Draco struggled to accept his identity as a demon, and his new life in the human realm. But slowly, he had begun to come to terms with it. He had lost his magic and identity as a hunter, but he had also lost the pressure, the constant weight on his shoulders that burned if he ever slowed down, if he didn't give it his all 24-7.
For once he felt... free. He still trained everyday, but now his steps felt lighter. His breath was less laboured, even his muscles felt less strained.
Slowly, he began to adapt to his new life. Felicia would go out for classes in the morning, and Draco would stay back and guard the house while trying to figure out his demonic powers. For the first time in a long time, Draco felt at peace. He hadn't forgiven his teammates, but he could gladly thank them because he felt ready to move on. Maybe he could leave the slaying of demons, and the revenge of his mother, to someone else.
But Draco was a warrior forged in blood, and Fate, his cruel mistress.
Draco had finished breakfast and was taking care of the dishes, when he felt a sharp pain in his head, and the whisper of an ominous voice.
" It's been a few years since I've had a real body. The feeling of being physical once more is surreal."
Slowly, the headache grew stonger, and the voice became louder with every second.
" Finally, after so long, I finally found you, the perfect vessel. And now... it is time to wake up from my slumber."
The pain in Draco's head became blinding, forcing him to his knees. At the same time, something in him began to change. He felt like his power, his very being was being drained from his body, and a more powerful one was merging, taking its place, not completely his own, but strangely similiar in the same way.
The pain slowly faded, and Draco gasped for air, his breath ragged. "What just happened?"
Draco muttered, trying to figure out if he was going mad, when a hand reached forward to help him up. " Draco, right? Sorry, Didn't get the chance to introduce myself."
Draco moved instantly, launching to his feet as his claws slid out, pointed at the owner of the voice.
He was tall, with a lean, unassuming figure, and had purple hair with wisps of red, like embers glowing in a violet haze.
But his most striking feature was the power oozing from this man, and his aura that filled Draco with primal terror, his hand heavy as he stared at the laid-back figure. Slowly, Draco eyes met his, and he was filled with instant dread; the pressure on his body intesified, and Draco broke into a cold sweat.
Because this man possessed enough power to make even Draco tremble, a power that rivalled- overwhelmed- even the Elites'. The man Draco had his claws levelled at, possessed a power that levelled with the Alphas, with a power similiar to his own.
In other words, a LV-5 demon: a Daraki, the harbingers of death, and the omens of doom.
" I'm surprised you're still standing," the man chuckled, his tone unperturbed. " Then again, I expect nothing less of my vessel."
" You've called me that twice now, what do you want?" Draco asked, his eyes fixed on him. " Children of these days, so impatient. Shouldn't we introduce ourselves. You can call me Lirix."
" Didn't really care!"
Draco dashed forward, fists flying forward as he delivered a devastating slash from the right. The man's voice sounded from behind him. " Your strike would've been faster if you stabbed instead of slashed." Draco jumped back, his eyes narrowing on the demon.
Had he just warped, or did he simply move faster than Draco's eyes could see?
Draco charged again, and everything Lirix dodged in the same way, even chiming in on how to kill him more easily.
" That's right, aim for the joints."
" Your strikes need more finesse."
" Now you're just being slow."
The remarks morphed from mock politeness to raw insults as the demon slowly began to reveal his true power. Draco moved faster this time, and just as Lirix was dodging his slash, spun and released a powerful high kick to the head.
" That's enough." His voice came with full authority, and before Draco could react, he found himself on the floor, with the Dakari on top of him.
" Finally got it out of your system?"
This demon was strong: he had known that from the beginning. But he had failed to realise the gap between that strength and his own. The demon wasn't showing any form of hostility, and killing him would be child's play. He could at least hear what he had to say.
" Yeah. There's no point fighting you anyway," Draco muttered as Lirix got up.
" Good to see you know your strength. And your weakness in the face of true strength."
" What do you want with me?" " Frankly, nothing. The thing is... we're stuck together." " Explain."
" I'm sealed to you. I was in the cannon you destroyed that day. And when you blew it up, along with your body, instead of destroying your soul along with it, I somehow fused with you, hibernating in a fragment of your soul all this time." Draco's eyes narrowed.
" So you're somehow connnected to my soul, to all of this really. So why would you want to help me?"
" Don't be mistaken, I couldn't care less about you as you are now. But you need strength, and I need a body. Besides, we're connected. You're not strong enough to kill me, and even though I could kill you, it's not in my best interests. At least not yet. Your body... has a lot of potential."
Draco stared at Lirix for a while, weighing his options:
On one hand, Lirix would definitely be helpful in learning about the demon he had become, and how to control it, maybe even overcome it, though the last part was very unlikely.
On the other, he was a serious threat. He had said it himself. Draco was only alive right now bacause Lirix found him useful. If Lirix got what he wanted, there would be no point in keeping him alive.
Accepting Lirix would mean putting Felicia in harm's way, along with everyone else he had crossed paths with. Was he willing to take such a risk?
Yes.
It wasn't a matter on what he wanted either way; the answer was clear from the very beginning. He needed to get stronger, and following Lirix was the only path he could see in getting there.
" What do I need to do?"
" It's simple: I'm going to make you a vessel strong enough to hold even me. Starting...now."