Several days had passed since Leon and Arin had their conversation, and tensions within the group were escalating.
The deadline for the Truth Demon's arrival was looming, and everyone seemed on edge.
Leon's injuries had healed significantly, thanks to Arin's care and the time that had passed.
Throughout the whole time, Leon tried to talk to Mia but she remained elusive, refusing to speak to anyone unless absolutely necessary.
With no success in finding an escape route either, Leon could only pass his time by conversing with other people trapped in the cave and building some semblance of trust or experiment with his newly acquired chains.
By now, almost everyone was sure that Mia was the reason behind the harbor incident. Well, everyone besides Leon.
"One more day..." Leon muttered under his breath, staring into space.
"What's the matter, Leon?" Arin asked, noticing the distant look on Leon's face.
Their connection had grown stronger over the past days, as they had shared moments of support and genuine companionship.
Leon couldn't help but feel grateful towards Arin for always backing him up throughout the time.
Leon shook off his thoughts and focused on Arin. "Nothing, really. I'm sure once the Truth Demon arrives we can finally leave this place."
Arin sighed, his voice filled with a mixture of frustration and conviction. "Mia's involvement is obvious. I wonder why the guards couldn't just have taken her with them. Guess they want the confirmation themselves."
Before Leon could respond to Arin's statement, a chilling scream pierced through the air, jolting both of them out of their conversation.
They exchanged wide-eyed glances before instinctively rushing towards the source of the scream.
As they reached the commotion, they found a small group of people gathered around a lifeless body, lying on the cave floor.
A loud silence fell over the group as they stared in shock at the sight before them.
"Mia...how? Leon whispered, his voice barely audible amidst the stunned silence that had enveloped the crowd.
'A Demon manifestation?' Leon immediately thought to himself, but quickly shook that thought off.
If it was her inner Demon and she succumbed to it, it would have already taken over her body and run amok.
'Maybe it was... the demon from the crevice?'
Leon's mind raced, considering the possibility that the demon he had encountered in the crevice had somehow managed to find its way into their midst.
"What happened here?" Arin asked, pushing his way through the crowd to get a closer look at Mia's body.
The crowd parted to make way for Arin, allowing him to kneel down beside Mia's body. He carefully examined her, searching for any signs of what might have caused her death.
There were no obvious wounds or injuries on her, and her expression bore a look of terror frozen on her face.
"Leon," Arin called out, his voice filled with urgency. "Go grab a sterile cloth and a knife from my hut. Hurry!"
Leon nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation in Arin's voice. Without wasting another moment, he turned and hurried toward Arin's hut.
As he reached his hut, he quickly pushed open the door, entering the dimly lit space. His eyes darted across the room, looking for his belongings.
However, before Leon could locate anything, he saw someone who shouldn't be there.
"Arin?" Leon whispered, his voice barely audible.
The figure slowly stepped forward, revealing a worn and ragged appearance. It was indeed Arin, but he looked different—haggard, fearful, and with a haunted expression in his eyes.
"What? Weren't you just outside?" Leon stammered, his confusion growing by the second.
Arin's voice quivered as he spoke, "Leon, listen to me. My inner demon...it has taken on a physical form, mimicking me."
Leon stared at Arin in disbelief. "You're kidding right?"
"I wish I was." Arin said, his voice a low whisper.
The weight of Arin's words sank into Leon's mind, filling him with a mix of uncertainty and apprehension.
'Did his demon kill Mia?' Leon's thoughts raced, trying to make sense of the situation.
Unconsciously, Leon found himself distancing himself from Arin, hesitant to trust the person standing before him.
"Arin, if what you're saying is true, then we need to act swiftly and decisively," Leon stated before summoning his chains.
Leon couldn't fully trust him if either he or the other Arin is a demon in disguise. They are known for their deceptive nature and ability to match wits with the cleverest of humans.
"Let me bind you with these chains so I can ensure my safety and the safety of others." Leon continued, his voice firm but tinged with concern.
"The other you is currently outside in front of Mia's dead body." Leon added.
Arin nodded, understanding the necessity of taking precautions. He extended his hands towards Leon, offering them to be bound by the chains.
"Please, Leon, do what you must," Arin said, his voice filled with a mixture of fear and determination.
Leon approached Arin cautiously, his chains coiling and intertwining around Arin's wrists and ankles, making a secure restraint.
"Follow me," Leon commanded, his voice steady but filled with an underlying tension.
He guided Arin towards the crowd around Mia. His attention didn't go unnoticed by the people, who were now staring intently at the bound Arin with a shocked and confused expression.
Murmurs and whispers broke out among those gathered around Mia's body which of course also made the unrestrained Arin aware of the situation.
To say he was shocked was an understatement. Arin's eyes widened with disbelief and fury as he saw his restrained doppelgänger being led by Leon.
"Y-You...what? Arin's voice quivered with a mix of anger and confusion as he struggled to process the sight before him.
"That eerie look and haunting presence. He is... he is a demon!" Arin exclaimed, his voice rising with each word.
Leon's own doubts gnawed at him from within. He knew that in a situation like this, trust could be a fragile and precarious element. Yet...both acted too human.
"Leon listen to me. Kill him now. You know he is a demon." The chained Arin next to Leon looked directly at Leon, his eyes filled with urgency and desperation.
"What did you say? Me... a demon? How can you say that after... after robbing me of them all. You knew I loved them. Yet you kept smiling whilst staining the dirty ground!" Arin shouted, his voice filled with rage.
"Leon, what are you waiting for? Kill him already! Can't you see through his lies? Making up random stories with vague details only serves to confuse and deceive you. Kill him now, please!" The chained version of Arin pleaded with Leon.
Leon's mind was in turmoil as he stood between the two Arins, both claiming to be the real one and accusing the other of being a demon.
His instincts were screaming at him, telling him that something dangerous is going on here, yet he had no way of resolving the situation.
Suddenly, the unchained Arin, fueled by a mix of fury and hatred, summoned a spear into his hand. With a primal roar, he charged towards the restrained Arin, dead set on impaling him.
It was the first time that Leon saw the special ability Arin was given by his demon. If it was the real Arin.
Leon's instincts kicked into overdrive as he witnessed his charge. Without a moment's hesitation, he reacted, summoning his chains to intercept the spear and stopping its trajectory.
The chains moved with incredible speed and precision, wrapping around the spear and wrenching it out of Arin's grasp.
In the same motion, they wrapped themselves around the charging Arin's arms and legs, pulling him back with such force that he lost his balance and tumbled backwards onto the dirt.
"Leon what the hell are you doing?" the unchained Arin shouted, his voice filled with rage and disbelief. He struggled against the restraints, attempting to break free.
'Shit, who is it?' The sight of the two Arins, both claiming to be the real one, was tearing Leon apart. He was sure that he already made contact with the demon but it didn't try anything besides sowing discord.
That it possessed enough intelligence and self-restraint to feign being the real one was beyond him and a testament to its cunning nature.
Leon turned his gaze towards the crowd that had gathered around them, bombarding him with questions.
Their expressions were a mix of shock, confusion, and fear, mirroring the chaotic situation that had unfolded before their eyes.
The murmurs and whispers grew louder as they picked up on the tension and uncertainty in the air.
"Leon please trust me," Arin pleaded, his voice trembling with sincerity.
Meanwhile, the chained and shackled Arin's face contorted with outrage and frustration. "Don't listen to him, Leon! He's the one lying to you! He's trying to turn you against me, against us!"