APOKALÝPTO

Malron avoided Kieran and Mrs. Guasch, claiming he needed to rest until he finally pretended to sleep in the bedroom. In fact, Malron began to sense that Kieran was growing suspicious. The young man's demeanor remained calm, but his gaze was always intense on Malron.

Actually, Malron was fearless of Kieran. But because of Ugluk's words, especially Seraphine's, they had begun to influence Malron. 

To the demon, Kieran was suspected of being a vessel for both angels and demons, born in a human body. What kind of being was that? Malron wondered. Even mutants had their origins.

As midnight approached, Malron decided to sneak out. Kieran was asleep in another room, no doubt already fast asleep, as was Mrs. Guasch. The demon aimed to get to the half-ruined home of Kieran's aunt and uncle.

In the darkness of the night, Malron crossed the police line, his steps completely silent. As Malron stepped onto the porch, he could smell the stench of demons. Malron's suspicions wouldn't be far off as he caught a faint whiff of the foul odor that still lingered around the rubble of the building.

"Not an average demon, but still below my level," Malron muttered.

As Malron entered the house, he noticed that the perpetrator of the arson had deliberately cleared their aura quickly. Clever, but still sloppy.

Malron's hand touched the blackened floor. If it was a technical error, like an electrical short, the burnt color would usually be darker near the source of the fire. So the floor shouldn't be so uniformly blackened.

Instead, the fire originated on the floor's surface or was being fed from there.

Something caught Malron's attention, and he examined the floor more closely. He noticed faint incantation lines were still etched into the center of the room, albeit faintly.

"Hm... intriguing," Malron murmured again.

Malron began to speculate: Could Kieran's aunt and uncle be members of a demon-worshipping cult? They might have been performing a demon-summoning ritual. 

But if that were the case, it wouldn't make sense for the demon they summoned to turn on them. That was different from the way the rules were written.

Malron's palm opened, and he whispered, "Apokalýpto..."

It was a chant to 'reveal' the events before the fire. The demon hoped there might still be remnants of the event that hadn't been completely destroyed. 

Once all the energy dissipated, seeing them again would take decades. That's where metaphysical energy gathered, capable of showing past events, even if only in fragments.

Memories flashed like a movie, though somewhat blurred. Malron saw flames everywhere, Kieran's aunt and uncle in the middle of the room. 

Both were kneeling, their hands and feet bound. Figures in black robes surrounded them, and then something, a demon to be exact, approached Kieran's uncle and aunt. Its shape could have been more precise because it was shrouded in flame, and...

It vanished.

That was all Malron could see. Indeed, the memories had been deliberately erased.

"This is really strange," Malron cursed in frustration.

"What's strange?"

Malron jumped at Kieran's voice from behind him. 

What annoyed Malron even more was that, as a demon, he couldn't sense Kieran's presence when he came, when he went, or even when the young man took a leak.

"Nothing," Malron replied casually.

Fortunately, Malron was a demon, so he wasn't particularly startled.

"What are you doing here, sir?" Kieran asked.

Malron turned to face Kieran. The young man was standing in the doorway.

Was it true that Kieran had the aura of both an angel and a demon? Or did he come from a lineage like the Assassins? Malron felt slightly uncomfortable with Kieran's piercing gaze.

"Why? Do you suspect me?" Malron countered.

Kieran shook his head. "No, sir."

"Then why are you looking at me like that? Staring at me with suspicion."

"Sorry, sir... but it's very dark in here. And I can't see a thing," Kieran replied honestly.

Malron swallowed his saliva. "Oh, okay."

"Aren't you going to answer my question, sir? What are you doing here?" 

Kieran repeated.

"I'm just investigating something."

"What are you investigating?"

"Kieran, go to bed!" Malron snapped.

Kieran was silent, not arguing. He turned his body but then turned back to face Malron. This time, Kieran's breathing sounded faster.

"Who are you really?" Kieran asked.

"I am who I am."

"Sir..."

"Don't 'sir' me. My name is Malron. And to you, it is Lord."

Kieran's eyebrows furrowed. "Lord Malron?"

"Didn't I tell you my name?"

"Yes, I apologize... but you spoke in a language I did not understand."

"Ah, it is an uncommon language," Malron replied.

In truth, it was an ancient language that should never have existed, forbidden to be used because it was too dangerous. The language of the demon clans, barely translated by humans, is used for dark pacts.

"Where I come from, they call me Lord," Malron interjected casually.

Kieran nodded. "My goodness, I never expected to meet someone of noble lineage. My apologies, Lord."

My trident, where is my trident? Can't I just stab this boy and drag him to hell? Malron's inner frustration boiled over. Kieran's innocence really left Malron at a loss.

"Um, yes... your apology is accepted," Malron replied awkwardly.

"In that case, I'll go back to sleep, my Lord. As for the contents of the box my aunt gave me, we'll discuss it tomorrow."

"Sure," Malron nodded. He looked briefly at Kieran. "So, have you seen what's inside?"

"Yes."

"What? Wills? Debt letters? Mortgages, insurance?"

"A key and a piece of a photograph."

"You must be joking."

"No, sir... I mean, Lord. Although I don't understand what my aunt meant," Kieran replied. He sighed softly. "The photo is of a house with an address on the back. I think the key might be to that house."

Malron stood and approached Kieran, who was still standing at the door. With half force, Malron pushed Kieran's body away so they could leave the scene.

"And then?" asked Malron.

"And then what?"

"What is the address of this house?"

"Pennsylvania, Lord."

They walked side by side to Mrs. Guasch's house without continuing the conversation. Malron felt that Kieran's life, which he had initially thought very ordinary, apparently not. 

Could this be a new clue? Thought the demon.

"Do you think we should go to Pennsylvania?" Malron asked.

Kieran shook his head. "I don't know, Lord. I don't have any money, let alone for my aunt and uncle's funeral. Maybe I should take care of everything before I decide where to go."

"Hm... you're right."

As they were about to enter Mrs. Guasch's yard, a system suddenly appeared in Malron's vision.

[Second Quest: Take Your Master Away]

Malron stopped in his tracks. "What does that mean?"