Chapter 6: The Unbearable Weight of the Choice
Elvas sat hunched on the edge of his bed, staring blankly out the grime-streaked window. The world outside was a weary blur of gray streets and flickering streetlamps—a landscape that looked as exhausted as he felt.
Avalon. His lifelong cage. His prison.
All his life, he'd been locked inside its invisible walls, constantly reminded that there was no escape, that this was his assigned place. Not by choice, but because of the stain running in his veins: Demon Blood.
The elders called it the Oath—an invisible barrier sealing the supernatural realm away from the human world. They had drilled into him the terror of crossing that line, claiming it meant chaos, ruin, and destruction. He was dangerous, unworthy, cursed to remain where every face reflected hatred and fear.
His fists clenched until his nails bit into his palms, his hot breath fogging the cold glass. "I didn't choose this," he muttered, his voice rough with resentment. "Why me? Why was I born with this blood?"
Anger clawed at his chest, a storm he couldn't quiet. He leaned back, dragging a hand through his dark hair, his jaw locked tight.
"System," he called out finally, his tone hesitant, almost fearful of breaking the heavy silence. "Can you hear me?"
The air immediately shifted, a chilling draft raising goosebumps on his arms. A low, persistent hum vibrated through the floorboards, threading into his very skin.
[System Response: Host Elvas Das, what do you require?]
Elvas straightened instantly, his pulse quickening at the cold, mechanical voice in his mind. "Can you... can you get me out of here?" His voice cracked, desperation overriding caution. "To the human world. I need to see it. I'm sick of being trapped here, surrounded by people who despise me."
The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, as if the System were deliberately calculating his despair.
[System Response: Host is currently at Level 3. Access to the human world requires Level 5 and one thousand (1,000) points.]
The words struck him like a physical barrier. He slumped forward, burying his face in his hands, a frustrated, ragged sigh tearing free.
"How many points do I have now?" he demanded, his voice sharpening with impatience. "How far am I from that goal?"
[System Response: Host possesses five hundred and fifty (550) points. Four hundred and fifty (450) points are required to reach one thousand (1,000).]
Elvas froze. His eyes widened as a flicker of hope flared, small but fiercely bright. "Four hundred and fifty points..." he whispered, rising and moving toward the cracked, crooked mirror on his wall.
His reflection stared back—tired, angry, etched with years of ridicule. But now, for the first time, there was a spark of something different in his gaze. Determination.
He squared his shoulders. "System. What do I need to do to reach Level 5? Tell me. What is it going to take to earn those last points?"
The response came sharp and commanding, filling the room like an inescapable verdict.
[System Response: To reach Level 5, a new Task must be completed. Are you prepared to load the next Task?]
Elvas hesitated, his fingers twitching at his sides. The unknown loomed over him like a tempest, but running had never saved him. He took a steadying breath and gave a resolute nod. "Yes. I'm ready. Load it."
The air shimmered violently. Crimson words blazed to life before his eyes, pulsing with immense power.
[System Alert: Task Loading Complete. Two (2) primary Tasks have been generated.]
[Task 1: Defeat Auran, the current Alpha of the Werewolf Pack, in open combat.]
[Task 2: Initiate intimacy with the female Host you desire.]
Elvas's stomach plummeted. His jaw went slack, and the words tumbled out raw and panicked. "What? Fight Auran? The Alpha?" His voice rose, frantic and disbelieving. "And… Liora? Intimacy with her? Are you insane?"
He paced the cramped room, his hands trembling, his heart slamming against his ribs. "There's no chance! Auran would tear me to pieces before I could even get close! And Liora? I've barely exchanged two words with her!"
He pressed both hands to his head, pulling at his hair, disbelief pouring out. "This is impossible! One will get me killed, the other—" He choked off the thought, a humiliating heat rising in his cheeks. "I simply... I cannot."
But the System's voice was merciless, offering no empathy.
[System Response: Complete the Tasks to unlock the 'Invisibility' ability, enabling discreet escape. Failure to complete Tasks will result in the immediate Deletion of one Player from existence.]
The word "Deletion" froze him instantly.
His breath caught. "Deleted? What does that even mean?" His voice shook. "Delete a Player? Are you talking about me? Someone else?"
[System Response: Information regarding Player Deletion is restricted. Host must choose: complete the designated Tasks or select one Player for Deletion.]
Elvas's chest tightened, dread crushing him. "This is not fair!" he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. "Fight Auran? Intimacy with Liora? These are not tasks—they are impossible mandates!" He glared at the crimson words blazing above his bed. "And what the hell is this 'Player' rule? Why won't you explain it?"
[System Response: The Demon System does not negotiate. Choose now.]
His body shaking, he collapsed onto his mattress, burying his face in his hands. Breath tore in and out in ragged bursts. His mind raced: Auran, towering, deadly; Liora, silver hair, green eyes, entirely unattainable. Both options were catastrophic.
"I can't do this," he whispered, defeated. "I can't fight him. And I can't... not with her. I don't even know how."
His reflection across the room seemed to glare back—pale, uncertain, pathetic. He hated it.
"System," he said, his voice hollow with desperation. "What happens if I pick a Player? What does 'Delete' actually entail? Do they just disappear from the game, or..."
[System Response: Information Restricted. Host must choose.]
Elvas slammed his fist against the bedframe, his voice cracking with fury. "You are not giving me a choice! You are trapping me!" He shouted at the crimson glow. "How am I supposed to decide if you won't even tell me the consequence?"
[System Response: Choose: Tasks or Player Deletion. No further information will be provided.]
He sprang to his feet again, pacing the cramped room, his breathing shallow and fast, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm. Every option felt like a noose tightening around his neck. Auran meant certain death. Liora meant certain humiliation. Deletion meant... the terrifying unknown.
But wasn't the unknown safer? Perhaps "deletion" wasn't literal. Maybe it was just a system penalty, like losing a life in a video game. Maybe it meant someone else was just removed from the board.
He stopped, his back to the wall, his fingers trembling against the plaster. His voice was hoarse, utterly defeated. "Fine. If I can't complete the tasks... then I will take the player option."
His chest rose and fell in jagged motions as he forced the words out. "I don't know what it means, but it's better than dying at Auran's hands or—" His throat closed. "Or failing with Liora."
He drew in one deep, shuddering breath, steadying himself. The finality of the decision weighed on him like chains, but it was still his choice.
His eyes burned, but his voice came out steady and cold at last. "System. I choose a Player to be Deleted from existence."