The Dawn of the New World

It could be no one else but him.

Hao Xuan had only technically met him once or twice but he remembered the destitute farmer-turned-hunter with stark clarity.

Jax heard his name and turned around to see Hao Xuan standing at the foot of the hill.

He smiled, "It has been a long time sir."

But to say that Hao Xuan had mixed feelings about the circumstances of their meeting would be the biggest understatement of the year. He knew what this meant and his doleful expression accurately portrayed his feelings.

"Damn it, why did it have to be you? How could you have fallen to their side? Or...were you always one of them, a demon?"

Hao Xuan began questioning everything he knew about the man.

Jax didn't answer directly and instead motioned for Hao Xuan to come up.

"Won't you sit with me and talk?"

And with a bittersweet feeling, Hao Xuan trudged along before sitting down right beside him.

It was nighttime as usual but the white light from the runes at the top of the world fell down in waves, lighting the grass-covered rolling hills for miles.

"I love this place. It's so peaceful," Jax muttered under his breath as gentle gusts of wind licked their faces.

"A shame that it will soon be destroyed," Hao Xuan commented before looking in his direction, "Your people should have something to do with that too. Never knew a demon who wanted peace."

Jax chuckled lightly, shaking his head lightly.

"I'm not a demon, I will never be one of them. I only borrowed their power to protect my people...no one else would."

"And what about Eurig and the others who were turned into demonic meat puppets?"

"Those-" Jax faltered, "-That was not my doing. The same creature that came to me went to them."

'The same creature??'

Only one such entity came to mind.

"Bael?!"

*BzZzzZzz*

A fly came out of Jax's pocket and landed on his shoulder, looking right at Hao Xuan.

"He's watching..."

Jax's voice fell to a mere whisper, "He is always watching...everything...everywhere...never shuts up..."

Hao Xuan could see he was still fighting against Bael's influence. It hadn't corrupted him yet so there was a chance.

"Don't give in, never stop fighting it. The moment you let your guard down he will consume you."

"Hmm, I won't. As long as there is hope I won't surrender."

Hao Xuan patted him on the shoulder, killing the fly in the process.

"I will find a way to help your people. Where are they? How many?"

For the first time Jax's smile didn't seem forced as he reciprocated in the same manner, "Thank you. They are set up on the far western shoreline but it's not safe there. I can keep them hidden for now but it won't be long before the other cultivators find them. The one who leads them is too bloodthirsty."

"Dai Zhi? Yeah, I know him. I will deal with him sooner rather than later, don't worry. I won't leave anyone behind," Hao Xuan assured him and it seemed like that was all he needed.

"I believe you. You are the only one who can change the future."

And with that Jax unhurriedly got back on his feet.

"I will let him in now. You should already know this but don't trust a word he says."

"Huh? Who?"

Hao Xuan got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach and he tried to reach out but before he could do anything the fly that he had killed came back to life and flew into Jax's ear.

His body jerked a couple of times before stabilizing. He was facing away from Hao Xuan and there was no demonic energy coming from him but his demeanor had completely changed.

His back straightened and shoulders widened as he cracked his neck and stretched his arms.

"Aaah! What great pleasures of mortal flesh. How lucky you are to still live with them, hahaha."

A completely different voice commented. It was huskier, deeper, and spoke with a kind of accent that Hao Xuan had only heard in one of his other lives.

He jumped to his feet lunging towards Jax. He grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him around in a hurry only to gaze into eight different pupils staring back at him.

"Ba'al!" he exclaimed.

Jax's face contorted unnaturally as he pushed Hao Xuan away to fix his clothes.

"You have seen better days have you not? Hahaha!"

Hao Xuan gritted his teeth, "What have you done to him?! If you harm him I wi-"

"Oh save your threats. I would never do anything to harm a vessel as great as this. Quite the opposite actually."

'A vessel? Is that what he wants him for?'

But Jax shook his head not even trying to hide that he could read Hao Xuan's thoughts.

"Not at all. Although I am the one breaking him in, he is not for me."