Rhenvar stood silently in her shadow; arms crossed, floating in the shadowy void as his thoughts lingered on the Demon Queen.
I bet your blood tastes bitter.
He licked his lips.
Still, you were truly a worthy opponent on the battlefield, demon queen. Smart, ferocious, and indomitable.
"Pfft, who knew you were also an idiot," he muttered, voice low and annoyed. "You should've at least used me."
He watched her cry.
Tears weren't a weakness. Not to him. When a friend cried, he would hold them close. He only hoped hers would turn into something sharp enough to cut through fate.
"…Sylvia. Willow." The names slipped out of his mouth.
His friend and his fiancée, the only two who'd ever looked at him without seeing a monster.
Sylvia was dead, murdered by Aucteros.
Her face came to him in a memory. That fake, goofy smile. The face she made when she scolded him. The way her long ice-blue hair whipped when she punched him in the face.
And then the worst memory, her body on blood-soaked sheets, the ring gone from her finger, its abyssal shadow clinging to Aucteros's hand.
It wasn't my fault. I didn't know.
He'd given it to Sylvia when she asked him to marry her.
He slipped the ring on. His hand instinctively curled into a fist.
A bitter laugh escaped, echoing through the gloom.
He watched as the demon queen gathered corpses in the courtyard. Torchlight licked the remains of battle. She lingered over Rashka's ashes.
Wait she noticed the echo?
He leaned in her shadow.
Souleater did not kill. It consumed. Sending the harvested souls to his Chaos Temple. So how did she sense- shit, speaking of souls-
He had always resisted using the sword. Only because he didn't want Willow and Sylvia to see what he really was.
There were still souls to devour. Memories to steal. Secrets to uncover.
A rift of red light tore open, bleeding crimson into the dark, and he slipped through.
****
Temple of Chaos.
The ceiling stretched like an endless void scattered with hundreds of thousands of red stars, souls he'd consumed. His domain. His home. Outside reality.
"Viir," he called.
A flicker of red zipped onto his shoulder.
"Oh, Rehpotsirhc, you finally show up again!" She squeaked. "I've been keeping our ass alive. Busy busy!"
He rolled his eyes. "It's 'Rhenvar' now, remember? Every time you call me Rehpotsirhc, it feels… off."
Viir struck a dramatic pose midair, palm-sized, crimson skin, wild red hair, glowing red eyes. Part parasite. Part little sister. All chaos.
"You know," Viir floated close to his face. "Scary shadow lady never said that ring could control you."
"I know," Rhenvar said looking at the ring. "What the fuck. Why didn't Darkness tell me?"
"We should destroy it!"
"Viir, this ring, it's bound with a piece of our soul," Rhenvar said. "It's not that simple."
"Ha!" Viir spun. "You liar, you just want to keep its cool shadow magic!"
"Well no shit, shadow magic is badass."
"But totally weak compared to our magic."
"Yeah yeah, you're the daughter of the Goddess of Chaos," He sighed looking at her. "Is the part where you're more skilled with soul magic?"
"Well I am!" Viir huffed. "Don't forget you are her son, and just like this temple, that armor and the sword. We are bound for eternity."
"How could I forget," he said sarcastically. "By the way, how's the seal?"
"Vulnerable, but holding," she chirped. "The Church nearly shattered it. And that worm Aucteros's commands were really hard to ignore you know! I had to force-feed in a frenzy just to keep it from breaking."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome, dummy." She punched his head with a fist the size of a peanut.
His hungering eyes drifted to the stars above. "I need Rashka's soul."
"Eugh. Lizard breath? Why?" She asked.
"There's something I need to know."
"Like?"
"Aucteros's plan. I think he wanted the Worldheart."
This is bad if he really is after it.
"Say no more," Viir zipped upward, plucked a glowing star, and dropped it into his hand. "Here."
"Please… just tell me why…" The soul trembled.
"Well, I never liked you," Rhenvar whispered, then devoured it. Red light poured into his eyes.
