Civilization

The smeared blood on the back of my palm sparks as it shines brightly. Flashes of hot pink and rose, blind me, forcing me to squint to see what was happening. Sensing danger, Sorag flaps his wings in front of him, creating a mini tornado and stopping his movement at the same time. In his defense, it was the right action to stop his straightforward attack, since Belial appears from the seal, looming out menacingly in a cloud of smoke and flames.

His two iconic jet-black horns exit the cloud first, appearing right before the crimson skull. His eyes blaze crimson as a deep mahogany red tightly fit suit of armor covers his body. Even though the skull shows no emotions, I could feel the slight increase in his heartbeat. Excitement takes over, and happiness rises, like a child playing with a new toy.

"Finally, fresh air. No longer am I stuck inside the body of a human child. There is even a gift for me as I come out. The gift of DESTRUCTION, BLOOD, AND TEARS! HAHAHA!" - Belial

"BELIAL! Don't kill anyone other than the demon." - Kingston

Crying out to Belial, from behind, I desperately plea that he wouldn't go on a killing spree. However, as Belial turns his head towards me my heart sinks. I knew because our hearts are connected that the look he gave me was one of disgust, like looking at an ant before you step on it.

"Kingston! What's happening? What is that?" - Frank

"A demon? Is that a demon?" - Yor

"What are these hands? It's sticking to me and I can't get it off!" - David

"KINGSTON!! Do something?!" - Ken

"I can't fight it! It just makes it worse!" - Gibing

"I can't feel any strength from my legs anymore. Kingston, I…" - Gopopo

Looking over my shoulder, I see small black hands gripping Gibing and the other's legs, wrapping around them and slowly rising up higher, with Gopopo and Gibing already covered in those hands. Distress could be seen on all their faces as they constantly ask me about what was happening. Confusion and panic flood my mind as I turn back to Belial.

"No. No. No. Belial! BELIAL! PLEASE! Don't do this to them!" - Kingston

Leaning down until both our faces were right next to each other, Belial speaks to me slowly in a low creepy voice.

"I… Don't… Want… To." - Belial

Much like the incoming tornado, my emotions were spinning around mixing with Belial's. My confusion, anxiety, powerlessness, and terror mixing with his happiness and excitement. I didn't know what to do, my mind is blank. I stare hopelessly at Belial as he turns his attention to the mini tornado.

With a flick of his wrists, Belial creates a tiny crimson flame in his right palm. Reaching out to the incoming tornado, he lets the strong winds blow at the flame, letting it burn brighter and bigger. Black tips can be seen as it licks the edges of the tornado, slowly spreading around and around spiraling up.

I know that skill or at least I know what kind of skill it derives from. It was Hellfire, the skill I had recently acquired and used. Yet the way Belial is using it was different. Instead of using it like a skill, it was like he was molding the flame to become whatever he wanted like it was controlling its every movement.

Before long, the once-raging tornado had become an inferno. A spiraling tower of crimson flames and black streaks and this monster controls it. Bending the flame to his will, he redirects the tornado at Sorag. Thinking he could fight Belial's fire tornado, Sorag once more creates another tornado but this time, it was larger and stronger. The winds were picking up the dust and dirt on the ground creating a shield of debris as it spins.

Watching this spectacle, the many Players and NPCs were dumbfounded. Not only were they watching a fight between two demons, but right there in the center were two tornados about to clash. What's more, is that another Player was the one who had summoned one of the demons. I think I would be having the same feelings as they were except, all I'm feeling is helplessness.

With Belial busy with Sorag, the many black hands eventually covered everyone behind me, leaving behind black cocoons. Walking over to one of them, I place my hand on the cold steel-like surface. I couldn't feel anything from the cocoons, as if they were just empty shells.

I feel heartbroken…

Unlike Ian, I couldn't confirm if they were dead or alive. I could only see them as they are and right now they are in a cocoon. However, that wasn't even the worst. I feel disgusted. Not at Gibing and the others. Not at the cocoon. Not even at Belial but myself.

