Linfer, in his misty form, observed from a distance, searching for Luna. He had used Lilith as bait, hoping the confrontation would attract Luna. Once Luna was weakened or focused on the battle, he would kill her in secret. Yet, something was amiss. Luna wasn't appearing. And the guards kept pouring in, in ever-increasing numbers. Lilith, wounded and in a bad state, desperately tried to flee, but Linfer had lost interest in her. His objective lay elsewhere.
In his vaporous form, he penetrated the castle's innards. After several minutes of searching, he finally reached Luna's chamber. What he saw left him stunned. Luna, lying in her bed, was sweating profusely, her veins tinted violet. Servants scurried around her, panicked. Linfer approached slowly, his eyes shining with a predatory gleam.
"Poisoned by Belzebuth's aura..." he murmured, recognizing the symptoms. He remembered the dagger Lilith had used during her fight with Luna. A cruel smile stretched across his lips.
'What a stroke of luck,' he thought.
In an instant, his body took on a human form. The moment he appeared, the servants exploded in a bath of blood.
"Interesting, for a mortal..." he said, licking his lips. "You could have been my concubine. Too bad, I need more power right now."
Luna opened her eyes, frightened and confused. "Do I know you?" she murmured.
Linfer didn't know if it was a question or a statement, but he didn't give her a chance to speak. He brutally tore out her still-beating heart from her chest, sucking her blood and separating it into two orbs.
He then observed the two blood spheres in his hands: one red, burning, and the other violet, poisoned by the necrotic power.
Without waiting, he absorbed it with a fluid gesture. Instantly, an intense heat spread throughout his body. His skin began to turn red, then to heat up, as if his veins themselves were on fire. Crimson flames erupted from his body, dancing furiously around him.
The heat was almost unbearable. His forehead wrinkled in pain, and he clenched his teeth, making his jaw crack. His muscles contracted as his skin seemed to burn from the inside, crimson flame lines running through his flesh, leaving a luminous trail behind them. Each breath was like a torrent of fire in his lungs.
Linfer screamed internally, feeling his blood literally burning in his veins, as if every drop was seeking to consume him. Yet, he held on. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and forced his will to tame this destructive energy. His heart began to beat, but as usual, it resumed its usual silence.
Gradually, the flames swirling around him slowed down, retracting until they disappeared entirely, except for a few crimson sparks that continued to crackle under his skin. Linfer opened his eyes, a dangerous gleam in his gaze, and exhaled a puff of smoke.
The crimson flame was renowned for its intense heat and healing abilities, but it possessed another peculiarity: wherever a drop of the user's blood was located, they could invoke the flame. Luna, however, had to let her blood splatter to make use of it. For Linfer, who mastered blood usage, it was an invaluable asset. Not only had his offensive power and versatility increased, but his level had also risen to Origin 6, making him even more formidable.
He lowered his eyes to his hands, his body still slightly trembling from the wave of power. Then he turned his attention to the darker violet orb, infused with Belzebuth's necrotic poison. Slowly, he brought the orb to his right hand and inserted it directly into his palm. His skin immediately took on a violet hue, the dark energy infusing his limb.
He immediately stopped the circulation of his blood in that area to prevent the poison from spreading. A frigid sensation invaded his arm, contrasting brutally with the heat of the crimson flame he had just absorbed. He knew that as long as this necrotic blood was within him, he could use the powers associated with Belzebuth. But this power was temporary, and to truly master necromancy and the violet flame, he knew he would have to kill Belzebuth himself and absorb his essence entirely, as he had done with Luna for the crimson flame and the four humans for the four basic elements.
Satisfied, Linfer closed his fist. His right hand glowed with a dark violet, pulsating with macabre energy.
The heat of the crimson flame had burned through his entire clothing, leaving his body bare. With a detached gaze, he scanned the room and spotted a luxurious silk gown hanging on a nearby mannequin. He slipped it on with a fluid gesture, adjusting the fabric with an air of nobility and assurance. He also put on a black glove on his right hand, concealing the unhealthy violet color.
Linfer then approached Luna's corpse, seizing her face without any delicacy. He dragged her lifeless body to the door and opened it with a kick, looking powerful and detached. At that moment, he exuded a completely different aura. A new confidence, almost tangible, emanated from him. He was no longer just Linfer...
***
In a chamber of the castle, where the flickering light of the chandeliers danced on the walls inlaid with black precious stones, Lilith was seated astride Linfer. She traced the lines of his muscles with her fingertips. Her eyes were filled with a mix of memories and the desire of the moment.
"I still remember that day," she murmured, between kisses beside Linfer's ear, her voice soft as a whisper. She shivered, a flash of pleasure and pain coursing through her body.
Linfer didn't allow her memories to fully materialize. With swiftness, he closed his hand on her hip, a firm and possessive grip. His other hand, broad and powerful, plunged into her jet-black hair, pulling her head back. Lilith felt a shiver run down her spine, not of fear, but of frenzied anticipation. Her eyes darkened as she rode him, desire becoming a palpable force between them. Linfer bent down, his dark gaze piercing her soul.