Chapter 329 - 329

He left the pretty garden after he admired the beautiful flowers for one last time. His steps were slow and tired and when he reached his room he instantly laid on his bed. The sheets smelled nice, like orange blossoms and his face was hurried deep in the pillow. It was a silk pillowcase and it was stuffed with feathers. Soft and comfortable the red haired man wished he could stay there longer. Enjoy the feeling of relaxing on this bed but he knew that in a few hours his life once more would drastically change. Had it been one year or maybe even less ever since he got into that taxi with Allias, Alex at the time. Everything had happened so fast. He had met werewolves, witches, demons, gods, angels and elves. He had fallen in love and fallen out of love just to realize he wasn't so simple himself. 

"Master." He heard a timid voice and his eyes followed the source. It was Ignis, standing at the corner of the room, looking at him with a worried expression. "How are you feeling?" He asked him.

"Horrible but soon I will be fine."

"So you will form the contract with him? It's going to be dangerous. Please... We are all worried." 

"It's alright Ignis. Don't worry. He won't be able to harm me. He will automatically be harming himself too." Mark explained but still the familiar did not seem to be satisfied.

"People will come after you. He doesn't know...about the man who murdered you. If that horrible man finds out that you are bound to Asmodeus bad things will happen." He wanted him and Mark smiled, trying to calm the demon spirit down.

"It's alright. The past is in the past. I doubt that this monster would like to bother with me again and I am planning to form the contract in secret. No one has to know about it."

"But master. It is impossible to keep a contract secret. Especially in Asmodeus' case." Ignis said. 

"Why do you say that?" Mark asked confused. Ignis had a very concerned look on his face as he talked. He was aware that after what happened the demonic spirit wasn't so find of the man but this time it was slightly different, as if he was trying to hide something but warn him at the same time. 

"Asmodeus is a very known and powerful demon. You already know that. He could be in Achlys' position and even rule over the demonic capital if he wanted to." Ignis stated. Mark knew he was powerful, he also had heard of his title as the king of hell but he had never thought that Asmodeus was actual royalty. He blinked a few times, the gears in his mind spinning as he was trying to find the hidden truth behind his aids words. 

"What he wants to say is that all eyes will be on you master." Arpaia said, appearing out of nowhere. She walked towards the bed and sat on the edge, taking off her shoes and crossing her legs elegantly. "usually demons hate humans, exorcists even more if someone of such high status, royalty does it will be in let's say...the demonic news and you will be put through the test." The woman told him. A test? What could that mean? He wondered and suddenly he too began to feel worried. "Asmodeus doesn't know about this roule though, do not worry. He didn't try to trick you this time. It was something that Achlys decided while he was locked away and since no one really formed contracts from the higher ups it was never brought up but now things will be different." She explained.

"There is a book..." Another familiar voice was heard and Kage emitted from the shadow in the corner of the room. Somehow everyone had gathered here, making him even more anxious than before. The young spirit sat on an armchair, he too crossing his legs and he placed his chin lazily on his palm while with his pitch black eyes he observed the room. "A book that whenever a bond is formed it appears there. That is why you can't keep it a secret. They will find out and Achlys will know first. Then Asmodeus will be summoned back to the demonic capital and you will have to go too." 

"Well, that's fine I guess. Allias was already planning to visit after the ball. We can go all together." Mark said and smiled faintly. He was trying to calm himself, find comfort in a way and present this trip to hell like a small vacation. What could it be? He would have to greet a few people, say hello probe he was worthy and such. The red haired man was sure that Allias would show him all he needed to know. Etiquette and anything else. He was very aware on how to kill demons, mingling with them was a whole different story though. 

"You could." Arpaia announced but her sly smile showed there was more. Mark looked at her with a strict expression, examining her pretty face. The way she had raised her eyebrows and how her long fingernails scratched the soft sheets indicated that she was barely stopping herself from spilling everything. Mark sighed and rubbed his temples. His stomach was upset again and he looked around. He had lost sight of his arm, he realized and Kage raised his cut hand in the air, showing it to him. Everything was so surreal. He couldn't get used to it, no matter what he did no matter the fact that he remembered his past seeing someone hold his on hand was unthinkable. 

"Keep going Arpaia. I know you want to tell me everything so just do it." Mark told her but the woman did not look at him, she stared at Ignis. The fiery lion didn't say anything. He simply nodded his head. As it seemed even the rebellious bird needed some form of affirmation. Maybe it was trully something important. 

"You see master. You could go all together. But there is some things you and Amsodeus will have to do. On your own and together. It will be a trial." She said and Mark frowned. A trial? Like exams? Would he have to study because he was so beyond that. Dying, being hunted by werewolves and almost killed at many circumstances made him rethink a lot of things about his life and studying was definitely not in his future plans. So if he had to answer questions, or learn demonic history he already was not very happy about it. 

"What kind of trials?" He asked her and the woman smiled brightly. As it seemed this was getting to the part she wanted. The interesting one. Arpaia raised her hand and showed him the number three with her fingers. 

"Three trials. One for Asmodeus, one of the kings of hell. One for you, the last exorcist and one that you will have to go through together." She said.

"And do we know what those three trials are exactly?" 

"We kind of do." She told him. "Asmodeus' trial will be the one thousand pains. He will be tortured and asked to break the bond. If he backs down from the pain and anguish means your contract was not strong enough." She said and Mark's eyes widened. For a second he thought of himself. What of he had to got through something like that? Asmodeus was a freaking beast he was no more stronger and than a daisy at this point of his life. What if he was the one that backed down?

"What about my trial?" 

"Your trial will be a bit different. You will be put into a deep sleep and then you will be presented the sweetest dream of your entire life. Everything you've ever wanted will be yours and the chance to escape will only come twice. If you actually choose to remain in the dream that again means your bond with Asmodeus was not that strong. They will wake you up afterwards of course but the contract will be forced into annihilation. Both of you will die of course." She explained with a polite smile and Mark gulped. A huge lump had been forming on his neck while Arpaia explained everything in detail. He was scared to ask about the third trial. He couldn't imagine anything worse than this and honestly he was starting to lose faith in himself.

"The third trial?" He asked.

"Oh, that we don't know. No contract survived the two first stages to reach the third actually. All of them broke. Some demons backed down, some humans wanted to remain in their dreams, at the end of the day both of them ended up dying. So if you make it through the first two you and Asmodeus will write history." She said excited and clapped her hands.

"I'm not very interested in writing history. I just want to live." Mark mumbled with a worried expression.

"After you've heard of what's about to follow, do you really want to keep going with this?" Ignis asked him. Mark took a second to think about it. Did he want this? Yes he did want to live and actually what was there to lose? He would die anyways if he did nothing at least now he would have a chance. 

"Yes. I will do it and let's hope I can win Achlys' game." He said and tried to smile.