Chapter 33 Helena's Love Sacrifice

Vincent contemplated for a moment, what kind of interest did he have in this lady? A desperate common human, would she be suitable for his plans?

First, he presented himself as a demon. Despite being confused, she didn't reject him, perhaps thinking it was all a delusion. Not important. Then, he revealed a suitable environment to test her, creating a shared dream where he could toy with the idea of magic. She showed interest in the occult, though a hint of fear flickered in her eyes.

Her honeymoon story was intriguing, and maybe it wouldn't cost much to save her husband, but how many people suffer, how many are even more desolate than this girl and her fiancé? I'm not one of those empathetic people, I wouldn't help anyone for free out of kindness! What kind of demon would I be if that were the case!

"Perhaps, Lady Helena, I can see him... but that would come at a price. What would you be willing to give up for a miracle?" The aura and the environment around him grew murky, creating a sense of weight, and his voice, though polite, carried a solemn seriousness.

'How will she act under pressure?' Vincent pondered, observing her reactions. So, he manipulated his essence to interfere with her emotions; not manipulating them, just intensifying them.

Helena couldn't help but feel strange. She was in control here and didn't know what to do or think about all this. Fear crept into her chest, making her heart race, leaving her frozen as she reflected on the being's words in front of her. He no longer exuded the comfort and kindness he had shown in their previous conversation. A vein of suspicion made her question, first of all, what this being wanted with her, why he approached her in the first place. The more she thought, the more doubts and incredulity filled her, but she was interrupted in her train of thought.

"Think about it, Lady. Now let's see how your fiancé is," he said, taking action to cancel the dream-related magic.

Both of them watched the scenery deconstruct, and the magic of that place gave way to fear.

At its own pace, solid things like the cabin they were in disintegrated into particles. The same happened to living things, like birds and trees, and finally, the entire realm disintegrated until only the two of them remained, causing Helena to look into his eyes, now more frightened than ever. What could happen now?

She no longer felt anything in front of him, even cursing her luck for encountering him.

At some point, her eyes returned to his, and she felt a slight discomfort in her eyes, blinking and returning to the normal world. The old gray wall of the hospital now seemed somewhat comforting. Well, at least it was stable and not forming in a bizarre way.

Vincent, who was now very close to her, stepped back to a comfortable distance and said, "Sorry, I think I showed you an uncomfortable scene."

"N-No, it's okay," she replied, now breathing more relaxed. The distance and space made her feel more comfortable.

But Vincent interrupted her, "Guide us to your husband."

"Right, okay," she said, following him as they entered the long corridors of the hospital. A myriad of thoughts passed through her head. At one point, she stopped abruptly.

What if this being is connected to those who attacked her and her husband? What if he came here to finish the job? Could she be leading him straight to her fiancé? What should she do?

"Miss, why did you stop?" Vincent asked, finding the whole situation quite amusing. She was drowning in thoughts, questioning her own reality, probably getting close to madness. Let's observe more.

Her breathing was heavy, nervous, to the point that her skin was slightly reddened, caused by the high pressure of blood rushing rapidly through her body, seeking a solution, leaving her ready to run, escape, face, or fight. But she didn't know what to do. So, she gathered all the courage she could muster and shouted at the top of her lungs, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?"

The people walking in the corridor turned their eyes to the woman, yelling like a madwoman, as if she had no decency and decorum to respect the hospital's silence sign. Everyone stared at her, making her feel embarrassed, and she blushed even more.

Vincent found the situation even funnier. Although accustomed to interacting with many people from various perspectives, he rarely found himself in a position of such power before someone. Nevertheless, he admired the woman's courage, even though he couldn't read her thoughts or skillfully manipulate her mind. As a demon, he could feel and interpret human emotions very well. He sensed fear, protectiveness, love for her husband, confusion, hope, and yet, she remained skeptical about it all.

"Lady, you're confusing things. I don't want anything..." he said in a polite tone, even though many people were shouting, his voice stood out in Helena's ears, but only she could hear him. "Wasn't it you who asked me to cure your husband with my magic?"

A loud snap of fingers was heard in the corridor, and all the people, except for Helena, fell unconscious, entering a deep sleep.

Vincent then walked closer to her. "It's nothing serious. I just gave them pleasant dreams," he said with a gentleman's smile and warmth, but also an edge of amusement in his eyes.

Helena looked at all the unconscious people with fear. "What did you do to them?"

Vincent smiled at her like a gentleman and said, "Nothing much, just gave them pleasant dreams. It would have consumed a lot of time if we had dealt with the scene you created with that scream. I'm a busy man, you know. So, tell me, don't you want a cure for your husband?"

Helena closed her eyes and thought only of how important the person in a coma was to her. A friend who supported her since childhood, her first love, then her boyfriend, and now her husband. The doctors couldn't find a solution for him and wanted to pull the plug on the life support. This could be her one last chance to save her husband, no matter the price to be paid.

Vincent noticed her breath calming down, and when she opened her eyes, a powerful determination glowed in her caramel-colored eyes. She had good qualities that could be useful for his plans. It was just one last test.

Helena looked at him again and replied, "Yes, please, cure him."

Vincent smiled, "Then let's go, don't make me waste more time."

She caught up with him in quick strides, avoiding the unconscious people, and the two of them headed for the emergency ward where her husband lay.

And to avoid interruptions, Vincent cast the same demonic ability on her, making her invisible along with him, so that she only appeared to him.

