Biel adopted a combat stance; his body felt tense yet steady, as if all the latent energy in the environment were converging directly into him. Before lunging into the attack, he tilted his head slightly toward his companions, keeping his peripheral vision locked on his target.
"Sister, Ryder, take care of the soldiers," he ordered in a frigid voice. "I will fight Maelista."
Charlotte, her eyes clouded with worry, took a step toward him, wanting to stop time. "Little brother... you aren't going to use that form again, are you?" Her voice was a fragile thread, laden with fear and a small spark of hope.
Biel gave her a brief smile, one filled with a strange tranquility that didn't seem to fit the chaos of the hall. "Don't worry, Charlotte. I would only use that form in an extreme emergency. I will fight in my Imperfect Form."
Before anyone could retort, Biel let out a cry that reverberated across the entire battlefield, shaking the foundations of the palace. A dark, dense energy, steeped in the pure essence of a Demon King, enveloped his body like a mantle of living shadows. The Imperfect Transformation manifested once more; his figure now radiated a power so oppressive that it intimidated even the most veteran soldiers.
Maelista watched him with a twisted smile, his silver eyes shining with malicious delight. "Vaya, so that is a Demon King's transformation. Although it seems you are holding something back... you aren't using your full potential, are you?"
Biel, with an implacable gaze, responded without hesitation: "It isn't necessary. For now, this form will be enough to finish you."
In a blink, Biel vanished from everyone's sight. He moved with such overwhelming speed that his trajectory was barely a perceptible blur. Before Maelista could even raise a defense, a precise fist struck him full in the face, sending him flying violently backward several meters. The sound of the impact rang through the hall like a sharp crack of thunder.
Maelista stood up slowly, wiping a trail of blood from the corner of his lips. To everyone's surprise, his smug smile remained intact.
"You don't fight half-bad for a corrupt human," he stated. "But don't get too excited. This is merely the prelude."
The atmosphere grew even heavier, becoming almost unbreathable. The energies of both combatants clashed in the air, creating shockwaves that made the floor tremble beneath their feet. Charlotte and Ryder, despite being surrounded by soldiers, couldn't help but cast looks of anguish toward Biel.
"Damn it! He always has to carry the heaviest burden," Ryder muttered as he struggled to block a guard's attack.
Charlotte, casting a repulsion spell to push back the enemies surrounding them, did not take her eyes off her brother for a single second. "Biel... I trust you. Please, don't risk more than you can handle."
Meanwhile, Maelista launched a fierce counteroffensive: a sphere of dark energy that roared toward Biel like a predator hungry for vitality. Biel, with fluid and precise movements, dodged the projectile and reappeared right in front of his enemy. His gaze burned with a determination that seemed to consume the shadows around him.
"I won't allow you to hurt anyone else. This is your end, Maelista."
The combat continued with unprecedented ferocity. Every blow and every movement was charged with an intensity that shook the hearts of those watching. But deep within his being, a doubt persisted in Biel's mind: would his Imperfect Form truly be enough to defeat a being as twisted as Maelista?
Maelista smiled with renewed malice as he raised his right hand. A massive spiritual energy, of a terrifying purity, began to concentrate in his palm. The air turned dense, and the ground groaned beneath his feet.
"Well, now it’s my turn to have some fun," he declared arrogantly. "Thanks to the pact with the Goddess, I can now channel her divine power. Take this, Biel! Let’s see if your human bones can withstand the weight of a god."
With a violent motion, he launched the attack. The energy surged like a wave of absolute destruction toward Biel, who, caught in its path, had no time to dodge. He took the impact head-on. The force was brutal, forcing him back painfully as he tried, with every fiber of his being, to contain the devastating energy that threatened to disintegrate him.
"This energy is too strong!" Biel cried out. His feet skidded across the marble floor as he fought desperately to maintain his balance against the divine gale.
From a distance, Charlotte watched with her heart in her throat. Her hands trembled, but gathering all the courage she could find within herself, she shouted with all her might:
"Little brother, don't give up! You are much stronger than this!"
