A lot has happened this year. I decided to take a little "vacation." Considering that gaining experience at my high level was simply impossible under normal circumstances, I, as I said earlier, "studied" what I could and took what interested me. Not long ago, I wandered into Los Angeles, as it turned out that real "demons" had settled quite nicely in this city. Yes, yes, the very ones from the Bible. I was surprised that some of them gave a good amount of experience, and their blood, horns, and claws could be used for alchemical experiments. No, demons, like restless spirits, are everywhere, but in this city, they seem to have found their second home. Maybe it's all about the local energy... I recently became a pretty good sensor, able to feel the local energy and emotions. Here too? Lust, suffering, pain, hatred, and a whole bunch of other human vices — everything demons love. Then why isn't Gotham swarming with these creatures? I don't understand.
Among the rabble of demons I encountered, one named Yorm stood out. He asked me not to kill him, offering me a special dagger called Scar in return — a special demonic relic that grants its user incredible power. However, even the demon himself does not know exactly what kind of power it is. He told me that the previous owner of the body had made a contract with him. It included a special privilege in the form of something as simple as "revenge" in exchange for their coexistence. It's like a split personality with special effects, or think of the Hulk. To be honest, John Jay Abrams' human soul and personality were not dominant, and on top of that, the demon could not control his main trait, namely his main vice — rage. He had to get it from somewhere, and since John's desire had already been fulfilled, this rage had to come from someone else...
Why did I trust him so easily? Well, the only compelling reason I left him alive was because the system itself offered me this quest. It sounded like this...
A secret quest is now available!!!
"All I need is blood..."
Complete all of Yorma's conditions to perform the ritual to create the Legendary Scar Dagger.
It's just a dagger, right? What's so special about it? Not so fast. The note said that this dagger was the second weapon of John Wood, the adventurer whose spectral dagger I still use to this day. Even though I had never seen John Wood and didn't really know him, I could take my hat off to him in respect, since he had such dangerous "toys". But judging by the fragment of his fourth volume of adventures, he had encountered something serious, or maybe not... It's a shame I don't have any gold coins. I would have liked to read his story. Oh well, never mind...Anyway, I agreed to the deal, and the first thing he needed for the ritual was to feed the local people with negative emotions. Unfortunately, Yorm wasn't very bright and suggested luring a small group of people to be tortured in order to extract these emotions from them. I suggested a more acceptable alternative. Why use violence when you can get these emotions out of people voluntarily? Either way, it still took some time, but I managed to combine business with pleasure. Pleasure for me and benefit for the local people.
And so we returned to the moment when we were visited by a curious guest. A dark purple cloak with a hood covered the upper half of her face, but revealed her unusual grey skin tone, and even though I couldn't see her face in detail, I could clearly see the beautiful purple hue of her eyes in the darkness of her hood. A dark purple bodysuit emphasising her attractive figure, long sleeves with gloves of the same colour and grey tights (?), without which this image would be more erotic, but that's just my lust talking. On her cloak, she has a round black and red gemstone in a gold plate around her neck, which holds the whole outfit together.
I was terribly curious to see her characteristics, abilities and special features, but my inner instinct told me that this was not the best idea, as she could easily sense my interference and block my abilities. Once there is a little more trust between us, then we can be curious.
"Well, Yorm, before we begin, perhaps you could tell me about the specifics of this ritual? And most importantly, how do you know about it?
"It just so happened that I... let's say... temporarily borrowed a fragment of a dagger from my previous boss, and when my boss found me and was ready to tear me to pieces, you appeared just in time.
Apparently, it was a stupid and rather strange coincidence. He was lucky, what can I say.
"... And you learned the ritual from him as well. I see. So, what is he like?
"The fragment of the dagger must absorb the demon's blood, and at the same time, I must call upon our mistress, the Red Queen...
"Stop, stop, stop... Are you out of your mind?!
"The Red Queen?" Raven asked curiously.
"To put it very simply, she is a very powerful demon," I explained to her and returned to Jorm, who had cringed slightly when I grabbed him by the shoulders and squeezed him tightly. "Do you even understand what could happen if She decides to honour us with her presence?!"
"But we have no other choice! The dagger was originally created by her hands as a gift to her chosen one! Only with her permission does the bearer have the right to use it! The ritual will indeed summon her, but only in a weak physical form...
"Why take such a risk?! You know that such a creature considers us to be pathetic little insects. You had so many opportunities to escape, and yet you really want to do this. Why, Jorm?!..
