Chapter 25: The Ancestor
"What did you say?" Darian turned to him, serious.
The demon beast took a deep breath, locking eyes with him. "My race has been in this universe for ages... way before the Risen showed up. We have a secret bloodline technique that lets us pass down crucial teachings and information through the generations. Without it, so much would be lost."
"Countless generations ago, our race worshipped a god long forgotten by the world. One day, that god destroyed all his statues and left a message for his faithful. His exact words were lost... he must've made sure no records remained. But he made it clear he'd be watching everything and everyone... that it would be like..."
"Heaven's Will..." Darian finished, stunned. Was he talking about the same being he'd been thinking of?
"Yes. We believe that god—our lord—became Heaven's Will." The beast leader nodded. "His greatest teaching was this:
The world isn't fair and the celestial laws have no emotions. In the end, everyone lives by the law of the strongest, and that's what rules the world. But Heaven's Will watches all living things from afar. The catch is, it can't break the rules. Karma is the key. If everyone's karma permits, it will move mountains to help the righteous."
Darian listened and exhaled. In the book that had been accurate about everything so far, the protagonist eventually became a god worshipped in many places.
In the end, he did exactly as commanded: he destroyed all his statues and ended that religion. Then he sent a message to his followers, saying he would watch them, but they should no longer worship him. And indeed, he had become Heaven's Will.
The beast leader continued, "We respect our lord's choice. We don't worship him directly, but his teachings stay with us. My ancestor... she was the old leader of our race, a powerfully mutated wolf... she was the strongest demon beast in a very long time."
Niara heard this, surprised. Mutations happened in every race, creating unique abilities. They were random and usually harmed the bearer. Mutants often died young, but occasionally a useful mutation emerged.
"She led us to prosperity and survival... but one day, the Academy gave her an order she refused to follow. No one knows what it was, but as punishment, she was forced to sacrifice herself. She died in battle after fully corrupting herself. Yet, before her final battle, she left her legacy and words that strengthened future generations: