For Vengeance I Ascend Once More

"Ugh," a robed figure was clawing the floor with his hands as he dragged his dying body towards the corpse of a woman who lay dead in a pool of her own blood.

The glowing tiles on the floor which looked like carved, glistening diamonds, made the scene of this black-haired beauty with the light in her eyes gone while a depression could be seen on her chest, all the more tragic.

The figure of a man crawled as tears ran down his eyes. He had never asked for something as good as her. For the children that lay a few meters from his wife's corpse, but they had been taken from him ruthlessly. The eyes of this immortal being were bloodshot as he groaned and grunted from the combined ache of emotion and bodily pain.

His back was riddled with golden arrows that emitted a golden mist, glittering with bits of blinding white essence. His leg had been ripped off during the battle where he singlehandedly killed four hundred thousand of the arrogant immortals that had descended in his realm to take what was his.

However, like all men, the scene of his wife in the hands of his enemy, ravenously molested before being brutally killed, had shaken his warrior's heart.

His son and daughter were subjected to a less painful death by beheading as he was pinned and struck down by the Golden Trinity archers' arrows.

Now he was crawling like a worm while his magnificent palace that was as large as a moon, precious gemstones forming its walls, tamed lightfire spirits providing the lighting for the interior, Realm Essence being so abundant for cultivation that even his lowest servant had the strength kill a mid-rank Transcendent beast.

However...

It was all gone.

It was a betrayal.

Outside he could hear the sounds of battle as the last of his warriors were putting up a final fight against their master's enemies.

"You never knew this day would ever come, did you?" asked a voice from behind the man who crawled.

It was a figure donning a royal blue robe that was fitted with golden star-shaped studs that emitted a regal glow. His hair draped over his shoulders to his waist, its burgundy sheen complementing his crimson coloured, almond-shaped eyes.

He held in his hand, a large spear whose height exceeded his own. It continuously released bursts of white power that shook the entire palace at fixed intervals. Its handle was golden, white runic markings carved on the surface. Its blade was menacing. It was akin to a mirror, reflecting all that it faced, yet its edge being so sharp that its wielder held it away from himself. It was one of the only weapons known to be able to kill an Immortal cadre like the man who was still crawling towards his wife.

"Truth be told, neither did I. I did not think that our fates would be so cruel as to conjure such a brutal scene where I slaughter everything that you loved and you... old friend, are left to crawl on the ground devoid of the pride you once bore as King," the man said with a solemn look on his face.

"Ugh... I...You..." the man on the ground struggled to speak without looking at the man behind him.

"There is no need for words. Everything that should have been said, was said long ago. Is there a curse to spare that we haven't spat in each other's face?" the man said as he lifted the spear that towered over him, preparing to end the life of the King.

The man on the ground spat out blood, his hand merely an inch away from his wife. He knew he was doomed. But he wanted at least his finger to remember the feeling of his wife. Just a touch of her arm to carry with him where his immortal soul would be tormented for eternity, his enemies jeering over his fall.

He felt the power of the weapon above him. It could kill his body as well as his soul, with the user having the additional option of sealing the soul of the slain within the spear itself.

"Come now. There shall never be peace for you. May the people of all the realms celebrate your fall," said the man as he plunged the spear downwards to slay the man on the floor!

A barely visible stream of transparent energy streaked through the air and struck the man with the spear on his head!

He staggered, missing the body of the man who lay on the floor, his spear slinking into the beautiful floor with a thunderous crash that released a blinding light!

The portion of the floor that he stood on burst with chunks of the diamond-like tiles flying everywhere!

The man who was on his dying breath did not hesitate. Seeing the chaos, the man with the spear struggling to stand on the shattering floor, he made a final attempt at saving his life!

A dense blue light exited his body as he roared before flashing out of the palace, speeding upwards with an immense speed!

The man with the spear released a powerful wave of energy that blew outwards, forcing the caving floor to regain its sturdiness as he held onto it with his Essence!

He saw the escaping soul streaking its the sky and wore a scowl on his face. His eyes glowed with a frightening light, the space around him dancing under the pressure of his might.

He wielded the spear with his right hand and drew in a breath. He cocked his arm, the spear releasing a brilliant light as it looked like it was charging up, its blade reflecting the view of the starry sky.

"I had intended to imprison your soul, but... " he did not finish, as he immediately threw the spear with all his might!

First, it was the ceiling, the ornate materials that made its entirety burning with a flame that could not be described by mortal standards as they parted to make way for the spear's ascent!

BOOOM!!!

The roof followed, shattering with a thunderous explosion that attracted the warriors who were killing the remains of the loyal forces under the King.

The spear turned into a blur as it chased after the soul of the King with a malevolent desire!

