Price of Power
The memories came in plumes of smoke, vanishing just as fast as they came, but the reports made them more vivid. With some effort, Dylan pieced everything together.
'I... I didn't start the fire.' Dylan mumbled, clutching his head while he walked back upstairs.
He returned to his room and shut the door behind him, struggling hard to make sense of last night's event. All Dylan could remember was when the SUVs pulled up and Andre left the building to meet Johnson.
{I started the fire...} Lich yawned as if awakening from a long sleep {God, it was hard dragging your ass back home discreetly.}
"What do you mean, you started the fire?" Dylan's eyes turned cold.
{Did I stutter?} Lich responded dryly. {I set them on fire. I did the job you couldn't do and this is the thanks I get?}
Dylan's frown only deepened; he didn't find the situation funny. Initially, he found it disturbing and uncomfortable when he realized his thoughts were an open book to Lich.
Today, he woke up barely able to recollect the events of the previous night. What happens tomorrow when he wakes up only to realize he is not in control anymore?
{Humans are funny. You jump off a building, and next week, you are the star of the city, fucking more bitches than you have spoken to in your 28 years of pathetic life. Yet you are worried you lost control.}
{Hahaha, a man who should have been dead over a month ago is worried that the reason he's still alive may control him...}
"Tha..."
{SILENCE!!!}
Buzz!
"Aah." Dylan groaned, as the voice returned and his vision blurred.
He gripped his head tight, a static sound bombarding his ears.
{Now, listen to me, you dumb human. You are the third of the seven princes of hell, tasked with the revival of my master, the demon lord.}
{You lost your life the day you jumped off that building, now you live to serve!}
The static sound faded and Dylan's vision returned. His pale face was soaked in sweat, and his legs felt wobbly. He sat on the bed, reading the messages while listening to the cold and sinister voice in his head.
{Every prince has a companion like me, just in different forms, depending on the world and race, but we all serve the same purpose. Guide and protect the host.} Lich's voice returned to normal, lacking the cruelty and coldness that terrified Dylan.
"Yeah, right, like forcing me to kill five people and attracting the attention of the church protects me." Dylan rolled his eyes, refusing to believe Lich.
{You already submitted evidence implicating Johnson and Jamal Carter... You killed two members of their gangs and convinced their employee to snitch on them. Johnson was there to sneak Andre out of the city, and he would have found out he was wanted on his way out. Do you think he would let you live after jailing his son and putting him on the run?} Lich explained with an exhausted sigh.
Dylan's eyes dilated as he listened, shocked by how much he overlooked.
{Now both the cops and Johnson's people are looking for a bigger fish, one more important than you. This is the space you need to fully recover.} Lich explained.
"What about the priest?" Dylan asked with a raised eyebrow.
{The flames of hell attract both light and darkness. In the same way, the priest got involved, dark beings will get involved as well. As long as you keep a low profile, they will end up killing each other and a few innocent passersby.} Lich shrugged
Dylan nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed by the way he reacted. He wanted to ask what Lich meant by dark beings, but he decided it was best not to know.
The best way to not get involved is to limit his knowledge about the other side of the world and focus on his career as Dylan Morningstar.
{Task Completed}
{Avenger: The Black Star shooter has been found. Kill him}
{Reward: 500 exp}
{Penalty: -100 exp for questioning the system}
{Name: Dylan Morningstar}
{Age: 28}
{Race: Human}{Class: Cambion}
{Sin: Lust}
{Level: 5}
{Stat}
{Str: 5}
{Agi: 4}
{Vit: 1}
{Int: 2}
{Cha: 5}
{DF: 00/20}
{Next level requirement: 1600 exp}
{Skills}
{Tier 1: Allure aura} {Passive}
{Tier 1: Minor Charm} {Active}
{Hellfire Manipulation} {Active}
'Fining a host you are designed to help is just crazy.' Dylan blurted out when he saw the penalty.
{You are not talking your way out of this one.} Lich retorted immediately.
Dylan would have complained more, but he was dumbstruck when he realized he had run out of demonic force.
'It cost me a point to use charm. How did it take 16 to use Hellfire?' Dylan couldn't help but complain.
{Are you trying to compare the flames of hell to an eye-glowing toy that makes girls sick of your dick?} Lich blurted out, his tone aggressive.
It sounded like he felt offended by Dylan's complaint.
Click!
The bathroom door swung open and Clara walked out of the bathroom, her naked body covered with a red towel. Dylan was stunned since he didn't expect her to be in his room, only then did he remember there was no one in the living room when he went down.
Seeing Dylan awake, her eyes widened with relief as she hurriedly approached and placed her warm hands on his cheeks.
Her hand went down to his neck, touching as if to check his temperature. After a few seconds of this, she stepped back and sat on the bed.
She looked directly into his eyes, not saying a word for nearly a minute. The silence was nerve-wracking, and Dylan had no memories of himself returning home, so he wasn't sure what she saw.
"Take a jacket with you next time you go out. Do you know how terrified I was when you collapsed at the door? You were as cold as ice, and you still wouldn't let me take you to the hospital. So that's all I ask." She said in a rare, stern tone.
Dylan felt lost, unsure of how to respond.