Chapter 970 Fear
Chapter 970 Fear
"Your name is Seraphine," said Arthur after a moment. "I don't know how, but I knew that name the moment I entered your world."
"An inner world is the closest thing to a person and their soul. If someone enters an inner world, they would learn something about the owner. It can be a name or a secret that no one knows."
"Is it something rare for a person to have?"
"As I have said before, if you have one, you are either a demon or a god," said Seraphine as she stared at him with red eyes surrounded with black. "If you proclaim to be neither, then you know very little about yourself."
"Do I look like either?"
"Looks can be deceiving," said the demon as she raised her hand and the black mist conjured around her. Then, Arthur witnessed how she turned into a woman, a man, and a bird. "Once someone masters their world, he is no longer bound by the outside world and its laws."
"Is that what makes demons so loathed?"
"It is one reason," said the demon with a smile as she returned to her original appearance. "We have been accused of taking many forms, leading humans to sins. Demons have been the symbols of evil since the dawn of time."
"Is it true?"
"In some cases, it is," said Seraphine without denying it. "I know some demons who were even worse than our reputation and some who never hurt a soul. We are no different than any other race, but sometimes we obey when the world demands we turn evil."
Arthur could sense a tone of sadness in her voice, even though the demon kept a smile. Judging by what he had seen, her words were not far from the truth. Humans chased her down and then acted as if she was the one to invade their land.
"This is the verdict of the gods, and this is the reason demons have a single goal: to kill every god. You better tell me where to find one, Arthur Silvera."
"It would be my pleasure," said Arthur with a smile as he sat on the ground. "You can just wait here. A god will be here soon."
"…what?" asked Seraphine with confusion that turned into rage, thinking that Arthur had deceived her. "Do you know what happens to those who enrage a demon?"
"Something a lot better than those who enrage me," said Arthur with a shrug before patting the ground beside him. "You can have a seat and wait. A god will be here soon."
"…how do you know that?" she asked with doubt once she saw that Arthur was not leaving and seemed confident. "A god never waltz into a lower realm without reason."
"I am the reason," said Arthur with a grin as he turned toward her. "I caused some chaos inside this tower, and a god will be sent here to kill me. However, I have no plans to die."
"Are you using my hate against the gods to your advantage?" asked Seraphine with surprise. "This must be a first, and I cannot say that I hate it. I came to this tower to kill a god."
"You are in luck, then. I am best known for being a gods magnet. I am the flame, and the gods are moths. Stick around, and you can have your collection of gods."
"Hahaha," laughed Seraphine on a rare occasion that surprised Arthur and herself. "I have a special appreciation for jokes about the gods."
"I must admit that demons are a little different than I have imagined," said Arthur with a raised brow. "And yet, the gods were just as I imagined them: condescending and manipulative."
"Not all demons are like me, and even I treat humans with hatred," said the demon as she crouched to the ground and sat down. Arthur looked at her, gazing at the forest while admitting her fault. "Our hatred has transcended space and time. It has been rooted into our hearts."
"I understand that gods influence humans, but who can influence demons?"
"Demons are prone to hatred more than any other race. We have been hunted down, chased out of our worlds, and killed whenever we appear. We have always been the evil outsiders."
"I know how that feels."
"This is why I sit here and tell you these things," said Seraphine as she turned toward him. "You are neither a human, a god, or a demon. I sense that you have all three within you: a human body, gods' powers, and a demon's mindset."
"Mindset of a demon?"
"A certain defiance that only demons can have," said Seraphine as she gestured toward the red particles that were once humans. "All these warriors came to fight for someone else, as all humans do. Some would defy other humans to be themselves, but demons have to defy the world. I can tell that you are like that. You were born to defy every common sense like your black lightning."
"I never wanted to do that. It was thrown at me when I just wanted to survive," said Arthur with a shrug. "You might call it defiance, but I just feel like I am following a certain path that has been chosen for me long ago."
"Even if there is something as fate and destiny that a higher being has set," said Seraphine as he clenched her hand into a fist. "We must break those shackles and create our own. What would be if that isn't the point of living?"
Arthur looked at her with raised brows as he watched the light in her eyes swirl, wanting to break free. Then, the two of them heard distant noises, making them realize that something was coming.
Seraphine was the first to rise, while Arthur remained seated. The noises were closing in, and the ground began to shake. Arthur could hear the distant cries of men and the clinging of armor. The two were surrounded by almost ten thousand men in a few minutes.
"It seems that we are getting a warm-up before our fight with that god," said Seraphine as she raised her hood and hid her face. "This army is here for me, so don't interfere."
Arthur did not reply and instead looked through the crowd. His eyes fell on a giant wagon that had a throne atop it. It was pulled not by horses but by humans. Sitting atop the throne was a half-giant with a big beard that reached his chest, who smiled at them through his yellow teeth.
"I found you, demon!" shouted the half-giant as he spread his arms and rose from his throne. His mouth opened in a grin as his eyes lit with joy. "Romeo has done well! Even if it has cost me a thousand men, it will be worth it once I drink your blood!"
"Why does he want to drink your blood?"
"He would become blessed by the gods, bestowing him with strength and a holy aura," said Seraphine as she turned toward him with a grin. "Are you tempted now?"
"Just tempted to smash his face," said Arthur as he rose from the ground. "That man should be Vesper, the lord of this town. I wanted to take down his army piece by piece, but he rushed his fate."
"Not all fate could be broken, it seems," said Seraphine with a smile as red mist leaked from her body. "I fear that no deal would let me spare them."
"I never intended to dissuade you from that," said Arthur as he stepped forward. "Just let me offer them a choice first."
"You dare ignore me?" said Vesper with rage. "I will tear apart your limbs, and let me see how you would ignore me then. I gathered ten thousand men from every town on the first floor to capture you! There is no place for you to escape my wrath now!"
"Wrath?" muttered Arthur as he walked toward them, his eyes staring at the half-giant with amusement. "You think that you have seen real wrath?"
As he asked, Arthur raised his hand. Black lightning crackled around his body as a colorless flame was conjured atop his hand, growing with each passing second. Then, the lightning started gathering around the flame, forming a sphere with the flame in the center.
"Let me show you what real wrath is."
"Who the hell are you?" asked Vesper as he stared at him before glancing at his flames. Then, he smiled. "You are the other newbie with the black lightning. Do you think I would be intimidated by someone who entered the tower two days ago?"
"Fear is not degrading because it keeps you alive," said Arthur as he stopped walking and turned toward the rest of the army. "In times where you face an opponent you should not provoke; fear keeps you alive."
Arthur then grabbed the black flame and clenched it, letting it explode in his hand. The sound deafened the crowd as countless wrathful sounds echoed in their ear. As they stared at the man in their center, their instincts screamed the same: run!
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