The Devil Smiled Upon Dozahr (2)

Dozahr's eyes bulged, staring at the familiar face in front of him in disbelief. His heart pounded erratically and even his breath felt impeded in his throat. Despite his drenched body upon the wet soil, Dozahr didn't feel the least bit cold but the sight of his dead brother successfully sent shivers down his spine.

His pale blue lips trembled as the words fought to get out of him. But, before he could get the chance, 'Valkyrie' grabbed onto his neck uncaringly. His grip tightened as he lifted Dozahr off the ground.

Thunderous lightning bolts zapped across the rainy sky. The blinding light flashed upon the academy ground, highlighting Valkyrie's handsome countenance and for a split second, Dozahr thought he saw a rather uncanny violet hue in those silver eyes. But, he couldn't really think clearly anymore since 'Valkyrie' was blatantly strangling him.

"Awh…" 'Valkyrie' sighed in pity as his face turned downcast, looking at the weak pitiful brother under his mercy. "Aren't you one of the greatest mages in Zarronium, Brother?"

However, his question went unanswered as Dozahr struggled to free himself. Both of his battered hands had clasped onto 'Valkyrie' ten fingers, trying to peel them off to no avail. He even imbued magic to fight 'Valkyrie' strength but the hand bound on his neck didn't even flinch.

"Tsk, tsk...now, now, don't disappoint me, Brother. Is this all you got? After all those years and still no improvement?" 'Valkyrie' shook his head in dismay at the lack of progress in his 'brother' strength. Thereafter, he let out an unbridled chortle and it couldn't sound any more derisive as he stared down at the half-dead Dozahr in his hand.

"That's why you can only be second forever."

Thump!

That sentence alone seized Dozahr's struggle altogether. His head went blank and all of those old memories resurfaced, gnawing at the corner of his heart, taking small pieces at a time. Dozahr thought he was already numb to all of these. His days in the prison and after a century, everything seemed to evaporate leaving nothing but numbness. Yet, to his surprise, just one ridicule from 'Valkyrie' could tear back his old scar.

With that, rage slowly boiled within him. Pain only fueled his madness and the more anger he felt, the clearer his head became. All of the sudden, every single spell that seemed to have escaped his memory returned in a big wave.

Slowly, his thin lanky hand raised at 'Valkyrie' who only raised an eyebrow in response. Dozahr's face split into a smile.

"In..vo..cite.." he whispered. His voice was barely audible.

This made 'Valkyrie' brows scrunched up as he tried to decipher Dozahr's words. He scoffed, "Don't bother fighting, Brother," he emphasized the word brother mockingly, "Just die!"

But, Dozahr continued his struggle and as he spoke the last word, the smile of his face became more prominent.

"Juve...neum."

The moment he finished the spell, the surroundings seemed to stagnate. 'Valkyrie' sensed the sudden change, however before he could figure out what was happening, he sensed an enormous wave of mana accumulating from above him.

He quickly looked up only to be greeted by a terrifying sight of dozens upon dozens of lightning bolts congregating towards one center point where a seemingly black hole bore through the sky.

The lightning continued to pool into the hole before a white magic crest emerged and all of the sudden, everything seemed to stagnate. That was when everyone in the academy and its surroundings heard a loud BOOM!

A powerful force of lightning struck down from the black hole in the sky, smashing the magic crest, and darted towards 'Valkyrie' at full speed.

Facing the searing force that threatened to decimate everything in its way, 'Valkyrie' immediately loosened his grip on Dozahr and a powerful black aura, thick with dead mana, flared out of his body in raging fury.

As if having a life of its own, the black aura coalesced into a giant sphere to protect its master. Once completed, two dense waves of black aura swirled out of the top layer of the sphere and converged into a whirlpool that rapidly grew into a massive vortex before shooting up to meet the incoming monstrous lightning.

Two opposite forces clashed midair with a loud BANG!

The impact of these two powerful forces kicked up a strong gust of wind that sent the surroundings in turmoil. From grass to pebbles, they were all sent flying out of the field and the wave upon wave of mana swirled madly in battle, smashing the standing pillars upholding the outdoor hallway into debris.

The black aura had welcomed the thunderous lightning with open arms as it swallowed the blinding force into the eye of the vortex. Soon, Dozahr who was lying on the ground, drained of mana, looked up in glee ready to witness his victory when all of the sudden, he froze.

