Chapter 106 TRUTH BEHIND THE DEVIL

Chapter 106 TRUTH BEHIND THE DEVIL
Xyra's eyes fluttered open, meeting the soft morning light, or maybe it was afternoon. It was hard to tell. She felt like she had been asleep for days, which was mostly probable. Even without moving, her head throbbed fiercely, and her entire body felt as though a building had collapsed on her. Every muscle ached. Groaning softly, she forced herself up into a sitting position. The pain would have been easier to handle if her mind wasn't swimming with questions. She couldn't remember what had happened, let alone how she had ended up in this mess.

With a heavy sigh, she scanned her surroundings. She was in one of the rooms in Xerxes's house, or what was left of it. The room showed signs of recent damage, though it looks mostly repaired now. The only major thing missing was the window shutters.

The sound of a door clicking open at the far end of the room caught her attention. She watched as a visitor walked in. It was Xerxes, and a warm smile spread across his face when he saw her sitting up. It made sense; she must have been asleep for a long time, even if it only felt like a few days to her.

"It is good to see you awake," he said, walking across the room and taking a seat in the chair beside her bed. The dragon’s expression was kind and serene — nothing new for him, as he always seemed genuinely calm and content.

"What happened?" she asked, desperate to clear the fog of questions in her head.

"A hybrid attacked." Xerxes's smile faded a bit at the memory. "A rare type, fused with a talisman to keep it alive. That monster nearly killed you. If Magnus and Darren hadn't stepped in, you wouldn't be here right now."

Just like that, the memories rushed back. Magnus had been hurt, and she had thrown herself in front of him, completely ignoring her own safety. She remembered being stabbed through, and then everything went blank. She could piece together the rest: Magnus must have healed her while Darren dealt with the monster. The only lingering memory of the aftermath was a wave of intense pain. Healing spells for massive wounds were agonizing. Now, she finally understood what Magnus had to endure almost every day.

Thinking about the sorcerer reminded her of something she needed to discuss with Xerxes. It was only fair that the dragon king knew Magnus's true identity. It might make things easier for them down the road, and it would give her a chance to ask a few questions of her own. Then again, the dragon might already know. It was hard to believe Darren could keep a secret like that from his father for very long.

"Lord Xerxes?" she began, and he offered a patient nod to show he was listening. "There’s something you should know… about Magnus. He’s actually…"

"Albus, correct?" The dragon king finished. He chuckled softly at her startled expression. "I have known for a while. I had my suspicions at first, and then Darren came forward and told me the truth. I must admit, I was quite shocked. He is very different from the man I had imagined."

"That’s exactly what I thought when I found out," Xyra admitted. "But what gave it away so easily? I never would have made the connection."

"There were many signs. His immense magic consumption, his status as a Coleman, his accent… and that distinct scar on his forehead. Something terrible must have happened for him to carry such a mark."

"Something terrible did happen," she whispered, her gaze dropping to the bedsheets as her mood darkened. She hated thinking about the story Gareth had told her — all that talk about resurrection and the sealing of Xytos. It sounded impossible, yet every word was true.

"Are you willing to share it with me?" Xerxes asked gently. He could see her discomfort, but his natural thirst for knowledge made him eager to understand the truth.

"I suppose," she sighed. "Five years ago… he fought Raheem. And he was killed."

When she looked up, she was startled by Xerxes's reaction. For the first time since she had met him, the dragon king looked entirely stunned. He was always composed, even in the middle of a crisis, but now he simply stared at her with wide eyes, completely speechless.

"After he died," Xyra continued, "Gareth found him."

"Gareth?" Xerxes repeated, leaning forward. "You know Gareth?"

"Yeah. He mentioned meeting you before, but he didn't give me details. How do you two know each other?"

"He came here about six years ago, searching for the talismans," Xerxes explained. "I helped him, trusting he had a good reason for gathering them. Unfortunately, I never found out what he intended to do with them."

"…You know about Xytos, don't you?" Xyra asked. It felt like a silly question. Xerxes was easily one of the wisest beings alive; of course he would know about the devil Xytos.

"I do," he replied simply.

