‘This world is rotten, dirty, and ugly.’
That was what she realized when she looked at the weeping souls in the river of Styx and gazed into their souls.
Chaos was inevitable in this world.
Pure good could not be achieved, and pure evil would break down. There would always be some evil in a good world. In the same way that a light always caseted a shadow. That was why the world would continue to create ugly things.
Yes — this world was extremely ugly and rotten. Neither dyed by good nor fallen into evil.
“Father, if the world is like this, why do you protect it? Why don't you join Chaos?”
She neither remembered how old she was when she asked this nor what prompted this discussion.
But she would never forget the answer of her father as he gazed at her, his usually crimson cold and emotionless eyes filled with love.
“Because of you and your mother.”
Gently patting his head, he continued.
“Never forget. Even though this world is an ugly world filled with sins and under the control of some whimsical force called Fate, this world is still beautiful for the simple reason that my loved one lives in it.”
He smiled and hugged her, “I have been called by many names — Demon King, Necromancer King, Harbinger of Chaos, or even Rider of the Apocalypse. I have always hated this world and will still hate it for years to come...But, since I have you two with me, I am not willing to let this world get destroyed.”
“So...are you a hero?”
“Pfft! Hahaha! I am the furthest thing from what you could call a hero, nor do I wish to become one. You see...Heroes are indeed people worthy of respect. There’s no doubt about it but more than anything, heroes are nothing more than glorified murderers willing to kill the few to save the many.
They will say nice-sounding words as a necessary evil to stop a greater evil. But, what they forget is, either way, it’s still evil that wins in the end.”
Disdain was clear in his voice at the mention of the concept of hero.
“So you mean to say that all heroes are hypocrites?”
“All? I don't know. Perhaps out of here, there are really some heroes who can save everyone without sacrificing anything or anyone. It would be nice if such a hero could indeed exist.
But...one who stands as a hero for some would always be seen as a sinner for the opposite side. The moment a hero picks a side to protect, he stops being a hero and becomes just a weapon.”
Those discussions were pretty common between them. Even though she was nothing but a child, her father always talked seriously with her, always giving his opinion on the world and never dismissing her.
Sometimes, the two of them would even enter deep debates about things such as morals and religion. Of course, her father sometimes had very extreme views of the world.
“Why do laws exist?”
“Laws are created by the strong to control the weak and give some semblance of equality..”
“Does justice always win?”
“History is written by the winners and the winner is the one who represents justice.”
“The goddesses aren’t really good?”
“Those who stand at the top determine what's wrong and what's right. The goddesses are good because they won the war. If Chaos won, then she would have been good.”
“How are babies made?”
“*Ahem* *Cough* *Cough* Ask your mother when you will meet her next time.”
In the past, she did not really understand everything her father was saying. Mostly because she lacked the experience necessary.
But, on the day she reached the Phoenix’s territory, she understood everything.
As a necromancer, she should have been the most disgusting thing in the view of the other phoenix, something to cleanse — a stain in the world.
Even so, none of them dared to do so much as to even lay a finger on her.
Why? Her father once told her this answer.
“Kill one man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill them all, and you are a god.”
Even though they hated her, they could do nothing because they were weak.
Even though they wished nothing more than to kill her, they decided to bend the rules because they were frightened.
When her father was weak, he was the number one enemy of the world and when he became strong, he was recognized as one of the pillars of the world.
This world was without a doubt rotten to the core.
But…
Looking at the back of this golden-haired boy that had appeared out of nowhere,
Gazing in his sun-like Soul filled with warmth and tenderness.
She thought back to the words her father once said and finally understood them.
Even if this world was ugly, even if it was filled with sadness, as long as it was filled with the people she cared for — it was worth protecting.
(AN: Well, I have to admit that this chapter holds more of my personal opinion than usual. Hope it doesn’t disturb you. Even so, I am really curious about your opinion on things such as justice and morals and what it means to be a hero. Also, what did you think of Anubis? Didn’t show much. But I wanted to introduce his personality a little more clearly.
Those two interludes show two sides. One with Nent, who was on the side of ‘good’, finding out that the world is pretty shitty. The other, Isis, born from a father that could be called ‘evil’ finding out that the world isn’t that shitty in fact. Basically one sees the world half empty and the other sees it half full.)
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om