DEMON'S VIRTUE

"Is this... Is this true? Was I the Sage before?" Eiro asked, clearly stunned at this idea. The being sitting beside him slowly turned to him, "I only know your soul is a unique one, but that has been clear for a while, has it not?"

"...I guess so..." He muttered in response, looking down at his own hands, when he remembered something, "Wait, no, that... that doesn't make sense." The Demon said, "When I met those Arcane beings, they mentioned that I have one huge 'splinter'... If I was the sage before, and was then given that... leftover part on top of that, wouldn't that mean that I'd have two splinters?"

Eiro stood up and made his way over to the stage, and pushed the curtain to the side, stepping behind it. All the puppets that had been part of the play were now standing there, just staring at him, as if they were still alive but just without a will of their own. Eiro looked around, and found the mechanical doll with the wings, horns and tail and then quickly picked it up.

With sheer strength, he cracked open the doll's chest, and saw a small shard of that crystal inside of it, but that orb was nowhere to be seen. Quickly, Eiro searched for the other 'special' dolls, the ones for example representing the Hero, Holy Priestess, or Monster King, and cracked their chests open as well. There were also shards inside, but they were really a bit smaller than before. The mechanical dolls started moving their bodies around wildly when Eiro opened up their chests, until they stopped moving altogether. At that point, the shard within their chest disappeared, and another doll was given the role of the respective being.

Eiro let out a deep sigh, and squatted down to the ground, "Something is weird here. When the hero dies, the shard will be incarnated within another person born at that very moment, no matter their actual race. Elf, dwarf, human, doesn't matter... When the holy priestess dies, it is given to a female human born at that moment, specifically in the Holy Empire. When the Monster King dies, the shard is given either to the monster that killed it, or to a royal that has proven itself to other royals in combat. None of them are the same... So what are the conditions to become the incarnation of the Sage?" The Demon muttered, before thinking about what he knew of the past sages.

"So, either, a being that possesses a soul with a high connection to mana gets it, or alternatively, the splinter creates that high connection to mana... or a mixture of both, considering that many sages were part of long lines of powerful mages." The Demon whispered, trying to figure everything out, "There is no restriction in regard to race, and it's still given to a newborn like those other two... it's always a person..."

And then, another fact popped up in Eiro's mind, "Both the current hero and holy priestess were incarnated into newborns right around when this body was created. I thought it was because the former ones died together in a battle, just coincidentally around that time, but what if... these events are connected somehow? Most of the play seemed literal, like they showed me exactly what happened, but maybe that wasn't really the case? Maybe the soul that became me wasn't actively given that orb, maybe it was just a metaphor. Maybe there really was some sort of battle, and in the process... the former hero, holy priestess, and sage were overwhelmed and killed, because the sage was able to access... something. Something that strengthened its connection to whatever force it is that created or controlled that crystal mass?" The Demon turned around, looking at the being still sitting in its seat silently.

In an instant, this being stood next to Eiro, taking a look at these mechanical dolls as well, "That is an interesting theory."

"Shouldn't you be able to tell me if I'm right? If it actively happened here, then it should be something you know. Did the Hero, Priestess and Sage fight against something... powerful, before just dying?"

The being looked back at Eiro and they seemed to lock eyes, even though Eiro wasn't sure if that was actually the case, and the incarnation of the world started to speak, "Yes, but also no. That is the most I can and will say, my child."

"...But can you at least confirm whether or not I am... or rather, was, the sage in the past?" He asked, but before the being was able to reply, Eiro already buried his face in his hands, "But... shit, if that was the case, and I still have that splinter in me, then I'd have to have access to the powers of the sage, right? Except if something vital happened to the splinter and caused it to change in nature? Maybe it reset, or something? Argh fuck, this is just so confusing..."

"If you are confused, then I doubt I will be of much assistance. There is nothing I can say that will aide you anymore, at least for now." The world explained to Eiro, and he just let out a deep sigh, "I see... Then I guess I might just figure it out some other time... Maybe properly awakening my Legendary skill will give me some insight into things."

"Or the next time you come across a gateway to the spirit realm, there will be more I can tell you." The being explained to the Demon, who lightly smiled, "Well, I guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for that, then. Again, thank you for this chance, and thank you for taking the time to speak to me."

"Oh, there is no need to thank me for sparing something I have a neverending supply of, my child." The being said, and Eiro just smiled back, as something started changing in the room. Parts of the walls were cracking open, letting water pour inside. This auditorium was slowly but surely being flooded.

"Then until next time." Eiro said, thankful for this chance he was given to once more speak to this very world. He stepped off the stage, feeling the water quickly climb up to his neck. Soon, the Demon was completely submerged, and he slowly closed his eyes.

The moment he opened them again, he found himself back in the lake, in the exact location where the spirit gateway was earlier. Now, the pain would begin. Eiro felt the water around him force its way into his body, as if currents were ripping through his flesh. A cold energy forced itself into his body's center, fighting against the source of heat that one could already find there.

The pain was horrendous, it felt like every part of his being was ripped apart just to be pushed together by the current again. This was his least favorite aspect of this whole deal. It didn't take long, however, until everything was over. Eiro was just floating in the water, slowly looking up. Nelli looked down at his body, of course having split off of him before Eiro entered the spirit gateway, and the Demon let out a deep breath. He didn't want to, it was just instinct. It felt like the air in his lungs was somehow disgustingly rotten and it nearly made him want to throw up.

The demon flapped his wings for a moment and shot up back to the surface of the water, where he pushed the rest of the air out of his lungs, replacing it with fresh air.

"The fuck was that..?" He groaned loudly, all the whilst wanting to just scratch the leftover taste off his tongue. With a shudder, Eiro dove back into the water to return to Nelli and the lonely Naiad.

"So it worked?" The former naiad queen asked, "You really were able to form a contract with this world?"

"Mhm, I was. I'm now the 'Guardian' of two spirit gateways." Eiro explained once him and Nelli fused again, and the lonely naiad in front of him softly smiled, "I think I must actually thank you for taking this responsibility onto yourself. While I will miss that view into my old home, I can now at least stray from here, and go to live around that child."

"Can you do that? You're officially the 'lonely' Naiad, so won't there be something stopping you?"

"No, do not worry. I am lonely, as I cannot live with my kin, but it does not stop me from being with others. Otherwise, you and I would never have been able to meet like this."

Eiro laughed a bit in response, "You've got a point. Well... I guess I'll see you there in that lake, then. I'll come by before we really head off."

"Thank you for all your help." She said with a gentle smile, and Eiro quickly nodded his head. He swam out of the water again, floating in the air above this lake. Him and Nelli split up again for now, and Eiro slowly waved his hand to the side. In front of his fingertips, water simply appeared, transmuted from his mana.

"Urgh... Now I know how Sarius must feel... It's like you barely need me now anymore..." Nelli pointed out with a wry smile, but Eiro just laughed, "Come on, it's not like the only reason you're around me is because I want to use you. You're family, and you would be even if you had no abilities at all.. But even then, you're still plenty useful, so don't worry about that."