Sinister Facades (Complete)

Prologue

"I must confess, El Diego, the notion of you marrying her doesn't quite sit well with me." Dad's voice thundered with anger, his eyes blazing red with fury in the midst of darkness.

I turned away from him, allowing the fire within me to rise. But he restrained me with his piercing gaze, causing me to kneel.

"How dare you defy your own father!"

His presence closed in on me, and in an instant, he was before me. His anger was palpable, the fire around him seemingly growing.

I closed my eyes tightly as he forcefully knelt me down on the floor.

But I didn't back down and fought back. I knew he was strong, but that wasn't a reason to let myself lose.

I broke the barrier he had given me and stood up as if nothing had happened.

"Father, you can't control me anymore. I'm old enough, and I need a wife of my own choosing." I countered, then continued walking through the fierce fire that was blazing.

"El Diego, it goes against our principles. You cannot marry someone who isn't your equal," Dad's voice boomed, halting me in my tracks, especially as his formidable presence seemed to constrict around me.

In an instant, he stood before me, his eyes deepening to a fiery red, his demeanor shifting with palpable anger.

"You're very stubborn, aren't you. If that's what you want, I'll send you somewhere in the earth, no memories of who you are. If finding a wife was your plan, go and find a person who you can mate there. But never her, for they are not your equal!"

His words struck like thunder, but I refused to yield. With determination burning within me, I faced him squarely, ready to defend my choice despite his vehement opposition.

"I will marry her, Father, and nothing you say will change my decision!" I declared firmly, my voice tinged with defiance.

He chuckled darkly, a chilling sound that echoed through the shadows around us. Suddenly, his form began to shift, morphing into a monstrous demon with eyes ablaze with infernal fury. The air around us crackled with dark energy as he spoke in a voice that seemed to come from the depths of the underworld.

"Foolish child," he growled, his voice now resonating with a supernatural echo. "You dare defy me, the Lord of Darkness? You think you can challenge my will?"

Without hesitation, I focused my will, summoning flames that erupted from my outstretched hands. The fire crackled and blazed, illuminating the darkness with its intense heat. Dad's demonic form shimmered as he prepared to strike, his claws extending like daggers of obsidian.

I dodged his initial onslaught, rolling to the side as his claws slashed through the air where I had stood moments before. With a swift motion, I countered with a wave of fire, aiming to engulf him in a torrent of searing heat.

The battle intensified, each of us unleashing torrents of elemental force against the other. Shadows writhed and twisted, merging with the blazing inferno that enveloped us.

Despite the overwhelming odds, I refused to yield. Every fiber of my being was focused on one goal—to prove my independence and determination, even if it meant facing my father in this terrifying form.

As the battle reached its crescendo, I gathered my remaining strength, summoning a final surge of fire. With a defiant roar, I unleashed it with all my might, engulfing the demon in a blinding conflagration. For a brief moment, the surroundings were consumed in blinding light and intense heat.

"You can't marry a weakling clan, El Diego."

He laughed, the sound grating on my ears like nails on a chalkboard, as if it could draw blood at any moment.

"She's a manipulator, Son. She has the power to control your emotions."

At his words, I paused in my advance towards him. In that moment of hesitation, I was swiftly enveloped by his power, immobilizing me completely.

His laughter echoed, mocking my intentions and belittling my choices. I struggled against the invisible bonds that held me, but his influence was suffocating, like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest.

"You are nothing without our legacy, without our strength."

Fear and frustration welled up inside me, but I refused to let it dominate my resolve. Through sheer force of will, I summoned the remnants of my own power, pushing back against the oppressive force that sought to control me.

With a grunt, I broke free from his grip, shards of energy rattling around me as I faced him again. The air crackled with tension, charged with the clash of wills and the lingering threat of confrontation.

"I will marry her," I declared, my voice steady despite the tremors of uncertainty within. "And I will forge my own path, no matter what challenges lie ahead."

Dad's expression darkened, his features contorted with anger and disbelief. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the faint echoes of our heated confrontation. He returned to his human form, but the remnants of his demonic aura remained, casting a cold presence in the air.

"If that's truly your wish—to marry a woman who isn't your equal—then I have no other option but to send you away, where you may encounter her. But once she lays eyes on you and you on her, you'll never see her as the woman you love, but rather as a scary devil."

His words carried a weight that matched the gravity of the situation. I stood firm, meeting his gaze with unwavering determination despite the unsettling transformation he had undergone.

"You underestimate me, Father," I replied, my voice steady though my heart raced with defiance. "Love transcends form and circumstances. I will find her, and she will see me for who I am."

Dad's eyes narrowed, a mixture of resignation and lingering anger flickering across his face. The tension grew as our standoff continued, each of us unwilling to give up our ground.

"Very well," he finally conceded, his voice low and filled with a mixture of warning and sorrow. "But remember, El Diego, the consequences of your choices may not be what you expect."

His hand rose slowly, fingers curling with a deliberate, ominous grace. In that moment, the air around me thickened, as if a weight pressed down upon my chest, constricting my breath. It was as though everything in my being began to dissolve, fading into an abyss of nothingness.

As his hand reached its zenith, a blinding flash enveloped me, searing my senses and engulfing my consciousness. When awareness returned, I found myself in a room that was familiar.

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the chamber—a voice that resonated with an unsettling familiarity. "Welcome, El Diego," it intoned, sending a shiver down my spine. "You have come to a place where memories fade and identities are lost."

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