The days that passed when Cadell left his master were filled with gruesome murders. Earl Gideon was preparing diligently, killing people with the slightest misdemeanor. He didn’t show any mercy, and those days were the most horrible times not only for the unlawfuls, but also for the citizens of the town.
The people were distraught. They didn’t understand why the Earl became rabid, and thirsty for the blood of miscreants. What they knew however, is that doing something heinous in those times, will lead to their demise.
Such is the power of mages among the people. Although every people that ever existed since Lucien had mana vessel in their bodies, the things they needed to learn were not taught to them. Only nobles were taught, and those that were trusted by the said nobles. As for the majority, the regular people, all they can do is attempt to gain magic. Such task was so difficult to do. Being successful in learning magic through one’s own effort was almost impossible.
Cleron’s nights of vicious killings continued for days. The Earl didn’t realize what he did to his own people. But, just as sudden as the killings occurred, the Earl suddenly stopped his cruel deeds. It made the people anxious, thinking it was something akin to the calm weather preceding a violent storm. But three days passed, and not a single soul stained the hands of the powerful lord of the land.
The Earl didn’t even get out of his castle. He only commanded his guards to not let anyone enter his castle. The guards followed his commands, secretly delighted that the Earl calmed down in his violent acts. What the people of Cleron didn’t know however, was the perilous objective that made the Earl to act like a vicious vigilante seeking for order.
Inside the great hall of the castle, piles of burned corpses were scattered around. At the center of the great hall, the bodies reduced into dusts. The red-eyed demon consumed even the littlest darkness in the bodies’ souls. The demon steadily grew in power in the days that the Earl offer him more bodies. It will not take long before he gains his physicality.
From the doors of the great hall, Earl Gideon was standing looking at the demon, along with Osbert who was laying down beside it. He was waiting, impatient that even with all the darkness that the demon consumed, Talzer was somehow still incomplete. He was clenching his fist while looking at Talzer, who was savoring all the time he had provoking the Earl.
The resentment was evident in the Earl’s eyes. He was waiting to destroy the demon completely once it gained the physical body it needs. He wanted that it was his own hands, the hands that will destroy the repulsive demon that ruined his life.
“Are you enjoying this?”, Talzer asked.
The Earl didn’t say a word, making the demon smile. Soon, the great hall became empty, save for the Earl, Talzer and Osbert, and the last burned body that the red-eyed demon will consume.
“Is that enough? Will you regain your body now?”, the Earl asked. He was with an air of frigid animosity, which amused the deranged demon.
“Now I wonder..”
The red-eyed demon consumed the darkness in the last body. The pitiful victim of the Earl turned into dust. Only the Earl and the demons were left. There’s a brief moment of silence. The red-eyed demon opened his mouth.
[Red Class: Talzer]
The wind became so still. The Earl felt the unnatural phenomenon. By then, he knew he succeeded.
[Form of Darkness]
The wind blew towards the red-eyed demon. The darkness spiraled in him, the great hall became engulfed in his darkness. The Earl stood firm while he was being hurled towards the demon. With a horrendous rumble, the castle started to form cracks within its surface.
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Kael and Elalios were able to evade all the remaining guards chasing after them. They were optimistic that they could still reach the Earl before the red-eyed demon became complete. But then, they heard the terrible echo of rocks colliding. They saw the castle splitting to pieces, degraded by the darkness emanating from the formed cracks. They stopped running, as the horrific realization hit them.
“We’re.. we’re too late..”, Elalios uttered.
Kael looked at the once mighty fortress, recalling the memories he had inside it. It looks like a structure that will never be destroyed, but the power of darkness corrupted it, disrespecting the greatness it had before. He couldn’t believe that he was witnessing the rise of another demon, a malevolent being that he thought he eliminated in his past life. His work isn’t over yet.
“Kael, look!”
Elalios called for Kael’s attention. He was pointing at the Earl, who was exiting the crumbling castle. Kael and Elalios went to the Earl.
“My lord”, Elalios bowed.
The Earl didn’t hear Elalios, as he was shocked to see Kael in his castle, reachable by the demon.
“Why?”, the Earl pleaded, regretting what he did. “Elalios, I thought I gave you my command?”
“Forgive me”
“Get Kael, go far away from here”
Elalios looked at Kael. He knew that the child will not do what the Earl commanded. He was conflicted, not knowing what to do.
“Elalios!”, the Earl roared.
But before Elalios held Kael, the loud rumbling of the collapsing castle interrupted them.
“Protect him”, the Earl requested. He was looking at Elalios without the face of a master. Seeing the Earl’s eyes, Elalios felt pity towards him.
[Dark Force]
[Great Shield]
A dark orb exploded as it hit the Earl’s magic barrier. On the ruins of the castle, after all the dusts settled, Talzer stood in his physical form. Kael looked at the red-eyed demon still in disbelief.
“Gi–”
[Full Boost]
Earl Gideon didn’t let Talzer speak. In an instant, he was in front of the demon. He punched it with such power that the demon broke through the stone walls of the castle. He returned to Elalios and Kael.
“I will kill that demon. Go somewhere safe”, Earl Gideon said.
“You’re too quick to act, Gideon”
The Earl quickly looked behind, and he saw Talzer standing again on top of the castle ruins.
Talzer was smiling. “Let me th–”, Talzer paused after seeing Kael.
‘Why is he here?’, the demon thought, but he concealed his worry from the humans’ eyes.
[Demonette: Osbert]
Osbert floated up, coming from under the castle ruins.
[Form of Darkness]
As Talzer uttered the dark magic, Osbert became engulfed in darkness. When Osbert was visible again, his body was reconstructed, returning to its full form.
“KEEP THEM BUSY”, Talzer commanded, referring to Kael and Elalios.
“Elalios!”
Hearing the demonic scream of Osbert, Elalios became afraid, but Kael immediately calmed him down. The Earl wanted to go, and protect Kael and Elalios, but Talzer’s words clouded his mind with rage.
“Is that child important to you?”, Talzer smirked. He provoked the Earl’s anger. The battle between them continued.