Nick, the demigod still in a weakened state.
"Ready to go?"
Nick nodded.
Activating the circle, a flash of grey light teleported the two devils.
"So, I'm a devil now, right?"
Ruax nodded as he slipped on his glasses, the sunlight above no longer hurting his eyes.
"That would explain why the sun is killing me right now."
The two devils were currently in front of a forest, strong trees surrounded in grass and vegetation with thin beams of light penetrating the dense foliage.
A breeze relieved them of the heat as they walked in, sticks and leaves crunching underneath their boots.
"So, whatever happened to Cody?" Ruax asked his new servant as they walked further in.
"...we cut ties with each other," Nick eventually responded. "After you left us in Australia, we had an argument, and he brought up some personal stuff."
"I see."
The crunching of sticks accompanied them as they went further and further into the forest, leaving behind civilisation and entering the wilderness.
"So, what are we doing here again, boss?"
"To train," Ruax replied, brushing aside his hair. "You are powerful for your age, but if I can beat you, then you still need to grow stronger."
Nick scowled. "How old are you again?"
"Ten," the devil replied.
"I can't believe I'm a servant to a ten-year-old," he groaned.
"A very mature ten-year-old who can whoop your ass in a fight," Ruax replied sharply. Even so, he grinned. "I've been training for the past three years, don't feel bad."
Nick went to retort, only for Ruax to enter a clearing.
It was a large opening with sunlight beaming at it, short grass and a few flowers littered around. Listening carefully, Ruax heard the gentle trickle of water nearby.
"Right here," the devil said, dropping multiple bags from his shoulders.
Nick placed his bag on the ground gently and looked around before nodding.
"Do you think it was a good idea to let Jeff run the company himself?"
Ruax hummed in thought as he grabbed the bag with the tent.
"I trust they'll keep it running," the Phenex replied. "Jeff may still be hurt – emotionally and physically – but he'll push through. Besides, my brother sent some people to help out for the time being."
"...right."
As Ruax constructed his tent, Nick walked around and gathered foliage from the ground alongside sticks and stones before dropping them in the centre of the clearing.
"Stupid tent," Ruax growled as he finally finished. Glancing back at Nick smirking at him, he just narrowed his eyes. "Make your own damn tent, Nick."
"Yes boss."
"Was that sarcasm?"
The two locked eyes before Ruax sighed.
"Whatever. Just get that done before I'm back. I've got to make a few calls."
As his new master walked off, Nick sighed and busied himself with his tent. Letting his body work, his mind roamed away as he recalled the recent events that had occurred.
'Crazy, to think I'd become a devil. Still... ...everyone is gone... I've seen it with my own eyes... ...camp is no more, and our teacher is dead... ...I had no where to go...'
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Nick's fist clenched and unclenched as he caught himself and sighed.
'I'll find who did this and avenge my fallen friends. After that, I'll strive to become as strong as I can for boss. It's the least I can do for him giving me a chance. If I were to stay a demigod, they would've eventually hunted me down.'
"Nick," Ruax said, shaking his pawn's shoulder gently. "You good?"
The demigod blinked before relaxing, a sigh leaving his mouth.
"I'm fine, boss," he replied, eyes downcast. "Just... ...just thinking about my old home."
Ruax frowned and left his servant alone. He had an inkling of an idea to who destroyed his home. After all, it started with a C and ended with a Y; a far-fetched idea he had, but possible if they truly fell apart. Then again, there was also that straggler...
The devil groaned as he flipped through his mental checklist of problems.
His reputation as heir to the Phenex Clan. He really hadn't thought of it, but when he returns home, the devil knew he'd be on a tight leash. To fulfil High-Class society's expectations whilst acting as the perfect puppet; it made him feel disgusted. Then again, he had yet to fix Nick's memory problem as well. Sure, he was slowly making progress, regaining bit by bit at times, but it still troubled him that he couldn't destroy the spell outright with his skills. Whoever cast it was well beyond his league, and it troubled him, for why would someone so powerful be after his new pawn?
He cast away his thoughts; a problem for another time. Now, he had to train and refine his skills as well as his servants. The only reason he could fight the succubi and incubi was because of his semi-harsh training for the last three years.
"Nick, I want you to come at me with everything you've got," Ruax said, surprising his servant. "No magic or weapons. I want a brawl, simple as that."
"Will you be fighting in your illusion boss?"
The Phenex shrugged as he rubbed his neck.
"Depends how you want to get beaten up," his King replied. "Do you have a fetish for ten-year old kids dominating you?"
Nick growled as his master chuckled.
"I won't hold back," Nick warned.
"I wouldn't want you to," Ruax said, losing his grin. "I'm testing your strength and capabilities; feel free to go all out."
