The Burning Fiend

A few months after Desri became a Demi God, the Elemental Laws descended again near the Forest of Darkness and Reynolds directed his divine sense to find that his third brother had just created his wind divine avatar and smirked while his voice sounded on the whole castle. "Congratulations third brother! Even if you were defeated by that old man Desri you finally managed to become a Demi God... but why are you n.a.k.e.d?" The voice caused all the people in the castle to grow excited when they heard that the Lord of the castle was now a deity but soon felt confused by the last part.

Linley had been so entranced in feeling the divine power that was startled by Reynolds voice and his angry growl was again heard by the whole castle. "Fourth brother!!!" But Reynolds had already retrieved his divine sense leaving a frustrated Linley and a shy Delia who said. "Linley! Can you please put some clothes on?" Linley sighed feeling frustrated as he willed his divine power to create a set of robes for his divine avatar... somehow the emotion of becoming a Demi God seemed gone.

---

Inside the training chamber Reynolds's divine avatar was pondering on the laws of fire while his saint body was watching Koral and the girls as they trained with weapons, he had made a sword for Rosarie and she have fallen in love with the sword dancing that Windsor had taught her, Reynolds was not sure as how effective that would be on battle but she will figure her own path eventually, she had become a rank 7 warrior in these two years making her feel happy of experiencing progress again. Reynolds smiled as he saw how happy she was and could not placed her together with his memory of the cold ice woman he met within the Necropolis of the Gods.

His own progress was also alarming as he had already become proficient in the first steep of refining souls through erosion, but there were another 7 steps at least from what he had inferred from the different degrees of refining on the mist contained on the crystal orbs. He decided to continue working with the white soul mist until he had consumed it all before proceeding with the next level in order to gain a good foundation on his understanding of 'soul erosion'.

His illusions were also improving as he often caught the girls in illusion to practice but he only creating relaxing landscapes in which they were trapped to avoid harming them, still he could feel his improvement in both edicts of life and death, 'perhaps I would be able to create another divine body within fifty years'. He thought excited.

A few more months passed and the reports from the Dawson Conglomerate mentioned a high level migration to the three main empires of the Yulan Continent as all news of other places seemed to be blocked, he sighed and guessed that someone was creating chaos and it was highly probable that a new deity had escaped from the Gebados Planar Prison he was interrupted from his thoughts as the Elemental Laws descended in what seemed the North Sea... 'Perhaps the Arctic Icecap...' Reynolds did not know anyone from there so he did not care for it and continued with his own pondering.

His happy routine was interrupted a few days later when Linley, Desri and Oliver came to his island surprising Reynolds and he soon invited them over for a drink. The faces or Linley and Desri were amusing to watch as they remained with their mouths wide open when they realized that Rosarie was living happitly with Reynolds's two wives and they seemed like sisters, even Oliver seemed surprised.

Reynolds took a bottle of wine from his interspatial ring and served four cups while saying. "Well congratulations to you three for becoming Demi Gods, lets have a toast to celebrate!" His voice was calm and cheerful as he raised his cup.

The three visitor awakened from their stupor and smiled taking the cups, it didn't take long for Linley to start the topic they have come to discuss. "Fourth brother are you aware of the great migration?" Linley's voice carried anger and resentment making Reynolds blink.

"Well yeah, Yale sends me news of what happens in the world from time to time... why do you ask?" Reynolds was curious wondering what could have upset him so much and Linley seemed to have been waiting for this question as he excitedly started his explanation.

"Someone is slaughtering people on our Yulan Plane and the people on those areas started migrating escaping from the unknown terror. We think that this deity is collecting souls, souls of our people to refine them and grow stronger! We want to forcing him to deliver those souls to us and to stop his slaughter!" Linley seemed to be waiting for Reynolds to become angry and declared that he would join them in their mission but Reynolds was frowning while taking a sip of wine to delay his answer.

"Third brother are you serious? You want to go to war with an unkown deity without even knowing his level of power just because he is killing people? It seems to me that this person has already shown enough respect by not taking his slaughter to the O'Brien, Yulan and Baruch Empires don't you think? And how do you know if this person was not born on the Yulan Continent before he was sent to the Gebados Planar Prison? In a way his rights on the land might very will be above yours..." Reynolds's voice was between exasperated and annoyed.

Linley, Desri and Oliver blinked not expecting this answer, they were growing angry but they realized that they had already accepted the invitation to met with this Beaumon without knowing if he was a Demi God, they just thought that he was one because they were Demi Gods... still they were not willing to go back on their challenge.

