Chapter 6: Risen
Jervaintus approaches the gatekeeper, the creature looks at him. If he had eyes, he would give him a mile long stare.
"What purpose do you have here to approach me, mortal?" His ominous voice echoes throughout the abyss.
"I seek passage out of this realm, watcher." Jervaintus looks up at him with great respect.
"I see that you have taken over as lord of shadow. However, I cannot let you pass." The gatekeeper says.
"Am I not a lord of this realm?" He presses the matter.
"The other rulers will have my hide if I let a soul pass back into the living." The gatekeeper stands firm on his decision.
"And what makes you think I won't have yours, you stinking bird." Jervaintus draws his blade.
The gatekeeper breathes a heavy sigh and thinks of a compromise.
"Bring me a soul that is of equal to yours, and your debt is repaid." The gatekeeper strikes a deal with him.
"I have a couple of pathetic pieces of shits in mind. So, what's the catch?" He shows his cunning.
"The other two lords will sense your escape and will hunt you down." He tells Jervaintus.
"Good. Saves me the time to hunt them down in the future." He tells the gatekeeper happily.
Jervaintus passes through the gate and gets transported back into the living world. He nearly gets motion sickness from the sheer pulling force of the portal. He looks around and realizes he's near his death site. The grass around him is burnt into a black crisp. He remembers Godfrey appearing at the last moment to help. He wonders how the battle went when he fell. He decides to travel back to Jyus'Shin and check up with Joventrius.
The journey takes him several days but as soon as he reached Jyus'Shin, he sees the city is burned down in flames. The once holy capital of the world is now a pile of cinder and ash. Every single building burned down into the ground. He can even see piles of burnt bodies across the fields. Whatever happened here, the Jyus Society was absolutely destroyed. One thought now crosses his mind, Sirena. First, he needs to contact General Durkins about her whereabouts.
As he prepares to leave, he is surprised by a host of demons he haven't seen before.
"These could be the servants of the other two lords. I'm not sure which." The spirit of vengeance tells him.
"They look like fiesty little fellows. They are perfect opponents for my first battle on my first day back in the realm of the living." He draws his blade and taunts the creatures.
They all jump at him but he uses his new powers to meld into the shadows, confusing the creatures. His hand reaches out from the shadow and drags one demon into the ground, crushing it and removing its skull and spine from its body. He experiments with his new powers and slashes with his sword in shadow form, cutting a couple of the demons in pieces. He is forced back up and is panting heavily. It will take him some time to acclimate to these powers.
The demons take this chance to pile on top of him, which they succeed. He focuses his vengeance onto his sword and cuts his way out of the pile. The feeling of his blood rushing through his body gives him his second wind and his eyes turn to that shade of blood red once more. He slays the demons with inhumane speed and bathes in their blood while doing so.
After the battle, he investigates the demons further. He reckons that they are partly responsible for ransacking the city.
"Spirit, do you know of the other demon lords?" He asks.
"I'm an aspect of you. Basically, I know as much as you know." She replies.
"Fair point." He investigates the scene further.
After a thourough look around of the ruined city, he decides to journey to Valorfell, the capital of the kingdom of Hozran. It's been years since he has returned to that place. Plenty of memories, wanted and unwanted lay there but there is a much more urgent task at hand: to find Sirena and prepare against the other demon lords who will surely track him down.
It takes him weeks, as he faces small packs of abyss demons on his way there. They broke off from the main army after the attack on Jyus'Shin, he concludes. He finally approaches Valorfell. Heavy military garrisons are stationed around. He sees a union of Jyus and Agnaum soldiers stationed with the Hozran soldiers. He approaches the gates which captures the gaze of nearly everyone near him. He gets stopped by a small force of spearmen followed by their captain.
"Identify yourself, stranger." He asks.
"It is I, Jervaintus." Jervaintus tells him.
"Impossible. He is dead, the general saw him get cut down by the demon lord." He is unconvinced with that answer.
"Can I see the general, please." Jervaintus hides the frustation in his voice.
"You cannot. You are a stranger in these lands, and you smell of demons." The captain holds his stance.
"I am no stronger, I tell you, senile old fool. I AM Jervaintus. I served in this army for years before I left." He draws his sword at the captain and the guards point their spears at him.
"Your anger will be the death of you, fallen knight." The spirit advises him.
As they are about to confront Jervaintus, General Durkins sees the scene and tells them to stand down.
"Who is this man?" Durkins asks the captain.
"I'm not sure sir. He claims to be Jervaintus." The captain reports.
"Oh no, not you too." He face sighs in disappointment.
Jervaintus removes his helmet for the rest to see. His pale skin, dark hair and bright green eyes is enough to convince General Durkins but he is still hesitant,
"But we all saw you die. How is it you survived?" He is astonished.
"My soul was claimed by the abyss and I fought my way out, slaying every demon I came across. Especially the demon lord that killed me. Now I inherit his powers." Jervaintus explains.
"Impossible, no mere soul can escape a place such as the abyss." One of the soldiers comment.
"I am no mere soul, you incompetent spear boy." He lashes back at him.
"Okay, that is the Jervaintus I know. Cold, and straight to the point and castrates people with his insults. Follow me." Durkins beckons him.
The two enter the city and the citizens gather around them. The nearby guards organize the people, telling them to make way for the general. They enter the castle to see the other rulers and their closest advisers consulting a strategy. Jervaintus catches Sirena's attention, which makes her run toward him. She locks him in a tight embrace, muffling her sobbing on his shoulders. Joventrius immediately speaks,
"In the name of god, how is it you're alive." He demands an answer from him.
Joventrius consoles Sirena, he hugs her back and strokes the back of her head.
"I escaped the asylum of death known as the abyss." He stares a hole through the Jyus ruler.
"We are just about to take this meeting to Jyus'Shin so we can consult their texts on the demons." Whittham leans on his cane.
"So you are not aware?" He lets go of Sirena and approaches the rulers.
"Aware of what?" Algis leans his head.
"The demons destroyed your kingdom, Joventrius." His voice echoes throughout the halls and become the words of doom to Joventrius.
"What?! You must be out of your mind. The best mages in the world defend the holy capital! It is impossible for the demons to even breach the city walls!" Joventrius slams his hands at the table.
"The city lies in ruins, your citizens are dead and sacrificed as if to appease their masters, you fool! Whatever sacred texts that could turn the tide of the war against the demons are burned. Which leaves one question for each and every one of you. Where has this legendary man gone? Where is Godfrey of the fire?" His voice commands them to answer.
"H-he went to aid the defense of…" Joventrius' voice trembles as his heart aches from the lost of his people.
"He is not the god he claims to be." Durkins says.
"Everything is…lost…" Joventrius slowly walks back to his seat.
"I have survived the abyss, my lords. I have taken the power of one of their rulers. I do not know what the power in my blood contains but I will not let this world be ended neither by the shadow…nor the flame" He looks at Sirena who is still speechless.
"As always, you surprise us all. Exceeding our expectations every chance you get eh, boy?" Algis praises him.
"And what about Godfrey…" Joventrius is fuming with anger from his betrayal.
"I will slay him as I did the demon lord. But not before he…atones for his sins." Jervaintus reassures him.
"If I may suggest…" Whittham comes up with a great idea to help him.
He approaches and explains to them all of a plan to immensely help them all in the quest to defeat the demons and confront the demi-god warrior. Jervaintus jumps in excitement for this idea. They prepare to make a journey to Agnaum's capital city of Pirhya.
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