Confrontation with Inner Darkness
The siblings stepped into the portal—a swirling mass of crimson and black energy, snarling like a living beast. Unlike any Maevhara had conjured before, this one screamed with defiance and hunger, pulling at their bodies, their minds, and their souls.
A violent gust of darkness slammed into them as they crossed the threshold. The world twisted, their ears rang, and the stench of blood, ash, and rot assaulted their senses. The very air was thick with agony. This was not a realm built to welcome. This was a realm of ruin, of torment, of the forgotten.
They arrived in a war-torn wasteland, where the sky bled with rivers of dark red and clouds twisted like tortured souls. The ground was cracked and blackened, as if fire had burned it for a thousand years and still smoldered beneath. Distant howls echoed in the wind, unholy and wild. It felt like the realm itself was alive—and angry.
A Sinister Welcome
Gods sent to monitor them stood at the portal's rim, staring down into the shadows with disdain. One whispered, "They don't belong among us. They belong here."
Kael grinned as the darkness curled around his limbs. "Home," he whispered, breathing it in. "I can't wait to kill. And finally... have some fun."
Aelina merely stepped forward, unfazed. Nyra, eyes half-lidded and cold, whispered an incantation beneath her breath. The shadows shuddered in response.
The Night Realm
The air grew colder with every step. Thorned vines slithered across the dead earth, and blackened bones jutted out like twisted monuments to forgotten massacres. Time felt broken here. Day never came. The red twilight hung eternal, casting everything in a morbid glow.
Then came the creatures—night demons, wretches made of shadow and bone. Some walked on spindly legs, their bodies stretching unnaturally tall. Others crawled like insects, chittering and twitching. All had glowing violet eyes and gaping maws filled with serrated fangs.
Their instructor, cloaked in Maevhara's divine markings, stepped forth.
"This is the trial. Survive. Or die forgotten."
Ashen Creed's Deception
Unbeknownst to the others, the Ashen Creed had orchestrated a sinister plan. They intended to harness the night creatures, using them as pawns to exact revenge on the gods who had long suppressed them. Their minds buzzed with treachery, believing the siblings to be mere tools in their grand design.
But the siblings were no fools. As they stepped deeper into the realm, Aelina's eyes glowed with a dark light. She whispered, "They plot against us."
Nyra nodded, her voice cold. "They think to use us. Let them try."
Split and Isolate
The gods backed away, forming tight clusters and eyeing the siblings with barely masked revulsion. None dared approach them.
Kael laughed. "Fine by me."
Aelina turned her head slightly, her voice a whisper. "Let them hide. We'll show them why they fear us."
Nyra didn't respond. She was watching the creatures gather like storm clouds on the horizon.
The Battle Begins
The gods took to light magic—walls of gold, spears of flame, or shimmering barriers. Some created sanctuaries around mortals trapped in the realm.
The siblings did no such thing.
Kael charged. His flames were wild, roaring beasts that incinerated anything they touched. He laughed, slicing through demons with a molten blade. One lunged at him. He tore it in two with bare hands.
"I want more!"
Aelina stood still, then whispered a curse. The demon before her spasmed, screaming as its bones twisted backward. It died slow—by design.
Nyra's darkness was elegant. She summoned spears of pure void, impaling three at once. She moved like a shadow, unseen until it was too late.
Ashen Creed's Betrayal Unveiled
As the battle raged, Kael suddenly halted, his eyes narrowing. "They're not just watching," he growled. "They're directing."
Nyra's voice was a hiss. "The Ashen Creed. They seek to control the night creatures. To use them against us."
Aelina's smile was razor-sharp. "Then let's turn their puppets against them."
With a nod, the siblings redirected their assault, not just on the night creatures, but on the Ashen Creed members hidden among the shadows.
The Mortal's Fate
As the siblings approached the mortal, bound and bloodied, they showed no hesitation. The other gods may have their reservations, but the siblings felt nothing as the night creatures tore the mortal apart before their eyes. Kael tossed the mortal aside, indifferent to the death he was about to witness. Aelina felt a twisted sense of pleasure in the pain. Nyra simply watched, calculating and detached. The mortal's life meant nothing to them. It was a sacrifice in the game of power and bloodshed.
Aelina's Inner Conflict
For a brief moment, Aelina hesitated. There was a flicker of emotion, a glimpse of her former self—a moment where she felt the mortal's fear in their eyes. It troubled her. Was this truly the path she wanted? But before she could linger on that thought, Kael's manic laughter pierced her thoughts. She was pulled back into the darkness, her hesitation vanishing as she embraced it fully.
Nyra's Calculation
Nyra remained calm and collected, but there was a coldness in her eyes. She knew that the path they'd chosen was irreversible. There was no turning back from the things they'd done, from the power they'd gained. The bloodshed had already become a part of her very being, and there was no regret in her heart—only the quiet satisfaction of a mission well executed.
Kael's Madness
Kael stood at the heart of the carnage, his laughter echoing through the twisted landscape. He slaughtered demon after demon with reckless abandon. He was lost in the thrill, in the chaos, in the unrelenting rush of power. For him, there was no turning back. The more he killed, the more he became consumed by it. He grinned wide, eyes burning with madness.
The Aftermath
When the battle ended, silence reigned. The gods stared at the siblings with horror.
The siblings stared back with cold amusement.
They no longer cared for the gods' judgment. They had embraced the abyss—and it had embraced them in return.
Overhead, the cracked sky trembled. A whisper slithered across the realm: "Children of ash and blood… your time approaches."
The siblings looked up, unflinching.
They were becoming what the gods feared most.
Darkness, cruelty, and wrath made flesh.
And this was only the beginning.
END OF CHAPTER 9