Ending the War II

On an island spanning at least fifty kilometers, a massive tree with long, thick and bluish red leaves stands tall at the center. Occasionally, unknown bioluminescent flying jellyfish around the tree creating an image similar to fireflies when the cover mountain bushes.

The island is home to the royal family of Dulifica who chose to remain on the outskirts of demon continent and after 40 millennia, the island still stands tall and refuge to many demons who have been observing the Space Beasts that took over their lands thousands of years ago.

At the bottom of the tree is an open temple where the queen of Dulifica race is currently checking on a soft sac of unknown eggs inside a giant clam. Unlike a Kulfagar Demon, a member of Dulifica has better humanoid features. They have a facial features of High Elven, a neck, two limbs and four fingers, but at the back of their heads is an enlarged protrusion at least 30-centimeters long. Their lower body is that of an octopus and four more tentacles on their posterior.

The Queen slowly closed the clam as a guest had arrived and have been observing more than three minutes now. The Queen cannot tell if she is a match with this unknown visitor but the fact that he was accompanied by King Vamurus and his minions is proof that the guest must be unordinary. She cannot tell this guest’s level of power but she could feel a thin trace of bloodlust indicating the guest must have just killed thousands.

The guest is none other than Clay and he is doing his best to be respectful but is on the verge going berserk again. If only it were possible to intimidate this demon in front of him to do his bidding but for the sake saving Merea, he is ready to become a slave. He has to be patient even if the Queen before him is purposely ignoring him and at the same time he is thinking of a way to convince the Queen.

Earlier when Ver Sosa explained his plan, he told him that only a Nascent Dulifica can connect to a person’s soul and act as a temporal body to re-awaken that person’s memories on a dream-like world which they can manipulate. This illusion ability is profound which attracted Ver Sosa to pour everything he had but had been denied a chance of further exploring its applications as their mission failed in the past.

There is only one problem with this plan as Merea has been exposed to Mana which cannot be cleansed due to her current condition. Dulifica demons are Spiritual Qi creatures that if they connect to their preys on a soul-level, even the slightest mana that stays on a prolong period of time on their circulation circuit will cause that demon to become corrupted and turn into a Grublin and this is why a Nascent Soul Dulifica is needed as they would have better resistance to the corrosion.

After a few more seconds, the Queen spoke.

“Such bloodlust you have there, human. Tell me, have you come to satisfy your need to spill more blood?”

Upon hearing the Queen talk, Clay immediately kneeled and took out the unconscious body of Merea he hid on the floating island on his spatial ring.

He carefully placed Merea on the floor and protected her with his Qi.

“This woman is beyond redemption but I heard the ability of her majesty can offer salvation through illusion. I will do everything I can to repay this kindness if her majesty shows mercy on this lowly one’s request.” Clay had temporarily gained his sanity but the moment he saw Merea, the pain in his chest started to rise again. He clenched his teeth to not allow himself into desperation.

The Queen turned around and looked at the woman Clay has brought out. There is no emotion on her face and after a brief pause, she said, “Her death had been ensured. Go back, human.”

“I beg this Queen’s mercy and hear this lowly one’s plea.” Clay is still on his knees as he begged the Queen.

The Queen observed Clay’s helplessness and wondered what kind of existence Clay is to have had moved King Vamurus. The more she look, the more apparent the simplicity of Clay’s being becomes. She can tell that Clay is too ordinary who does not long fame, wealth, or power. Like a poor farmer whose life revolves on two things, he only cared about his farm and the partner he was endowed with. Nevertheless, the fact that Clay was brought by Vamurus indicates that Vamurus himself recognizes Clay’s strength and whatever their agreement was is beyond her influence.

“Even if we put her through a deep illusion, nothing in the real world will make a difference except for the gratification of your selfish desires.”

“I beg this Queen’s mercy and hear this lowly one’s plea.” Clay did not move and begged again.

“Even she has stopped resisting. You are only prolonging her agony.”

“Please, I beg this Queen’s mercy and hear this lowly one’s plea.”

“Nothing you will say will change my mind. Go back, human.”