His sister's words resonated in Biel's mind like a bell in the middle of silence, giving him a final flash of hope. With renewed determination, he concentrated the remnant of his dark energy and activated his defense.
"Abyss Wall!" he roared.
A barrier of dense shadows rose before him, absorbing the impact of Maelista’s attack with a dull thud. Although the effort left him gasping and his muscles burning, he had managed to repel the blow. Maelista, far from showing frustration, widened his smile.
"Vaya, it seems you are more surprising than I thought, dear Biel. Your strength, combined with the essence of a Demon King, makes you a worthy rival. But unfortunately, you will not live to see the new world I intend to create. This is your end."
Biel, exhausted but with his gaze fixed on his enemy, clenched his fists. "I won't give up here. I will win, and we will return to the earthly world together."
Gathering the strength he had left, he launched an immediate counterattack. "Shadow Thorns!"
From the ground emerged dark, sharp projections that shot like arrows toward Maelista. They seemed unstoppable, but the villain, with a simple and disdainful wave of his hand, stopped them all, disintegrating them in a flash of white light.
"Is that all you have? You are weak!" Maelista mocked. "Why don't you use that form you used to kill the Guardian? Are you afraid of losing your mind again, human?"
Biel lowered his gaze, his breathing a heavy wheeze. "I can't... My energy is spent."
At that moment, his body began to change involuntarily. The Imperfect Transformation vanished, leaving Biel in his normal human form. Extreme fatigue flooded him all at once, making him stagger.
"It can't be..." he murmured to himself, feeling his legs give way. "What do I do now?"
Maelista advanced calmly, his imposing figure casting a shadow that seemed to devour the hall's light. Biel, devoid of energy and visible options, prepared for the worst. The enemy stopped in front of him as he remained on his knees, defeated.
"You are pathetic, dear Biel," Maelista said with icy disdain. "After I kill you, I’ll go after your sister. And I will do exactly the same to her."
Those words pierced Biel’s soul like a red-hot spear. An uncontrollable rage—pure and ancient—seized him. A guttural cry escaped his throat, a sound so visceral it made the palace walls vibrate. In that instant, an explosion of dark energy was unleashed, raking through everything around him. Debris flew, and the spiritual pressure reduced the surroundings to a desolate field.
Maelista, surprised but pleased, watched the scene with gleaming eyes. "This is what I wanted to see," he said with a twisted smile. "Your true nature."
Biel had activated his Semi-Perfect Form. His body radiated an overwhelming energy, but his eyes were no longer those of a man; they reflected an absolute void. He had lost his sanity.
Inside his mind, in a space of infinite darkness, Biel found himself sitting before Monsfil. The Demon King watched him with a mix of severity and a strange understanding.
"Bearer, you have done it again. You have resorted to that power and, once more, you have let reason slip through your fingers," Monsfil said, his voice resonating like a deep echo in the abyss.
Biel, with his head bowed, clenched his fists as the darkness of his subconscious enveloped him. "I don't understand, Monsfil. This power is too much for me. Every time I use it, I lose control. How am I supposed to master something that devours me from the inside?"
Monsfil leaned toward him, and his red eyes shone with supernatural intensity in the middle of the abyss.
"That power is no longer mine, Bearer. It belongs to you now. But you must understand a fundamental truth: power in itself is neutral. It is like a weapon; its nature depends entirely on the hand that wields it. If you let your emotions rule it, it will consume you until nothing is left. But if you control it, it will become the ultimate tool to protect what you love."
Biel looked up, a trace of desperation on his face. "And how do I do that? I have no idea where to start. Every time I try, I end up losing my mind and hurting others."
Monsfil let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms solemnly.
"The first step is to accept your emotions, Biel. The rage, the fear, even the hatred... do not repress them. They are part of who you are, but they must not be your masters. Look them directly in the eye, acknowledge them as part of your being, and then let them go. You are much more than a mere collection of emotions."
