Chapter 16: The Demon's Focus
The entire group stood frozen, eyes locked in horror on Kevin. His face twisted in ways no human face should; his wide grin stretched too wide, and his pupils glowed a sickening green that pulsed like venom beneath his skin. The air around him seemed to buzz with a palpable, wrong kind of life.
No one spoke. No one dared to take a full breath.
Then Kevin moved—fast, reckless, his body jerking forward as if yanked by invisible, malicious strings. He lunged straight at them, his hands clawed, his movements unnaturally sharp. He was no longer a friend.
"Kevin!" someone shouted, but the word was immediately swallowed by pure panic.
Everyone instantly scattered. Steel clanged, boots scraped the dirt, and shouts of shock filled the clearing.
"Don't hurt him!" Marcus yelled, his eyes flaring crimson as he dashed to block the others' impulsive moves. "He's still in there, somewhere!"
Elvas stood rooted in place, his heart pounding so violently it hurt his ribs. He faced an agonizing internal question: Should he use his new powers—the system's speed or the devastating Devil Wings—or keep them hidden? If he revealed the system now, they'd know he was different. Worse, they'd instantly know he had the book. And once they knew that, he'd never be safe again in Avalon.
"I can't let them find out," he whispered, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned bloodless white.
Auran roared and leapt forward, wrapping both massive arms around Kevin's chest in a desperate tackle. "Come back to your senses, Kevin!" he roared, his muscles straining impossibly.
Kevin jerked and twisted with immense, unnatural force. His strength wasn't remotely human anymore. With one violent, terrible pull, he threw Auran off, sending the powerful werewolf crashing into the dirt. The sickening thud of the impact made everyone flinch away.
Auran groaned, fighting to rise, but his eyes widened with renewed horror when Kevin's hands began to visibly change—flesh turning a dark, sickly hue, veins bulging like ropes, and bones audibly snapping as his fingers curved into glistening scorpion claws. The tips dripped with a clear venom that hissed where it met the mossy ground.
Elvas's stomach plummeted. "Kevin's a shapeshifter," he realized with a terrifying chill. "The monster's using his power against them."
Before Kevin could strike Auran again, a burst of bright white energy exploded across the clearing. It hit Kevin square in the chest, slamming him to the ground with a forceful impact that shook the nearby trees.
Laura stepped forward from behind a boulder, her palms glowing faintly, her eyes narrowed and hard with focus. "You okay, Auran?" she asked without looking away from the downed Kevin.
Auran coughed, pushing himself up, slowly regaining his breath. "Yeah," he managed, his voice rough with pain. "Thanks, Laura."
Kevin laughed then—a sound that was unmistakably not his. It was deep, cold, and utterly wrong, echoing through the forest like a sinister taunt from somewhere ancient. He rose slowly, the scorpion claws gleaming menacingly, his impossible grin stretching wider.
"You're all so wonderfully stupid," he hissed, the words rolling out like poison. "Think you can defeat me?"
He tilted his head, his voice turning silky and seductive. "Think twice. Harm my vessel, and your friend suffers the consequences."
Everyone instantly hesitated. The clashing wave of emotions—fear, guilt, rage—froze them in place. No one wanted to hurt Kevin, even if the monstrous thing speaking through him wasn't truly him.
Marcus's fangs slid out, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with controlled red fury. "Then we'll find a way to get you out of his body," he hissed, drawing his silver sword. "Even if I have to carve that parasite out of him myself."
He rushed forward, his movements a blurring crimson streak. Steel met claw with a jarring, high-pitched crack. Kevin easily caught the blade mid-swing and flung Marcus aside like a useless doll. Marcus slammed into a massive tree with a dull, sickening crack, bark flying everywhere. He groaned, clutching his ribs, but fiercely refused to stay down.
Elvas's pulse thundered deafeningly in his ears. He could feel the monster's dark power crawling over his skin, thick and suffocating. Every instinct screamed at him to turn and run, but a strange paralysis pinned him where he stood.
He couldn't abandon them.
Kevin's possessed head turned, the eerie smile returning in full. "You are many," he said, his voice terrifyingly calm and mocking, "but none of you can beat me." His claws clicked together sharply. "How will you ever hope to face Medasu if you can't even touch me?"
His words stung like undeniable truth, and the group's collective courage visibly faltered.
"I guess you'll all just die here before you reach the castle," Kevin added, stepping slowly closer, his unnatural laughter echoing through the trees.
Auran snarled, his eyes glowing intensely yellow, his claws tearing violently through his training gloves. "You're nothing!" he roared. "We will kill you and we will save Kevin!"
He turned quickly to the others, his chest heaving with exertion. "Whatever you do, don't kill him!" he shouted. "He's still conscious in there! We just need to find a way to tear that beast out!"
The team nodded, a flicker of renewed determination returning to their eyes. They fanned out quickly, circling Kevin, blades raised, trying desperately to look ready for the fight.
"On my mark," Auran said, his voice steady despite the internal tremor in his hands. "Now!"
They charged together, shouts of coordinated effort cutting through the clearing. For a brief moment, it looked like coordinated teamwork—like genuine hope.
Kevin moved impossibly faster.
He spun once, his scorpion claws slicing the air in a perfect arc. A wave of sick green energy burst outward, invisible but physically crushing. It hit the charging team like a literal storm wave. Every single warrior instantly dropped, groaning in pain, their weapons flying from their hands. The ground cracked where their bodies fell.
Elvas stumbled backward, his breath caught in his throat. He watched his teammates writhe helplessly on the ground, seemingly paralyzed, their faces twisted in agony.
He wanted desperately to help them. He wanted to move. But pure, paralyzing fear pinned him to the spot.
Kevin straightened slowly, the monstrous glow in his eyes brighter than ever. Slowly, deliberately, he turned toward Elvas. The forest fell into a dreadful silence, broken only by the low, wet hum of venom dripping from his claws.
Their gazes met across the clearing.
For the first time, Elvas felt the full, terrifying weight of that thing's attention settle entirely on him—like a block of ice pressing down and smothering his chest.
Kevin smiled wider, his head tilting as if he were studying something rare, precious, and fragile.
"Oh... a demon," he murmured, his voice dropping to a low, predatory purr that was utterly alien to Kevin. His tongue flicked over his teeth, the pulsing green light dancing brightly in his eyes. "Just my type."