Work Text:
Having death of your own mother as one of your earliest memories is not the best thing a person can ask for. But he knew he was not the first and the last child like that in the world- no, Xinjiang- huh, who was he lying to, even in his family there were plenty of children with the same core memory. Some fell into despair. Some followed their mighty father’s footsteps and became heartless monsters. All he knew was that he wanted to be neither. He was beaten up. He was abused and neglected, however…
‘That’s nothing’ he laughed inside. ‘Hit me as much as you want. As long as you can…’
He seemed weak when needed. And he stood firm when necessary. That’s why Sage Demon noticed him.
“Young master, what kind of person do you want to be?”
“Me? I want to be a Heavenly Demon. A true Heavenly Demon.”
Sage flinched.
“What do you mean, young master?’
Heavenly Demons are mere leaders of Demon Cult. They are deities. Someone, people should treat as a God. But who is a God without their people? Without their land? Nobody. So his father who was doing nothing but harm for his people and cult had no right to be called a deity.
“I will became worthy of the divine title.”
Determination, skill, unbreakable spirit. He had it all. Standing in the blood of his own father, hearing screams of elders who turned blind eye on that monster’s deeds…young master knew he was doing the right thing.
“Young master- no. I guess you are not a young master anymore.” Chuckled Sage Demon, proud of his master. “What are your next plans?’
“I should get support of the people who still doubt me. And…I should abandon my name. From now on, I declare myself to be your true Heavenly Demon. Sage Demon, I order you to stand by my side.”
Boy, who never had a proper family, but had someone with a faith in him. And a man, who also never had a family, but had a student with bright mind. Together, they achieved a lot. Not once had Heavenly Demon slipped from the way he choose. His heart and spirit was devoted to his cult.
Only once his heart betrayed him.
Only once it raised faster for someone outside of his cult.
All due to young master Kim Hae-li.
Central Plains were in chaos for no reason. Turns out the Imperial Family had a secret member who, again for no reason, decided to have a relaxing trip around the different cults. Even the opposing cults greeted him with open arms.
‘How interesting’
And even more interesting if you know that person did not cultivate at all. Heavenly Demon checked it himself.
“Can I trust you?” he asked young master Kim.
“Yes, you can.” He answered with such a confusion in his face that it was almost funny.
“I want to talk with him in privat.” He told his guards. However, he did not know the evil inside of him would awaken that moment. Should he thank fate for that? Jiangshi planted in him acted up. And then again during the ceremony. Thinking about it now, it really seemed to be fate. He, who suppressed dead mana planted in him by Blood Cult for so long, lost control when Kim Hae-li arrived.
Kim Hae-li.
“Who are you?’
“Hm?’
“Don’t tell me that’s your real name. I am sure you are not related to imperial family too.”
“What if I am? Wouldn’t it be a fatal mistake to disgrace imperial family?”
“Huh, so, what should I do? Prepare for my death sentence?”
Hae-li smiled.
“No, you’ll live.”
Then he looked aside.
“I am nobody.”
His voice was calm.
The hero who saved him, his people and the whole Central Plain, declared himself to be nobody. What a contrast.
“I start to think I am arrogant.” Heavenly Demon got closer.
“Are not you?”
“Haha, excuse me I guess.”
“What is there to be excused? You are an arrogant jerk. But a righteous one. If your people live, eat and sleep well thanks to you, I think you have all the right to be an arrogant jerk.”
Heavenly Demon sighed. He was smiling but his heart, covered with warm aura Kim left inside him during purification of dead mana, was beating bitterly. Because even thou Hae-li was talking with him, he looked somewhere far in the night sky.
“The audacity to even agree that I am arrogant. You know that I am a deity, don’t you?’
Kim’s lips curled up again. Oh, he looked so handsome.
“I’d recommend you to write a complaint letter, but it means you’ll have to stand in line. Do you really want that?”
“How many deities have you disrespected?”
“Today?”
“Haha- Sorry. Just.”
From the day he rejected his human name, he knew there would never be someone in the world truly equal to him. Even emperor was just a human. However…who knew he’d feel so at ease talking with Kim hae-li, a human. A human…but was he even a human from…
“Are you talking about deities from…your world?”
Hae-li hesitated for a moment.
“Yes.”
“Knew it. You do look unworldly.”
“Hm?”
“The thought of you existing in this world all this time without me knowing irritated me a lot. I feel better knowing it was not my mistake.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
As time passed, the desire to know that unworldly creature grew only stronger. And when he realized the meaning of this desire, he got scared.
Kim was a type of person who can disappear in a blink of an eye. Even while standing next to him, Hae-li seemed to be somewhere far. Somewhere, in a place he called home.
“Raon, how old is your human?”
Strong and mighty Raon wanted to say something, but awkwardly closed his mouth.
“I- it’s not polite to ask someone’s age behind his back! Humaaaan!”
“No, wait- Don’t-”
Turns out “human” was there whole time and embarrassed Heavenly Deamon didn’t notice. Shame on him.
“Raon, go help your student.”
“Oh! But can I leave you alone?”
“Just come back quickly.”
“Alright! Heavenly Demon, don’t annoy my human!”
Sure…
“Getting information from children? What a dirty trick. Shame on you.”
Shame on him…again.
“I was curious. You look young but…so do I.”
“I am…somewhere between 21 and 43.”
Heavenly Demon stared at him. Stared and laughed.
“What a coincidence. We are so alike.”
We are so alike. He tried to convince himself. Yet everyday it was harder and harder.
“Say…is your home such a good place?” He asked when he saw Hae-li looking at the night sky once again.
“It’s home.”
Such kind of pain was new for Heavenly Demon’s heart.
“Are you leaving?”
“Soon.”
“Is there…something I can help you with? Should I spread your name as a deity such as myself?” He half-joked, knowing pretty well that people already thought of Kim Hae-li as some sort of deity. However Hae-li’s expression changed so dramatically, he got scared.
“Please, don’t say it. I’d much rather prefer if everyone forgets about me.”
“I doubt… I can.” Heavenly Demon cunningly sharpened his gaze. “With your aura around my heart it will be impossible. All I can do is make everyone else forget about you. Would it make you happy?”
“Quite.”
For Cale it was a case of lesser evils. Heavenly Demon also understood he did not mean that he was fine if only Heavenly Demon remembered him. He was not someone special. But…Hae-li’s longing to “home” meant that that special someone existed.
“Excuse me?”
“That’s my true name.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
What a cruel question.
“You are leaving tomorrow. Wouldn’t it be cool to be known in another world? Carry my name to the other dimensions. Don’t forget it.”
“Alright.”
“Wait, won’t you tell me yours?”
“I did not ask you to tell me yours.”
“Fine.”
“Cale. People at home call me Cale Henituse.”
“Huh?”
“And have no worries, you’ll have a chance to spread your name in another world yourself.”
“What do you-”
He left.
Cale left Heavenly Demon speechless.
But with a bit of warms in his heart.
One would argue it was due to his aura but…
Sage Demon, who took care of that master since childhood, as if he was his own son, knew that every day when Heavenly demon trained, or every night he gazed at the sky, his mind was also somewhere far away, beyond the stars.