William POV:

I woke up first, Taury on my chest, and Aoi on one side, Ruby on the other. It was quite nice… of course, I was unable to move without waking any of them.

I sighed. The previous night was a blur. The last thing I remembered was Zeus’s… deal, then only fury… and glee?

Why would I feel glee after he made a deal like that…?

I was wanting to ask someone, but it’d have to wait.

Then Ruby yawned awake. The regular shuddering happened. It was still amazing just how much passive power she had.

“Papa?”

“Hello Ruby.”

She got up, and, with one of my arms freed, I was able to slip out of Aoi’s grip, and maneuver Taury to the bed.

I stood up and stretched. Then I walked over to a mirror and saw myself. All injuries I ever had were gone, even the minor scars that the Dream left when it healed me were gone.

I noticed that my arm and leg were no longer earth magic either. Black markings were strewn on each one.

“Ruby? What happened last night?”

“Papa got angry… then you became like the meanie. You… smiled like him and your body looked like his… Your scent was… scary.”

I blanched… I became a demon…

I knelt in front of Ruby.

“I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“It’s okay, Papa. Mama saved you.”

“What?”

“Before you killed Zeus, I distracted you, and Mama kicked you.”

“Before I… what?”

“You nearly killed the evil lightbulb.”

I found the name funny, but I was more concerned about something.

“How did I nearly kill him?”

“When Papa started getting scary, you became faster than him. You beat him up. He couldn’t do anything… Papa? Are you okay?”

I had gone fully pale.

“Yeah… just… trying to process what you are saying.”

“Is Papa being dumb again?”

“Yeah… a little.”

Ruby hugged my leg, making me smile. I looked in the mirror and examined my arm, the markings were unfamiliar. I’d never seen anything like them.

There were two places I could go to ask.

“Hey, Ruby, I’m going to the nexus for a second.”

“Okay, Papa.”

I picked up the amulet and entered the Nexus.

“A cart fit.”

Then I dodged the falling Artifact.

“Hello Arty, I have a few questions.”

“Got it, Child of Amelia. What is it you need?”

She stood up and froze upon seeing my markings.

“Do you kno-“

She slapped me, making me flip.

I landed with a yelp and she pinned me, pure fury radiating in her eyes.

“Do you have any idea what you have done?”

“Um… barely… from the sounds of it, I became a demon.”

“Exactly! That’s the problem. You… you… became a demon and simply turned back… that part’s good at least.”

She sighed deeply and let me up.

“Sorry for the reaction… I just wasn’t expecting that… what even happened?”

So, I recounted the story, and her brow furrowed with every word.

“That stupid atronach! Of course, he’d be behind it!”

“Do you know him?”

“Do I know him… *sigh* he’s one of the few that know of my existence… of course not the part that I live within a gem, but he knows that I exist.”

“Did he…”

“He tried. One of the few times he nearly lost his life.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Ah…”

“Yeah, he’s definitely a scumbag, but going after your child is a death sentence. He should’ve realized that the moment he saw you.”

Then I looked at her.

“What do the markings mean, though?”

“Well, it marks you as a former demon, there’s only ever been one other like you, so it’d not be recognized by most, but demons may recognize you as kin, and if you prove superiority, they may serve you.”

“Is my power affected?”

“No, becoming a demon grants insane power, but after turning back, it’s nullified and you return to normal.”

“I see… any lasting effects?”

“Well, there is the occasional sadistic snap.”

“What?”

“Basically, in high emotion scenario’s you may go bonkers and absolutely savage on the person that made you angry.”

“Oh… anything else?”

“You are far more prone to becoming a demon again.”

“I see… and what exactly makes me one?”

“Hatred, demons are also called Shadows of Hate. When someone gets so consumed by hatred that they can only see the target, their demonization begins. When it’s completed, they spread that hate to everything. They can’t see beyond it.”

Then I thought of something.

“Why is the Hunter so unique in that regard?”

She looked at me slightly impressed.

“You know to ask that… Well, the Hunter became a demon in a different manner than most. His was closer to Mordred’s transformation than the typical.”

“How did he?”

She looked at me.

“Right, can’t tell me that… should I tell Gramps?”

“If you want to get slapped then suplexed.”

I grimaced; Gramps would definitely do that.

Then I sighed.

“Why did you react so harshly when I showed you the markings?”

Then she looked at me.

“Because there are beings that would want you because of them, your importance is continuously rising, Child of Amelia, you are even now immortal.”

“Immortal?”

“Demons are ageless, meaning that since you now have a piece of demonic energy in you, you are immortal, you can no longer physically age.”

“So… I could be with Taury forever, now?”

She sighed with a smile.

“You really are optimistic… at least, you try to be.”

“It’s better to hold the light to the point it hurts than to fall into the darkness.”

“Well said, Child of Amelia.”

“Well, thank you for the information, I should get back.”

“It was good to speak to you.”

I returned to the apartment and sat on the couch.

I sighed deeply, then I stretched out my right arm, and claws shot out.

The markings glowed as I examined the claws.

“So… I am becoming more demonlike… that isn’t good.”

I smiled to myself.

