There was nothing left of Legion that Arthur could use to find out the truth of his grandma's killer or the 'master' who was after him.
Arthur kept cursing under his breath, his desire for revenge burning hotter than ever. He wanted to ask Dullahan again, but then realized the tall, headless horseman was gone.
Arthur was all alone again in the darkening forest.
He was still trying to make sense of everything— seeing a monster called Legion, dying, and then summoning Dullahan.
The sharp pain in his arm, where the nail from Legion's explosion had scratched him, was proof that it wasn't a dream.
So, where is Dullahan?
"Boy, what a waste of good prey."
"Huh?" Arthur looked around, hearing the familiar voice but seeing nothing.
"Down here, boy."
Arthur looked down, and saw a small—no, a miniature of the headless horseman on the ground. He picked it up, and the tiny Dullahan fit perfectly in his palm.
Yet, his voice was still as mighty and loud as before.
"Tsk, tsk, it seems that 'master' had planted a bomb inside Legion. So, the contract must have been terrible on Legion's side if it allowed for a one-way detonation just like that," Dullahan commented,turning on his mini horse to face Arthur. "Unfortunately, there's not much we can do. But I'm sure this won't be the last time Legion's 'master' would come for you."
…
Arthur didn't react much at first. Then he asked, "Dullahan, why are you so… tiny?"
"Tiny? How dare you call me tiny! You have yourself to blame!" Dullahan protested, pulling the reins of his horse. Tiny steps that tickled Arthur's palm.
"I don't understand…"
"Of course, you don't! Hmph, I grow to my real size when you are in danger or when your fighting spirit is at its peak. But when you're safe and don't feel like fighting, I shrink like this!"
"I-is that so?" Arthur's lips curled into a smile. The tiny Dullahan was kind of cute and entertaining. "Does that mean I can make you even smaller?"
"Don't you dare! This is already as humiliating as it gets!" Dullahan protested, stomping Arthur's palm with his tiny horse as hard as he could.
"Alright, alright, stop stomping. It's a little ticklish," Arthur said, taking one last look at his surroundings before heading home. "Are you sure that we can't get anything from that demon's death?"
"The thing that exploded was its dark core, the source of its existence in this world. So, no, there is nothing we can get. But like I said, it won't be the last demon to attack you. Let's go back to rest. I can explain the rest of the contract to you then."
Now that things had calmed down, Arthur realized he knew absolutely nothing about the contract he had just signed with Dullahan, or about his grandmother.
He had always seen her as a frail, crazy old lady who spouted nonsense. But the fact that she knew about the demonic dagger meant she knew about everything else, too.
Speaking of the demonic dagger…
Arthur checked his right hand and saw that the longsword had reverted back to its original dagger form.
"Mmm, we should go back," Arthur said, clenching the demon dagger. "I want to know what happened to my grandma, and to me."
**
Arthur returned home and sighed, seeing the broken door and big hole near the kitchen wall.
His grandma's house was old, built with real brick, so the repair would be expensive. He didn't have the money since all of his inheritance was being managed by Dinah's until he turned eighteen.
"Now, what kind of part-time job can I do to fix this?" Arthur wondered as he tried to lodge the door back in place. When he let go, it fell forward, exposing the backyard. "Yeah, this will definitely take three years of my summer jobs to fix."
"What are you fretting about, boy? We are warriors! We don't need a flimsy door to protect us!" Dullahan said, still in full spirit.
"But this is my grandma's house…" Arthur murmured. "I want to keep it intact as much as possible."
"Hmph so that flimsy door holds a memory for you. I see. Forgive my insensitive comment. But I also do not know how to fix it, so you're out of luck, boy."
"It's okay. I'll find a way to get more money later. Maybe have two summer jobs and a part-time job," Arthur said, deciding to just lean the door on the wall. He grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge.
He chugged it until it was empty, and then sat at the dining table.
He placed Dullahan on the table and stared at the mini horseman, "I still don't know anything about what just happened. So, can you fill me in?"
"First, you should know you've made a contract with me—a demon who has been inside you since you were born," Dullahan explained. "I took the form of this headless horseman because you idolize yourself to be a strong warrior who can kill his enemies since you were young, but no demon will ever be an honorable warrior."
Arthur was a little embarrassed.It was true he often fantasized being a gallant warrior when he was young.
