"I'm a Shadow of Now, hmm."

The being was now calm, able to experience little happiness.

"Being okay. That is comforting."

The happiness vanished but the peace elated, Rage not feeling angry for the first time. But the moment was just that - a moment.

"You are right. Without Sousconic I am destructive but with Menod I remain as Rage. Then why did you remove me from Sousconic's protection? Now a few of your dear Shadows may go insane."

The silence was now frightening and the members of the councils of 'present' and 'future' wished to feel the presence of the Shadow-Trappers for their own comfort. Jay and Pranetra filled the void with a comforting aura, the former remaining silent as Genal finally spoke.

"You understand bitter truths well because of Menod. They are strong and no sight will make them go insane. Rage was released for a mere second and while the power was great, a thought of sweet and true belief helped them brace the impact of fury. A thought stemming from their deepest faiths, like God for many humans."

"God. We know that no such 'creator' is there."

The snicker was menacing, but Genal was quick to pick on the uncertainty.

"No creator, yes. But no God? Perhaps God isn't physical, descending on a planet in the form of a being. But somewhere there could be something from which the concept of God stems from. You very well know what that is for the Shadow Beings."

Truth.

Horrors and comfort withdrew, with a sense of the One filling the void. Silence was absolute, Existence's presence was far and absolute. Oblivion and Chaos were one, the light of the valleys and the Tenebris coinciding. It was the welcome of gracing peace and an aura of home, conscious of the true reality without all dimensions.

Silence was absolute.

Rage returned.

"You are right. As of now, I am a Shadow Being. More specifically, I am the Demon Lord, and I will fulfil my duty."

Power burst through the void, demanding absolute attention of the Shadows, shredding their emotions.

"I no more care about you Shadow-Trappers, if you will not understand the degree of entropy in emotions. You don't sense the waves of despair, utter noise that could dissipate your conscience, perhaps even subconsciousness. If this isn't stopped now, this universe may just collapse.

"The net energy of the universe is zero. Energy can neither be created, nor destroyed. However, emotions are a little beyond the general reach of physics and they can tip the energy to go negative. Even if the difference between zero and that number is minimal, it will destroy the universe.

"Infinite energy lays about the universe but when all is cancelled, the energy is zero. Zero times infinity is undefined. It must always remain undefined and the reason is simple; Shadow Beings are undefined. Universes will die and will take birth again, but if the energy is not in equilibrium for the briefest moment of time in existence, Shadow Beings will disappear. Thoughts and emotions will become disarrayed, souls will be with no zeal.

"Understand it this way if you must; The Shadow dimension contains infinite energy but is a one dimensional point and is beyond existence. By giving it a value you are establishing it, perhaps making it a part of existence even though it holds existence, being the infinite boundary. You will create the worst paradox and it is next to impossible to predict what will happen.

"If the Demonic Creatures aren't destroyed now and you Shadow-Trappers begin to kill them, the net energy really will drop to a negative value. Without the Wind Phoenexias, there is nothing that brings the energy up and maintain it at zero. Let me finish what I began, or risk the destruction of "

"Anger is not the way one should respond to entropy. No thoughts, no emotions. Leave nature's work to nature."

A genuine chuckle reverberated across the void. "What?"

Mildred remained calm, her confidence bringing back all the Shadows thoughts in states of contemplation. With a gentle signal from Mildred to Brier, the latter took over to speak on the familiar subject.

"You cannot simply delete the existence of a 'species' by using a technique of Solis - that is against the laws of nature. Just as both evolution and extinction take their time, decreasing the disarray of emotions also has to. If not done carefully, you will risk an increase in the entropy of thoughts as the two are dependent on each other. Also, as long as Rage, an emotion has taken a form in existence, entropy will never decrease."

"Sousconic bound me to this vessel so that I never go on a destructive path without Menod's rationality and Sousconic's conscience. The death of this vessel will result in my freedom and allow me to return the dimension, but there are certain conditions placed and I am unaware of it. I do not even know the nature of this bond.

"There is no telling when that will happen and the time to act is now. You can attempt to hinder my actions but understand what has to be done. All life is meaningless anyway, but let the energy be preserved if at least for these beings' sakes."

Everything disappeared till only silence remained. A dulcet tone spread its resonance in the quietude, a muted sound oddly comforting for the Demon Lord.

"You are right, Vlad."

Kaczie's agreement didn't settle in for a while, as if a lonely melody were being appreciated for the briefest moment in time without heeding to its true profundity. Zindel was the first to comprehend her silence, curious to see what she had to say while cherishing that silent voice.

"Life is, in a sense, meaningless. What living creature does what in their life matters to nothing. Life is a brief experience that is like a dream, immediately forgotten by their souls at the time of death. No life exists after death and certainly nothing that would care for their 'individual identity' as living beings. Actually, different parallel universes have the same person with the exact details; just a deviation of experience and a different soul."

