The Dawn of the New World



[A demon born from the nightmares of men...and even capable of conscious thought? You are a rare breed for certain. But you serve the Old Witch now, why do you wish to join me?]

Hao Xuan released just a small fraction of his spiritual power that pushed the demon back by several meters and forced it to kneel in front of him. A halo of humming golden light appeared over his head.

He had completely dominated it with a single thought and if it tried to lie or deceive him then it would be destroyed instantly.

[Answer truthfully, for your life depends on it]

The demon gathered all its strength to force itself to peer into Hao Xuan's eyes.

'I desire blood and feed off of chaos. By serving you, the Son of Chaos, would I not live a comfortable life when you were created for just this purpose?'

Hao Xuan was so taken aback by its answers that he couldn't help but crack a smile, [You wish to join me for a comfortable life?]

It nodded, 'Remember, I am born of nightmares. I am most comfortable when surrounded by the worst horrors imaginable.'

[Well, then I think you came to the right person]

Hao Xuan stood up and gestured for Claudia to get started, [Begin the ritual. Bind them as one, so that neither may die as long as the other lives]

With Hao Xuan's permission Claudia summoned her grimoire and began creating the magic circle with her own blood.

Meanwhile, the Old Witch approached Hao Xuan from the side, looking him up and down curiously.

"How long can you maintain that state?"

Hao Xuan looked at his hands which were getting blurry by the minute. This wasn't happening just in his mind.

[I underestimated just how much power there was. At this rate my physical form will cease to exist in a little over an hour]

"And what of other aspects of your cultivation?"

[There aren't any left. My entire cultivation was destroyed when the 'Heavenly Extermination' hit and my Mind Palace was destroyed long before that when the ritual first began. I only have the strength of my soul left and it is far too powerful for such a frail body to contain]

The Old Witch nodded in agreement, "A decent price for such power. But perhaps it will be in your favor that the physical cultivation has been destroyed. The 'spark' will be more than enough."

Hao Xuan turned towards her, [You have yet to disclose the last two steps]

But the old witch smiled wickedly, "And I shall...after you pledge your allegiance to the Abyss and the sleeping ones."

The curtain of silence fell over them as they watched Claudia make the finishing touches on the magic circle. Once the inscriptions were complete she began chanting the spell.

It was black magic so the price she would have to pay would have to be just as great. She was trying to 'save' Grey's life by tying him and the equine demon together.

Claudia made another cut on her arm to draw out even more blood and poured several cupfuls into Grey's mouth and then the equine demon. She then pulled out some of her hair and gestured for the equine demon to get in place.

The demon neighed and stomped with its front legs, opening a giant hole in the ground before jumping inside. Claudia walked around Grey's back and started sewing her hair into his body from head to tail.

It was a single strand of hair but not only did it become as strong as a steel wire but just as sharp too. Grey's body began to shake while the magic circle came to life through her chanting.

Tendrils of smoke arose from the magic circle and dug into Grey's body through every orifice. Claudia's chanting grew louder and by the time she made the last stitch Grey's body suddenly went still.

His breathing completely stopped and Grey finally took his last breath. His body began to deteriorate at an unprecedented speed, turning into a pile of black ash.

Claudia stepped back with an ashen face, raising her hands towards the sky she shouted, "Oh Denizen of the Umbral Planes, I summon you into this world with a new body. With fire and blood you may live, by death and ash you may prosper."

The last bits of Grey's body turned into ash by the time she finished. She threw her hands forward, splattering her blood into the magic circle.

"Neither may die as long as the other lives, I call thee forth, 'Somnum Exteri'...The Black Plague!"

The sound of hoofs stomping against the earth could be heard coming from somewhere deep underground. Hoof marks appeared on the far left and right sides of the magic circle.

On the left something was moving just beneath the surface and on the right Grey's ghostly silhouette was charging forth. They both connected with the magic circle at the same time, creating a small explosion of fire and ash in the middle as their new form came to be.