Ifrit was a horned, ogre-like creature that prominently appears on many Final Fantasy titles. It usually was one of the first few summons that the players get access to. But now, the appearance of an Ifrit-like demon masquerading in the scenario of the game Diablo delighted Dyne.
Dyne’s love and passionate romance for the game exploded as he realized that the Sovereign Basileus Basileon had intertwined things that Dyne could play everything that he had touched or played.
Dyne burst into a doxology and began to recite Ephesians 3:20-21 and praised Adonai. It was a good thing that the tremors and howls of the undead echoed loudly that Dyne’s words were drowned.
Jedo and Strafe were silent but had weird thoughts about Dyne’s eccentric acts.
“The Soul Stone! Could it be? A Summon Materia?” Dyne asked hopefully.
“What? Of course not! It’s… oh my Basileus! You’re right!” Strafe realized it.
“I’m right? Even Dyne was stunned at Strafe’s conclusion.
“This is the same concept of how the other Ra-Seru’s summon the Seru. Jedo can store the physical body of the Seru itself. But for the others, they generally contain the soul and use the Ra-Seru wearer's mana to summon the Seru. If you can store the Ifrit's soul, you can summon it and create a physical body at the expense of your MP. This means they basically function like the Materia system in Final Fantasy VII!”
“This means… its possible for me to collect all of them? Can I finally have espers? Summons? Eidolons? I can finally get a GF?” Dyne lusted after the four summoning mechanisms in the Final Fantasy series. He began to daydream of commanding the espers of Final Fantasy Tactics, the summoned monsters stored within the Materia of Final Fantasy VII, the Eidolons that Garnet and Eiko controlled in Final Fantasy IX, and his favorite Guardian Force (GF) system in Final Fantasy VIII.
“It looks like this cultivation world is designed to give me the opportunity to seek and search for a GF!” Final Fantasy VIII had the most interesting means of obtaining the summons. Tactics allowed players to gain summons through the items that the Summoner equipped. Final Fantasy VII required the characters to be equipped with the corresponding summon materia to summon them. Final Fantasy IX used precious stones that the Summoners Eiko and Garnet should equip and master.
Final Fantasy VIII required the players to either fight, find or draw these summons. As such, Dyne missed several Guardians Force, which required some searching or grinding. In addition, Dyne had to replay the game three or four times to get all of them as he was unaware that some Guardians must be ‘drawn’ from an enemy.
And so, in Dyne’s mind, the desire and completionist thirst for acquiring all possible summons was activated.
“I swear I’ll get all GF’s!”
“But you never had a GF. How dare you boast of getting them all.” Strafe delivered a scorching burn that struck Dyne’s soul.
“Ugh. Strafe! Have mercy!” Dyne pleaded as he almost coughed up blood.
Dyne then hid as Char and his minions rushed towards the last point.
“This inspires me to follow in the footsteps of the Sovereign. Dyne, when you are strong enough, I’ll tell you about the magnificent creatures of myths in this world. I believe it’s possible for you to find them!” Strafe declared.
“One step at a time, guys! I’m already at the limits of my urge to urinate from the excitement. Damn it! I can’t hold it in.”
Strafe and Jedo were disgusted at Dyne's next actions. They looked poorly on this strange boy who couldn’t contain his bladder from sheer excitement.
“Please be more serious! Don’t forget that this current monster outmatches you! That Afarit is too strong for you!”
“I will tame it!” Dyne vowed.
“Put on your pants first! That almost got me!” Jedo complained.
Dyne began to absorb the Death energy in that area.
“Jedo. How much energy do you need to create a warp portal towards Jaden and company?”
“Hm... It’s not just about the energy. I need space to bend in my current strength.”
“Then that’s perfect. When the ritual completes, won’t they create a portal which connects elsewhere?” Dyne asked.
“Dyne is correct. Space will be very distorted. It should be extremely easy for you to create a portal in that situation.” Strafe added.
“I see. Then I should have enough energy. If the actual ritual summons a great amount of Dark energy, I can use that to send it in.”
