I remember many, many years ago when I was such a young girl, my Void-like features never got me many friends. Who would have wanted to be friends with the odd-eyed girl with the black skin and white hair? No one… except for Lucelle. Lucelle and her sister, Ulla, were my only friends when I was young. We would go out to the fields and forests to frolic and play until sunset, then I would go with them to have dinner with their family. Their mother was always so kind to me, willing to take me in even though I wasn’t a demon. I wondered why I didn’t have horns or large claws like them, but what made us different strengthened our bonds.

When I was older, I stopped seeing my friends more and more often. I was being trained by my mother in how to be the greatest mage I could be. I surpassed her in every skill before she could teach me everything she knew. When she was showing me how to shield myself from flames, I was showing off how I could set my hair on fire and not lose a single strand. When she was showing me how to create waves in a still pool, I was creating moving ice sculptures. When she was helping me sense shadows with my Dark Magic, I was ‘running away’ to the Void to escape groundings.

My skills were exceptional, but my mother worried about me. She knew I wasn’t social and wouldn’t talk to my friends as much as I used to. I remember she tried to have me go spend time with boys, but it turns out boys don’t like when you only want to talk about magic. Mother set me up for a dinner with another student mage at an academy nearby, but I was greater than him in every magical way, so I became bored. Mother gave up after that one, so I kept to my studies.

Ulla was always the louder one. She was the fire while Lucelle was the ice, the two of them completely different. She had a few lovers in her time while Lucelle stuck by herself. They argued quite a bit, too, which was usually about petty issues. I remember one time, Ulla complained to me about how Lucelle wouldn’t show her the hiding spot she found in the forest. I tracked Lucelle and found out she was sneaking into a tavern at night. Her parents weren’t against alcohol at a young age, but the village had laws against children consuming it, yet Lucelle looked much older than she was. She was turning heads before she even hit puberty, which I don’t think she liked much.

One day, they were having a pretty heated argument. It was about their parents, if I remember right, but one thing led to another and Lucelle ended up striking her sister. Ulla fell over a table, broke a horn on the stone floor, and hit her head way too hard. The doctor came to see her, but said there was nothing they could do. Ulla was living, but she would be in a constant state of unconsciousness for the rest of her days. Magic did nothing but stress the body, so some theorized that her brain had gone completely dead. Ulla, the beautiful, outgoing demon fell into a vegetative state with no chance of recovery in a single day.

Lucelle was completely broken. She hid away for days and refused to eat until I came. I remember knocking on her door and slipping under it to enter. She broke down and wouldn’t let go of me until she fell asleep at sunrise. It took years for her to recover, something she only wished to happen to her sister, so she was stripped of any chance of serving in the Magiak’s army, the Magiak being my mother’s father. After his passing and my mother’s rise to the position, I became her second in command and Lucelle became something like a diplomat for my mother, tailoring to the demon nations. We talked a lot more than when I was a teenager, but I grew restless with my work. I was known as the Dark Maiden at that time, a title I wish would catch on now. At meetings back then, Lucelle or my mother was the friendly face and I was the wildcard. At balls, my hand was given to the prince or finest looking gentleman in the nation, sometimes the finest looking lady, but almost none of them relaxed around me. I was one-of-a-kind, something I wanted taken from me for the longest time.

Rising of new powers brought accusations of tyranny against my mother’s parents, and accusations turned into war. My mother inherited the never-ending war and I was brought into it was well. During one exceptionally devastating skirmish, an exploding cannonball struck near my position. The explosion shredded my legs and arms and flayed most of the rest of my body. I was taken right into surgery, but the doctors said there was nothing that could be done, so my mother did the impossible. With Lucelle’s blessing, as her parents were no longer alive, my mother used her powers to transfer my mind from the broken body into the still fresh one that had been kept alive for so long. I think Lucelle kept her sister alive out of regret, but had finally found a reason to try and move on.

Now, though, I was paying the debt forward, or wasting it all. I couldn’t tell which I was doing when I stole that chalice, but I could definitely tell that I was losing Ulla. It felt like a weight on my shoulders was being lifted, but my heart only sank. I couldn’t say a word as the chalice’s essence was drawing Ulla from my body, so I could only give my apologies in my head with hopes of her being able to hear. I’m sorry, Ulla. This wasn’t supposed to go this way, I’m so sorry.

When the chalice had fully taken Ulla, I fell unconscious. I thought I woke up in another place, but I was just dreaming with my thoughts being influenced by another force. I saw a large throne with an even larger being sitting on it. The area looked like the temple, but it was darker and sickly. Greenish flames burned away at corners of the room and at the base of the throne. I heard stories on my way here about the God of Rot and his reign of power. What I was most curious about was how the one I saw in front of me right then was said not to be Morak Serihn, but a champion of it. One lady back in the village said that each champion takes over the chalice and lets the previous secede. This was not my plan.

The being stood. “Welcome, champion. I’ve awaited ages for this moment.”

I spoke as confidently as I could. “I have not come for you, champion. I’ve come to challenge Morak Serihn, God of Rot.” Throughout the entire nine regions, to challenge a god is to challenge the heavens above or the underworld below. It is widely considered an unholy idea, something that cannot be redeemed if you fail. It has been done many, many times, but very, very few succeed. If the legends are true and I do take over the chalice, this will be my only hope of escape.

“You come for greatness and you strive to receive more. Do you think you are being brave?” I know this champion has no part in this, but it makes sense that he would back his accompanying god.

