| ARC IV | Chapter 12: Sovereign of the Void

 When the heavens turned grey and the snow-like ash came down along with the cinders, a sole boy firmly embraced a girl in his arms. With her reflection in his bloodthirsty ruby-coloured eyes, tears ran down his face, dripping on her cheeks. 

 "…Ruela," the boy uttered under his breath. 

 He was finally free from his cell, and the shackles were finally gone. But… The same couldn't be said for the only family member he had left. Her silver eyes were void of life, and the once-warm complexion she often showed him was gone—she was dying… 

 It started to rain, and he could only hold her in his embrace. He was still a young boy and hoped for a miracle. But a miracle never came. She continued to cough blood. She was so weak she could barely move. Yet, she reached out, caressing his cheek, wiping his tears. She then comforted him by patting his head. 

 "Br…oth…er… I…lov…e… y…ou, plea…se… l…ive…on."

 Exhausting her last breaths, she spoke those words. Her gentle hands fell on the ground, and she became unresponsive. The boy was in despair. He wondered why the world was the way it was. Why was it filled with this much suffering? Why was everyone fighting? 

 Despite asking himself all those things, he knew why. 

 "—power…" 

 Power corrupts. He knew that concept very well. He was once a prince and held some powers. But… He never intended to use it for evil—that's what his kind parents taught him. Even though they were a peaceful nation with few to no enemies…it was undeniable that it was the reason for their downfall. 

 "Hm? A boy?" a voice suddenly echoed in his ears. 

 Looking up, he saw a girl with white hair and golden eyes. Her demeanour was gentle, but…the pity in her eyes aroused his bloodthirst. 

 "Quite the scary eyes…" she murmured and landed close to him. "Even a boy like him…is filled with this much hate… The heavenly decision was wrong… and now. Mortals have to suffer… I'm sorry, little one…" 

 The boy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. With a stare filled with hatred, he stared at her and jerked every time she got closer. However… he had no energy left, and his consciousness slowly faded… and the last thing he remembered was her words, "I'm sorry…" she said with a sad look. 

 … 

 …..

 … 

 When the boy woke up, he realised that his body wasn't hurting anymore, and he was in a strange place. He kept looking around and realised he was in a cave. There was a warm fire nearby. 

 (Ruela!?)

 He hastily got up and ran toward what seemed like an exit. When he got out, he saw Ruela lying on a flowerbed. Of course…she wasn't alive. 

 "Ruela…" 

 The boy fell on his down on his knees. He'd lost all reason to live. But he didn't want to die either… He had no place to return to, no family left. He had nothing to lose but nothing to gain. And before he knew it, he found himself on the battlefield. 

 Enemy after enemy, abominations after the other. He was a sole warrior who'd cut down everything that came close. With [Tears of the Void] in his hands, he ended wars and somehow found himself being worshipped. 

 "…Lord Yudex… Some corrupt mages summoned a being from another world," one of his close aides said. 

 With cold eyes, Yudex slightly tilted his head while resting on his palm. "So? Does it pose a threat?" he asked. 

 "We're unsure…but…" 

 Before he finished his words, other servants brought an old-looking man inside the throne room. His eyes were void of life as his gaze met the Sovereign's eyes. 

 "Huh? This is it?" Yudex asked. "Pathetic… he can't even be used for war." 

 But as soon as Yudex said that, the man's eyes turned blue, and the air around him seemed different. Even though the man lacked mana completely, his kill intent was over the moon. 

 "It's all the same, no matter where I am…" the man uttered. In a condescending gaze, the man said, "Kneel, worms." 

 Suddenly, his shackles shattered, and everyone besides Yudex kneeled. 

 He got up from his seat and materialised [Tears of the Void]. Yudex asked, "Who are you?"

 "Right…" the old man replied. "Al…" 

 "…?" 

 "…Alester, that is my name. I'll spare you this once for your transgression." 

 "….." 

 Yudex sensed no mana nor divinity from Alester. Still, even if Alester's powers were unknown and out of this world. Yudex is still known as Sovereign of the Void. Even if he didn't have an attachment to his title, he has it for a reason. 

 The space between them shortened in a single instance, and Yudex's blade was at Alester's throat. However, it stopped midway for a moment before Yudex pushed through, leading Alester to dodge. Still, it wasn't enough, as blood ran down his throat. 

