I AM THE DEVIL

*BANG*

The door of the master's bedroom flung open, almost breaking by the force of the entry. Two men hurriedly went inside, Daniel and Roger who were commanded by the Captain, the closest personnel on the scene.

"Move over, mortal!" Roger pushed Dian away and immediately checked Arthur's condition.

Although soldiers specialized in combat, Daniel and Roger knew medicine and basic first aid, especially Roger with his long years of experience.

"W-what is this? There is no way a bat would be capable of inflicting a damage like this. What happened here? Answer me!" Roger glared at Dian and the latter proceeded to describe the bat that what had happen Arthur.

"A fruit bat?! Are you taking me for a fool? Do you think a bite from a fruit bat will result in this?!" Roger was fuming. How could a fruit bat cause such a wound? It makes no sense. Arthur's wound was already rotting at a pace the naked eye could observe and his blood was flowing non-stop in clumps. If no immediate actions are taken, he will surely die.

At the moment Arthur was already unresponsive and looked very pale from the blood loss. No matter how one looks at it, his condition is dire.

Daniel grabbed Dian by the wrist and lifted her. "Don't fuck with us! Tell us the truth, what attacked your master?"

"I-I'm telling the truth." Dian fumbled not because of the pain, no, she felt no pain. Daniel was clearly applying pressure on her wrist, but she feels nothing. If it were past, then Dian's wrist would've been turning purple from the pressure. The only pain she felt was from seeing Arthur lying in his own pool of blood.

Daniel failed to notice how powerless he was. He was too focused interrogation the woman in front of him, trying to intimidate her. And as he was doing his thing Roger was using Aera and casting basic heal spells on Arthur, one that would stop the blood flow.

Unfortunately, it didn't do anything, and the youth's condition continued to plummet. Arthur's heart was slowing down and beating weaker and weaker.

*tap *tap *tap

Hurried footsteps were heard, and Captain George finally arrived accompanied by the Second in Command Thera. Colt was also with them carried by the Captain on his shoulder like a bag of cloth. They managed to catch up to him at the back entrance of the manor but since Colt's fastest was still slow, Captain decided to carry him.

"What's the situation?" The Captain asked as soon as he arrived.

"It's bad! No, it's worse!" Roger showed Arthur's condition.

"Wha-" Captain George was petrified! His worst assumption might be coming true. If this kid dies then- 'We as well' he thought.

"Treat him! HURRY!" Captain dropped Colt on the floor.

Colt was scared shitless and was about to examine Arthur's wound but then stopped at first sight. He had never seen anything like this. "What the fuck is this? I thought you said a bat bit him but what is this? He's already rotting away, and his pulse is almost gone." Despite his initial shock, the medic still tried his best employing all the knowledge he had as well as every spell that could help. He was quite skilled despite his lazy attitude.

"This mortal said that a bat bit him and based on her description it was a fruit bat," Daniel commented, still lifting Dian by the wrist.

"Fruit bat? Tha- that's impossible." Colt stood up and looked at the one who witnessed the whole thing. He didn't trust Dian, so he turned toward Captain George.

"Captain! What kind of creature did this? Tell me so I may concoct the right serum. I can't close his wound and I can't stop the blood flow. Rejuvenation spell isn't working either!" Colton cried out.

Captain George was at a loss. "I-It was a fruit bat. Its similarities with a fruit bat were uncanny." After telling what he saw, the Captain looked at his Second in Command.

"I saw the same thing," Thera said.

"W- we must report this immediately! This is beyond my ability!" Colton voiced out. This was the most logical thing to do after all. Although his pride is high, he still had his priorities straightened out. Failing a simple mission given by the Family is not an option. "What are you waiting for Captain!? Hurry, he's dying!"

Dian who was witnessing everything teared up. "N-no! Th- this can't be happening! Master!" Her cold personality was gone, only care and worry were evident on her face.

