---------------------------------------- > Continued From ----------------------------------------
~ The area around him a dark as Ion opened his eyes to the endless dark void around him, thinking back to the last thing he remembers was in a pinch in a fight that started getting away from him, going on a solo journey he didn't have the help of his friends in the battle. "Am I dead?" Ion sarcastically said as a voice boasted from behind, "depends on your perspective", Ion turned to see the familiar face of his oldest friend Flint, who's soul had bonded to his after a traumatic event in Ion's early adulthood. "So I am in the dreamscape... wait, what do you mean by that?" Ion asked, "well you are dead, having a blade stabbed into your heart will do that" Flint said as Ion face started to sadden. "I so sorry Zephyr, I made a promise to you I would come back but thats now impossible, I just hope you can forgive me and move on..." Ion started muttering with tears in his eyes as Flint placed a hand on Ion's shoulder, "now why are you so glum" Flint started saying before he was cut off, "why I am so glum? I am dead thats what, I never... I never got to..." Ion started to yell angrily but Flint embraced him. "Like I said, that depends on your perspective" Flint started to say, "the person you were is dead but now your true being has awakened" he continued. Ion looked at his friend in confusion, "I don't get what you are saying" Ion said as Flint laughed, "ok then well I will start at the beginning, how do you think you were able to consume my soul?" Ion thought about it for a moment, "isn't that because we were really close before you passed? Thats what aloud you to save me from the beyond when I was almost killed by Virgil, thats what Narche has been saying" Ion said as Flint shook his head, "she's in on it too, she knows the true secret of our world, the one the Hunters are tasked to keep hidden, one that except for a select few is still secret to them" Flint started explaining as Ion looked at him confusedly. "I see you still don't get it quite yet, well I will just come out and say it" Flint continued on, "we are not evolved animals, we are demons from the void beyond." Ion just stared blankly at his friend for a few moments, "you mean the stuff of legends?" he asked, "they are not legends, that was our actual history, devastating wars were fought with mass carnage from unchecked power" Flint started up again, "to prevent more of that a shroud was placed over the world hiding away our true nature, to keep us from awakening, to keep us mortal beings, why do you think we have a longer then normal lifespan that can reach a couple of centuries? It is because of the un-awakened demon power that is inside us all and as you might of guessed that is the source of the psynergy that anyone can perform, it was the one power that was aloud to break through the shroud" Flint continued as Ion looked deep in thought, "you said you wanted to go on a journey together before you took on the Overseer's throne to fully understand the reason why our souls joined together, this is the reason why."
"How do you know all this?" Ion asked, "when I died my eyes became open to the true nature to the world around me" Flint started saying, "then why did you never mention any of this before?" Ion asked, "because you were not quite ready to embrace your nature yet" Flint said but was cut off again, "but I am now?" Ion blurted out, "this time I couldn't save you" Flint cut in as Ion looked at him in confusion once more, "how do you think you have survived all those times you should of ended up dead? It was because I stepped in and took control of your soul so your body could use my energy for substance as your was waning, you had only started to awaken and needed my help to keep you alive but now I sensed your demonic energy has fully matured, there was no need to step in this time, you can rely on your own demonic nature to keep yourself alive." A flurry of thoughts entered Ion's mind as there seamed to be more questions then answers at the new realizations in front of him, "I am sorry I put you all through this..." Ion started saying but Flint held up his hand, "don't be, I am the one who should be sorry as I am the one who awakened you by accident" Flint said as Ion again looked at him in confusion, "when I saw you on the operating table as Meeka was trying to save your life, I saw you go into cardiac arrest and panicked, I didn't know if Meeka could keep you on this plane, so I forcefully merged my soul with yours, causing you to unwarily consume a soul which caused the awakening" Flint said, "me keeping you alive was my penance to try and give you a normal life and not to be hunted by the Hunters who squash any essence of an awakened demon, I am just sorry I didn't have the energy to do it this time" he continued as Ion gave him a look, "if I remember correctly, I took your hand when you offered it before our souls bonded, I am just as guilty in this as I accepted being awakened" Ion started saying as Flint shook his head, "you didn't know what you were getting into, I never told you at that time what it would mean if our souls bonded, I should of..." Flint started saying, "should of what? Should of let me die..." Ion started but was cut off. "No! but I should have been upfront with you" Flint blurted out, "I should have given you the full choice." "But what other choice was there?" Ion asked, "if we had not done it, I would have died a long time ago, I wouldn't have built up the life I have... we would not have the life we have now" Ion continued as Flint's face lit up, "you mean what you say?" Flint asked. Ion placed an arm around his friend, "we are in this together, as we have been for over the last ten plus years, my body is as much yours as it is mine, we are together are we not? You don't plan on separating from me now that I am an awakened demon?" Ion asked as smiled once more, "not now or ever" Flint said as Ion let out a grin, "I feel invigorated, why don't we get some payback for what those guys did to us?" Ion asked as Flint just nodded, the two beings fused back once more as the dark void of the dreamscape vanished around them.
Ion's eyes shot open as they glowed orange among the dark stormy sky, as dagger was slowly cut across his cheek, his clothes were in tatters from the fight he just lost as there was someone leaning over top of him gloating in their victory but Ion smiled as he thrusted his newly elongated sharp claws deep into that person's chest, squeezing hard, Ion quickly ripped out the man's heart, crushing it in his hand as he enjoyed the blood dripping through his fingers. The man fell over dead as the rest of the group turned their attention to the newly awakened Ion as he got up and slowly and made his way towards them, as they had his sword in their possession. One by one they threw themselves at Ion, one even being able to get a few stabs with their dagger into Ion's chest and gut but he didn't flinch, mortal wounds were nothing to him, his demon energy beat through him now. One by one Ion tore his victims apart as they came at him, his arm drenched in blood as the smell invigorated him further, getting to the last one, they quivery held up his sword to him as Ion took it back, the Lockvain guard gave a small pleading smile as Ion smiled back, them thinking they would be spared. But Ion quickly landed a powerful strike at the remaining guard as their blood splattered up all over Ion, coating his sword in that crimson hue, Lockvain had fallen. Placing his sword on his shoulder, Ion lifted his claw which was dripping with blood as the overwhelming sensation of his demon energy swelled within, the lightning crackled as Ion let out a devious smile at the damage his new found power laid before him, there was no going back now, the constant glow of his eyes signified the change within him, he is now truly a demon fox. "Just remember you are still somewhat volatile currently" Flint's voice rang through his head, another sign of the things that had changed as before Ion could only communicate with his soulmate through the dreamscape while sleeping of meditating, "your demon energy has only just started beating, you will need to rely on your physical organs still, at least for now but your wounds should close quickly as your heart has already fully recovered" Flint's voice continued as Ion closed his eyes and nodded, "the question now is how to move forward" Ion said aloud, "I cannot go back to Zephyr like this, I need to fully understand what this new power means so I can protect him from it better" Ion continued as he once again looked over the carnage he caused, as the prisoner slaves looked at him in fear though he hoped he could calm them down so they could begin their new found freedom, "sorry mate, it might still be a while yet before I can return, I just hope you can still hang on a bit longer." ~
---------------------------------------- > Continues Here ----------------------------------------
