It shouldn't be rare that a hybrid of the two races exists because of all these similarities, but it is rare. It is like the two races are the best and won't let up for the other. Because of their unique energy, dragons and demons are one of the few races with their own refinement path different from the common path of refinement of the void universe.
"Are you new master?" The snake asked.
"Yes. You belonged to Danazel. I killed Danazel that means you're mine."
"Will master kill Xander?" It asked with pitiful eyes.
"I'm thinking about it. I'll kill you unless you have some use." Aeternus answered.
His answer made Xander tremble in fear. Yes, there's a chance he might kill the snake to fuel his growth. He can't simply let the snake go. The snake must be useful to him in some way and he doesn't see a use for it.
Keeping it as a pet won't work either. He can't be around a pet because of his chaotic energy. He has to make a conscious effort not to burn things or the world. That's if the pet is even useful to him somehow. Apart from that, there's no way he will keep something useless around him. It won't be a pet but a prey if it isn't useful.
"Xander has uses." The snake said then it tried to camouflage itself.
Its figure blurred and disappeared. It melded into the world as if it isn't there. Even a divine sense will be fooled.
Aeternus shook his head and said. "That's not bad but it is not good enough."
He could still see the snake. Sure the snake could hide very well but it isn't strong. A high-rank demonic beast only has the body on par with a high-rank demon and some abilities. Since it doesn't have the mark of sin, it doesn't have sin energy so it isn't as strong as a high-rank demon. Its soul isn't complete too, that's why demonic beasts aren't as intelligent as demons.
The snake became frantic. "Xander can also do this."
Its divine sense opened up to Aeternus and marked him. Then Aeternus became able to see through Xander's eyes. One pair of Xander's eyes turned crimson and began burning with fire the same ones as Aeternus's eyes.
Aeternus considered his decision carefully. The new development brought more options for Xander's usefulness.
"Alright. I'll keep you. But you're weak. So you will go to the domain of mid-rank demons and hunt. You have to evolve and become stronger." He gave his verdict.
He could use the snake as a spy. Several demons have been spying on him. The most irritating of all is that powerful divine sense always lingering on him. It would be nice to have a spy of his own. But he prefers to have long-term benefits from the snake, short term advantages are never the style of Legion.
That means the snake has to become stronger so that it can reach some really secure places that he would like to sniff around. Places like the stash location of a dead demon Lord. Demonic beasts have the advantage of being able to transverse the abyss plane however they wish without restriction on ambient sin energy concentration because they don't have sin energy. Xander will be safe in the domain of mid-rank demons and it can feast on both the demons and demonic beasts there.
"So Xander won't die?" It asked hopefully.
"Xander won't die." He replied.
The snake became ecstatic. It began shaking his tail, raising it, and slapping it against the floor in happiness. It raised its head and wanted to taste Aeternus with its tongue but it was afraid of the flames burning around him.
"But Xander can still die. If you don't grow stronger, I'll kill you." Aeternus told it sternly.
The snake lowered its head again and spoke. "Xander will grow stronger." It promised him.
He nodded. "You better. Now go."
The snake bolted away as if it had gotten a new lease on life.
Aeternus shook his head at the sight. "I didn't know it could run so fast."
The snake had been trying to sneak away earlier so its speed was slow but its plan failed. Even now Aeternus could still see through its eyes. He could see some figures possessing a lot of energy coming to the castle in Xander's vision. And he would also be able to find the demonic beast no matter where it is in the plane through the mark that he placed on its divine sense.
"About time." He said. "I could have looted this place and run away if I wanted to."
It's not like he could hide in the plane but he could make it difficult for them to catch him if he were afraid of them. So he struck the door with his claymore and broke in into the storage room. The room was filled with all sorts of things that Danazel was proud of. Only a small portion of the things could be considered wealth. The heads of various creatures and races that he has killed hung on pedestals and displayed on walls are certainly not wealth. The eerie heads took the most space in the room.
There were also weapons, and armor of once mighty gods being shown off. Aeternus went straight for a rock placed by the side. He carefully split it into two and took the soul storage placed inside. He went there and there taking stuff hidden in plain sight. He took the weapons, the armor, the information stones, the spell grimoire, and the soul storages.
While he was looting the place with a carefree attitude and wild abandon, 9 high-rank demons were hovering in the air above the castle, waiting for him. They had varying shapes and sizes but they were mostly large. The smallest of them is 3 meters tall while the largest is 5 meters. Some of them are even longer than 5 meters.
"We are too late." The one that looked like she is made of blades said.
She wasn't particularly sorry about being late to the rescue. She was just stating the obvious. The blades stuck all over her body were blood-red.
"Danazel is dead now." Another one said. This one looked like the generic goat demon.
This one wasn't feeling sad either. In fact, none of them were feeling emotional that a member of their alliance has died. An alliance is important among high-rank demons because while they may be insecure with having subordinates that share in their loot and might backstab them, they recognize the need to have help once in a while. Of course, the help isn't free, and neither is it cheap, but one will only need to pay for it when it is needed.
One of them asked. "Since we are here already, what do we do?"
The one that asked looked like a scorpion with large pincers and a stinger. It also had wings.
This sort of alliance between strong demons usually works. In the case of a demon like Danazel, he is strong enough to hold on for rescue to come. Even if he can't hold on, he can run away. The alliance will help him recover the fortress as long as he is alive. But what if Danazel is dead, what comes next?
The fat, disgusting worm with insect wings spoke in a nauseating voice. "We certainly aren't here for revenge."
The other demons shared a chuckle when they heard it. Revenge is not on the agenda. Danazel was a business partner, not a comrade. Their contract states that they will do everything possible to help Danazel retain or regain his fortress as long as he is alive and can pay for their services. They are here now and do not plan to go back empty-handed. So they will help themselves to some of Danazel's wealth. It's the least he can do after making them waste their time by coming here.
A serpentine demon with vertical pupils spoke, "So we do the usual, but we have to be careful. This demon has to be very strong to kill Danazel so quickly."
"Relax. Which one of us isn't strong? Strong or not, we outnumber him 9 to one." The disgusting worm fly said.
This isn't the first time they are looting a dead member of the alliance. Their alliance affords them quick notification of the death of their mates. Being his alliance mates has given them some advantages that they intend to use to maximum effect. They got to know about Danazel's death first and so, they get to raid his castle first.
What they'll do right now is wait for Aeternus to finish looting. They know about his spatial artifact. So they'll wait and ask him for their share of the loot after he comes out. If the negotiation goes well, and Aeternus is still alive by the time the loot has been divided up, then they will offer him a chance to join their alliance and keep the castle.
