(Alex POV)
Thanks to Carmilla's intel, we now know this demon is a warlock and he hides somewhere in this city's library, a fitting place for a monster who is highly intelligent compared to the other demons I've faced. This time, this is a mission I have to go alone.
So the next day, I stood in front of that library, shadowing myself with my cloak and hood, and a crow cawing at the street light next to me. Apparently and thankfully, no one bothered to notice me. I went inside and gosh the library is huge, I'll take me hours to find him here.
I went to the counter and spoke to a librarian.
"Good Evening Sir, How can I help you?"
It wouldn't be too good if I asked anything that will set off red flags so I made up a lie.
"I'm on a tour and to be enlightened."
She then types in on her computer.
"Please take a ticket and have a nice study."
I nodded as I take a ticket and walked to the directions she gave me.
I looked around for what I felt like hours and nothing, just as I was about to report my findings I noticed something peculiar. There are purple lightings in one of the books, I looked around to see if someone was watching me and I found no one.
I approached the glowing book and picked it out. I opened the book and instead of the contents of the book, I read the big purple writing that is over the book's writings.
'History Section'
It's what I read, my suspicions were raised but I went nonetheless. I arrived at the history section and went deeper til I was out of sight, I found another glowing book again so I went to pick it up. It turned out to be a lever which opened a part of a bookshelf and reveal it to be an elevator.
Due to suspicions, I pulled out my scythe in its pocket form and stepped in to the elevator. It feels like it's taking me up, I can't shake off the feeling that this demon is expecting me.
When the elevator stops, it opens and I step forth. The room is large it looked like an astronomer's lab, shelves of books, glass ranging from beakers to jars, the desk was littered with papers, and at the center of the room was a drawn glyph with a star and etchings around it.
"Alex Crowe." one hoarse voice called.
This causes me to activate my scythe in its full form as I look up to see a dark purple robed figure with a hood descends from ceiling to floor. The robe is black yet decorated with gold and purple linings, like a wizard, then he removed his hood, revealing an old man with silver long hair, gray skin and yellow eyes with black sclera.
"Welcome to my lab, I've been expecting you." he greeted.
I said nothing, when he noticed my silence, he huffed with a smirk.
"You are who they call The Reaper, but I confess, I did not expect a boy. I know why you are here, but before you reap me of my life and soul, allow me to regale you the truth." He said as he walks to the stairs and continues to talk.
"You see, Governor-General Caine Strahm's desire was to rule through an iron fist, but I was not among the demon who was summoned. It was I who gave him the idea of producing magic-powered superhumans, it was I gave them instructions on how to summon demons and create his army. Why did I do this you ask? That was not up to me, I serve another master. Intrigued?"
'So that's what he was getting at.' I think to myself. The next thing I do was spin my scythe in kama form and entered my combat stance.
"I didn't come here for curiosity in hopes I would spare you, You die here and now." I said to him.
The Dark Warlock chuckled then opens his palms and formed an orb of purple darkness.
"I will isolate your corpse for my next experimentation boy!"
And with that, he launched his dark orbs at me which I dodged left and it exploded on impact, I ran on the railing of the stairs while dodging some more of his projectiles and leap toward him with my scythe overhead. Unfortunately he blocked my attack by putting a purple barrier.
The Dark Warlock began to float away and I jumped from the barrier before it disappears and landed on the ground. I looked up to see him waving his hand them I suddenly sense an incoming danger behind me. I rolled forward to avoid the bookshelf falling on to me, but I failed to see the incoming blast as it hits me and fell back on the fallen bookshelf.
'Getting close is a no-go, I have to surprise him somehow' I think to myself.
Then I saw the warlock throw a blast of darkness so I moved outta the way. I picked up a stool beside me and threw it at him, he blocked it.
This gave me an idea. I picked up glass vials and beakers and threw at him, and just as I hoped, he blocked those. I took this opportunity to leap towards him struck down at him, which he blocked. I saw he put a barrier at his front but not his back, so I used the barrier as a stepping stone and jumped over so I get behind him. I pulled out my pistol from my pocket and shot three bullets.
He blocked the first one but the second hit his shoulder and the third grazed his cheek. The Dark Warlock glared at me, I put away my gun and come swinging at him with my scythe.
The warlock engulfed his hands with dark magic and deflected my attacks. We constantly jump all over the place, trading blocks and blows, even aerial combat.
We jumped away from each other to gain distance. I landed on the floor and he still levitates from the opposite side.
"You have skills boy, but you have yet to use your magic." The Dark Warlock said as he summons dark orbs that orbits around him.
I prepared my counterattack as well. But suddenly a large tremor abrupt from the ground, causing me to stumble and the warlock seems distracted too.
I can screams from down below followed by a monstrous roar, and the the next I knew, something jutted out the floor and the burst of force sent me flying to the window and falling before crashing to the rooftop. I used my scythe to hook myself before I reach the ledge.
I recovered and looked up to see what's going. The lab is destroyed and in its place is the Stygian Worm I failed to kill on my last mission.
"My research! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!"
I looked at the warlock and he didn't look happy, he looked towards me with his teeth gritted then changed his expression into calm.
"It would seem our existence is out in the light, perhaps they'll witness me putting an end to the Reaper."
I stood up while hold my scythe one handed looked before me, a giant death worm and a dark mage, and it made me snicker at the odds.
"This is gonna suck."