A Mondra.... A very powerful living sentient armament.

Is that enough? Would it be enough?

Mondra is a symbol of hope. Created for the sole purpose to battle against the Void Demons who are deemed immortal.

But.... at most, Mondras could only wound them. They weren't strong enough to kill an otherworldly entity who aren't bound by most of the logic of this world.

Therefore, would this be enough? What if I encountered another one of them? Knowing my luck and my so-called bound destiny, I would definitely encounter them again. What then? Wouldn't the same thing just happen again?

It might be different though. We have a S-rank Nephilim on our side now. The outcome might be different.

Yeah, it will. It has to....

....

No. I can't lie to myself. No matter how much I want to deny it, the fear has rooted itself deep inside me. The fear of loosing everything that matters to me. My intermittently trembling hands are the prove of how far and deep the fear has seeped into me. It is called trauma for a reason but what exactly is my trauma? The Void Demon or loosing the ones I care for? Or both? Or was it something else?

Aaah..... I don't know. My fear is too broad of a subject.

But that's not the topic as of now.

Would a Mondra truly be enough? What if I end up regretting for not putting anymore effort into it? What if in the near future, a tragedy could have been avoided if I wasn't such a coward of wanting more power?

Coward or not, the truth lies bare.

A Mondra wouldn't cut it. I need something more. Something that would even bring terrors and shivers to the aberrant Void Demons.

An unstoppable weapon that could strike down anyone who stands in my way or try to hurt my family and friends.

A weapon..... a sword?

A blade? Just like the first thing I wished for when I got pounded by a Wight. A blade.

Yes. A blade. I need such blade. A blade that can cut down anything and if I will it, even reality itself. I want a blade that could cut existence itself. A blade that could kill literally anything.

Yes. Yes. Such weapon would be perfect. Absolutely. An absolute tool of destruction. An end bringer for every entity.

[Don't.....]

Hmm? Who's that? Did someone called me? I hear it but it was a faint echo. I couldn't quite pick up the words reverberating from somewhere. When I focus my ears to catch the fading voice, there was none. I didn't hear anything.

No. That doesn't matter. Concentrate on the present. Focus on what's in front of me. Stop reminiscing about the past at every moment. Focus, me. Focus on the current issue. Don't day dream. Focus.

Focus on creating the one weapon that I desire.

I need to create a weapon that could destroy and annihilate my foes.

Was that too harsh?

Neh. In this world full of magic, nothing is too harsh even without taking the Void Demons into account.

While I'm thinking that, I'm hit by a dread like a wave just washed over me. I shivered to that but I recovered fast. It was a dread filled with all sorts of negative emotion. I felt sadness, despair, anxiety, betrayal, anger, you name it. I wonder why was I hit by such dread.

Anyways, I pour my concentration into the creation of a Mondra that stood above its other peers.

I can see it. I can feel it. A sword slowly manifests itself into my mind. I'm able to picture it clearer and clearer. A greatsword with a blade dyed in platinum black. I feel the immense destructive force coming from the blade. It made my hairs stood straight.

I had a feeling hat if I swung it, even reality itself would tear up.

But...

It's not enough. This is still too weak.

Stronger. Stronger. This is too weak. Need to be stronger. At this level, it wouldn't change anything.

No. It's enough, Hyx. It's more than enough.

This voice.... it's Kai's but why.... why is he interfering? Does he not not realize the importance of my work here?

No. It's not enough. It's good enough for a Mondra but it wasn't enough for a Void Demon. It needs to be stronger.

I told him, the obvious truth.

Stop this, Hyx. You're hurting everyone and messing up everything.

Am I? I am, aren't I? But.... This is necessary. Compare to what will happen in the future, this is nothing. I have to make sure the future is safe. I have to do this..... Otherwise, if that happened again, everyone would die..... A simple Mondra is not enough. This one needs to be different.

Hyx, calm down. You doing it again. You loosing yourself. Hyx. Listen to me! Enough.

Shut up!

I screamed back.

It is not enough. History will repeat itself. It will. Right here, right now, this is a chance for me to make sure it doesn't. I need to do this. This weapon right here, is my insurance.

