Chapter 5: Vatium's Speech

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Vatium's visage twisted into a sinister expression, emanating an overwhelming aura of death and destruction. Kent, Cindy, Derek, and Aurianna couldn't help but tremble in fear, their bodies instinctively reacting to the sheer pressure bearing down on them.

Desperate to protect herself, Aurianna mustered the last remnants of her magical energy, attempting to conjure a protective shield. However, to her dismay, the golden light surrounding her flickered and vanished. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning – she had exhausted her mana reserves. Fear gripped her heart even tighter as she grappled with the consequences of her dwindling power. The fate of their battle now seemed to rest solely in the hands of the goddess they worshipped.

With their companions' lives hanging in the balance, Kent and Derek bravely charged forward, determined to confront Vatium head-on. But in a split second, Vatium's swift and merciless strike severed their arms, eliciting anguished screams that reverberated through the air. The ground beneath them stained crimson as blood spilled from their grievous wounds, leaving trails of agony in their wake.

Amidst the chaos and agony, Kent's frustration and desperation boiled over, and he lashed out at Aurianna with harsh words. His anger and fear clouded his judgment, causing him to direct his pain towards her.

"******* heal me, you *****! Can't you see I'm dying?!" Kent's voice trembled with a mix of pain and anger, his words cutting through the air and leaving a bitter sting.

Aurianna's heart skipped a beat, her own pain and exhaustion momentarily forgotten as she was taken aback by the intensity of his outburst. The weight of the situation pressed down on her, and she felt a surge of panic and helplessness.

Aurianna's heart sank as her worst nightmare unfolded before her eyes. The Heroes, who had always been her allies, now lay gravely injured, and she felt utterly helpless. The realization that she couldn't do anything to save them washed over her, leaving her paralyzed with fear and despair.

"I... don't... have..." Aurianna's voice trembled, her words trailing off as her thoughts spun in disarray.

But before she could fully process the situation, Kent's anger and frustration erupted once again, lashing out at her with venomous words. His harshness pierced through her already shattered composure, further adding to her sense of helplessness.

"Stop playing around and help, you damn *****!" Kent's words cut through the air like a knife, fueling Aurianna's despair with each syllable.

Vatium, witnessing Kent's disrespectful outburst, furrowed his brow in disapproval. Without hesitation, he swiftly swung his scythe, severing Kent's head from his body in a single, merciless strike. The gruesome sight unfolded in an instant, leaving Aurianna stunned and horrified.

Derek, who had managed to crawl away from the immediate danger, witnessed the horrifying turn of events. Panic and desperation filled his voice as he pleaded with Aurianna.

"What are you doing, Aurianna? Heal me!!" Derek's voice trembled with a mix of pain and desperation, his eyes pleading for salvation.

But Aurianna, her hands trembling and her mind overwhelmed, had no mana left to channel healing magic. The realization struck her like a physical blow, leaving her voice strained as she desperately called out.

"I'm out of mana!" Her words echoed with a sense of anguish and resignation, as she watched Derek's fate being sealed in a flash of Vatium's scythe.

In an instant, Derek was torn apart, his body slashed into pieces, each motion swift and brutal. The once hopeful and valiant hero now lay lifeless, a victim of the merciless wrath of the Demon King.

In the face of the dire situation, emotions ran high and tensions flared. Cindy's frustration reached its peak as she confronted Aurianna, grasping her collar with a forceful grip.

"How the hell are you out of mana?! Aren't you a Saintess, blessed with the power of the goddess? Stop fooling around, because we are all going to die if you don't!" Cindy's voice reverberated with a mix of fear, anger, and desperation, her words cutting through the air like a sharp blade.

But before Aurianna could offer any explanation, a sudden gust of wind disrupted the tense atmosphere. In an instant, Cindy's head was severed from her body, leaving Aurianna in a state of shock as blood splattered across her face, painting a vivid image of the gruesome reality before her.

Time seemed to stand still as Aurianna processed the horrifying turn of events. Her voice emerged as a trembling whisper, laden with disbelief and sorrow. "This... this wouldn't have happened if you guys didn't rush in like idiots," she uttered, her words a fragile echo in the midst of the fallen heroes and the looming presence of the Demon King.

