The Prince of Demons

My mom staggered over to me and picked me up, hugging me tight as she mumbled something. Solomon cast a which hid the before my parents and Solomon left the statue room, where Helga, Cesar, and Magus Erli were waiting outside. The group moved through the library towards a different room. I couldn’t tell if this was efficient, having different rooms for each thing or is this just a poor layout? Maybe there is a reason due to for this? It was at that point I made a different observation: this place was much larger inside than it was outside. What type of allowed this? Was this some type of ? We reached a plain room with a simple barrier around it. Upon closer inspection, the room had panels with intricate designs on them covering the walls. Whatever the design was, it almost looked like a plain panel because of how dense and intricate it was.

“I hate how each room is designed for one specific thing. Always have to change rooms when switching activities.” Cesar muttered under his breath.

“You may hate it Cesar, but it allows for the rooms to be much more efficient at their purpose.” Solomon chided without looking at him.

Solomon instructed my mom to set me in the middle of the room. He twisted his neck to let out a large pop and began rolling his shoulders. How did that help him do ? Maybe it was a mental thing? Or like a little ritual he does perhaps? I don’t know why, but the fact a Grand Archmagus had such a small, little ritual before performing what was probably some super basic to him was interesting to me. Or maybe the method was more difficult than I realized.

“Emperor Azzeck, pay close attention. I will help your son his to begin his . As has an incredibly low there should be a very low chance of . The for helping or forcing one to I will demonstrate, and I believe you will have an easier time than Empress Senna replicating it because it appears he has your . We will have to start to the for him, so be ready. If he does not naturally replicate the process, it will kill him.” Solomon explained. My parents nodded with grim faces.

My dad walked over, sat behind me, and placed his hand on my back. Solomon sat in front of me, took the , and stabbed it into my heart. Some was shot into my heart, which seemed to make a bridge, immediately after it felt like my nerves were on fire. My skin felt like it was melting off my body. Then I felt a surge. My was being forcefully cycled through my body, which felt like waves of ice rushing over it, cooling the burning sensation. Then another wave of heat emitted from my heart followed by my was forcefully cycled through my body again. So this is what is. Most babies probably wouldn’t be able to replicate the flow because they wouldn’t grasp what was happening. I could already see the sweat forming on Solomon. The third pulse of heat was way worse than the previous one, and the following cycle of felt as if it was trying to crush the as it cooled my body. It was compressing it into my heart.

The cycle repeated again; the third pulse was by far the worst each time. So the released something that made my body burn while I use my to cool and counteract it. On the third pulse I try to compress the into my heart. I didn’t need to understand why at this moment but let’s see if I can replicate this. I looked at Solomon, who was definitely sweating profusely. I steadied my breathing, then opened my mind. I felt the within me absolutely surge, and unfortunately, so did the . Solomon let out a gasp as he clearly tried to put the brakes on this. A pulse of heat went out, and I surged my through my body much faster than Solomon had. On the third pulse, I took the surging and forced it into my heart. The cycle continued. After the third iteration of me in control, my dad and Solomon took their hands off me. This process continued for thirty minutes until on a compression I felt a massive click, or maybe more like a gate being opened. Immediately preceding, a surge of something coursed through my body. It didn’t hurt. It felt amazing. It was like jumping into a pool on a blistering hot summer day as the cycles stopped.

I flexed my hand, and it felt different. I moved my arms a little, and there was this sensation there. What happened to my body? Is this what happened when you ? I surged through my body again, and when it reached my heart it felt like it brushed against something. I surged again, this time slamming my against it. Immediately a wave of heat pulsed through my body. I immediately cycled my again, trying to slam it back into whatever it was. After a few times of forcing my as hard as I could against it, the burning pulses stopped. So that process was . What part was ? Was that the bridge sensation?

“I will personally perform an on Nil when he turns one, as long as you provide the materials, free of charge.” Solomon told my parents.

“Why so generous?” Dad asked clearly a bit caught off guard.

“Well he is to be my apprentice, and I am curious as to what he possesses. I want to make sure it is done right.” Solomon replied. I got the feeling he was just curious.