The room was shared, eight beds in a space just over seven square meters. The room was dark and gray, the absolute gray only contested by the orange lights and the white sheets and clothes, and a strong smell of medicinal compounds spread throughout the room, clearly indicating the kind of environment they were in—a medical hospital ward.

Vincent didn't pay much attention to the patients, just glancing superficially. He could see people bandaged on their torsos, another with an amputated limb, others looking faint. Helena's husband was an average man, brown hair, a small nose with strangely large ears.

Vincent used his accumulated Demonic Essence and analyzed the man, even understanding every single atom in him. Yes, he had become quite proficient at using raw energy.

Vincent spoke calmly to her, "Do you know the three aspects of being: body, soul, and mind?"

Helena pondered, but couldn't quite connect it to the problem. "Yes, I know about body, soul, and mind. Body and mind are intuitive, and the soul is a spiritual body that goes to heaven or hell after death, like the priests say in the mass, right?" she said with a puzzled expression.

"Yes, you're not far off. Although defining the soul merely as a spiritual body is not complete, as it is the individual representation of a being, the innermost and purest part of a person." Vincent then turned serious and explained the problem as it related to her husband: "His body shows few damages, but his mind is almost completely destroyed. The spirit can't connect with his mind in this state, so he won't wake up even if his body seems perfect."

She hardly let him finish and asked anxiously, "Can you cure him?"

"To be honest, the mind is a very tricky area to treat, and even magic wouldn't do much for your husband, but I am not a magician; I am a Demon!" Vincent was interrupted again.

Helena asked with a sad expression on her face, "So, not even magic can help?"

Vincent clicked his tongue slightly irritated by the interruption, "As I was saying, current magical methods would hardly be of help, but I am not a mere magician. I am a Demon!"

Her sad face lit up with hope, "Can you heal him then?"

"That depends on you. What are you willing to offer for his healing?" Vincent probed, but added, "I deal fairly, what can you offer?"

Helena thought about everything she owned and offered, "I offer all my riches, my family's jewelry, and even all properties, titles, and money if you can heal him."

"Laughs, Miss Helena, I have no interest in financial assets anyway. My abilities grant me abundant resources." He said calmly, guiding the conversation.

Helena pondered. It was true, he had extraordinary abilities, and wealth wouldn't serve him. He was a demon. She thought about it, remembering that demons accept sacrifices and rituals. "Could I offer an animal sacrifice in a ritual in your name?"

Vincent smiled again, "Bingo, that's a more useful proposal. Although the offering's price should be of equal value." He paused dramatically. "What I offer in this deal is a man's life, the recovery of your love, friendship, and the future he may live. What can you offer that is of equal value in the eyes of the demon and that is yours to sacrifice?"

She pondered what she heard from him, a sacrifice of equal value, what could she offer that was of equal value in the eyes of the demon and that was hers to sacrifice. She couldn't think of anything. "I have nothing that can pay that price."

With a charismatic smile, he said, "Yes, you do. You also have a future and a life, don't you?"

Helena felt her entire body shiver. This price had not crossed her mind, but then she looked at her husband lying in his bed, catatonic. Helena thought about the price of the sacrifice, would she be willing to sacrifice herself and her future to save her husband? As if to answer, a mental image of Jonathan's amused and affectionate smile came to her mind. She didn't need to think; of course, it would be worth the price. And a tear rolled down her right eye, and she said, "Alright, I'm willing to pay that price."

Vincent conjured his grimoire, and from it came a coin with his symbol, a butterfly resting on a perfect triangle. Then the coin turned into an old-looking parchment and was handed to Helena, along with a pen that had tips as sharp as a scalpel. "There's no need for a formal ritual for this. Just sign your name here with your own blood!" he said solemnly.

Helena read the contract as she held the blood pen with her other hand. It was written in a formal tone.

"I, Miss Helena Voyfrir, willingly offer my life and future to Volak Mez'roth, and I am aware that I am not being coerced in any way, and the decision is entirely mine. In fair exchange for my sacrifice, Volak Mez'roth will heal and ensure, through a blessing, that Helena Voyfrir's husband, Jonathan Voyfrir, lives a healthy life and a happy future until his natural death, and the failure to fulfill any clause will nullify the contract."

Vincent smiled, "Yes, the terms are fair! Satisfied or would you like to discuss any clause?"

Helena looked at him and said, "It's fine as it is." She pricked her finger with the sharp pen, the pen dipped its tip in blood, and then she signed her name on the contract.

When it was done, the contract turned back into a coin and flew to Helena's wrist, becoming a crest, marking her with the symbol of a butterfly resting on a perfect triangle. She immediately felt something change in her, something that connected her to the Demon in front of her, and her eyes moved to her husband, but she heard a message in her ear. "It is done. I'll see you again exactly one month from now. Enjoy this time with your husband."

When she looked back to where Vincent had been, he had already disappeared, leaving her momentarily desperate. "But what about Jonathan?"

But before that, she was surprised when she saw movement in her husband's bed. "Helena?" With a playful smile that showed great affection, a smile that she was in love with. "Jon, my love..." She smiled. She would make the most of the month with her husband. After all, it could be her last month with the love of her life.

A/N: I apologize for the sporadic and random updates, folks. It has been a challenge to find time to write or do anything else, but I want to assure you that I haven't given up on this project. I will continue to update whenever I find a little time. Thank you all for your attention, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.