 Yudex wasn't all serious when he attacked Alester, but despite that, he should've easily killed him without much effort. It took him by surprise, and he became curious. This mysterious human being from another planet was able to momentarily snare him without using any mana or divinity. 

 Alester also seemed a little surprised but was indifferent at the same time. "…I see. That death god took it all…" he murmured to himself. 

 "…you're saying you're weakened? Hmph, boring," Yudex scoffed. 

 Even though Yudex felt a little disappointed that Alester was weakened, he still kept relentlessly attacking. He found it to be boring still. All Alester did was dodge.

 "Tsk…" 

 Yudex started to feel irritated that he wasn't able to finish this nobody with just his sword. He thus resorted to using mana to enhance his physical abilities further while opening more void rifts for his blade. 

 Alester was troubled and unable to fight back. He felt crippled after having all of his powers stolen, or well…not all of them. 

 "Relent," Alester said. 

 Suddenly, Yudex's attacks got redirected in different directions. Now that he'd caught Yudex off guard, he hastily tunnelled space and snared Yudex by creating artificial gravity beneath his feet. 

 "I apologise. I was wrong for calling you a worm… But I won't be cornered a second time," Alester remarked as he disappeared. 

 "…I got arrogant, huh?" 

 Arrogant he was. He'd soon realise that this nobody called Alester would turn out to be a more significant threat than all the other factions combined. 

 Clusters of Ex Machina destroyed battlefields after the other. Countries fell, and half of the world was oppressed and ruled by Alester. Everything entering the territory was swarmed and overwhelmed. It didn't matter what it was because the Ex Machina left nothing but pure destruction in their path. 

 For Yudex, one or hundreds, it didn't matter. But their numbers were too overwhelming, considering that one of them was almost as powerful as one of his best warriors—especially those from Series-A—Alester's first generation that had no restraint and a will of their own. 

 By this point, the demons resented the mortals even more, and so did the angels. The summoning of Alester ruined the balance. Even if they summoned gods from another world or their own gods, it was an end met by none other than Alester himself. 

 Yudex, who was worshipped as a god, didn't care whether his opponent was an Irueel or a demon god. Even abominations from the mirrored realm were no match for the sovereign that ruled the void—the only exception that wasn't named Alester was The Supreme Celestial Angel Eterisa or The Demonic Overlord Isth. 

—it was a war that literally tore the world apart. 

 But one fateful day, he was betrayed. His subordinate worked with the demons and the angels. However, he wasn't the only one. Isth and Eterisa were stripped of their powers alongside Yudex. It was a grand betrayal. They all unanimously sacrificed their leaders, thinking it would please Alester. 

 They knew he wished not to be disturbed. After all, he made half the world his domain, and not a single mirrored abomination existed where he ruled. And with those three gone, Alester had no reason to interfere with either of the factions as long as they didn't interfere with whatever he was doing. 

—Yudex knew this; thus, he willingly got tricked. 

 However, the same couldn't be said for Eterisa or Isth. In the end, they had their immortality stripped and were banished to the mirrored realm, where everything was distorted and abominations crawled everywhere. 

 Isth was the first one to get up. He coldly looked at Yudex and Eterisa. "Pathetic," he remarked. "To think I believed us to be equals." He coldly scoffed and walked away to consume the abominations. He now considered the two of them trash. However, Yudex was indifferent to his statement. 

 For Yudex, life was fragile, and he eventually became indifferent. He did understand the suffering of those who followed him. But…was his methods wrong? He tore the heavens to drain divinity, mana and miasma. He trained his armies to be their best and protected what he could. 

—yet he felt empty. 

 Even though he walked the path of destruction, he remembered his parents' words. His beloved sister's words. He wanted to live up to their ideals—the same ones he once had. Was it so wrong? Does the means justify the end? He killed and killed. But he also did his best to be a benevolent ruler—albeit in his own way. 

 (Alester…huh? He's indifferent to this world. What are his motives? Our first meeting was but a coincidence. He had a spark of hatred. Still…perhaps this is the best outcome… To have an outsider intervene. This world is shrouded in needless war. Just why? I understand the conflict between mortals, but why did gods intervene? Why did the angels descend? Why did the demons crawl up from the dark realm? Why are those abominations corrupting everything? Why? Why? Why?)

