Mercedes was too little to gather wood, so he sent his clone to assist her. The real reason, however, wasn't that the clone couldn't do it. It was because of the presence he felt. It was raw and destructive, a force that could unleash nightmares. The aura was familiar, dark, and heavy, yet Mercedes wouldn't be able to sense it.
When she was finally a safe distance away, Lucian couldn't hold it in any longer. His heart pounded with excitement as he called out, filled with joy and anticipation.
"Uncle!" he shouted into the empty air, his gaze fixed on the tops of the towering trees.
At first, there was silence. Then a calm voice echoed from above.
"It's surprising that you can sense me," the voice said, still refusing to show itself.
"You came to visit?" Lucian asked hopefully. He didn't mind that his uncle chose to hide; it was one of the cool things about him. Still, his heart swelled with hope. Maybe he could leave Mercedes with his uncle. She would be safe, and he would finally be free as the wind.
"Perish that thought, kiddo," the voice replied from among the trees.
"You read my thoughts again," Lucian muttered, slightly annoyed. It was one of the things he didn't like about his uncle.
"No matter how much it annoys you, I'll keep doing it. Makes it easier to understand kids," the voice replied, clearly reading his thoughts once more.
A spark lit in Lucian's mind. He quickly straightened his wrinkled clothes and tried to look his best.
Then, something fell from one of the trees with incredible speed. When it landed, it wasn't an object at all but a man — tall, confident, and dressed in a black suit so fine it shimmered faintly. The helm was trimmed in crimson, glowing like fire.
"Hey, kid," the man greeted casually.
It was Zerathos. He looked different this time — lighter, more playful. No one had ever seen this cheerful side of him.
"Uncle!" Lucian's face brightened as he ran forward for a hug. You couldn't blame him. He might act mature and be as old as the Primordial Realm itself, but in Heaven, he was still a child.
Zerathos returned the hug warmly, then looked around. When his eyes fell on Lucian skinning a deer, and manually at that, a grin spread across his face.
"You went all out the moment you stepped into this realm," he teased.
Lucian flushed with embarrassment. He understood exactly what Zerathos meant.
"The kid was hungry," Lucian said defensively.
"It's fine as long as you're within human territory," Zerathos said. "The elves and the beast race wouldn't hesitate to slay you if they found you." Though Lucian wasn't one to fear anything in the Primordial Realm, he knew it was still wise to be cautious. Origin might have created things even they didn't fully understand.
Lucian nodded, taking his uncle's words to heart before asking, "How did you know I was here?" He knew Zerathos never appeared without a reason, and it truly surprised him that his uncle had come seeking him.
Zerathos only flicked Lucian's forehead with his finger.
"Ouch!" Lucian winced, rubbing the spot to ease the sting. "Why did you do that?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, kid," Zerathos replied with a smirk.
"I thought you'd be in the Netherrealm, ruling the demons," Lucian said, puffing out his cheeks like a spoiled child. It was his usual trick, acting cute always got him something from his uncle.
"Well," Zerathos said, striking a heroic pose and gazing off dramatically, "I got tired of ruling the realm, so I came out for some fun. It's hard being so incredibly amazing."
"Right," Lucian said with sparkling eyes, nodding with all seriousness. "I understand, Uncle."
He instantly regretted encouraging him, but Zerathos was just too cool to stay mad at.
Seeing how serious Lucian looked, Zerathos frowned slightly. He suddenly worried he might be setting his nephew on the wrong path.
"Alright, kid," Zerathos said, ruffling Lucian's hair. "I got a briefing from one of my lackeys about why you're here."
Lucian froze in shock. Aside from Godkings and higher gods, no one was supposed to know the reason he came here. Could it be that his uncle even had informants in Heaven, ones powerful enough to reach that level?
Lucian stared hard at Zerathos, searching his face for a sign of deception, but there was none.
"Woah…" Lucian breathed, awe filling his eyes. He really wished he could be like Zerathos someday. His father, Ray, was never this effortlessly cool.
"It's right for you to be amazed," Zerathos said, nodding with satisfaction. He had expected that reaction, if Lucian hadn't been impressed, he would've been shocked himself. Unknown to Lucian, though, the so-called lackey was none other than his father.
"I wish I could help," Zerathos continued, "but that would be too boring."
Lucian knew what that meant. If Zerathos truly helped, the mission would be completed easily but at a terrible cost, the destruction of the Primordial Realm itself. His uncle loved chaos and excitement far too much to take the easy route.
"So," Zerathos said, waving his hand through the air, "I brought you something that can help instead."
At once, a flash of dark light appeared between them. A black armor emerged, floating above the ground as if gravity meant nothing to it. The air grew heavy. A chilling energy spread out from it, an aura filled with fear and power so dark it made the surroundings tremble.
"Behold, Abyss," Zerathos said proudly, introducing the full-body armor that shimmered like the void itself.