She began to struggle while crying out for Arthur. "Master! No! Please open your eyes!" She could see the life draining out of Arthur, it was too much for her. In the end, she wasn't able to control her strength and managed to break free.

"What the-"

Before Dian could get close to Arthur Daniel pinned her to the floor by the back of her neck.

*Bang!*

Daniel showed no mercy. He was in shock since a mortal managed to break loose from his grasp. 'She isn't normal.' he thought as began suspecting Dian.

Dian struggled to reach for Arthur. Feeling her strength, Daniel applied more pressure.

"Captain, this mortal isn't normal. Her strength is almost the same as a C-Rank mage." Daniel cast a buff on himself then restrained Dian even more by grabbing both of her arms behind her back. Daniel then raised one of his hands and bent his elbow, he was planning to land a serious punch towards Dian.

The woman in front of him wasn't a normal mortal so she should be dealt with seriousness.

"Don't kill her Daniel. She could have important information. We still need her!" Roger said seeing that Daniel was so serious. Roger had no idea how much pressure Daniel felt after feeling Dian's strength.

"I'll just knock her out, don't worry." Daniel was about to strike Dian on the back of her head when all of a sudden hundreds of bats swarmed inside the room through the open window.

"Shit! What's happening now?" Thera said in a panic. This isn't normal.

The Bats flew in a circular pattern encasing the group inside a cocoon.

"Captain! The bats are destroying the Camera!" Josh informed Captain George seeing some bats on screen breaking the lens and munching on the camera wires.

Gradually he lost visual and sound signals.

The group was only caught off guard by the sudden appearance and behavior of the bats. After quickly assessing the situation, the group of Aera wielders cast their spells and wiped out the bats in an instant. Bat corpses fell painting the whole floor red.

The surveillance team used blade weapons coated in Aera and cast buff spells on themselves to easily kill the bats. They use short swords and daggers. The manor they were in was still part of the Rory territory, there was no real danger here, so they didn't carry their main weapons. Their job was also just monitoring and making sure a weak ass mortal doesn't kick the bucket so soon.

The group could have wiped these bats in a matter of seconds if they used an AOE spell, but they refrained from using one. They couldn't risk destroying the manor after all. And their enemies were merely animals and not magic beasts.

"Captain, what's the situation? Should I send Nick and John to assist you?" Josh inquired.

"No, let them guard. Something suspicious is going on here. You and Derek should focus on watching the area. Look out for someone suspicious and report to me immediately once you find one. Also don't report to Madam just yet." Captain was sure he could pin this blame on whoever the mastermind is and save their life in the process.

"Copy!" Josh and Derek acknowledge and after the exchange, Captain George orders John and Nick to guard the area as well.

"Captain… the kid's - "

"He's dead." Colt informed after checking Arthur's condition. He had been monitoring his condition but there was nothing he could do.

"FUCK!" Captain George destroyed the desk to vent his frustration. "Madam Carla won't let us off with a quick death after finding out the brat died in our care. We must find the real culprit! This was no mere coincidence." The captain said as he calmed himself down. He then looked at Dian with hostility "Bring her to me. We'll get her to squeak what she knows."

Daniel dragged Dian's body towards Captain George. And once all the attention was on her…

The odd marks and scratches on the wall suddenly glowed revealing a unique pattern formation. After that, a dome of undetected force surrounded the group.

Being inside the formation, they quickly noticed the unexpected event. The group was quick on their feet and was about to escape the weird encirclement.

The Veil Runes of Perdan wasn't a restraining array but a cloaking one. It could not trap anyone inside, only the ability to hide one from outside.

Just as the group was about to scatter and escape the door suddenly slammed close, halting them for a moment. And that moment was more than enough.

*ZZZZHHMMM*

*shleek *shleek *shleek

The floor glowed in dark light showing a magic circle that was hidden beneath the blood that stained the floor. Then after a weird buzzing and humming sound, black chains with sharp blade edges instantaneously sprang forth from the floor nailing everyone.

A dark blue magic circle made its appearance as it glowed ominously. The chains danced like snakes as it came out of it.

