Devil

"You're saying I get to see her?" Klaus asked Nekro in shock.

"That is correct," Nekro confirmed. "She is currently contained in the Facility's prison until further notice, and I will grant you the necessary clearance to see her."

Klaus was taken aback, not because he had gained such access from Nekro, but simply because he was actually allowed to.

"But are you sure?" Klaus asked, his expression growing somber. "I'm not certain I can guarantee that I won't harm or kill her if given the chance."

Klaus knew well the deep hatred he harbored for Xhin and how unpredictable that anger could be. He understood that he could not be trusted to keep his composure in her presence.

"That is fine," Nekro eventually replied, his words surprising Klaus. "I have faith that you will do the right thing, whatever that may be to you."

Klaus was surprised by the confidence Nekro placed in him, especially since he himself lacked that faith. He wondered if accepting Nekro's gesture was even the right decision, as he did not want to end up doing something he would regret later. But ultimately, he saw it as a final chance to put this part of his life to rest completely; a sentiment he had been saying to himself for some time.

"I accept," Klaus finally confirmed.

"Excellent," the god replied.

After his words, Nekro turned to Jhin with the intent of giving the demon further instructions. However, a single glance told him how much pain Jhin still harbored regarding the topic of his sister.

"You know," Nekro began, "perhaps Ash should guide you to your destination instead. Jhin, I am relieving you of your duty to assist my nephew until further notice. You are free to take a break and process everything that has happened regarding your sister."

Jhin's attention was immediately caught by Nekro's words, but he did not seem inclined to accept the instruction.

"Forgive me, my Lord," Jhin said softly after bowing, "but please, may I still be reassigned to aid Klaus Walker?"

Jhin's request took both Klaus and Nekro by surprise as he continued, "I understand that my feelings are mixed on this matter, and I know I have not been performing my duties to the best of my ability. However, I still recognize my duty above my emotions, and I swore to Klaus Walker that I would assist him to the best of my ability while he remains in Nyxia. So please... allow me to fulfill that promise."

Nekro was silent for a moment, unsure of what to do, knowing that Jhin still carried a great deal of pain despite his precise and impressive words. Before Nekro could speak again, Klaus immediately interjected.

"It's fine," Klaus said to Nekro. "Jhin can accompany me. I would prefer that."

Jhin was caught off guard by Klaus's agreement, but he was relieved that the demigod was not opposed to his request.

Noticing Klaus's words, Nekro decided to let the matter rest. "Then you are reassigned. You both can head there immediately, and when you have finished, you may return here."

Klaus nodded, and Jhin offered a small smile. Soon enough, the two departed for the prison.

Upon their exit, Ash remained in his father's domain, his gaze fixed on the door for a brief moment.

"You're intrigued by him as well, aren't you?" Nekro suddenly asked, catching Ash's attention.

Ash turned his eyes toward his father, his silver gaze unchanging. "Perhaps," he admitted, his tone as calm as always.

As Klaus and Jhin continued walking in silence, Jhin's voice eventually broke through. "Klaus Walker," he began, "I want to thank you for sticking up for me back there."

Klaus paused before replying, "You don't have to. I know how it feels to want to atone for something, even if you don't owe me anything."

Klaus understood Jhin's feelings, sensing that he would do the same if he were in his place. That was why Klaus had chosen to defend Jhin's request earlier.

"And by the way," Klaus added after a moment of silence, "it's just Klaus. You don't have to use my last name all the time."

"Oh," Jhin muttered, slightly surprised. "I had assumed the whole name was collective. Apologies if I offended you."

"That's not the case," Klaus clarified. "It just means you don't need to be formal when talking to me."

"Oh," Jhin said again, a small smile forming as he understood Klaus's gesture. "Understood."

Eventually, the two made their way to the prison, which was located at the lowest levels of the Facility, deeper than the meeting room they had just left.

As they arrived, numerous guards were stationed at the entrance, forming a barrier as they approached. When they reached the front, Jhin directed his attention toward one of the guards who had stepped forward.

"We have clearance from Lord Nekro to meet the convicted," Jhin explained.

The guard observed them for a moment before moving aside. Klaus stepped past, but just as Jhin began to follow, the guard held up his palm to stop him.

"Not you," the guard said, his face and expression hidden by his helmet. "Your connection with the prisoner prevents you from crossing this boundary."

"That's absurd!" Jhin exclaimed, raising his voice. "As I said, I have been given clearance by Lord Nekro."

"I'm sorry," the guard replied, "but it is still too risky to let you pass."

Jhin's anger began to flare, but Klaus turned to him. "Don't worry," he said quietly. "I'll be quick."