The glimmering soul of the King accelerated, but the spear closed the distance in a few seconds, barely leaving room for the soul of the King to react!

A transparent energy streaked through the air and intervened in the nick of time...again!

It struck the spear, its course changing slightly as it pierced a portion of the soul of the King whose voice could be heard grunting as the spear passed, but he used this chance that he had been given, using every bit of strength he had to bolt out of the realm and disappear into the void!

The spear remained on its course until it lost its momentum a great distance away.

The man who had held the spear frowned and glared at the surroundings, looking for whoever had interfered. He spread his Essence throughout the entire realm in a second, catching a glimpse of a presence he couldn't identify in time before it vanished into thin air.

The look on his face changed. He softened his features as he let go of the tension.

"Even in a time like this, you still had powerful allies. A King through and through. However, you won't escape my grasp today," said the man softly as he floated outside the palace where gigantic floating contraptions floated, firing beams of searing hot energy that carved into the realm, eviscerating all those that took refuge under the protection of the King.

There was no option except death for all of them. They could only scream and beg for mercy while calling for their King. Women, children and men were all treated the same. They all burned under the banner of their King.

That day, the King fell and all that he built. All that he raised from the ground. His subjects. His family.

The man in the burgundy hair pulled out an object that he had taken from the King after the battle. It was a katana within a black, curved scabbard. On it was a crimson marking in the shape of a tear.

The man gazed at the sky and breathed out. He had almost finished it. Now all that remained was making sure that the King died.

Denva was pinned to the ground by a muscular boy with sunflower blonde hair. He felt his life fleeting, as the young man he had sought to bring down one day was on the verge of ending his life.

Five other boys were looking around nervously, watching for anyone who might pass by the bridge.

It was nighttime, the waters under the bridge reflecting the stars and the moons in the sky.

Unfortunately, Denva had his eyes wide open but couldn't appreciate the scene in the sky as he lay down, two large hands on his neck squeezing the life out of him.

His dark hair lay against the concrete messily, his hazel coloured eyes flickering with a glassy glow.

The silhouette of this boy who was wearing a fierce expression as he decisively took a life despite being only eighteen years of age, was especially unnerving.

Denva's eyes turned red as he could barely breathe. He tried to squeeze out all the World Essence he could to push off this boy, but he was too weak.

After trying to hit the boy's hands away from his throat and failing under the boy's snickers, he finally decided to try begging for his life.

"P..le...asee... sp..are... me..." he squeezed out as many words as he could as tears ran down his cheeks, regret clouding his mind. The image of his parents despairing at his death, his sister left with no one to accompany her, caused his heart to pound as he struggled even more.

All he got was a guffaw from the boy who added more pressure, using his refined control over World Essence to increase his strength.

"You should have stayed in your lane. You're going to die worthless. Your family will mourn and forget you. Your life will amount to nothing but a pathetic memory that no one will care for. You should have thought twice before antagonising me," the boy said before spitting in Denva's face.

Denva felt strength leaving his body. His last memory was a splur of saliva washing over his vision and running down his face to his chin.

Those words rang in his head as he slowly faded away.

'All your life will amount to nothing but a pathetic memory that no one will care for..'

The boy watched the light in Denva's eyes go out and finally released his grip.

"Piece of shit!" he said as he prompted his accomplices to throw the body into the water.

As two boys carried Denva's lifeless body and threw it over, another boy walked up to the boy who had murdered Denva and asked in a concerned tone.

"We won't be found out right? I can't have my family knowing about this. We may be a better-off family than most, but I can't be an heir to the family name with being an accomplice to a murder on my record, Ryon," the boy said.

Ryon watched Denva's body fall into the water and finally, faced the other boy.

"Relax, even if it's found out, who will care for some nobody whose family has nothing to its name?" Stephen said. "He has a cute sister though. When she grows up I will definitely make her one of my secret mistresses. Let's go."

The boys left the scene, most of them hurrying to get away from the place.

Several minutes after they left, a massive light flashed from the sky like a shooting star and fell into the water with a speed barely visible to the naked eye!

It travelled at an incredible speed to reach the body of Denva which had reached the very bottom.

The light pierced the body's chest and ran through the body with a soft pulse.

The pale body of Denva started to gain a bit of colour, turning from light ash to a sandy tone.

His body shook vehemently making the water squirm and bubble viciously.

His eyes suddenly opened, a faint glimmer of white light being emitted from them.

Slowly, Denva moved his body and began to swim towards the land. It was an instinct. His body struggled to keep this new life, forcing the arms and legs to push it to safety.

He reached the wet sandy ground and crawled onto shore, coughing out the water he had breathed in when he was jolted into life.

Denva lay on his back, his blue shirt making a splashing noise as he did.

