CHAPTER 42
Inside the Castle
The scream that erupted from Malcolm's throat echoed off the stone walls. His lifeless body slipped from Mike's grasp and fell to the ground. The thud against the stone floor sealed the certainty of death in the room.
A sly smile appeared on Mike's face.
Mike: "Malcolm's soul… this was just the beginning."
With his words, his body was enveloped in shadows and vanished from sight.
Ethan turned to Vlad, speaking with a wild glint in his eyes:
Ethan: "This isn't our last encounter."
Leaving behind a laugh, he melted into the darkness. Vlad moved as if to follow, but stopped. His instincts told him otherwise: "Priority… the ones outside."
When he ran outside, the sight tightened his chest. Among the tents lay dozens of bodies. Pools of blood on the ground, stains mixed with snow… All enemies. Only three remained standing: Svetlana, Zack, and Emily. Everyone else was dead.
Vlad ran forward, dropping to his knees, heart racing.
Vlad: "What happened here?! Tell me! What went on?!"
Svetlana's hands were still trembling, Zack had blood on his face, and Emily was trying to regain her senses. None of them could respond, as if their tongues had been silenced.
At that moment, a hand touched Vlad's shoulder. He recognized the weight of dark energy. Turning his head, he saw Mike.
Mike: "I'll explain everything… stay calm."
His voice was unusually weary, yet there was a strange certainty within it. He took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on the sky.
Mike: "It was a year ago… right after the battle with Gidion. I was at school. Suddenly, I found myself in front of the demon. It showed me visions… of our friends dying, over and over again, while I survived. And it made me an offer. It said…"
One Year Ago
In the pitch-black darkness, Mike shouted:
Mike: "Again? How did you drag me here, demon?!"
The demon laughed in the shadow of its chains.
Demon: "My chains loosen more each day, Mike. And I have a proposition for you. You've seen these visions, haven't you? In all of them, your friends die, and you survive. I can change that. I can protect you. But in return… for a year, you will bring me souls. Countless evildoers roam outside. You will gain, I will gain… the world will gain."
Mike clenched his fists, his voice trembling.
Mike: "And then?"
The demon's eyes glowed crimson.
Demon: "At the end of the year, you will bring me a special soul. That soul will break my chains and grant me freedom. Only then will I leave you. That's all."
Mike squinted, asking:
Mike: "Who is the special soul?"
The demon smiled, but gave no answer.
Demon: "You'll learn when the time comes."
Suddenly, Mike's eyes opened. He was in a school desk, sweat on his forehead. From that day on, he acted as if he followed the demon's instructions. But inside, there was always doubt, always a plan.
Now
Vlad narrowed his eyes, leaning toward Mike.
Vlad: "Tell me. Who was the special soul?"
Mike lowered his head, letting out a heavy breath.
Mike: "The special soul… was Svetlana."
Svetlana flinched, eyes widening with fear. Mike continued:
Mike: "But there's more. A month ago, I learned… Malcolm had an ancient, cursed book. With that book, he could draw a part of my power away from me. That's when my plan became clear. If I let him form that link… I could trap the demon inside his body using that bond."
Vlad's eyes darkened.
Vlad: "So all of this… was a plan?"
Mike nodded.
Mike: "Yes. While absorbing his soul, I also bound the demon. But the power surge was far greater than I anticipated. I needed to release the excess inside me. To avoid harming you, I ran outside. That's when I saw the ritual. The moment I stopped, the explosion happened. Luckily, Svetlana was only slightly injured. Emily and Zack were safe behind the railings. But most of the enemies perished at that moment."
Mike's voice darkened further, sparks of anger flashing in his eyes.
Mike: "That was only a small explosion. I had spent most of my power to trap the demon in Malcolm's body. But it seems it escaped. Now our goal is clear: find it. We've given the demon a body… maybe weak, but still a demon. And the demon's greatest power is cunning. We must stop it as soon as possible."
As his words ended, an icy silence settled over the camp. The wind howled, as if warning of the approaching catastrophe.