“Now for the you promised.” Mom reminded Solomon.

“I am just admiring your son. I am a man of my word.” Solomon snapped back, pulling a plain black case from his robes.

“Now, to warn your Imperial Highnesses, do have a chance for , especially the stronger ones, like the . I will try to combat that and help him them, and it should all be pretty smooth. Usually are easy to , but I am just warning you.” Solomon warned. He did seem to enjoy covering his bases.

“Do you think something might happen?” Mom checked, her eyes narrowing.

“ are mythically rare. Documentation and research on them is non-existent. I am just saying there is a chance for something to happen, and I am not sure how much. Do you accept the risk?” Solomon explained.

M\y parents nodded and he walked over to me. He opened the case, and pulled out two eyes made out of glass. I could feel their power as the room was just filled with their authority. It was similar to when my dad got tense, except these weren’t holding back for my sake. Solomon took a deep breath, grabbed my head, and forced them into where my eyes were. What the hell are you doing old man?! I screamed which came out as mildly distressed baby noises as the glass was forced into my sockets. Oddly enough, it didn’t hurt. Or change my vision. They seemed to meld with my eyes. Solomon unleashed some immensely complicated at my eyes where whatever bridge he formed in my heart was pretty easy to brush off, and was barely noticeable as he did it, the same could not be said for my eyes. It was indescribable how uncomfortable the sensation was. The best I can compare it to is my eyes became a liquid and resolidified with the glass inside them. He weaved some delicate , creating a bond between my eyes and the , and as soon as he finished, an immense surge of power exploded from them. How my skull didn’t explode was beyond me. This power was hostile, it was angry, and it was domineering.

WHO DARES TRY TO TAKE ME AS THEIR OWN? A voice blasted in my head. Or maybe yelled in the room. I couldn’t tell, it was quite loud, and just oozed a level of I had never felt before. My vision was getting extremely blurry.

Can you turn down the volume please. My head can only take so much. I thought toward the boom.

A BABY?! SOMEONE IS TRYING TO BOND MY WITH A BABY?! The voice snarled in shock.

Hey this baby can understand you. I snapped back. My vision was all but gone at this point.

What? How is a baby forming such coherent thoughts? The voice snapped at me, as I felt my brain get forcefully searched through.

Can you stop that, it is quite unpleasant. I requested as it was just dark around me.

Hello interloper. I am Kron, Lord of Fate. What is your name? Kron asked. Their voice was quite hard to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman.

Nil Sathanas Crowthorne. Nice to meet you. I am so glad to be able to finally talk to someone. I replied, feeling happy I could actually talk to another being.

I meant your previous name. Kron pressed in an unamused tone.

No. I am Nil Sathanas Crowthorne. That is the me of now, and for the hopefully long future. I retorted.

So what are your intentions in this world? Kron asked calmly.

No idea, live I guess. Currently looking like I am going to succeed my dad as Emperor which is kind of cool. So what is a Lord? What powers over Fate do you have? I inquired. Finally, someone who could answer my questions.

So you have no plan? Just go with the flow of things? Kron checked sounding quite skeptical.

I answered your question so you should answer mine. And yes, I have not seen much of this world so I don’t have much of a plan. I like this world so far. Currently infinitely better than my previous one. Now answer my questions. I demanded. Please answer at least one.

Infinite? What is ‘infinitely’? As for your question, we Lords created Tenebrae. We are that formed this world and gave it life. I am called the Lord of Fate as I can see what outcomes are possible, the branching paths, things that may come to be or will never happen. I can peer into the future, and see how time flows. Kron explained with a bit of amusement.

That’s pretty cool. Infinite is a mathematical concept of a number that is so large it has no defined size, a number that never ends. What I stated previously can also be phrased I like this world more than my previous one by an amount that cannot be measured. I answered. I missed being able to actually talk.

You are awfully casual and familiar in how you are talking to me. Kron groaned.

So are you actually here in the or is this some projection? I asked them.

Curious one, aren’t you? This is a , as my body and presence have long since passed from Tenebrae. Would it kill you to have some reverence towards a Lord? Kron stated, sounding a tad annoyed at me.

