The Shadowbane sect became a haven for Erebus. He lost his tongue, but they developed a language based on rhythmic taps to communicate with him. Eventually, they integrated it deep within their sect and used it like a secret code, so every soldier had a small metal plate sewn into their belts to communicate. After a time, they evolved it even further and infused the taps with mana to become a secret art that only the trained could understand.
They also helped Erebus rehabilitate, taking a full year for Erebus to heal fully. When he did, they studied the Phoni Heart poison within him and found a way to refine it until they found that it was no longer eating away at him. Although the bloodthirsty hatred had integrated into his aura, making him colder than ever, it no longer made him lose his mind to madness. He was lucid.
In return, he focused on leading this sect to prosperity. He expanded his forces with the help of the Dark Elves, who joined forces with them. He also established a contract with a Spirit Realm beast named Fenrir, an Amarok Wolf, king of the shadow beasts. They had become dear friends and fought side by side in battle. With Erebus' contributions and determination to oppose the Titans, the Spirit Realm crowned him as a King of the Spirit Realm, securing a place of honor for him.
When he established his connections and strengthened Shadowbane, he declared that it was time to retaliate and resume the Shadowbane wars. He wanted vengeance, but more importantly, he yearned to strike down the ghastly Titans who sought to puppeteer his fate.
The Shadowbane sect had fought this battle for centuries, and Erebus soon led them into new wars. They started with the Devil Realm, Undanfold, and destroyed many hidden evils. When they subjugated the realm, they shifted their focus to taking down the major sects who were Titan sympathizers.
He caused the worlds to quake and earned the moniker Demon Sovereign, a beast of nightmares. He wore the name as a crown and sought to become the demon his enemies dearly feared. Together with Shadowbane, he fought for centuries.
The last sect they targeted was Fire Dragon, now led by Jericho. The battle was earth-shattering and chaotic. Neither side was destined to win, but they still fought bitterly. While the Fire Dragon sect feared the possibility of death, Shadowbane rejoiced. Death meant that their souls would rejoin the blessed Aether.
Erebus was ready to accept the embrace of the Aether, longing for the peace it would bring. He was content and resolute.
Erebus stood still while the fighting and death surrounded him. He could hardly hear the cries and protests over the thrumming of his heart. He had steeled his resolve for this moment but still could not predict the anguish he would feel facing the man he thought was his brother.
Jericho raised his sword and ran toward Erebus with a yell. Erebus let out a resigned breath and readied his blade. They clashed in an explosion of fire and shadows. Although Jericho had become powerful, Erebus could contend with him. Also, Jericho's techniques were an imitation of Erebus when he was in the Fire Dragon sect, so it was easy for Erebus to dance around his strikes.
The armies distanced themselves from Erebus' battle, avoiding the aftershocks of the impacts of their blades. Erebus was slowly pushing Jericho back, his dark shadows flickering around his flames and threatening to extinguish them.
However, Erebus faltered when he heard Fenrir release a low whimper. He turned his attention to his comrade and felt his breath still as Fenrir collapsed. The four Dragon Commanders-his brothers many years ago-had surrounded Fenrir, and their swords had pierced his body.While distracted, Jericho struck out at him, causing Erebus to admonish himself. This was a battlefield, and they had anticipated their end, so he shouldn't weep for Fenrir.
Erebus blocked the attack and pushed Jericho back; however, the Dragon Commanders turned on him. The scales of battle had been tipped, and Erebus started accumulating more wounds.
Blood seeped from his body, and a moment of weakness allowed Jericho to pierce him in the heart. Erebus gasped as four more swords plunged into his body.
His five brothers had tried to kill him centuries ago, but Erebus had only delayed the inevitable. Their swords were destined to be his end.
Blood poured from Erebus' mouth and dripped down his cracked mask. He smiled as he embraced the fading of his life. Jericho may have plunged a sword into his heart, but Erebus' knife was embedded in Jericho's neck. Erebus could sense the blood pouring from the wound and felt the life leaving Jericho's body before he collapsed to the ground.