“If I am being foolish, then so be it. I refuse to sit in waiting for another champion.”

The champion spoke up with a reverberating voice, obviously changed. “Then face me, mortal woman.” He drew his blade, which was then set aflame with the same green fire.

I created my own sword of Void material and turned my side to the being. The newly-infested champion bowed out of respect and I returned it, beginning the battle. He drew forward and we began to circle each other. He was much bulkier and more muscular than I was, but I had my gift at my disposal. When in range, he slung forward and stabbed in my direction but there was something I had already factored into this fight: I was much quicker.

I dodged left and slashed at the champion’s wrist, slicing a burning wound into it. He didn’t show any pain, however, which I had to commend. I ducked when he horizontally swung at me and I put a cut into his right shin. I’ve taken power over another’s body before, so I know how difficult it is to gain full control. If you don’t fully control the host’s body, the movements will be slow or unresponsive. He swung straight down at where I was and I tried to move, but he caught my leg. I felt my skin beginning to singe on the right side of my calf and I felt myself slowing from the pain.

The champion followed up the slash with a grab at my throat, which managed to land. He lifted me up and I felt myself beginning to suffocate, so I focused my strength on a single swing near his shoulder. A moment later, I was dropping to the ground with the arm, me having fully severed it. I had to spend a few seconds to pry the hand off my neck, and when I looked up, it looked like the god was taking more power over the body. The flaming sword glowed brighter and his eyes began to emit the same green fire. “You are a fool to challenge a god!” he yelled at me in the two-toned, resonating voice.

I backed off and reset myself. “I will receive my freedom and your power upon my victory, Morak Serihn!” When challenging a god, it is crucial to remain confident, or you will surely fall short.

He had reset himself as well, now holding the sword in just the one hand. “Earn it, mortal.”

“I intend to!” I backed up and slung my sword hand forward to send off an array of spikes of the same material. Most missed from the rapid firing, but the ones that landed drew a large amount of blood. He let out a war cry in response and began a charge. I focused my mind on the shadows around and disappeared just for a moment. After re-entering the area, I formed a larger Void sword and spun with a slashing movement. The sword landed in the back of the champion, which sent blood gushing from the wound.

I backed off and prepared for my next move as he turned around. “This body will not back down, mortal. Now, die!” From the air, a dark mist much like the one in the chalice began to appear. It made my arm feel itchy the moment it reached me, so I knew the end was coming, no matter if it ended in victory or defeat. I winded the sword back, then swung at the air in front of me. From the blade of the Void sword, a wave of magic flew at the champion, which I followed with a charge. As the wave landed and cut deep into the being’s legs, I leaped and slammed my sword down against the middle of his neck and shoulder. The blade sliced deep into him ending around the heart region, but he just gave me an even angrier look.

“Wrong move!”

I grunted and lifted my feet up to kick off his chest. The Void sword stayed and I fell tumbling onto the ground. I looked back up with just enough time to watch the sword erupt in the body, blasting a massive chunk out of his torso. The damage to the legs, torso, and arms made the body crumple on the ground, failing to stay standing any longer. The black mist dissipated but the viridian flames stayed in the air.

“Mortal.”

I stood up straight and spoke as confidently as I could despite my heavy breathing and shaking limbs. “Morak Serihn, God of Rot.”

“Get out of my world.”

“Not before I receive what is mine.”

The flames drew closer. I could feel the sickly, disgusting radiance coming from it that paired horribly with the heat. An arm and hand appeared, which produced a small, green gem. I took the gem from its hand and held it close to me, not intending to give a thank you. “Brave mortal,” it began. “You no doubt will go on to challenge more gods and goddesses, so I will give you one piece of advice. Find yourself a hole to die in and stay there.”

I turned away from the flames. “The age of gods is drawing to an end and I know you feel it, god. I’ll see to it that I persevere long after your piece of the world is rotted away.” I began to walk away, sending a non-verbal message as well.

“As I expect it.” The god’s words left me isolated as I was moved out of its shadowy world. Next, I heard my footsteps land on the temple floor.

“Oh, thank the gods,” a familiar voice gasped. I saw Iyo come into view right near the chalice that was tipped over on the ground.

“Elea-“

“Gone, I couldn’t… I can’t stop her.”

“Which wa-“

“Emily.” She looked right at me with a fully serious expression. “We won’t find her. Not until she shows back up again.”

I wanted nothing more than to destroy that woman, that Void witch. Everything in me wanted to find and kill her, all because of one thing.

“Oh, and…” Iyo’s hand materialized and my eye caught a glint of something.

I looked down at her hand and gasped, reaching to take the glowing piece of jewelry. “My… how did you…?”

“She lost a bit of control when you took her glory. I guess she lost the need for that and just left it.”

“This is… this is great! We can get her back home, and… And…” I noticed something off and turned around to face the entrance. A tall person stood in the doorway, but was hidden by the sun’s glare.

“Emily,” a voice spoke.

That voice, I knew it. It has been so, so long since I’ve heard it. I took a step forward, “L-Luc-“ The word was cut short when I yelped out in pain, feeling something strike my side. I looked down and saw blood coming out of my body. If I hadn’t been so distracted, I would have heard the loud pop of a rifle that accompanied the pain.

“Emily!” Iyo yelled, then disappeared. I heard her footsteps go off towards the person in the doorway and from behind, I felt something press up against the back of my head. I watched in horror as the figure in the door collapsed before Iyo got to it. I closed my eyes, preparing for what came next.

“Last words, three seconds.” Erzen. “Three. Two.”