Biel closed his eyes, trying to find a center of calm in the midst of his internal storm. "It’s hard... Every time I think about what could happen to Charlotte or my friends, I feel like I'm breaking inside."
Monsfil placed a firm, heavy hand on Biel’s shoulder.
"You break because you care. That is your true power, Bearer: your unshakeable desire to protect. Use that feeling as your anchor. When chaos threatens to consume you, remember what you are fighting for. It is not for vengeance or hatred, but for love and hope."
Biel looked at him, and though his eyes still reflected doubt, a spark of determination began to burn within them.
"But... what if I fail? What if I'm simply not strong enough?"
Monsfil traced a faint smile, a nearly human gesture he rarely showed. "We all fail sometimes. Even I did. But what matters is not how many times you bite the dust, but that you always have the will to stand back up. You are a true man, Biel. You have the heart and the fortitude necessary to overcome this. Trust in yourself as much as I trust in your potential."
The dark space began to fade, and Monsfil’s figure started to slowly dissolve into the shadows.
"Remember, young Bearer: this power is a tool, not your master. You decide the path. Now wake up and show them what you are truly made of."
Biel opened his eyes in the real world. His body was still wrapped in vibrant, dark energy, but his gaze was different: the fog of madness had vanished, replaced by absolute clarity. Maelista watched him with curiosity, immediately noting the change in his stance.
"Interesting! Have you perhaps regained control, dear Biel?" he asked in his usual mocking tone.
Biel didn't answer immediately. Monsfil’s final words were still echoing in his mind. Finally, he spoke with a voice that emanated a new, decided authority.
"This power no longer controls me. Now, I am the one giving the orders. And I will use it to stop you once and for all, Maelista."
For the first time in the entire battle, Biel felt he had a real chance of triumph. He stood tall before his enemy, the dark energy swirling in perfect harmony around him.
"Now listen well, Maelista. Stop controlling the Queen. Release her right now."
Maelista let out a strident laugh that tore through the air like a sinister echo. "Hahaha! How dare you demand such a thing from me, you pathetic human? A moment ago, you were begging on your knees, defeated. You are scum for simply believing you can give me orders!"
Biel’s eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped to a murmur charged with deadly determination. "Then, you leave me no choice. Abyss Fury!"
The dark energy exploded from Biel’s body, spreading like an unstoppable whirlwind that shook the hall's foundations. However, this time it was not a blind outburst of rage; the energy moved with surgical precision, directed entirely toward Maelista until it enveloped him completely. For the first time, the traitor’s face reflected an emotion he had never shown before: pure terror.
"No! What is this?" Maelista shouted, struggling uselessly as the shadows imprisoned him like physical chains.
Biel advanced with a steady step. His eyes shone with a supernatural intensity that seemed to pierce his enemy's very essence. "Now, I will break the pact you forced upon Queen Yael."
With a decisive movement, Biel projected his will. The dark energy surrounding Maelista intensified, vibrating at a frequency that nullified any external influence. Biel declared with absolute authority:
"Pact, vanish!"
A flash of blinding light exploded in the center of the hall. Queen Yael fell to her knees, gasping and disoriented as the dark veil dissipated from her mind. Her eyes regained the warm, original glow of divinity; she looked around, processing the chaos with growing confusion.
"What has happened here?" she asked with a trembling voice.
Biel approached quickly, bowing with respect before the sovereign. "Queen Yael, also known as the Goddess Enit, allow me to introduce myself. I am Biel Laurentis, a human who has obtained the power of a Demon King. I know you hold a deep grudge for what occurred in the past, but I am here to help mend that pain."
Yael watched him cautiously, frowning as she tried to fit the pieces of his words together. "Are you the human I saw on Maelista’s screens? And you say you possess the power of a Demon King?" she inquired in disbelief. "But those final words... they do not sound like those of a mere human."
Biel nodded solemnly. "It’s true. Those words were spoken by Monsfil, the Demon King who dwells within me."