Fenrir lay near him with deep wounds and the light leaving his eyes. He gave Erebus a sad howl and closed his eyes before disappearing into the Aether.
Erebus felt his soul stir the loss of his friend. He laughed sorrowfully at his long but broken life. His laugh was eerie upon the desolate battlefield, and the survivors felt deep trepidation from the sound.
It was his last gift to this damnable realm. Let the Titans consume them. Let their destruction come.
Erebus fell while waiting for the Aether to take him home.
After living for so long in darkness, seeing light was unsettling. He thought he had finally returned to the Aether, but as his eyes adjusted to the unfamiliar light, he realized that his view was obscured and distorted as if in a glass cage. He tried to move his hand to touch the wall but could not. His body was frozen and suspended in this place. He could only look at the things before him, including a small crack forming at the top of his new prison.
He thought he finally met death, but it continued to pass him by.
He observed his surroundings and found that he was on the remains of a battlefield. The ground was still soaked with blood, but instead of corpses, there were thousands of red statues of his Shadowbane and Spirit Realm allies. He recognized each of their faces, Fenrir being the closest to him. They stood tranquility with closed eyes and small smiles on their lips. The human statues' hands were outstretched as if receiving an offering, and a small lotus sat in their palms. They all faced him as if trying to give him the lotus.
These red statues were an ancient custom of the Spirit Realm to honor the dead, the Lotus Stone Tomb. With magic and a rare flower, the corpses of the fallen will turn to stone and be reanimated to their prime-uninjured and whole. He was relieved that someone could pay tribute to his fallen comrades.
Time passed and moved, and the battlefield changed as well. The earth drank the blood of his soldiers, and soon, the land changed to a lush meadow. His prison and the statues stood proudly in the swaying grass and flowers.
People donned in black would come to pay respects to the prison he was in, and his heart softened when he recognized the remnants of his Shadowbane followers. They still came to honor their sovereign, bowing and mourning for him. He yearned to call out and comfort them, but he had no voice.
It took many years to understand that he was locked in a Soul Stone, an old magic. His body was gone, perished in battle, and his soul was now trapped in this stone. It was a cruel prison, cracking slowly to represent a countdown until a true death. When the crack splintered and spread through the entire stone, his soul would turn to dust, and he would never enter the Aether or be reincarnated. He would be cursed into nothingness.
No one on the outside would know his fate because the Soul Stone looked like a smooth rock on the outside. The cracks were only visible to Erebus, so everyone mistook it as a monument.
The landscape changed yet again, teasing him with the passing of time. The meadow grew saplings, and then they turned to proud trees. The statues around him grew moss and hid most of their features. But after so many years, he could still name each one.
When the trees matured, he saw four familiar figures come to the stone and offer a bow. He wanted to scream and curse them at first. They were his friends and old commanders of the Fire Dragon sect. Their swords slayed Fenrir. And it was them who stabbed him during the final battle. But now, there were wrinkles etched on their faces-more scars and more years than he had ever seen.
"We should leave quickly before Jericho finds out we came here," one of his brothers said. This ripped through Erebus' soul. Jericho still lived? Was that bastard alive?
He was content in his prison. He had accepted his permanent death, but now he found that the person who harmed him the most did not die with him.
"Why would that be a problem?" A familiar voice sounded from behind him. Jericho walked out from behind the trees with a beauty on his arm... his beauty... his Kore, who was supposed to be dead, murdered by his own hand.
The commanders all bowed low. "Emperor, Empress. Protectors of the light." They said together.
Jericho waved his hand. "Not necessary between us brothers." He looked at the stone towards Erebus. "Perhaps it's naive nostalgia, but I come here often. I reminisce about our brother and grieve his dark corruption."
A silent snarl came from Erebus in the stone. This man only knew how to spout lies. He had never visited. He was merely watching the moves of his commanders. And what was this bullshit about Emperor and Empress?
Kore smiled kindly and kissed Jericho on the cheek. "I, too, miss his friendship. After you revived me, I understood he had demons inside his heart, and do not blame him for hurting me."
