Chapter 116 : Spirit King (Part 2)

Back in the Spirit World, where Rei was facing a gigantic lizard that was covered with fire around its body. From the size itself, Rei could tell this thing before him was much bigger than the monster he faced before.

Jormungand.

"You are...the current [Fire Spirit King], the [Beast Spirit, Salamander]." Rei spoke to the lizard in front of him.

"Yes, thou are correct." Salamander spoke without moving his mouth as if he talked through his mind.

'Telepathy?'

"Why are you here?"

"Did thou forget? Is that I was the one who wanted to meet thou by telling the current ruler of the Elf Kingdom." Salamander answered his question.

"I know that...what I meant is, but the question is...why did you want to meet me." Rei asked him as he was getting suspicious of this situation.

"Don't be too wary, I just simply wanted to talk with thou who is the savior of this forest." Salamander answered him.

"Saviour? You knew?"

"Of course, as thou knowest that Yggdrasill is connected with the forest itself...including us Spirits, which is why I want thou to come here." Salamander spoke to him then he began to lower his head.

"I, the Fire Spirit King who also represents the other Spirit King...we are thanking thou for the sacrifice on saving this tree and this forest from the danger." Salamander thanked him

Rei widened his eyes and flustered to hear that, "N-no, I'm just doing what I must do, please do not lowered your head"

Salamander lifted his head and began to laugh, "Hahaha! What an odd human! Thou are surely different from any other human that I have ever seen so far in hundreds of years."

"Uhhh...sure." Rei somehow felt a bit weird to hear that, 'Does all human is that prideful?'

"But accept it, since this is our sincere thank for thee." Salamander continued his words.

Rei rubbed the back of his head and sighed, "Fine, I accept it."

Salamander seems to be smiling despite his mouth didn't move at all, "Thou is very humble and kind, despite not having a good fate in thou life." Salamander shifted his eyes at Rei and looked at him.

"What do you know about me?" Rei asked him.

"Ohhh, we know everything just like the Gods who watches over you, since we are connected with the World Tree."

"The World Tree connected with all the trees in the world, the forest that thou are living and even the untold future of that partner of thous." Salamander directed his words toward Ray.

'I guess hiding won't work.' Ray spoke.

"Of course, since a Spirit can discern someone's nature and thou hadst two natures in one body that came from two different people."

"The Other-Worlder and the Regressor, to think such a miracle could happen, yet at the same time...I never thought such chaotic energy could come from someone so young." Salamander's tone suddenly began to feel more serious.

"Chaotic energy? Who?" Rei asked.

"It's thee...Kiritsuka Rei." Salamander pointed his claw at him.

"Me??"

"Yes, I assume thou hadst stumbled with the Black Flame that was in the Forbidden Area inside the Elf Kingdom castle."

"Y-yes, but what about it."

"As expected, to think a vessel of the most dangerous thing in this world is in the hands of you."

"W-what do you mean?"

"This is the power that was bestowed by you, it seems he is known as [The Fire God] now." Salamander spoke.

"You don't mean..."

"Yes, the former [Fire Spirit King, Ifrit] was the holder of the black flame that thou hadst inside." Salamander spoke while lifting his right front foot and pointing his index claw toward Rei's chest.

"W-wha—"

"Seems like the story is gonna be long…" Salamander had spoken.

******

Meanwhile, Iris and Erna having a walk together back to the Kingdom, during their walk they were passing through a forest that darkened their vision.

"Iris-san, I assume you know why I wanted to talk with you." Erna spoke while she was walking.

Iris was just simply being quiet when she said it, "What do you mean?"

Erna abruptly stopped her walk and turned around as her expression became colder and more wary of her.

"Iris-san...no, should I say nice to meet you? The owner of the other soul who resides inside that body?"

When Erna noticed that, she suddenly grasped on something in the air until a light appeared and formed into a sword.

*SWOOSH*

Erna swung her sword at Iris.

*TING*

But Iris managed to respond to that in such a short moment by pulling out her rapier from her [Storage] and unsheathing it to block her blade.

At that moment, Iris' eyes that were originally blue turned red that glowed in the dark, "Ara, I didn't think you would notice~" while their sword was still clashing.

"As expected from the owner of the [Soul Eyes], even though I had tried my best to use magic to hide this color of my eyes, I guess that wouldn't be enough for someone that perceived one's soul just with a glance~"

Iris spoke in such a manner as if the elegance and the calmness she had turned into something a bit twisted.

The way she spoke sounds more flirty, but Erna stay quiet.

