Retribution [malexmale]

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

"Is that...?" Dorean's voice faded into shock.

"A man?" I finished for him, unable to comprehend exactly what I was looking at.

At the center of a large cavern adorned with emeralds, and inside a large clear pod on an island surrounded by black liquid, a man was imprisoned in the pod.

He was asleep, or in a coma, or something. He just seemed to float inside, one arm thrown over his head and the other resting across his stomach, as if he were just sleeping on a bed. His long black hair fell around him in loose waves, his features though serene, were incredibly masculine and devastatingly handsome to the point where even my body shamefully reacted to him. His skin was a soft shade of caramel and his fingernails and toenails painted black with white dots in the center, and they were long, more like miniature claws than regular nails. The most peculiar thing, though, was the dull blue tattoos that raced all the way up his legs, over his hips, along his torso, sliding up his neck and through his hair in the back, and covered the left half of his face. The tattoos were incredibly beautiful, like blissful wisps and swirls.

"No," Lea said suddenly, making Dorean and I look at her, "He's something else entirely." Her grim expression gave me a chill.

"Aunt Lea, what is that?" I asked, turning to face her. Lea clenched her teeth, her fists balling up for a moment as she continued to stare at the man in the pod.

"In the beginning, the only thing that ever existed was the Source. What do you think leapt from the Source first?" She asked, finally turning to look at Dorean and I. We shared confused looks.

"The first gods, right?" I asked. Lea shook her head, turning her head to look at the man in the pod. This time, there was a strange look that passed through her eyes, a mix between pity and sadness.

"When time first began, the Source spat three of the first creatures from the darkest bowels of its form. Those three creatures were demons; the first demons. The Demon of Wisdom, the Demon of Destruction, and the Demon of Creation. After that came the first gods. However, the first gods were fighting for power over the world. It was a vast realm that everyone wanted. Empty, still a newborn, and waiting to be taken care of. The Demons banded together to keep the gods in check, but one god had the power to trick one of the Demons. The Demon of Destruction became corrupted and went on a killing rampaging, destroying nearly half of all the original creatures that had leapt from the Source. The Demon of Wisdom and Creation had no choice, but to seal the Demon of Destruction for eternity. Only the blood of the god that tricked him can revive him and command him once again." She explained, her voice low. Dorean blinked, then turned to stare at the man in the pod. I paled.

"Wait. Wait, how come I've never heard of this before?" I demanded. Lea frowned at me.

"Because all those who existed during that time wanted to bury the darkest moment in history, the first darkest moment. The legend was lost and can only be found written in the lair of the god that commanded the Demon of Destruction." She explained. I stared at her for a while in silence before it occurred to me. I stared at the demon inside the pod, then back at Lea.

"No." I managed. Lea grimaced at me.

"Atlan fooled all of us, Xenon, even me, I'm ashamed to say." She said softly.

"No," I repeated, "That's not possible. Xanius is the one calling the shots. She's the one who darkened Atlan. She--"

"Xenon," Lea commanded gently, then reached out and took my hand, "I'm sorry." I yanked my hand back from her, turning to face the demon in the pod, my heart pounding so hard in my chest that I felt like it would leap out.