"I want to see her because I want to! You don't understand me. What child wouldn't want to see their parent at least once?
"You're just blindly worshipping her. Are you willing to die for a dubious chance?
"It's worth it.
I looked into those red demon eyes and couldn't understand him, but after a minute of waiting, I decided to answer:
"All right, go ahead. Before you do, I want to say that you're the first demon who has made me understand that not all of you are the same, evil and vile creatures. Demons are a reflection of the dark side of humans, right?
"Well..." — a sharp blow, the bone handle dug into his wrist, then into the other, piercing them through, and blood poured onto the floor in a steady stream. He fell to his knees, holding the handle in a prayerful gesture. I couldn't make out the words of the demon's incantation, but with each new word, the blood seemed to come to life, spreading across the room like a web, engulfing everything in red.
"They're transporting us to another dimension!" Raven said anxiously, as she seemed to know much more about these things than I did. The place resembled some kind of hell. There was flesh, blood, bodies, and faces everywhere, distorted in masks of suffering, pleasure, and lust. Yorm was still muttering his mantra, oblivious to his surroundings, until an image of an attractive naked girl with long hair emerged from the pool of his own blood. Only the black pupils of her eyes had a strange cross shape. Made entirely of blood, with no flesh or bones, she placed her palm on Yorm's cheek. Indistinct sounds came out of his mouth. Was he unable to believe she was there, or was he simply stunned? I couldn't know.
The atmosphere of her presence stirred my consciousness, my body trembled and refused to move, beads of cold sweat gathered on my forehead. An attempt to use "Observation" brought nothing but another good dose of "Fear". The blue window of the interface was distorted by interference, all the characteristics were marked with question marks, and only her name, "Red Queen," confirmed the success... of our reckless decision.
"Shh..." Her index finger touched his lips. "You called me, but you are not the one who will talk to me. So, Alex... Speak. Don't be silent. Don't disappoint me," she slowly approached me, hugged me, and put one leg behind my back.
"I... I want your dagger. Mortals gave it the name Scar.
"Ho-o-o? You want to get *****? Funny. What's in it for me?
I wouldn't have agreed to the call without predicting this question.
"To be your 'servant'? This weapon is your will, isn't it? Through this weapon, I will only kill those who deserve it.
"Servant... ha? All my children play games and think they're better than everyone else at their own games. There was one amusing person. You remind me of him. He also loved to look death in the face with a smile and never regretted his actions.
"You mean John Wood?! What happened to him?
"We're not talking about John, are we? All that matters is what's happening now. You must understand that this dialogue is only happening because I want it to. If you make one wrong move..." Her lips barely touched my ear. "Poof," and you'll die. Without even realising what happened.
"What do you want?
"Sometimes the best way is to be straightforward and honest. I'll give you a couple of... bonus points, heh heh heh.
Is that a hint about her knowledge of the System, or...
"Yes, I know about it and others. You're not the first or the last to come to me for help. Even great evil is used to accomplish small good or evil. Ironic, isn't it? There's only one condition. I want "God." Kill him for me with this dagger. This is our agreement, which you cannot break..." Her claw pierced the back of my hand and left a red diamond-shaped tattoo.
"Hmm, you're an interesting little creature. Child," she said to Raven, who, unlike me, was able to move calmly and was just waiting tensely for something to happen.
"I'm not your child.
"Sharp tongue. You think that because you're the child of 'that demon', nothing will happen to you? And besides, despite your father's immense power, he's still trying to find... something important. Here's a hint: it's not genocide or conquering planets. It's something you're unlikely to understand and... accept. Heh heh heh, how amusing it is to watch you. To see how you react to hints from those who know more than you do.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?
"Parents should know everything about their children." Have you ever heard that saying? Whether you believe me or not is your own business. I just gave you some food for thought. But I think we've talked enough.
Her bloody palm made a simple snapping gesture, and Jorm exploded in all directions with shards of the Red Queen's invisible and terrifying power. Another slight gesture, and from the pool of blood, Jorm's dagger formed a curved blade and completely changed its hilt. A black and red haze of aura swirled around it. It beckoned me with its palm and handed it to me. I took it confidently, and when my palm touched the hilt, it swelled with red veins. Are the conditions for acceptance the same as for the spectral dagger? Then I looked into the Red Queen's eyes and, for some reason, found something attractive and beautiful in them.
"Perhaps you will be able to accomplish what he could not...
