Chapter 406: First Meeting, Night Demon (Two in One)
After it was completely dark, Aiwass changed into the priest's robes which he had not worn for a long time, and solemnly lit three new candles in his bedroom.
In front of Aiwass was a silver basin on the table, filled with salt that Aiwass had consecrated during the day.
Julia and Ligeia sat side by side on the bed, while Janice peered into the room through the landscape paintings on the wall.
Aiwass closed his eyes for a long time in front of the candlelight, brewing his emotions.
The sacred, dim candlelight shone on Aiwass, casting a shadow behind him that twisted and squirmed like a living creature.
"I call upon the Candle Master, the god whose sacred number is three, the god who binds the sins of the body, the god who burns to chase away the darkness..."
Aiwass murmured softly, closing his eyes and praying repeatedly: "Please watch over the fire of my soul... Watch over me like the candle in the corner...
"I call upon the Candle Master, the god whose sacred number is three..."
His seriousness made Yulia unconsciously nervous and tense her back.
She had always known that her brother had the ability to strengthen the abilities of the Shadow Demon and the Flame-Rebellious Butterfly through self-sacrifice.
But Aiwass never showed it to her.
There were many things Aiwass hadn't shown Yulia, some to avoid worrying her, others to avoid exposing her to anything too dangerous.
Yulia knew this, but she found it hard to refute it. After all, it came from Aiwass's care and love for her, and the root of it was the persona she had constructed in front of Aiwass - in Aiwass's perception, Yulia was a weak girl who needed care.
There is no sudden incident now, so it is not easy for Yulia to change it suddenly.
After chanting three times, Aiwass immersed his hands in the salt basin in front of him that had been sanctified by the blessing spell.
He scooped up the salt with both hands, spread his arms, and scattered it around casually.
Like sparks flying upwards, the pure white salt powder danced and swirled around as if it had come to life.
They gradually began to glow faintly - in this dim bedroom, they slowly lit up with a glow like stars.
The shoulder straps around Aiwas' neck moved without wind, twisting and dancing like two slippery sea snakes.
He lowered his head, gently stroked the salt in the basin, and sighed softly: "My child, the fleshless daughter whom I feed...
"—Arise, and return from the flesh of all things."
Salt symbolizes the flesh and blood of matter.
Hearing Aiwas's call, the shadow demon who had lost consciousness and fell into a deep dream emerged from the shadow of the salt basin in front of him like a puppy being called by its master.
It was a vague shadow, like mud or a swamp.
As Aiwass gently caressed the salt in the basin, it flowed autonomously, making a sound like the ebb and flow of the tide.
"I am your totem, I am your father, I am your god."
Aiwass sang in a low voice: "You shall not touch my sacredness, you shall not harm my body—
"But at my death, you shall mourn; but after the day of my death, you shall rejoice!"
As Aiwass spoke, he fished out a pistol from the shadow formed by the salt.
He raised the salt gun high, and then inserted the gun into his abdomen!
Yulia was so frightened that she shuddered and almost screamed.
But at this moment, a pair of cold hands reached out from behind her and covered her mouth.
"Don't be afraid, child," Janice's voice came softly from behind her, "This is how sacrifice works."
"...Does sacrifice necessarily involve harming oneself?!"
Yulia lowered her voice and said in a somewhat anxious and panicked voice: "Could something have gone wrong?"
"That's right."
Yanis said softly, "This is a ritual. The essence of ritual is imitation, and the purpose is to transcend."
Ligeia beside her also nodded.
Today, she has also deepened her understanding of the path of transcendence through learning.
The white-haired dragon girl replied softly, "There exists a desire within the human heart, an unstoppable, unavoidable instinct to imitate. It is the very essence of humanity, and it is strengthened by the repetition of external voices."
"When we were still children, ignorant of everything and without a sense of 'ourselves,' we instinctively imitated those outside us. We imitated their language, their demeanor, their every move. This was compassion from the Snake Father, allowing us to transcend the animalistic path of love.
“—So, we changed from beasts to humans.”
On the other side, after Aiwass pierced through with the salt spear, the blood began to flow out along the priest's robe and seep onto the ground at an extremely slow speed.
The shadows in the salt pool instantly began to boil violently.
It was as if some kind of reagent had been added—so Yulia thought.
And Aiwass was still chanting the secret words from the Shepherd's Tantra:
"You will celebrate my death, you will sing my holiness. You will hold ceremonies, you will raise your scepter."
Aiwass said this and took out the second salt gun from the salt pool.
He tilted his head slightly and inserted the salt gun directly into his collarbone from the side of his neck!
The intense pain caused Aiwass's pupils to constrict and relax, and his lips trembled violently.
He choked and coughed up pink foam.
A stream of dark red blood flowed down the neck and sank into the pure white priest's robe.
A thin gas of blood instantly spurted out in all directions in a ball shape. The candlelight around Aiwass seemed to dim a little, reflecting the dark red blood light.
Meanwhile, Ligeia whispered, "Some children are too good at imitating, too focused on the command to 'imitate me,' ardently following the shadows cast by the light. Thus, they become 'good children,' 'clever children...' But what they imitate are not holy and spotless images, but people with inferior qualities."