*TING*

Then Iris pushed Erna back using her strength, forcing her to back away to create a distance from her.

"I see...so this is the soul that resided within..." Erna who was calm before now looked way more shocked to see what was inside Iris.

'How could it be...'

From her eyes, it was like something dark and murky along with the red eyes that glowed. As if she's looking at an abyss and it looked back at her.

'So dark...how can there's someone who holds such darkness within that small body.' Erna couldn't help but gulp.

Iris smiled, "So what did you see?~ my Queen~"

Erna shivered a bit when she heard her voice just right after she saw that.

But that made Erna smile,"Heh, you...what are you?"

Iris lifted one of her eyebrows, "Hmm? Me? I'm just a noble child with an extraordinary talent~ and also the saviour of the Elf Kingdom~" She purposely added the last part of her words which is in fact, the truth.

"Seriously? Then why did you just blatantly lie right to my face?" Erna spoke while aiming her sword at her.

*CLINK*

Iris remained calm in this situation, sighing. "How troublesome, why does everyone think that she was the real Iris?"

"Then are you saying you are?" Erna spoke while her sword leaned closer to Iris's face.

Iris smiled, "Well I won't answer if you are this rude~ you may be a Queen but I rather not answer your question with a sword on your hand~"

"But I am curious, from the memories of mine and her, I don't know you are proficient with a sword before~" Iris rubbed her cheeks with her palm and trying to remember it.

Erna smiled, "Let's just say...I learned it for self defense!" Erna charged at her, swinging her sword towards Iris' right side.

*TING*

But her sword met with her rapier that Iris immediately blocked.

"Self-defense? I rather say you attacked me first!~" Iris then responded to that by sliding her rapier through her sword and aimed it towards Erna's head.

*SWOOSH*

But Erna dodged the tip by tilting her head aside and letting the rapier thrust through.

"That was close~"

Erna then stepped back just to run at Iris again while swinging her sword in a vertical line from above.

*SWOOSH*

Iris calmly faced her sword without moving.

'She's not moving?—'

Then when her sword was about to meet Iris' neck.

She stopped.

As they stood there facing each other with Erna's sword on Iris' throat.

"To think I would let my guard down."

*CLINK*

But what before them was quite shocking, Iris wasn't the only one who was threatened since her rapier managed to slip and aimed towards Erna's neck as well at that moment.

Iris smiled in this kind of situation where her neck could fly away at any moment, but it was the same for Erna who would lose her life as well.

"You did great~ but sadly you are lacking in experience~" Iris commented.

Both of them immediately pulled their weapons back and put them away.

"Despite having such a dark soul, you fought quite honorably, it's as if I am facing an experienced noble and swordsman." Erna spoke.

"I shall take that as a compliment~" Iris replied while she sheathed her rapier back.

"Is that why you were holding back against me?" Erna asked while slowly approaching her.

"Hmmm, well I would love to kill you right now but regarding your relationship with her...I will forgive you this once~" Iris shrugged her shoulders while smiling.

"Heh~ to think I would ask for a human's forgiveness just for that~" Erna chuckled.

"Either way...that girl is still alive right?" Erna spoke as if her words were directed towards someone else that is within Iris now.

"Don't worry~ she is sleeping like a baby now, after this skill is over, I will be able to switch back with her~" Iris explained with a smile.

"Skill duration? how come it's not over yet, the fight was already over a few hours ago."

"Right? This is very weird, it seems someone made a mess of this~" Iris spoke nonchalantly.

"Someone?"

"Well I won't tell since it is our little secret~" Iris spoke while smiling at her.

"I won't talk about that matter any further, but I assume you won't endanger any of us or her right?"

When that question appeared, Iris smirked widely and it looked twisted.

It made Erna shudder for a moment.

"That depends...if you all get into my way~"

"In your way...what are you planning to do."

"It is a very simple thing actually~ I just want to be with my beloved one~"

"Your…beloved one? Is he even alive? I mean you are dead." Erna raised a question to that.

"Ohhh yes~ I am sure he is alive..." Her smile slowly became wider and more twisted, "...in this current timeline~" Iris spoke.

"Alive? wait—current timeline? What do you mean?" Erna became more confused and somehow even more surprised about this situation.

"Well the only thing I can say is that...I am someone who came from the future~"

"Future?–" Erna widened her eyes in realization.

"Yes, I am Iris May Welford, the one who came from the future and lived in this body with the girl who occupied it~" Iris spoke while introducing herself.