With those last words, we returned to the reality of my room. I looked at the description of the dagger.
Blood Dagger "Scar" Equipped!
Level: 60;
Rank: Legendary;
Non-level-dependent. Becomes stronger as the character's level increases.
Requirements for use:
Red Queen's Permission: Approved;
Profession: Assassin;
Requirements: none;
Damage Type: Physical [666-???];
Abilities: "Blood Manipulation," "Shape-Shifting," "Life Energy Absorption," "Life Energy Transfer," "Puppet," "Imitation."
"Well, that was... interesting," I disperse the dagger in a red haze until better times. There is no opportunity to "test" it now. "It's a shame that Jorm died, but he knew what he was getting himself into," I shrug, spreading my arms wide, waiting for Raven's response.
"I can't understand why this demon named Jorm was so eager to meet his creator, only to be destroyed by him in the end.
"Alas, we'll never know his motives. Let's get back to something more interesting, namely you, Raven.
"What do you want?
"We both want to achieve our goals. You want to defeat your father, and I want to become a little stronger and learn the details of a very ancient and terrible story.
"You never answered my question about how you know all this.
"It's... quite difficult to explain, but I assure you: I will never violate the terms of our mutual agreement. Perhaps we cannot yet call ourselves friends, but why not start by becoming beneficial partners?
"Partners? Tell me more."We both know that sooner or later your father's minions will find you and do everything they can to free him. I'll help stop your father, and in return, you'll help me learn magic. I think we can deal with my spirits later, as the situation there is complicated and requires more time and effort to resolve.
"You mean that 'ghost archer'? He is shrouded in a powerful curse.
"That's exactly what I mean. I want to understand the nature of this curse. Can it be removed or weakened, because I may be a necromancer," I made air quotes with my hands, "but I don't like to use my spirits without considering their feelings and opinions. This will be my gratitude for their help.
"Share my magic secrets..." she said doubtfully, folding her arms across her chest, and for some reason, it seemed to me that she frowned under her hood.
"Is it really that bad? I definitely won't use it for anything questionable. Honest!" I folded my hands in front of me, but my mask-like smile clearly ruined the image. She thought about it for a moment and finally replied:
"All right.
"Great! I was starting to get worried. I have a couple of friends who can keep us company. It's not much fun being alone all the time. Don't you think so?
The question didn't need an answer. I reproduced the Spectral Dagger Talos in my right hand and swung it sharply in front of me, cutting through space and creating a passage between our location and the Tower of Titans.
"We don't have to tell them the details of our global problem. It will only cause unnecessary fear and mistrust. Let's try to build a bridge of trust and enjoy this beautiful life.
"Sometimes I think you're crazy. Why are you so sure you can stop my father?
"Well, it's better than constantly doubting your own decisions. Sometimes you have to believe in yourself and others.
Raven silently watched the confident young man walking away, and she had a rather strange first impression of him. The simplest word that could describe him was "mysterious." Making deals with demons, summoning powerful demons to get what he wanted, and then pretending that her father was just a minor problem?
Be that as it may, her interest was purely business. Her emotions always had to be under control because of her second demonic self. She could control it, but not for long. Raven just had to be careful. Any strong emotion would cause an internal resonance. She promised herself that she would never become like her father.
"We help each other. That's all.
These words sounded like an excuse for her interest in him, which could very well grow into something more...
I was pleasantly surprised that during my absence, our little Robin had grown wings. Well, to be more precise, thanks to a certain individual named Starfire, Dick Grayson realised that he was truly tired of living in the shadow of his mentor. He changed his costume to black and blue and gave himself a new name, "Nightwing." Of the previous young team of teenage heroes, only Beast Boy remained, who was able to overcome his fear of the public and finally get rid of that silly purple mask. The public already knew him as the green guy in the purple mask. Without it, he remained just that to them, a green guy who even had a fan club because of his good-natured and open personality.
I sometimes secretly followed the activities of the Young Titans, and Rose Wilson did indeed leave their ranks because of one unpleasant incident. The mission was to rescue hostages from the hands of a little-known psychopathic villain nicknamed "Hank." He told them they had five minutes to stop him and rescue the hostages. There wasn't enough time to do two things at once because Kid Flash had injured his leg on a previous mission and couldn't take part. In short, he gave them a tip on where the hostages with the explosives were and where he was. The Teen Titans split up and went to rescue the hostages, while Rose went after the psycho, but it turned out that he had lied, and the Teen Titans encountered Hank, while Rose found the hostages.
