Mikal shrunk back with a whimper, trying to plead with the others around him. "Before I destroy you, you will listen to me," Erebus said lightly.
He glanced around at the group surrounding him.
Erebus sighed a little. Halcyon asked him to be cautious about revealing his legacy, but these people needed to understand why he would go to such lengths to punish a traitor. He needed to let them know and gain their trust, although he would open some old wounds.
With a wry smile on his face, he started. "I know of a story that goes back to ancient times... Before the Warring Era, the people of Halrland knew little about cultivation outside the basic elements: fire, earth, and water. They never felt the need to look past Halrland and were ignorant of the other realms. After a time, mana started to evolve, and new techniques were discovered. However, the people of Halrland were fearful beings and were convinced that anyone who cultivated something outside their knowledge was evil. Therefore, a great hunt began. The hunted cultivators banded together to survive, built their own sect, and sought to escape the people's wrath.
"They found a portal that would lead them to a new world, so they left. To their horror, they learned the other realms were not as ignorant as their own. More importantly, many from these realms wanted to invade Halrland. To protect their homeworld, they found like-minded civilizations and created alliances. Then, they sought out their enemies and destroyed them.
"This sect's perseverance saved the realm a hundred times over. They fought behind the scenes, not looking for glory or honor. They did not even bother to fight for prestige or acceptance. They allowed their names to be forgotten and lost with time.
"The world closed its eyes to its heroes. Still, they were content to live in the shadows and be the bane of the world's enemies."
It was an old history of Shadowbane, one that was told to him many times. This happened countless years before Erebus was born. Even though he didn't know how old Shadowbane was, he was aggrieved to see that people of this era knew even less.
"You would think this sect would become despondent and hate the world, but they never did. They only wished to hunt down those who would harm the realms. Their camaraderie was second to none. The soldier beside them always protected their back, so they fought fiercely and confidently. They moved as one and thought as one. They cared not for recognition when they had each other."
He smiled nostalgically, remembering how he would fight with Shadowbane of the past. Protecting a comrade's back was more important than taking an enemy's life. Their fierce loyalty made them a frightening opponent.
"One day, they found a powerful cultivator who could not only help them but had the potential to lead them. They set out to bring him into the fold, but they must have been disappointed when they spoke with him..."
They gave Erebus a curious look. Why would they be disappointed if this cultivator was so great that this ancient sect would seek him out?
Erebus smiled a little, but it was wry and despondent. "You see, this man had established himself in another sect. He had a brother-in-arms who he was loyal to and a wife that he cherished. He promised to give them everything, including his life... and it was his life that his brother and wife desired. He dedicated decades serving them like a fucking fool, completely naive of the darkness lurking within their hearts."
His anger was deeply laced in his voice, making the others shudder. He took a deep breath to calm himself and found himself absentmindedly rubbing the hand that pierced through Kore's chest. He could still feel the heat from her heart.
"That treacherous duo poisoned that man and then manipulated him into thinking he had greatly sinned. He let himself become imprisoned and tortured himself with guilt to atone for the sin he didn't commit. When the ancient sect reached out to him, he slapped their hand away, chased them out, and resigned himself to his fate."
He trembled a little. "That fate was... horrendous. The men he called friends held him down while his brother peeled off his skin, but he didn't cry out. He even watched with a still heart as they cut off his arm joint by joint. He accepted the darkness when they pulled out his eyes and willingly opened his mouth to allow them to cut his tongue."
The soldiers could hardly breathe when they heard about this torture. Righteous rage stirred amongst them, knowing an innocent man suffered so.
Erebus lightly laughed coldly at his past foolishness. "He was in terrible physical pain but at peace with his punishment. He truly believed he sinned, and thus, he deserved it... However, moments before he would let go of his life, his brother confessed his malicious plot, admitting to his betrayal. It was at that moment he felt pain more prominent than the organs and limbs he had lost. Physical pain is trivial in the face of betrayal because it can never leave one's heart. It burrows and festers.
"So in that moment, a violent wrath filled him, and he could no longer accept this unjust punishment. He used all of his mana and escaped. Bloodied... mutilated... aimless..."
The soldiers were handling this information differently. Some sat in deep-seated shock, others trembled angrily, and a few shed tears for the unnamed man.
In this silence, Erebus opened his mouth again. "In his darkest moment, the sect found him again and extended their hand. This time, he held on desperately."