"No way, then if you are from the future...then did you know everything from the start?" Erna asked her.

"Did you forget? The one who talked with you is the girl who used my body."

"Sometimes, I don't know whether you are stupid or not."

"Ughh...this conversation gave me a headache." Erna sighed while massaging his forehead.

"So, is that girl the one who came up with the plan? Or you gave it all to her."

"Of course it is purely from her own effort, and I was sleeping for the whole time." Iris explained.

"Although I know some certain…multiple futures."

"Multiple futures? what do you mean?" Erna became curious about where this is going.

"You see, I am no regular regressor who comes back from the future..."

"But multiple ones~" Iris explained.

Erna got more nervous and couldn't comprehend what kind of conversation this was and where it led to.

"Multiple...future."

Iris smirked widely after that.

******

Back to Rei and The Fire Spirit King, Salamander himself.

"So where do I start?" Salamander spoke while staring down at Rei who was curious about the story he was going to tell.

[Long ago, the world wasn't born as it is and it started with two realms, which is Heaven where Angels and Gods lived in and Hell where Demons and Monsters spawn].

[These two realms, Heaven and Hell have long been fighting over who is right and wrong, they are at war on each other shedding blood and creating a devastating destruction on everything]

[The fight was vast enough, causing a destruction that led to creating a whole new realm that no one ever set foot or born in].

[After knowing this new realm, the Heaven—which is the Gods, began to create creatures that would live in this world and named this world "Astrea" the current world you lived in now].

[They started by creating a pseudo being that matched their strength, using a pure element that reigns in the world, that is us, Spirits].

[After the Spirits, they created Elf, Dwarf, Werebeast, and lastly...Human to live and control this world.]

[But Hell was upset to know that and the God who reigned Hell started to create the same thing which is similar to humans.]

[Being born with the similarity of Hell Spawn, they are the Demon race, similar to the Demon in hell but they are different. They are more like a human in terms of size but their strength is much superior than anyone else.]

[But there were one being that the God created, this one being changes all, that held a power that several stronger than anything from the Hell and that was the Demon Lord]

Rei never expected to hear such a story that he never read or heard about, especially Ray himself who was more shocked about it than he was.

'The God who created the Demon Lord...and the one who ruled Hell? Is it...[Demon God, Ars].' Rei raised a question in his head.

"Thou are suprised to hear this story right? Because this is a history that no one ever knows about because it had been lost for many centuries, the only one who knew of this was probably the Old Demon Race and us Spirits."

"Why are you telling us this."

"Because this story...is connected with the God who supported you from behind."

"The God...you mean Ifrit?"

"Yes." Salamander closed his eyes and nodded his head.

Then Salamander continued the story.

[The God who ruled hell, where he ruled over the Demons and Monsters, weren't satisfied at all after creating the Demon Lord]

[So he gave some portion of his power to the Demon Lord, which is the power to create.]

[The Demon Lord gained that power from the God who created him.]

[And the first monster that Demon Lord created with his own blood and was born from the deepest pit of hell.]

[A monster who is also the first demon who was born from the Demon Lord himself, that reigns and uses the flame that was born from hell.]

"No way..."

[Yes, and that is...The First Demon and the Hellfire Demon, he was known as Ifrit].

The last piece of the puzzle clicked into place. He already pieced it together before that Ifrit was originally a demon, but now it cleared everything.

'But to be the First Demon? That was born from the Demon Lord's power?' Rei couldn't help but to be more surprised with this reveal.

"Thee must be surprised, it is very shocking indeed that the God who was known as the God of Fire and the former Fire Spirit King was to be the First Demon who was born from the Demon Lord." Salamander spoke.

"Indeed...it is very shocking, but I don't know how he ended up becoming a Spirit."

"It is very weird indeed, but it happens and he was the first Spirit who was born from another race unlike other Spirits who are born from the World Tree." Salamander explained.

Rei sighed, "It is shocking that I stopped thinking about it now, but what is it that you want to tell me."

"[Hell Flame]."

Rei widened his eyes after hearing that name.

"It is the power that thou possess now, it's also the power that Ifrit used before and..."

"and it had been abandoned for a long time." Salamander explained.

"Abandoned? Why is that?" Rei asked.

"Because that power is too dangerous for all of us, including himself after he became Spirits." Salamander.

"Dangerous..."

"Us Spirits can be considered immortal from how long we have been living, since we are closer to the Divine being such as the Gods and Angels." Salamander explained.

"We can materialize ourselves and fight with the contractor to whom we are contracted, and of course we can be attacked by the enemy as well."