 He glanced at Eterisa. She looked lifeless and empty. All the things that made her sparkly were not there. Her determination, her confidence, her strength… 

 (…she saved me once…but I doubt she remembers, though.)

 "Hey, Eterisa, are you just going to sulk here?" Yudex coldly asked. 

 "…Yudex Des Meterus…" she uttered his name while looking into his eyes. They were empty and sad. She'd lost everything. "…I'm not sulking." 

 For someone like Yudex, who had nothing to begin with, this betrayal didn't bother him as he knew it was a better outcome. 

 "What, disappointed that your angel family stabbed you in the back?" 

 "….." 

 Yudex scoffed at her silence. "It was the only way," he coldly remarked. "While we were occupied fighting everyone, that bastard Alester sealed more than enough mirrored rifts by himself. What did we do? Conquering for dominance. No wonder the Irueels and demon gods overlooked such a scheme by their worshippers." 

 With a sad look, Eterisa avoided his intense gaze. Her body quivered, and tears flooded her eyes. "…I know… I know!" she cried. "We Celestial Angels were sent here to hold back the abominations and redirect the war from the heavenly realm into the mortal realm! I knew it was wrong, but what choice did we have? The demons already tempted you mortals, and the abominations corrupted everything!" 

 Eterisa's intense gaze and her pained sobs. Even Yudex, who usually felt nothing, started to pity her. 

 "…I…know that for the sake of everyone, we were betrayed and sacrificed… I wish…they'd told me… But deep down, I know I was hated… But I at least served my purpose…so… Yudex Des Meterus… Kill me." 

*Tsk*

 Yudex clicked his tongue. Seeing someone he'd once considered an equal being this pathetic made him sick. But the thing that made him even more sick was how weak she was rendered. They stripped all of her powers. She had no divinity nor mana. She was no different from a normal human girl. 

 Yudex removed his cloak and threw it at her. "Wear something at least," he complained. 

 Eterisa blankly stared at him. "…you're not going to kill me?" She let out a pathetic chuckle. "I see… I'm too pathetic to even kill…" 

 "Don't get the wrong idea. You saved me once; I had nothing after having lost everything, yet I wanted to live. Is that so wrong? You don't want to die either, do you?" 

 Eterisa didn't respond. She just blankly looked into his eyes in bewilderment, not saying a word. With those words, he dragged her everywhere with him until one day, he said, "Milena. You'll live as Milena and is no longer the Supreme Celestial Angel Eterisa." 

 "…you're so…" Eterisa chuckled while sobbing. "I see… I'm Milena…" she said with a bright smile. 

 "…don't you hate it? Or rather, don't you hate me? I've killed more angels than I can count." 

"…I suppose I do resent you… But we're even, aren't we?" Milena asked while preparing a meal for them. "Hm? Wanna taste? It'd delicious, you know?" 

 "Hmph, fine," Yudex replied while taking her hand. However, Milena kept staring at his face for whatever reason. "What?" Yudex inquired. 

 "…how about Hilos?" 

 "Hilos? As a name?" 

 Milena nodded. "It isn't fair that you'd be the only one to give me a name, is it?" 

 Hilos chuckled. "Sure, whatever," he replied. He was slightly curious as to why she thought the name suited him. He did want to ask what meaning the name held but was too stubborn to ask.

 …

 …..

 …

 When Hilos came to, he was in a bed, and beside him was a young man with golden eyes. His eyes reminded him of a certain someone. But he wasn't ever going to mention it to him. 

 "Mm? Awake?" 

 "Hmph, I could use some more mana," Hilos replied. 

 "I'd…rather limit the amount I give you." 

 Hilos got up and sighed. "I suppose you'd be cautious… How much did you see?" 

 Alum shrugged. "Hm? Whatever are you referring to?" he replied while feigning ignorance. "Anyhow. Do you want to join us for dinner?" 

 Hilos cautiously glared at him. He knew Alum in and out, and despite his indifferent personality, he was oddly honest and genuine despite his sly nature. 

 "It better be good," Hilos arrogantly said while grinning.