Sounds of flesh being pierced echoed like a symphony that no one outside the room would be able to hear…

It happened so fast that only two people managed to avoid the attack. Captain George and Thera sidestepped and jumped back avoiding the chains. They brandished their weapons vigorously as they deflected the chains. Unfortunately, some of the chains still managed to scrape their body. Their bladed weapon proved to be useless, even when it was coated by Aera.

*Clang *Clang *Clang*

*Bang!

George was whipped like a good-for-nothing slave and smashed heavily on the floor. He got up right away and created some distance, he's only goal right now was getting out of the encirclement.

*Clang!

A chain was deflected.

Captain George managed to avoid getting pierced using only his dagger. He was in the zone, a life and death situation were all his senses were at one hundred percent. Although he wanted to help his teammates, it was simply impossible. The only option he had right now was work with Thera and call for reinforcements as soon as possible.

Thera wielded a short blade and was performing only slightly below the Captain.

*Clang! *Clang!

Thera did her best to survive as well as support George as they made their way to the door. The chains kept on diverting their direction, but they stayed calm and just keep on pressing on.

Unfortunately, in the end, the two were overwhelmed by hundreds of chains and the only thing they managed to do was surround themselves with Aera as a protective barrier, preventing the chains from impaling their body. Alas, the chains seemed to have a mind of their own because after failing to skewer them, the chains coiled around their body immobilizing and keeping them in place. Unlike Captain and Thera... Colt, Roger, and Daniel weren't that skilled or lucky. The chains had already pierced their body from the start. Their main organs were left undamaged though.

Dian on the other hand was safe and was blankly staring at the bizarre scene in front of her.

"Ugh!" Captain George struggled to move but couldn't. He and his teammates were all immobilized and worst of all, their communication device was destroyed.

During the chaos, the chains aggressively targeted their communication equipment, it was like that was their main goal. All of them were missing an ear, the place where they wore the communication device.

Captain George and Thera soon found out that the more they struggled the tighter the chains coiled around them got. If this goes on, they'll run out of Aera and would end up just like the rest.

"You- you're the one behind th- this?!" Thera struggled to utter as she glared at Dian. The others did as well but that's all they could do, glare at her.

"N- no- " Dian uttered but it wasn't a reply, it was a plea.

"Young Master!" Dian couldn't care less about the chains protruding from the floor. Or the people that were skewered by it.

Dian crawled towards Arthur's body. "Young Master!"

But she suddenly stopped, she stared haggardly at what was happening.

Dian stopped dead in her tracks with wide eyes, her lips trembling. The others as well were speechless and dumbfounded.

Like someone who had just woken up, Arthur's body twitched as the blood he spilt was creepily crawling back into his neck. Following this was the healing of his rotting flesh.

He then slowly but steadily got up.

*Badump*

"I- IMPOSSIBLE! HOW COULD IT BE YOU??!!!" Growled Captain George after the unthinkable conclusion he had in his mind slowly came true. He was shocked beyond measure.

Arthur just ignored him like a background character.

"Y- You'll never get away with this!!!" Colt also angrily wailed after having the same absurd conclusion. Confusion and denial clouded his fear. He was experiencing a lot of pain and was too confused to think straight. He just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

From the moment he got up, Arthur only ever looked at Dian. He completely ignored the others. He walked toward her slowly and gently looked at her tear-stained face.

"I'm sorry for making you worry." He gently said. Arthur's posture was straight as he walked across the forest of chains and although he was thin, he didn't look weak at all. Not after seemingly coming back from the world of the dead.

As Arthur inches closer and closer to Dian, he slowly reverted into his Demonic Vampire Mode. Red eyes with a pitch-black sclera. His teeth became jagged, and his ears protruded. His ink-black fingernails elongated and soon a long slender tail emerged from his behind. And as if it wasn't clear enough that he was a monster, two curved dark horns also sprouted from his forehead.

