Chapter 9 : A liar

"Huh?" Kai's voice echoed in the oppressive darkness as he groggily regained consciousness. His senses slowly returned, and he winced as a throbbing headache pulsed through his skull. Every movement felt like he was wading through a heavy, invisible fog.

As Kai struggled to rise to his feet, the silence around him was deafening. He could feel a cold, unseen presence enveloping him, chilling his skin despite the lack of tangible surroundings. Each step he took felt like treading on an abyss of uncertainty.

"Argh, my head..." His words were barely audible to his own ears as he touched his temple, trying to alleviate the persistent pain.

The realization that he was standing in an impenetrable void hit him with a sense of dread. There was no source of light, yet his vision had an eerie clarity, as though he had traded his sight for something otherworldly.

"Where the hell am I?" Kai mumbled to himself, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.

But then, out of the infinite void, a chilling voice emerged, sending shivers down his spine. The words slithered through the emptiness, echoing ominously.

"Seems like you are awake."

As if materializing from thin air, the shadow responsible for this unsettling encounter reared its head. Its presence radiated a palpable darkness, and its blood-red eyes glowed in the eerie darkness . Kai was paralyzed, his heart pounding in his chest, as he locked eyes with the being in front of him.

Suddenly appearing out of nowhere, the shadow responsible reared it's head,  Its blood-red eyes stared directly at Kai, exuding an intense presence

The shadow's voice was a chilling whisper, echoing in the infinite void.

"Why don't we have a talk"

******

After the shadow's abrupt escape with Kai, a stunned silence lingered in the assessment room of The Order's headquarters. Dr. Donovan, Director Jacobs, and the team of scientists were left in disbelief, their expressions mirroring the shock that had just unfolded.

Director Jacobs, whose composure had been unwavering throughout the confrontation with the shadow, now displayed a flicker of concern in his eyes. He stepped forward and addressed the team with a sense of urgency.

"We need to trace that energy signature, now!" he demanded, his tone leaving no room for hesitation.

The scientists quickly initiated their equipment, attempting to locate Kai's curse energy. However, as the seconds passed, they exchanged perplexed glances.

"The curse energy levels.... they're gone," one scientist reported, his voice trembling with astonishment.

Director Jacobs's brow furrowed in consternation. "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

"The energy levels have completely dissipated," Dr. Donovan added, her sharp eyes studying the readouts. "There's no trace of them. It is technically impossible for someone to completely erase their energy signature for both Gifted and cursed"

The scientists in the room exchanged worried glances, aware that what they were witnessing defied the laws of their understanding.

Dr. Donovan continued, her tone laced with unease, "It's as if he was no longer on Earth."

Director Jacobs, usually a man of resolute composure, felt a surge of concern ripple through him. He paused briefly, contemplating the unprecedented situation they found themselves in. Then, with a decisive tone, he gave his next order.

"Get me through to Lilith... now."

The urgency in his voice left no room for delay, and the team quickly went to work, establishing communication with Lilith,

The Order's number 2 ranked agent

*******

This was the second time Kai had stood face to face with the shadow, the source of his constant of terror but also his savior once upon a time had just spoken to him

So many thoughts and questions but the words he finally uttered were:

"Who are you?"

The shadow who had been motionless from the beginning began to stare upwards as if lost in thought

"My name... The name I was known by when I yet lived.... Was Azrael Immortalia"

Hearing that name, Kai froze, his eyes wide with recognition. It was a name that resonated through history, a name that had filled countless fairy tales and folklore—a legendary figure. The first-ever cursed awakened: Azrael Immortalia. The weight of the name and its historical significance hung heavy in the air, casting an eerie atmosphere over the dark expanse in which they stood.

Kai's mind raced as he grappled with the revelation of who he was standing before. Azrael Immortalia—a name so ancient, it felt like a mirage. The notion that someone regarded as a deity had appeared before him shook the foundations of reality.

"That... That can't be..."

Kai's words stumbled out, each one tinged with disbelief, confusion, and perhaps a hint of fear.

"I really must be losing my mind..."

As Kai processed the surreal circumstances, he suddenly grasped the situation's urgency.

"Where are we? Are we still back at the Order?"

