The Fallen Cain
Blue ice flowers and crimson roses intertwined into something profound. I already knew what it signified. The meaning of my existence. Proof of the Rose family merging with proof of the Valenos family to form one. An ecstatic flower of vengeance had taken root deep in my heart, now manifesting before my eyes in physical form.
How much time had passed? I felt Valenos enter my body, but here and now, there was only me. This wasn't the abyss where I met my past self. It was a manifestation born from inheriting the Spirit King's will. The massive door before me was unfamiliar, yet thanks to Valenos's influence, I knew what it was. A gateway to the spirit realm. A illusory world forged from falsehoods. A mental realm shaped by Valenos's memories. I sensed it. I had to take this unmoving sphere and open that door.
Thud. Thud. My spirit-form body took steps forward. With each footfall, frost petals left traces behind. Countless graveyards of swords appeared in my wake. Traces of the countless deaths and slaughters from my past life. There was no guilt. I had merely executed traitors who betrayed humanity. They were no longer human. As a son of the Rose family, for my father's vengeance. I had simply followed the blazing, ecstatic will of the rose.
Ice petals danced through the air, crimson rose leaves drifting toward the ground. I reached out my arm toward the spherical form that represented me. A momentary panorama flashed through my mind. Memories from the birth of the legendary hero 'Rian Rose' to the present played like a montage. This sphere was me. The key containing everything I am. The key to open that massive door, to accept the Spirit King's power. I understood. By offering myself, I would take in that vast power. Incorporating the ancestor into my body. I could make the Spirit King, connected like a massive waterway, my own.
Rumble—! As I drew near, a colossal storm raged behind the door. A vortex of mana. I felt the soul of that great ancestor who had chosen to discard his human body, contract with a god, and become a spirit. This place was a mental world, yet it was Valenos's inner realm. Not me entering his inner world. I had entered Valenos's mental realm.
Click. I fitted the sphere in my hand into the massive door. A straight crack divided, splitting into two domains. Crimson roses traced green thorny vines, lightly covering the enormous door panels. The frost flowers did the same. At first, it seemed like a circular mandala, but in an instant, it densely enveloped the right panel.
Crack! The frost flowers even encroached on the crimson roses. The two energies resonated simultaneously. Red and blue powers merged, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. The crimson roses absorbed the frost's power, turning blue. Soon, the massive door was blanketed in frost, with countless blades of frosty grass sprouting over the embedded sphere at its center.
Crack! Cracks formed. Winding diagonal fissures appeared, and new icy stems emerged, weaving together. Blue roses. Led by the sphere, a single massive blue rose blanketed the door. Past life and present fused, merging the two existences into one. It was the moment the unified personality reached perfection. A forgotten memory entrusted to the gods for permission to reincarnate flashed briefly and vanished, but it wasn't important.
Rumble—! What mattered was accepting the energy from the already opened door beyond. I recalled what Valenos had said. Taking in power beyond one's level would collapse the body.
Gulp. I swallowed. No saliva came in my spirit form, but habit made me try. A being enveloped in massive frosty mana. Not in the form of the Spirit King, but as the robust old man from his human days. He didn't move. He was watching me from somewhere, but that form couldn't move now. It could only pray that my body would accept it.
With the great ancestor before me, I spread my arms wide.
"...Let's begin the contract."
*
Kalia Rune, Exorcist Branch. The exorcists' dwelling perched on the final peak of Hongyeon Mountain. That massive thing blazed fiercely whether viewed from afar or up close. ...Flames, yet not flames. Demonic corruption. The sacred sanctuary was being eroded by demonic energy.
"What happened?!"
"...Brother Lucius, where have you been?!"
"I had urgent business. But what is this? Where is Lady Sirayunsul?!"
"She's delved deep inside to investigate the cause. Lend us your power first."
Lucius grabbed the hand of an exorcist reaching over the countless corpses. Soon, their holy powers resonated, forming yin-yang. The black-and-white circular taijitu suppressed the demonic energy like a blessing.
"Nngh..."
"...It's strong. Did the demon cult attack?"
"No! We've had no reports of them infiltrating."
"That's why it's infiltration if we don't know. More importantly, what of Cain?"
His mind was a whirlwind. He had planned to request the leader of Kalia Rune's cooperation at Rowen's behest, now king of the North. But before that, he wanted to check on Cain's condition—only to find the situation had already spilled over.
"...Don't tell me Cain."
"The possibility is high."
"Branch leader! I'll go aid Lady Sirayunsul."
"You mean to block this blaze alone?!"
"Even with me, we can't fully stop it. Our holy power will deplete first. It's only a matter of time anyway. Better to do what we can now than waste energy and die."
Yes. What he could do. Regretting his past self who could have saved Kadan but didn't, projecting it onto his present self.
I've changed.