Hearing Klaus's assurance, Jhin fell silent, ultimately conceding with a subdued, "Fine," after a calming sigh.

Klaus continued onward, guided by various guards as he moved deeper into the facility. With each unlocked door, different guards replaced the previous ones. Given how secure the process was, Klaus could understand why they chose to keep Jhin away from his sister; security was taken very seriously. This became even more apparent when the guards eventually stopped accompanying Klaus, leaving him to proceed on his own.

After several doors were unlocked from the control room, Klaus finally arrived at the massive, vault-like door that separated him from Xhin. The door, made of solid metal, appeared to be perfectly sealed.

Klaus stood silently before the door, his thoughts swirling with the anticipation of seeing her again: the girl who had taken everything from him. After a few moments, the door was opened remotely from the control room, and Klaus was instructed to enter.

As the door fully opened, Klaus stepped inside, and his eyes immediately met hers. Xhin. There she was, at the center of the expansive room, seated in a chair, bound by a straitjacket. Multiple chains, originating from various corners, secured her to her spot.

Despite her strict confinement, Xhin's head remained uncovered, and her eyes and mouth were free. Her hair was messier than usual, and only a single horn protruded from beneath it, a detail that made sense, considering Klaus had broken her other horn during his outburst months earlier.

As Klaus entered and took in Xhin's presence, even though her gaze remained fixed downward, an inexplicable rage ignited within him. He recalled the moment of the crisis, the last time he had seen her, a day he considered the worst of his life.

Clenching his fists in anger, Klaus felt his teeth grind as he stared at the one who had stolen his happiness. His eyes burned with fury at the mere sight of her.

Xhin, however, raised her head upon hearing the door open and sensing someone enter her cell. Her expression shifted from hollow sorrow to one of tentative cheerfulness as she recognized Klaus standing before her. "M-My love?" she began with a smile. "Is that really you?"

Hearing her words only intensified Klaus's rage. The fact that she would taunt him by calling him that, despite everything, irritated him deeply. Yet before he could react, he remembered Nekro's words and chose to restrain himself.

"Don't call me that," Klaus said firmly after a brief silence.

"Is something wrong?" Xhin asked in confusion. "Perhaps you have forgotten about our love after such a long time apart?"

Klaus's irritation blazed. He couldn't tell if Xhin was deliberately trying to provoke him, but after a few tense seconds, he managed to control his temper and ignore her attempt at taunting once more.

"Xhin," Klaus finally began, "I do not 'love' you, and I never have. You took so much from me, yet somehow you still look me in the eye and assume I care about you."

"Because I know you do, my love," Xhin replied softly, her voice tinged with slight fatigue. "I mean, if you didn't, you wouldn't be here."

Her smile persisted, but Klaus knew that allowing his anger to grow further would only encourage her behavior. He took a deep breath and spoke in a controlled tone.

"Look, Xhin," Klaus said softly, "I want you to understand the truth about how I feel. I hate you. You are the only person in my life that I genuinely hate. I don't care about the feelings you have for me. They are not, and will never be, mutual."

Klaus made sure his words were sharp and direct. Despite this, Xhin's smile widened slightly.

"Don't worry," she said after a bit of silence. "No matter what you say, it will never change the way I feel about you or how glad I am to see you again. You can call me all the most heinous names, but nothing will ever outweigh the warmth I feel every time I see you, think about you, or even breathe the same air as you."

Xhin's desperate words echoed in her mesmerized eyes as she glanced at Klaus. But instead of fueling his anger, they made Klaus wonder.

"How can someone hailed as a rare genius among geniuses be so psychotic?" Klaus asked softly, his voice laced with concern.

Xhin looked at Klaus, and for the first time since his arrival, her smile wavered. "I…I admit my mind hasn't been in the best shape for the past few years," she muttered. "I suppose it's the result of having no friends or loved ones except Jhin in this line of work."

Her hollow expression lingered for a moment before she snapped back to reality, forcing a smile. "Still, it's always better to keep the facade and make people around me believe everything's fine," she teased. "After all, being Lord Nekro's assistant is the greatest honor imaginable, so I guess none of that mattered, right? Haha."

Klaus silently regarded her, torn between pity and anger. It was evident she struggled with abandoning her previous life to serve Nekro, and the toll it took on her was apparent. After meeting her father, Hoax, he understood that she had likely been pressured into these duties.

"You're a deranged individual, Xhin," Klaus finally said, his tone measured yet firm.

"You think so?" Xhin asked, genuine curiosity tinting her voice. "Maybe I was before, but after meeting you, my life changed. And I've never felt such tranquility."

Xhin's face lit up with a broad smile that suddenly faltered as her expression turned sour, a frown crossing her face for the first time since their conversation began. She remembered something, causing her to turn downward and mutter a few words.

