"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!" Jonny shouted
"Well you should've thought about it twice before you decided to poison my wife!" Arkhon replied
"What will happen to Alice now? Can't you reverse it? Remove the shadow-gatherer." Jonny spoke, forcing himself to calm down
"It's far too risky, Jonny. She might end up dead. I am not as skilled as Kall was. It's time for you to learn from your mistake. You are far too disobedient." Arkhon told him
"Damn you! Set me free!" Jonny spoke
"No." Arkhon spoke coldly
Arkhon's pupils flashed a red colour.
'I'll make sure to teach him a lesson. You hurt my wife? I'll hurt yours!' Arkhon thought
"Alice. Come here." He spoke
"No don't." Jonny spoke
She slowly got up and walked towards him.
"Resist the spell! Just like how I resisted back then, my dear! Please!" Jonny pleaded
Alice came to him on her own and stared at him blankly without saying a word.
It seemed as if she could not resist the spell.
Arkhon held her waist with one hand and held a small shot glass with the other.
The glass contained a blue liquid that Jonny recognized and sensed really well.
Jonny groaned, his pupils changing from brown to red as his senses were acting up.
Still, he endured and clenched his jaw.
"Drink this for me darling." Arkhon spoke to her softly, giving the cup to her
"And Jonny. You look like you want some too. That face! Couldn't have you been any more obvious?" Arkhon laughed
"Shut up!" Jonny retorted
"Oh Alice. Don't hold back. You must be feeling thirsty. Here. Let me help you." He spoke
Arkhon stroked her chin lightly and got her to open her mouth, placing the cup on her lip slowly pouring the blood down her throat. She closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head so very slightly as she reluctantly drank it. Still she didn't speak and continued to stare at the wall.
"A-Alice? Are you alright?" Jonny asked her
She turned to look at him and smiled softly, bringing a tear to Jonny's eye.
"Now you and me have a bond. A weak one but a bond nevertheless. Speak to me Alice." Arkhon spoke, his hands gripping onto her shoulders
'Why? Why can't I speak up and say the things that I wish to say? Why can't I think properly when that man is in front of me? I am so confused! I don't even remember what he did to me! Why am I even here? There is another man who can barely move and is on the floor. Who is he again?'
"Alice. Speak to me, human plaything. Speak. Is the spell too much for you, weakling?" Arkhon spoke
"I-I.." Alice tried to speak up
"Alice?" Jonny mumbled, feeling glad that she was starting to speak
"I feel cold." Alice finished her sentence, making Arkhon laugh
"You laughing bastard. Leave her alone!"
'I've had enough of this. What is the point? My words won't do anything. I will have to use force! I will get out of his trap. I will increase my energies no matter how much pain I am in. I will keep going. I will push my fear aside. I will protect what is mine, even if I end up dying. It will be much better than allowing myself to become dominated by my enemies. I will become a monster. My humanity was forcibly ripped away from me, my soul molested and my suffering has not stopped since that day the man I admired humiliated me, causing me pain and grief. Enough is enough. He will not continue to hurt the people I love!' Jonny thought to himself
Then silence.
Time appeared to be slowing down.
Jonny's heart was steady, his mind clear, his limbs relaxed and energized.
He sighed softly, closing his eyes.
The air was thick with tension.
Like an assassin silently pursuing a target in a highly focused manner, he forced his limbs to spring out, lunging at Arkhon who had momentarily let his guard down, wrestling him to the ground. Jonny's immense rage was numbing away the intense pain that Arkhon's binding spell was causing him. He endured greatly, pushing through the pain. Alice, now frightened, hid behind the sofa occasionally peeking out to observe the fight.
Jonny bashed his head against Arkhon's multiple times as the two continued to wrestle and struggle against the ground. They were rolling against the floor, each of them trying to pin down the other, each of the two men trying to physically dominate the other. Jonny managed to get the upper hand, forcibly locking Arkhon underneath him by wrapping his legs against Arkhon's to hold them in place. Arkhon watched the man who was on top of him. He shivered slightly at the terrifying sight. The gentle Jonny he knew had turned into somebody unrecognizable.
His forehead was bruised, his lip was slightly bloody, his pupils were red and he stared at the man underneath him, giving Arkhon a toothy grin. He gripped onto Arkhon's neck, growling like a demon who had surrendered himself to his shadow-side.
Jonny then loosened the grip on the man's neck, not wanting to kill him too quickly.
"Oh..Jonny. This is exactly what I've been dreaming about." Arkhon spoke softly, slightly breathless
'I am so proud of him! He has stopped concealing his shadow at last. This is exactly what I expected from him. Oh Jonny. Even if you poison my wife, why can't I help feeling like this? Oh I know exactly why. You are magnificent.' Arkhon praised Jonny inside his head
Jonny didn't say a word.
He continued to stare at Arkhon coldly.
Arkhon could sense that Jonny wanted to hurt him badly.
"Y-You won't use your gun?" Arkhon asked him
"No. I wish to use my hands instead." Jonny whispered
Arkhon didn't respond but looked at him with confusion.
Jonny did not hesitate to sink his sharp teeth into Arkhon's neck.