The azure glow of the magic circle as well as the dancing chains painted an unforgettable spectacle that was engraved deep in the minds of those who witnessed it.

It's like the embodiment of all that is evil had finally showed its true form to the world.

"Let me go! Nooo! Monster!" Colt screamed like a baby with tears on his face as he watched the transformation.

"PLEASE LET ME G- *khsklkk*

Arthur casually used his tail to pierce Colt's chin, the blade-like tip part coming out of the poor man's mouth, finally stopping him from uttering another word. He was gargling his blood at the moment.

Arthur didn't kill him, he still had his use.

Seeing Arthur's ruthless action paired with his demonic appearance, the others shut their mouths as their heart began to beat crazily.

*Badump*

Gone was the pathetic boy they'd watched for weeks. The young man in front of them seemed to be the incarnation of Asura.

Arthur arrived in front of the woman he had shared his troubles and burden with. Past, present or future, this woman stood by his side though thick and thin. "My adorable maid..." Arthur uttered as he gently looked at her. His demonic eyes looked like pure rubies shining with care and kindness, a complete opposite of his form.

Dian had no strength to stand so Arthur bent his knee and held her in his arms. Dian was just too stunned to think straight and respond, even breathing was becoming difficult for her.

"From now on, no one will be able to touch us. This, I promise you." Arthur said like it was carved in stone, like it was written in the stars. His confident and cold voice sounded like a tyrant's proclamation.

"A- Are you really- my Young Master, is it really- you?" Dian's voice was trembling.

She looked straight into Arthur's demonic eye. Strangely enough, she knew deep down that this being in front of her was the one she served but she still had some doubts.

"A- Are you really my Lord?" Dian hesitatingly asked after biting her lip.

"I told you, didn't I? Tonight I will show you the truth. This is the truth, this is me. "

"It's really you." After hearing his answer, Dian heaved a sigh of relief and teared up on Arthur's chest. He might change his appearance and he might do mysterious things but there was one thing that Dian would always have faith in. It's that Arthur never lies to her.

"I told you earlier that everything will be alright." Arthur had said this after he told Dian to scream for help earlier.

"You look like you are dead," Dian said in a cold tone. How could she not react like that after seeing his sorry state?

Arthur sighed and then smiled as he wiped the tears from Dian's cheeks.

Dian would still be a prime suspect no matter how she reacted, but Arthur wouldn't let anything severe happen to her. Although earlier he had to wait for the right opportunity and let her get roughed up a bit. Good thing these people acted the way he anticipated and after many complications, the right time to act came.

"I'll fill you in about everything later. For now, let me deal with them."

Arthur helped Dian get up and together they faced the flies caught in the trap.

"I don't have a lot of time, so I'll get straight to the point. From now on you will serve me and only me." The Demonic Young man said as a matter of fact.

"You really think we'll serve someone like you? We don't even know what you are!" The Captain growled.

"HAHAHAHA." Arthur laughed maniacally. He used Hell's Messiah and added Domination in his words. His voice alone shook the whole room. "I didn't say you had a choice."

Feeling the pressure, everyone's hearts palpitated like crazy, even Dian's.

"D- Did you sell your soul to the D-Devil?" Roger said weakly.

The way Roger looked at Arthur was quite different from how the others saw him.

'How did he become so powerful? I had to know!' Roger thought. Seeing how a weak boy could turn into such a monster made his dormant ambition awaken once more. He was already in his sixties, but he was still doing odd jobs for the Family. He tried everything he could but the gap between him and the others was just impossible to overcome.

Seeing that there was an opportunity in front of him, Roger couldn't resist.

"I didn't sell my soul to the Devil," Arthur replied, Roger knew he was lying. How else could they explain this demonic power? Roger was about to ask again what method Arthur used but the next sentence that came out of Arthur's mouth made not only his soul but everyone else's shiver.

"I AM THE DEVIL!" Words laced with malice like they came from the depths of hell. Arthur's voice sounded like thunder in their ears.