When Aeris' feet touched solid ground again, they stood in a dense forest—night had draped the sky in darkness. Valroth continued forward through the trees, his sword glinting at his waist—a dark scabbard with a crimson, vine-like pattern. He walked on indifferently, not slowing or waiting for Aeris. Unaware of the cold distance in his demeanor, she trailed behind him, struggling to keep up in the darkness. His cloak draped over her like a shroud, dragging on the ground as she jogged to match his tall, shadowy figure ahead.
In front of Aeris stood a simple wooden cabin, with a rushing river behind it flowing relentlessly toward a cliff not far away. Valroth waited in front of the cabin, watching Aeris approach. She seemed to have adjusted to the pain, as her walking posture was almost normal, though her red, swollen, and charred left leg still trembled under her cloak. As Aeris stood before him, Valroth said, "Go to the back and wash yourself in the river. I don't want you dirtying any of my things." She continued forward, disrobed, and stepped into the river, scrubbing herself thoroughly until the blood and mud were washed away. Then she returned to Valroth.
"Why aren't you wearing your cloak?" Valroth observed her exposed body expressionlessly. Her skin was sickly pale, covered in bruises, scabs, and dark, unhealthy spots. He hadn't expected her to answer. Valroth stepped forward, took the cloak from her hands, and tried to wrap it around her. Aeris took a half-step back, shook her head, and muttered, "Dirty." Valroth glanced at the cloak, then back at the water-drenched Aeris, realizing she meant her own body was too filthy to stain his cloak.
"Except for this." He stepped forward, closing the distance again. His wings flared briefly, flickering with embers, and Aeris was instantly dry. Valroth wrapped her in the cloak again, and this time, she didn't back away, only watching him with a puzzled look, seemingly unable to understand why his cloak was an exception.
"And you didn't even wash your face." He lifted her chin with his fingers, making her look up at him. Aeris looked confused and clearly did not understand. Valroth realized she may have never seen her own reflection, so he led her to the river and carefully washed the blood and dirt from her face, wetting her hair and gently rubbing it clean.
Inside the cabin, there was only one bed, and Valroth lay down on it, stretching lazily, propping his head up with one hand and pointing to the ground beside the bed with the other. "Sleep." The faint moonlight outside shone on the cold, hard floor where Aeris lay. She curled up, holding her knees to her chest, and soon started trembling. Valroth watched her, noting her delicate face beneath her soft black hair. He took a deep breath. Though he sensed no power within her, the memory of past mishaps kept him wary. We'll see tomorrow.
When Aeris opened her eyes the next morning, her gaze was sharper. Seeing Valroth seated by a fire and holding a thick branch that had roasting meat on it, she sprang up, trying to snatch it from him. "Sit down," he said, swatting her hand away without looking. She eyed the sizzling meat with barely contained hunger, glancing at Valroth as if contemplating another attempt.
"Do you want the meat, or do you want to follow me?" He offered her the skewer. Aeris's hand was already outstretched, but it was frozen in the air after she heard him.. Valroth raised his eyebrows with intrigue. Surprisingly, She had chosen the latter.
"If you choose to follow me, from now on, you'll obey every command from me. If I tell you to sit, even if the ground is ablaze, you'll sit. If I tell you to jump off a cliff, you'll jump without hesitation. Understood?" The stick remained in his hand, his eyes were glowing with a fiery red light as he looked at her, gauging her reaction. Aeris nodded, her expression was more controlled than yesterday.
"You should respond with, 'Yes, sir.'"
"Yes, sir," Aeris replied, her voice trembling slightly. Her eyes filled with tears, though her face stayed expressionless. Valroth frowned at the peculiar sight. He patted the ground next to him, instructing her again, "Come sit down." This time, she obeyed without hesitation. While she was glancing at the roasted meat in his hand, her wet lashes fluttered.
"Eat. When you're done, put on the clothes over there, wash my cloak, and return it to me."
They were black shirt and shorts, a bit large for her slender frame. The two of them, now clad in black, stood beside the cliff and were both listening to the roaring waterfall below. The spray dampened them both, yet neither moved.
Valroth led her a few steps closer to the cliff's edge, then stopped. Placing a hand on her back, he gave her a light push, and Aeris tumbled forward, her small body plunging swiftly toward the rocky basin below. Valroth watched with folded arms, as the dark figure neared the jagged rocks hidden by the water's frothy surface.
As expected, Aeris displayed no sign of ability.
She's just an ordinary human. Satisfaction flickered in Valroth's eyes. An innocent, naive girl like this would be easy to control. After all, he was Asmodeus; manipulating human hearts was second nature. This time, I hope my plan succeeds. With that, he leaped down after her, crimson wings bursting from his back, propelling him downward. He caught Aeris just as she neared the water, enveloping her with his wings and flying them both back to the cabin. Soaked as she was, she ceased trembling within his fiery embrace. She clung tightly to his shirt which revealed her fear. Valroth smiled, pleased at this glimpse of her buried emotions.
"You've passed my test. There are more though but now, I need to ask you a question, though you don't need to answer right away." He steadied her and continued, "I want to train you to help me accomplish something in the future. This journey will likely be painful and long—perhaps lasting until this human body of yours dies. I need to make sure you understand this — the only reason I'll keep you by my side is to fulfill this purpose." Aeris nodded.
"If you still choose to stay, we will sign a contract. I will mark you, and you belong to me for the rest of your life. The only way to break the contract will be your own willingness. But even if I let you go, the mark might hold you. So, think it over carefully." Valroth's gaze was intense, he was ensuring she understood every word of that.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll expect your answer." Smiling, he turned to leave, assuming any rational person would refuse. Yet, he felt a tug on his clothes as Aeris pulled him back.
"What is it?" he asked, turning to meet her resolute gaze. For a moment, his breath caught, but he quickly regained composure. Valroth removed her grip and stepped back. Letting his clothes burn away, he exposed his upper body. Valroth raised his right hand and drew a flame from his fingertip, he cut his chest to have a single drop of crimson blood.
"Aeris, are you sure you want to sign this contract?" His black eyes gleamed red, his pupils stretching eerily. Wings unfolded from his back, and two sharp horns sprouted from his head as his sword hummed in its sheath.
Aeris nodded firmly.
"I need you to say it."
"I'm sure," she replied, her voice was clear, it was much stronger than before.
"Come here." Valroth smiled while his strange pupils glinted. Aeris stepped forward, staring straight into his eyes, as she seemed not be bothered by his bare chest.
"Not afraid?"
"No."
Valroth pressed the drop of blood to her forehead. Her body started shuddering, and she was pressing a scream in her throat. Sweat beaded on her face which showed her agony.
"This is only the easiest part of the pain you will endure," he whispered, caressing her cheek. "Aeris, I don't think you truly understand what kind of contract you have just signed."
Aeris looked up at him, as the pain cleared from her eyes for a second, as if to prove herself.
When the drop of blood fully merged into her forehead, Aeris collapsed to her knees, panting heavily. Behind her left ear, a subtle white mark appeared. Valroth knelt, tilting her head to admire the crescent-shaped mark, smiling as he brushed his knuckle over it.
"Your mark is beautiful. I like it," he murmured with a smile appearing at the corners of his thin lips. "You are my belongings now."