The end of the story was that Rose had about a minute to defuse the bomb. But then it turned out that the explosives had been surgically implanted in the chest of one of the hostages. The only way to stop the bomb and save twenty innocent lives was to eliminate either Hank himself or the hostage. Rose knew that Robin couldn't do what was necessary, so she did it herself, piercing the hostage's heart with her sword to save the others. As promised, the hostages did not explode when the time was up, and the Young Titans felt guilty and sad because Rose had literally disappeared after that.
Most likely, in her opinion, if they really wanted to save these people, they would have killed Hank first. If they had done so and taken this "sin" upon themselves, she would have stayed with them. She simply understood that after that moment, they would treat her differently and would no longer be able to see her as anything other than a terrible murderer. The fear of being rejected despite all your efforts to be... better. I know that feeling. Only, unlike me, she wasn't strong enough to fight the Teen Titans. She just didn't want to go to prison for doing what she thought was necessary.
"Listen, Alex, is... Rose okay?
We were just having a peaceful conversation in the common room. Me, Raven, and Dick Grayson. The others were busy with their own things. Dick Grayson had allowed his team and me to see him without his mask. If everything was clear with me, then this open act of trust towards his team members earned him a few points of respect. Yes, it was undoubtedly a risk, given that some particularly clever villains could find out who he really was through his team members, but it also showed them that he wasn't afraid of them and was prepared to take responsibility for the consequences.
"What makes you think I know anything about her?" I reply with a smirk, shrugging my shoulders.
"After that day, we discussed what happened and accepted that Rose did what she had to do. Just... tell her, if you can, that the Young Titans will always welcome her back to the team.
"I'll pass it on when I get the chance. Apparently, Rose realised that I was keeping tabs on her and decided to cut off all contact. I decided not to pursue the matter further, as Rose is a grown woman and smart enough to know what she's doing. Perhaps she has found a new goal and wants to achieve it on her own. Without my help...
It made me a little sad. I wouldn't want anything to happen to Rose during this time. I hope she's all right. If necessary, I can find her with the help of the Compass of Desires, but not now. Realising that the conversation was taking a rather negative turn, Dick Grayson decided to switch to a more interesting topic.
"You know, even though you're back, and I'm glad you are, I didn't expect to see you with a guest.
Raven apparently realised that she needed to introduce herself and make a good first impression. When she took off her hood, I saw a young girl who didn't have the red diamond-shaped crystal that I remembered from my past life. I had no idea why Raven from the cartoon needed it, but here, apparently, there was no need for it. It would be silly to ask such a question. Maybe it would appear in the future, as per the "canon."
"My name is Raven. I... came from another planet called Azarat, and due to certain circumstances, I cannot return there. I just want to find my place in your world and... that's all for now.
"I hope it's not related to usurping the throne..." Nightwing decided to joke. But Raven wasn't privy to the details of his acquaintance with Starfire and just raised an eyebrow questioningly. Realising how strange it sounded, Grayson felt a little awkward.
"It's just that we also have someone who couldn't return home due to 'family circumstances'. In the end, we were able to help her. Basically, everything turned out more or less well thanks to Alex," I said, proudly raising my nose and folding my arms across my chest. This was it! My moment of glory!
"Praise me! Glorify me as your own brother, for I am the one who showed you the way to your happiness!
"...And he has a rather peculiar sense of humour.
"I noticed," Raven added sarcastically.
"Okay, I don't mind you being here. Can you briefly tell us about your special ability?
"I am a mage. I have quite extensive access to various aspects of magic, but I mainly specialise in soul magic.
"I should have guessed from your outfit, Captain Planet.
"I just wanted to confirm my thoughts. No need to be sarcastic and express your dissatisfaction, Alex. So, what was I saying? We have a short break right now. BlueBeetle, Beastboy, and Starfire. There are only four of us so far.
"I have one... fish in my sights. I can't watch her for long, and I need to let her see the outside world.
"Another girl? You clearly don't get enough female attention.
"Not exactly. It's a rather sad story, which I'll tell you another time. And why did your thoughts go in that direction? You pervert. Did sweet Starfire show you a couple of new secrets?
"I don't know what you're talking about...
Despite your seemingly serious tone, you looked away, which allowed me to understand what stage your relationship had reached.
"Um... maybe I can go somewhere else while you two talk? I feel a little out of place," Raven interjected with a sad smile, and we both felt awkward. We forgot that there was a young girl here who wanted to find her place in this tower.