Azrael, now revealed to be the shadow, slowly shook his head.

"What?! I can't just leave! They still have Minny!"

Panic gripped Kai as he contemplated how he could return to the Order, he didn't want them to think he escaped, as long as she was them he had to go back

"How can I..."

Azrael interrupted him with a cryptic statement, leaving Kai stunned and silenced. "A question has been answered; answer a question in turn."

Kai couldn't retort; he was in no position to challenge the enigmatic being. He had no choice but to comply.

"Fine... Go ahead," he responded with a resigned tone.

The shadow leaned in closer to Kai, its blood-red eyes locked onto his.

"Why do you want power?" it inquired, its voice carrying an eerie weight.

"Huh?"

" Power, you seek it, why? "

Kai was caught off guard by the question, but he understood that a truthful answer might be his key to escape.

"The sooner I answer him the sooner I get out of here"

Kai thought

"You were there, weren't you, that night... the night I lost everything... The reason I want power is to never let something like that ever happen again," Kai replied, his voice filled with the resolute determination he had carried since that tragic night.

" Especially now that I have Minny" he added mentally.

"You lie"

The shadow calmly spoke

Kai felt a surge of frustration as the shadow challenged his response.

"What's that supposed to mean? How would you know if I'm lying or not?" Kai protested.

"Try again," Azrael calmly repeated, its eyes locked onto Kai's, demanding the truth.

Kai understood that he needed to be more candid and reveal the deeper reasons behind his desire for power, no matter how vulnerable it made him feel. He took a deep breath and spoke with honesty, "I want power because I'm scared. Scared of losing everything and everyone I care about. I want to protect them, I don't ever want to feel helpless again."

"You lie"

Azrael's voice rang out again

"Try again"

Frustration growing within him, Kai continued to offer earnest responses, each time revealing more of his innermost fears and desires. However, with every reply, Azrael's response remained unchanging.

"You lie."

Kai was growing increasingly exasperated and disheartened,  feeling like he couldn't satisfy Azrael's demands no matter how honestly he expressed his intentions.

Kai was on the brink of frustration as he couldn't comprehend what more he could possibly reveal. "What more do you want me to say?" he pleaded, feeling a sense of helplessness. "I've told you everything.

"Not everything,"

Azrael retorted. Kai's voice held a mixture of confusion and desperation as he inquired, "How would you even know that?"

After a brief pause, the shadow responded, "I died a long time ago, and yet here I am. All because of you, ever since that night, my soul has been bound to yours. You have become a prison for me."

Kai, sensing a hint of malice in Azrael's words, unconsciously started to step back, the unease growing within him.

"I began to wonder about what made you so special," Azrael continued, "since my soul is bound to yours, I have access to your memories." As he walked towards Kai, the young man involuntarily stepped back, his fear evident.

"Thoughts, feelings, everything," Azrael elaborated. "That is why."

Overwhelmed by fear, Kai tripped over his legs and fell to the ground. The shadow seized Kai by the hair and stared into his eyes with an intensity that sent shivers down Kai's spine.

"I can say with utmost certainty that you are... a liar," Azrael declared, his voice chilling.

Azrael's words cut deep into Kai's soul, and he pleaded for them to stop.

"You didn't care about the other orphans," Azrael continued, unrelenting. "You hated the fact that you had to share that Agatha woman with them."

Kai muttered, "Stop."

But Azrael pressed on, "Seeing them all dead, you were almost... happy, but you hated the fact that it filled you with joy."

"Stop, please," Kai muttered again.

"The only despair you faced was seeing the corpse of the only person you actually care about, or should I say your emotional anchor."

Kai's eyes welled up with tears, unable to hold back the overwhelming emotions stirred by Azrael's words.

"Luckily you found a new anchor in the form of that little girl," Azrael continued, his tone taking on a more sinister note, "the final string that holds your humanity."

"STOP IT!!!!!!"

"Enough, please."

"I will ask you one last time," Azrael finally let go of Kai.

"Why do you want really want power?" He began to emit his powerful aura, shaking the entire boundless dark space.

Kai went quiet and slowly began to look up at Azrael's imposing figure.

"I want power because... Power is everything"