He remembered when Shadowbane found him again. He was in horrible condition, and his mind was losing coherency because of the Phonoi Heart poison. He was on the cusp of insanity and could be considered a liability. But they still reached out to him.
"Saving a man who was slipping into insanity is no easy feat. Still, they were patient. They helped heal his mutilated body, dedicating so many resources just to help him move again. They also sacrificed their mana to help purify the poison within him, which took years. Their efforts pulled him away from his madness. But when he had become lucid, he fell into despair because his body was no longer the same. He once was renowned for his fighting prowess, but now he had lost his eyesight and an arm."
Erebus had lived in the shadows when accepting the Shadow Deity's Legacy, but he felt a sense of loss when his sight was forcibly removed. He didn't know how to adjust.
"The sect helped him gain confidence in the remaining senses, making his eyesight unnecessary. Then they helped train his body so one arm was enough to cut down hundreds of foes. When he wanted to communicate with the sect, they tirelessly helped create a brand new language."
He tapped his fingers. [A language still used today.]
The history of the Demon Sovereign was vague at best. Some believed the Demon Sovereign had become blind and mute because of an old illness. Others heard his arm was lost in some unknown and distant battle. Moreso, many believed Shadowbane was created by the Demon Sovereign, not the other way around.
However, at this moment, the soldiers pieced together the identity of the broken cultivator—their Demon Sovereign. As they became enlightened, Erebus smiled.
"A hopeless, bitter, and vengeful man lived in a rage-filled hell for many years. He was fated to be torn apart and discarded, but it was the kindness and sincerity of the sect that brought him out of that hell. The sect... our sect... gave him a second chance in life. Although the title 'Demon Sovereign' is a bit extravagant, he accepted it and lived to repay the kindness shown to him."
His face broke into a melancholy smile. "In truth, The Demon Sovereign is nothing more than one man. He wasn't a wise and honorable leader at first, and after hundreds of years, he still fell short of being the leader Shadowbane deserved... Therefore, I think it's folly to worship one man's life and let him overshadow the sect that guided him. It was Shadowbane who made a demon a true Sovereign."
He pulled out his medallion and rubbed the Shadowbane sigil affectionately. "This sect isn't just about prestige. If it were, everyone would know of Shadowbane's great battles and the countless times they have saved humanity. A sect is more than just a medallion because, for hundreds, possibly thousands of years, Shadowbane had no sigil. And more importantly, the sect isn't just one person because Shadowbane still thrives after the death of the Demon Sovereign. So, the sect's legacy and most important asset is its people...
"When the Demon Sovereign stood on a hopeless battlefield with swords pierced into his body, I believe he never felt alone."
Erebus felt his chest tighten. He had never opened up to his comrades. He continually built up his emotional walls, but he had stepped on numerous battlefields with them and always felt a sense of oneness. They were waves moving together. They were of one breath and one mind. In his last battle, he witnessed many people die, including Fenrir.
In the moment when he stabbed his dagger into Jericho, he focused on the life leaving Jericho's body. But he was relieved when the moment was over, and his consciousness was leaving him. His blood would soak the ground with his comrades. They would still be one after death.
He turned his eyes to Mikal, and the melancholy suddenly twisted into coldness. "But a bastard like you entered and tainted the very essence of this sect. Instead of protecting the back of your comrades, you allowed a Devil to follow us. Instead of securing the sect's secrets, which your prince's life could hinge on, you willingly offered that information to our enemy. We were born from the shadows and are our enemies' bane. This is where the name Shadowbane derives from. But you pissed on the very soul of our sect and turned to those fucking Devils, the enemy that we have fought since before the Demon Sovereign's time!"
He rubbed his face roughly as if trying to remove the disgust blatantly showing in his eyes. "I considered being lenient with my threats, but this... I cannot overlook this."
Mikal shivered. "You... you may be a Lieutenant General, but... but you're not re...really part of Shadowbane."
"You are correct. So I will ask the members here for their opinion," Erebus said as he turned to the captains. "Will you accept the punishment I threatened before?"
The captains glared at Mikal. Their disdain was evident. "Yes," they answered together.
The others quickly followed suit, making Mikal pale and tremble. Erebus stood with a deep breath. "For those faint of heart, I ask that you walk away." However, no one moved.