His eyes widened at the sight of his lightning force being devoured by the giant whirlpool. He saw how his powerful spell went through the black vortex in the center and was pulverized back to mana particles which were then absorbed by the black aura.

In short, his own magic had become a nutrition to the mysterious dark aura which now grew even more dreadful than it had been a few minutes ago. The giant whirlpool shot up eagerly and soon covered the sky above Dozahr.

Meanwhile, the old man looked at all of these in a state of terror. His lips trembled as he muttered incoherently, "I,Impossible…. im...possible... n,no...no way."

He kept repeating those words while shaking his head. Then, after the black aura finished off his lightning force, it dispersed into different directions and disappeared completely, releasing its master from its protection.

A sinister grin split her black-stained face as she took a leisure walk, one step at a time, towards the old man. With her father's illusion now stripped off of her, Kalliope's eye-catching hair glistened under the rain and her laced violet gown clung onto her body, revealing the slender curve of her waist.

Even as Kalliope was bathed in dead mana, she remained svelte and sophisticated, presenting every bit of noble blood in her vein through her presence.

On the other hand, Dozahr's appearance was a wreck through and through, looking every bit like a beggar on the verge of death. He kept dragging his body backwards to draw a distance from the approaching Kalliope. But, what was destined to come will come.

"Stop!" Dozahr shouted aloud. He pointed at Kalliope and nervously ordered, "Don't move!"

However, Kalliope inched closer and closer with a smile that grew wider and wider on her lips.

"I said stop! Don't come near me!" Dozahr threatened as he tried to conjure a spell. But, his current depleted mana couldn't even create a magic crest. Thus, he flailed his hand like a mad man.

Then, to his surprise, Kalliope suddenly stopped ten steps away from him. Her hands behind her back. She stood smiling from ear to ear and spoke with mirth dancing in her voice the next moment.

"It's okay, Uncle," she flashed a toothy grin, "Kalliope will just wait here and watch like uncle wished for it."

Her sudden obedience shocked Dozahr to silence. He stared at Kalliope full of distrust but remained petrified on his spot. "W, What are you--"

His sentence was cut short as he saw Kalliope raise one hand at him and a monstrous mouth made from blobs of flesh and strings of blood tore out of her arm. Its row of sharp predatory teeth were humongous just like the size of its entire mouth. Drops of saliva slid down its visible gum along with small blobs of blood.

Dozahr's brain didn't manage to react for a while. And the next thing he saw was the disgusting inner part of the monstrous creature as it slammed shut on him. Its teeth tore apart Dozahr's body down to his bones.

"ARRGRGGGHHHHHH!!!!"

A blood-curdling cry rang through the pouring rain along with the sound of munching.

"CRUNCH!! CRUNCH!! CRUNCH!"

It was a gruesome feast, yes…but truly a delightful and satisfying meal to the Gozurak. Slowly, the strings of blood and flesh detached themselves from Kalliope's arm as they plopped onto the wet ground. The terrifying creature melted along with the rain into lumps upon lumps of meat while it continued to munch on the delicious mortal.

Thereafter, the pile of blobs dragged themselves towards one another and stuck together to create a towering mass of flesh that gradually took the shape of a man. It started with his porcelain skin and then, his strapping figure before a long lustrous silvery hair fell upon his toned sexy back.

As he turned around, his naked body was in full view. Strong abs and a divine Apollo belt that ran from his iliac crest down to Hell's blessing.

Blood trickled down the side of his thin wet lips and the man slowly licked it clean. Kalliope blinked at his action as she stared speechlessly upon that countenance which made onlookers wish to commit sinful deeds.

When he saw her blatant stare, his lips curled ever so seductively. Still naked, he walked confidently towards Kalliope. His big hand clasped onto her chin as he lifted her to look at him, while his other hand circled around her waist.

He enclosed her in his arms as his magnetic voice resonated unhurriedly, "When a demon aristocrat becomes a Count, they can easily mask their true form."

Then, his smile grew wider. He drew closer to her until there was only three centimeters left between their lips.

"Do you like mine, My Lady?"

The corner of Kalliope's mouth twitched upon his question. She tried to push him back to no avail. So, she begrudgingly turned her head away from him. However, the devil just took this chance and nipped on her ear. Kalliope immediately flinched and turned to stare back at him.

He grinned. "Don't be shy, My Lady. I'm all yours, so we should get used to each other."

"W, Wha--"

But, the devil didn't care about her protest and only snuggled her deeper. "Now, give me a name."