I am sorry, your most esteemed Lord. You are so highly venerated, of such high and noble standing that it temporarily made me lose my sense. If you could forgive that one of such low birth and standing as I addressed you in an improper and informal manner, it would be a blessing and gift I would carry with pride for my entire life. Please oh great Lord, if you could enlighten my mortal mind with the reason as to why I am being graced with your presence? I replied with the utmost sincerity.

Listen here you little punk, you realize I could kill you with a thought right now? Kron threatened.

My most gracious and esteemed Lord, what have I done that you could take offense to? I am addressing you as desired, with immense reverence of such divine stature. I am aware my life is but a speck in the grand cosmos of your life, but please be merciful. I soothed, again, as sincere as I could possibly be.

Go back to how you were speaking originally. Kron sighed. Ha ha ha ha.

Why thank you. Now why am I able to hear and talk with you? I probed. What was allowing this? Kron said , but what was that?

Because you are trying to the left by my passing. Each contains our . We left it to judge who is inheriting it, and keep it out of the hands of those we deem either unworthy or will do nothing but harm with it. Now you are a much more curious case and I am still deciding whether to smite you or let you keep them. Kron informed me.

To argue my case, I would greatly appreciate not dying. Now you don’t have a lot of actions in this world to judge me on, but I can honestly say I am really enjoying this life. I pleaded. His threat was not as hollow as I thought.

Your personality is not bad, which is good for you. You are also from another world, which is a wildcard I do not like. I can see your , which is at a whopping zero, which isn’t surprising given you are only three months old. You honestly don’t have any plans in this world, which is another factor that makes you hard to judge. You seem to just want to live your life and let the cards land where they may. You have been training your because it is cool and different rather than out of a desire to be strong. It makes it hard to judge what you will do. Kron rambled, sounding annoyed.

You could say it is, Fate, we met like this if that helps. I joked with Kron.

Another pun like that and I will end your life with zero hesitation. Kron snapped at me.

Sheesh, no need to hate on the pun. No appreciation for the craft. I pouted as Kron mulled over what to do.

I am determining whether you live or die. You would think you would be trying to butter me up or something. Kron suggested to me.

That’s not how I like to do things. How long do you have to decide? I asked. I hoped the answer wasn't as long as Kron felt like.

About another five minutes then the timer expires. Stupid rules. It was more to keep us from holding someone in limbo forever as we determined if we wanted them to inherit our . The rule may have been instated as some of us are a bit indecisive. It does default in your favor if I don’t decide. Kron answered. This was getting better.

So I just got to stall. So, Kron, how’s life? What do you think of your parents? Is there someone you don’t like and would like to vent your frustrations about? Even a powerful and magnificent being as yourself is bound to have had to deal with people you didn’t like. I interrogated them.

Such petty tricks are not going to work on me mortal. Kron replied with a chuckle.

What petty tricks? I would not try and pull a trick on a Lord. That would be heretical. I retorted, to which Kron laughed.

I am curious, your body is barely . What did you use as a ? Kron asked me. How could a tell all of this?

A . The singing was quite beautiful. I informed Kron.

What color was the tear? Kron continued, seeming interested in the answer.

Brilliant white. It seemed to radiate light all on its own. It was very pretty. I explained, recalling the light that cascaded off it.

Kid, I guess Fate is on your side. Live your best life. Enjoy my gifts. And thanks for making my last conversation interesting. Kron replied as I felt their presence fade away.

A barrier lifted; something changed as it felt like my eyes had just opened. That’s when I realized I had been severed from everything. Kron completely severed me from existence while they thought about my fate. My brain finally registered what my eyes were seeing. The exact same thing as before, but my parents looked immensely distraught. Solomon was barking orders around. Helga, Cesar, and Magus Erli looked on with a gloomy silence. I took a breath, and could feel the circulate around me. I took another breath as it felt like my soul reconnected to my body. I took another breath, and this time, my stretched out from my body as it usually did to form my normal . I circulated a little through my body, and felt something was being exerted. Everyone looked at me with a strained expression. What did this even do? Everything felt the same. Just an odd little exertion from my eyes which probably the feeling of circulating that I was still getting used to.