Chapter 50 The Truth
Chapter 50 The Truth
Ty stood there, a fierce fire burning in his eyes, flickering with intense hints of red, as if mirroring the tumultuous emotions within him. "So, what do I need to do here? I've retrieved the item that will conceal me; I should be able to go back now, right?" n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
The Demon King, burdened with contemplation, slowly took a seat. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together, resting them over his head as if cradling a heavy weight of unseen thoughts. "Originally, yes," he admitted, his voice layered with a subtle, ominous tone. "But, even if you do return, I don't believe reclaiming your old life will be a simple task."
The room seemed to close in as shadows danced around, mirroring the uncertainty that loomed over their conversation. The Demon King's presence filled the space, his aura exuding a mixture of mystery and authority.
Ty, attempting to navigate through the fog of confusion, spoke, his voice interwoven with determination and a trace of vulnerability. "Well, my father always said that when nothing makes sense, nothing can be fixed." He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing, "So, let's start with the first question and work our way up."
The air seemed charged with a silent energy as Ty waited, his earnest tone hanging in the room, filling the silence with a profound sense of curiosity and urgency. "What's the first mystery?" he asked, eager for clarity in the midst of shadows and uncertainties.
The Demon King suggested, his voice carrying a subtle gravity, "Let's move this conversation to a more private area." His words echoed in the room, momentarily dimming the ambient noises—the clattering plates and the muffled movements of creatures within the dining hall. They both stood up, navigating their way toward a side door, leaving the vibrant chaos of the dining hall behind them.
Todd, caught in a moment of domestic warmth, softly excused himself, mentioning he needed to put the kids to sleep. His figure retreated, blending with the subtle shadows of the surroundings.
Walking beside the Demon King, Ty carried a cloud of questions within him. His voice broke the silence, tinged with an evident confusion. "You know, I have my fair share of questions that haven't been making sense."
The Demon King glanced at him, his eyes revealing a willingness to listen, prompting, "And what might that be?"
Ty inhaled deeply, gathering his thoughts. "Well, to start, I guess we could talk about Todd. How are his kids here? I didn't want to bring it up directly, but if I recall correctly, the planet was, like, burned up or something. How did he manage to save his kids?"
The Demon King paused, his expression unchanging, maintaining a pale, contemplative demeanor. His voice, when he spoke, was laced with a careful restraint. "He didn't. They were technically dead for a while now. Maybe 1-2 years; it's hard to say really."
The weight of the revelation hung heavily in the air, the shadows seeming to deepen around them. Ty's face was a canvas of shock, his mind trying to wrap itself around the profound and unsettling truth that had just been unveiled.
Ty struggled with disbelief, his mind racing to connect the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. "That can't be right," he protested softly, "He told me he was fighting so they could still be alive, like the Yami King was using them as a bargaining chip."
The Demon King listened, his face a mask of calm, but his eyes revealing the storm of complexities behind this narrative. "And that he was," the Demon King confirmed gently, his words spilling the harsh truths of their reality. "But he had already removed their souls from their bodies."
He paused, allowing the words to sink in, his gaze meeting Ty's, offering silent reassurance. "When you killed the Yami King, tearing off his head before the angelic girl stepped in, you absorbed the souls he had stolen over the last 12 years or so. And it just so happened that a portion of the souls you took in were his."
His words painted the room with shades of sorrow and redemption, the atmosphere heavy with the magnitude of the revelation. "After you all arrived and you blacked out, Todd was submerged in grief over the loss of his kids, sharing the painful saga of the last 12 years."
The Demon King's voice softened, narrating the flicker of hope in their bleak tale. "I was able to forcibly remove the souls from your body and implant them into bodies that resonated with his memories of them."
His words carried a delicate balance of technicality and empathy "The Demon King spoke, clarifying the puzzling reality. 'Technically, they aren't the same kids he remembers. Their souls were taken from their bodies and kept by the Yami King. When you defeated him, the souls were freed, and I managed to place them into new bodies. For the kids, it's as if they simply blinked, and suddenly, years have passed.'"
"'It's the least I could do for him, since you promised him safe haven,' the Demon King said, his words edged with a subtle sharpness.
Ty responded with a light, playful tone, a subtle attempt to ease the weight of their conversation. 'Sorry about that,' he said as they walked together down the dimly lit corridor, making their way toward a door marked 'Lab 1'."
Ty, curiosity filling his eyes, looked around as they entered another room and asked, "What is this place?" His voice echoed slightly in the vast, mysterious space filled with an array of arcane devices and cryptic symbols.
"It's a sanctuary of knowledge and discovery," the Demon King explained, his voice resonating with a touch of pride. "This is where I, along with some of the brightest minds from various realms, focus on research—exploring the mysteries of the universe."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to fill the room. "Those who have led lives dedicated to advancements and innovation on their worlds find solace here in the afterlife, continuing their quest for understanding and enlightenment."
The room seemed to pulse with the echoes of countless discoveries, the walls saturated with the thirst for knowledge that had consumed many souls. The air was thick with the essence of curiosity and the relentless pursuit of truth, making the space feel alive and vibrant despite the absence of visible occupants.