XVII Change The World Alone.

Jake was still half dazed as he fought his way up to the top floor of the mansion. Half blinded by the strong smell of rotting flesh that he was dragging on top of his back, ignorant of the glares and gossip that started the moment that he entered.

They all knew better than to stand in his way, knowing who he was and who he was here to see. No one dared interrupt him, especially in the state that he arrived in. The look of anger and terror as he carried the only evidence that would support his cause up there in Shaw Gotham's study.

"Ash is dead, my Lord," that was what he was supposed to say but had no courage or knowledge on how to utter these simple words. He knew that to Shaw Gotham he and Ash were merely expensive weapons that he created and invested in.

Imagine his reaction to figure that one of his hundreds of millions worth of investments was smashed like a bug under the boots of a teenager whose name he doesn't even recognize.

Jake was stopped by the two guards before him standing between him and the door that led to Shaw Gotham. "Out of the way," He merely hissed under his breath. Normally, others would cower to the corner at the sight of him in this mansion. But never these two.

Understandable, if they were just normal mundane men Shaw Gotham wouldn't have appointed them as the last checkpoint to his door. But Jake wasn't in a state that would allow him to negotiate either.

"We have no news that you would arrive today," one of the two guards said bluntly. His face not even flinching from the site of the dead body that he was half-dragged half-carried through the mansion, not even the smell tickled his nose.

"Something unexpected happened and I need to report back," Jake spat out. "Now of my path." He was done talking and forced his way through only to be grabbed by the shoulder. The mere touch on his skin was more than enough to make him lose whatever composure he has left.

Mundane or not, he didn't care less as he slammed his leg right in the guard's torso sending him to collide with the wooden double door behind him. Saving him the trouble of opening the door himself. He noticed how the other guard started to take small steps back as he witnessed how his partner was beaten to plump and landed right in the middle of Shaw's study.

"What's all this commotion?"

Jake lifted his head to stare right at Shaw Gotham sitting unbothered at all. As if Jake didn't just kick his guard causing the door to burst open. It took Jake a good moment to realize the calamity that he has caused.

"I-I had to report back, My Lord," Jake said weakly holding his head low. Wondering if he noticed Ash's body on his shoulder, even if he didn't see it…he must have smelled it! The smell was starting to blind him.

"I hope that whatever you have is worth breaking my door, Jake," he simply said. Finally resting his back on the chair and sparing Jake a glance, the frown on his brows as he saw the scene in front of him made the hair on Jake's nap stand tall. "Is that Ash?" was all he said.

Jake stared down at his dirty shoes, feeling the glare from the broad man in front of him. Almost as if he was killing him slowly in his head before he had his way with him in reality. Jake simply nodded.

"W-We were asked for a job by Lord Crane," Jake explained. "He told us that it was a mess caused by his deceased brother. A-A boy…" he felt almost ashamed that he was uttering these words. He can almost recite what Shaw was about to say.

"A boy?" Shaw quoted as if he was trying the word on his lips. "Ash got killed by what? A boy?" he snorted humorlessly as he ran a hand through his thick beard that only added to his fearsome look.

Jake nodded once. He knew that Shaw wasn't normal. He never said it out loud but…Jake didn't need to hear him say the words to know that he was just like him. No, he was in another league than him. Whatever he has done to his body was scaringly stronger. Jake was nowhere near what he had. 'He is almost like that boy Elfric Woods,' he thought.

"He was…he was on another league than us, My Lord," Jake said weakly. "Ash didn't stand a chance against him." He slowly kneeled to the floor placing Ash on the hard carpet. No more blood was oozing out of his wounds. His pale body was sucked dry from every drop back there in the devil's grip.

Jake waited to see any sort of reaction from Shaw towards the dead body that was lying on his floor but there was none. "That boy," said Shaw. "Did this to my modified human?"

It was more of a fact than a question that Jake chose not to answer.

"How?"

"I'm not sure…" said Jake. "All I have been told was that he was contracted with a devil."

Shaw inhaled deeply as he took a sip from his alcohol allowing it to burn in his throat before shattering the glass in his grip. The whisky dripped from his fingers like the blood of his victims. His face was straight but Jake knew better.

"Get Crane to me,"

~~~~

'By the way Rick,' Orathan interrupted.

Elfric sighed as he set his pen down. "What is it now?" said he. "And since when did you call me Rick?"

'This what they call you here at home,' Orathan elaborated. 'And it's shorter and easier than calling you, Elfric Woods.'

Rick shrugged his shoulder. "What is it?"

'You do understand the kind of mess that you have tangled yourself in?'

Rick took a deep breath, resting his head back against the chair. Part of him was thankful for the distraction from his study. Even if he was planning to dream big and Rebel against the world he still needed to graduate.

"I do understand, of course," he said.

'And you are planning to take on the whole world single-handedly?' Orathan questioned. 'Even for me, that would have taken some effort. Let alone you, doing it…humanely' he tried to figure out the world that would describe what Elfric was doing. Though, he has got to say that he still couldn't understand why he would care so much about the rest of the world. With him by his side, he could live and his family and their future family happily ever after.

'I don't understand you humans and your wants,' he finally said. 'Why do you bother yourself with what is happening with the rest of the world?'

Elfric was quiet as if he didn't know the answer himself. "I don't know how can I put it in a way to convince a demon like you," said Elfric. "We don't live alone in this world, we live with other humans. Living in a world where only you are doing fine, only you can stuff your belly, only you can sleep comfortably…that's no life. You can say that it's all part of making us, humans. I was able to make my way out of it but then, what about others? Are they ought to live and die miserably because of the injustice of this world?!" he tightened his fists.

Orathan was quiet, he guessed that he was taking his time to interpret this in a way that his demon mind could understand. "I'm no longer powerless," added Rick. "I'm no longer weak, I can fight for those who can't. I am responsible for all of those who can't fight for their own."

'Like these guys?'

Elfric turned to look at the noise that was coming from the T.V screen. "Another terrorist attack at public spaces," said the announcer on the screen. Elfric was never the type to watch the news. "It's just another way to brainwash the commoners that their life is way better than they think," he always said whenever Joanna asked him to check the news.

But recently, he found himself attracted to these lies. "You need to know what lies they say so that you can shove it up to their asses," he mumbled under his breath.

He heard the devil's chuckle in his mind. 'Amusing as always, Elfric Woods,' said Orathan. 'It looks like there are other idiots out there that want to change the world.'

Elfric hummed under his breath. "To them, they would rather die fighting than die in the slums of London with empty bellies." He mumbled.

And there it was…

The next step that he would take.

"I finally know what to do next,"

'And that is?'

"Wipeout anyone who knows me,"