The Wall
While Thorance and Kalira were falling, Kalira hit her head against the wall and lost consciousness. Thorance shrank himself and freed himself from the restraints, but it was too late to save Kalira. Fortunately, both of them fell into a giant spider's nest, filled with the spider's special threads. They survived miraculously — but did they really survive?
Thorance looked around. There were many corpses surrounding them, all wrapped in the webs like eggs.
Thorance realized they had fallen into the nest of a huge and predatory spider.
Thorance: (in a quiet voice) Kalira, wake up... Kalira...
But there was no response from Kalira. Suddenly, Thorance heard the sound of something big approaching. He quickly looked toward the sound and saw the giant spider approaching its nest.
Thorance quickly shrank his size and hid under Kalira.
The spider came and stood in front of Kalira, then stared at her for a few moments with its many eyes that filled its face. After a while, it shot its web at Kalira and placed her with the other corpses, then ate one of them. After it was full, it lay down and slept near the corpses. If it woke up, Kalira would be its next meal.
After the giant spider fell asleep, Thorance emerged from behind Kalira and began to look at the problem they had fallen into, and also how he could free Kalira from the webs without waking the spider, because spiders are very sensitive to sound, and any disturbance could wake it up.
Thorance started thinking of a way to get out of there, and while thinking, Kalira woke up. When she saw herself in the webs and a giant spider sleeping in front of her, she screamed involuntarily in a moment of fear.
The spider woke up and looked back, and saw Thorance and Kalira.
---
The Castle
After Bloodwat hit White with great force and sent him flying, White became very angry, but he had suffered many fractures in his body.
White: You filthy loser, do you attack everyone sneakily like this? Don't you have the honor to fight face to face?
Bloodwat: (laughs) Is that your excuse for weakness? Is that what you'll tell everyone? That you lost to me because I attacked you sneakily? That's hilarious.
During this fight, Okays's body began to resist. He couldn't bear any more of Bloodwat's power. If Bloodwat took more control of his body, Okays might die...
Bloodwat: Looks like he has to go now, royal servant. I guess today is your lucky day.
White: (shouting) Are you running away now, you damned demon?
Bloodwat drew a large amount of blood from the surrounding corpses and turned it into a red mist in the air after thickening it, then disappeared from everyone's sight.
White: (screaming loudly) Come back here, you damned thing!
Thanos: Shall we go after him, my lord?
Minalost raised his hand as a sign of "no."
Minalost: Let him go. Even if the four of you gathered against him, you wouldn't be able to defeat him. (looks at White) I didn't think you'd last this long against him. Not bad.
White: (lowers his head) I'm sorry, my lord. I let him escape. I will take responsibility.
Minalost: No need to take responsibility. All that happened is that you're weaker than him. The weak always lose. Now, get out of my sight with that pathetic look.
White: (with suppressed anger) Yes, my lord.
White left the hall, carrying hatred and resentment in his eyes toward Bloodwat, and said to himself: "I'll kill you. Just wait, you damned demon."
Minalost: (orders) Thea, get rid of these corpses and clean this place up. The smell is starting to get bad.
Thea: Yes, my lord.
Minalost: (speaking to himself with a wicked smile) So you've finally shown up, demon. Let's see how strong you'll become this time. Will you be able to face me? I'm getting really bored.
---
Unknown Place
Okays is lying in a sea of blood, looking at the red sky.
Okays: Am I dead now? That damned demon tricked me. In the end, I trusted a demon. What did I expect? This is all because of my weakness. I couldn't even protect Kalira. How will I face Taris now? Damn it, damn it! Why am I this weak? I trained so hard, but why am I still unable to protect anyone, not even myself? Damn it, damn it...
While he was complaining about himself, he heard a voice coming from behind him.
Voice: Shut up, how annoying. Go cry somewhere else. You're giving me a headache.
Okays looked back and saw Bloodwat approaching him.
Okays: What? After you tricked me, did you come here just to mock me now?
Bloodwat: (laughs) Tricked you? You're really stupid, kid. Demons never break contracts.
Okays: Then what is this place? What am I doing here? I made a contract with you to go out and fight and return to my friends. What am I doing here?
Bloodwat: Yes, you made a contract with me. But if I gave you the power without knowing how to use it, what would you have done? Just go out and fight like some wild animal with no purpose? Tell me, what would you have done? All you would've done is get yourself killed — and that's not good for me. So, I fought in your place, kid. But even after I fought, your weak body couldn't withstand my power. And you're asking me why I didn't let you go out and fight?
Okays: (with a hopeless face) So what should I do to become strong? What's the point of having a powerful demon like you with me if I can't fight by myself?
Bloodwat: It's very simple to become strong. Do you remember my contract well? To gain power, give up your humanity... become empty.
Bloodwat raised his hand and formed a huge glass cup.
Bloodwat: Do you see this cup? All you have to do is fill it with blood. And as it starts to fill, you'll lose part of your humanity. In return, you'll become stronger. And when the cup is completely full, you'll be the most powerful being in this world.
Okays: What should I do to fill this cup?
Bloodwat: Very simple. All you have to do is kill monsters or humans. Every time you kill one, the cup will start to fill.
Okays: No, I won't kill anyone to gain power. I don't need that cup.
Bloodwat: Are you really that dumb or just naïve? Don't you see what's happening around you? Have you seen a monster happy to see you? Do you think humans will accept you or even befriend you? And you still refuse to kill them?
Bloodwat approached Okays and grabbed his chin, lifting his head up and looking into his eyes.
Bloodwat: (with a wicked gaze) Did you see how the monsters looked at you with disgust? Did you see how they treated you? Your mother hid all those years from the monsters because of you. She gave up her freedom to live in this world, and hid just to raise you, and she died alone, in pain, afraid of what would happen to you after her death. And who's to blame for all this? The monsters who hate hybrids like you. Do you still want to protect them and not kill them? Listen to me carefully. If you want power...
Kill
Kill
Kill
And you'll become stronger. It's very easy.
Okays grabbed Bloodwat's wrist, pulled him away from his face, and stood up on his feet.
Okays: I know what you said is true. But not all monsters hate me. I know they always look at me with disgust, but there were others who considered me family: Kalira, Taris, and Thorance. And also, the world is very big. There are many humans, and I'm sure some will accept me as I am. And I don't need to kill to become stronger. I don't need your power. I'll become strong with my own strength. You don't have to help me. Also, killing isn't something that humans or monsters do so easily. When you kill, you have to know that person had a family waiting for him, and someone will want revenge for what you did. Don't speak as if it's something so easy.
Bloodwat: (laughs loudly) You'll understand everything soon, kid. This world is so cruel. And also, you'll never become strong without my power. When you find yourself in trouble, you'll come crying again. And now, go back to your world.
Bloodwat raised his hand and placed it on Okays's head, then tapped his forehead with his finger, knocking him backward.
To be continued…