227 Commitmen (2/2)
Zagan nodded. ”The entity was immensely corruptive, but it was not active. It was lethargic. Sleepy. And yet, its scale was massive, unable to be fully destroyed without threatening to wake it. Thus, the solution: a sealing. The Burning One and her seven heralds fashioned their souls into seals and embedded the sealing into their titles.
The Sin Aspect passed down from herald to herald grants not only power based upon the sin they embody, but also the seal. Thus, so long as a Burning One and seven heralds maintain the integrity of their souls, the Abyss remains sealed.”
”Pretty worrying considering if what you say is true, the Burning One has already been compromised, meaning that other than you, all the seals are gone,” said Li.
”That is not necessarily so.” There was confidence in Zagan's voice. ”The old ways are old for they are meant to withstand the tests of time. The seals are embedded in our souls when we receive the power of heralds or the title of the Burning One. We cannot relinquish them willingly; we must be devoured, and we cannot be devoured lightly, either.
The Swarm is split into seven hordes under command of the heralds. Not the Burning One. The Burning One merely holds title over the heralds. Should the heralds themselves rebel against the Burning One, then the Burning One is left with no army. No force.
The Burning One may hold individual might above all else, but they cannot afford to begin devouring the Heralds for the rest will stand against them quickly enough.”
Li immediately saw holes in Zagan's statement. Theoretically, the chain of commands the demons had worked. It had worked for almost a thousand years, after all. But this was an unprecedented time. The Burning One had found some way to tap into the Abyss through some forbidden means even without breaking the seals, and in doing so, gained power capable of corrupting the minds of the other heralds.
That broke apart the entire safeguard system. It also meant that the seals were in dangerous hands now.
”This personage understands what you are thinking.” Zagan's voice was more observant. Less confident. ”The Burning One holds grasp over the minds of the heralds. Ideally, that should not be so. This personage, Wrath, and Pride stood against the heresy of the Burning One.
With this personage's defection, Wrath and Pride should follow.”
”But they haven't,” observed Li. ”I hear no news of two powerful demons and their armies anywhere.”
Zagan slightly bowed his head. ”And that is why this personage now takes action. There is worry that Wrath and Pride have also fallen. Thus, the millennia old duty to stand against the Abyss lies solely through this personage, and if he must slay the whelp, every herald, and every single demon in his way, then so be it.”
There was complete and utter determination in Zagan's voice. The demon was willing to commit genocide on his kind solely for the sake of upholding a tradition. Though, of course, in this case, that tradition meant saving the world as well.
Whatever the case, Zagan must have known about all the tensions brewing in the demonic army when he left for Li's service. Throughout all the time Zagan had been under Li, the demon must have continuously been waiting for his likeminded companions to appear, for at the heart of it all, the demon must have been hopeful that there was yet a way to save his kind.
And now, Zagan could only make the ultimate choice to kill his kind. But, if Li had his way, that was not going to be the only choice the demon could make.
”Kill every single demon? Do not be ridiculous, Zagan,” said Li. ”My garden will welcome all, demons included. And do you not know my strength? The extent of the miracles I can produce? Your kind is not doomed, and you do not have to wear this heavy burden upon your back.
The heart of this problem lies solely with the entity in the Abyss. I will personally deal with it, and with the head of the beast cut off, the rest of the rotted body should collapse.”