Paralyzed Demon - Shadow Slave

Will Auceptin sat atop the mountain, focusing, seated on his own serpentine body with his left eye gazing into the distance. He was trying to suppress his corrupted divine self, ensuring that it wouldn't interfere with Morpheus. He exerted immense effort to maintain control. His corrupted side was far stronger than he was.

Will knew he would never forgive himself for what he had done. But this was his last resort. He despised himself every single day for inflicting such agony upon a child who should have been nothing more than a normal human. When he heard Morpheus's screams, his eyes filled with tears. "Forgive me, Morpheus." He knew he wouldn't. If the roles were reversed, he would feel the same way.

After all, Morpheus had been enduring this torment for a year. Forgiveness was out of the question.

As Will tried to concentrate again, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart. The stabbing sensation in his chest intensified rapidly. But instead of despair, a smile formed on his lips. "He did it. Much sooner than I anticipated. But of course, it was inevitable. After all, 'He' was the one who made him into a weapon." The eyes of the serpent beneath him snapped open. If someone had looked into those crimson, slit-pupiled eyes, they would have seen the madness wrought by corruption. The eyes searched, seeking the source of this pain. Seeing this, Will resumed his task—protecting Morpheus.

Morpheus's POV:

"Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill."

The only thing he did was tear apart the heart of the serpent he had fallen onto after digging his way out. His hatred was so overwhelming that even a second more of its existence only fueled his fury. There was no longer any pain in his heart; the corruption had faded. No exhaustion, either. He had drunk the blood of that wretched serpent, and with every passing second, he was renewed. The only thing he could feel was the hatred radiating from every cell in his body. With his sword, his arms, his legs—he tore apart that heart. He ripped off its flesh with his teeth. His entire body was drenched in red. He truly resembled a Sword Demon now.

He continued to carve through the heart. It was massive. He wished to finish this quickly, but he didn't have the strength to do so in one blow. He plunged his sword deep into the heart and dragged it, carving an opening large enough to step inside. He entered and began slicing everything he saw. Blood gushed from every direction. The sight pleased him so much that he started laughing like a child.

By the time he was done, the heart was hollow, its rhythm visibly slowing. He stepped out and collapsed onto the ground.

And then, he fell asleep.

Will Auceptin's POV:

He did it. He really did it. I am finally free from this monster. Will started laughing. He no longer needed to suppress his corrupted side. He was dying. "Thank you, Morpheus. And I'm sorry. I'll help you rest properly. I hope you find peace outside this nightmare. Our nightmare."

He braced himself for his final battle with his monstrous self.

Will had always known he would succumb to corruption eventually. That was why he had made a pact with the Fate Demon. The deal required him to give up a portion of his good fortune in exchange for the ability to die like a human. The agreement dictated that the one capable of killing him would experience their nightmare within Will's world. And truly, was there any better executioner than a weapon crafted by 'Him'?

But there was one thing Will didn't know—the true nature of the nightmare. He had assumed the pain he inflicted upon Morpheus was limited to the nightmare. He had no idea how wrong he was.

And what awaited him in the distant future...

Morpheus's POV:

Morpheus awoke and looked around. The intense rage he had once felt was gone. His mind was clear. His anger toward Will remained, and he still wished he could kill his human form right then and there, but there was no longer any reason to act like a lunatic. He looked up and saw the heart, its rhythm now on the verge of stopping. "How long was I asleep?" he wondered. The heart's pulse was much slower than before he had dozed off.

He stood up and wandered around for a bit. Then, an idea came to him. He summoned his Echo. His Echo could produce acid capable of dissolving flesh. This acid was useless on the serpent's exterior, but inside, it would work wonders.

He ordered his Echo to coat every surface in sight with its acid. He wanted this wretched serpent to experience hell before it died. Meanwhile, he continued slicing at the heart. He severed its veins. After much effort, he managed to tear the heart free. But the cursed thing had too much life left in it. So he went back to slashing everything around him. Just then, he felt a massive tremor.

And at that moment, he couldn't believe what he saw. The serpent's head had been severed. Through the gaping hole, Morpheus could see the vastness of space. From that void, Will's human form drifted inside, his body growing paler like a ghost. The moment he laid eyes on him, all thoughts vanished from Morpheus's mind. He charged forward, sword in hand, and cleaved off Will's head. Will didn't resist. He was dying anyway. He wouldn't deny Morpheus his rightful vengeance. A sorrowful smile formed on his face. "I know you won't forgive me. These words are just for my own conscience. But I truly am sorry." A cut appeared on his throat, and blood gushed out.

"Did you really think you could escape so easily?!" Morpheus snarled. "Did you think a mere apology could wash away everything you've done to me?!" Despite his words, his face remained eerily calm. Will frowned. "I broke him," he thought.

Morpheus stared at him and declared, "I will drag you back from hell and kill you over and over again. Don't think of death as an escape. Just as I drank your blood and ate your flesh, I will devour your very soul. Only then will your regret be genuine." He laughed.

For the first time in his life, Will was afraid of an ordinary human. His fear came from knowing Morpheus had the potential to do exactly what he threatened. But there was nothing he could do now. He was weaker than a newborn.

"So be it," Will murmured. "I wish I could have just one more bite of vanilla ice cre—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Morpheus sliced him cleanly in two.

"Fuck off already, you piece of shit. I'll come for you later. Just wait." He turned away and left.

Will's body split into four pieces, each one fading into nothingness. Morpheus recalled his Echo and went back to sleep.

All he had to do now was wait for the great serpent's life force to fade away.