The Foiled Vengeance
Demon Petal Leader Avesh An Ishi began his journey from Dawnfire with only one purpose.
A purpose older than his breath.
Older than his ambition.
Older than his mercy.
Revenge.
For his father.
For his grandfather.
For the bloodline that died screaming under Sumal's shadow.
He could not simply march into the Shadow Realm and strike at Sumal. Even if he went alone, even if he poured every drop of rage into the attempt, there was no certainty he would win.
Still, Avesh tried.
He begged Suvar many times to give him permission to take a small army, to lead the Petals, to bring back Sumal's head along with his throne and every treasure in his cavern.
Suvar denied him every time.
"I am satisfied with the current balance," he would say.
"Sumal hides. Demons fear him. That fear keeps the world quiet."
Avesh's blood never stayed quiet.
Every time he saw a demon from Sumal's lands, the rage ignited. He often killed them on sight, not caring who they were or what they knew. Revenge had become the marrow of his bones.
Then he learnt that the princess had left the Shadow Realm and had not returned for a fortnight. Avesh seized the moment. He asked Suvar for leave under the guise of personal work and slipped into the Shadow Realm, avoiding places where Sumal's followers might roam. Rumours told him she had travelled toward Hindkand.
For two weeks, he searched.
For two weeks, he hunted.
For two weeks, he consumed his patience.
And he found nothing.
He returned to Dawnfire with fury boiling beneath his skin. Whenever he could not contain it, he descended upon the Chained Commanders, knowing they could defend themselves but never retaliate. This time, he nearly crippled one, who survived only because one of the Chained Five intervened.
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A Purpose Interrupted
Revenge was not a desire of Avesh; it was a skeleton holding him upright.
It was the thought that tucked him into sleep and the one that dragged him out of it.
Until one day, he heard the whisper:
"The Princess had given birth to a son with the Sage."
Avesh's mind flooded with only one image, killing them both.
Even his rage knew truth, if he approached the Sage, he would be reduced to dust. Later, he learned of Sumal's prophecy, and the hatred inside him sharpened into hunger, then the voice came.
"You can't win only with anger", the voice said
It did not come from outside.
It did not come from within.
It came from between.
"I want to kill the boy in front of that fool,"Avesh whispered to himself.
"This is impossible while the boy is with the Sage," the voice replied.
"We wait for the moment Sumal and the boy cross paths,"
"I know,"Avesh answered.
"Let me give you the technique to create a Shadow Creature."
"Who are you to know this?"
"Do not worry about me."
From the darkness under his feet, a scroll rose with the help of a shadow tail.
The voice had been with him only since his last trip to the Shadow Realm. It was too ancient, too knowing, too heavy to belong to instinct.
It felt like something forgotten was speaking through him and waiting.
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Shadow Summon
Avesh studied the scroll, torn between caution and temptation. The voice had guided him well so far, and his hatred was too loud to ignore.
He waited for a Blood Moon. It came after four silent moons.
Three humanoid creatures were needed. A demon servant stole a human boy from the nearest village. Avesh himself captured a Naga boy. They met at midnight in the ruins of the Fallen Flame Temple.
The boys were killed, their blood collected. Avesh drew the sigils exactly as the scroll instructed, filling all except the central mark.
"My lord, may I fill the middle?" the servant asked.
Avesh nodded.
As the servant poured the mixed blood into the central sigil, Avesh raised his sword and severed the servant's head. The blood filled the symbol. The head was placed in the center. Avesh cut his own thumb and let his blood drip onto the star.
He chanted:
"Ohm, Krim, Hrim, Bhūchāyā, Swayambhu,
Janma, Mām Bandha, Ohm, Krim, Hrim."
Something stirred where his blood touched.
A small shadow creature emerged, feeding on every circle of blood. It devoured the servant's head, the servant's body, and pulled every remaining drop of blood from the symbols until it grew large enough to slip into Avesh's shadow.
"Hello, Master," it whispered.
"What should I call you?"Avesh asked.
"Please name me."
"You were born from my shadow. I will call you, AveJan."
The name gave it shape. From liquid darkness, it became a humanoid shape.
"You exist for one reason,"Avesh said.
"Bring me all updates from the Shadow Realm."
"Yes, Master."Jan vanished.