This incompleteness is then reflected in their imitation. Eventually, they will encounter problems that cannot be solved simply by imitating those around them. And the more enthusiastic the child is about imitation, the more intense the stimulation they will experience when they first encounter a wall.
"Young children have no right to refuse adults. Therefore, every 'no' from the person who issues the command 'Imitate me' is like thunder, insurmountable, and undeniable.
The inevitable failures faced in the process of imitation only intensify the desire to imitate. This cycle repeats itself, leading to a state of being manipulated.
"And in this process, if the seeds of evil thoughts grow in their hearts, they will want to escape this cycle. This desire is [transcendence], and that seed is [degeneration], [change], and [violence]. And this violence is also an extension of authoritarianism.
"—Among many acts of transcendence, the essence of 'sacrifice' is violence."
Ligeia spoke softly, as if she was missing someone or recalling someone.
Yulia looked at her as if she were looking at another person emerging from her.
It was another person who had shared these "secrets of sacrifice" with Ligeia... or rather, with Meg. A person who belonged to the transcendent path.
Whether driven by fear of drought, a desire for longevity, a scapegoat, a desire for peace after death, victory in war, or the intoxication of revelry... ancient humans around the world, without exception, ultimately chose 'sacrifice.' Whether the victim was human or animal, it was a form of collective violence, a violence sanctioned by the group.
"—The essence of ritual is imitation, while the essence of sacrifice is violence. Imitation is the proof that humans are the children of the serpent father, while sacrifice is the depraved instinct deep in the human soul, tainted with desire."
Ligeia paused for a moment, then subconsciously clenched her fingers.
She whispered, "Transcendents who reach the path of transcendence all have this tendency toward self-destruction. They see themselves as vessels, and vessels are a kind of shackles. Those who seek transcendence will eventually desire to break the shackles."
"They will harm themselves for the sake of their own ends... not out of greed, but for the sake of the ends themselves.
"...I once knew a transcendent who had transcended the Dao. He sacrificed himself before a near-fatal battle. At that point, even if they were victorious, they couldn't return, so it couldn't be considered a sacrifice for survival; they had a high probability of not winning, so it wasn't for success; no one valued their death, so it wasn't for honor either.
"I've long wondered why they act this way... It wasn't until recently that I realized that a purpose is a purpose in itself, and the extension of desire is still desire. Transcendents are always like this."
As Aiwass raised the third salt spear, the shadows in the salt basin instantly became silent. Ligeia's voice became hoarse.
Yulia suddenly turned around and noticed that Ligeia's pupils were shining with a bright purple glow.
Observing such a transcendental ritual, a resonance was created between the paths of transcendence, much like an artist feeling beauty when appreciating another's work. Ligeia's previously stable physical state was also deflected by the resonance of this pastoral ritual.
The dragon scales on her body creaked, and worms seemed to crawl beneath her flesh. She grew slowly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
And Aiwass's low and hoarse voice still rang out in the bedroom:
"Who will be sacrificed? What will end? What words will be passed down through the ages?
"—I offer you my elegy!
"My love, my son, my flesh, my inheritance, my altar, obey my command—"
The salt particles suspended in the air turned into brilliant stars, and at this moment, Aiwass seemed to be standing in the Milky Way.
He raised the salt gun and pointed it at his heart.
At this moment, the shadows beneath Aiwass and in the silver basin in front of him had completely subsided, revealing an eerie tranquility.
Yulia clenched her palms and tried to rush forward, but Ligeia grabbed her arm.
She turned back, almost in anger, only to see Ligeia's face cracked like shattered porcelain, oozing blood. She now looked four or five years older, the same age as Julia. A strange purple light shone in Ligeia's eyes, but her face remained expressionless.
——Just by listening to the secret words of the Shepherd’s Tantra, her body began to grow.
Ligeia felt a strong thirst - the thirst came from Aiwas standing in front of the salt basin, his body soaked in blood.
But her extremely strong rationality easily suppressed this desire, and by the way, suppressed Yulia as well.
Aiwass looked down at the Shadow Demon with pity and said softly, "I offer you...
"—My instant death."
As Aiwass finished speaking, the salt spear wrapped in shadow pierced Aiwass's heart like the stake that killed the Son of the Moon.
It wasn't just a simple injury of a pierced heart...that kind of injury was no longer enough to be instantly fatal to Aiwass now.
This is self-sacrifice, the most sacred ritual, the purest devotion.
Aiwass sacrificed himself on the altar, completely dedicating himself to his own demons—
In an instant, Aiwass's pupils dimmed.
It was as if he was on the giant's cauldron and the shadow demon pierced his heart.
All his vitality dissipated in an instant.
Aiwass died instantly, his body falling backwards helplessly. The shadows that had restrained the salt spear emerged from the three wounds like living creatures, enveloping Aiwass.
He fell into the shadow egg. Countless shadows spread like spiderwebs, extinguishing the three candles dedicated to the candlelighter. Then, these shadows took on a bright red hue, casting the entire room in a terrifying blood-red.
It wasn't just a sacrifice of blood and mana like before, but a complete sacrifice of one's life, soul, and will.
