The Demon’s Bride

Mr. and Mrs. Lone went into immediate panic when at the same time the same man who had appeared wounding him the day before had appeared again. This time he had a solemn expression on his face. In panic, Mr. Lone had called the man by his name, "Sir Andrick! Please help us my son! My son is wounded by this ungrateful bastard!"

Ernest frowned at the accusation but felt more angered when Mrs. Lone had pushed him away when he had tried to look at the injury that had caused Dalton to lose all the lights from his eyes, knocked unconscious. 

"Ungrateful bastard," the man named Andrick laughed which turned Mr. and Mrs. Lone confused by his reaction. "This is what you wanted? There was an easier wish you could make. One where you would only need to pack your things and bid adieu to this house." 

Ernest didn't comprehended it well at first but he slowly grasped his understanding when he realized the man who currently talking to him was the same man who had spoken at the other night. He didn't know the man's face and his voice had changed compared to the other night but from the content of his discussion which only the two of them would know, Ernest was sure this man was the one who offered him help. But he appeared different. How?

"What are you saying, Sir Andrick?" Mrs. Lone questioned as she was confused by the way the man had talked while looking at Ernest as if they were in a discussion when the man should have been on their side. 

"I proofed you my help but I can see you still doubt it. Why don't you make a second wish?" The man asked him again.

After witnessing what the man could do, Ernest felt as if he had been handed a new power on him— a power so enormous, making him felt so powerful as though he was reborn. With that much power in him, it delighted Ernest. So much that his smile turned into a wide malicious grin on his face. Yet when he heard the small grunt from the boy on the floor, his expression stiffened.

"Heal him," was Ernest's first order. The order which mark their first contract. Andrick's smile to Elise was beyond horrendous. Seeing how easily Apollyon had entered the man's body had spoken enough of the extent of his power. She can tell Apollyon expected the order as he had stood in a way near Dalton to raise his hand once and put a healing magic over the boy. The cut on Dalton's face disappeared at once.

Apollyon then said, "Remember, I take my payments when its due."

Days went on but Ernest didn't decide to leave the mansion. He continued to be abused and harmed by the couple but all was so that he could spend more time in the family to gain a spotless past for his future plan. The only time Ernest lowered his guard was when he was beside Dalton. Elise hated to admit the man still had an emotion to him after everything he had done. 

One day, Ernest was allowed to leave the house as Apollyon in disguise in Andrick had advised Mr. and Mrs. Lone to let Ernest out of the house so they wont raise any suspicions. Ernest followed Apollyon who had taken the appearance of a young girl. "You keep changing your appearance," Ernest commented, while they were walking through a busy town's street. 

"I have some face I like to use and some more which I took more liking to as it helps me to avoid the unneeded attentions from others' eyes," replied Apollyon whose voice had turned gentle and soft as he had took a young girl's appearance.

"Unneeded attention? Is it because you are that much of a careful person or if you are chased by anyone?" Ernest saw the silence on Apollyon's face. 

"The first one," answered Apollyon. Ernest deducted him to become such a person who is too careful on making his walk forwards that he would bring hundreds of plans in his mind in case his day didn't go as he planned for.

"And where are we going now?" Ernest knew they wouldn't be walking outside the mansion simply to take a breather. 

Elise saw how Apollyon moved before she looked around the street, finding something odd as she continue to look around the place. Ian had noticed it as well even though he noticed nothing, "What's wrong, Elise?" 

"This street," Elise looked around again to make sure. "It is the town where I live in, along with the Scotts."

Ian hadn't noticed it since the last time he had came here, the town had been destroyed to mostly ashes or blocks of brick. He didn't miss the cruel smile on Apollyon's face that angered him at once.

"I'm here to meet the granddaughter of someone whom I know from the past though they don't know me. She is called the sweet child by the fairies but I would like to call her the soon to be queen," answered Apollyon with a smile. "The Queen of Hell and Heaven, the demon's bride, as well as the key to our plan. She has a bright red hair from the words that is sent to me. If you see her, you would immediately know who she is."

Ernest raised his eyebrows, "Won't we kill her? If we do, I don't see the need as to why I have to see her by my own eyes."

"Maybe you don't but I do," Apollyon continued to walk while saying, "Tell me if you ever found her."

Ernest sighed, he looked at Apollyon again only to find the man in the young girl's body had disappeared from his eyes. He ruffled his hair, thinking what the trouble it was to find the missing Apollyon. As he walked, he heard the voices of people around him. Seeing the lots of people with his eyes that had been healed bring him a deep hatred as he had regained his sight while feeling an emptiness in his heart that he couldn't name on. 

All he wanted was to get away from the crowd. He made his way to the left side of the street when he was pushed back here and there before bumping into someone else who had walked near him. The other person gasped and immediately put themselves in a proper stature, "I'm sorry." It was the voice of a woman.

Ernest was one to quick put a fake smile on his lips that would be polite to anyone who sees him. "It is no problem, young lady I have also been the one who—" when Ernest looked up, his eyes met the blue ones of Elise's. Her red signature hair was enough to help Ernest identify who she was. "—didn't keep my eyes on the street properly."

He then looked beside Elise, noticing the smaller boy. 

Elise offered the man a smile and after they had talked she left. In time as Ernest was trying to understand how could a small young lady who seemed to be so fragile that she could wilt anytime. 

"Don't be fooled. She is one of the strongest people you would meet," came the voice of Apollyon beside him. "I have a question for you, Ernest. How long do you want to keep this farce with your family? It's about time you kill them. You are old enough to inherit all the possession of that family."

"Not now," answered Ernest, not knowing his attention had been veered by Apollyon. 

"Oh, are you scared that Dalton would be angry but hey you might want to kill those two sooner. His parents I mean."

Apprehensively Ernest narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?" 

"Well it is just that I have overheard their wretched plan to kill Dalton," seeing the smile that fell from Ernest, Apollyon's eyes turned crescent as he became happier, "Let's go back home so I will tell you all the details about it." And as they left, Ernest looked back at the place where Elise had walked on, his eyes staying for a few more second before he turned back his face.