Chapter 17: Heir of Shadow Takes Flight
Elvas stood frozen, his eyes locked on the monstrous Kevin as the creature loomed impossibly closer. The thing inside Kevin moved like a shadow wrapped in muscle and cold rage. Marcus lay sprawled on the ground nearby, his body battered, a smear of blood streaking across his bruised cheek.
"Fight, you idiot!" Marcus managed to bark, his voice hoarse and raw with fury. His red eyes burned with a mixture of pain and fierce instruction. "Or are you just gonna stand there and die like trash?"
Kevin's scorpion claws flexed slowly, black venom dripping menacingly from their razor-sharp tips. His grin widened, utterly unnatural and cruel.
Elvas didn't wait for another taunt. His survival instincts screamed at him, and he bolted—running blindly and recklessly through the clearing. Branches whipped painfully at his arms as his heartbeat thundered a deafening rhythm in his ears. Behind him came Kevin's laughter, dark, mocking, and gleeful.
The ground shook heavily under Kevin's powerful, pursuit steps, and Elvas could almost feel the beast breathing down his neck.
"Come on, heir of the demon king!" Kevin's mocking voice echoed loudly through the dense woods. "Run faster! Make me actually work for the kill!"
Elvas didn't look back until his foot caught violently on a thick, hidden root. He stumbled, then crashed hard onto the dirt, a sharp, blinding pain exploding through his leg.
[System: Host heart rate 80%. Initiate Evasion Protocol.]
The System's voice cut through the chaos, cold and utterly emotionless.
"Of course my heart's racing!" Elvas muttered under his breath, dragging himself painfully to his feet. "A monster is literally trying to kill me right now!"
He spun around, his breath sharp and ragged. Kevin stood mere feet away, his wicked green eyes glowing like sick emeralds in the shadowy darkness.
"I wasn't wrong," Kevin said slowly, his predatory smile stretching wider. "The great demon king's heir." He tilted his head, his curiosity unnerving. "Even in his death, he managed to leave something valuable behind."
"What are you even talking about?" Elvas demanded, his brow furrowing in confusion and dread. "Who is the demon king? What the hell are you saying?"
Kevin's laugh was low and venomous. "You truly don't know anything at all, do you? That's tragically sad. I almost pity your ignorance."
His claws clicked together once, the sound sharp enough to make Elvas flinch reflexively.
"But I'm not here to educate you," Kevin said, stepping menacingly closer. "I'm here to kill you."
Elvas swallowed hard, forcing himself to stand taller despite the searing pain in his leg. "You can't be serious about this."
"Oh, I am always serious," Kevin replied, his tone chillingly flat. "So what's it gonna be?" His grin twisted into a grotesque sneer. "Should I rip your head off first… or simply eat you alive?"
Elvas threw up his hands in disbelief. "Eat me? I'm just a teenager! I'm not some damn meal!"
"That's entirely not my problem," Kevin sneered, his steps deliberate and measured. "You're prey. And I'm incredibly hungry."
Elvas's eyes darted around desperately for an opening, for anything he could use as a weapon. But Kevin was already too close. His terrifying claws glistened with fresh venom under the faint moonlight.
Then the System's red text flashed urgently in front of Elvas's eyes:
[Monster Target: Kill through the heart.] [Reward: 100 points to unlock: Sword of the Dead.] [Alternate Path: Crippling injury. Bonus Route: Player Deletion.]
Elvas froze at the sight of the final route, his heart pounding even harder.
"Player deletion… again?" His voice came out weak, cracking with old guilt. "I'm not killing another person just to survive this fight."
The System gave no verbal answer. It never did.
He clenched his fists tightly. "Fine. I'll fight you, but I won't let myself be killed."
He focused his intent, furiously activating his Speed ability. Energy instantly pulsed through his veins, his body vibrating with the raw, unstable power.
But before he could even attempt to move, Kevin's claw flashed out—too fast. It wrapped tightly around Elvas's chest and yanked him backward with terrible force.
The world violently spun. Then—CRASH!
His back hit a massive tree so hard the bark cracked and splintered behind him. The impact stole his every breath.
Kevin leaned in close, his grin utterly wicked. "I've seen fools try that basic trick before," he said softly, venomously. "Speed is cute. But entirely useless."
Elvas groaned, forcing himself upright, spitting out dirt and blood. "Yeah?" he muttered through tightly clenched teeth. "Then let's try something entirely different."
Kevin paused, frowning slightly, genuinely uncertain.
Elvas smiled faintly, a thin line of blood on his lip. "You ever flown before?"
"What?" Kevin tilted his head, his scorpion claws pausing midair. "What are you talking about, boy?"
"Fly," Elvas said simply, his gaze locking with the monster's.
Before Kevin could process the confusing command, a tearing pain exploded through Elvas's back. It wasn't human pain—it was pure, raw power breaking free. The sound was like bone cracking mixed with a sudden burst of thunder.
Two enormous, jagged black wings burst violently from his back, stretching wide and filling the space with shadow. The wind howled instantly, whipping dirt and leaves into a furious vortex. Kevin stumbled back a step, his possessed eyes wide with genuine shock.
Elvas's aura flared—darker, heavier, something ancient and powerful stirring inside him.
Kevin growled, his confidence faltering for the first time. "So that's your trick, demon?"
Elvas took a step forward, shadows seeming to crawl and lengthen around his feet. "Not a trick," he said quietly, dangerously. "A reminder of what I am."
Before Kevin could even blink, Elvas violently grabbed him by the collar, his own developing claws digging sharply into the monster's flesh. His massive wings snapped open again, sending a deafening blast of air through the forest.
Kevin's feet lifted from the ground as Elvas's raw, unrestrained power surged.
"Time to fly," Elvas said, his voice fierce, his smile finally wide and utterly terrifying.