image [https://img.wattpad.com/071d383612e53f9e505ea8abafc212b809d71267/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f7966436a5674775f3542426470673d3d2d313439383636353736382e313830623930373835356264666265303532363239333235393236322e706e67]

Nefarious examines the documents that Spero collected from the demon’s cave.

Darius passes by and hands him a flask. “What is this for?”

“I need to examine the biology of this organic material Spero collected,” Nefarious responds.

Darius scans a page of the journal and sees sketches of demonic symbols.

“Should we be delving into these kinds of things? If the people found out about this-“

“Do not worry, my student. This information is to be kept solely between the prince and us,” Nefarious reassures him.

“I never expected Spero actually to face a daeva, I thought he was more careful than that.”

“Even the wise can be fooled by curiosity.” Nefarious mixes some translucent orange liquid into the flask as he sprinkles pieces of dried flesh.

“Do you wonder why they have an interest in him?”

Nefarious halts his experiment and turns to Darius. “His powers are unique, his vita energy is unlike anything I’ve sensed, his mana is delicate yet complex, and his aura leaks malice.”

“So, they just want his powers?”

“It’s far more complicated than that. They wish to turn him. Daevas wouldn’t waste their time. If they wanted his energy they would have killed him by now.”

Darius gets a serious look and his mind races. “Lately I have noticed Spero to be a bit more distant. I haven’t trained with him for a while now and he’s been using his powers more often.”

“Keep an eye on him, the more you observe, the better you will understand the situation. This applies to magic and those you surround yourself with.”

Darius catches the tension in Nefarious’s voice and heeds his words but brushes off the creeping paranoia that threatens to cloud his judgment. As they delve deeper into the cryptic files, he gathers some more items for the sorcerer.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

**********

Spero lies on the bed, taking a sip of water and closing his eyes. When he opens them again, he is standing in a dark corridor. With each step he takes forward, the walls crack and the floor crumbles behind him. The surroundings shatter, leaving only a dark void in its wake.

A voice, familiar, calls out to him. "Spero, your survival is impressive. You prove yourself more and more with each challenge you face."

Spero turns around, trying to locate the source of the voice. “You’ve learned about my secret. The cup, yes the cup is what I seek.”

Spero speaks, “What do you want with that chalice?”

“Ah, it is not for me, it is for a far greater being. We will finally stop the Yazatas and destroy those pesky gods.”

“Then go do it, leave me out of this.”

“Tisk tisk tisk, oh Spero, you do not realize. Your power is far too important for this plan.”

“Why? What’s so great that you must constantly annoy me?”

Suddenly, cracks begin forming in the void, and dark blue energy seeps through them.

“You have a power that our demons do not possess. Ahriman needs it. So close you are to him, so similar.”

“I am nothing like you daevas.”

The cracks grow stronger. “You hate the gods as much as we do, you have a sinister within that you can’t hold back for much longer, you yearn for power!”

His fists clench as he activates his Chaos eyes.

“Yes, those are the precious jewels we search for” the demon god speaks.

As the cracks spread around him, visions start peering into his mind. Images of fire, blood, and destruction, as a shadow reaches out for him.

Spero unleashes a blast of energy. “Who the fuck are you?!”

The cracks fade away, plunging Spero into an abyss of darkness. From the depths emerges a pair of piercing dark blue eyes, gazing intently at him. Strands of inky black hair reach out like grasping vines, ensnaring Spero's limbs, while a gaping maw splits open with tusk-like fangs inching menacingly closer to his face. A sense of dread, akin to his harrowing encounter with the Nephilim, sends involuntary shivers down his spine.

image [https://img.wattpad.com/7a746d3fdbde6b3fbf476404911caaab79d54186/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f615f77646b3050752d52313162673d3d2d313439383636353736382e313830623932306338356333353633613130393937333636323836312e706e67]

“I am, Aka Manah.”

Spero’s once-flushed skin turns an ashen hue.

Demon God of the Mind

Spero fights frantically against the encroaching god, straining to free himself from the suffocating hold of the demonic force. A surge of raw energy surrounds him as he wrenches and twists, each strand of hair tearing away with agonizing slowness. The Demon engulfs Spero in its mouth, engulfing him whole. Spero's consciousness flickers back to life, he finds himself jolting awake in a cold sweat, his heart thundering in his chest. Gasping for breath, he surveys his surroundings, the sights of the infirmary grounding him back to reality. With a sigh of relief, he sinks back onto the bed, the remnants of his nightmarish torment still vivid in his mind.