Upon hearing that name, Yael’s eyes widened, flooded with astonishment.
"Monsfil? I see now!" Yael whispered, her eyes filling with a millenary sadness. "He was the only Demon King who did not try to destroy this plane in ancient times; we were even friends. But when the other sovereigns attacked alongside that human, they assured me he was the mastermind behind the invasion. I never sought him out to confirm the truth... my hatred and resentment completely blinded my judgment."
Yael paused, the weight of centuries pressing down on her. "Eons passed, and guilt clung to my heart. When I finally went to find him, it was too late; I was told he had been sealed by the Hero, which only reinforced my false belief that he was guilty."
Biel listened in silence. In that moment, Monsfil’s voice emerged through him, resonating with a deep nostalgia.
"It was all a tragic misunderstanding, Yael. I tried to clear things up, but after the invasion, I could no longer cross the borders into your world, and shortly after, I was sealed. I deeply regret the attack; it was my mistake not to have been present on that fateful day to stop my brothers. They used me as a pawn for their own plans of conquest."
Yael closed her eyes, letting the words of her old friend sink into her soul. "Thank you, Monsfil. Finally, my spirit can be at peace. And thank you, Biel. You have proven yourself worthy of returning to the world of the living; for your courage, I shall grant you the gift of life."
Biel smiled gratefully, but his expression hardened as he turned toward the corner where Maelista lay defeated. "What shall we do with him?"
Yael observed the traitor with absolute coldness. "Withdraw the dark energy. I wish to speak to him before the end."
Biel obeyed, dissipating the shadows. Maelista, physically broken but with a last spark of defiance, coughed up blood. "Queen, so you managed to free yourself from my spell! What a pity!" he spat bitterly.
Yael raised her hand, silencing him instantly. "Silence! You controlled me with trickery and profaned my throne. You are no longer my servant, nor do you belong to this plane. Now, you shall vanish forever."
Maelista gave a macabre grin. "I accept my fate, but do not sing victory yet. He will revive sooner or later and return this universe to absolute chaos."
"What do you mean by that, Maelista?" the Goddess demanded.
Maelista replied with a weak, knowing voice: "You will know soon enough, my Lady. For now, I beg you to end my life at once."
Yael did not hesitate. "Goodbye, Maelista."
A beam of pure light descended from the highest point of the hall, consuming the traitorous spirit in a pillar of incandescent energy. Only a trail of ashes remained, scattered by the wind.
Charlotte and Ryder came running into the center of the hall. "Little brother! Are you okay?" Charlotte cried, throwing her arms around him.
"We won, sister. It’s finally over," Biel said, barely standing.
Shortly after, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance. It was Raizel, staggering from the exhaustion of her own duel, but wearing a smile of relief. She had defeated her brother.
"So... it's over? We truly won?" Raizel asked, looking at the group in disbelief.
Biel nodded. "That’s right. It’s all over."
Raizel let out a long sigh. "What a relief... we can finally rest."
Ryder, noting Yael’s imposing presence, bowed deeply. "Queen Yael, it is an immense honor. I am Ryder, and I have a request: I wish to accompany Biel to the human world."
Yael smiled with a kindness that recalled the goddess Monsfil once knew. "Rise, young half-spirit. Your loyalty has been tested; you may accompany him if that is your wish."
Biel felt the pieces of his new life falling into place. "Perfect. Then, it's time to go back..."
However, before he could take the first step, Biel’s body gave way to extreme exhaustion. His eyes closed, and he fell to the floor. Charlotte caught him gently before the impact.
"Little brother..." she whispered, cradling him in her lap.
Yael approached with soft steps, placing a warm hand on the young warrior’s shoulder. "Let him rest, little one. He has earned this moment of absolute peace. His soul and body have done the impossible today."
Under the stained glass of the palace, the group gathered in a circle around Biel, sharing a silence full of hope as the shadows of war finally dissipated.
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