Chapter 3

“So shall we start the coronation your majesty?” Said an old man wearing ceremonial clothes giving him the prestige and presence of a high noble, he was in fact an Arch mage. And the Prime minister over the Alikhian kingdom.

“Wait until everyone is done” said the boy.

The place was the throne room inside the palace of the capital of Alikh. Many were invited to such an event.

The high nobles of the country of Alikh came forward, normally nobles would be displeased by the appearance of this said heir but it seems that the high families were corrupt at heart from the start. They came and bowed before the young kid sitting on the throne wearing the royal outfit for the king of Alikh.

They each pledged allegiance and loyalty to the new king and showered him with gifts and tokens of gratitude. This was an act of hypocrisy as they all had one goal in mind. All the nobles wished to fortify their standing in the kingdom of Alikh and were mostly trying to gain the new King’s favor.

“Now that you are all done you may commence the crowning.” Said the boy.

“Then by the power given to me and with the god’s favor I hereby declare that Jaime Ardous son of Elior Ardous as the new king of Alikh, may he live long and may he rule well”

The moment he finished the declaration he carefully held a crown that a young boy was carrying over a red pillow.

Once he placed the crown over the boy's head the entire palace broke in cheers congratulating the new king.

A man wearing black then approached the throne and got closer to the new king.

“So, Jaime. How are you finding your new position?” said the buffed man wearing black

“Hah. I have yet to enjoy it but I think that it is great. Like you said I got to eat all the pies I want!”

The man in black laughed and walked away letting the young king enjoy his crowning ceremony.

***

(Few hours later)

Mr. V was inside a darkened room where the holographic image of all the members of the Organization was shown.

“So how was it Mr. V” said Mr. E

“It went without a hitch. Our fears about Mujin and the true royal heir were baseless. Without them having control over the army or even the council of Alikh the coronation went without disturbance.” Joyfully said Mr. V

“You should still take caution, as long as the location of the real heir of Alikh is still unknown we will still have problems. Even if the higher-ups of the country are under our control we will still be encountered with opposition from the people.” Said Ms. C

“Worry not. The people themselves know of the attitude of the said prince. He is not fit to be a king and I can tell you that with our guidance we will make great use of the new king.” Responded Mr. E

“No matter. This is a great opportunity for our country. We can now expand our businesses and do as we please. And while we are on the matter I would like to request the building of a new facility at Alikh. The one we were using last time was destroyed by a failed experiment and an unfortunate outburst. We were close to finishing the serum that could empower ordinary mages and make them as strong as warriors. It is too bad that Migado died before the serum was completed. He was a fine mage and was the best at controlling metal.” Said one of the shaded personas.

“It is indeed unfortunate that we had lost Migado at that time. Mr. G, but fear not you will have your facility in no time. We just need to get over with the ceremonies and to make the king begin his duties. We also need to quench the upcoming turmoil and the eminent war that might break loose with Alsa being agitated the way they are now” Said Mr. V

“We don’t need a war at this crucial period we might lose more than we could gain. However handing over the captives will be a slap to the face of the people of Alikh. This is indeed grave. We need a solution and fast.” Said Mr. E

“If I may. Why not pin the charge over the escaping prince and make him come as the real killer of the King. This solution will do us wonders I believe. It will calm down the Alsian people and make the real prince look like he had attempted a usurpation of the throne, this will also further enhance the position of the kid we made as a king, by making the people give up on the prince. After all he is well known to be an irresponsible heir…” said Ms. C

“Hmm…It seems quite interesting Ms. C if this is done correctly we can be sure to fix everything up. Then so be it. Make the incident look like that and release the four. If they were given back to Alsa the war will not break.” Said Mr. E

“One thing is still bothering me. Wouldn’t the sudden appearance of the son of Elior be threatening to us? If he dares to claim that he was not the one to kill him?” said Mr. G

“Not at all, if we do this fast he will have the upper hand and we could remove the threat of the real heir once and for all. Not even the people will believe him if we say he killed the king and we provided ’evidence’. Make someone to be a ‘witness’ over the real incident and make them speak for what happened back at the palace. Showing that the four were only taken advantage of once they went to see the breach and make the heir the real killer.” Said Ms. C

“Women…It is amazing how fast your mind tends to work while scheming…” muttered Mr. V

To this statement Ms. C laughed and took it as a compliment.