Do you understand, Kai?

I asked but there was no longer any voice coming from Kai. I don't know why but I think he either gave up or I unconsciously pressed the metaphorically mute button.

Suddenly, images flash into my mind. The images are of the death of everyone around me. One particular image stood out among the rest. It is an image of Tom. While being surround by the corpses of my cherished ones, Tom stood in front of me. His whole body overtaken by the Void. Dark purplish veins encroached his entire body. Although he looks like Tom but from the demeanor alone, I can discern the true identity of the one wearing the skin of Thomas Atlas.

Aedrox.

Normally, I would be in the depths of fear and pit of despair from witnessing such scene but this wasn't my first rodeo and something like this is nothing but a recurring nightmare for me. Ever since I got the clairvoyant skill, I have nothing but premonitions, extremely terrible ones. Which is why, I was calm in facing this peculiar situation.

Nevertheless, I would not allow this to become a reality.

I can't. I can't let it happen again. I need to create a weapon that kill even an aberrant among absurdity. A blade that could cut the illogical. A tool capable to deny such existence.

As the dark reality began coming true, a loud voice intruded the dreadful peace.

Hyx. Don't do this! This isn't you. You are straying further and further away. You will bring nothing but more suffering. We're not here to create a weapon of mass destruction, for fuck's sake. We're here to create something better than that. Something that isn't just use for destruction. Hyx, did you forgot what you were told about Rising Valley? Do you think creating a bloodthirsty weapon would make the door open for you?

No.... I.... But this is our only chance to make something that could defeat an aberrant existence. We can make sure no more lives will be lost if I...... if I can just make it into something..... The door wouldn't matter if I can just make it into..... into....

The further I drifted into such thoughts, the lower the voice of Kai's is becoming to me.

Soon, my determination which is born out of my fears had completely drowned out Kai's voice. I could no longer hear him.

It's almost there. The sword that I need. A two meters long greatsword in full platinum black. One single glance from anyone, they could instantly comprehend the magnitude of destruction this blade is capable of, this is the aura the greatsword is projecting.

I can't believe it. Such weapon might actually be possible to exist after all. A blade that could cut reality itself. It is no longer an idea.

As the picture of this devastating sword slowly becoming a reality in front of my eyes, the hollow scenery around me changed.

I instantly understood that my ability [Clairvoyant] is at work again. When work that interferes with one's mind such as this, mind related magic often goes haywire.

As much as this ability helps me out in combat, it does has its flaws.

While my mind drifted into rubbish thinking, my surroundings decided on a setting.

Multitude of colors painted my surroundings, transforming the empty dark world into a vast field of barren and dry land as far as the eyes could see. Barren may not be the right word here though. There were soldiers marching on across the land. Judging from their uniforms and armors, they are from different affiliations but they are marching side to side with each other. There were a total of twelve different types of armors and uniforms.

They are all marching towards me. With every distance covered, the more strain their face became. They look tired? No. Not tired. They are afraid.

Before I could blurt out some profanity out of bewilderment, a shadow loomed over me. I look back and saw an over ten feet tall bipedal monster standing with hind limbs.

Its skin are of hard scale-shell type. Like reptiles. Its whole body dyed black and covered in dark purplish veins. It looks exactly like the monster I saw during my evolution acid trip but only bigger, much bigger

Although I don't remember seeing such monster before other than that time, I knew who and what this monster is the moment my eyes laid upon it. It is none other than the monster, the devil who is residing dormant within me.

This is its memory.

The military of each nation has banded up to subjugate this monster. When I looked behind the monster, I see even more soldiers but they are all of different races, ranging from elves, beast-kin, to even dragon-kin and Majins. There are even Angels flying in the sky

All these just to subjugate one monster?

Looking up directly above me, there were beings in ceremonial clothing clad in intense radiance. I can understand that these beings are Apostles of Gods. Their divinity wasn't in the slightest way subtle.

Wow.... even the gods are sending their soldiers. Just how terrifying is this monster?

Curiosity for the monster's strength peeked out but it wasn't sated as the scene changed.