The demigod nodded before he started stretching. As he prepared himself, Ruax inhaled and closed his eyes as flames began to swirl around his body. A swirl of crimson travelled freely before a golden swirl began to travel in a completely random path.
"Umm, are you using magic?"
"I won't be," Phenex said as he shook his head, eyes opening. "This is my warm-up; I need finer control over my magic whilst not using too much mana at a time."
"Can you do more then two?" Nick asked. "I mean, of the flames."
"I can handle up to ten," Ruax answered. "Anymore than that and I begin to use excess mana and my mind starts to overload." The devil shook his head as they disappeared. "Enough talking, come at me."
His glamour active, Nick cautiously circled Ruax as he smiled, watching carefully for any shifts in defence.
. . .
. .
.
'Now!'
Nick rushed forwards as Ruax raised his arm, preparing to counter. Pulling back to punch, the demigod watched as the Phenex merely mirrored his movements and met his strike with his own.
A small shockwave rattled the area around them, blades of grass moving like a gentle breeze passed through.
His arm trembling, Nick could feel Ruax's fist slowly overpowering his own as he growled.
"Bullshit strength," the demigod muttered.
Instead of replying, Ruax lashed out, kicking Nick's feet from underneath him before his knee ascended. Reacting on instinct, Nick managed to avoid the deadly attack and grunted, rolling to the side as Ruax grinned.
"Use your demonic energy and enhance your physical strength," the Phenex said as he began bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It'll take a while to get used to, but I trust you'll get it soon."
"It'd be easier if my power wasn't restrained," Nick replied. "An example would be nice though, boss."
"Coat a part of your body in your demonic energy and use it to enhance yourself. Too much and you'll hurt yourself, too little and it'll be feeble."
Darting forwards, Ruax smirked as Nick's eyes widened, a fiery crimson aura coating his fist as it was blocked.
"There's your example," the Phenex said, taking a step back as his aura dissipated. "Now, enough talk, fight."
Nick scoffed as he wiped his glasses before adjusting them. His eyes narrowing, he darted forwards and shouted as he threw a punch. Meeting his strike, Ruax brushed the attack to the side before using his servant's momentum to flip him over his shoulder.
As he fell, Nick managed to recover before Ruax pushed forwards. The devil's leg lashed out three times in succession, the demigod blocking the first two before the third broke through, knocking him off balance.
Pushing his advantage, Ruax leapt forward as his knee connected with Nick's skull. As he landed into a roll, he turned around and realised his servant was still on the ground, groaning.
"Even without knowing any type of martial arts, you're good at street brawling," Ruax said as Nick managed to get to his knees. "Anyhow, we'll stop here. Do what you need to do now then join me at the tents. You need to tell me everything you can do so I know how to best help you."
Walking towards the tents, the Phenex leaned against the bags and sighed before opening his hand in front of him. Focusing, countless embers sprung to life and began to move in their own independent paths, never once colliding.
Closing his hand, Ruax sighed before sitting down, rubbing his chin in thought.
He had a lot to accomplish, he knew that, but how to achieve his goals was another challenge altogether.
Thud
Ruax perked up, immediately on alert.
Amplifying his devil senses, his eyes narrowed as he sensed multiple approaching magic sources. The strange thing was that they felt empty yet not at the same time, creating an odd pressure.
'Five people in total... I can sense Nick not too far away, but he's surrounded, and it feels like he's fighting.'
Slowly standing up, the Phenex stretched nonchalantly as he suppressed his demonic energy, hiding his aura.
"I know you're there," Ruax said loudly. "Come out and let's talk; I'd rather avoid a fight at all costs."
Feeling multiple projectiles flying his way, Ruax conjured a simple barrier behind his back.
Turning around, Ruax frowned as various weapons of choice were embedded in his dull barrier, a deep hue of purple-black with wisps floating around it.
Looking closely at the weapons, Ruax's eyes widened as his barrier flickered dully, the energy fed into it being absorbed by the weapons. Dispersing the magic defence, the weapons fell to the ground without a sound, the grass wilting from just a touch.
"The hell type of magic is that?"
"Look, I don't want a fight!"
Nick stepped to the side as a young, tanned boy stumbled forwards, his skinny frame coated in a weak, pulsating aura.
"Your here to kill us, aren't you, filthy devil?!"
"Boss and I didn't even know there were people here!"
Dodging another flimsy attack, Nick frowned as the kid panted heavily, sweat pouring down his body.
"Kid, you can't win this, and I don't want to fight," Nick said, summoning his pistol. "Leave, and you won't get hurt."
Seeing the barrel of the gun, the boy froze, the aura dissipating feebly.