"But you just had to go and utter those three sacred words to that whore, Avalon."

Klaus's eyes widened at her remark. His face remained impassive as he stared at her in silence for a few seconds. Eventually, he slowly began to walk towards her, his gaze burning with fury as his left hand stretched toward her.

Suddenly, a voice from a speaker at the edge of the room interrupted. "Please do not come in contact with the prisoner," the voice requested urgently.

The command made Klaus freeze in his tracks. He stood there, his hand still outstretched in palpable rage. He struggled to contain his fury, unsure if he even wanted to control himself anymore.

"The only reason I chose to see you," Klaus began through gritted teeth, "was the faint hope that, after everything, you might finally recognize the error of your ways and take responsibility for the countless deaths. Yet here you sit, showing no remorse for the horrors you've committed."

"But why would I?" Xhin asked, genuine confusion in her tone. "All I did was remove a weed and a few pests from our garden of love."

Klaus's anger escalated; 'Rage' hardly described what he felt. At his age, admitting such hatred was difficult, but in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to kill her with his bare hands. There was nothing between them, and he knew that if he chose to act, no one present could realistically stop him.

He was aware that only Ash and Nekro could potentially intervene, but he also knew that once committed, nothing could undo his actions. The loss of their respect would be the cost to the justice he sought. But then again, when did he ever care about others' opinions? And Xhin's entrancing gaze only fueled his fire further.

Klaus wondered why this had to happen to the one person he once cared about so deeply. Why did Avalon have to suffer because of him? He knew that if he had the choice to sacrifice his life, he would do so without hesitation. But after reflecting on it all, Klaus finally managed to calm himself. In the end, he had made up his mind, and Xhin's words had only confirmed it.

After what felt like an eternity, Klaus turned away from Xhin, tired of engaging with her any longer. "I hope you rot in hell after your death," he hissed. "Because that's where a soul as tainted as yours belongs."

Xhin's expression dimmed as she absorbed his words, clearly hurt, but after a moment, she forced her smile back into place.

Watching Klaus depart, Xhin's excitement began to build. "I cannot wait until the next time we meet again, my love," she said, gazing at him in awe before giggling with excitement.

As Klaus exited the room, he stood in silence, his expression unreadable to the guards at the control room. Noticing his exit, they began to close the vault-like door behind him.

The door slowly began to shut as Klaus remained motionless, Xhin's giggles still echoing faintly. Then, abruptly, the laughter ceased, before the door finally closed. Klaus stood for a few more seconds before letting out a deep sigh and beginning his journey back.

As Klaus made his way out, he returned to the entrance where he found Jhin waiting patiently for his return. "You're back," Jhin stated.

Klaus continued walking in silent frustration. "I guess," he muttered as he passed by Jhin.

Jhin stood for a moment in silence, understanding that his sister's behavior had likely provoked Klaus after noticing his expression. After catching up to Klaus, Jhin fell into step beside him.

"What did she do?" Jhin asked quietly.

"Exactly what I expected," Klaus replied. "Everything except showing any remorse."

Jhin remained silent, knowing there was nothing more to add. Finally, after a long, wordless walk, they reached the entrance to Nekro's room.

"I'll wait out here until I'm needed again," Jhin said.

"That's fine," Klaus replied as he continued into the room.

Inside, Klaus encountered Ash and Nekro, who were engaged in conversation. Noticing his arrival, Nekro turned toward him.

"Ah, you're back," Nekro said. "How did it go?"

"I don't want to talk about it, if you don't mind," Klaus said softly.

"That's fine," Nekro replied with a smile. "With that, you should have completed everything you set out to accomplish here in Under World, correct?"

"Yeah... I guess," Klaus muttered.

Klaus felt discontent with everything that had happened, but he knew he had no time to dwell on it; more important matters awaited him back on Earth. He chose not to focus on the inconveniences, especially since he felt he had finally gained some closure over Avalon's passing.

Determined to put this chapter behind him, Klaus began preparing to depart from Under World.

"Although," Nekro suddenly said, catching Klaus's attention, "there is one more thing I would like you to do; if you're willing."

Klaus glanced at Nekro in silence, unsure of what the god meant. Nekro then shifted his attention toward Ash before returning his gaze to Klaus.

"How would you like a sparring session with my son?" Nekro asked, his words catching Klaus by surprise.

Klaus was taken aback by Nekro's proposal and hesitated. "Uhh..." he stammered. "Would that actually be possible?"

Klaus turned his attention to Ash, who, unsurprisingly, maintained a neutral expression. "We are not opposed to it," Ash replied, speaking for both halves of himself.