"Brothers, my dear wife, please head back before me. Allow me some time with my fallen brother." Jericho said, his voice laced with sadness.
Inside the Soul Stone, Erebus cursed and wished he could thrash around. How dare they?! How dare they mourn him? How dare they say such words? They were the ones who poisoned him, who peeled off his skin and tore out his eyes and tongue. They disfigured and dismembered him. And now the woman he cherished was married to the bastard who stabbed him in the back.
Curse them.
Jericho looked at the stone with a content look on his face, his red hair blowing in the wind as if taunting Erebus, who could not move for centuries. Unlike the commanders, he was not touched by time.
"Eri, I am unsure if you are alive in there or can hear me, but I hope you can. The truth is, I greatly envied you. How magnificent were you before you fell? Married to the woman I loved, adored by the sect master, next in line to inherit everything... But you were so pitiful in the end. The sect master treasured you dearly; this was the only reason Kore married you, not me. You were so trusting and naive. But was I supposed to sit on the sideline as you took it all from me? I couldn't tolerate that."
Jericho lifted his hand, and the earth trembled around the Soul Stone. The ground split behind the stone, creating a chasm. It swallowed the trees and red statues of his brethren. Erebus watched this with a cold feeling in his heart.Jericho sneered. "We were together for many years, but you were so dull that you never saw my true nature... but I knew yours. So when I opened the earth, you willingly jumped in and let me swallow you whole. Yet that somehow didn't kill you. You still came out alive and more powerful than before.
"Kore and I couldn't let you take everything from us. So, a little poison and a fake death went a long way. I know the mana inside of you isn't demonic. I even know how powerful it has made you. You could have crushed me when you returned, but you gave up and allowed me to tear you apart because you believed your hands killed Kore. But then you still escaped. You still lived. How many times do I have to kill you, brother?"
So it was all a facade. Kore's love and her death were nothing more but a ploy to destroy him. He would have applauded Jericho for this hateful scheme if he hadn't been so shattered by the revelation.
Jericho turned away but paused as he looked over his shoulder. "Finally, I can say farewell."
He was left again to wallow in his solitude.
Erebus waited in his Soul Stone prison, watching the countless years pass, and the crack spread until his view distorted like he was looking through a broken mirror. Voices visited him, his followers praying for his return, enemies cursing his body, his brothers kneeling in somber silence. But he never heard Jericho again.
To his surprise, Kore came to visit him. She sat before the Soul Stone, letting Erebus gaze at her beauty and watch how her hair floated in the wind. She still stole his breath away, with her bright green eyes framed by long eyelashes. Every move was graceful. She emanated royalty, and he found that the title of empress was fitting for her.
Although he had no physical body, he could still feel his hand piercing her chest, even after all these years. He tried to remind himself that it was fake, a ruse so she could destroy him and marry Jericho. He wanted to hate her, but his anger faded with her sitting before him. Like a love-stricken fool, part of him was joyous knowing she was still alive.
She waved her hand, and a bright light illuminated her and the Soul Stone, revealing the numerous cracks. "Oh? So it hasn't cracked all the way yet." She laughed a little behind her hand.
Erebus wanted to bristle. Did she know of this as well?
"Those idiots hardly know anything about the Soul Stone, but / at least know that you can hear me. Are you feeling anger or betrayal? No... you're probably feeling some sort of delusional happiness that I am alive." She sighed dramatically. "Perhaps I could have loved you in this lifetime. You had such immense potential, but you were flawed, my husband. You could have ruled all of Halrland, but you lacked ambition. And then, you were far too trusting in a dark and cruel world."
She stood up, brushed off the grass from her dress, and caressed the stone lovingly. "If there were a life for you after this, I'd caution you to close your heart off and thrust your blade unhesitatingly. Relish in the blood of others... Unfortunately, a new life is impossible for you now. This is the beauty of the Soul Stone. You will be here for generations, ruminating on your mistakes until they eat away at you and drive you to insanity. With each elongated crack on this stone, you will see your remaining time drip away like an hourglass. You will watch the world pass you by, but you will no longer be a part of it. You will cease to exist."