***

I dodged to the right from an incoming swing of the blade that would have cut me in half. The devil in front of me was relentless and gave me no chance at retaliation especially when I didn’t have a single weapon to use.

“Why don’t you lay still and let me cut you down this will save us both the trouble” said the Devil.

“Like if I would do that. Your power is mine!” I said

Yet with another swing the devil lord once again almost cut me in half.

“You are distracted youngling, your real body will lose his equilibrium before we can get to the real issue at hand.” Said Drakhsis whose voice was resounding through my mind.

“Well I am kind of in the middle of something here. Ugh...” I said while dodging another strike.

“Annoying little kid.” Said the Devil then stopped moving. He flicked his sword and it transformed into an unwholesome staff that had a red jewel at the top…I didn’t know that the devourer could do that.

“Die!” said the Devil lord and with that the jewel shone bright red and the energy released from it.

Hundreds of arrows made of a dark matter shot forward, I was unable to even dodge the incoming attack as it was ridiculously fast and had a huge range.

The arrows of dark pierced my skin and with each and every one of them striking me I felt heavier to the point I was unable to move. I dropped down to my knees.

The devil lord then slowly approached saying

“Strange…your soul should have shattered the moment the attack had hit you…”

I was unable to respond due to an overwhelming pain that was going through my body.

“YOUNGLING! Get yourself together. reach equilibrium.” Said Drakhsis

“A-am I not in that mode already” I responded

“Your true body is in that state but your mind is still in chaos. Reach for equilibrium in the untrue world and you will be fine.” Said Drakhsis with a tone full of worry

“A-alright” I responded with spasms of pain running through my body.

But before I could do so I got kicked in the face by the devil lord which made me even more disoriented.

Right after that I received another punch to the abdomen and began to cough blood

“Get up youngling. The pain you are feeling is only inside your head. Do not let him break you, fight back.”

I am trying but he is not giving me a chance…if only I had one moment.

“If it is but a moment you want then you shall have it. After that you are on your own.”

A moment after that the devil appeared in front of me with the devourer back into its initial scimitar form and now coated with death magic. If the blade didn’t kill me the magic will…

Right before the blade was brought down I felt a surge of power…this feeling is familiar to what happened back then…this is the same thing that Ashura did to me so that the devil was destabilized.

Drakhsis soon appeared into the untrue world dwarfing the devil and with one strike of his paw sent him hundreds of meters flying.

A second after that Drakhsis disappeared.

“For now this is all I can do…you need to win this fight Youngling…it is a fight with yourself and a fight with it on the line.” Said Drakhsis with his voice fading in the background.

“Don’t worry old man I got this.” I took a meditating position and began to reach equilibrium.

At first I thought that this world was empty and had nothing in it but the moment I began harnessing the surrounding energy, Aura began to gather into my body. And quit easily at that too. The pain I was feeling soon disappeared and my mana reached its optimal quantity with the aura at a state equal to it.

I dispersed the excess spiritual energy and tried to reach equilibrium. Once I was in that state I felt a connection to my real body. The mind and body synced.

I heard the devil shouting his lungs out while charging at me.

His body was covered in a red hue and he looked enraged.

He jumped up and spun like a top swinging the now gigantic great sword that the devourer transformed to, down on the still in a meditating position me.

“Morfii Drakh!” I said.

…

(Devil point of view)

This damn Ashurian.

He thinks himself capable of controlling me. I, a being of magic and mana will never submit to one that is below me. Not to a human!

However the bastard is indeed strong. That attack should have killed him but not only did he resist the death magic within it. He even summoned a true dragon into my world! How? When did he meet one of them? I lost control the moment that damn brat managed to break the contract sending me to this abyss. I became blind to the outer world. Helpless and stranded inside this darkness…

That body of his is though...It is strange…how was he able to gain such a power? I still remember the moment I took over his body. He was weak. Feeble and exhausted. Now he is brimming with energy and power.