I am smiling. A grin so wide I could be mistaken for a clown, could be seen in the reflection of the cocoon. Despite this smile, a tear slowly forms in my left eye, rolling down due to the power of gravity. After the first tear, one more comes, and then another, and then another… This spiral of emotions is destroying my mind. I can't take it. Ripping off the chest plate, I kneel down on the ground gripping my chest.

I should die right now, shouldn't I? If I die then Belial would stop, right? I can stop this. Yea, I can stop this. I'll just die. It's so easy. Just grip your throat and grip it tighter. Yeah. Yeah. Th-this is the way to repent.

My hands hesitantly lift off the ground. I slowly bring them up closer. Bit by bit. My cold hands wrap around my throat as I look upward at what was once Gibing but is now just a black cocoon.

"DON'T YOU DARE KILL YOURSELF!" - Belial

Like thunder, Belial's voice pierces through my dark thoughts, stopping me before I could apply any pressure to my own throat. Fear strikes me as I get lifted off the ground and flung at the wall. My back smashes into the wall, cracking it slightly before I fall down landing on my face. Looking up, I see Belial approaching me, filled with anger and rage.

"YOU IMBECILE! HOW CAN YOU THINK OF DYING? IF YOU DIE THEN I DIE! I WILL NEVER. EVER! LET YOU DIE! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT PULLING SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!" - Belial

Grabbing me by the shirt, he lifts me up and slams me against the wall. Flames spread out around him as he shouts at me, like a parent lecturing their child. Yet I know, he was only saying this for his own benefit. He doesn't care about me. No, it's an understatement to even think he recognizes me. I'm like a puppet, just here for him to use a skill.

Tossing me to the side, Belial turns around. The two tornados clashed at that moment and the vortex created by the two winds spread out slamming into all the other Players and NPC causing them to be lifted. Screams echo in the room as one by one, humans, monsters, and demi-humans alike were lifted and flung around the room. Some were tossed up into a higher level while others not so lucky were tossed straight into a wall, killed on the spot.

Right in the midst of the storm, as the two tornados were creating sparks and spitting flames, Belial and Sorag were fighting. Unable to fly due to the strong winds, Sorag, had his wings folded behind him and was punching at Belial. His gauntlets light up amethyst each time he goes for a punch, clashing with Belial's flame-coated fists.

After a few exchanges, Belial changes his approach, forming a wall of fire as he slams his fists into the ground blocking off Sorag from attacking. In the brief moment of hesitation, Belial creates a pillar of flame behind his feet, allowing him to gain the higher ground, and immediately, he casts a barrage of fireballs over the flame wall at Sorag.

Anticipating the attack, Sorag opens his wings, blocking the attack with them unfortunately he underestimates the damage as Belial's fireballs burn his wings greatly. Creating another gust of wind, Sorag backs off, cursing at Belial. His gauntlets shine brighter as he screams at Belial, charging at him like a bull to a red flag.

Looking at Sorag charging at him, I could feel the disappointment emitting from Belial. Waving his left hand, Belial grabs the flames of the fire tornado collecting them and compressing them into a ball the size of a basketball. Without the flames, the tornados collide once more but this time, dancing around each other following the other's rotation eventually creating faster and more powerful winds.

Sorag disregards the winds, charging at Belial as he bashes his fists together creating purple sparks. Belial leaps off his flame pillar holding the orb of fire in his hands and pushing it outward towards the charging Sorag. Pulling back his fist, Sorag, meets the fire orb head on creating an explosion in the middle of the room and sending a shockwave powerful enough to slice the tornado stopping the wind.

The shockwave sends me back to the wall, pressing and indenting me into it, and causing me to lose even more HP. Looking at my status I was barely surviving with only 3 HP left. The dust created by the explosion clears, and I see Belial standing on top of Sorag's body. Pulling the horns off of Sorag, he begins to crush them in his hands, pouring the shards into the small gap in the crimson skull. A burst of orange flames comes out of the gap as all the shards from the horn disappear.

[ Demon Belial has absorbed Demon Sorag's magical power.

Increase DE by 5.

Increase Strength by 5.

Increase Intelligence by 5.]

After he was done, Belial disappears into a cloud of black smoke as the duration of the skill concludes. However, what was left? Just me and the black cocoons that were once my friends. None of the Players or the NPCs that came out of the other white doors were alive. Just myself. All alone…