"Walk me towards where you're staying," Nick said, his eyes narrowed. "It seems I need to chat with whoever's in charge."
"Trespassing on your tribe's territory? What a load of bullshit!"
Ruax threw himself backwards as he was rushed by three men, all dressed in traditional Native American clothes.
As they approached, Ruax's eyes flashed crimson as a pillar of fire erupted underneath one fighter before he swept his arm in front, creating a wave of flames that swamped the area.
Ruax watched curiously as his flames were dispersed, the strange empty-feeling magic coating his enemies.
"Your magic is either absorbing or negating my magic," Ruax muttered as they rushed forwards again.
Meeting them halfway, Ruax dropped the illusion and smirked as they froze, the sight of a child startling them.
Not wasting the opportunity, Ruax slammed his fist into the strongest-looking fighter's gut, enhancing his blow with demonic energy.
The man keeled over, eyes wide in pain before he fell over.
"I don't want to fight," Ruax said as the two remaining fighters stared at him in shock. "I didn't realise there were people living here, and thought this would be a good place to hone my servant's skills."
"A likely excuse from the devil," a new voice said.
Leaping backwards, Ruax eyed the strange dagger where he was standing moment's ago. It was the same purple-black hue as the others.
"Glorious, even more people," Ruax sighed. "Listen, I don't wan-"
"Shut it, devil. I've heard of your silver tongue. I will not be swayed by your false lies!"
Walking from the opening, a tall, lithe teenager walked out. Her tanned skin was hidden underneath her traditional Native American clothing which struggled to contain her balanced chest. Ruax noticed it was the same clothes the men wore.
"Are you warriors for a tribe or something?" Phenex asked. "Because if that's the case, then there's even more of a reason to not fight."
Ruax created a fiery barrier, dispersing the spear hurled at him.
"Tsk! He can overpower our void magic?"
Ruax frowned.
'Void? Seems fitting for what it can do so far.'
Splaying his palm at his enemies, Ruax sighed.
"Guess we're fighting then?" Ruax asked.
"Return to hell, devil."
"I'll bring you with me then."
Unleashing a torrent of flames, Ruax created multiple magic circles behind and smirked.
"Is that all you got?"
A wave of void magic splashed over his wave of flames as the female rushed forwards, a spear of void in her hands.
"You might want to block."
Snapping his fingers, the magic circles erupted to life, beams of fiery energy erupted outwards. As the energy beams collided with the female, they were forced to a stop as void energy coated her body, growing denser and stronger by the second.
"I'll end this now," she snarled, her electric blue eyes glaring at Ruax.
Sensing her power condensing in her hands, Ruax gathered his powers before blasting his flames at his enemy. The fire raged forwards hungrily, licking the ground as it eagerly approached its target.
FFYOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!
Ruax grit his teeth as the void magic began to eat away his flames, forcing its way through as a billowy beam of energy. Nullifying his magical flames, Ruax clicked his tongue in annoyance before bringing both arms up and splaying both hands.
Instantaneously, the flames doubled in power and fiercely fought back, bringing the exchange to a temporary stalemate.
"No one has managed to stop my powers before," the female said, her body coated in void magic. "You're a threat that needs to die!"
Her magic surged and her attack pierced through Ruax's flames. Seeing his flames disperse, the Phenex darted to the side, narrowly avoiding a beam of energy.
"Guess I'll need to stop holding back then."
Rushing forwards, Ruax cupped his hand, avoiding beams of void energy as his opponent grew angrier.
Nearing her physical range, Ruax slammed his palm forwards as golden flames erupted from his hand. Trying to grip her head, Ruax's eyes widened in surprise as the dense energy around her body blocked his hand and fought his flames, holding them back.
Stepping backwards, the devil ducked underneath a swipe from her polearm before flipping backwards, avoiding a vicious follow-up thrust.
Closing his eyes, Ruax envisioned a pole of golden flames and opened his eyes. Manifesting his weapon, Ruax leapt into the fray and slammed his fiery weapon into the spear of void.
The void spear tried to consume the golden polearm as it licked hungrily against the void. Both forces struggled to overcome each other, resulting in a stalemate. Feeling his flames react strangely, the devil frowned.
Disengaging the lock, Ruax felt her foot slam into his gut as he reacted on instinct, smacking his polearm into her face.
Gasping for air, Ruax managed to recover and rolled to his feet, grinning.
The female growled as she slapped her face, putting out the lingering flame. Her cheek was raw red and had a bad burn.
"We don't have to fight," Ruax tried again. "I never intended to intrude on another's land."
"Shut it! You can't sway me with your words, demon!"
Ruax frowned as he lowered his guard and stood there, defenceless, his flames dispersing.
