Hero's Aside: Emptiness

My girls were gone. All of them. And I was alone.

It had all escalated far too quickly. Gertude’s sudden arrival had triggered something in all of them. Their base instincts superseding my desire, leading to the ultimate catfight.

And just after my first kiss, too… Just when Silva had finally warmed up to me.

I could do nothing but stand and stare in disbelief. Left with nothing but a familiar lingering emptiness. I did not have the strength to get angry, though I wanted to. I longed to tear this world apart atom by atom. But I just stood there, smelling the acrid stench of burning bread as the oven poured black smoke.

What had I done to deserve such betrayal? First Gertude, now Heidi. Silva was next.

Was I that unlovable? Even with max charisma?

Not even my parents loved me. No matter what I did, I always fell short of their expectations. Girls were repulsed by the very sight of me. They refused to give me a single chance. I thought this time, it would be different. Did our time together mean nothing?

This was why I preferred 2D girls! Though I knew they were fiction, at least they couldn’t hate you for no reason.

The scratching of a pen alerted me to Ingrid’s presence. She was walking through the kitchen, inspecting the ruin within. “Rejection is such a difficult thing,” she said, scribbling in her notepad. “Women are certainly a handful, especially when you’re trying to balance several hearts at once. In my experience, it never ends well, no matter how much charisma you have.” She ended her spiel by smiling and peering at me over her glasses.

“What do you want?” I was not in the mood to deal with her nonsense. “Where are your little flunkies?”

She adjusted her glasses so that they flashed in the light.“Oh, they’re around. I just wanted to tell you that your forces are ready. Hundreds of Deborn soldiers, at your beck and call. If you want to take your anger out on the world, you are more than welcome to do so.”

“Who cares.” I began to shuffle away. But Ingrid was quick to follow.

“What, giving up? Just because your girls left you? I didn’t know you were so weak-minded.”

If Ingrid thought that would goad me into anger, she was wrong. I continued my sad shuffle. What was the point of endless power if it did nothing to quell this emptiness?

It was inescapable. No matter where I went, even across worlds, the emptiness followed.

“That’s enough sulking,” said Ingrid, standing in my way. She was looking at me sternly. “Listen, I don’t have time for your depressing nonsense. I have a quota to meet. Lots of souls to collect and reallocate. And if you’re not willing to fulfill your role in this cycle, I will happily let you go.”

I tilted my head, “Souls?”

She smiled coldly. “That’s right. My job is to ensure the cycle of souls perpetuates…and dispose of the undesirables. I don’t care what you do as the Demon King as long as you do something to liberate souls.”

“Wait, what do souls have to do with anything?”

Ingrid smiled. “They are everything. But I’m afraid that’s none of your concern,” she said, “Just know that you hold a very vital role in this world. You maintain a carefully crafted balance as one half of the cycle. But it doesn’t have to be you. Anyone can be the Demon King. As such, you are easily replaceable. Are you starting to understand?” Her smile became expectant and dangerous.

I stared at her in silence.

After a bit, she sighed and closed the distance between us, wrapping her arms around my neck. I could feel her clipboard pressing into the back of my head. “I was fibbing before. The Demon King is replaceable, but I would not be happy if it were someone else. I quite like you. You have what most others lack. And if what you want is motivation, I would be happy to give it to you. All you need to do is ask.”

She leaned in close, and kissed me. Her lips were softer than Silva’s. And they tasted of cherries. Ingrid pulled away before I could have my fill of her. Staring deeply into my eyes, she smiled. “And there’s plenty more where that came from. I don’t just give those out to anyone, you know.”

Ingrid broke our embrace and stepped back several paces, retreating into the darkness.

“Wait!” I called, feeling her warmth leaving my body. “You mentioned another half of the cycle. What does that mean?”

From within the darkness, Ingrid laughed. “You already know that answer…”

She was right, I did know. I just hadn’t realized what it all meant. I had known ever since I’d sensed her incredible power in Ald Alira. Power beyond reality. Power to destroy this world. My counterpart. Selfishly kept secret by the Falkner family.

They knew truths that I could only guess at. Of the true nature of this world they called Rhine. And of the one person who held it all together.

Lina.

Suddenly filled with a new vigor, I ran to a window that overlooked the courtyard, now packed with grey bodies standing in formation. My forces. Mine to command. Taking a deep breath, I bellowed in a voice that carried across the yard—across all of Hirsent.

“Prepare yourselves! Soon, we will begin our march on Ald Alira! On Rhine itself!” Though I was hundreds of feet above them, my troops roared with anticipation. The Demon King was the only thing to stir life into a Deborn. I was the Demon King. I didn’t need generals.

It did not matter if Lina was at Ald Alira or not. I was done sitting on the sidelines. If Ingrid wanted souls, she would get souls. All of them. This world deserved death. Razed in fire before I destroyed it completely.

There was much to prepare for, including finding where that prince was hiding my Lina, the only one who still loved me. She was all I had left.

Well, not all.

That Ingrid sure knew how to motivate a guy. The emptiness was gone at last.