The world felt dark, cold, and empty. No matter how much she tried to convince herself, this was the world she belonged to. Those lonely and confined feelings enveloped her, driving her back into the darkness.
Anne never felt like she belonged, no matter how hard she tried. Her magic was inferior to her little sister, and her physical strength was inferior to her aunt.
Though she understood, they adored her and cheered her on. Anne struggled to stop the negative thoughts and emotions locked inside her chest. They gouged and eroded her confidence and happiness.
Anne ca to a dreadful realisation the mont she turned fifteen. That she was inferior to the rest of her bloodline and without a path to follow to grow stronger. She threw herself onto the path of constant battle and faced certain death.
'I am worthless. Unable to save my father or avenge our mother.'
Despite the frigid world of isolation, she endured. Anne was a gentle girl who adored Grigor more than anything else. Her one wish, apart from strength, was to find soone who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her.
A person she could face with all the feelings inside her chest, good, bad and ugly.
This one wish remained in her heart for over two decades. Each year, it grew stronger and buried its roots deep into her soul. Although there were several who tried to appeal and show their rits, all fell short.
Until she t him.
The man Anne knew she should never choose.
Also, the man she just killed.
Or so she thought.
***
"Why?!"
Anne's voice was still distorted and twisted by the forced transformation.
Her throat was trying to swallow the thick blood from Asmodeus as tears of regret and anguish filled her cheeks. She tried to reach out, yet her hands were too weak to release the blade embedded inside his chest.
'I killed him with a power that was not my own! How could it end like this?!'
To Anne, it felt like the world slowed to a halt.
However, this was only a trick created by Asmodeus using both his Second Level Demonic Eye and help from the goddess Serena, who agreed to help him.
No one could interfere right now.
Even Lumina already revealed her trump cards and believed Asmodeus to be dead. After all, her divine blessing destroyed his heart.
"What's the matter?" Asmodeus spoke with blood oozing from his mouth.
However, Anne felt strange that he didn't slur, cough or stutter and his beautiful blue eyes were locked onto her face, so enchanting she felt attracted to them.
"How can you speak with such a calm tone, hero Ryuji."
"Call Asmodeus; from now on, Ryuji will vanish from this world and be forgotten."
"I refuse! I don't want to forget you!"
Anne's loud shout caused Asmodeus to look stunned. His eyes widened, and his lips parted before slowly lifting into a faint smile. She felt his look and actions were nothing like soone about to die.
Yet her eyes could see the gaping hole in his chest that wouldn't regenerate.
"Idiot, you are just like your sister. I never said to forget , just that na."
"E-Eh?! What do you an, and I'm not an idiot!"
"Hahaha, this is why I like you. The way your lips puff out when you pout or get mad."
Asmodeus chuckled and tried to move, but his body remained stuck, and his movents were extrely slow. His arm was eventually able to reach out and touch her soft cheek, pinching the smooth flesh between his black fingers.
"Did you enjoy our fight? Do you still doubt ?"
Anne was at a loss for words and remained silent, but the look in her eyes told him everything. He gave a weak smile and dropped his hand to reveal her face once more.
"You will be fine, just trust . This is not the end for us."
His voice was soft, unlike his earlier demonic tone when they fought. It lacked the sharp edge. Instead, it felt like each word was sung gently, soothing her ears. She could feel the tender feelings in his words and how much she wished for him to continue living.
'Why is he like this? What is he trying to tell ?'
Anne recalled her actions and his previous words.
"I can't live on my own. No matter how strong I am, the loneliness is unbearable. In the past, maybe I thought that I could, maybe that I wanted to. So I lied to myself that it was true." Asmodeus spoke about himself, but the words made Anne's chest twang with pain. The icy heart inside her felt as if soone struck it with an ice pick.
"However..."
"However?"
"I ca to this world, t various people... I was forced to face myself multiple tis; Yumiko, Liana, Erika and Ciela all made face various aspects that I believed were my truth. However, I was wrong."
"What is your truth?"
She saw a gentle smile on his lips. The look in his eyes, the sa one her father always gave her when saying she had talent and would one day surpass even Alan, the one she believed was a lie.
"I still don't know, but..." His weak, trembling hands wrapped around both her cheeks, stroking her with his thumbs as he continued. "However, I could see myself in you and it made terrified to face you from the front."
"Why, why were you scared? Tell , I want to understand you."
"You know already, don't you? That cold, lonely world we created to protect our most vulnerable feelings. A world that could only be nad a cage. To avoid my feelings, I drove myself into deadly battles, almost dying just to punish myself for cris that never existed. I couldn't beco my mother nor match my father."
"..."
"For , it was my parents, but what is your cage? You are still young, beautiful and so full of life. You can do anything."
"Anything? But... I..."
"Yes, and if there is a wall that stops you. I will break it down so you can move forward."