His head was in a mess. Many memories tangled fiercely. Memories of childhoods, family, parents, schools, cities. Millions of memories collided making Denva groan and grunt. Blood, war, school, parents, realms, power, friends, dreams!

He clutched his head as his mind tried to sort them all out.

As they were finally arranged in a linear path, Denva finally stopped groaning and...

"RAARRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!!" he screamed with a high pitched voice that shook the sand and caused the waters to ripple. A power shook the surroundings with an immense force!

His eyes turned red from blood lust and rage!

They glowed with a red and violet hue as he gazed into the sky and opened his mouth so wide, that his face almost split in half!

A thick pillar of dark blue flame tore itself from his mouth and shot towards the sky!

Its heat was so intense that the air parted and danced in its presence, creating the illusion of warped space!

The sky darkened in reverence to the otherworldly flame that came from a boy born in a lowly family. In an unprivileged house. In a cruel world.

However, it was no longer him that inhabited his own body.

"I'LL KILL THEM ALL! I'LL BURN DOWN THEIR HOMES AND HUNT DOWN THEIR ENTIRE LINES!! I'LL BUTCHER THEM FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE! YOU DARE BETRAY YOUR OWN KING?! SLAUGHTER MY FAMILY BEFORE MY EYES?! USURP MY LANDS AND MY HOUSE BEFORE ME?!" he cried out in a hoarse voice.

The flame that had died down as he boomed, shot out from nostrils and singed the ground eliminating the slightest hints of moisture, smoke and steam tangling around the figure of the young man as he raged!

Denva jammed his hand into his chest, shattering his own ribs and grabbing his heart. The pain was excruciating, but nothing compared to what he had just felt an inordinate amount of time before.

He pulled out his heart, blood spraying from his arteries and chest as he held it above him. The red liquid flowed down his hands and fell to the ground in an eerie fashion as Denva's face looked crazed!

The heart was still giving off its last beats when Denva squeezed it and spoke in a raspy voice.

"On my pride as the King! On my Honour as an Immortal! On my pain and anguish as a... father and a husband... I WILL FIND YOU! I will avenge my home and my family!" as soon as he finished, the heart burst into a dark blue flame that burnt it with a crisp sound.

A mark appeared on his neck, looking like the conjoining of multiple rings into a complicated symbol. The mark burnt into his skin and then vanished.

Only when the heart was gone did Denva or he who inhabited Denva's body, finally calm down.

He took in deep breaths, blood coming from his mouth and nose. He felt his body getting weak.

The memories finally settled and he automatically shuffled through them.

"I see," he said. "You and I seem to have suffered a dark fate. The only difference is... you did nothing wrong."

He scrolled through Duncan's memories in a flash and witnessed his entire life; his emotions, his thoughts, his hopes and dreams.

"I am a mortal?" he said gazing at his chest that was gushing out massive amounts of blood. He felt the progressive feeling of weakness that battled against his raging soul. "Right, I used the heart."

From his soul, a powerful energy came gushing out and materialised a purple ethereal heart where his human heart should have been. It was transparent. It connected to all the arteries and veins, assuming the job of its predecessor.

Denva felt strength being restored to him. Physically at least.

He stood and looked around.

"I am within a World?" he asked himself with an unsettled expression. This detail made him quiver at his earlier rage. Had he known that he was in a World, he would have forced himself to not risk his life by blatantly emitting his energy signature through the vow he had just made.

"Dammit! I can't afford to do something that stupid again," he said with his face turning pale. His soul was screaming from the damage he had been dealt by the spear during his escape.

Within his soul, his Realm Essence was roiling, displaying the anguish that he felt.

"Can I even conjure World Essence anymore?" he said, feeling the vast amount of Realm Essence that threatened to spill out. "I suppose not. I will have to learn. For their sake. I can't allow myself to be found."

Denva breathed deeply as he tried his best to bury his emotions for the time being.

However, before he could take a step further, he felt a suffocating presence lock onto him from above! It restrained him as it came barrelling down like a bolt of lightning!

Denva's ethereal heart quaked...

Worlds and Realms.

Two different existences with vastly different stories behind them.

Worlds and Realms were divided by a massive boundary called the Ordinate Boundary.

Worlds had their own space while Realms had their own. That of Worlds called the Mortis and that of the Worlds called the Immortis.

Realms were the places where transcended beings resided. The true worlds.

Worlds were shadows. Or rather mirrors. Different realms with their eras, wars, discoveries were automatically adopted into worlds, with smaller scales.

This was the cycle.

While the Realms retained their grandeur, the worlds would be the after shine.

But for what purpose?

Why were replicas of Realms created through a process no expert in existence could control?