This time, the monster was nothing but a small lizard-like insect with the same color schemes, surrounded by villagers wielding torches and pitchforks. The once glorified monster which was now an insect only cowers in fear against the mob. It was even curling itself up. It look towards a peculiar girl who was hiding behind an elderly man. It looked at the girl with eyes of someone who was betrayed.

The girl avoided her eyes and in response, the insect twisted its face even further.

Ah.... I see. Betrayal. Probably something like being adopted by a innocent naive little girl only to be abandoned by her when she learns of the insect's true identity.

And after I caught the gist of the memory, the scene changed again.

The monster was only half its size on the first time and it was cradling two unmoving bodies of a woman and a young girl. I feel grief, sorrow, and suffering from the monster. It was crying. It was actually shedding tear.

Are these two someone it cared about?

When I looked closer to its surrounding, more corpses laid around. They weren't killed by monsters. The wound are that of swords and arrows. Humans did this, or something humanoid did.

The scene changed once again.

On top of a hill, of a tall mountain, the monster in its full size stood at the peak, overlooking the impending destructing that was spreading to the cities below. Demons, Void Entities, and some other weird looking monster were wreaking havoc and the monster only watch from above. If anything, I can feel its heart getting calmer and calmer, like watching justice being delivered.

Even though the order maybe messed up or some parts were missing, I could understand roughly what happened to the monster.

Perhaps it was just a normal beast that people would hunt and harvest its Mana Core but it drew the wild card of fate. And after being through so much suffering and despair, it became what it is now. A monster that could even threatened the Gods.

If this was the me from weeks ago, I would surely have gone mad but too bad, I have already gone mad. If I have to say, I'm a psychopath. No one sane would stay compose from being shown such suffering and experience these feelings of absolute despair.

At most, I only shrugged at these sensations.

I would label myself as crazy but I don't think that's the case. I remember hearing from a TV show which the psychopathic cannibal said something along these lines,

Psychopaths are not crazy. They are fully aware of what they do and are aware of the consequences of those actions.

Yet.... Why don't I feel that way? I'm aware of my actions but at the same time, it didn't seem like I was the one who made those choices.

My ideals.... It was almost if I was merely doing a person's bidding. Why did I imagined such things? Was I such a person? Do I truly wish for these?

If anything, I was always more of a flight person when it comes down to fight or flight. I'm a wimp, to put it harshly.

Actually now that I think about it, on my first encounter with a Wight, I chose to back stab it instead of running away. Why did I chose to fight?

Why did I wished for a weapon that could end everything....?

Why....?

Ah.

I understand now....

The answer is simple. Those weren't my decisions. If I was still just Hyx Atlas..... I wouldn't have fought head on with all those monsters. I would rather hide and cower in fear.

I fought them because the devil inside me wills it. All my major decisions, it wouldn't be paranoid for me to say that they were all influenced by the devil within. Subtly and right from the beginning, my mind had been following the ideals of the devil not mine.

This isn't right.... I can't let this go on.

A blade that could kill literally anything?

Like hell I need something like that. I don't need it. I don't want it.

I didn't wish for a blade that could destroy and annihilate everything and everyone. The devil did.

What I wished for is merely hope, an insured future. That's all I want. I want a tomorrow.

A tomorrow with my family and friends, with my beloved, Senna Tenrun.

Ha.... I think this just might be my first time calling her my beloved. After so many days passed, I'm starting to think what would it be like if I didn't met her. I would have long went insane.

Gosh..... I'm really starting to truly love her. Even now, just thinking about her, my heart began racing. Is this what I love is?

Annoying feeling but I don't dislike it. This is nice.

And that's all I wanted, for now.

I wanted answers, sure, but that could wait.

Family comes first.

I don't need that end bringer of a weapon.

The moment I declared so of such conviction in my heart, the blackness that covered the shaping sword, cracks appeared all over and crumbled away like rough and dried-up skin.

But the process stopped right there and no further progress went by for some time. A blinding light was all there is to it. It took no solid form. It wasn't until for awhile that I understood the situation. The preparations are complete. The blueprint has been set. The material are there and what it lacks now, is the fuel.

