Dancing on the golden ashes

That thought haunted me—and scared me in a way I didn't expect. What if it's someone I know? What if it's someone close to me? But I couldn't allow myself to be paralyzed by shadows I hadn't met yet. One truth remained clear: Even if the original Creator stood beside me now… he wasn't the same one from back then. He would have to be a friend. Not a foe.

"No, that's not possible." Suddenly, the aura of the phantom rose, and she merged into the demon on her knees. "We do not accept this reality. For all that we suffered, this is unfair. Why does she have it all, when I lost everything?!" Their voices mixed, and the power of an Immortal Emperor—the kind of god who could destroy entire planets—rose even higher. I felt it suppress me, but the world also rebelled, supporting me even more. There had to be some reason why this world chose me instead of the person it had been supporting for all eternity.

"Shall we, Gaon? Like the good old times. This time, for the realm. One last time, you and me, fight together... and after we win, you must devour me. Me and her. That's the only way to break the curse placed on you." I could not see her face right now, only her back, but it was trembling. Was it excitement or fear? I could not tell.

"But what about you?" I asked calmly. I was ready to merge again. But... last time we did that, I thought I had lost her forever. It's been over 10,000 years since I last had the chance to talk to her, after all.

"Don't worry. Me and her—we will return into you, as intended. As the souls of the one that failed. Ready to support the one who had the second chance to fix it all. No... this is your first chance. And if you want—only if you truly wish for it—can you please help me fix what I started? And... become the Empress of the universe and sit on the Throne of Eternity? For me... to fix this broken world and universe... only you can do it. Only you can rule it all, and be just." Her voice was trembling. So much... it was unlike her. But she was just like me, after all. I know I would have said exactly the same words... Haa... yeah... we are the same person, even if I was restored from ashes.

"Yeah, let's fight one last time. And then… if you truly return to me, let's fight together for all eternity. You and me. As one. Forever…" I said, my voice getting emotional. I couldn't even feel it clearly—after all, sins alone can't replicate the feelings I lost when I gave away my heart. But…

I knew that right now, I felt more alive than ever.

And today… if we win this fight—I will rise to become the most powerful I've ever been. And when that happens… I will lead all of them. My friends. The demons of this world. And fate itself. To fight the angels. To fight whoever stands behind them.

"Very well…" I could feel warmth in her voice. She turned and looked at me. Her eyes were shining with a bright pink light. Deep inside there… pink.

And then I felt warmth rush through me as her body merged with mine, and the darkness exploded. Just like in the past. But this time—there was so much more.

My sins—all six of them—were rotating at a rapid speed. And I could feel their energies rushing into my eyes. Six pupils were born at that moment. Each one bearing the power of a sin.

I could see everything. The cosmic energy. The soul energy… I could even see their weak points. I could see the way energy flowed through the demon's body like blood. Time itself slowed, dragged to a crawl by the overwhelming force within me. I felt the immense power of destruction lurking behind my gaze, waiting—begging—for a command to erupt and burn everything it touched. And deeper still… I felt it.

The power to devour.

To consume all I laid my eyes on.

My horns grew longer, sharper—pure black, obsidian soaked in blood and vitality. They radiated raw strength, pumping through my body like liquid lightning. In that moment, I felt like I could lift an entire planet with one hand.

My wings stretched wide, growing stronger with each pulse. No longer leathery—they were feathered still, but now black as night, divine and demonic both. Feathers drifted from them like falling memories—each one a past battle, a soul I had slain, a life I had torn from the cycle.

My tail thickened, muscular and terrifying, a whip forged from darkness itself. It pulsed with energy, so dense it felt like it could split a mountain… no—the sun. Yes, even that arrogant ball of gas would bow before its edge.

My hands and feet reshaped, claws bursting from flesh like blades begging for war. So sharp the air trembled at their touch, recoiling in fear—because even the wind knew, if it brushed against me, it would be sliced in two without me lifting a finger.

"The power running through your body… it's already greater than the average Immortal Emperor," the eerie voice—the other me—suddenly whispered in my mind. "It's amazing… but still not enough to kill him."

A chill crawled down my spine as her voice sharpened.

"But Kaelthira… she's different. She's powerful—immensely so. But even she can't stand a chance against that beast. That's why she ran. Why she abandoned her people, let the Demon Queen—her own twin sister—be executed. She's no savior, Gaon. She's a fucking traitor. And you… you're not just the one to end her. You're the executioner this world has been begging for."

I felt our emotions bleeding into each other. Wrath. Betrayal. Righteous judgment.

"Let's go," she hissed inside me. "Let's kill that bitch."

"Yeah," I growled, my voice laced with fire. "Fuck her—and every last one of our enemies."