To hear such sort of bitter truths from the kind Shadow was... different for the few who knew Kaczie. However Hawsod was in absolute understanding of her, sharing the understanding of silence.

"As compared to the billions of celestial bodies, billions of universes, all energy and the pure souls, life's span of time is minimal. Life is a wish of existence and nothing more. However... existence matters. Just because life is 'meaningless' it doesn't make it any less beautiful and important for the soul. Life may be nothing as a whole for the universe but for the soul, each action determines its passage, it's next vessel or form. It is all a journey for each soul to attain their pure, original form."

A wish... Did despair and other emotions of the Demonic Creatures, and the hopes and elation of Wind Phoenexias wish to live? Did Rage wish to live? Zindel couldn't help but be lost in the thought of a wish.

"All of the petty creatures and their little lives... so vain, full of utter nonsense. Their concern for their vessels, their bonds, their values and utility, their wars and victories, their unity... none of them ever mattered. Their rituals or their nightmares and dreams, their pretentious notions or their stupid complaints and cribbing... what can I say about them. In the beginning every species was lost, put in to the prison known as their home to understand this world. Their progress was beautiful and they really wished for wisdom but now, they're just so mundane. Yes, I suppose I cannot blame them as it is not their fault; they have no free will, bound by nature and existence. Their thoughts are slaves of their emotions. Every choice a living creature makes is influenced by something; nothing is absolute unlike souls who do not live, but just be.

"You, Shadow Beings, were never a species that 'lived'. So pure, so silent, absolute and understanding. But life's entropy affects you because you are the carriers of thoughts and emotions, the Shadows of energy and especially ten of you, the Shadows of Nature. You do not know how much I respect you as an emotion and that is why I wish for at least your purity to remain.

"The Land of Chaos for all thoughts; home of the Demons but at least remain pure. The Land of Oblivion for all emotions; home of the Angels but remain pure. The Land of Tenebris for all knowledge and death; tainted. The Land of Valleys for sentience and Life; tainted. The Land of Grace for time; respectful and untainted. The Land of Hearth for Truth; dutiful and untainted.

"Reality or Earth; beautiful but unconscious. Naïve to the point of moving towards existence's destruction. They tainted the Valleys and Tenebris.

"Kindness is fading away from the planets of the living. If the Demonic Creatures are not destroyed now, many trivial wars will be fought, impurities be collected, lives be lost and it goes on endlessly. Are you still adamant on letting 'nature take its time'?"

Somewhere in a hidden sentiment, the Shadows found themselves agreeing with the being. But something stopped them, something that demanded an understanding of some truths.

"What is it that you wish for, Vlad?"

Rage was suddenly undetectable, losing all of its strings of thoughts. Vlad felt a connection with the kind Shadow, a connection so fragile that it would be forgotten the moment Kaczie was no more. Such was the suffering spirit's kindness, touching so many and remembered by none. However, Vlad was adamant on remembering the Shadow forever; it did respect them, after all.

"I suppose... I wish to go home. I wish for things to return to as they were, for the dimension to heal and the Shadows to be pure Souls once again. Every soul wished for life, all other than the Shadows of nature; a living being dies and is reborn as a Shadow, moving forward on the path of purity for Shadows are those who look after life, death, energy... all while respecting Time and the Truth. If it weren't for you this universe would've been certainly destroyed.

"The peaceful beauty of the Shadows is what keeps all thoughts and emotions in place, along with the entities of the Dimension. The entities are much greater than a mere emotion like me and thus understand your line of thought to go with time. But if no action is taken now, no change will happen. No change..."

The voice trailed, a small and brief chuckle echoing in the minds of the Shadows.

"Do you know why Vlad is often referred to as Sousconic's Rage? Why you refer to me as Sousconic's Rage?"

Silence.

"It is because Sousconic can never be angry. The entities of the Shadow Dimension are vulnerable to nothing as their thoughts and emotions are pure. However, all emotions are of Sousconic, dormant as they become an unknown part of conscious. But with the tear of the dimension's fabric, Rage is no more dormant.

"Rage is conscious and I am sorry but... no, I cannot. I cannot let the Shadows be harmed by entropy, even if what I do is against their 'morals'."

For a brief moment the Trauma of the universe pierced the minds of everyone present in the void, as if crushing their existence to nothingness. Vlad grew angered, a chaotic noise now destroying the trauma and all rationality that accompanied it to let only Anger pervade. The emotion direct at living beings.

Vlad was afraid for the Shadows.

Vlad hated life.

Time was no more and still all of the conscious Shadows formed a protective barrier around Vlad, using their zeal with sincere care as they followed the lead of their leaders, protecting the being from the entropy of existence.

It was only temporary, but the sensation of the fabric of their dimension surrounded the being.

Finally after some time, Vlad found peace. A peace of solitary unity.