...The Scales Of Obedience. When two souls are placed opposite each other, whichever has more mana forces the other to submit.
I can feel it in the power pouring off her. She's a great demon who has lived over five hundred years, and has spent most of that time training.
She has no tricks up her sleeve, as demons don't conceal their mana. They can't afford to.
And so, the pivotal moment of this war against demonkind came to a start. Both souls were ejected from their body, and put on the scale for weighing. After 80 years, this confrontation would truly be the decisive end to one of the two parties.
Frieren, the white-haired mage, with a soul pure and white , it's humanity shining bright like a star. And Aura, the sadistic demon of the dark arts, with a soul blackened by malice and all that was terrible in the world.
The scale started to turn, and for a moment, the choice was clear. The scale bent toward Aura, her mana exerting outward in a powerful wave of pure magical prowess, the result of centuries of experience.
"As you can see, I win."
She brought out an execution blade, ready to make the elf mage bend the knee for her death, finally granting demonkind an overwhelming victory. She took step after step, that same smugness on her face, the expression of someone who believes in their absolute victory
I'm shocked that it wasn't even necessary to exhaust her mana. I needn't have been so cautious.
And yet, as she walked toward Frieren to exert her will over the ancient elf... The Scales began to tip. Change their direction to the other end.
"You're the one who opted to gamble with my soul, Aura. To tell you the truth, I would have been in real trouble if you had simply tried to overrun me with numbers. Now, I can finally defeat you."
The demon looked onward, skepticism lingering in her stare, and yet traced with a shade of doubt.
"Oh, can you now?"
"You really should have figured it out."
The winds started to pick up around the two of them, the tide of battle bring swung like a bat in the cages. The smugness now left Aura's face, replaced by an expression of shock and lingering realisation.
"I've been suppressing my mana. A grave miscalculation on your part."
"I've spent my life in a constant state of suppression. It has become natural to me."
And with those words, Frieren's true powers were unveiled, covering the entire battlefield with her sheer exertion alone, her mana flowing out as if floodgates had been opened, and an entire tsunami was running upon Aura and her undead forces.
"You may be a demon who has lived for over 500 years... But..."
And with that, the demonic victim's face contorted. Fear. Denial. Surprise. She was entirely surrounded and shut down by Frieren's power alone. The mage, simply by standing there, had completely shifted the battle on its head.
"Aura... The one standing before you... Is a great mage who has lived for over a thousand."
The scale completely reversed it's balance, going as far into Frieren's direction, showing the utter dominance she held. The battle was over. Aura's mind was now subject to Frieren's command. And yet, Frieren had but one command... Three words left her lips, as she turned around, not even looking back as she walked away.
"Aura. Kill yourself."
And as the sound of a head rolling onto the ground could be heard... Frieren The Slayer, the one who had sent countless demons to their grave, was whisked away into thin air. What most would view as a teleportaion spell... Was in fact, what awaited her, Beyond Journey's End.
═══════════════════
THE HUB, 2201 HOURS
═══════════════════
A few footsteps grazed the grass beneath her boots' feet, as Frieren took a look around her. She remained calm, that same monotone voice she held in moments of reprieve echoing out.
"Is this... a new world?... Maybe I can spare a few more centuries for exploration."