"..."
"Don't be afraid, Anne. The world is a scary place, but there is nothing you can't overco."
"A-Asmodeus."
"I am sorry, my ti is almost up. Soon, the world will return to normal, and you will be faced with a choice: remain Anne trapped in Grigor, unable to step forward and surpass her limits. Or you can take my hand, step into the unknown world and forge an alternative path. Accept , and I will give you everything I have."
"E-Everything? But, are you sure?"
"I would never lie to you. That is a promise."
His words felt honest and sincere. Anne couldn't doubt them even if he was the future demon king. She knew the man she was leaning upon wasn't weak, nor did he have the arrogance of the goddess who forced her powers and ideals against others. He was just like her, a person who couldn't remain in the sa place.
"Then, I will believe you. I'll accept you, Asmodeus. Please, allow to walk the unknown world by your side... Ugh?!"
"It's already starting; take your first step and use the wings of liberation I give you to take Alice and head west; et in the Gladius Forest in three days."
"Eh?! Aunt Alice?"
"I have to beco the enemy of Grigor to protect them from the church. Would they believe I am on their side if I make both their daughters demons and then steal the hero's sister to make my wife?"
"That's, w-wife?!"
"Yeah, to create a path for Grigor, Alan and Your freedom. This is the only path to save your sister from those mainland fools, too."
"I will protect them, and I will not fail again. Trust . I promise to see you again soon, and that ti, we will fight without soone else interfering."
"Wait, I need to know. Why are you doing all this?" Anne reached out, her eyes watching as Asmodeus began to fall from the sky in slow motion. She looked into his beautiful black and blue eyes that shone like gemstones.
"It seems I have grown too fond of your Grigor family, from your uncle and father to you lovely girls. I can't help myself wanting to clear your futures of any obstacles and take you from any other n that should covet you."
"E-Even if I'm not beautiful, able to use magic or beco strong?"
"Ah, you are fine as you are. I wanted you because I am greedy."
Then, his words beca distant as the world returned to normal, and a strange feeling of heat and pleasant warmth spread through her body. Her mind drifted into unconsciousness, yet she heard the last of his words.
"Because the mont I laid my eyes on you, I wanted you to be mine... Forever."
It was at that mont that Anne Grigor decided and chose his hand.
***
anwhile, the rest of the observers in the arena only saw Asmodeus falling. His wings were tattered by the divine magic that exploded around him. Yumiko's body, like a bolt of lightning, travelled hundreds of tres into the air and caught Asmodeus.
An enormous hole was still in his chest.
The sight left them all stunned and unable to utter a word.
'Why did he not recover?'
'It's a trick.'
'He's faking it.'
'Yeah, I can't believe it... my beloved Ryuji, you can never die!'
Yumiko's mind raced with several voices as if her beast persona and human persona were conversing together, refusing to accept he would die.
She held him close, her legs wobbling as she landed on her knees, the harsh sand tearing her flesh apart as she glided along the burning sand. The thick blood from his chest covered her dress, skin, and long white hair.
"Ryuji, answer ."
Unlike outsiders, the four won who beca his lovers were the only ones permitted to use his forr na, a sign of their bonds.
"I'm fine... don't be so dramatic, look. A new sister is going to be born, and she will lead the way for you into battle and protect you all from harm."
"Eh... why speak as if you might not be there?!" Yumiko thought he was going to vanish from his words before his weak hand clamped down on her cute nose, causing her to shake her face, trying to get away.
"Fool... as if I could let you six go and let myself die."
[State: Near Death (Ti to death ETA: 4 minutes)]
[Use Demon Fox Marking?!]
Asmodeus coughed before he released Yumiko's nose, noticing the arrows of Ciela piercing the throat of the oni state Kenta, taking his life as he fell without life, and Yuki Ito and Fuuka seed to have surrendered long ago, aning the battle was over.
"Silly girl, sotis it's best for you girls to fight without , or you will get too reliant on . I also need to fight alone to improve myself without being burdened by your safety."
"But..."
"Stop that, be a good girl and help the others. Make sure no one gets injured for the plan; once Anne becos a demon, we will escape. If they try and harm my won, I will kill them, even if it's Lumina, even if it is ALAN, understood?"
"But Ryuji!"
"I will return; the six of us are connected, rember. The red string of calamity cannot be severed, and when it's ti, I will co to et you in the western forest in three days."
[State: Near Death (Ti to death ETA: 3 minutes)]
[Use Demon Fox Marking?!]
"Now go! You have three minutes to get the others and escape!"
***
Alan looked at the arena, now both screens fused into one with the heroes on Lord Qwass's side all dead or surrendered.
However, the ones on Ryuji's side also vanished the mont the golden blade pierced him and he kissed Anne. A black barrier sealed the entire arena.
"Ryuji... No, I see... Demon King Asmodeus!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers