Chapter 38: Recovery

When you use demonic powers, your entire physical body changes.

The laws of nature are simple and same for each and every being that exists within the bounds of nature: there are limits, there are boundaries, and at the same time, it is a law of nature that all beings possess the same core origin.

Though that does not mean all beings are created equal, many in this universe would give their lives for the truth that all beings are, in fact, created equal.

The realities are different, but things change, and many things in the world are different for a reason. Gods have a spiritual body that does not have an actual physical form.

They are entities of higher realities and thus their direct influence over the new world is much lesser.

Demon, however, are demonic because they possess a physical body that is completely different from any being in this world. Their souls or spiritual bodies as they are called are certainly stronger, but the reason they cannot stand against holy power is exactly because of their spiritual constitution.

Divinity that defines gods, therefore, stands apart from Holiness that is oftentimes mistaken as their inherent element. Truthfully, it is not.

Divinity stands apart from the holiness, transcendence or demonic nature. It is an element of nature that defines an entity that has transcended the bounds of nature in certain aspects.

Primus who gain transcendence can obtain divinity, demons can obtain divinity, and just like that, any being in this world can obtain divinity if they earn the marit required for it.

But, this merit isn’t something that one can earn by doing certain things: it is inherent and thus people also call this merit ’truth’.

Those who search for these truths are called truthseekers, but not all of them are the same.

Same look at the world, the records of the world, and the outer world in order to understand the truths. They are the scholars. But, there are also those who look inwards in search of these truths: ascetics, monks, priests, even those walking the paths of any mastery, be it weapon or artistic, are ultimately truth seekers.

’I belong to both of these categories.’

I know more about this world than anyone else out there, I have devoted far longer in search of the truths than what the current seekers admire, I might be the only one who understands the nature of this world so well... and the understanding of these truths is exactly the reason the artifact chose me.

’The understanding is also the reason why I can use the powers of demons, divines, and holy beings.’

The dagger has a will of its own. It chose me because it saw something inside me that it desired, that confirmed something for the weapon.

But, ever since I started using the powers of this dagger, I don’t know how many times I have come face to face with death.

Even this time when I used it against a divine being’s fragment, I knew I was pushing myself too much.

But at the same time, the more divinities I fight and the more divine essence I collect the easier it will be for me to use the powers of the dagger.

The divine essence itself is essential in order for all the other powers to work. Also, the more divine power I have, the more of the stored ’aura’ I can unleash when I need it.

’Just like how it landed the final blow on the divine being, I will need it more often if I ever want to use powers like that.’

We are going to be at war with not just the beings of that level but also beings who far surpass them. trueGods and highGods are one thing but the battle is against the pantheon gods, the oldGods of this world.

And my people have been fighting this war for over three thousand years. We will not stop until we have reclaimed our honor and protected the little dignity we still hold in a world which was ours to begin with.

But that dream still seems so far away...

’Hopefully, we will take a brighter step forward with the addition of a new member.’

I was in a clean room on one of the higher floors of the Mayn castle now, having just opened my eyes, watching the three ladies sleeping around me along with a young boy who was holding my fingers with his young hands.

The three of them were on my left while the child, the prince, was on my right.

He seemed well, unhurt, and that was a good sight.

’This is what we are fighting for.’

Children who have a peaceful look on their face, children who know the wrongness that exists in this world, children curious enough to look for the answers to abstract questions... in a world where the man is degraded to nothing more than a fuel for the divinities, children like him are a symbol of hope.

’Sometimes I forget why we even started this.’

Yes we are a spy organization, yes we are people who constantly take on high risk jobs with no apparent benefit, but be it the job we took the last time or this one, it is not the rewards that attract us, it is the underlying importance of these jobs.

’But the rest of them still don’t understand this even though they have been with me for so long.’

It is essential that we have a strong connection with the underworld not because they have special resources, but because they are the first ones we will get rid of when the time arrives.

It is essential that we continue collecting the essential materials for the ’ritual’ that we must perform in order to start the ’great war’ that had come to a pause all those years ago.

It is also essential that we continue collecting the Aura, Divinity, and Manas of the natural beings.

Without these powers harvested from the others, fighting a great war would become impossible.

’But for the time being, we are a simple spy organization.’

Parliament.

Not because we consider ourselves the highest form of legislature or a sovereign, but because we are owls, individuals gathered together for a single purpose, a family... which wasn’t supposed to be this kind of family at first, but things turned out like this along the way.

The three people who were my colleagues are now my partners. And seeing them all worried, sleeping beside me like this makes me wonder just how fortunate I must look to the others.

’Truthfully, they are more miserable than most married women.’

Their husband is a strange democrat who wants to start a war against the literal divine beings of the world, someone who’s constantly on the verge of death, someone who lives for a greater purpose instead of them. They are miserable.

I do everything I can to relieve them of this misery but I see the tears that stain this fresh bedsheet, I see the dried tears around their eyes, and I see the redness that covers their eyes.

Seeing them like this pains my heart. My heart is twisted in a way that one cannot explain. I see them, and it makes me want to stop, to put away the anger, frustration, and all of the glorious missions to a side and just... live for them.

But then again, there’s a young hand holding my fingers right now.

A hand which is alive because of my rashness. Because of my stubbornness.

’Because of a dumb fool like me.’

And that alone is enough to give up half of my humanity for.