Just like with Djin, I'm required to offer it a soul and an Arcane Art. I still have one extra soul within me so that was no problem and as for the Arcane Art, I sacrificed the one I deem to be the least useful to me. I offered [Magic Melee Arts]. It had been fun using it in my sparring sessions with Engrande but as a Battle Mage, it just wasn't suited for me.

I can tell the moment I gave that skill for the creation process, the skill is reformed into something else. Rather than reform, evolution might be a better phrase. The skill evolved as it was transferred to another medium. Kinda like ascending peerage. It was the same for Tom and Djin.

The blinding light absorbed my offerings and began to take shape. In just seconds, it settles down own an elegant form.

Contrary to the its former dark color, the sword is now a gleaming silver. The design is simple but yet intricate and eccentric.

As my hand instinctively reached out, I was attacked by flashes of visions. The only different thing about the visions this time is that they were not negative.

In these visions, everyone seemed happy. Under the cloudy sky, the settings were bright in an aesthetic sense. I see myself sitting under the shades of a blooming Sakura tree while reading a picture book to two children, a boy and a girl with similar faces. Identical twins?

The me in the vision was a bit older but not a lot. I am then joined by a female Elf who took a sit beside me. She rests her head on my shoulder as her eyes squeal in delight. The girl twin crawled into her lap and I was forced to lean closer to the Elf so the girl could get a better look on the book.

We all look happy. Contend. The Elf woman has long palish beige hair with cyan colored eyes. Her hair was tied into a single braid which she let it dangle in front of her shoulder. As the me in the vision read the book, she just stares at such me with warmth and gentleness.

Even if I was a fool, I can tell that the Elf is my wife. The matching silver rings on both of our finger is the prove. I'm guessing the twins are my children? Their eyes do seem a little long but not too much.

Is this my future?

It can't be.... right? Marriage of all things.

I wanted to bask in this bright hope of possibility further but I wasn't able to. I was pulled out of such sweet dream and my surroundings was once again plunge into nothingness. A hollow and dark place with only the silver greatsword to accompany me.

I lift my right hand and open my palm. Slowly, the sword drift into my grip. When my hand clutches the handle, I'm hit with an indescribable feeling. Neither bliss nor dread. It was just overwhelming.

"Indara." I spoke. I don't know why but I gave it a name just like that. There was no thought behind it. The name just came to my mind naturally and I said it out loud.

"Yes. I'm Indara. Take care of me from now on. Okay, papa?"

Someone spoke in reply. Huh? Papa?

And my eyes opened in reality.

I'm greeted by a worried-looking Tom. His legs are shaking and he's out of breath. Despite his trembling feet, he is still able to stand on water. Good for you.

[Welcome back, master.] Kai greeted me.

Guilt immediately descends upon me but before I could utter a word of apology, I feel Kai waved a palm at me as if saying "It's alright. Don't mind it."

I was about to ask "what happened?" but only a second after, realization struck me. No doubt something went down when my thoughts deviated from the righteous path. I look around and see the destruction I have wrought. It wasn't a lot but it is there, the signs of destruction.

There were monsters approaching us. They were often the discriminating monsters that attacked us whenever we set foot into this forest. The only time the didn't came attacking was during the creation of Djin.

I call them discriminating because they don't attack Kirin nor the Baba Dryad. Something is different now that I look closer. From the looks of their eyes, I don't sense any hostility. Their eyes tell me they are just as confuse as we are about their conditions.

[What happened to them?] I asked.

[Not sure. When the darkness shed itself off of the sword and took shape into its brilliant true form, a pulse of energy swarmed the area. After that, they became docile. It's like the wave took away their hostility of us.]

I see.... I ponder and I look down at my hand, my right hand which is wielding the greatsword Mondra, Indara. Was my desire for a brighter tomorrow so strong that it dispel their bad status?

Well, strangers things have happened. Whatever happened, I'm not going to dwell further. Just be glad with what's in front.

"All's well, ends well."

As if setting up a flag with those words, a scream pierces my ears.

"HYXXX!!!!"