"Sorry, sorry, we got a little carried away. "Nightlegs,* please find a simple room for the young and attractive mage."
"My nickname is Nightwing. Remember it. I don't call you...
"Well, come on, think of something.
"Joker?...
All my cheerfulness was blown away like the wind. Why, of all people, did he compare me to that lunatic? Why? I don't kill everyone for fun. I try to make the world a better place while becoming stronger. Even if it was a joke, for some reason I felt uncomfortable with the fact that the only thing separating me from the Joker was... my love for people, or more precisely, for those who interest me. Dick Grayson realised he had chosen an unfortunate nickname and also stopped trying to sound cheerful.
"Not funny," I say curtly and hold out my hand. "Room."
"304. Here are the keys," he says, pulling them out from under the table and tossing them to me. I catch them calmly and silently head to the lift with Raven. Once inside, after pressing the button for the third floor, Raven asks curiously:
"Who is this 'Joker'?
"A famous madman. A man who killed hundreds, maybe thousands of people.
"Why doesn't anyone bring him to justice?..
"I have no idea. Perhaps it's because of his special nature, the fact that he is a Piece of Chaos. Even if he is killed, someone else will simply take his place.
"Seal him away and hide him from the rest of the world?
"Not a bad idea. If Bats gets into trouble with the Joker or just gets tired of playing with him, you can offer him this alternative.
The lift doors open, and we walk down the corridor to the right door. I swipe my key card on the intercom, and the door opens. Inside, it's a fairly spacious two-room apartment. A kitchen and a living room. Nothing special.
"Would you like me to leave you alone for a moment, or...?"
"No, it's fine. We can get started on our agreement. But could you explain how you know about me?
"Very curious, isn't it? Well, it just so happens that I'm not exactly an ordinary soul, and where I come from, this world was known as something like a story written in a book. I saw 'heroes', 'villains' and just people trying to find their place in their world.
"Was I there too? Did I... win?
"Spoilers. If I tell you about the future, it might not happen. I'll tell you right away that I know almost nothing about you except your tragic fate, but I'm ready to learn new things, not only about magic, but also about you.
"Does my image appeal to you?
"Why not? Is there anything wrong with that?
Raven decided not to answer this question and just looked away slightly.
"Since I answered your question honestly and openly, won't you let me be curious too?
"Yes?
"I have... a special ability that allows me to see information about a person. Their age, strengths, name, abilities, and characteristics. Can I take a look? I'm curious.
"There are things I don't want people to know. It's much more valuable information than what you told me. And there's no need to stand in front of me in a prayer pose. Maybe... later, but not now.
All right, all right, if you don't want to, you don't have to. Sooner or later I'll find out anyway, so let's not ruin our business relationship.
"Well, teacher, where shall we start?
I wonder if I can take advantage of the fact that she's a guest from another planet and doesn't know our special, let's say, traditions? Starfire...
"You won't be able to use my inexperience for your dubious purposes," Raven replies calmly, with a hint of sarcasm and disappointment.
"I shouldn't have read your mind! I know your mind is like a dangerous black box, but you should relax sometimes.
"If I relax and lose control...
"Everything will be very bad. I know, but why not try to find a compromise? I understand that I'm not very experienced in this rather personal matter, but it seems to me that any 'Darkness' created in the soul wants to be accepted.
"You don't know what you're talking about.
"Maybe," I shrug. "I'm not in your shoes and I have no idea what it's like. I'm just saying what I think. Hatred, malice, bloodlust, the desire for destruction — it's all part of us. Anyone who denies it is just a stupid hypocrite.
"Alex, we can't...
"Not right now. I'm not the type to rush things and run headlong into things without a plan. I'm used to thinking things through in advance for a more successful outcome. After all, losing isn't much fun in this game.
"And why do I feel like your wordplay means something more?
"I'm just mocking my own lifestyle and finding some irony in it. I must admit, this is the first time I've ever enjoyed talking to someone so much.
"More interesting than talking to demons on the brink of life and death?
"Of course! One of the main reasons is, of course, the integrity of my body.
"You're very careless.
"I'll take that as a compliment! Thank you, sensei!
"It's too early to call me a teacher. And... I've never passed on my knowledge before.
"It's nice to know that I'm your first.
But I'm curious about what else you haven't experienced. I want to be the first in everything. Don't give me that suspicious look. My intentions are pure, Raven. Well... almost all of them. I have a feeling that everyday life will be very interesting.
***
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