The council decreed that Boros would walk among humans, hoping that their inherent goodness would temper his rapacious heart.
But alas, the humans proved to be a cruel mistress.
They made his existence a living hell, a never ending torment that lasted for a thousand years.
He died over two thousand times, his soul crushed beneath the heel of humanity's wickedness, it made him go mad.
And with each death, his hatred for mankind and the gods they worshiped grew, a burning fire that consumed his very essence.
"If their gods are so- loving why would they let their servants do this to me" Boros said to himself at times.
Meng Po's powers of forgetfulness ensured that he remained ignorant of his true identity, his past life was shrouded in mystery.
Yet, fragments of his memories lingered, haunting him like the ghosts of a forgotten life.
He was trapped in a living nightmare, tormented by the whispers of a past he could not recall.
The flashes of his life were a jarring mosaic, a fragmented tapestry of pain and suffering.
He recalled the sting of rejection, the burn of betrayal and the crushing weight of injustice.
His memories were a litany of abuse: physical, emotional and sexual.
The cumulative effect was a soul – deep conviction: "Humans are Evil".
Though the memories of his divine existence remained shrouded, his hatred for humanity grew, a cancerous resentment that consumed his every waking moment.
As the thousand year mark approached, the fog of Meng Po's forgetfulness began to lift, and his memories sharpened, like a honed blade to a deadly edge.
The promise he made to himself in his final moments of mortality became a sacred vow.
"I will not be killed by human hands again". His heart had long turned to stone, his emotions extinguished like a candle in a hurricane.
Yet, a spark within him refused to be quenched a spark of defiance, of determination and an unholy purpose.
"Perhaps" he mused, "only through the eradication of humanity and myself…..can I find peace."
(The thousand year punishment is over, his memories and nexus are gradually returning to him)
The present...…
"It's dark...why is it so dark?" he groggily opened his eyes, only to find himself in an unfamiliar village.
"A classic awakening indeed" Boros said to himself sarcastically.
His body felt weak drained of his former strength. "Ten years…..I'll train for ten years, and then I'll unleash my vengeance upon the world."
A burning fire ignited within his soul, fueled by the memories of his wrongful-accusation.
He vowed to uncover the truth behind the genocide accusation, to clear his name and bring justice to those who had wronged him.
As he sat on a nearby rock, he watched the villagers rejoicing in the distance. They surrounded a young boy celebrating the passing of his father's Longinius ability to him.
The boy's fate was all but sealed, a sacrifice to the altar of his revenge.
He rose from the rock his eyes fixated on the boy. With a calculated calm, he navigated the crowd, his movements eerily silent.
He reached out, grasping the boy's throat, and with a swift motion broke his neck, and the villager's joy was transformed into a chilling scream.
Their attack was a frenzied storm, but he stood at the eye of the hurricane, unmoving and unyielding.
But with a mere snap of his fingers, the entire village and surrounding forest were encased in a tomb of ice.
He strolled away from the frozen village, his voice a detached whisper.
"This should suffice as a declaration of my return..."
In this realm, two paths converge, each leading to the coveted Longinius ability.
This first is a journey of discipline and devotion, where one's Nexus is harmonized with the elemental aura through rigorous training and meditation.
The second path is a darker, more sinister route, where the power is seized by taking the life of the person who had the ability.
Yet, even this seemingly straightforward method demands a steep price: unyielding dedication and training.
For the unprepared, the consequences are catastrophic, an unstable fusion that culminates in a maelstrom of destruction, leaving only ashes and ruin in its wake.
By embracing the darkness of the second path, Boros has seized the 'Ice Longinius' ability, unleashing a new era of dominance.
A week had elapsed since his libration from the shackles of his punishment.
Boros's belly growled with hunger, a hollow reminder of his neglect. As he trekked deeper into the forest, the melodic gurgle of a river wafted through the trees, beckoning him towards it's tranquil shores.
"Perhaps" he mused, "I might stumble upon an unsuspecting creature, drawn to the river's life giving waters".
With renewed purpose, Boros altered his course, his footsteps quiet on the forest's floor as he stalked toward the river's edge.
As he emerged from the forest's veil, the river's crystalline waters unfolded before him, a serene expanse of light and shadow.
But his hunt for sustenance was foiled, instead of the anticipated wildlife, a lone figure claimed the river's attention.
A woman, her lithe form glistening with dew and water, bathed in the river's shallows, her beauty as unremarkable as the stones that lined on the riverbed.
His focus remained fixed on his rumbling belly, and so he settled onto the riverbank, his eyes drifting closed as he began to meditate, seeking to satiate his hunger with the calm of contemplation.
As Boros's eyelids descended, a stealthy presence crept upon him, the whisper of a blade slicing through the air mere inches from his neck.
His instincts screamed warning, and he spun around, his eyes snapping open to behold the woman from the river, her face aglow with a smile.
"What are you doing?" He demanded, his voice low and even. "I was trying to give you a neck chop", She replied her tone airy and nonchalant.
"Let me show you how it's done" Said Boros, his movements a blur as he delivered a precise chop, sending her crashing into the realm of dreams.
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she took in her surroundings.
"Where am i?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.
"You've been out for the whole day" Boros replied with his tone detached, "it's evening now".
Her gaze locked onto his, a spark of recognition igniting within her eyes. "You're the weird guy who was staring at me while I bathed" she said, a hint of amusement dancing on her lips.
Boros shrugged, his expression unreadable. "I couldn't care less about what you do" his belly growled loudly, a protest that echoed through the air.
She heard it, her eyes lighting up with a warm smile."I have some rice balls, would you like some?" she offered.
He declined, his voice firm, "No". But she persisted, her tone playful. "Aww, come on it'll mark the beginning of our friendship".
Boros raised an eyebrow, skeptical "Friendship? We just met today".
She chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mirth, "you're right, I must be careless to trust people so easily".
Boros looked at her, expecting an explanation.
She smiled, her voice taking on an introspective tone.
"When I tried to knock you out, it didn't work, and then you did the same to me... which I kinda deserved". She said, her smile deepening.
"But what struck me was that you watched over me while I slept.
If you'd wanted to kill me or steal my stuff, you could have done it then, but you didn't, that's why I trust you".
She pressed the rice ball into his hand, her smile a warm, golden light, "Please take it, consider it a token of gratitude, I'd rather not be indebted to a stranger after all".
He raised an eyebrow, but his stomach's growling protests eventually won out, "Fine I'll eat it".
She clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Yay, we're friends now!"
He shot her a dry look, "I never agreed to that".
She chuckled, unfazed "I'm Akeno".
She said, her voice a gentle breeze.
"You don't deserve to know my name" he replied, his tone a granite wall.
Akeno's grin never wavered, "I'm rather good with nicknames you know".
And you my friend, have a dark and brooding personality…so I'll call you 'Shiro'".
She giggled, clearly amused by her joke.
He rolled his eyes in sarcasm, "Oh hilarious, you are a comedic genius".
Akeno's laughter was a joyous, infectious sound, and she laughed so hard she had to hold her sides.