"Master..." Kayden's voice drifted through the evening air, careful and curious. The way he said it held weight—like someone testing thin ice. "What exactly is the Godsbane?"
The question hung between them like a blade.
Maria's entire body went rigid. Something flickered across her face—raw, unguarded pain that she quickly tried to bury. Her knuckles whitened as her hands clenched into fists at her sides. When she finally looked up, her eyes were steel.
"So," she said, each word sharp enough to cut, "you want to know about those weapons."
"Yes." No hesitation. No backing down.
The silence that followed wasn't comfortable. It was the kind that pressed against your chest, heavy with unspoken truths. Maria's gaze wandered to the distant horizon, as if she could find easier answers written in the twilight sky. Her jaw worked silently, grinding against memories she'd spent years trying to forget.
Finally, something shifted in her expression—a cold, bitter smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Fine," she said, settling back against the stone outcropping where she'd been sitting. Her arms folded across her chest, a barrier against the past. "I suppose it's only right you know what you're walking into."
Kayden remained perfectly still. He'd learned, over their time together, when to push and when to wait. This was definitely a waiting moment.
"Everyone knows about the Holy War," Maria began, her voice taking on the cadence of someone reciting painful history. "Three thousand years ago. The gods descended into our world—that's the story they teach children. What they don't mention is the other side. The real story. The part about the blades."
She paused, watching his face carefully.
"The Godsbane wasn't just some mythical weapon. It had a name—Inshura. The first of two legendary blades, forged in fires that burned before our world knew light. The first Demon Lord wielded it, and they say the materials used to create it came from realms beyond our understanding."
Kayden's brow furrowed, but he remained silent, sensing there was much more to come.
"Back then," Maria continued, her voice softening with something that might have been nostalgia, "demons and humans shared this world. Not in perfect harmony —but there was balance. Coexistence. Then the gods arrived."
The word 'gods' came out like a curse.
"They didn't come to destroy us, you understand. That would have been too simple, too honest. No, they came to rule. To guide us, they said. To bring order to chaos." Her laugh was hollow. "Eighty percent of humanity surrendered to them willingly. Just... knelt down and offered their necks. The Three Great Nations led the charge, calling it faith, calling it divine providence. Of course, no one would dare go against the Great Nations backs then, so it was more of a forced religion"
Maria's hands trembled slightly, and she pressed them flat against the stone beside her.
"The gods were clever about it. They never demanded worship—they didn't have to. Humans have this desperate need to believe in something bigger than themselves, even when it comes with chains. Especially when it comes with chains."
Her voice grew quieter, more bitter.
"But not everyone bowed. The demon clans refused to kneel. They'd lived free for millennia and weren't about to start groveling now. So naturally, they became the problem. The threat to divine order. The gods whispered in human ears about the danger these 'creatures' posed, and suddenly humanity had a holy mission—purge every last demon from existence."
"That explains the Divine Order's crusade against demons," Kayden said slowly, pieces clicking into place.
"Exactly." Maria nodded grimly. "But here's what the history books won't tell you—the demons didn't go quietly. Some humans, the ones who hadn't been completely brainwashed, stood with them. They rebelled against their so-called divine saviors. And for one shining moment... they almost won."
Her eyes grew distant, seeing battles fought long before her birth.
"Inshura wasn't just a sword, Darian. It was a force of nature given form. In the Demon Lord's hands, it could split mountains, drain oceans, carve scars across continents that still haven't healed. Its power didn't just rival the gods—in some ways, it surpassed them. If not for betrayal..."
The word hung in the air like a death sentence.
"The allies turned," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "Humans who had fought beside demons for years, who had shared bread and blood and dreams of freedom—they turned. Maybe the gods promised them something. Maybe fear finally consumed them. Maybe they were always planning it. But they turned, and the Demon Lord fell.
"Wait." Kayden stepped forward, confusion clear on his face. "Why haven't you told me any of this before?"
"Because you never needed to know before," she replied simply. "Some stories are too dangerous to tell without good reason.
The honesty in those words seemed to surprise them both.