"Fine, then I give up," Ruax said. "Feel free to stab me or something."
'It nullifies energy, but can it nullify my healing?'
Ruax gathered all his demonic energy within his body and walked forwards, suppressing his power.
ZHIN!
"Not even a voice for reason, huh."
Ruax gagged blood as a jagged spear of void pierced his heart, golden Phenex flames hungrily flickering at the wound.
"You shouldn't have invaded our lands, devil," the female smirked.
Without hesitation, the warrior pushed Ruax over before moving towards her friends.
"Are you three alright?" She asked, worry laced in her voice.
"We are fine, Nina."
"Do not worry about us."
"Still, weren't you a bit rough with the child?"
Nina scoffed.
"It was only a devil seeking to take our souls," Nina scoffed. "It deserved to die."
"And this is why the human race is dying."
Nina whipped around to find Ruax standing there, the spear of void in his hands, the wound in his chest gone.
"Impossible!"
"Humans are fucked up, to say the least." Ruax twirled the spear in his hands. "Not to say the Supernatural world isn't as well, but you know..." His eyes narrowed. "Humans can be worse than the devil, ya know?"
Clenching his hands, the spear shattered, fragments scattering before dispersing.
"I came here to train," the Phenex said. "And instead, I was attacked without warning, and when I tried multiple times to try stop the fighting, I was ignored."
Ruax rubbed his neck and sighed.
"D-Devil! Your here to steal our souls, aren't you?!"
"Huh?" Ruax shook his head incredulously. "What era are you living in? Devils haven't taken souls as payment for contracts in ages."
"Liar! Your silver tongue won't sway me!"
"Stop repeating yourself, it's annoying."
Nina rushed forwards and created a spear of void. Leaping into the air, she froze mere centimetres from the devil, his eyes narrowed into a glare.
"I'm done holding back."
Paralysed, Nina felt excruciating pain erupt through her body as golden flames surged forwards, blasting her into a tree. The wood caved in from the force before disintegrating from the flames, leaving her laying on the ground injured as the attack dispersed.
"Short-range telekinesis," the devil said. "Quite effective as a trump card, though it's taken me two years to even be able to do that. Stopping you in place is the most I can do at the moment."
Ruax sighed as Nina struggled to stand as he faced the three men.
"Either help your ally and leave or die fighting me," the devil stated. "Make your choice."
"Surrender is not an option; your mere presence threatens our people."
Ruax stared at the man before face-palming hard.
"Why the fuck can't people just listen," he mumbled. "Whatever, I fucking give up."
Creating a fireball, Ruax began to condense his demonic energy within, the flames growing denser and fiercer. Focusing on his unique trait, the Phenex flames flickered gold, easily doubling in strength as Ruax continued to condense more demonic energy within.
"Wait!"
Ruax paused as a large group entered the clearing, noting his servant amongst them.
"I'm assuming your here to end this foolishness?" Ruax asked.
"I am very sorry for my daughter's foolishness," a man in his sixties said, the others helping the warriors. "It seems that she decided to take matters into her own hands, though her lack of experience is what led to this outcome."
"No one's hurt, so I guess it's fine," Ruax said, scratching the back of his head. "Though, I can't exactly disperse this flame anymore."
"I can help with that."
Ruax watched as the man walked forwards before placing his hand around the flames. Slowly, wisps of purple began to circle the flame, floating into the fire and nullifying some of its power.
Feeling his attack get weaker, Ruax raised his hand into the sky and cut off his demonic power. Firing the fireball, it flew into the sky, fizzling out before dispersing.
"Now, let's talk."
In response to reviews saying it feels 'rushed', I can understand where you got that from. The pace in the recent chapters was supposed to be the original pace of the story, but I decided to slow it down just for the beginning. I'm still unsure with how I want this to progress – slow or fast – but with the way I write, it'll most likely stay at the pace it's at now. Sorry for the sudden, jarring change. It's plain bad writing.
Moving on, just want to say that I'm sorry for not responding to the reviews being sent in. I've been really slack recently and just enjoy reading more than writing at the moment. It's a shit excuse, but it's all I have. So, as an apology, I'll be placing a poll up on my profile for which arc you'll like to see next. I have the current arc's base plan all ready, it just needs to be implemented.
Again, sorry for the lack of updates. Also, Ruax (Pronounced Ru - Axe) is the name I came up with. I didn't realise 'Roux' was a thing and searched it up... and promptly laughed my ass off. Honestly, the name is pretty trash, I know that myself. When I think of it story-wise though, I can imagine Lord Phenex wanting to name the child with his wife knowing it'll be a shit name lol. Anywho, if everybody hates the name, I'll think of a change.
Anyway, sorry for the wait once again and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!