[53.1] Trapped and Exposed

[Authors note: this part of the chapter isn't from anyone's perspective.]

Inside the newly constructed barrier made to be a trap, Zephyr suddenly let out a shout, "I'm blind! I've been blinded by the light!"

Cyrus casually pulled off the newspaper that was covering Zephyr's face with a scowl. However, his scowl was immediately swapped for an expression of extreme shock at the sight of Zephyr's face.

"Oh." Zephyr rubbed his face but seeing Cyrus's wide eyes, he paused, "What is it?"

Cyrus pointed to his forehead, "Your… Your horn."

It was now his turn to be shocked as he felt his forehead quickly. Feeling the exposed horn and the other broken one, he immediately panicked. "What is going on?!"

Cyrus forced himself to look away from Zephyr and focus on the barrier, "That's what I want to know. This isn't an illusion."

Zephyr turned around to the barrier and sprinted. He collided and bounced off, landing face down on the ground at Cyrus's feet. He raised his head, sobbing as blood streamed down his face, "HURTS!"

Cyrus let out a sigh and bent down to use his handkerchief on Zephyr's nose to stop the bleeding, "It's not a normal barrier. You can't escape."

Seeing the wound not heal immediately, Zephyr sniffled. "They made it with Holy magic."

Cyrus pursed his lips, thinking to himself.

However, Zephyr was the one who noticed something missing, "Wait. Where's Reika?"

Cyrus immediately stood upright, his body tense. His eyes darted around, "She's not here-"

His eyes stopped when he noticed someone in the shadows.

He pulled out his sword and pointed at the hidden individual, "Reveal yourself."

Bright orange eyes peered through the shadows almost mockingly. Tauntily slow, he stepped out, grinning ear to ear. He was so nonchalant, he didn't even give his sword a glance.

Moni spoke in a deep voice, "Hello."

Cyrus glared, "What did you do to Reika!?"

Zephyr scrambled to his feet and stood behind Cyrus while still holding his bloody nose.

"I didn't do a thing." Moni let out a fake sigh of disappointment, "Why are you accusing me?"

Cyrus glared fiercely, "Then why are we in here and she's not?"

Moni laughed in a dark tone, "It's a trap to contain demons. Anyone who isn't a demon is ejected."

Cyrus glared at him, "But I'm not a demon!"

Moni smirked, "No, but you have demonic blood. This trap isn't smart enough to distinguish between the two."

Cyrus continued to point his sword threateningly, "What's the point of trapping us in here!?"

Moni leaned against the barrier with an arrogant smirk. His skin was sizzling from the contact but he didn't pay it any mind. He responded casually, "I didn't do this."

"Then who did!?"

"That would be your lovely uncle."

Cyrus was taken aback for a moment, "Why would he ever do that?"

"I assume he wanted to reveal who was a demon and who wasn't." He nodded to the side, "Like him for example."

Cyrus followed his gaze and immediately froze wide-eyed.

Caldwell was visibly panicking trying to break down the barrier. Hearing he was outed, he spun around in a panic to face Cyrus.

Two large horns protruding from his forehead and his bright vibrant yellow eyes allowed no confusion as to what he was.

-A demon.

Cyrus took a step away, "Y-You…."

"Young Master!" He shrieked in a panic, "I can explain!"

Zephyr suddenly jumped in front with a shriek, "DEMON!"

Caldwell immediately looked irritated and glared, "You are one too, so stop shouting!"

Zephyr snickered proudly, "Yeah, but he actually knew. Judging by this brat's reaction, I assume you never told him about your identity?"

Caldwell flushed in shame as Cyrus still couldn't comprehend the man in front of him wasn't who he had thought. Zephyr looked between the two, shocked by his own assumption being correct. He let out a gasp. "OH-MY-GODS! You actually kept it a secret from him his entire life?!"

Caldwell ignored him and dropped to his knees to beg at Cyrus's feet, "Young Master! I wasn't deliberately hiding from you, I just-"

Cyrus pressed his lips together as numerous thoughts clouded his judgment. However, he didn't voice nor give away any thought that was rushing through his mind. His silence only caused more tension to build.

Zephyr sensed something was wrong and stood in front of Cyrus protectively. He puffed out his chest, "Do you have no shame!? Stop trying to act like it's not a big deal! He gave you his complete trust to you and this is what you do with it?! You lie to him for his entire life!?"

Caldwell turned furious as he glared at Zephyr, "Shut up demon spawn! Mind your own business!"

"Demon spawn!?" Zephyr picked up a handful of dirt and chucked it at Caldwell, "I have every right to be in his business!!"

Caldwell let out a scream as his pristine clothes were ruined by the thrown dirt. Spitefully, he picked up a handful of dirt and threw it back with all his strength, "Who gave you permission!?!"

What ensued was a battle of literal dirt-throwing.

Moni laughed heartily, "Haha! This is far more entertaining than I thought it'd be!"

Zephyr screamed back, "He's my son! I don't need permission!!!"

"Huh?" Caldwell froze and was hit by a face full of dirt. He shook it off, "You are not! I knew his father!"

"Did not!"

"He was my brother!!!"

Now it was Zephyr's turn to pause, "Wait. He was a demon!?"

Zephyr was promptly hit by another face of dirt.

Caldwell mocked him, "No, you idiot! He was human!"

Zephyr mocked back, "That's impossible!"

"He was adopted!"

Zephyr was startled then shook it off, "No way! A**hole demons like you wouldn't adopt humans!"

Caldwell let out a primal scream and pounced to attack. Soon, the fox and owl were rolling in the dirty alley. Caldwell shoved Zephyr's face into the dirt, but Zephyr grabbed a handful of dirt and rubbed it into Caldwell's face.

Caldwell let out a pained scream, "YOU GOT IT IN MY EYE!"

Zephyr shrieked back, "IT'S GOING IN YOUR A** NEXT!"

"ONLY GONZA IS ALLOWED ACCESS!"

"WHAT THE F*CK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?"

Moni tilted his head with a smirk, "Are you all forgetting I'm here?"

Cyrus's expression was dark as the battle between two demons and their dirt-throwing raged on.

At this point in time, he could care less about the demon he had been targeted by in the past. Right now he could only go through his memories trying to figure out which memories were real and which ones were just lies.

He gripped his sword as anger flooded his veins.

Moni casually glanced at Cyrus. His orange eyes peered through Cyrus's exterior and saw a raging current of poison crawling from the curse mark toward his heart. The ghastly color was ominous as the resentment festered in his body.

For a brief moment, Moni's smile faltered.

He muttered under his breath, "It's going to spread faster if you let it."

Cyrus gave him one look before turning his back. He swung his sword against the barrier, causing a burning white light to explode from his sword.