Second Haven Arrival

Demonic Corruption

Trying to get to his feet, Cole then fell back down to the floor on his knees. He did not even hear the whispered words of the priest at all. Still trying to stand up, two of the priests that were accompanying Anna. Grabbed his arms and hauled up to his feet.

This time it was a man in front of Cole. This unnamed priest had his robbed decorated, unlike the others, though it was not by much. There was simply a depiction of a walled tree on his robes, which were now after seemingly fighting against the cultists, dulled with dust and whatever else had been used in the fighting.

"You. I think Cole was your name. What did you see? Tell me now in the name of our God and I will grant you protection and sanctuary!" The priest's voice was deep and heald a seething zealous tone. He clearly believed that he was right, Cole mussed that back on earth this man could have been one of those crusaders from their ancient history.

After thinking and recounting to himself about what happened to him not moments before, Cole slowly began to explain everything. From the attack to the appearance of the demon as well as the ending with the demons attack. The priest's face only got sadder and sadder as Cole spoke on. It was like Cole was telling some kind of saddening story.

Cole on the other hand though could not be more overjoyed that he was alive and feeling fine. Though there was one thing that was bugging him about the whole thing.

"Sir priest, why did he attack pass right through me? I do not understand why I am alive." His questioning tone only led to the priest's brows to furrow slowly.

The priest then slowly spoke in response, the others around them all slowly looked down in sadness. "You are a void child, the first of the new wave at that. For three days nothing outside of this realm can harm you. It is an old rule to make sure that the newcomers are not dragged into a battle against higher lifeforms. That is why you were not physically harmed anyway... however you now will suffer a fate that is far worse than death. The priestess will explain more..." Quickly he turned towards the only female priest within their group, that being namely Anna. "Take him to the hall of memory. Tell him... everything."

The group all slightly gasped with Cole not knowing what was going on. All he could do was helplessly lean on Anna as she slowly took him towards the main temple building again. That time though she did not speak at all. Only took him into a different doorway to what they used before.

In the end, as she stopped moving forwards. Cole found that he himself was looking down a long hallway with images that decorated its long vast walls, it was now that she finally breathed out deeply. Then looking at the images she finally spoke.

"Just let me explain, I will answer your questions after." Her voice was far heavier than it had before, the melancholic attitude of the others seemingly having affected her as well.

"These walls show the rise of our God. This was within the ancient age. In this age, the ancient Gods ruled absolute and none could stop their power. The realms were all close and linked and war and death covered the lands. No one could stop anything. No one cared. Humankind like many other races faced extension or death."

Then she paused and took a breath looking at a certain image, showing off a dragon.

"All of this changed when he came. The Star Dragon Vritra. He gathered the dragon race and began a crusade to push back the other races. Slowly the legions under him swelled, with humans and elves. Dwarves and even the orcs. All of the races heeded his call. Many legends rose during this period, though more notably was the rise of the Gods under Vritra who had himself ascended into Godhood. Izuku was one of the most notable who would become the war god. A half-human, half-dragon. The allied forces in the end won. And Vritra forged the realms as we know them today. His actions lead to the collapse of the power of the ancient ones who fled in all directions."

She then breathing deeply glanced back at Cole who seemed to be lost in her explanation of what had happened in the past, though none of this seemed to matter to Cole as he was only confused as to why she was saying this to him.

"Though a group of ancient ones just before the left used one last spell. The summoning spell. This though would break the borders of the enclosed realms of the creators. Worlds like your own, from then on, every thousand years. A new wave of void children would appear, they due to the laws of creation could not be harmed by beings of the other realms within the first three days."

Cole finally understanding what she had said just nodded his head. All she was doing, was explaining the backstory to him. Though this did kind of annoy him a little as all he wanted was for her to great straight to the point. Though being a better person than normal he just stayed silent and carried on listening to the priest quietly.

"There though Cole is one thing that you are not protected against. That is the natural energy of each realm. These are normally harmless due to them being natural. That is until they are weaponized into some kind of attack. The energy you described rushing into your body has a name. Its demonic energy and when it goes into a non-demon. They suffer from demonic corruption. The corruption will spread eating at your soul slowly until you become a demon. I am sorry... I failed. We failed to protect you..." The priestess as she turned back towards Cole had tears running down her face, she could not even look him in the eye.

Cole hearing all of this just stood there stunned. He did not know what to say at all. What could he say? Slowly shock covering his face, he slipped down to the floor just staring at the stone wall opposite him.

On the wall in question was a man in black armour, with black wings sprouting out behind him. The wings themselves looked a lot like dragon wings, behind the man were many ships. In a way, the image looked like it was glorifying the man, though they're just seemed to be something else about him.

The priestess seeing who he was looking at sighed a little. "I guess you would see this at some point. Ramzi Blackwing. Also, known as Ramzi the Crusader. He is or well was, the leader of the Abyssal Clan and in his life. Became the City Lord of Yutal and lead the demi dragons. His people, on a vengeful crusade and won many battles. Until he and his close companions all disappeared. If anything could help you now Cole. It is him or rather his bloodline. The Abyssal Dragon bloodline is the only known bloodline that can resist demonic corruption. But I can not say anything, the empire he made collapsed with his disappearance and Yutal, his home. Will kill you for even mentioning his name."

Cole suddenly looked at the priestess in happiness. It seemed like there was a way for him to live and survive. Hope began to fill up his body once again and with the feeling of regaining his strength. Cole dragged himself back to his feet.

"Though there is one thing I must say, Cole. The stronger you become, the slower the corruption will grow. If mastered you can gain many boons from it though each time you use it, it will come at a great cost. Fight the corruption, when it tries to take your mind. There is one more thing that I have not told you. The first void child of each wave is destined for great things. Each one has been at the centre of a great event. Some do good, others do bad. I just hope you live, that is all."

Cole had, had enough of the overload of information that was enough to fry his brain. Just looked blankly at her before smiling. Then finally after all of this time, he finally spoke. "You seem so sad, yet you also have given me hope. Now, last night you spoke of testing my affinity for magic...Is there a way we could do that now?"

Cole's question completely threw the priestess off guard. He did not seem to be fazed by anything that had happened at all. She just looked at him confused and worried for his mind. Maybe the corruption had already taken hold and he was far weaker than he appeared to be?

Though ultimately after thinking for a few seconds she just sighed. "Sure, just follow me. Though it may not be a normal test..."