Memories surged, Rashka's childhood in the fields, his sister Sela's gold scales, his mother's smile, his vow to save their lands, his coronation, hatred, pain, loyalty.
And then Aucteros and his grin.
The truth unraveled, a plan to steal the demon queen's divine power, the key to the Holy City's Vaults, where the Worldheart had been locked away. Aucteros's lies came next. Telling Rashka its power would save his homeland. And Rashka believed him.
"Pfft, dumbass," Rhenvar muttered.
The soul's emotions clung, but he shoved them down. Absorb too many and you forgot who you were. Even with his seal, he knew that risk. Lived it. He even enjoyed it in passing memories.
The last memory ended, Souleater taking Rashka's life.
"Aucteros was a Worldeater," Rhenvar sat down.
"Sylvia called it!" Viir squeaked.
"Yeah she did. Now that bastard's in the Holy City. There's no way we can reach it in time. This world's fucked."
Willow…
Viir hovered beside him. "Won't that shadow lady be pissed? It was your job to protect that stupid thing."
"She'll probably die when Aucteros destroys the Worldheart," His voice softened. "Besides she is particularly to blame."
"True but she is bound to our soul." Viir said, tilting her head. "She'll probably survive, our soul magic is powerful."
That's why Darkness gave me shadow powers, so I don't use it.
He lay down onto the black stone floor, shadows curling around him, soothing his blood stained armor.
"Look, what's done is done. Besides we've been doing this, for what five hundred years so-"
"Rhen," Viir cut him off. "It's been a thousand years."
"Holy shit, that long?"
"Tehe~ time flies by when we had fun with the twins!"
"Dammit, I'm sorry, Willow." Rhenvar looked to the side.
"So Willow's going to die?" Viir's voice softened.
"So, it seems."
"Awe, he was so fun."
"I'm sorry Viir, I know you kinda loved him too."
Viir flopped onto his forehead. "Well, that sucks tehe~, we must stay here. So, we don't die! Mother said she made this place outside of worlds."
"That's the plan, Viir. Let it blow over and see what happens."
One red star flared brighter than the rest. It glowed more defiant than the other red stars.
"Rhenvar, cursed knight," The star whispered. "Hear my plea."
He sat up.
"Shut up, soul, or I'll eat you," Viir said cheerfully, licking her lips.
"Please," the soul begged.
Rhenvar waved his hand. "Viir, grab it, we can use some entertainment."
She fetched the flickering light and dropped it into his palm.
"…Karn," he said, surprised. "The demon queen's brother. You're still around?"
Rhenvar looked at Viir, she only shrugged with a goofy face.
"I am," said the soul. "And I need your help. Please! Save my sister. Save Sinephilim."
"I could just eat you." Rhenvar said.
"Please, hero."
"Pfft, I'm no hero, Karn."
"I saw you. Under all that power, all that rot, you're still a man. Still good. Let me speak to her. That's all I ask." The soul's voice sincere.
"Bold words. Especially after knowing what I am. Why should I help you?"
"If you could save someone close to you… wouldn't you?"
"…Yes. I think so… But one is dead. And one can't be saved."
"Let it be a last wish."
"Do you really think I'd let a soul talk to a living person? Dude. It's easier to just eat you now and I don't know, not give a shit later."
"Yet, you speak to me. Willingly. You were against the war. Against the Worldeaters. You are a God."
Dumbass. I was cursed by a Goddess.
"Us souls speak to each other, many hate you. Many pity- "
"Ok, look." Rhenvar reached to feed on the soul. "I hate repeating myself- "
"Please…"
He stopped, staring at the soul, then at Viir, then at the abyss.
Eh fuck it. I'll consider this a debt repaid for giving the ring back.
"…Fine. But she comes willingly." Rhenvar said getting up. "I can't force her; it doesn't work like that."
"She'll listen. She needs hope. Just tell her… I'm waiting."
"Whatever," Rhenvar opened a rift, red light curling at the edges. "Viir. Keep the lights on."
"You got it, boss~ tehe!" She giggled, striking a ridiculous pose.
"Heh you're so weird."