Once General Khalifa left, Meliesse was now left alone with Abaddon.
The demon stood before her, the silence between them heavy with the weight of their history.
"Do you think you can defeat me, mortal? I own you," Abaddon sneered.
Meliesse drew out her knives.
"I belong to no one," she said, despite the fear gripping her heart.
Abaddon stepped closer, each step resounding like the toll of a bell. The sound echoed in her bones, reminding her how small and fragile she was compared to him.
"I remember when I cursed you. Your father—do you still keep him alive?" Abaddon taunted.
Meliesse didn't reply. Instead, she took a fighting stance, ignoring his provocation.
Abaddon chuckled darkly.
"Mortals. What an unpleasant bunch," he remarked.
The demon blinked from his position. Meliesse knew she wouldn't be able to follow his movements with her bare eyes, but she could feel it—the familiar bond they shared. The curse of possession that connected them stirred within her, its oppressive weight settling on her soul.
Abaddon's presence flared to her left, and she reacted instinctively, blocking his sabers with her knives. The demon was not only bigger and stronger but also had two extra pairs of arms apart from the one wielding his sabers. He could summon cursed blades at will, though this time, he refrained.
When she deflected his attack, Abaddon used one of his free hands to strike her, sending her flying.
"Shit!" Meliesse groaned as she struggled to stand.
A few seconds later, the demon was upon her again, his massive fist hurtling toward her. She leaped out of the way just in time, avoiding being crushed.
She hurled one of her knives at him, but it merely bounced off his thick skin.
"Damn it!" she cursed.
Before she could recover, she felt a massive blow to her stomach.
Abaddon had used two of his arms to punch her simultaneously, blasting her into a pile of rubble. This time, she stayed down, barely alive. The demon approached, his heavy footsteps reverberating through the air.
"Pesky human," he said, grabbing her limp body from the rubble. "Trying to get away from me…"
Meliesse's body dangled lifelessly in his grip. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, and she stared at him, memories flooding her mind.
She could never forget this demon. The Curse of Possession—it was the reason for her suffering.
Meliesse had been a child when she was cursed. Born beneath a dead woman, she was found by a drunkard—a man who became both her savior and tormentor. He raised her, but his love turned to hatred as his addiction consumed him. By the time she was four, his rage knew no bounds, and he began to beat her mercilessly, turning her childhood into a nightmare.
Her curse had manifested during one of those beatings, powerful enough to break him. The Curse of Possession crept into her soul, granting her the ability to invade others' souls or pull them into hers, where she could destroy them. Her father, the man who raised her, became her first victim. After years of torment, her curse erupted, and she invaded his soul. There, she fought him, a battle she knew she couldn't afford to lose. Finally, she destroyed his soul, leaving him a breathing corpse.
She was free.
Years later, she found refuge in Happy Land, where she met the only people she could call friends: Mystos, the quiet observer; Dante, the wild spirit; Dylan, the trickster; and Hazel, the shy one. They were her family, the only ones who gave her a sense of belonging.
"Thank you, Dylan. Thank you, Mystos. Thank you, Dante. Thank you, Hazel. Everyone…" Meliesse thought as she felt herself slipping away.
"Nice memories," Abaddon mocked. "Don't worry. I'll make sure they know you died a pathetic death—all alone."
Meliesse could barely hear him now. Her mind was slipping into darkness, her body growing cold as life ebbed away.
"Thank you… your Majesty…"
"Your soul is mine," Abaddon declared, plunging his hand into her chest. He pulled out her glowing soul and dropped her lifeless body to the ground. Holding the orb in his hand, he smiled wickedly before consuming it.
"Finally," he said, savoring the taste. "It's been a while since I had such a delicious soul. Now, for the other one…"
Abaddon was about to move when he froze.
Jai was fighting him.
"Return my body, you damned demon!"
"Calm down, King Jai. I was just about to go after your other enemy," Abaddon replied, his voice laced with irritation.
"Return my body—NOW!" Jai roared.
In an instant, the demon crumbled. He fell to his knees, his monstrous form reverting to that of a human. He looked defeated, a shadow of his former self.
"Don't you want to go after the other one?" Abaddon asked mockingly.
"No. You broke our deal. Never take my body forcefully," Jai replied.
"I'm sorry. I had some unfinished business with that woman," Abaddon admitted.
Jai stood, his torn clothes revealing uninjured flesh. He surveyed the city of Bintan, now reduced to ruins.
"What are you going to do next?"
"Hadia. Hadia is next," Jai said with finality.
"Do you have a plan?" Abaddon asked before delving into Jai's mind.
"Oh… it seems that young man is proving useful after all."