Yama's Lake

His fingers trembled, his brows knitted together, his eyes flickered a bit and slowly they began to open until his blue eyes came into view. His eyes wandered around him until he spotted Max laying close to him with his eyes tightly shut, he abruptly got up and went over to Max to check his impulse.

"He isn't breathing!" He exclaimed and removed his hands from under Max's nose, his face darkened as he remembered what happened.

Just before Max collapsed, Zheren's mind had begun to function, he became aware of what Max was doing to him, he would never have believed that someone would risk his life just to save him. He let out a sigh and sat close to Max's body, "I don't know how you were able to bring me back alive but no matter what it is, I'll forever be indebted to you and will follow you. I may not be able to protect you just yet but I will work hard to regain my lost powers and my title, after that no one would ever hurt you again." Zheren's first clenched so tight as he remembered what he should not have.

----------

"You are no fit to become a God!" The voice of a man sitting on a large chair resounded through the entire hall causing the men and women to turn their gazes back at him. The man whose face was white as the snow stared down at the overly handsome young boy who was on his knees, the man had his eyes that were blazing red as the fierce flames fixed on the young boy. "Your Father failed us, he became an abomination the day he decided to go against the entire realm of Gods. I don't want that to repeat itself and as such you will be banished from here."

"But my Lord, he is–"

"Silence!" The man said as he shot one of the men a glance. He turned back his gaze on the young man and then clicked his fingers. "Zheren, you will be banished from here to never return, I am merciful enough to not kill you but your powers will be taken away from you." As the man spoke, a blinding light engulfed Zheren.

"My Lord, don't do this to me, please," Zheren pleaded. He knew what the blinding light was, this was the spell that once used, all the powers in the person will be taken away, leaving nothing behind. He closed his eyes and muttered something that no one heard, after that, the blinding light dissipated.

"Now, leave here! You can go wherever you wish but never step your foot into this place. The day you try to go against my order will be your last day alive." The man flicked his fingers and a portal opened and swallowed Zheren up.

The next time he saw himself was that he was being captured by the enormous crab, he could not do anything at that time because he had locked his remaining power within him — the only power that he was able to lock. He unlocked it when he saw the enormous crab was about to attack Max.

He saved Max out of the kindness of his heart, never did he know that the boy would do the same — even to this extent.

"Wait until then, I must get my powers back and when that happens I will return to the realm and then take over. I must rule those old fools!" Zheren said as he dug his nails into his palm. He had been a demigod for such a long time and just recently he passed and was on the verge of becoming a god, who knew that they would not let him climb to his top. Many of the gods and goddesses have been against for reasons he knew not and it seemed they finally had one — his father!

Why would his father rebel against the entire realm? What are his reasons for leaving the realm?! This wasn't his teachings to him, his father had always been one of the great gods so why now? Or is it one of their plans to end him?

Zheren sighed deeply, these questions had no answer until he sees his father, but where he would see him and how is what that troubled him again. He turned his attention on Max, he didn't know what to do and had nowhere to go but he needed to do something. 'The cave' Zheren thought, that was the only option in the meantime.

He lifted Max without any struggle and began to walk towards the cave, when he got in, he sighed in relief to see that it was still in a good shape even though the place was in a total mess of blood and piles of dead bodies and debris.

He found a good corner and walked to it, he gently laid Max on the ground and then stood up facing the entire mess that they created. "Time to clean up, I guess!" He mumbled

He closed his eyes to cast a spell but just they sprang open, his eyes began to glow as he looked around. "Who is there? Show yourself!" He coldly said, unknowingly dark mists began to form around his palm which he found to be strange but that wasn't his concern at the moment. He could feel someone's presence, and the aura that is being emitted by the person was strong enough to send shivers to his spine.

"Easy kid! You are quite hot-tempered!" Damon said with a chuckle as he emerged from the shadows. Zheren didn't give him any chance and rushed at him with his hand engulfed in the dark mists, he attempted to attack Damon but he failed as Damon disappeared and then appeared right behind him.

"Don't be too ignorant, kid. You are no match for me!" Damon said coldly yet there was a grin on his face. "I came here for him," he said pointing at Max's body.

"What do you want from him? I won't let you touch him no matter what!" Zheren replied and immediately went to where Max's body is and stood, blocking Damon's view.

"Hahaha! How can I harm him? I'm here to help him. Staying here will do him no good, he needs to wake up as soon as possible or he'll never wake up," Damon said in his most serious tone.

Zheren's brows knitted upon what Damon said, he glanced over at Max and could not help but sigh inwardly. He would like it if Max could wake up even now but he dared not trust the stranger, not when he possesses a dark powerful aura.

"You don't trust me? You have no choice but to do it. If anything should happen to Max, you'll be blamed!"

Zheren silently stared at Damon, he was surprised to hear him call Max by his name but that wasn't enough reason to trust him. "I'll do whatever you say but if you harm him, I will kill you no matter what it takes."

Damon chuckled without saying a word, the boy was just too daring for him like how Max used to be, he could see the honesty in the boy's eyes as he stared at him. Without saying a word he clicked his fingers and an opening was created in the space. "Carry him and let's leave here!" he said and walked into the opening.

Zheren did as he was told, he lifted Max carefully and stepped into the opening which closed the moment he went in.

Next, Zheren saw themselves was in an entirely new place, he was fascinated by the view. Before him, lay an enormous building that seemed to reach the sky.

"Follow me!" Damon said as he materialized before him and began to walk towards an entrance door.

Zheren nodded and followed immediately, they both went into the completely dark place. Damon suddenly halted on his steps and turned around, he gave Zheren a look that confused him.

"What is that look for?" Zheren could not help but ask.

"How can you see without difficulty?" Damon asked back.

"..."

It was only now that Zheren realized that he could see perfectly in the dark. "I don't know but I suggest we continue the walk," he replied simply as he had no reason why he could see in the dark.

"Hmm!" Damon hummed and continued to walk further into the place. After some time they came into a place covered in thick fogs, if it were only the thick fogs, Zheren would not feel strange but the place was also filled with dark energies.

"What is this place?" Zheren asked as he stopped walking.

"This is Yama's lake. I do not have time to explain but one thing is certain and it is the fact that this kid will wake up sooner than expected. Give him to me," Damon replied and carried Max, he carefully placed him on a large stone and then stood up. "Let's go!"

Zheren wanted to object but Damon had already left, the only thing he could do was glance over at Max with a hopeful look then let out a sigh before walking out of the place.