Arkhon gasped out, wincing as he felt Jonny gnawing and pulling at the flesh as roughly as he could. Almost as if he wanted to devour him. His mouth filled with Arkhon's blood and his body screamed out to taste much more than a few drops but he forced himself to endure for if he were to swallow more than that, the level 1 transformation would be complete and Jonny would find it harder to rebel against his demon master.
Instead, he spat out the remaining blood onto Arkhon who was too shocked and dazed to speak.
'What kind of monster have I created?' Arkhon thought
Arkhon's body couldn't help but react to that, making Jonny shudder at the realization.
"You disgusting man. Lowest filth of the common realm." Jonny spat out
"Your wife doesn't seem to think that."
"What?"
"I had some fun with her whilst you were gone. I can see why. Why you like her so much. Don't worry. I didn't do it to her. What I did to you back then. I only touched her. She wasn't ok with it at first but eventually she let go, allowing me to do whatever I wanted-"
Arkhon's harsh words wounded him and he found himself wavering and uncertain again.
His anger wasn't enough. It had slowly disappeared and feelings of hopelessness and guilt began to latch onto him, weighing him down and putting him in indecisive shackles.
'Why? Why? Why? How could he-'
Thus, Arkhon took his chance.
He struck Jonny and caught him off-guard.
Jonny could see no other option than to compromise with him. And so, he told him,
"Never touch my wife again. If I make a deal with you, will you leave my loved ones alone?" Jonny spoke in despair
Arkhon took Jonny's gun that had fallen out and shot him in the left shoulder, making Jonny yell out in pain.
"What kind of deal, dear Jonny?" Arkhon spoke
Jonny continued gasping, wincing and clutching onto his wounded shoulder, his face turning from side to side in order to better cope with the pain. Arkhon smiled, taking pleasure in seeing Jonny in pain.
"I will offer himself to you, Arkhon in exchange of setting her free." Jonny spoke, whilst hissing in pain as he was slowly regenerating
Jonny felt distraught.
Arkhon ignored him.
"P-Please. Please, Arkhon." He breathed out, throwing his manly pride out the window
Arkhon took hold of Jonny's hair, twirling the long strands with his fingers.
"Oh Jonny. I'm afraid it's far too late. I am too hurt to accept this wonderful offer. Your rashness in taking action, being destructive, obsessing over revenge and being so self-centered really are your largest flaws. If only you remained on my good side-"
"STOP!! YOU MONSTER!! LEAVE MY DAD ALONE!!!" Jak yelled out.
He had somehow found his way inside the house.
"Son! Stay back!!" Jonny warned
Jak threw a small bag of pure salt soaked with holy water at Arkhon.
Arkhon yelled out, holding his face that was burning.
Jak wasted no time and stabbed the demon where it would really hurt him. His privates.
"You!! What have you done to me child?! What is wrong with you? Don't you know who I am?" Arkhon yelled
Jonny smiled.
'Of all the places to stab him, he chooses there?' Jonny thought
"Leave my parents alone! I am not scared of ugly creeps like you! Die." Jak said
"You'll regret this! I'll send several powerful demons to torment you. They will do terrible things to you, make you suffer or enslave you until you die. All because of what you did to me-." Arkhon tried to frighten him
"SHUT IT. THAT'S NOT FOR YOU TO DECIDE! MY LIFE IS MY OWN! SEND DEMONS AFTER ME OR NOT, I'LL STILL LIVE FREELY!!!" Jak glared at Arkhon.
Arkhon reacted by sending waves of bloodlust and his eyes lit up and grinned widely.
"Good boy." He said softly, smiling as he closed his eyes, still repairing the damage done to him.
"Alright Arkhon. Now leave him alone. Do you remember our deal?" Jonny spoke
"Do you want me to shoot you again?" Arkhon spoke
Jonny felt too exhausted to answer.
"Arkhon. Leave my parents alone." Jak said
"Listen to me, boy. I have another deal. If you run away from here right now, I will let you go. You will be safe. If you stay here, I will hurt you too. I can do it. I have no issues with killing you." Arkhon warned him
Jak took some time to think about it.
"Jak. Run away and hide somewhere." He heard his father say
"I am staying here. I am going nowhere!" Jak spoke boldly
"A-Are you crazy?" Jonny said
Arkhon was smiling from ear to ear.
"What is your name again?" Arkhon asked
"Jak. Jak Price." He answered
"I'll let you live, Jak. Become a strong warrior and live your life. I'll watch you progress over the years. Now choose. What do you want to happen next young warrior? You are important here. It's your life and your story." Arkhon said
"Leave Jonny and my mum alone. Give him the freedom to choose to join you. No amount of force will help. Become better friends and Jonny will follow you willingly. You can do it! I am sure of it!" Jak replied
Arkhon smiled at Jak again.
'Oh, what a clever little boy.' Arkhon thought
"Would you like to become my level 1 in the future? You're interesting." Arkhon asked
"No. I want to remain human and become stronger than all those powerful demons you speak highly about. I will be stronger than you. Much stronger and stronger and stronger and even stronger than that!" Jak declared
"Excellent. Now I must go to get my wound healed. I am having issues regenerating because of the salt water. I hope that you've learned your lesson dear Jonny. As promised, I will leave your family alone. Jak decided this after all. I don't think I should force you anymore. Goodbye." Arkhon spoke
Arkhon left and decided to go to Nimue to get healed.