Vatium, unaffected by the chaos around him, approached Aurianna with deliberate steps. Frozen in fear and shock, she braced herself for the final blow, her eyes tightly shut. But to her surprise, the touch she felt was not that of a lethal strike but a gentle stroke, as Vatium tenderly caressed her white hair.

"Sister, why do you still support mankind?" Vatium's voice resonated with a mix of curiosity and sadness, a glimmer of familiarity shining through his eyes.

Aurianna's mind raced, struggling to comprehend the weight of Vatium's words. She looked at her fair skin, contrasting with his dark complexion, finding it difficult to fathom the possibility of any familial connection. The questions swirled in her head, each one demanding answers. Why would he refer to her as his sister? And why was he not trying to kill her like he had done to the others?

Confusion and fear clouded Aurianna's voice as she mustered the courage to respond. "I... I don't understand what you mean," she stammered, her eyes fixed on Vatium, her heart pounding in her chest. The enigma of their shared existence overwhelmed her, leaving her struggling to make sense of the tangled web of truths and revelations.

Vatium's voice resonated with bitterness, each word dripping with venomous hatred. "How can you not understand, Aurianna? Can't you see the depths of humanity's greed and the horrifying ways in which they treat those who are different?"

Aurianna's eyes widened, her mind grappling with conflicting emotions. The image of the kind-hearted people she had encountered flashed before her, the countless acts of compassion and empathy etched into her memory. She took a step back from Vatium, his hand slipping away from her hair, leaving behind an emptiness she couldn't ignore.

"That's not true!" Aurianna's voice quivered with defiance, even as her own doubts crept in. "There are good people among them... They take care of each other and show kindness," she pleaded, clinging to the belief that humanity had the capacity for compassion.

Vatium's disappointment was palpable as he regarded Aurianna with a mix of sorrow and disbelief. His voice carried the weight of bitter experience. "Haven't you ever taken a closer look, Aurianna? Have you not seen the suffering and enslavement inflicted upon countless races? The atrocities committed in the name of power and control?"

Aurianna's heart sank as she considered Vatium's words. Her idealistic view of the world was shaken, and the naivety she had clung to began to crumble. The boundaries between right and wrong blurred, leaving her searching for answers amidst the chaos.

Aurianna stood her ground, her voice laced with a mix of defiance and disbelief. "But those races... they committed hideous crimes," she argued, desperately clinging to her belief in the inherent goodness of people. The weight of Vatium's revelations bore down on her, challenging the foundations of her understanding. And why did he insist on calling her Aurianna so intimately, as if they shared a connection she couldn't recall?

Vatium's anger flared, his voice filled with frustration as he gritted his teeth. With a forceful punch, he struck a nearby pillar, causing the room to tremble and leaving a visible dent in its wake. Aurianna couldn't help but be taken aback by his display of power.

"Crimes for being another race, Aurianna!" Vatium's words resonated with a mix of anger and sorrow. The facade of dominance that surrounded him began to fade, revealing a deep sense of disappointment. He approached her once again, his tone tinged with a hint of desperation. "I had hoped that you, of all people, would have known the harsh realities of the world. Why can't you open your eyes to see it?"

Confusion and conflict swirled within Aurianna. She felt torn between the ideals she had held dear and the unsettling truths that Vatium presented. It was as if the foundation of her understanding was being shaken, urging her to question everything she had believed in.

She looked into Vatium's eyes, searching for answers but finding only a deep well of pain and resentment. Her mind raced, desperately trying to reconcile the narratives she had grown up with and the disturbing reality that Vatium insisted on unveiling.

Aurianna refuding to believe him, assumed his words and venous and lies, her voice carried a resolute tone as she stood her ground, refusing to let go of her belief in the inherent goodness of some individuals. She met Vatium's gaze with unwavering determination in her eyes.

"Even if there are only a few kind-hearted and good people, I would still be willing to sacrifice everything for them," Aurianna asserted, her voice filled with conviction. "As a Saintess, it is my duty to protect and uplift those who embody compassion and righteousness."

Vatium halted in his tracks, his eyes filled with a profound sadness. He shook his head in disbelief, muttering softly to himself, "He truly blinded you, didn't he?"

Aurianna's brows furrowed, her curiosity piqued by Vatium's cryptic remark. She wanted answers, an understanding of the truths that lay hidden beneath the surface. She took a step closer to Vatium, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and a thirst for knowledge.