It was because of the Mobius of Birth. The origin of all beings.

A circular belt whose size was incomparable to anything in existence.

Souls streamed nonstop from it, inhabiting the Worlds, where their journey began. A certain group overlooked this process for millions of years. They called themselves, the Ordinals.

Worlds were considered fragile, hence this group of experts took it upon themselves to ensure that experts from the Immortis did not abuse their power when they ventured into Worlds through the Ordinate Boundary.

The Boundary itself was a way to sieve out the weak as only powerful beings could pass through it.

Denva or rather the King, stood still as he anticipated what would happen. In his mind, he was wondering what cruel fate awaited him. Why would fate allow him to escape only for him to be captured immediately?

Was it a joke?

Was it a ploy to play with his pride?!

As he stood, his heart rate was increasing while breathing accelerated, a figure descended before him.

With its appearance, cracks began to appear in space with thundering noises that caused the King in Denva's body to clutch his ears which bled and he gnashed his teeth.

A vicious wave of power emanated from the figure causing the ground underneath to burn and the waters to start to evaporate.

The King was already covering his body with Realm essence to prevent from being burnt alive. However, he discovered that the burst of energy did not harm him at all.

The power coming from the individual died down by a great degree, though the residual energy from his body still threatened to destroy this world if he did not restrain it. It was this energy that covered his being from being identified by the King momentarily.

As the waves of power receded, the face of the figure before the King was revealed.

It was a man with long purple hair that glittered as it danced in the wind of the World. His satin grey eyes had a soft glow as he gazed solemnly at the King, peering through the flesh of the young man he wore and looking at his bruised and battered soul.

His skin was flawless with a beige tone that looked like fine and polished wood. He wore a long black robe with etchings of a teardrop on its fringes, a dark suit peaking from within when the robe danced to and fro.

The King gazed at the man, and his expression did not snow joy. Even as he gazed at the man he once called his comrade in arms, he did not show the least bit of relief. His rage flared once again along with his Realm Essence as he rushed forward.

"EDMARCH!!!" he bellowed, flames bursting from his mouth as he spoke. The throat of his body could be seen burning and releasing billows of smoke, unable to take in the power of the King but the man who had just lost everything did not even flinch!

"You dare to stand before me after what you just did?!! You causally stand before me with a calm gaze, devoid of guilt and remorse after you betrayed me for my enemies?!! Was it you who led those treacherous bastards against me?!!" the King roared, flames barrelling towards the man by the name Edmarch's figure with every sentence but failing to do him any harm. They merely died down where he stood.

"Why?!WHY?! DID I NOT RAISE YOU AS MY OWN?! Did I not give you everything you ever wanted?!! Did I not make you my right-hand man and give you all my trust which I reserved only for family?! DID I NOT?!"

Edmarch remained standing with a solemn look on his face as he heard the King's words.

The King walked over to Edmarch with trembling steps and reached out his hand!

He grabbed Edmarch's robe and pulled, his arm starting to burn from the raging essence expelled by Edmarch's body. In a second, his entire arm was set aflame, the bone showing as it only remained intact after the King applied his own essence, such that his bony hand held onto the man's robe with a firm grip!

"Answer me, you Fool!" demanded the King as tears streamed down his face while he could barely keep himself together. "What did she ever do wrong to you? What sin did my children commit to face death by your actions?! WHY?! WHY would you just stand there and watch them DIE?!"

Edmarch finally moved. He held the bony hand of the King and his expression flickered slightly. His voice came from his mouth a second later, echoing into the distance.

"Even in this state you remain blind to your own faults," he said. "Your fortune is grand for me to have found you before they did. Your little display has already lured them here. Your immortal is also a beacon for them. No matter where you hide, they will find you as long as you still hold your power at its peak."

Edmarch said, much to the King's dismay. His emotions were raging. Tears streamed down his cheeks as well as snot and saliva. Who would care for basic etiquette or manners at a time like this?

Edmarch advanced towards the King.

"Freidris," he spoke the King's name, making the man shake. He held the King by the shoulder with a firm grip. "I do this to protect you. One day you may rise again. No one knows the pits of hell more than you do. Rise once again with fortune by your side."

Edmarch's fingers blazed with a dark essence as he plunged them into the King's abdomen with great force!

A burning sizzle resounded, Edmarch's hand sinking not into the King's flesh, but his soul and grabbing a hold of something that pulsed with power. He gnashed his teeth as the object he held burnt his hand, resisting what he was trying to do, but he was relentless, clutching tightly and gathering his strength.

"Only I remained loyal until the end. I hope we meet again," said Edmarch before he squeezed with all his might, shattering the thing within Freidris, the King's soul!

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed the King as his cultivation was destroyed.