"Before he died," Maria continued, pushing through the pain, "the Demon Lord used the last of his soul—everything he was—to hide both blades where even the gods couldn't find them. Scattered them across dimensions, sealed them with protections that have held for three millennia. It's the only reason they still exist."
She stood up abruptly, pacing now, energy crackling around her like barely contained lightning.
"So yes, Inshura could challenge the gods. It could rewrite the balance of power in this world. Which is why it's been lost for three thousand years, and why it needs to stay that way unless—"
"What if someone knew where it was?" Kayden interrupted quietly.
The words hit Maria like a physical blow. She spun around, eyes wide, searching his face.
"You know." It wasn't a question. "The Flame Primordial told you."
Kayden scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "He might have given me a... hint. Very cryptic, very dramatic. You know how Primordials are."
For a moment, Maria just stared at him. Then she began scanning their surroundings, every instinct screaming danger.
"Where?" she asked, her voice deadly quiet.
"Somewhere called the Netherworld. At least, I think that's what he said. Like I mentioned, very cryptic."
The color drained from Maria's face.
Netherworld.
The name hit her like a sledgehammer to the chest. Suddenly she was somewhere else, somewhen else. Screaming. So much screaming. Blood on her hands that wouldn't wash clean. Faces of people she'd failed to save, their eyes accusing even in death. The smell of sulfur and despair.
Her knees nearly gave out.
"Master?" Kayden moved toward her, concern replacing curiosity.
She held up a hand to stop him, breathing hard, fighting to stay in the present.
"What is the Netherworld?" he asked gently.
Maria was quiet for a long time. When she finally spoke, her voice was hollow.
"A place that makes hell look like a vacation resort."
She turned away from him, composing herself with visible effort.
"The Netherworld is a parallel realm to ours, Kayden. Not just another dimension, but a cursed one. A place where nightmares take physical form and pain echoes for eternity. Time moves differently there—minutes can feel like years, years can pass in seconds. The entities that call it home don't just kill intruders. They break them. Piece by piece, memory by memory, until there's nothing left but screaming."
Kayden swallowed hard. "So... essentially hell?"
"No." Maria's laugh held no humor. "Hell has rules. Hell has purpose. The Netherworld is chaos given form. Just as there's a Celestial Realm where the gods pretend to be benevolent, there's the Netherworld—home to things far older and infinitely more cruel."
The silence stretched between them.
"So," Kayden said eventually, "you're telling me I need to travel to a realm worse than hell, retrieve a weapon that's been lost for three thousand years, and my chances of survival are essentially zero?"
"That's about the size of it, yes."
Kayden grinned—part of it fear, and the other excitement. Fear of the terrors he'd face. Excitement of the powerhouses he'd get to battle with.
"Sounds like fun. When do we leave?"
Maria stared at him in disbelief. 'This absolute madman. Did he hear anything I just said?'
"There's one problem," she said, forcing herself back to practicalities. "The plan. Our plan. The one we've spent years developing. If you leave now..."
Realization dawned on Kayden's face. "We'd have to start over from scratch."
"Exactly." Maria ran her hands through her hair, frustration evident. "Damn it. Years of preparation, and now..."
She started walking toward the tree line, then paused.
"Go find the others. Tell them to meet me at the old oak outside camp after dark. We need to discuss this as a team."
She turned back one more time.
"And Kayden? Not a word about this conversation to anyone. I'll explain what they need to know."
With that, she melted into the shadows between the trees, her mind already racing.
'The Netherworld,' she thought as she walked. 'If the Flame Primordial really told him to seek the blades, then this is inevitable. He has to go. But why now? Why him? At full strength, Kayden could face down an Avatar and win. So what's the real game here? Why risk unleashing those weapons unless... unless he's not strong enough yet for what's coming. Or maybe the Primordial sees something the rest of us don't.'
Her pace quickened. Whatever was happening, she had to prepare him.
Back by the ruins, Kayden stood alone under the darkening sky. The ancient symbol where the Primordial had appeared still glowed faintly in the earth at his feet. He stared at it thoughtfully.
"The Netherworld," he murmured to himself, that dangerous smile creeping back across his face. "This should be interesting."