".... We???... He??.. What are you talking about."
Marcus asked in between as his sobs shifted to intractable hiccups.
"Yes, We... After all, I was sent here by someone"
............................................
"How do you think I was able to get into this body?"
The Demon asked.
"......"
There was no reply from Marcus, the only utterance the demon heard from him were sobs and hiccups.
"Tch... And you are the Guardian... makes me laugh.."
The Demon retorted while shaking his head in disappointment.
"Do you remember that you have another Demon inside you??"
The Obsidian embodiment of a demon asked him. He looked at Marcus with his left eye closed and the corresponding right eyebrow perched like an inverted tick mark.
The words seemed to catch his attention as Marcus strived to halt his rebellious hiccups.
"You... mean Pyraze?"
He inquired to the demon while blinking his eyes and discarding his tears, ensuring that they were clear and visible.
"Yep, The Flame Berserker... Pyraze"
The Demon replied.
"What about him?"
Marcus's voice had gathered up a tinge of confidence as he asked his inner demon. His hiccups as well had ceased to exist.
"Well... I like how your voice altered... but I am pretty sure you'll get back to your 'PATHETIC' state again in a matter of minutes..."
"......."
"So yeah I'll let you speak and yes I'll tell you about Pyraze as well before we step inside this door of trauma... Kekek... This is going to be fun!!"
"........."
Marcus gulped, the way the demon rubbed his hand and grinned was threatening his thoughts to go haywire.
Marcus was unnerved inside, but he held onto his dear life and bit down his questions, just for his sake and for his world. Like his system had said, he had to stay calm and strong, both physically and mentally.
But it wasn't easy for him, specifically when he knew that a system had to blow up a Guardian because she went hysterical because of her trauma.
And if what his system had said was true, which should be, then his trauma was going to be a lot more strenuous than the aforementioned Guardian endured.
*Slap*
"Why do you keep on spacing out??. Is it because you like my Slaps??. Stop being a Kinky bastard, You Bastard"
The Demon stepped closer to Marcus as he spoke.
"Don't go saying to people that slaps are your fetish... as your inner demon, I do have times... No!! Not times!! Instead, I have always been ashamed to admit that I am your inner demon... Yuck!! It makes my blood boil that my user is such a wuss!!!"
"AAAARGH, But it HURTS!!!"
Marcus yowled out his pain. The agony his face went through was ineffable.
*Slap*
The Demon suppressed Marcus's scream with backhand slaps across the cheeks as he yelled out his pain.
"I know... It's painful... But that's what makes it more wonderful. Pain!!. Kek isn't it exciting!!"
The Obsidian wrapped monster drummed its head, making his parallelly rampant raven black hair shuffle inside his fingers.
"Do you know why I am made out of this pitch black obsidian Marcus??"
The demon inquired with a smirk.
"........"
"This darkness portrays your envy!! One of the most powerful 'Sins' Marcus!!, Envy!!. That's why my hair is black too!! But I love it!!... Kekekekek!!! And do you know what these Lava streaks are??"
"..I.. Don't know"
Marcus managed to reply.
"Well, Guess what other 'SIN' I'm made up of??... C'mon, guess!!"
"......"
"KEKEKEKE... Stronger than Envy... IT'S GREED MARCUS!!"
*Gasp*
"These streaks of lava are burning greed!! Why you ask?. For the past 6000 years in the dungeons... what were you fighting for??"
"......."
"PURE POWER!!. These lava streaks portray your greed for power!!"
The Demon laughed. It was enjoying the extravaganza of expressions that Marcus's face produced.
Marcus on the other flank was being enlightened. His inner demon was speaking in the language of facts, Marcus realized. He had been, since his birth, jealous of others.
He used to be weak and scrawny for his age, Of course, he would be jealous of other kids his age who were 'Normal'.
But it was just now when he discovered how much that speck of envy of his had grown. It had grown... No! rather it had multiplied to an extent that it created a demon.
And Greed?. Yes, his inner demon was true. For the past 2 years and 6000 dungeon years, he had been eradicating waves of monsters, to amass power to slay whoever challenged his planet.
But that goal to protect his planet had ultimately propelled him to take off on a frenzy of greed... The greed for power.
"But... It would be hella impressing if that green haired brat manages to awaken his inner demon. Considering his current powers, his inner demon would be at least worth a warm up. Kekekekek!!"
'Green Haired brat?... Wait!! Does he mean Gabriel??'
"Gabriel??. But how??"
Marcus implored the demon before him.
"It should be obvious Idiot. That green haired brat has the strongest 'Sin' dwelling inside him... PRIDE."
Marcus gasped as he heard his demon's word. It made sense. Gabriel, since the beginning itself, brimmed with pride.
"And from what I've noticed of the people in the continent. His demon is the closest... Nah! He has the only Inner Demon of 'Pride' that is close to awakening... just a tap will burst the demon out of him... Kekekekek!! And I'm waiting for that to happen"
"........"
"You don't have to worry about it, Marcus... I'm the strongest... KeK... If I go full power, I'll be easily on par with that golden haired brat."
"Golden hai... Crayalus?? YOU MEAN CRAYALUS??"
Marcus's shout was accidental, he couldn't believe what his demon was saying. He just had to let his mouth run free.
He had witnessed a drop of Crayalus's power before. So he could only imagine what his full power would be.
And his Demon who was in front of him was saying he could parry Crayalus with such conviction that Marcus wanted to believe him, even though how much his mind said not to.
"But you don't have to worry about me having to fight that green haired dude. You have your friend, don't you??. That Yellow haired boy... He's different."
"That's Dave"
Marcus replied to the demon's declaration.
"Yeah, Dave... He doesn't have an inner demon... Instead, he has an 'Inner Seraph'. This is because his sins aren't greater than his virtues. If my perception isn't wrong then, his inner seraph is comprised of 'The Virtue Of Kindness'."
"Virtue of Kindness??"
Marcus asked.
"Yes. Even though he had only expressed the virtue of kindness to a selected few people, it is quite strong. Very Very strong to be exact."
It could've been the trigger, but when the demon finished his words, Marcus couldn't stop himself from being taken back to his childhood days with Dave.
Dave Vagner has always been with him since the age of 5. He had always been supportive and kind to him, even though how weak he was. Dave was the only reason why he was able to endure his tough days.
Dave has always been subtle. He was always satisfied with what he had, even though how insignificant it was. Maybe that was just the way he had grown. Dave might have realized the hardships of his 'Peasant Seed' parents at a very small age. Maybe that was why he was unpretentious.
The Virtue Of Kindness, It was true, Marcus thought. The Seraph was right to choose him.
*Slap*
"And there he goes again... Bastard stop spacing out!! I thought I could tell you about Pyraze now... But maybe, just maybe, you should know about him gradually... After all, we have 6000 years in our hands, don't we? Kekekek"
The Demon shook his head. It was maybe the 10th time it was doing so.
"It... hurts!!"
Marcus's voice was quivering as he spoke with his eyes squeezed.
"Hmm?. It hurts, doesn't it? It PAINS??"
The Inner Demon began walking towards the chained redhead.
"That's what you are going to go through"
The Demon commenced his maniacal laugh as he zeroed his distance to Marcus. He yanked the chains strapped all over Marcus with his obsidian hand and hurled his levitating body into the door... into the blinding lights.
"LET'S ENJOY PAIN... TOGETHER!!!!!"
"KEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEKEK"
...................................................................................