The Dark Transformation

Kaido awoke to find himself inside a dark cell deep within the temple. The walls were ancient, the air stifling, and blue flames flickered, casting eerie shadows in every corner. Nothing in this place felt familiar, and the darkness only deepened the farther he looked.

Suddenly, a calm yet subtly monstrous voice echoed through the chamber:

"It seems you've finally awakened."

Kaido jolted, lifting his gaze to see Elian standing before him. But this time, Elian was different—horrifyingly different. Half of his face was grotesquely disfigured, as if scorched by an infernal blaze. His eyes glowed like embers, piercing and unrelenting. His limbs appeared unnaturally elongated, his fingers slowly shifting into sharp claws that gleamed ominously in the blue firelight. Every fiber of his being seemed to have transformed.

Kaido trembled, shouting, "Elian! Have you signed the Blood Pact?!"

Elian responded in an eerily composed tone, unfazed by the accusation:

"Do you know about the pacts, Kaido?"

"Yes, I do. But the real question is—how do you know about them? And even stranger... that scent emanating from you... What exactly have you become?"

Elian smiled coldly. "Prepare yourself, Kaido. Soon... you will serve as the next offering."

Fear, shock, and dread filled Kaido's eyes. As Elian turned to leave, he added in a deceptively gentle voice:

"Why the panic? Don't worry… you won't feel a thing. Just a slight chill, and then… you'll drift into an eternal slumber."

Kaido was left alone in his cell, feeling utterly powerless as silence enveloped him. Eventually, the guard watching over him spoke:

"Stay here and guard the place well. Do not let him escape—ever."

Kaido sat on the cold ground, drowning in his thoughts. Then, breaking the silence, he questioned the guard:

"Why do you serve him? Can't you see he's just a demon?"

The guard hesitated, glancing around nervously before replying:

"You don't understand. Without Elian, our crops wouldn't grow. We wouldn't survive another two years. He grants us life in exchange for a single offering every so often. What's the harm in sacrificing a few to save many?"

Kaido clenched his fists, his voice filled with rage. "He's deceiving you! He's controlling you, using you! You're nothing but pawns in his game!"

The guard snapped back, his tone sharp and defensive: "Enough! You know nothing of our suffering!"

Hours passed. Eventually, exhaustion overtook the guard, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

Seizing the opportunity, Raul—the young boy Kaido had met earlier—silently crept toward the cell. Carefully, he slipped the key from the guard's belt and moved toward the door.

Just then, the guard stirred, his eyes fluttering open. He spotted Raul and lunged at him, grabbing the boy roughly. "What do you think you're doing, you little brat?!"

The key slipped from Raul's grasp, clattering to the floor. Kaido's heart pounded as he reached for it, but it was just out of his reach. He had to act fast—before the guard realized what was happening.

With a cruel smirk, the guard tightened his grip on Raul and lifted him slightly off the ground. His voice was cold, devoid of emotion:

"We should've gotten rid of you long ago… If not for your foolish mother who offered herself in your place as the sacrifice. But now… I'll fix that mistake."

Kaido watched in horror as the guard's hands wrapped around Raul's throat, squeezing tightly. The boy gasped, his body convulsing as he struggled desperately for air, his tiny hands clawing at the guard's grip.

Kaido's eyes darted around frantically. His fingers brushed against something on the floor—a sharp stone. Without hesitation, he lunged at the cell door, forcing it open, and snatched up the rock.

Then, with all his strength, he struck the guard's head.

The guard let out a pained grunt, staggering backward. His grip loosened, and Raul collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Kaido exhaled sharply, quickly pulling the boy into his arms.

"Raul! Are you okay?! How did you even get here?!"

Raul coughed, gasping for air. "I was following you… trying to understand what was happening with your hands. When you entered the temple, I stayed near the entrance. I knew something was off, but I never imagined… this."

Then, his voice shook as he added, "And the guard… he said they replaced me with my mother as the offering. What does that mean?"

Kaido froze. A chill ran down his spine.

Whispering through clenched teeth, he muttered, "They're offering souls as sacrifices… This temple… Elian… it was all a lie from the start. What they believe is protection… is nothing more than a slow, inevitable death."

Raul met his gaze, his eyes brimming with fear—but this time, there was something else within them. A burning determination.

Kaido clenched his fists. "If we stay here, we'll be the next sacrifices." He locked eyes with Raul. "We have to stop Elian. Before it's too late."

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