Chapter Seven: Moment of Truth (2)
Kyle's expression twisted in pain, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Dusken with unbridled rage.
"Kyle, or whatever your name is, you were delusional to think you could trick me," Dusken said, massaging his forehead slowly. "But I have to admit, you almost fooled me." He stared at Kyle's fury-filled eyes - eyes that no longer resembled those of a human - with calm, pristine indifference.
"I am not someone who trusts easily, but when I saw your green eyes back on the hill, I forgot my doubts and came down to meet you. I even told you my name," he said coldly.
A chill spread through the air as darkness in the surroundings seemed to stir. Dusken's expression hardened.
'You messed with the wrong person, alien,' he thought to himself.
Kyle's rage-filled eyes glinted faintly as he let out a low, guttural chuckle.
"So, you knew I messed with your mind all along?" His face twisted into a crooked smile as the black lines crawling across his body continued to spread.
Dusken shook his head lightly. "No, I didn't know at first. I just felt like I had overlooked something important."
He sighed, a prolonged exhale that conveyed both frustration and relief. He wanted to head to the town, but his father's warning rang in his ears:
¬Never turn your back on an enemy.¬
Even though Kyle was injured, his abilities were insidious. Dusken had to remain vigilant; a single moment of carelessness could be fatal.
He knew his adversary was likely possessed by a powerful entity capable of subjugating a human soul.
After all, any human in the Ethereal Land, only came in with their souls, while their physical bodies were asleep in the real world.
The Codex could make their soul tangible like their body, but in its core, it was still the soul. So if Kyle was possessed, the abilities of the creature were already laid out.
"When making a plan, one should always prepare for failure. That way, even if things go awry, you won't lose your composure and can adapt. As long as you're alive, there's always a way forward," Dusken said, as much to himself as to Kyle.
Kyle's twisted grin faltered for a moment, as he growled:
"You knew everything all along and played me the fool!" his roar swept through the area.
However, Dusken shook his head and continued:
"No, I only suspected something was wrong. What truly made me wary was your expert control over heat. It was far too refined for someone just discovering their powers."
Kyle's expression changed visibly, fear flickering in his eyes as his fingers twitched.
Dusken chuckled coldly, his laughter devoid of warmth.
"Then there was the description on the scroll. It mentioned a creature battling a ten-year-old and how it was defeated by 'a' level zero. It didn't describe us both, which meant the creature hadn't even noticed you. That was odd."
Dusken paused, his expression darkening. "I began to suspect: What if you had another ability, one capable of influencing someone's mind? When I stared at you for too long and met your gaze, I instantly forgot my thoughts and focused back on the scroll. That was no coincidence, at all."
Kyle's body stiffened as Dusken's words hit home. The black veins spreading across his face had now enveloped his entire body, a grotesque testimony to the poison devouring him.
'What a pity,' Dusken thought, watching Kyle's deteriorating form.
"Then it struck me," He continued: "If you could influence even a Level 1 creature, that meant you weren't Level 0. And one cannot reach Level 1 without entering the god's Palace to receive a legacy. But I saw you appear in the Ethereal Land with my own eyes.
So, what if you had a secondary ability, teleportation perhaps? That would explain how you bypassed the process. However, you being Level 1 was impossible unless…" Dusken's voice trailed off, but his eyes burned with certainty. "Unless you were a creature yourself."
Kyle's body trembled as Dusken's deductions unraveled him piece by piece. The boy's sharp intellect had seen through his carefully crafted facade and layers of scheme.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," Kyle muttered bitterly. "But it's too late now."
Dusken smirked, his confidence unwavering. 'Did you really think I hadn't deciphered this?'
"That wasn't all," Dusken said. "What ultimately led me to poison you was the realization that the real Kyle was likely already dead, and his soul had been taken over by you.
"Your goal was obvious: the god's Palace. Only humans can enter it. Possessing Kyle's soul was your only way to find it, since Kyle was a human."
Dusken's voice dropped to a grim tone.
"But you overlooked one critical thing. Even if you possess a human, you can't enter the palace. It would extinguish your soul - just like it did to Demon Lord Zachar."
Kyle's eyes widened in shock as Dusken revealed the final piece of the puzzle.
"I knew you'd kill me once we arrived at the palace. After all, if Kyle's abilities couldn't save him, I wouldn't stand a chance. That's why I poisoned you - not to kill you, but to weaken your soul. It was my insurance to survive."
Kyle's body trembled violently, and he stared at Dusken with a mix of regret and newfound respect. His meticulous plans had been utterly dismantled by a mere ten-year-old.
"You're right," Kyle admitted, his voice filled with bitterness. "I kept you alive because of that scroll. It was my mistake. You were lucky, too lucky. You've earned my recognition. I, the heir to the Ninth Chair of the Star Alliance, acknowledge you as a rival."
Dusken remained expressionless, though internally, he was shaken. Who in the real world didn't know the Star Alliance?
These was the alliance of alien races, who had brought humanity to the brink of extinction, and to think that he would meet the heir to the ninth chair here. Fate, it seemed, was as cruel as it was ironic.
As Kyle's body disintegrated into dark powder under the pale moonlight, a white, demonic smoke emerged, forming a soul.
"You played me well, Dusken," a raspy, grating voice echoed from the smoke.
Dusken's eyes widened as black particles flew out from his chest. A surge of information flooded his mind.
[Species: Demon
Rank: Awakened
Level: 3]
Dusken stepped back, his gaze locked on the floating smoke. His eyes glimmered with something dark, something incomprehensible as the darkness reacted.