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The Blood Pact Report
The Princess entered the Shadow Realm with the boy. Jan tried to reach the Dawnfire portal, only to find every portal sealed shut. Shadows were trapped between worlds. A force beyond any known power had closed the gates.
No one had believed the portals could be closed.
No one had imagined someone powerful enough to do it.
And then another shock, A tear between realms opened from Sumal's cavern to the human world, not a shadow link, but a rip in reality itself, leaking direct light, and no being from the Shadow Realm dared enter.
Six hours later, the portals reopened. Jan raced back to report that the princess and boy had entered, that Sumal had formed a blood pact with his grandson, and that they had left hours earlier.
Avesh cursed Jan for the delay and ran. He chased for more than a fortnight, reaching the waterfall, but again.
No trace.
This time, the rage snapped.
He descended upon a nearby village and wiped it out, turning every corpse into fresh shadow creatures.
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The Pledge & Boons
Avesh returned, Jan waited by the shore with news that shattered the last pillar holding Avesh together.
"Sumal was dead, My Lord," says Jan
Not by his hand.
Not by his hatred.
Not by the bloodline he swore to avenge.
Avesh felt robbed, as if the world itself had stolen his heart. Rage became the air he breathed.
He returned to Dawnfire and demanded an audience with Suvar. All Petals were summoned.
"Why this urgency?"Suvar asked.
"My lord, you know Sumal is dead."
"I do."
"I must avenge my father and grandfather."
"Sumal is dead. What remains to avenge?"
"The boy. The child with whom he made the blood pact."
"You think you can face the Sage?"
Avesh paused, his voice low.
"You forbid us from angering the Sage. You forbid us from making him our enemy."
He breathed in deeply.
"I renounce my position as Petal Leader. I will go. I will take my revenge."
Suvar stared at him, eyes narrow, voice slow.
"Avesh, something speaks through you. Something not born of Dawnfire."
The hall fell silent.
"Even if I deny you, I know you will run for your vengeance, like the last two times you did."
Finally, Suvar said,
"You have three years. Do what you must. Then return."
Avesh bowed and offered a black sphere of shifting shadow.
"A creature born of my blood. If I die, it will stop moving."
He turned to the Petals.
"Choose the next leader through the usual trials. And add one new Petal from the tournament."
Whispers rippled, fear, envy, hatred, awe.
Avesh ignored them all.
__________
The Hell-Ruler's Boons
The next day, Avesh travelled to the ruined southern temple. Only a few charred walls remained.
He began the ritual of the Soul Contract Sacrifice.
The symbols ignited one by one. The air grew heavy, so heavy the temple stones seemed to bow. Cold, not frost, and emptiness filled the space.
Then the world tore.
A black figure wreathed in red smoke formed through the rift.
Chains of screaming ash hung from its arms. Eyes glowing with fire gazed at Avesh.
"Avesh An Ishi"
The voice scraped like stone splitting.
"Your blood calls. Your hatred sings."
A shadow blade shot from its hand, piercing Avesh's heart. Instead of dying, his heart burned with glowing runes.
"Your heart & soul belong to Hell", whispered with a laugh on their face.
"And why is that cockroach stuck you you?" questioned Avesh
"It's none of your business, you bloody spider", responded Avesh's inner voice out loud.
"You are daring enough to talk back in the mortal realm. It doesn't matter."
Three boons appeared in the star sigil. The black figure says,
"Golden Water Lily"
"Hide from all senses like, spirit or magic."
"Hell-Ruler's Knife"
"Kill one life each day to feed it. Fail, and it returns to me."
"Hell's Goal Shuriken"
"One target. One throw. One heart pierced. No barrier can stop it."
The entity leaned close.
"If you use all three boons and fail your kill, your heart will burst, and your soul will walk my halls forever."
Avesh bowed.
"I will kill the boy."
"Every boon has its problem. Are you sure? Three boons enough?"
"Thank you, Lord, I can win easily."
The hell-ruler vanished.
__________
The Burning Path
Avesh left Dawnfire with no intention of returning until his vengeance was complete. As he travelled through forests, ruins, and abandoned settlements, he left behind a trail of corpses, humans, demons, wandering spirits, and any being foolish enough to stand in his path.
Each corpse became part of his rituals. From their blood and shadows, he forged dozens of new shadow creatures.
An army of silent, slithering darkness followed him, growing with every kill.
Avesh began his hunt, and the world trembled.