Return of the Demon Sovereign (Book 1) [MxM]

6. The Devil's Land

Pain. 

Once again, the torment from when he was trapped in the ground filled every morsel of his body. 

Slowly, his mind started to gain clarity, and he could focus on his body. However, it felt strange... weak and impossibly small. He clenched his hands, but the movement made his breath stutter.  Both hands. In the Nothingness, he had the use of his limbs, but he was more like a spirit, void of the sensation of touch. Even when hugging Eri, he could hardly feel him. But now, he was temporal. He could feel. 

He laughed and released a content sigh, knowing he had his tongue. All his words in the Nothingness didn't require him to open his mouth. He could project his thoughts through spiritual power, so a tongue was unnecessary. 

He wanted to celebrate as he opened his eyes for the first time, but joy turned sour when he was greeted with darkness. He cursed the Shadow Deity inwardly.

[I promised you pain... You must temper your new body.]

Erebus glared at the darkness. He was back in his earthen prison, being crushed and rebuilt repeatedly. Erebus gritted his teeth and endured. The body he was in was small and feeble, so breaking it was easy but terrible.

Unlike his old body, which was already honed from years of being a warrior, this new body was flexible and seemed to adapt to the changes faster. He was surprised by the progression but grateful when he felt a new strength build inside him.

He had endured eons in the Soul Stone and the Nothingness. He had long stopped counting the years, so this period of constant pain was considered short. More importantly, it meant that he was alive again. 

When he started to acclimate, he felt the ground beneath him disappear, and he fell through the earth like he was falling through water. He crumpled to the ground and looked above him to see a dark portal that transferred him through the earth. His eyes slowly adjusted to his surroundings, and he found himself in a cave. But unlike when he inherited the Shadow Diety's power, there was an opening that emitted a low red light. 

Desperate to see a world other than darkness, he stumbled toward the mouth of the cave. His legs were weak, and he fell several times on the cold, hard stone, but he didn't relent. He pulled himself up and stumbled to the opening. As he stepped out of the cave, he was greeted by blood-red skies. 

Land of the Devils—Undanfold.

Long ago, the Titans punished a race of greedy creatures and exiled them to Undanfold. The mana was thin and sparse, so cultivation was suppressed. In turn, the shackles on cultivation made the Devils fierce and blood-thirsty. Although punished by the Titans, they served them mindlessly.

Erebus understood the Shadow Diety's intentions. He laughed to himself in satisfaction as these Devils were his constant foe. He would gladly train by hunting them. 

Still, he had a long way to go before he ventured outside. He had no food or water, and his clothes were in tatters. Eri hadn't been able to cultivate after poisoning himself, so this body's mana was at the bottom of the food chain. He could break through the poison's suppression with enough tenacity and talent. 

He took in his surroundings, finding that he was standing on the lip of a cliff. The cave was embedded in the stone and hidden from view. He was relatively safe here unless someone risked the dangers of climbing the cliffside. 

His legs shook, and he leaned against the stone and gazed at the sky. He had only seen the stars of Halrland before he had lost his eyes, so he had little to compare this world to... still, it was pleasing to the eye.