The darkness seemed to come alive. A sinister, nebulous figure emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. The shapeless demon materialized before them, its presence filling the air with an aura of terror and despair.
Ethan didn't hesitate to pull out a hidden gun. Although he didn't know what he was facing, he saw the need to protect himself instinctively. Yassir, who was beside him, warned him:
"Mr. Blackwood, put that away and hide. Nothing you try can harm this being."
"Explain to me, what the hell is that thing?!" Ethan exclaimed.
"Oh well, I'll have to silence him anyway," Yassir thought.
"That demon is an Apophis, a malevolent creature from my lands. It's not too powerful, but its shadow-related abilities make it tricky to catch. You don't need to worry; I can handle it easily."
For Ethan, it was hard to believe what he was hearing and seeing. At times, he even thought it was all an illusion or a dream. But soon everything escalated to a higher level when the man beside him began to transform. Claws appeared on his hands, and his mouth gradually deformed as enormous teeth grew. In just a few seconds, his entire body was covered in hair, and Ethan could only think of one thing upon seeing him: a werewolf.
Before he could utter any words, Yassir attacked the demon with great ferocity. What followed couldn't be called a fight; it was a one-sided beating. With each swipe of Yassir's claws, a part of the demon was torn away, and although it rebuilt its shapeless body, it became noticeably slower with each moment.
"Alright, this is the moment," Yassir said, producing an urn with a dog's head.
The demon, knowing the nature of the magical object his opponent was trying to use, panicked. If it were trapped inside that urn, its fate would be inevitable.
Facing the danger, the demon used its last resort, one it wouldn't use unless it had no other choice.
As its body was being sucked into the urn's force, a small part of its essence separated without alerting Yassir. Although it meant losing all its strength and practically all its vitality, as long as it could reach the weak human present, it could hide and survive.
The demon's dark essence slipped towards Ethan, entering his body before he could react. Ethan felt an icy chill course through his being but experienced no immediate pain or evident change.
By the time he reacted, still not understanding what had happened, Yassir had already finished absorbing the demon and, now back in his human form, was approaching him.
"Very well, that's all. Now, Mr. Blackwood, I ask you to take this pill. With it, you won't remember anything that happened in the last 12 hours. And let me clarify, just in case, I recommend taking it voluntarily; I don't feel like transforming again to 'help you forget.'"
Ethan didn't want to forget what he had seen but didn't hesitate to take the pill. He could make quick decisions without hesitation, knowing it made no sense to continue this and risk his life.
After ingesting the pill, a severe headache attacked him, rendering him unconscious.
...
When he woke up, he found himself in the bed of the hotel where he was staying. Although he didn't understand how he had gotten there, he suspected it was Yassir's doing. But this thought made him reflect on another matter; he still retained his memories. Many ideas about this crossed his mind. Was the pill thing a lie? While trying to consider all possible options, a diabolical voice echoed in his mind.
"It was thanks to me," the demon's voice whispered, resonating in his mind like a sinister echo.
Ethan started, looking around, but there was no one else in the room.
"Who are you?" he asked, though he already suspected the answer.
"I am the Apophis," the voice replied. "I managed to survive by hiding inside you. So, thank you, my new host."
Ethan's heart pounded as he tried to process what was happening. The demon was inside him, and somehow because of that, he had managed to preserve his memories.
"Why don't I feel anything different?" Ethan inquired.
"For now, I am just a shadow in your mind," the demon explained. "Luckily for you, I have no intention of taking control of your body. But... what do you say we make a deal?"
Ethan got out of bed, pacing back and forth as his thoughts raced. He knew that if he made this decision, his entire world would change. He couldn't trust the demon, but he was convinced that if he revealed this to Yassir, he could only expect death.
"What do you want from me?" Ethan asked, his voice slightly wavering.
"To survive, of course," said the Apophis. "But I can also help you. This is the deal: you help me regain my strength and physical independence, and I will teach you magic."
Ethan took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his next decision. He knew there must be extra circumstances in that deal, but he had no way to find out. After thinking for a moment, he said:
"Anyway, I have no way of getting rid of you without risking my life, so let's do it. I accept your offer. How should I address you?"
"Are you asking for my name? I don't have one, but you can call me whatever you like."
"Since you are an Apophis, I will call you Phis. Now, can you answer a few questions I have?" Ethan, determined to get involved deeply, wanted to obtain all the information regarding this new world.