She lightly laughed. The once melodious sound now grated on Erebus. "I am happier now, Eri. And knowing you will die enhances that happiness."
Her words were distant and venomous, showing her long-hidden disdain for him.
After he joined Shadowbane, he had often dreamt of the time before he had accepted his new powers. He had fantasized about his wife and starting a family with her. He yearned to be with his brothers once more. He believed his life was easier then... kinder.
But her coldness ripped that away.
He cursed inwardly, feeling the ache of her words. She was speaking the truth when she said he was too naive. He should have listened to the Shadow Deity's warning regarding the shadows hidden in another's heart. If he did, he could have been more than a trapped, broken soul lamenting his foolish decisions.
As Kore walked away from him, he let go of it all. The thin threads of affection he still had for his life as Eri and the Fire Dragon sect dissipated. Her affection was a ploy. His brotherly bonds were lies. He was no longer a brother, a husband, or Eri.
Let his name be lost in the strand of time. Let only the Demon Sovereign remain until that, too, was obsolete.
He lingered in his prison with only the memories of his mistakes to accompany him. Unable to sleep or to rest, he watched the world change around him. The remaining Lotus Stone Tombs had become lumps of moss, overtaken by nature. His visitors had long ago stopped coming. He was now truly alone.
His countless years of solitude were interrupted by uncontrollable sobbing. The stone was splintering, contorting his view, but he could still make out four old and trembling men. Their bodies were still warrior-honed, but their hair had turned white.
They kneeled before his Soul Stone. "We wronged you, brother."
"We were blinded."
"We left you alone to fight a battle when we should have been together."
"We deserve death."
Erebus watched as they took knives and cut out their own eyes. "As penance, we will share in your darkness, brother. We pray that in our next lifetime, we will meet again and can make up for our sins."
"Although we no longer have the heart to fight for this world, we will protect the sect you cherished in the shadows."
They bowed low to Erebus. "Till death, brother." They said together before they disappeared. Erebus watched them thoughtfully; his anger towards them ebbed away.
Their names became etched in his heart. Quinn. Trevon. Cirro. Morel.
They, too, were deceived by Jericho and Kore. His lies and evil nature were too deeply hidden.
He wished he could call out to them and lament with them. He was blind, too. Betrayed by his lover, betrayed by his friend.
Time continued to pass, and the shadows enshrouded him, stealing the light he once relished. The proud trees turned into a haunting ancient forest.
He examined the cracks that now covered the length of the stone, knowing his time had come. He trembled with sorrow when he heard the final snap. Yet, despite the disquiet in his heart, he breathed with relief. Should he feel sorrow or relief that his death was imminent? Should he fear his life's end?
Fate had been cruel to him, so perhaps he should rejoice that his suffering would be completed. The deities have deemed his torment over.
Once again, he will embrace death. Seemingly, this was his only consistent companion in life.
But death eluded him once again.
Even the Soul Stone could not turn his soul to dust. Instead, he found himself sinking into a space of darkness as if he were in the center of the ocean. He stayed there for an unknown amount of time. Years? Centuries? Did it even matter anymore? At least now, he could revel in the bliss of a painless existence.
Away from the world's noise, he could finally contemplate his life. He fought countless wars as a Dragon Commander but was betrayed. Thus, he fought even more battles as the Demon Sovereign, trying to fulfill Shadowbane's mission of tearing down the Titans. Yet, he had never encountered a Titan and, instead, stained his hands with the blood of humans and Devils alike.
His ending was more miserable-trapped in the Soul Stone, withering away as a demon teetering on madness.
He had failed in the end. His hands yearned for his daggers, unsatisfied about leaving the world too early. He wanted to fight again... his anger not yet quelled.
But he remained in the dark nothingness-lamenting and regretting.
[Do you truly want to go back?]
Erebus shook. "Shadow Deity?"
[Your life as Demon Sovereign is completed. That story has reached its conclusion. But you can go back and start a new story.]
The Titans still roamed and tainted the world. His purpose was unfulfilled. Yes, he wanted to try again. With an altered path, he could create a different ending.