"Gareth wanted to use the talismans to destroy him. But by the time he collected them all and headed back to Vekta, he heard about Magnus. When he found him, Magnus was already dead. Gareth used the talismans to bring him back to life."

"But a ritual like that requires a heavy sacrifice..."

"Exactly." Xyra lowered her head further, the conversation growing heavier by the second. She hated picturing it — Gareth's description of Magnus's lifeless, burned body surrounded by blood was a horrific image that would haunt her forever. "Gareth gave up half his remaining life… and his magic as a sorcerer."

"Even so, that shouldn't have been enough," Xerxes murmured, shaking his head. "The goddess Lazufeer made the laws of resurrection incredibly strict to prevent abuse. A life must balance a life. What was the final part of the sacrifice? You know it, don't you?"

Xyra swallowed hard. "…Xytos. Gareth used the talismans to seal the devil inside of Magnus."

The room went into total silence. The sheer disbelief written across Xerxes's face was enough to freeze the air. In a single conversation, the dragon king had been blindsided more times than in centuries of living. Despite his vast knowledge, the world still held secrets that defied his understanding.

Xyra looked down, wishing she could drop the subject. She had shared the core of the story anyway. But as she thought about it, Magnus's grim title — the Devil’s Upholder — finally made perfect sense. People called him that because of his fierce personality and unmatched power, assuming he was just a monster in human form. It was incredibly ironic that the nickname was literally true, even if no one knew a demon soul was trapped inside him. Magnus was a kind man, but if anyone managed to anger him, they faced the wrath of hellfire.

"…Do you know the real story," Xerxes spoke up quietly, "behind Xytos?"

"Yeah," she replied. "He angered God and was sealed away, right?"

"There is a lot more to it than that." The dragon sighed, his eyes growing distant. "Would you like to hear the true story? The story of the goddess Lazufeer and the devil Xytos?"

"Yes," she answered softly, giving him her full attention. She had heard tales of Lazufeer from Magnus and Darren, but those felt like simple bedtime stories: a goddess descends to Dusthaven, gets chased away by cruel humans, and leaves her talismans behind. Looking at Xerxes's solemn expression, she knew the truth was far darker.

"Lazufeer's story is a tragedy," Xerxes began. "She came to live among us with the blessing of her father, our God. While she was here, she lived in a mortal form — a body that could bleed and die just like ours." He took a slow, deep breath. "Lazufeer never returned to heaven. She was murdered by Xytos."

Xyra gasped, her jaw dropping. Gareth had never mentioned that part. Perhaps he had hidden it on purpose, or maybe he genuinely didn't know. It clearly wasn't common knowledge, especially among humans, who always seemed a step behind when it came to the deeper truths of the world.

"Lazufeer met Xytos during her time here," Xerxes continued, pressing on with the tale. "The two formed an alliance. She was being deceived by him, but her emotions blinded her to his true nature. Together, they created the demi-gods — powerful beings meant to act as mediators, forged through a blending of essences. Not all of them were evil, mind you, but Raheem is a twisted exception. And I believe he is the last of them left alive."

"That’s a relief," Xyra muttered, shuddering at the thought of facing another monster with Raheem's terrifying power.

"The moment the demi-gods were created, Xytos turned on Lazufeer and killed her," Xerxes said. "In his fury, God stripped the devil of his physical form and sealed his soul away. I am uncertain what happened to the other demi-gods, but Raheem remains fiercely loyal to his creator. He is undoubtedly searching for a way to break the seal and revive Xytos. If he ever discovers his master is trapped inside Magnus, he will stop at nothing to kill him. Unless Magnus learns to wield the power of the talismans, he won't stand a chance."

"We only need two more," Xyra noted, trying to sound brave. "I don't know which ones are left, but we are close. He'll find them. I have faith."

Xerxes offered her a warm, appreciative smile. 

"Hold on to that," he said, rising from his chair to leave her to rest. "In times like these, faith is a rare thing. I wish you both well on your journey. Get some sleep now; Magnus will want to move out soon, and you will need your strength. Something tells me these last two talismans will be the hardest to claim."