Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Grianor appeared at the distant mountain, on one of the borders of the heavenly realm, which seemed serene and peacefully quiet. The clouds floated above, a gentle breeze rustled, numerous birds flitted about, and flowers bloomed amidst lush greenery. At the base of a stunning waterfall that transformed into a quietly flowing river, he spotted a beautiful house.

The view was so tranquil and lovely that it could soothe even the most troubled mind.

He gracefully landed at the entrance of the home, where a lone servant recognized him.

"Elion, humble servant of the Heavenly Emperor, greets the Supreme Lord," the young angel said, bowing in respect.

Grianor offered a light nod and said, "I wish to meet the Supreme Celestial Emperor."

"Please, this way," Elion guided Grianor toward the main door, which opened on its own.

As soon as he stepped inside, he could hear cheerful voices.

"See, even today, you cannot defeat me."

"Your Divine Excellency is invincible."

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"Do not flatter me. Instead, you should play better."

"Even then, I won't be able to defeat you, Your Divine Excellency."

Crossing the drawing hall, Grianor continued walking with Elion in the direction of the familiar voices, a light smile playing on his lips as he listened.

They stepped out through another small door that led to a beautiful garden at the rear, where two men were engaged in a game. The view behind them was ethereal, with the stunning waterfall serving as a backdrop.

An elderly-looking man, smiling brightly, sat across from a younger man on a cushion arrangement on the green lawn. A game board filled with white and black round marbles separated them. As he sensed Grianor's presence, the elderly man spoke while arranging the marbles.

"What brings you here this time, Grianor?"

"Greetings, Your Divine Excellency," Grianor said as he walked forward and bowed. "I am here to visit you."

The young man sitting in front of the emperor stood up, greeted Grianor, and stepped aside, making room for him.

The elderly man, Solarius the Divine, the Emperor of Heaven who had chosen to isolate himself from all heavenly matters and live in seclusion, turned to look at the promising figure before him.

"Are you sure it is to visit me, Grianor?" Solarius raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Your Divine Excellency," Grianor answered.

A light, peaceful smile played on Solarius's lips, his eyes filled with ethereal calmness. His entire being emitted a divine aura. Despite the wrinkles at the corners of his light caramel eyes and his long hair turned grey, he was as impressive as any celestial being. He was still the most powerful entity in heaven, with unmatched cultivation.

"But the way you address me suggests that this visit is not just a visit," Solarius spoke playfully.

"What if I say both, but one means more than the other?" Grianor asked.

"That depends on how you continue to address me."

"May I have the pleasure of playing with the Imperial Father?" Grianor said.

Hearing the change in address, Solarius chuckled in delight. "Have a seat, then."

Grianor sat in front of the Emperor, on the other side of the game board, and heard him say, "You'd better defeat me, Grianor. I have grown tired of winning every time."

"I will do my best, Imperial Father," Grianor replied with a light smile, delighted to visit this man whom he had always considered his father.

As the two continued to play a new game, Solarius asked, "What is the least important reason for this visit?"

"I want to visit Him, the Lord of Absolute Darkness," Grianor replied.

"And you do not know how to reach him?" Solarius added as he played his move with the white marble.

Grianor nodded and placed the black marble on the board. "No one can reach him unless He wishes it."

"May I know the reason for visiting him all of a sudden?"

"I am not sure if it would please or displease the Imperial Father."

"I am not concerned about any matters related to any realm; I believe nothing can please or displease me."

In response, Grianor stayed silent for a while, focusing on the game. After playing a few moves, he spoke.

"There is said to be a Young Dragon in the human realm, another owner of Absolute Darkness," Grianor said, looking at the Emperor.

Unlike what Grianor expected, the Emperor didn't look shocked or surprised. He calmly played his next move and hummed, "So there is one."

"Imperial Father doesn't look surprised," Grianor remarked calmly.

Solarius smiled lightly, a playfulness in his light caramel eyes. "Should I be?"

"Was the Imperial Father already aware of his existence?"

"I won't say I was aware, but I knew it was going to happen," Solarius answered calmly.

"But we know he cannot."

"That I can't deny."

"When the Imperial Father was aware, why didn't he try to stop him? The Lord of Absolute Darkness can be punished for breaking the oath he had taken. I do not wish to…"

"Why would I stop him when I was the one to permit him?" Solarius said, lifting his gaze from the game board to look at the shocked Grianor. "Then, would the heavens now punish me?"

Grianor bowed his head immediately. "I do not dare, Imperial Father."

"Very well," Solarius smiled and resumed the game as if what concerned Grianor was not even a least important thing.

"We all know how he sacrificed himself to protect all three realms, and because of him, we exist today," Solarius spoke after the minute of silence.

"I am aware, Imperial Father. If I had been capable at that time, I would have sacrificed myself instead, but…" Grianor sighed, "...all three realms owe him."

Solarius nodded in agreement. "Back then, when the injustice happened to him, I told him that if he ever needed anything, I would fulfill his one wish, no matter what it was. He was the most powerful being, and giving my word to him like this was indeed thoughtless action. But I trusted that he would never demand something he should not."

Grianor played his move on the board. "And that wish was…?"

"One day, he came to me all of a sudden," Solarius said, looking at a spot a little ahead of him. "Just right there, he knelt in front of me with his head lowered and requested me to allow him to do something: to have a child of his own."

"Didn't the Imperial Father ask why such a wish all of a sudden?" Grianor asked.

Solarius hummed. "He said there was someone to whom he had once given his words, and those words held equal importance to the oath he had taken with the heavenly realm. He would not go back on the words he had given to that someone."

