The celebration finally ended, and as the warm night drew to a close, Saruto ancestors each returned to their respective palaces, and a profound stillness settled over the realm of the dead. Saruto, however, remained in his parents' palace, a place that, for the first time in a long while, was filled with laughter and memories.
He lay on his bed, gazing up at the high ceiling adorned with dark patterns, his heart still throbbing with a happiness he had never known before. He took a deep breath and murmured, "I've never been this happy in my entire life… except for the moment I was engaged to the two princesses."
He closed his eyes, and his consciousness slipped back into his own, into that familiar world inhabited by his other voice. There, in a dark space where sparks of violet energy danced, Void appeared before him, in the form of a hybrid, his glowing eyes silently watching Saruto. "Void… did you enjoy today?" Saruto said, smiling.
"Yes… it was a rare day," Void replied in a deep, quiet voice.
Saruto paused for a moment, then said, as if the thought had slipped out unintentionally, "I've started to think… maybe staying here isn't so bad. My whole family is here; I lack nothing."
Void looked at him for a long time before saying, "The decision is yours, Saruto. Whichever path you choose, I'll be with you until the end."
Saruto smiled gratefully. "Thank you, brother… but I want your opinion. Should I stay or go back?"
Void sighed, then said, "There's no harm in staying… but have you achieved your goals?"
Saruto face darkened slightly. "What do you mean?"
Void took a step closer, his voice sharpening. "Your promise to your mother to become the pride of the Dark Family. Your promise to Emilia and Star that you would marry them. Your promise to your friends that your future children would surpass theirs. And the people of the Dark Kingdom… who are still waiting for you."
He paused, then continued, "Even now… are you going to give up on all of that?"
Saruto was taken aback, the weight of the words pressing down on his chest. "And even if you gave up everything… would your parents accept your decision?" Void continued in a deeper tone. "And what about your revenge on Umbra… after everything he's done?"
Saruto eyes widened. "You're right," he whispered. "How could I forget all that? What was I thinking?"
He clenched his fist tightly. "Thank you, Void," he said firmly, "for reminding me of all the promises I made."
Void smiled and extended his fist. "No need to thank me… it's my duty."
Their fists clasped together in silence. Saruto awoke, opening his eyes to find it was morning. He got out of bed and went downstairs, where his mother had prepared his meal. He sat down and ate quietly, savoring every moment. Just as he finished, a purple gate opened inside the palace, and a familiar voice called out, "Saruto… the deadline is up. As we agreed, your training begins today."
Saruto got up and found his parents standing near the gate. "So… you're leaving," Carmelina said with a sad smile.
"Yes, Mother," Saruto nodded.
Morvan approached him and hugged him tightly. "Take care."
Saruto hugged them both back, then turned and walked through the gate. In an instant, he was inside Hades palace. "Now your training begins," she said confidently. "Are you ready?"
"Yes… but before that, I have some questions," he replied steadily.
"What are they?" she looked at him.
"Why are there only those who wield the power of darkness in the realm of the dead? Where are the other races? And who is Umbra, really? What does he want from me?"
Hades sighed. "I'll tell you everything… but know that even I don't know my brother's full purpose."
She sat down and began to explain: "There are three rulers who oversee existence… me, and my two brothers: Umbra and Shiran. The rulers are born in a world called the Celestial Realm. Every fifty thousand years, three rulers are born, and a universe is created for them."
She paused for a moment, then continued: "I am responsible for death. My brothers are supposed to share the powers and distribute them throughout the world they create."
Saruto asked: "So… the origin of the powers I possess, and that possessed by the Ten Kingdoms, came from Umbra and Shiran?"
Hades shook her head: "No… all the powers came from Shiran alone."
Saruto was surprised. She said: "At their birth, Shiran possessed all the power, leaving nothing for Umbra. Because of this, Umbra was banished from the Celestial Realm and was not recognized as a ruler."
She was silent for a moment, then continued: "Umbra disappeared, and Shiran remained… He created your world and distributed the powers to its inhabitants, thirty thousand years ago." "So the Dark Power I possess... is from Shiran?" Saruto asked.
"No," Hades said firmly.
Saruto eyes widened. "It's from Umbra," she continued.
"But... didn't you say he didn't acquire any power?" he said, stunned.
"Wait," she said.
"Umbra was created in a separate realm, far from the Celestial Realm. Over time, anger and resentment accumulated within him... and from those emotions, his own power was born. This happened ten thousand years ago."
She looked up at him. "The Dark Power... that you possess."
"And this happened ten thousand years ago," Saruto whispered... when the First Founder acquired the Dark Power by uniting with the Dark Dragon."
"You're right," Hades smiled slightly.