"What do you mean? Who blinded me?" Aurianna pressed, her voice tinged with a hint of urgency. "Tell me the truth, mr Demon King. Help me understand."

Vatium's gaze softened as he observed Aurianna's genuine desire to seek the truth. The air between them seemed heavy with unspoken revelations. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to share the burden of his knowledge with her. Ultimately, he decided to open up, revealing the depths of his own past and the twisted webs that intertwined their lives.

"I once believed in the same ideals you hold dear," Vatium began, his voice carrying a somber tone. "But I have witnessed the dark underbelly of humanity, the corruption and greed that pervades their actions. There are those who manipulate and deceive, masking their true intentions behind a facade of goodness."

Vatium continued, his voice laced with a mix of bitterness and longing. "The one who blinded you, Aurianna, is not who you believe him to be. He used your unwavering faith and trust for his own sinister purposes. He twisted your perception of the world, blinding you to the harsh realities that exist beyond your limited perspective."

Aurianna gazed at him in utter disbelief, her eyes wide with shock at the audacity of his actions. How could someone be so wicked? To masquerade as innocent while being the instigator of a devastating war. And now, to add insult to injury, he had the nerve to reveal that everything she had known was a lie.

"So tell me, why did you initiate this war? Was it to save those races or simply to revel in havoc and chaos like the malevolent creatures you truly are?" Aurianna's irritation grew, refusing to accept Vatium's feeble attempt to portray himself as the hero.

Undeniably, there were humans who committed wicked acts, Aurianna acknowledged that. However, it was absolutely repulsive for Vatium to claim that all humans were inherently evil just to justify his own despicable actions. The true villains were the demons—the ones who derived pleasure from senseless killing, not the humans.

Vatium's heart ached as Aurianna's words pierced through him, but her previous statements pushed him to clarify a critical fact. "I started the war? No, it was King Girsal, our father, who ignited the damn war, Aurianna!" Vatium's voice echoed with anger and frustration. Aurianna instinctively took a step back, maintaining her cautious distance.

"What do you mean, 'our father'?" Aurianna muttered, her voice tinged with confusion. She struggled to process this startling revelation, her mind racing to make sense of his words.

"Can't you see the striking resemblance?" Vatium remarked, his tone casual yet carrying a hint of seriousness, as he gathered his long hair and secured it into a ponytail.

Aurianna's eyes widened in astonishment. Before her stood a mirror image of King Girsal himself, from his piercing eyes down to the shape of his face. She had been so absorbed in his strength and the unconventional hairstyle that she had failed to notice the familial resemblance.

"This can't be possible. How could our father have fathered a demon?" Aurianna exclaimed, her words laced with disbelief. Despite her initial skepticism, the evidence before her eyes was undeniable. There was a definite connection between Vatium and King Girsal.

"The purpose of this war was never to bring peace to humanity. It was a ploy to eliminate a thorn in our father's side," Vatium revealed, his expression tinged with sadness. "Once our father exterminates all the demons, he envisions transforming his land into a so-called Holy Land and enslaving all the offspring of demons. But we would rather meet our demise on the battlefield than live as slaves to the humans."

"That racist shit," Vatium exclaimed, breaking the silence that had begun to settle in the room. His words hung in the air, causing Aurianna to look at him with a mix of confusion and disbelief, as she tried to process the whirlwind of information.

A torrent of thoughts flooded her mind. Was he telling the truth? Could he really be one of King Girsal's children? If so, why didn't she remember him? And what about the war? Could his claims hold any truth? Doubt gnawed at her, but a part of her still questioned his intentions. After all, Vatium had deceived her before. Furthermore, she realized that her father had never displayed direct interest in the war, which added another layer of uncertainty.

Aurianna's voice quivered with uncertainty as she voiced her thoughts, "I don't know if I can trust your words. Are you lying to me once again? I choose to have faith in the people of my kingdom and other humans. Demons have always been depicted as evil beings."

Vatium shook his head, a mixture of frustration and understanding etched on his face. "You won't understand because you haven't experienced the same pain. And how could you? You're a princess, shielded from the hardships and discrimination that plague others."

Aurianna's brows furrowed, a flicker of defiance in her eyes. "I refuse to believe your claims. I will continue to trust the people of my kingdom and humans in general. Demons may have a reputation, but that doesn't mean they're all inherently bad."

