The cavern was eerily quiet the next morning, a heavy stillness that weighed on the air. Adrian sat alone near the jagged entrance, his crimson eyes staring blankly into the dim shaft of light filtering through the rocky crevices.
Yesterday's events lingered like a persistent shadow. Estrallosa's acknowledgment of his strength had solidified Adrian's place among the demons, but victory only opened new questions. Questions about his power. About what he had become.
Adrian ran a hand through his dark hair, his fingers brushing the base of his horns. The truth gnawed at him—he needed to understand more. If he didn't, this power that now coursed through his veins might swallow him whole.
The quiet was broken by the rhythmic sound of footsteps echoing deeper in the cavern. Adrian turned sharply, his gaze narrowing. A slender figure emerged from the darkness, moving with a deliberate grace that betrayed neither haste nor aggression. The demon's dark robes billowed with each step, the fabric blending into the shadows around him.
When the figure came to a stop, just beyond arm's reach, Adrian could make out his face—or part of it. The demon's hood obscured most of his features, save for the faint smirk and the sharp, intelligent gleam of yellow eyes that seemed to pierce straight through Adrian.
"You're up early," the demon said, his voice calm and velvety. "Estrallosa spoke of you… with interest."
Adrian didn't bother hiding his suspicion. He shifted slightly, one hand resting on the hilt of his blade as he met the demon's gaze. "And you are?"
The figure inclined his head slightly, the gesture almost mocking in its politeness. "Draven. Advisor to Estrallosa. I've served him for centuries, though I prefer 'strategist' over servant." His lips curved faintly. "And you, I presume, are Adrian—the human who walked into a den of demons and lived to tell the tale."
"Something like that," Adrian muttered. His gaze flickered toward the rock beside him before he gestured. "If you're here to talk, sit. I don't have the patience for riddles."
Draven chuckled softly, a sound that held more amusement than malice. "Direct. I like that." He settled onto the jagged stone, folding his hands in his lap as if the uncomfortable surface were a velvet throne. "So then, let's speak plainly."
Adrian leaned forward, his crimson eyes glinting faintly in the dim light. "Start with this power system. The demons' hierarchy, these… cores. I've seen what Estrallosa can do, but what does it all mean?"
Draven tilted his head, his yellow eyes studying Adrian like a puzzle that had yet to be solved. "Ah, the hunger for knowledge. You wear it openly—a human trait that sets you apart. Very well. I'll tell you what you want to know."
He extended a clawed hand, palm facing upward. A moment later, a small orb of dark energy flickered into existence, pulsating faintly like a heartbeat. The shadows around it seemed to curl and writhe in response.
"This," Draven said quietly, "is a core. It is the essence of every demon's existence."
Adrian's eyes locked onto the orb, drawn to the way it pulsed, alive and menacing. "And all demons have one?"
"Yes. We are born with them." Draven's voice turned slightly colder, as though recalling some unpleasant memory. "But strength is earned. Our hierarchy reflects the evolution of these cores. From the weakest—Monogons—to the pinnacle, the Nonagons."
Adrian frowned. "The more cores, the stronger the demon?"
Draven nodded, letting the orb dissipate into smoke. "It's not as simple as numbers. Strength lies in mastery. Each tier—Monogon, Digon, Trigon, and so forth—has stages. Mastery of these stages determines a demon's control. Estrallosa, for instance, is a Heptagon, Third Stage. But Meliodas, the Demon Emperor, is the only known Nonagon, First Stage."
"Meliodas…" Adrian murmured, the name lingering on his tongue like venom. "And where do I fall in all this?"
Draven's lips curled faintly, as though he relished the question. "You, Adrian, are an anomaly. Your transformation has propelled you far beyond what most demons begin with. You are a Pentagon, First Stage."
Adrian's brow furrowed. "Pentagon? That's… what, the middle of the hierarchy?"
"The middle for now," Draven corrected. "Your potential is far from ordinary. You've already displayed abilities beyond what most Pentagons could achieve. It seems fate—or something darker—has plans for you."
Adrian was silent for a moment, absorbing the information. His fingers tapped against the edge of the rock as he processed the weight of Draven's words.
"Elements," he said suddenly, looking up. "Humans and elves rely on elements like fire, wind, and earth. But demons… they're different, aren't they?"
Draven's smile widened, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Indeed. Demons are not bound to the elements of nature. We draw from the primordial forces—Darkness, Chaos, Despair."
He gestured subtly toward Adrian, his tone tinged with something close to admiration. "You, Adrian, are Darkness incarnate. It's one of the rarest and most feared elements among demons."
Adrian stiffened, memories of his abilities flashing through his mind—how the shadows seemed to obey him, how [Drain] and [Shadow Cleave] had left devastation in their wake. "How do I control it?" he demanded.
"You already have," Draven replied smoothly. "Your abilities are a manifestation of your core and your element. The more you feed it, the more it grows. But power demands a price, Adrian. Control requires mastery."
A long silence stretched between them. Adrian's gaze dropped to his hands, to the faint, residual dark energy curling around his fingers.
"And what price will it demand?" he muttered.
Draven's expression turned somber. "That depends on you. Power is a blade that cuts both ways—one edge carves your path, the other carves you."
Before Adrian could respond, a familiar rumble of footsteps echoed from the cavern's entrance. He turned sharply to see Estrallosa approaching, his massive form silhouetted against the light. The demon lord's wings shifted faintly, his yellow eyes glinting with quiet amusement.
"You're busy this morning," Estrallosa said, his deep voice reverberating through the cavern. "Draven rarely entertains anyone. Consider this a privilege."
Adrian rose to his feet, his crimson eyes meeting Estrallosa's unflinchingly. "I didn't come here for privilege. I came to grow stronger."
Estrallosa chuckled, the sound like distant thunder. "You've embraced what you've become. That is the first step. Now let's see if you can survive the next."
Adrian's jaw tightened, determination flaring in his eyes. "Then teach me."
Estrallosa's wings unfurled slightly, his imposing figure seeming to fill the cavern. "Good. Follow me."
Draven stood as well, his smile faint and unreadable. "A demon who seeks purpose is far more dangerous than one who craves chaos. I look forward to seeing which you become."
Adrian followed the two deeper into the cavern, his footsteps steady. He wasn't the same man who had once been broken, who had been cast aside and hunted like an animal. He was something else now—something stronger, darker, and far more dangerous.
The path ahead would be steep, but Adrian welcomed it. If this was what it took to reshape the world, then so be it. The man he had been was dead.
In his place stood a demon.