The villa was quiet now, bathed in the golden hue of late afternoon. The boy still fumbled with the minor manipulations I had shown him, sparks of light dancing across his palms. His persistence — clumsy as it was — reminded me that potential was never about ease; it was about endurance.
I stepped closer, letting the soft hum of my aura envelope him. "Enough for now," I said gently but firmly. "You need a name. I do not know what to call you if I am to guide you properly."
He looked up, dirt-streaked face smeared with tears and soot, and whispered, "I… I am Kael."
Kael. Simple. Strong. No titles, no weight of nobility. Perfect. I nodded, golden eyes softening slightly. "Kael," I repeated. "Remember it. You are mine to guide, and the world shall remember your name one day. But that time is far from now. For now… survival and understanding."
His small nod was hesitant, but the resolve in him was beginning to form. I could feel it — the faintest flicker of circuits awakening beneath trauma and fear. That flicker was the seed of potential.
Nightfall in Arkion brought a different tone — the city's lights flickered against a sky still faintly streaked with smoke. I sensed disturbance before I even heard it: unnatural, tainted circuits moving through the city like venom.
"The cult," I murmured. Kael stiffened beside me. "They call themselves the Obsidian Veil. A shadow across the continent, dedicated to summoning demons using human sacrifices. They are organized, ruthless, and arrogant. And most importantly — they are ignorant."
I extended a hand, allowing the golden light to shimmer and wrap around him, not for protection, but for guidance. "You will accompany me tonight. Watch. Learn. This will be your first real training."
The boy's eyes widened, fear mixing with anticipation. I didn't soothe him — I never did. Fear was clarity when properly channeled.
We moved silently across the rooftops, the city beneath us oblivious to the invisible predator above. Soon, we reached the location of the most recent disturbance: a ritual circle half-completed, runes glowing faintly in a sickly green aura.
I crouched, letting my wings fold behind me. "Observe. This is how those who play with power without understanding die."
The air shifted suddenly. From the shadows, three cultists emerged, chanting in unison, their dark circuits flaring as they attempted to call forth a minor demon to the living world. I could see the tension in their stance; their confidence was misplaced.
With a flick of my hand, the golden sword materialized from thin air. "Revelation." The heavens answered, and a blade of pure light descended in a silent, majestic arc. The cultists were disintegrated before they could even scream, leaving only a scorched mark on the ritual circle. Kael flinched, but his eyes were wide, absorbing every detail.
"Do you see?" I said softly, allowing the glow to fade. "Precision, timing, understanding. Power alone does not make one supreme — only knowledge, and the ability to apply it without hesitation, does."
Far away, in the grand halls of shadowed fortresses, the leaders of the Obsidian Veil convened. Each representative wore a ceremonial mask, the dark circuits of their body glimmering faintly.
"Who or what killed Demetrius?" hissed Lord Valthera, a lean man whose aura could freeze men in place without a gesture.
"The reports… it was a being of light," another replied, trembling. "Golden wings, a sword from the heavens, and… children in his custody. None survived his judgment."
"They call him Alzwalt Light," a third added, the name spoken like a curse.
A heavy silence followed. None could disagree — the threat was real, but none could even gauge the extent of his power. "We must strike together," said High Priestess Maelith, her silver eyes gleaming through the mask. "We summon all factions of the Obsidian Veil to plan. He is too strong for any single group."
The conclave agreed. Maps were unfurled, strategies debated, and emissaries dispatched across continents. Every stronghold of the Veil was mobilized. They whispered darkly of golden wings and impossible swords, each story adding urgency to their planning.
The Sixth Hell-
In the demonic realms, the consequences of Demetrius' demise began to unfold. The 6th Hell — the Infernal Court — now leaderless, was a realm of chaos. Lesser demons began crossing into the living world unchecked, a tide of malevolence spilling into the mortal realm.
From above, the 5th Hell's warlord, Ashtorin, observed, snarling in frustration. "The balance is broken. If the 6th falls, the 7th will rise to claim dominion."
Meanwhile, the 7th Hell's demoness, Zythera, watched the empty portals with keen interest. "Interesting. The being of light destabilized the hierarchy… yet he is still alive in the mortal plane. This could be… profitable."
Chaos rippled among the lower demonic ranks. Entire factions scrambled, some attempting to enter the mortal plane without guidance. Alzwalt's actions had created a vacuum of power that threatened to spiral out of control — and yet, he remained unseen, untouchable, and unchallenged by mortal eyes.
Back in Arkion-
I observed all of this without leaving my villa's balcony. Golden light traced the edge of the city as I sipped tea, Kael practicing minor energy manipulations by my side.
"The Obsidian Veil will convene," I murmured. "They will underestimate the consequences of my actions. A demon lord slain. Their influence fractured. The living and the dead tremble, and yet… all of this is a lesson in potential, control, and strategy."
Kael glanced at me. "Will they come here?"
"Perhaps," I replied. My eyes narrowed slightly, thinking not in fear, but in calculation. "But Arkion is mine to observe. If they come, they will do so on my terms. And if they fight, they will learn — nothing escapes the light."
I let my gaze drift over the city once more. Every noble, every guardian, every merchant, every weakling, and every predator in Arkion — each was a pawn on a board only I fully understood. Kael would learn this. Every action, every reaction, every possibility must be accounted for.
The shadows of the world were moving. The Obsidian Veil was plotting. Demons were restless. And yet, I smiled faintly. This chaos — this "lesson" for all of them — was merely the opening act.
"Tomorrow," I murmured, "we begin training in earnest. You will face demons, Kael. You will learn to command circuits, to understand energy, and to endure. And the Obsidian Veil will be the first of many challenges."
The golden aura around me pulsed slightly as night deepened, a quiet promise of power, strategy, and reckoning.
In the distance, I could feel the stirrings of demons crossing into the living world from the 6th Hell, a reminder that the stage was set. The world was chaotic, yet ordered — as long as Alzwalt Light watched.
And I would watch.