Vatium sighed, a tinge of sadness coloring his voice. "Fine, do as you wish. But remember, I warned you. There's so much potential within you, Aurianna yet your progress was stunned and the truths were hidden from you. You won't truly understand until you witness it firsthand."

A wave of anguish swept across Vatium's face, a depth of pain that Aurianna hadn't expected from someone holding the title of Demon King. Witnessing his torment tugged at her heartstrings, stirring a faint ache within her own chest. Could there be some truth to his claims about humans? Were they truly as cruel and unfeeling as he portrayed them?

"They will abandon you, exploit you until you're nothing but an empty shell. Then they'll grind you down and wait for the next Saintess to come along," his words crashed upon her like a colossal boulder, the weight of their meaning almost too much to bear.

Her fingers tightened around the staff in her grip, seeking solace and grounding in its familiar presence. Conflicting emotions churned within her, mingling with doubt, fear, and a flicker of curiosity. Was there any truth to his grim prophecy? Could the Saintesses of history truly have met such tragic fates?

Before Aurianna could gather her thoughts, a sudden movement caught her attention. A hand pierced through Vatium's heart, silencing him abruptly. Startled, she turned to find a mysterious male figure standing behind him, his voice filled with accusation. In an instant, a shadowy apparition of a boy materialized beside Vatium before vanishing into thin air. A blinding white light engulfed Vatium as he disintegrated, leaving Aurianna stunned and overwhelmed.

"You broke your word," the male voice echoed, its tone laced with anger and disappointment. A shiver ran down Aurianna's spine as she absorbed the magnitude of the scene unfolding before her. Tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks like a gentle cascade. The sensation was warm and wet, mirroring the complex emotions coursing through her. It felt as though she had lost a dear friend, and as the light faded, Vatium was nowhere to be found. Had she inadvertently caused the demise of the Demon King?

Aurianna's mind buzzed with questions and uncertainty. "No it was that boy, who was he? Did he truly kill the Demon King?" she wondered aloud, her thoughts racing to make sense of the perplexing situation. Concern gnawed at her, for if it was revealed that someone else had dealt the fatal blow, both she and the heroes would lose their honor. Yet, she couldn't ignore the haunting words of the fallen Demon King—was there any truth to his claims?

Shaking off the overwhelming thoughts, Aurianna rose from the ground, determined to gather her bearings. She needed to piece together the puzzle that lay before her. If humans were not the unequivocal heroes, then who were? Did such a concept as "good guys" even exist? The lines between right and wrong blurred, leaving her with a profound sense of moral ambiguity.

Seeking respite and time to think, Aurianna found a momentary refuge, allowing herself to rest and recover her depleted mana. Slowly, her energy began to replenish, granting her a renewed vigor. With newfound strength coursing through her veins, she approached the bloodied bodies of the fallen heroes. Utilizing her abilities as the Saintess, she channeled her magic, reviving the fallen comrades one by one. However, just as she completed the revival, a searing pain erupted throughout her body, causing her to collapse onto the ground, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.

Cindy, one of the revived heroes, groaned as she rubbed her temples, the weight of the situation etched on her face. With a mix of shock and concern, she observed Aurianna's weakened state. Her mouth fell open in disbelief as she uttered, "It appears that the power of a Saintess is no longer within you."

Aurianna's eyes widened in astonishment, the realization sinking in. The source of her strength, the power that had defined her role, had seemingly vanished. In that moment, a surge of vulnerability washed over her, leaving her uncertain of her place in this tumultuous world.

Aurianna struggled to push herself upright, her body aching and weakened from the recent events. The news delivered by Cindy had hit her like a bolt of lightning, leaving her stunned and unsure of how to proceed. Yet, amidst the pain and doubt, a flicker of determination ignited within her. She recalled Vatium's final words, resonating in her mind, urging her to stand strong.

"They won't abandon me. I believe them," Aurianna whispered to herself, finding solace in her own conviction. With each labored movement, she fought against the throbbing pain coursing through her body, refusing to be defeated.

Summoning every ounce of strength she could muster, Aurianna took a deep breath, masking her discomfort with a forced smile. Despite the lingering agony, she prepared to face the party, eager to share the news of her victory. "I've vanquished the Demon King, and now we can all finally find safety," she declared, her voice filled with a glimmer of triumph as she turned to address the group.

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