“I won’t fall that easily.”

Then I got ready for school. It was Monday morning, after all.

_

Taury was sitting on my head, we had the pizza she bought for breakfast, and then headed to school, this time we left Ruby with Roman, so they could practice control.

I walked through the hallway with a smile, Grace did a good job fixing the damage from the fight. Of course, there was still a couple open place’s from Ruby’s fire.

I smiled; my little girl was powerful.

“Hi William!”

A random person waved at me, so I waved back with a smile, the person flushed.

I walked into my math class and took my seat, people looked at me.

“Wow… he looks different.”

“Yeah, more confident.”

“What are those markings on his arm?”

“Did he get a tattoo?”

I smiled at the gossipers.

“Hello, ladies, what’cha talking about?”

“Uh… n-nothing?”

I looked forward and saw the professor giving a confused look at me.

“Alright? Well, let’s begin class.”

_

I excelled in a lot of classes now. In science, I made a perfect concoction using a combination of earth and water magic. I got to lunch and Aoi decided to latch onto me.

“William, you’re being weird.”

“I am?”

“Yeah, you’re being too up and above. It’s weird.”

“How?”

“You’re normally calmer and less… vwoomf.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, it’s like you entered an emo stage.”

I snickered.

“I became an emo?”

“Yeah, you’re being goofy and flirty.”

“Flirty?”

“Yeah, you’re acknowledging everyone now instead of just a few people.”

“I thought I already did that.”

“No, now you’re going overboard on it. Plus, the markings are drawing attention.”

“I know, and I wish they wouldn’t, but it’s not like I can remove it.”

“Just be a bit more normal for you, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll try.”

Aoi smiled and hugged me harder.

_

“And suddenly he’s back to normal.”

“Yeah, wonder what happened?”

“I heard that the climby girl told him he’s being weird.”

“Think they’re dating?”

“I mean, they live together.”

“They WHAT?!”

“Is there a problem, Mr. Henderson?”

The history sub looked up. Ms. Pan still hadn’t returned, after school, I had to ask Maven if she knew where she was.

“Did you know that William and Aoi live together?”

“They do? Is that my business?”

And then one person.

“Isn’t she underage?”

I nodded.

“Aoi is 16, yes.”

“You’re gross.”

I looked at the person and smiled.

“Why do you assume it’s romantic? We have absolutely no interest in each other.”

Aoi was raising a brow and nodding.

“Yeah, besides, he already has a girlfriend.”

A girl looked with mild shock.

“He does?”

Aoi nodded.

“Yeah, and she’s pretty, and tall.”

Then one person.

“Is it Teresa?”

Aoi blinked.

I smiled.

“Yep.”

Then I looked at Aoi who quickly realized that it was a fake name for Taury.

“No way, someone that hot would never go for someone like you.”

Then one moron,

“Isn’t it obvious, he’s probably paying her to be with him.”

I laughed.

“Wow, you really think someone like that can be bought. Did you forget what happened last night?”

Someone laughed.

“Yeah, you got in a fight with a rock star over a girl.”

“Over Teresa, because she flat out refused to be won over by him, and he still insisted.”

Someone nodded.

“Yeah, that’s what I heard her and the guitarist talking about. They apparently knew each other.”

“Yeah, she had some history with that group, and Daniel could not get over the fact that she wasn’t interested in him, so he thought I must’ve done something.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

Taury already updated me on Ruby having Control, so I was unsurprised to see what the people remembered.

Then someone smiled.

“He hurt you pretty bad though.”

“He was worse off.”

“Uh… yeah, but still.”

“And I’m up and well. That’s more than can be said for Daniel.”

Then one person spoke.

“Yeah, and then that one kid popped up.”

“Yeah, she called Daniel, ‘Papa?’, I think.”

“Ruby is not his.”

The guy flinched and looked at me and my look.

“S-sorry, who’s is she?”

“Ruby is my kid.”

I smiled, then one guy.

“Goodness, he even knocked her up, this guy has awesome pull.”

I flushed deeply.

“I- uh… mmmm…”

Taury felt like a furnace on top of my head, she was also deeply blushing.

I wasn’t able to explain without fully explaining magic and atronachs, so I was stuck in a situation and Aoi was snickering, fully recognizing it.

“By the way, its the oddest thing, despite that whole scenario, many people still are on his side.”

I sighed.

“Though a scumbag he may be, he’s a massive sweet talker.”

“Was he that vulgar?”

Aoi nodded,

“And he went for me first, too. He’s a jerk.”

“Woah...”

A bunch of the students were thinking about that. The famous singer, a womanizer. Honestly not sure what they expected.

Humans were quite vile in their behavi…ors…

I snuck a look at the mark on my arm to see that it lightly expanded, but, as though it was scared of my attention, it faded back into the small mark.

I sighed, then raised my eyes up, Taury also noticed the markings. She gave me a concerned look then started looking back at the teacher.

I understood the whole demon scenario, but some parts still eluded me. How did become a demon make me, not only stronger, but able to decimate Zeus? If Hatred is the catalyst, then why does the Hunter care for Mordred…

Why did I, as a demon, care for Ruby?