Now that I remeber,I wonder Why did they call me a devil lord? Was it because I was capable of using death magic? It is true that I can use death magic but my lords said that it was my ability…and I was deemed as an anomaly due to being the only devil under a devil lord’s strength with that power…I can’t remember my past. I only remember the day I woke up in front of our Overlord.

He said that it was the moment I was born…a newborn that has to serve under him.

But I still…

My memory is hazy…I only remember the times I fought using this blade…my soul weapon…I remember the time I fought countless battles…fought thousands of enemies…fragments of my memory are still present but I cannot make the whole picture…something is missing and this kid...every time I look upon him I feel something strange billowing under my stomach…damn it DAMN IT TO HELL!

He will die today and I shall have his body. Never will be entrapped in this place never will I be used as a power source! I am here to serve my lord. I am here to bring him this boy’s body!

My overlord went to unimaginable lengths just to rally to me the order of possessing one of the Ashurians

He thought them to be a danger to our race. And due to me being the only devil strong enough to hear his decree from well beyond the walls, I was the one entrusted with this task. A task that I will not fail.

I looked at my old friend and changed its shape. I have no idea how I still have it here but it must be because it is linked to my soul. It now became a great sword.

That damn dragon sure did send me flying. But this is my world I will be sure to defeat the intruder.

I began to run toward the feint glowing light. It was the Ashurian stilling in a position like if he was meditating.

“Even if you try you will not get out of here. Not until either I allow it or I die!”

I jumped high up and spun around maximizing the potential damage output that my sword could produce and struck down.

“Morfii Drakh” said the boy

The old words? Wasn’t the overlord the only one to be able to use them… it matters not today he dies.

My sword made contact. The life of the Ashurian should now be over…However it was met with resistance.

A second after that a presence like I have never felt before washed over me. I felt my body becoming ten times heavier.

I looked in front of me, to see what the cause of this outrageous outcome was.

The boy changed.

The one eyed boy had his hair turn to the color of ash. his skin turned pale and was lettered with scales. He grew horns and a pair of wings. One of his hands was grabbing my sword and supporting the entirety of the weight I had behind it with it.

He looked at me and said

“Surprised?”

As if he was mocking me he lightly pulled the grabbed sword with his hand

And me who was still shocked couldn’t let go of the blade and was easily pulled with it.

I was then welcomed with a punch to the abdomen, that made me bend forward from the impact. But before I could even register the pain the boy let go of the grabbed sword. And sent another punch of his other hand to my welcoming face.

The punch sent me flying almost the same distance the earlier dragon did.

But he never gave me a chance to make a breath intake as he appeared once again near me grabbing my head and smashing it down.

The damage was unbelievable.

He then proceeded into punishing me in the face.

All the damage done to me in this world is but an imitation and I cannot truly die from physical attacks but it was still painful.

A human capable of dealing this amount of damage to a devil is unthinkable.

He then stopped hitting me and said

“Now how about you become a good devil and let me use your power. You see I kind of want to leave this void and without your power the damn dragon won’t let me go anywhere so how about it?”

“Go to hell!” I said

“What a strange choice of words, coming from a devil that is” he said then he continued punching me.

I had enough. I gathered some of my mana and used my body as a catalyst to cast it.

It was sent as a shockwave of death magic but it failed to do the slightest damage to him. He shrugged the attack off like if it was nothing and continued punching me.

“It seems that you won’t be that easy to ‘convince” said the boy then he stood up

He looked at the sword still on my right arm and stomped over it making me wince and release the sword.

He took it, admired it, pointed it at me and said.

“Devour!”

The sword turned to its original form and a mouth soon opened from the base of the sword. He aimed it at my right hand and the sword ‘eat’ it without a second thought.

I screamed from pain as this time the damage was on the soul level.

“Quite a nifty trick. It seems that this thing still likes me. Although it is but a copy of the real thing it acts the same way. Now how about it, help me leave this place and I will let you live. I just need your power that is all you can do whatever you like afterword hell I will even release you once we are back in the true world after all we are no longer bound by a contract and you can find yourself another host.”

This damn human…no he is no longer a human…he is a monster.

To use a devil’s soul weapon against him…this boy is defying logic! hopwever something is bothering me...

“What do you mean by back to the true world?” I grudgingly said

“Oh you don’t know? Well it is actually a very funny story here is how it went.”