Klaus was at a loss for words. He couldn't tell whether he was stunned by fear or anticipation. If there was any demigod whose true power he was curious to witness, it was Ash, and he recognized that this might be his best chance.

Klaus recalled the scale of the battle between Lance and X during the Divine Tournament and wondered if Ash measured up to that level, or perhaps exceeded it. Coupled with the recent rejuvenation training he had undergone, Klaus found himself questioning just how strong he had become and how he would fare against such an opponent.

"I wouldn't mind it too," Klaus finally said, maintaining his composure despite his inner curiosity.

"Excellent," Nekro remarked. "Then we can proceed to the training room a few floors below, where you two can spar."

Klaus had not anticipated sparring with Ash during his preparations to enter Under World, but the prospect of such a fight both agitated and intrigued him. He began to leave the room alongside Ash when, unexpectedly, Nekro immediately disappeared. Klaus felt momentarily confused, but he understood that Nekro was bound by his duty not to interact directly with other demons; explaining why he couldn't accompany them on the way. As Klaus pieced things together, it also made sense why he always met with the god in that particular room; a detail Ash had briefly mentioned earlier.

After leaving the room, Klaus explained the new arrangement to Jhin, who chose to tag along. The three of them made their way toward the training room, and as they continued, Klaus couldn't help but steal glances at Ash, his curiosity piqued.

Klaus wondered how strong Ash truly was on his own, without the influence of his other offensive half. He had always seen Ash as the shield half, with Drake serving as the sword, yet he could still tell that Ash possessed tremendous power independently.

As they continued along the corridor, Klaus recalled something critical that might hinder their brawl, but he chose not to mention it at that moment as they reached the room.

Jhin produced a key card from his pocket and swiped it over the magnetic frame, granting them access. Once inside, Klaus began to take in the room. It was a massive, narrow space with white walls and bright lights. The room had four corners, but a large glass enclosure occupied most of the center, about seventy percent of the area, almost like a room within a room.

Moving closer, Klaus noticed a larger, deeper space beyond the glass, accessible by a small staircase that led from their current room. After a moment of thought, he understood that they were in the observation room, and the area beyond the glass was where the sparring session would occur. The depth of the second room was clearly designed to protect the glass from any impact during the spar.

"Welcome," a voice suddenly called from beside them.

Klaus turned to see Nekro standing in a corner of the room, having arrived earlier and waiting for them. After a short moment of preparation, Ash and Klaus were instructed to proceed into the sparring room.

The two descended the stairs and entered the second room. Klaus noted that the room was far more spacious than he had expected, with walls darker than those above.

Through the glass, Nekro and Jhin watched as Klaus and Ash stood facing each other, awaiting further instructions.

"Although this is just a sparring match," Nekro finally began, "you are both expected to fight at your strongest."

At the sound of Nekro's words, Klaus realized his earlier concern might have been valid. "I have a complaint about that," he spoke up. "I'm not sure if doing that would be fair considering I can move at the speed of light?"

Klaus knew full well that Ash was powerful, but he also recognized that his own incredible speed would unbalance the fight and make it neither fair nor entertaining. However, it seemed Nekro had anticipated this.

"That is fine," Nekro stated. "Which brings me to my next rule for the spar. To make the match more engaging for both participants and observers, you will refrain from using your ability to move at the speed of light. You will still be able to use all your other abilities, including your enhanced perception at that speed."

Although the restriction made sense, Klaus still felt it was somewhat unfair. Limiting one's abilities made the fight seem a bit trivial. But Nekro wasn't finished.

"Similarly," Nekro suddenly continued, "Ash will also be restricted from using a certain power that would otherwise give him an overwhelming advantage. These restrictions are intended to highlight the fighting prowess you both possess, without ending the match in mere seconds."

Klaus struggled to grasp Nekro's explanation. Was the god trying to comfort Ash, or was he suggesting that Ash possessed a power even more terrifying than Klaus's Burst Speed? Klaus wondered if that power was connected to Drake, or if it was something even more devastating. In any case, he began to suspect that the restrictions might have actually favored him instead.

Back in the observation room, Nekro snapped his fingers. "Now I have stripped you both of the aforementioned abilities," he announced.

Klaus felt a small surge ripple through him. Moments later, he sensed the absence of the power that had been taken away. He was shocked at how effortlessly Nekro could remove it, an impressive display of Dominion-over-Creation. It made him wonder just how powerless he would be if he ever truly fought a god.

"Are you both prepared?" Nekro finally asked.

"Yes, Father," Ash confirmed.

"I am," Klaus replied, shifting into a combat-ready stance.

After a few seconds of silence, Nekro continued, "Then... you may both begin the sparring session."