The Bewitching Refrain

Bali is an age erased from history, the most glorious era of humanity after the gods vanished and demons were destroyed, but also an age of endless slaughter. Bloodshed stains the highest reaches of this world, and fear spreads through every heart.

After the gods vanished and demons were destroyed, humanity’s strongest desires rose to the surface. People wanted to own the world, possess the greatest power, and rule over everything in it: power and desire.

Bali became the mightiest ruler of this age. With the bloodline of demons, he was savage and brutal. He conquered everything in the world, and plunder became his people’s way of life as he ruled this age of chaos with blood and cruelty.

A bloody massacre begins to unfold across the world…

Nuo Yan: “With beauty beyond compare and an unyielding spirit, I’m as fiery as I am cold. The calmer I remain, the more clearly I see the fear behind your bluster. You love me, yet you use this method to seize everything: the world, power, my body and soul. What is there in this world that you can’t get? I answer with a cold laugh. No one can do as they please, and no one can control my thoughts, not even you. I never treat lightly or wrong those who show me no disrespect, not even you! Hmph, a living hell? Fine. I’ll take a walk through your living hell, and drag you down with me using my hatred.”

Bali Mei: “Behind my cold expression is a cruel smile. What is love? I don’t understand it. I only know that by taking what I want, I won’t lose everything. I won’t submit to fate or to Heaven’s arrangements. With a sweep of my hand, I’ll take control of the world. You, woman, can only obey. You’ll never escape me, in this world or in hell!”

Long Jue: “The first time I saw you, you thanked me. That smile was like a spring that never runs dry, and it made me feel I could never be reborn. But how could you know? What I most wanted to say was, don’t thank me. Don’t show me gratitude, not even the slightest bit. It would be a sign of contempt. If you can, just give me a smile. I’d give up everything for you, even my life and my dignity.”

Yang Mei: “You said you wanted to stay by my side, but I knew you were only looking at his reflection through me. You said you liked nothing more than having my warm hands stroke your hair as you closed your eyes and quietly felt a loneliness you’d never known before. But that wasn’t your dream. It was mine.”

Ling Yu: “You once confidently told me that there are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal friends. You once got drunk with me on the battlefield, talking about the world’s changing fortunes. We stood side by side through so many years of storms and hardship. You said we had once been the best friends in the world, the partners who understood each other best. You never gave a second thought to three thousand elite troops, and charged ahead alone. Such courage, such pride: who could ever replace you? No one could ever take your place in my heart.”

Mo Yue: “This world abandoned me. I wandered back and forth through a hell of demons, never seeing a day of light. Life has never meant anything in my hands. In the blink of an eye, I can kill countless people, and my hands are forever stained with the stench of blood. Everyone backs away from me. But you looked at me as if you didn’t care. You said there were no real demons in this world; demons exist only in people’s hearts. So what if I’ve killed countless people and my hands are bloody? All I’ve done is slay the deepest fear in people’s hearts. I laughed. How could you understand the deepest desires in people’s hearts? Since I’ve already died once, what’s so hard about living again for you?”