“Alright. So is this Afarit a demon of space and time, or is it of fire?” Dyne asked Strafe.
“Dark Fire. In cultivation, it is possible to corrupt or purify all elements if one has mastered it to the extreme. But demons are not cultivators. They did not cultivate to have Dark Fire but naturally has it on birth.”
“Then how does it perform such great magic of transporting souls?” Dyne wondered.
“It could be with the help of Reapers. They are the dark creatures that collect souls or are beings of great omen. Just like the Afarit, these are monsters at the Saint-level and toys the fates of men. Only those who are strong manage to escape the dark Fate that they give to mortals.”
“I see. So basically, Ifrit is being helped by Final Fantasy VIII’s Diablos. Fitting turn of events. Diablos helping Diablo.”
“That's... You’re right...!” Strafe realized it.
“I won’t set my eyes on Diablos yet. But this cultivation world really is an interesting place! It’s as if this world is a game galore for me!” Dyne chuckled.
“And here I thought I’d get bored. It seems that I’ll be playing my way all to the end of this game!” Dyne laughed.
Dyne rushed towards the last place where he knew the final spell was located. But first, he settled the unfinished business of absorbing the dark energy on the previous location where Char cast a spell. Dyne did so and slowly tailed the Char and his groups, who were now rushing. Some of the maddened monsters even tried to attack them but were quickly dispatched by the Butcher.
The group soon traveled deeper down the cave, and Dyne finally arrived in an area that had bright light. Dyne snuck in and found himself in a large chamber that resembled old churches in Dyne’s world. But strangely, on the ceiling of this place was the sky. The stars could be seen, and three moons lit the sky. But stranger still, was the fact that this sky was not the sky Dyne saw outside.
On the very center of this illuminated room was a large stone bed. Lying on it was a young man.
Several hooded figures were surrounding this man. Most of the hooded figures were doing the familiar chant that Dyne heard Char do. The dark energy in the entire room kept gathering and gathering, and the sky above began to grow clearer and clearer.
“Is the preparations complete?” One of the wizards stopped chanting and asked Char. He had a very respectable look compared to the other hooded wizards. His face was clean, and his beard was white. He did not contain the hints of darkness and madness that the other wizards had.
“Yes, Master Lazarus. The circle is complete.”
“Then join us in the chant. Let us complete the darkness here to fuel the portal.
Dyne watched and was amazed at the scene before him. The skies were unusually dark, but now, the night brightened the sky.
“A dark magic has shrouded this place,” Dyne noted. Back outside, he could not see the moon and only saw bits of the stars. But now, he could see three moons gathering.
“Those moons... feels so dark.” Dyne couldn’t help but comment.
“Those moon does not belong to this solar system. I get it now.” Strafe was shocked at what he saw.
“So that’s how they did it! If they sent their forces, those siding with the Light will notice and see how these Dark gods and demons have breached the contract of not intentionally causing more death or life. So instead of sending their soldiers or armies that will immediately alter the balance of Fate and conserve resources, they open a portal close to the planet so that they can send in their young demons to possess whoever gains access to the stones that were sent here.”
“You mean those moons are the planets where these demons live in?”
“Yes. That isn’t a real sky you are seeing. It’s a portal! As the Slime God explained, our enemies try their best to increase the entire universe's death energy. And that isn't easy to do! So they are finding cost-efficient ways to do that without garnering attention. After all, the Light will foil their plans! So this strategy is to corrupt a world by sending young demons like these Afarits. The demons will not only cause great death but will also be a competition!”
“Let me guess. It's to train these young demons.”
“That is the way in the cultivation world. Only the strong will live. This planet becomes their training ground and their test. Demons will fight against others, and the winner will probably rule all over the demons here right before this planet collides with another. The collision will kill all mortal inhabitants of this planet and, at the same time, be a final test for the demons. The demons that conquer this planet will face those who conquered the next.”
“So this is the cultivation world! How harsh and brutal!”
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