Alec's crimson eyes were menacing, but behind that, Theo could almost sense them glinting with a sense of... amusement. As if in his eyes Theo was nothing, an insignificant spec he could deal with at his convenience.
He stared deep into Theo's eyes, instilling more of his bloodlust onto the young herald.
"You might be their child," he began, placing his palm on the nape of his neck ", but if you think you can wield that power without understanding it, you're just proving you're nothing but a child playing with fire."
Alec stared even deeper into Theo's eyes, the young herald's golden pupils reflecting the fierce determination he had and chuckled before loosening his grip. Taking that moment, Theo ripped is first from the grasp of the shadowy figure, and stumbled back.
Giving his surroundings a quick glance, he realized he wasn't in the same empty room he stepped into before the start of his trial. This room was smaller, it was large yes, it was significantly smaller than the one he was in previously.
In the corner of the room was a bed bigger than any he had ever seen, the pristine white walls reflected the harsh glow of LED panel lighting that hummed softly overhead. He looked back towards Alec, the shadows around the man faded away, revealing his human appearance. He adjusted his clothes and stepped closer to Theo.
'What was his name again? Alec... something, I think? Just who is this guy, and what does he want?'
Alec reached towards Theo who reflexively ignited his palm and raised his hand in defence, but Alec didn't even flinch, and proceeded to reach through the flame, place his hand on Theo's shoulder, lean in, and whispered.
"Why so hostile, Theo?"
Dusting himself off, Theo scoffed.
"If I was anything but hostile in a situation like this, I would think something were seriously wrong with me."
Turning away and sitting in a nearby chair, Alec folded his arms and smirked.
"Alright, I'll humour you, define 'situation'."
Theo raised a brow, very obviously confused by the mysterious man's sudden change in demeanour.
'Is this guy messing with me?' He looked Alec up and down, but didn't sense any form of condescension or hostility, just pure curiosity.
'Still, I don't have time for this, I need to get to Maria! I have to check on how she's doing.'
As if reading his thoughts, Alec raised a hand to deny him a chance to speak.
"Before you ask, Maria is safe and being cared for."
Theo paused and stared for a few moments, but pushed any thought of retaliation and decided to humour this man.
"Well first, Alec, I come home to see Maria, the person who's taken care of me my whole life laying half dead in my bed,"
At the mention of Maria's state, Alec's expression darkened. It was only for a brief moment, but Theo caught that quick glimpse and raised a hand interrupting him.
"Well, in relation to that, you don't have to worry,"
"Of course I have to worry! Those bastards, whoever they are, have to pay! Each and every one deserves to be punished for even going near her!"
Alec opened his eyes wide at Theo's reaction.
"Don't worry boy, I wholeheartedly agree, and can assure you, all those responsible have been properly dealt with."
Theo was confused by the statement properly, but after thinking of the kind of person Alec whom he only met at most a day ago, he was sure that those responsible were either in a dungeon somewhere being tortured, or are already dead.
He looked Alec who was smiling mischievously over a few times.
'It's probably the latter.'
"Alright, but that wasn't all! After being teleported t a strange place, we were suddenly met by a complete psycho!"
"I presume I am that 'psycho'?"
"Oh, I could never think to call you such a thing, sir! After all, you are the person who has so graciously saved not only mine, but the life of the person I hold dearest. I was simply referring to the demon made of shadows who haunts my nightmares, as of today. You wouldn't happen to know who that is, would you?"
Alec's brow twitched ever so slightly at the mention of the word demon. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with a thoughtful smirk.
"Ah, the shadow 'demon'. Yes, I know of him. A rather, powerful, and troublesome entity he is. In fact, unlike you, I know quite a bit about him."
Alec leaned forward, his expression quickly darkening in anger.
"You see, he thrives on fear and chaos, feeding off the despair of those he encounters. Quite the coward, really, hiding in the dark while others do his bidding."
Theo's heart raced at the description Alec gave of the demon, no, of himself.
"You don't say...."
"Oh yes! In fact, that demon is aptly described by that word, 'psycho'. It, or he gets pleasure from watching others suffer, turning that suffering into his strength and ruling over those even weaker."
Theo's blood began running cold. At this point, he wasn't even sure if Alec was speaking of himself, or an actual demon. Either way, the conversation was steering in a direction he neither wanted, nor liked.
"Then why haven't you destroyed him, or it already? If it's—if he's that dangerous, why let him exist at all?"
Alec tilted his head, a hint of sadism flickering in his amused gaze.
Alec's voice dropped to a low, velvet-edged murmur.
"Who says People haven't tried?"
'People?'
"You see, some things are just, harder to kill than others, young Herald. Especially when they crawl their way out of the same nightmares you do."
Theo froze as Alec shot to his feet and stepped closer, the playful tone in his voice was entirely gone now. In a heart beat, his presence became unbearably suffocating, and Theo felt the weight of something pressing against his chest.
"You see, that little... demon?" Alec whispered in his ear. "I've met him before, but back then, he wasn't as strong as he is now. And just like you are now, I was terrified of him. So I did the best thing I knew to do. I gutted him. Burned him. Dragged him through Hell's own gauntlet. And yet...." He shrugged dramatically, shadows dancing along his fingertips. "He keeps coming back."
Theo swallowed.
"Why?"
Alec smiled, slow, and sharp.
"Because suffering never dies, Theo. It only... changes hands. And if, remember, if one of these 'demons' is somehow killed, it is quickly replaced by another. This cycle has gone on for, and will go on for as long as we live. So now, tell me Theo, where do you think that 'psycho' you spoke of is right now?"
His smile grew even wider.
"Because as far as I am concerned, such a thing doesn't exist, and all those calling others such words are the true psychos! Why, because they fear the change those people bring, and do whatever it takes to maintain their current status quo."
"So what?" Theo's voice cracked. "Does that just mean we leave them to run amok in the world? Doing god knows what until..."
"Until what?" Alec interrupted, tilting Theo's chin up with a single finger. "Until they stop? Until you stop? Because they won't, Theo. And following that logic, neither will you. Meaning the cycle of suffering will only continue. So now, I have a question: What makes you so different from those you call psycho if you are one of those responsible for fuelling their charge?"
Theo recoiled.
That hurt. And it hurt because Alec was right. But still, Theo wouldn't stop. No, he couldn't. Not now, because if he did, he felt as if his entire belief system would crumble.
"So what are you saying then? Me going through my trial in the house of one of said psychos, and the same said psycho gives a speech on how there are no psychos in the world, expecting me to change my belief system because of his words? Not happening!"
Alec grinned and leaned his face closer to Theo, unfazed by the young heralds outburst, and chuckled.
"Fair enough," he then stepped back and raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "I'm not here to change your beliefs, Theo. I'm merely... offering a different perspective. The world we live in is not all black and white after all. It's a mix of many colours, woven together to form the tapestry we call, life. But hey, it has been a while since you had a good rest, so why don't we end the serious discussions here and you go shower change, and get some food."
Alec turned away as he headed towards the exit. Theodore looked to relax slightly, but never lowered his guard and kept his eyes fixed intently on Alec and followed. They stepped out into a large hallway where on either side of the door, were two men clad in leather and metal armour.
Each was in possession of a weapon Theo was more than sure were relics. They all bowed the moment Alec walked by which continued to spark Theo's curiosity as to who exactly this man was. They passed by even more, and they, like those before, bowed in respect. Eventually, Theo could no longer hold back his curiosity and just asked.
"Who are you anyway, and why are you helping me?"
Without missing a step, Alec turned to Theo, and raised a brow in confusion.
"What kind of question if that Theo? I'm, no, we are the only family you have left."