Grianor could guess that someone was Evanthe. He swallowed his emotions and maintained his calm. "And the Imperial Father agreed despite knowing he would be punished for going against his oath?" Grianor asked.

"What reason do I have to deny his simple heartfelt request after taking away all the rights from his life?" Solarius replied, a tinge of guilt and sadness in his eyes. He quickly regained his composure and continued, "The most powerful being in the Universe, who could destroy all three realms at his will, was kneeling in front of me, begging for his wish to be granted.

If he wished to do something, could we even stop him? But he still came to me, seeking my approval based on the words I had given him once. That shows his loyalty to his oaths, and we should not make things more difficult for him."

"But we know why he had to take those oaths and why one of them was that he cannot...."

"I understand this concern as I was the one to make him take those oaths," Solarius interrupted him. "If something disastrous has to happen, you can trust Him to protect all the realms once more. The heavenly realm does not have to panic about a young Dragon being born. He was certainly aware of what he was doing and would never put all three realms in harm's way.

Moreover, that young Dragon is his own blood, and I believe he must be as righteous and selfless as his father when it comes to power."

Grianor nodded in agreement but looked conflicted.

Solarius chuckled, "You do not have to do anything, Grianor. After his wish was fulfilled, he returned to the heavenly realm and accepted his punishment."

This shocked Grianor. As a King of Heaven he should have been aware of it but...

He listened as Solarius continued, "No one is aware of it other than the one who guards the mountain where one receives punishment. He decided on a hundred heavenly thunder strikes for himself."

Grianor's hand, holding a marble, shook. "That…"

"I know, it was a brutal punishment he decided for himself, but that is how he is. Instead of celebrating that precious moment of his own child being born, he was here to accept the punishment," Solarius' gaze turned emotional. "A punishment, even the most powerful deity can hardly bear one-fourth of what he endured.

Each thunder strike gets powerful than the previous one as more the person endures it."

"Imperial Father didn't try to stop Him?" Grianor asked, clearly displeased his voice distressed. "Was He looking to end himself?"

"It certainly looked like it," Solarius replied, "but possessing such strong power comes with a price. One cannot even choose their own end."

Grianor calmed himself and lowered his head. "Apologies for losing my composure and acting this way in front of the Imperial Father."

Solarius chuckled. "You do not need to apologize. I am glad you still care for him the same."

"How is he now? I want to meet him."

"Perhaps still recovering," Solarius replied. "Regarding visiting him, I will send him a message. If he agrees, you can visit him."

"Thank you, Imperial Father."

"You should play aggressively, Grianor. I see you being defeated," Solarius commented as they turned their attention back to the game.

"I do not think so," Grianor replied, making his move.

"Hmm, that is certainly impressive," Solarius noted.

While playing, Grianor glanced at Solarius occasionally, his thoughts conflicted.

"Say it already," Solarius said playfully. "Keeping something bothersome in mind is not a good thing."

"The person Lord of Absolute Darkness gave his word to, didn't the Imperial Father try to find out who it was?" Grianor asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

Solarius raised a brow, "Should I have?"

"Yes."

"As I have chosen to be in seclusion, it's not for me to concern myself with matters other than what comes to me directly on its own."

"What if that someone concerns you, Imperial Father?"

Solarius smiled playfully at the concerned Grianor. "Then what do you suggest I should do?"

"Is the Imperial Father truly unaware of who that someone might be?"

Instead of answering, Solarius glanced around the board, deducing his next move. "You are getting better at this, Grianor."

"Thank you," he replied politely and watched him play.

"Who do you think was always so important to Him that he consider the weight of words given to her was equal to the oaths he had taken with heavens?" Solarius finally spoke. "No one needs to even think about it twice. She was his own heaven."

Grianor understood and said, "Then aren't you eager to meet your grandson?"

"As I said before, I only concern myself with those who come to me here on their own."

"Isn't Imperial Father curious about his own daughter?"

"The same rule applies to her as well, even though she is my daughter. This is the secluded life I chose for myself," Solarius replied. "Moreover, isn't it against the heavenly rules to look into her life in the mortal realm?"

Grianor nodded and didn't press further. The two continued to play and talk. After the game was over, Grianor was ready to leave, and Solarius walked with him to escort him.

"I am glad someone finally defeated me after so long," Solarius commented in delight. "As expected of the Supreme Lord I had chosen carefully."

Grianor simply smiled as he walked along and said, "This place is so peaceful that I feel reluctant to leave it."

"Are you envious of this old forgotten deity now that I am living peacefully here?"

"I certainly envy you, but I disagree with the 'old forgotten deity' part."

Solarius chuckled. "If you envy me, then care to join me in living here?"

"Can I?" Grianor asked.

"Hmm. Once you find an heir to pass your throne to, just like I found you and Him. Then, like me, you can live in peace until you decide to cease to exist."

"I will," Grianor replied. "Being a ruler is rather tiresome."

"We all have our own roles to play. I wish you to play yours in the most delightful way."

Grianor left while Solarius stood looking at the beautiful sky ahead. 'Young Dragon. I believe he is as wonderful as his parents. Maybe there will be a day when he comes to me on his own and gets to see him before I cease to exit.'

He turned around to return inside, a delightful smile playing on his lips. 'I wonder what traits of mine he has inherited from Evanthe. It would be interesting to see. Hmm, certainly as good-looking as I used to be in my youth. Evanthe always said I was the most handsome person in all three realms. My daughter, she always told the truth.'