He had sworn to abandon the title of emperor and walk the path of a mere exorcist. He inherited the noble will of great Kalia Rune and accepted holy power. So he had to move. Lucius raised the pure white sword Rosmerta and chanted an incantation. To save Cain suffering in hellfire, he infused warm light.
"Om karaji ya sabaha!"
Pure white energy laced with gold surged to vanquish demons. He bent his legs powerfully and thrust forward like leaping, his body breaking the sound barrier.
Screeech—!
The sound of slicing wind parted the demonic flames to either side. Like witnessing a miracle from ancient times, the sea of demonic energy split in two. Black-white and black-red waves cleaved sharply enough for ordinary eyes to discern.
Landscapes flashed by. Collapsed buildings and walls. Burning fellow exorcists and recruits. And...
"....."
"This fucker's finally lost his damn mind, huh?"
Sirayunsul snapping at Cain, his red eyes gleaming. Her beautifully curled brown hair was alluring amid the blaze.
...But that foul mouth ruined the whole image.
"Fuck. You think your mom knows you're pulling this shit?"
"...Shut up. I don't want to know, and you wouldn't understand why I'm like this."
"Hah! Cain, I nursed you for two years. And this is how a dark elf repays it?"
"I don't know who you are. Never seen you, don't care to."
"Of course not. A brainless fuckup like you, lying comatose for two years."
Cain felt no emotion. Normally, he'd snap back yelling, but now he felt nothing. No need to. Only the desire to ravage the woman before him like a dog. The demonic seed planted in his body burst, dyed in greed. Not the cult of fallen demons, but the touch of the greed demons' cult. That dark hand stripped away the dominating holy power, revealing itself to the world. Fulfilling his weak self's desires. The demonic seed absorbed that wish and bloomed. A black flower rose.
Mixed blood of spirit and elf. Valenos's second son. Cain Valenos became a dark elf.
He felt an unknown power.
"...Fascinating."
A hazy feeling, like waking from sleep. His once rosy skin turned pale silver. He looked at his right arm, etched with red lines like tattoos. What happened? he wondered, but only a greedy scent answered.
"Your brother's king now—why're you just sitting there?"
"...Brother? I got no brothers."
"Now ignoring the one who outshines you."
"Oh, you mean Rowen? That bastard illegitimate became king?"
Pfft. Laughter escaped.
"Running to the end. Mothers differ, but you're still his sons."
"...I'm not that fucker's brother!"
"Spouting nonsense— you've lost your mind?"
"You retarded bitch?"
"Fuck off."
Silence. In that brief moment, their eyes locked...
Whoosh! Lucius appeared with overwhelming pressure, blocking their charges.
"Brother Lucius?"
"Enough, Branch Leader."
"Hah! Covering him because of that man's request?"
"...Yes."
"Listen up, Lucius. Even if Lord Kadan asked in life, Cain's a demon spawn now. One soft thought like yours could get more people killed."
"...However."
Sirayunsul gnashed her teeth.
"Look around. Top exorcists of Kalia Rune lost their lives to his awakening."
"That's—!"
"That's what? Gonna bring the dead back? We walk the wheel of reincarnation, but those eroded by demons don't return. They're treated as 'sinners' barred from the Heart of All Worlds."
So...
"I can only offer condolences for those who won't return."
Lucius fell silent. At the crossroads of dilemma. No way to restore Cain? Or stand by Sirayunsul and raise his sword? If Miyabi learned this, she'd plunge into grief again. If he killed him like this... Would Miyabi hate him once more?
"Snap out of it, Lucius."
"Sirayunsul... I..."
"If you're gonna mope, block the demonic erosion outside. I'll kill him."
Sirayunsul clenched her fist. Blazing holy power roared in her hands. The branch leader and top exorcist of Kalia Rune's exorcist branch was renowned across the continent as a boxer. Even if the punk before her was corrupted by greed demons, he was still a clueless novice who knew nothing of fighting. No need to consider win rates. Total domination.
"...Gonna kill me?"
"Yeah."
"Unfair. I didn't do shit."
"Sure. You didn't. Blame the demons. They planted the seed, and that's why this happened."
"Tch... So it's still my fault."
Sirayunsul smirked bitterly.
"Yep! So die clean by my hand."
She chanted a light incantation, forming rune language. Following great Kalia Rune's will to slay demons. Within it, an incantation for the suffering boy.
"...Don't come."
Kaboom! Dark elf power erupted on Lucius's right arm, slashing the ground.
"Said don't come...?"
Sirayunsul casually blocked the demonic erosion with a single finger's yin-yang barrier. She advanced. Simply extending a finger as she walked.
"...Dizzy."
"Using power unfit for your body—bound to happen."
"...Still feels good."
"Retard! Your head's finally fucked."
"Power I've never felt my whole life. For me, anyway!"
Lucius's dazed expression hardened, sharp fangs bared. He kicked off the ground, long claws raking the air. Jet-black demonic traces shot forward.
But.
"Told you, retard."
It didn't land.
"You're fucking worthless, huh?"