"Are you afraid?" Oliver voice was mocking and showed his anger from Reynolds's answer, Reynolds looked at him without a change of expression as he said. "I am not stupid enough to challenge someone who might have lived as a deity for thousands of years for something ridiculous as righteousness when this person had not offend me at all... and I'm pretty sure that I can kill the three of you without much effort even if you lot came together. You are disrupting my training and it is better if you leave now". After saying that he returned to his garden and ignore them while they remained frozen for a moment before leaving.

Reynolds felt disappointed and angry by this encounter, did his brother really cared about the souls of people who had nothing to do with him? Or was he motivated by greed regarding those souls? Either way it seemed stupid, the ruler of the Yulan Continent did not care... who were they to make rules and demands for others? He forced his disturbing thoughts away and started pondering the aspect of illusion but after a while he seemed unable to concentrate and sighed turning to look he found that Rosarie and Windsor were practicing with their swords while Jenne as playing in the water with Bolt.

He smirked and soon Bolt was playing alone in the water without knowing it while Jenne had a surprised expression at finding herself being carried in a pair of strong arms,realizing that she had been captured by her 'evil' Master she said. "Really? It is still morning..." She smiled when she realized that this time the two of them were alone and a little pride appeared in her heart. "Now, now... don't be like that I will be sure to close the curtains and you can imagine that it is night time if that makes you feel happy". Reynolds said mischievously while smiling fondly at her and she just relaxed in his arms while refusing to met his gaze.

---

A couple of days later Reynolds was sitting on the grass near the lake pondering the aspect of illusion as he had an idea a few days ago while playing with Rosarie and Windsor. 'Trapping someone in an illusion becomes more effective if the person does not want to escape the illusion... what if the landscape and the temptations it contains are so enthralling that one will hesitate to escape even if the prisoner knows that he is trapped? A fraction of a second of hesitation is all I need to kill that person, isn't it?'

His pondering was interrupted as a great commotion made the whole Yulan Continent tremble and he directed his divine sense in time to see thousands of deities entering the Yulan Plane while Linley, Desri and Oliver had shocked expressions, only a moment later Beirut had appeared and closed the gap connecting to the Gebados Planar Prison and Reynolds retrieved his divine sense as he did not want Beirut to involve him in the reprimand these three were going to receive. "My idiot third brother..." Reynolds muttered in annoyance as he summoned his three women and Koral.

They met on the living room and they had worried expressions as even they had been able to feel that something ominous had happened, but before he managed to say anything a mental message seemed to resound in the minds of all saints and deities within the Yulan Continent. "Saints and Deities, I am Hodan, the Planar Overseer. Everyone who wishes to depart for the Four Higher Planes or the Seven Divine Planes, quickly come to the Arctic Icecap!"

Koral, Windsor and Rosarie were startled but waited for Reynolds to speak, he sighed and shaked his head. "An accident just happened and the Gebados Planar Prison was opened for a short time allowing an unkown number of deities to enter the Yulan Continent, from now on you are not allow to leave the castle and your respective trainings will be carried within the inner garden now I will have you make a choice." He released another sight and asked after hesitating a moment.

"As you know I also walk the path of the necromancer and I can plant a soul seed within your souls to take control of you if I d.e.s.i.r.e to do so but I can choose to let you retain your free will. The reason I'm telling you this is that other deities can do the same to you and you might turn into puppets or toys, but once a soul seed had already taken root on your soul it cannot be removed easily and another one cannot be placed. Do you want me to place a soul seed on you?"

Rosarie seemed afraid of the idea of becoming a puppet without free will and she had not reacted when Windsor was already steeping forward smiling. "Master I want a soul seed please". Jenne only hesitated a moment before standing next to Windsor as if waiting for her turn and Rosarie sighed after seeing this and thought to herself. 'What does it matter? I'm already his plaything and he can do as he wants with me... at least he asked'. She smiled and took her place next to her two sisters.

Koral asked with curiosity but without a trace of apprehension. "Master is this soul seed different to our soul contract?" Reynolds smiled and said. "Yes, the soul contract only gives me ownership and control over your life but not over your free will. The soul seed can still be implanted and force you to comply to orders even if that would cause you to die for going against the soul contract."

Koral blinked and floated next to Rosarie waiting for her turn to receive a soul seed.