"But that doesn't mean we died, after we disappeared, we came back to this very place and recovered ourselves to help our contractor fight against their enemy again." Salamander explained.

Rei listened to his words, "Indeed, it is closer to immortal from how you guys can recover yourself from fatal injuries."

"But [Hell Flame] has the power that could destroy us spirits."

"Destroy you all..."

"Correct, [Hell Flame] is a power that came from Hell itself which was dangerous because it is a flame that cannot die until it is told to by the one who controls them."

"And if we were hit by it, the flame will remain on our body and destroy us all even when we are back to this place."

"And burned into ashes." Salamander spoke.

Rei widened his eyes, "What?! Then why are you inviting me here if it's that dangerous for you all!"

Salamander chuckled, "Heh, to think thou art worried about the power that thee possesst now, but thou hath no worry because we believe thou wouldn't use it for evil." Salamander spoke.

Rei looked at him, "How can you be so sure."

"Because our eyes can tell...that thou will use that power to protect thy loved one." Salamander nodded his head.

"Thank—" When Rei was about to thank him.

"But thou must knowest, even though thou canst control that power...it is still dangerous for the other person who uses it."

"Huh? What do you—"

'You mean me?' Ray began to speak again after listening to their conversation.

"Correct, thou almost lost thee life because of the recklessness of using that power that not thou possess."

"If thou hadst use it any longer....thou hadst lost thou life including thee partner." Salamander spoke.

"So I'd warned thou both do not use that power until thou hadst a way to prevent that power from harming thee." Salamander warned.

Rei looked a bit regretful to hear that warning, just after he finally got a strong skill, "Then...is there a way to prevent it?"

Salamander nodded his head, "Thou hadst know the next destination that thou had prepared to go? And that destination would lead thee salvation from the power that thou possess."

'The next destination...'

"You mean..."

Salamander suddenly got quiet and closed his eyes, "It seems the time is over, thou must have gone to rest."

"Wait you haven't—"

"Thou will know the answer very soon."

"So farewell, and see thou later, it was fun to tell a story to thou." Salamander left with a smile as suddenly Rei was pulled from behind.

"No—!!"

After that, he finally went back outside of the Spirit Realm where he stood on the large vein underneath the World Tree with his hand stretched out as if he was about to grasp something.

"Ughh.." He clenched his hand into a fist, he didn't get the answer that he wanted.

'You will soon know the answer later...what does he mean by that...'

Rei reminded himself of the last words from the Fire Spirit King before he was sent back.

"Are you finally done?" Eindride asked as he approached him, he seemed to be guarding this place on his own since Rei couldn't see Iris and Erna.

"Where did Iris and the Queen gone to?" Rei asked him.

"It seems they have some private matters to do, I was told to stand by here and guard this place." Eindride explained.

"I see." Rei replied, 'Do they have something to talk about? Hmmm, maybe it is about the alliance, so I let her do the rest.' Rei sighed.

"Let's go back, since I have to protect my Queen." Eindride spoke and immediately turned his back while walking through the path they went before.

Of course, Rei decided to follow him, 'Is he not interested in what I talk about with Salamander?' Rei wondered since he didn't get to ask it and followed him quietly.

As they ventured down and back to the Kingdom, on their way they saw Iris and Erna talking face to face.

'Hm? isn't that Iris?' Rei saw them as they just stood there in the middle of the road.

"My Queen?"

"Iris?" The two called them both and they turned their eyes to them.

From the look of it there was some tension between Iris and Erna but it resolved by itself when they heard them calling.

"You already back Crimson~" Iris spoke with a smile as she immediately came back to her usual self.

While Erna did the same, "Good work for guarding him, Ein-kun~" Erna spoke as she immediately approached him.

Eindride bowed his head, "Sorry for making you wait, my Queen."

Then Rei walked past them and approached Iris, "Did something happen?"

"Nothing at all, it's just talk between us girls~ right?~" Iris smiled sweetly.

Erna looked at her and smiled as well, "Yeah, there's nothing wrong, just private talk between two girls~"

Rei seemed to have noticed that they were hiding something, "I see." Though he won't ask about it.

"Now then, shall we go back? Since you both need a lot of rest for tomorrow."

"Huh? Tomorrow? For what?"

"Of course~ the ceremony to reward the Saviours who saved our Kingdom~" Erna spoke while turning her head around at them.

Upon seeing Erna's smile, Rei widened his eyes.

"Reward?"

The celebration was far from over.

To be continued…