Act of a Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book II ✓

Chapter 17 - The Chase for Valor

17.

The Chase for Valor

Mundus was in the portal room. He had been there for the past few hours, sitting up against the wall near the entrance. For once, his mind was empty, and he was enjoying the mundaneness.

"As I told you, I am here to give you the information I promised." The Shadow's voice entered the room before its slithering figure.

Mundus lifted his head to see the Spirit take on its usual human-like form. He stood up from the floor.

The Shadow walked up to him. "Of Valor's death."

"Valor is meant to be Ayame?" Mundus crossed his arms. "Such ridiculous names you bestow upon us."

"Should I leave then?" the Spirit titled its shadowed head.

Mundus scrutinized it. The deep emerald orbs jammed into its black skull gaped back.

"You ponder too much, Power."

He sighed. "Simply relay your information."

"Whatever you wish." It shifted to Mundus' left. "All you need to do is ask what you want to know."

He remained quiet for a moment, eye cast down. "What became of Ayame upon her passing?" he finally asked.

"As you suspected, Power. She entered the realm as you, but unlike you, she did not linger there for long," it simply answered.

The demon stepped away from the Shadow, but its vacant eyes seem to follow him.

"To where did she depart?"

"Valor briefly returned to the realm of the living as a woman named Sakuya. Of course she was reborn with no memories of her past life, but it was her will to record the truth of her clan and family that drove her to reincarnation."

Mundus turned to face it. "The truth?"

The Shadow shuffled to the center of the room. "Valor wished to record the events of your battle. Of her death."

"If her return to the living was not accompanied by her memories, how was such a thing possible?"

"A trance from a past life. It only happened for a few minutes, but it was enough. This woman Sakuya put the Watanabe Clan's collection of records together and it was during that time Valor awoke and added her truth."

"Ayame's truth. Our battle," Mundus quietly said.

The Shadow stood in place, dark tendrils coiling around its body, as it waited for the demon's next question.

The demon prince took a step towards it. "How is such knowledge known to you, Spirit?"

A chuckle that sounded more like the wail of a thousand voices escaped the Shadow. "Our deal was to talk about you beloved Ayame, not about myself."

Mundus' eyes narrowed at the mention of her name, but he nonetheless asked, "Are you knowledgeable of her emotions as well?"

It seemed to smile. "Yes. What do you want to know?"

"Upon her death, her decent, and her existence in the various realms, what emotions lingered within her?"

The Shadow lifted a dark hand; its fingers were like black flames. "When she died, her emotions were raw and fiery. She hated you."

Mundus stiffened but said nothing.

"That is why she wanted the truth to be recorded," it continued. "As she wrote that day, I think something changed in her. 'Oh, Mundus,' Valor said before she succumbed back to Sakuya."