Clay’s eyes are dimming but he still begged. “May this Queen take pity and heed this lowly one’s plea. If there is something this Queen desires, I will use my life to repay her benevolence.”

“I know this is difficult but go back, human. Return to your friends and they will you move on.” There was a slight pause before the Queen responded. She does not know much about humans but she had seen enough during her visits on the other side of the world.

Clay is still on his knees and is looking at Merea body. His eyes are dead and every time he does not hear what he came for, a portion of his aura is being released.

The Queen on the other hand was shocked when she felt ripples of aura coming from Clay and the moment she felt the condensation of Fire Dao, she now understood why Vamurus was cooperative with this human. She watched as Clay slowly rose to his feet.

“Tell me, oh Queen of Dulifica. What is thy desire and I will use my life in exchange.” Clay’s eyes were empty as he faced the crimson eyes of the Queen. He stood like a reaper like hell. He did not want to resort to violence but if this is how his wish will be granted, then he will move to threaten the Queen. Clay is still doing his best to control himself but a cold and murderous aura is starting to emanate from.

The queen was calm and faced Clay’s mercurial temper and domineering aura. Unlike a fearful and defensive action, she stood and treated the imminent danger like it was nothing. As a wise leader, she has a full grip of her emotions and was not easily swayed even if it means her life.

“Life and death has been predestined. I am unable to stop you and I don’t wish to fight you, human and you may turn our home into a sea of blood if you wish to. Our kind has killed millions in the past and planted and unforgivable karma. If my generation has been destined to reap the consequences of our ancestor’s mistakes, then who am I to resist. But know that even in our deaths, you will still not be able to save your most cherished one. Go back, human” The Queen slowly responded.

The Queen can already tell she is no match with Clay but unlike King Vamurus, she had long conquered her fear. She fears no one to the point that if this visitor would wreck havoc to their home and kill everyone, she would embrace death like she had been ready for a long time.

“Please don’t make me force my hand.” Clay fell into further desperation as his move of threatening the Queen is not striking fear as he intended. But he still he still hopes he can bring the Queen to her knees and force here to do what he wants.

“Remarkable how think threatening me will make a difference. Those space beasts have taken over our lands and to this day, they continue to destroy our lands that not a day of our lives do we worry about being exterminated. We have embraced death even before we are born.

You on the other hand is so young yet blinded by naivety. Learn to accept reality. Since you are so keen on using force, do it. If killing us will cause you to open your eyes, then I can only pray that you may find solace in the agony brought about by your own folly.”

*Swish

As soon as the Queen finished her sentence, Clay had already materialized a sharp tentacle made of his Qi which rapidly moved to pierce the Queens head however right before it could land, Clay stopped. The sharp edge of the tentacle stopped a centimeter before the Queen’s crimson eye.

The Queen did not move and did not even form a Qi barrier to protect herself. Her entire being was calm even in front of such terrifying killing intent and was willing to embrace death. And now seeing that the deadly attack did not finish her off, her emotions remained undisturbed.

“What you can do is give her a nice burial.”

The Queen turned around and slowly walked towards her chamber.

In the mean Clay fell on his knees again. If only killing everyone will grant his wishes, he will turn the island upside down. If only it were possible to give Merea one of his lives, he will do it in an instant. If only it were possible to turn back time, he will have had headed back home and protected Merea.

Clay’s mind is being filled with self blame and wishes he will never have. He refused to accept Merea’s ending.

As he watch the Queen walked away, he wanted to crawled and begged one more and promise to become their slave. If only there is something he can do to convince the Queen.

“You said you live in constant worry because of those beasts. If I help you reclaim and restore your lands, will you then change your mind?” Clay is on the verge of mental collapse and hold on to remaining threads of his sanity and tried to convince the Queen one final time.

The Queen stopped her tacks and after slight pause, she said, “There is a limit to your foolishness. Go back human and move on.”

The Queen was confident Clay does not have the courage to spill blood however she felt something pierced her from the back.

*Zsssskkkk!

Clay could no longer stop himself and extended his aura and penetrated the defenses of the Queen.