If the Shadow Fiend does not respond, it would be a completely selfless sacrifice without asking for anything in return.
Aiwass would die. His life, his soul, would become part of the Shadow Fiend.
"……Why."
However, the Shadow Fiend sighed.
This wasn't the sweet voice of Miss Assassin, nor was it the cold, intellectual, mature voice of "Bayard." Instead, it was a completely new voice that was ethereal and hoarse, like the whispering sound of a dream:
"—I am willing to give everything I have in exchange for my master's return from the void."
That is the final step in pastoral care.
Pastoral care must be selfless and therefore should not seek any reward.
In other words, you must never restrict the other party from "repaying a favor" in any form.
Then, sacrificing everything, including the contract, life, and soul, is the most selfless sacrifice. It is an extremely risky act of transcendence.
Only if the other party responds can they get back everything that has been offered.
In an instant, the shadow egg disappeared as if time had gone backwards.
After the Shadow Fiend returned Aiwass's sacrifice, Aiwass emerged from the bloodied body. Although the wound on his heart still existed and his vitality was weak, he was still alive.
But behind him stood another strange being.
She hugged Aiwass from behind to prevent him from falling to the ground.
The demon had a human upper body and features a mix of Bayard and Aiwass. Its terrifying scarlet wolf eyes instilled intense fear.
Her long, smooth black hair, flowing down to her mid-thigh, fluttered wildly behind her. A pair of illusory, shadowy black wings sprouted from her back, forming a silhouette resembling a raven's wings.
She was completely naked, with invisible shadows entwined around her vital parts. From her cheeks to her waist, a strange yet peculiarly charming dark red bloodstain was visible. From the waist down, an amorphous, gaseous form emanated black smoke. And from the elbows down, the skin on her arms was a completely matte, pitch-black, transparent hand. The claws looked ferocious, but when she embraced Aiwass, she didn't injure him at all.
When she appeared, the whole room was filled with blood.
That is the Night Demon, a high-ranking demon that will bring a bloody night when it appears.
As a high-level demon that wields the power of the path of love, it also wields the power of shadow, blood, and curse.
It is said that the Night Demon will grant the wishes of jealous people, grant them power, and tempt them to seek revenge.
Those who make deals with the Night Demon have one thing in common: they lose their shadows during the day, and after nightfall, their shadows will control their bodies and do things they dare not do.
After the deal is done, the Night Demon will suck the opponent's blood and soul in a bloody night. In the end, only some people will remember that the bloody night has come, but no one will remember that someone ever existed.
In many places, it is worshipped as the "blood god" by the ignorant.
Night Stalker is not even on Shadow Fiend's evolution tree.
This is one of the highest-ranking demons that extended from the Mark of Jealousy, and its status and power are equal to that of the Demon of Punishment.
The Night Demon is the "executor" who helps the Fallen Angels reap the souls of sinners, and is also the "debt collector" of those who made promises to the Fallen Angels but arrogantly broke their promises.
The Night Demon stared at Yulia coldly, her scarlet, malicious pupils filled with undisguised, almost crazy jealousy.
That look was enough to scare anyone, but Yulia was just stunned for a moment, and then her eyes suddenly turned cold.
"Shadow Demon... No, I should call you Night Demon."
Aiwass's weak voice rang out.
When the Night Demon saw that Aiwass had regained consciousness, he immediately handed the candle to Aiwass.
Aiwass lit the candle and held it tightly. The fire ritual began to heal Aiwass's injuries, and his body began to slowly recover.
He raised his head in the Night Demon's arms and looked into the eyes of the Night Demon, who was at least two meters tall after floating up.
"Long time no see, Shadow Demon."
He smiled and said softly, "Nice to meet you, Night Demon. What should I call you?"
"...Call me Bayard... No, call me Vines."
The ethereal, hoarse, and echoing voice sounded from behind Aiwas: "Vignes Emile Zola Bayard... That was my former name, my master."
Unlike her past as a shadow demon, she now openly acknowledges her past.
Having devoured her entire "self", this is now her most complete form.
The corners of Aiwass' mouth rose slightly.
"It's a pity you can't turn into a snake, a puppy, or a kitten anymore..."
Aiwass said softly: "How about I call you Little Bird?
"My loyal, loving little crow...who brought my life and soul back to me?"
As Aiwass finished speaking, Vignes behind him dissipated into a puff of smoke and transformed into a shadow crow with scarlet pupils, which quietly landed on Aiwass's shoulder.
"As you wish, my Lord."
She whispered softly like an elegant young lady.
The two-in-one chapter finally caught up——
Oh my god, the temperature has dropped so much recently. I slept for over five hours yesterday, and this morning I suddenly had a cramp under the covers. It was so severe, without even kicking my legs, that it woke me up...
Because I didn’t get enough sleep, I took a nap right after breakfast. When I woke up, it was almost six o’clock. My sleep and sleep schedule was completely messed up (sad)
The good news is that I'm finally back to eating three meals a day. The bad news is that I haven't eaten the third meal yet.
Eat 3→2, sleep 3→1 belongs to yes.
(End of this chapter)
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