Hmm.... guess what happens when overly-attach lover would do when she find out her beloved had broken his promise and went to do something uncalled for at the risk of his life?

Let your imagination flow......

"LYING BASTARD!!!!"

Oh shit. She sure sounds angry. Tom made way for the furious Angie who came charging at me. I raised the sword in my hand in guard against the fist clad in the scorn of a woman. Despite not being a close combat specialist, you really can't disregard the difference in stats.

I'm even pushed back a little but I stood most of my ground thanks to Indara. Hell sure does not hath fury like a woman's scorn.

"There you go again..... Doing something so dangerous and......" She reprimanded me without leaving her scorn out while tears bubbling in her eyes. My hand reaches out for her but she batters it away. "Don't think something like that would gloss over your actions, mister."

Ah.... She really is mad. I can see her other fist clenching. At this range, I don't think I can go unhurt from the shock wave. Guys, help?

Tom looked away while Djin said [Some battles have to be fought by oneself.]

Fucking traitors. And it came from two persons who owes me their lives.

Never mind their betrayal. I have another tactic but something like this won't work a second time.

My hand reaches out again for her cheeks but before she could swat it away, my hand shrinks and strikes back, grabbing her wrist, I pull her in for a kiss.

"Mmmfff~?" She mumbled something in surprised.

Tom looked surprised and he even made a breathless gasp.

[Smooth.] Kai commented.

When we parted, she stares at me with widened eyes and a flushed face.

To that, I gently smile at her. "Sorry. I have worried you again."

She looks away and inflates her cheek.

Fuck! So cute.

"Just make sure you repent later." She curtly said. I smile wryly at her vague invitation for a night of endless sex. I wonder if she's just a nymphomaniac. And then her expression changed all of a sudden. Her eyebrow arches as she looks at me. The sword in my hand, to be precise.

Hmm? Strange. I don't feel like I'm holding a sword anymore. What's this soft feeling?

"Um.... who is that?" Angie asked while pointing at my right hand.

I tilted my head to her choice of words. Shouldn't it be "what" instead of "who"? Before I could ask, even Tom was staring at my right hand with widened eyes that emits disbelief.

I raised my right hand to see what was wrong but I couldn't. Something was pulling back as I try to move my right hand. Feeling odd, I look at my right hand.

......

Um.... okay..... Instead of a sword, I'm holding the hand of a small child with silver hair and eyes, wearing silver apparels.

"Yes, papa?" He asked with a bright smile to my stare. Ah..... Huh?

Geh~!!!! Papa!?

Right after that, I'm assaulted by a chill.

For a moment, Angie's face reminded me of a Hanya mask.

"Hyx, my darling." She said with a smile but her eyes aren't. "Whose child is that?"

Even though I am confused at the moment, I somehow know who this child is. After all, I created him.

"This is Indara. The Mondra that I..... we created."

Indara stood straight and bowed in a very formal manner. Huh..... How courteous of him.

"That's the Mondra?" Angie asked back with twitching cheeks. "Why is it a child?"

"Good question." I said and looked at Indara.

[Why are you in the form of a child?] I asked through telepathy.

[Because it is papa's desire?] Indara replied. As I suspected, I communicate through telepathy. Wait. Hold up. My desire?

[My desire? I didn't wish for anything like this though?]

Tears welled up in Indara's eyes. Wait. Why are you crying!? [Does that mean papa doesn't need Indara?]

Oh no. Not this kind of template. Please don't.

[As far as you would hate to admit it, that sweet brief of vision kinda gave you a deep impression. Perhaps you were influence by that a bit?] Kai answered.

I guess that explains it. Kinda. I did think that picture of a family greatly warmed my heart but I didn't it was to the effect that I would desire a child.

"So?" Angie asked, she's still waiting for an answer while tapping her arm with her arms crossed.

I sighed and said "A short but complicated story. Let's talk about this while we get something to eat, okay?"

Angie looks like she wanted to refute but her stomach growls at that moment, invalidating all her arguments.

"Fine." She relented

"What a cute sound." I teased.

"Shut up." She retort in a very low voice.

Well, at least everything ended with a good note.

Kinda.