He fantasized of a world, where he fought evil alongside loyal brothers as their leader, and their shield.
He always imagined himself as a knight holding a greatsword just like Dullahan's. He just never imagined himself without a head and riding an ominous-looking horse.
"I-I see… does that mean everyone has their own inner demon and can summon them like I did?"
"Everyone has their own inner demon, but only a select few can summon them. There are people who made a contract with the devil for power or wealth, or being descendants of one," Dullahan explained. "And you are one of those descendants, boy."
Arthur felt that his world had been flipped upside down. He had assumed his grandma was the one who made the contract.
But why?
Her house wasn't fancy, and they certainly weren't rich, or they wouldn't be living in this small town.
His grandma was also very frail. He often had to watch over her as her health declined. So, she was definitely not dealing with the devil for power.
"Did… my grandma sold her soul for power and riches?"
"Your late grandmother? Hm…" Dullahan looked around for a moment. "She is not the one who made a deal with the devil. So, it is definitely one of your ancestors. Be it one of your great grandparents or even farther back."
"But… your grandmother definitely has a similar contract like ours. She had her own inner demon summoned before," Dullahan added. He pointed to a dusty jar on the kitchen shelf. "That jar was filled with the ashes of her dead inner demon."
"D-dead inner demon?!"
"Yes. That inner demon died roughly twenty human years ago."
"Y-you could die, too?!"
"Obviously not because of mortal wounds, but because our master has let go of their fighting spirit. When that happens, the contract between master and demon is broken, and we turn to dust. Our soul will return to the underworld, at least until another master with similar traits summons us and makes a contract with us," Dullahan replied. He looked up, staring at the boy who was worried about him, and scoffed. "As long as you still want to fight, then I will stay with you until your death. No need to fret."
Arthur was relieved, but at the same time, he realized that his grandma must've let go of her fighting spirit for some reason.
He hadn't been born twenty years ago, so he didn't know anything. His late mother died without telling her ten-year-old son much of his family's history, and his aunt—Dinah… well, she was out of the question.
Arthur still had too many unanswered questions about his grandma and her death.
But for now, he was just glad to have someone to talk to. After his grandma's death, he really thought that he would be lonely since no one in town wanted to talk to him anyway.
Arthur stared at the tiny Dullahan, and muttered, "I promise that I'll never let go of my fighting spirit."
"Haha! That's the youthful spirit I want to see. You need that, because a lot of demons will come to fight you or harm your loved ones," Dullahan warned. "Demons fight sly and dirty. If they can target their opponent's weakness, like their children, they absolutely will."
Arthur quickly connected the dots. If his grandma also had a contract, that meant demons must've targeted her children… and grandchild.
He had an epiphany that his opponent wasn't as simple as he expected. Legion was just a mere puppet. Who knew what kind of demon would be sent against him in the future?
"Dullahan, you said that I am the descendant of someone who made a contract with the devil."
"Correct."
"So, why do I have to fight fellow demons? Aren't we technically on the same team?"
"Do you think that we have to fight angels? Boy, you're a thousand years too late for that kind of holy war," Dullahan said. "When the devil made a contract with a human, that human and everyone in their family line have eventually sold their souls. The devil wants to take all of their souls without lifting a finger."
"Then, how did he take our souls?"
"With corruption," Dullahan said. His tone grew deeper and darker, as if had seen too much of it. "Humans are weak-minded. They can get corrupted easily through simple things like wealth and power. Deaths are common for humans, and so is in this circle of hell for those who made a deal with the devil."
"Just like the one who goes after you and your late grandmother. Boy, you will have to stand tall, because I am sure whoever he is, that man must be on a mission to wipe out your entire family."
Arthur swallowed hard.
He was thrown into this mess simply because he was his mother's son.
He thought he was better off dead after his grandma's death. But now, he wanted to avenge her.
It was a simple wish from a fifteen-year-old boy who just wanted to find meaning in his dull life. And once he fulfilled that mission… then he could think more about what to do with his life.
**
A figure veiled in darkness paced through the forest. His feet stepped on the fallen leaves and branches, and occasionally, on the nails that had come from the body of the demon that exploded this afternoon.
He looked around and clicked his tongue in awe.
He continued pacing until he noticed a nail on the ground with dried blood at the sharp tip. He picked it up and examined it.
Slowly, a grim smile appeared on his face. "That kid will be useful."