Revive The Demon [3]

In a deeply lit room, the flickering flames of strategically placed candles cast dancing shadows across the uneven stone floor. Here, two figures sat hunched over a worn table, their faces obscured by the gloom.

One, a woman cloaked in a dark, midnight blue robe, was the very picture of tension. Her crimson hair, the color of freshly spilled blood, seemed to writhe with a life of its own, escaping the confines of a simple leather cord.

Her eyes, the same shade as her hair, were squeezed shut in intense concentration.

Beside her stood another cloaked figure, though their garb held a subtle air of regality. Rich, crimson silk peeked out from beneath the dark fabric, adorned with intricate silver embroidery that glinted faintly in the candlelight.

Before them lay an open, leather-bound book, its pages filled with cryptic symbols and diagrams. An ornately carved orb, the size of a large apple, sat beside it, pulsating with an ethereal inner light. The woman's hands, pale and slender, hovered just above the book, her focus absolute.

Suddenly, a sharp gasp escaped her lips, "Ha!," her eyes snapping open with a jolt.

Where there had been a mask of serenity moments before, now a chilling coldness flickered in her crimson depths.

"He's dead," she rasped, her voice devoid of warmth, laced with a bitter edge.

"Milady?" The man, for it was clearly a man despite the robes, leaned closer, concern etched on his face. "Should I send another?"

"No," she replied, a hint of something akin to amusement flickering across her lips for a fleeting moment.

Just as quickly, it was replaced by a predatory grin that stretched far too wide to be natural. It sent a tremor of unease through the man; a sight he'd never seen before.

"You will undertake it yourself,"

The orb, as if responding to her shift in mood, flared to life. Within its depths, an image flickered into existence – a young man, his face etched with determination.

"Finally," the woman hissed, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "The one who bear's the demon."

The man met her gaze, a question lingering in his eyes. "Is that him?"

A cruel smile played on her lips. "Yes," she said, her voice dripping with a dark promise. "Make no mistake, bring him to me."

****

[Wa-]

[Len]

[Ke up!]

[WAKE UP!!!!]

"Ah!"

I jolted upright with a gasp, ripped from the dream. Sweat licks at my face, and my ragged clothes clinged to me like a second skin.

I sprawled back on the rough ground, trying to piece together the fragmented images that flit through my mind.

Did it work?

Did I awaken my bloodline?

Well, I've no clue yet, but there's a undeniable surge of power coursing through me.

I feel a lot stronger now.

[You are stronger.]

What was that?!

I whipped my head around, searching for the source of the disembodied voice, but the dim, flickering candlelight revealed nothing but the dusty confines of the room.

That only means one thing...

"Who are you, and why can I hear you?" I demand, my voice hoarse.

[I am… A demon.]

A demon?

Wait, you can't mean...?

[Yes, I am Azareth… Or at least, that's what I believe I am.]

"So you can pry into my thoughts?"

[Of course. And I sense you're not from this world. Reincarnated, perhaps.]

"You've seen my memories too?"

[Not exactly. When I awoke, certain details surfaced, but my perception was limited.]

"So you're aware this is a game?" I asked.

[…..]

I'll take that as a yes.

[No. I'd rather call it an identical reality to the plot of the game. But I didn't ready get a chance to view it properly through your memories]

Possibly.

But...

In the game, there was no mention of Azareth awakening some inner consciousness. Something's definitely gone wrong.

[Well, if I were to voice my opinion, it likely has something to do with the blood you used in the ritual. The mana from that individual was potent enough to spark my sentience.]

Hmm?

Could it be that man?

The sheer amount of mana he exuded was staggering. I only managed to kill him with a surprise attack. I definitely wouldn't have stood a chance in a fair fight.

Now that I think about it…

What was such a powerful being doing in a desolate corner of the slums? Someone like that should have triggered a memory, but my mind is a blank slate.

Something is seriously off-kilter.

First, I somehow evaded the Dark Church's clutches. Now, a formidable stranger materializes in the slums. This whole situation reeks of conspiracy.

Yeah, I'm outta here.

I need to get to Meldoren as fast as possible. Maybe I can dodge the major plot points until I'm strong enough to handle them. Hopefully.

[Ellen!]

"What is it?"

[There's a presence approaching… The mana signature is potent too. You won't stand a chance in your current state, Ellen. Run!]

"Damn it!" I scramble to my feet, adrenaline surging through me. A second thought strikes me, and I pivot towards another exit at the far end of the room.

Reaching it, I discover a rusty door, but a swift kick sends it flying open with a resounding clang.

A putrid stench of decay assaults my senses as I step through the doorway. My eyes widen in horror at the grisly tableau before me: a chamber overflowing with lifeless bodies.

What the…?

I thought this was an emergency exit. I'd noticed this door when I first found this warehouse, but I dismissed it.

The bodies were sprawled everywhere, some desiccated husks, others disturbingly fresh, a sickly pallor clinging to their skin. The air hung heavy with the metallic tang of blood and the cloying sweetness of decay.

Who did this? Who slaughtered all these people, and why are their bodies still so fresh? Was this done recently? But then… by whom?

This is getting really complicated...

[Ellen, I can feel it closer, you have to go now!]

I slammed the door back, heart hammering against my ribs, but it didn't click shut.

The lock is broken, Damn it!

Without waiting a second more, I dash towards the main exit, flinging the door open with a desperate heave.

But the sight that greeted me chilled me to the bone.

"Hehehe," an unsightly sneer splits the face of a man cloaked in a dark garment emblazoned with a strange symbol that seems to writhe and pulse with an unnatural light.

"?"

"I have finally found you, Bearer of the demon," he rasps, his voice like gravel scraping against stone.