The Demon’s Bride

The argument stayed for more than three hours. Throughout the exchange, Dalton can only see how his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lone cannot be reasoned with. They appeared to think they were in the right path, not knowing how terrible what they have done was.

"No," Dalton uttered his words with a deep stressed words, "I won't agree with this. A person have to suffer for a ritual which hadn't work for ten years. Ten! Ernest had been inside the dark room for ten years!"

"You have to understand what we are trying to do for Jeremy!" Mr. Lone said and Dalton who had heard the words from his mother was baffled by how similar the reply which came from his parents.

"You..." Dalton was shocked that he became speechless, "How can you two trample on others, disregarding their pain and thinking that you are in the most pain here? Is losing a person dear to you allows you to hurt or kill anyone else? No. You don't. I don't know who you two are. You are not the mother Andy father whom I recognize. You are not... to be reasoned with. I will leave you two for now and in that time I hope you can think of the magnitude that you have done."

Dalton went to his room where Ernest had been sleeping on. He was still shivering for ten years, and thinking of that Dalton regret that he hadn't been able to be beside Ernest who needed his help the most. However he didn't have much of a choice and in the time he was still young which why Elise could understand Dalton's situation.

From the memories she seen, she asked herself if this was the reason for Ernest to take the path as the dark sorcerer lord. Was it revenge? But what he was doing now was no different than what Mr. and Mrs. Lone had done. They had inflicted pain to others and loss but then Elise knew how there were people who wanted others to suffer the same pain as them. Was that Ernest's reason?

"I'm sorry," Dalton apologizes again but Ernest's eyes were closed tight. Seeing how Ernest seemed to be in a deeper pain, Dalton reached out his hand to touch his forehead, replied with a searing burn that caused him to flinch. It wasn't only shivering, Ernest was also suffering from a high fever!

Dalton immediately pushed himself from the chair, making his way outside when he spotted a maid, "Bring a basin with cold water."

The maid didn't move and instead looked troubled. When Dalton knitted his brows, she quickly said, "Forgive me, young master but the missus and the master have given us strict order not to help you to attend young master Ernest."

Dalton's hands clutched tight and he resist getting angry as he knew it wasn't the mistake of the maid and she was only protecting her job as it was extremely difficult to find another job. She cannot risk her livelihood for others. All humans were like that and Dalton knew that no matter how kind a person was they still had to make a cruel decision.

In the end, Dalton relaid his own hands and moved to work. The servants didn't know what they had to do when seeing the young master doing their work but helping will only cost them to be fired from their position and they could only watch from afar.

When Dalton came back he squeezed the soaked towel and place it carefully over Ernest's head. "Do you need anything?"

Ernest hazily opened his eyes as he was asked, "You shouldn't have helped me... father and mother would be upset if they know this."

"Honestly Ernest—" Dalton smiled while looking at his younger brother. He had lost one in the past and he won't lost the second once again. "—I understand why they had done this. My parents like no others cannot accept it when they found how Jeremy died. But to hurt you continuously, I would never stand by it. My voice is small in this house. There is barely things I can help you but small changes could lead to a bigger one. For now, I won't let you enter that dark room again. You can stay here, under the light."

Ernest stared at Dalton and for once his mask fell. Elise could see it in the younger man's face how he seemed to be unable comprehending Dalton's reasons and answer. 

"Thank you," Ernest answered and Dalton smiled. He once again soaked the towel without hearing the last few words Ernest whispered to him, "For not knowing anything and helping me."

Elise, the third person had heard the words Ernest said clearly. She frowned, waiting to hear more of Ernest's words when all of a sudden the scene changed and she found herself standing in the sea of fire.

Dalton stepped down from the staircase with horror on his face as he witness the wild fire moving to engulf the floors inside his mansion. He saw nothing but fires on his left and right and his first instinct was to see his family from the mouth of danger. 

He made his way to his parent's room as it was the nearest. Reaching his hand to the door knob, his fingers than recoil as the knob had turned heated, sizzling his palm. He took of his robe and used it to cover the door knob for better access.

Elise followed Dalton from behind and saw the same scene that stricken him with shock. There he saw Ernest standing with a dagger on his hand where the blade glimmers in red. However the redness didn't come from the fire surrounding them instead, it was the deeper red color of blood.

Beside Ernest was other four people next to him who was clothed in black standings as their heads eerily turned to look at Dalton. But Dalton's eyes weren't focused on the people or Ernest. Rather his parents who had sprawled on the floor. Their limbs were rigid, their expression lifeless, yet he could still see the fear that they saw on their eyes before their death.

"What should we do with this one, Lord?" One of the four men asked.

Ernest stared at Dalton whose eyes met his and smiled, "I will take care of him myself."

Dalton in fear took one step backward which caused Ernest's smile to fall.

"Come here brother while I am still asking nicely."