The Life As The Devil's Son

Chapter Nineteen: Nightmare's Grasp

My eyes slowly flickered open, revealing a landscape cloaked in mysterious shadows. A sense of urgency gripped me as I spotted Valia and Michael in the distance, running from a looming, malevolent figure that seemed to emerge from the darkness itself. Fear surged through me, and I instinctively called out to them, my voice echoing in the eerie silence. Yet, they moved as if caught in a silent film, oblivious to my presence.

Panic knotted in my chest as I desperately tried to bridge the gap between us, my legs moving in sluggish protest. Valia's dark hair billowed behind her as Michael took a protective stance in front of Valia, trying to shield her from the encroaching threat.

"Valia! Michael!" I shouted, but my words dissipated into silence.

They continued to sprint, unaware of my presence. Panic tightened its grip on me as I closed the distance, my shouts unheard. It was then that I realized, with a sinking feeling, that this wasn't reality—it was a dream, a cruel mirage playing out the fears that lingered in the corners of my mind.

As I watched Valia and Michael, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. The creature had jagged horns that twisted menacingly out of his forehead. The monster's face, painted in shades of ominous red, bore four eyes that aligned with an eerie precision, glowing with an unnatural intensity.

"Valia, watch out!" I yelled, but my voice remained an echo in this phantom realm.

The creature yanked Valia back with a swift motion, and it plunged a dagger into her chest. A gut-wrenching cry tore through the air as blood gushed out, staining the floor beneath her collapsing form. I stood there, paralyzed, my voice useless in this surreal realm.

I tilted my head as a question surged in my mind. What kind of nightmare is this, and why am I here?

Michael dropped to his knees beside Valia's lifeless form, his eyes wide with terror. I shook my head, wondering if it was a dream or an event from the past. Yet, amidst the horror, a strange resilience surfaced within Valia.

Her fingers twitched a flicker of life in the deathly stillness. The wound, once a fountain of crimson, began to close. The edges of the wound stitch themselves together. The blood that had been spilled so heavily seemed to defy gravity as it reversed back into Valia's body.

Valia's chest rose and fell, a rhythm of life returning to her. The color, drained by death, gradually seeped back into her face.

Valia slowly lifted herself off the ground, her wide eyes fixated on her hands stained with blood.

Michael stepped forward, his voice a whisper: "Valia?"

"Impossible!" the creature bellowed.

"Get back, Jack!" Michael warned, positioning himself protectively in front of his sister.

I swayed my head in disbelief, muttering Jack's name to myself. Until this moment, I had never witnessed Jack in his demonic form.

Jack's eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity and laughed in response to Michael's warning. "Well, well, look who's trying to be the hero," he taunted, a sneer dancing on his lips.

Michael's brows narrowed in frustration as he demanded, "What will it take for you to leave us alone?"

Jack merely chuckled, a sound that reverberated through the forest. His monstrous form loomed over Michael and Valia as he spoke, "I want your gift, Michael. Your abilities."

Without warning, a surge of dark purple electricity shot from Jack's fingertips, striking Michael square in the chest. The scream that tore from Michael's throat echoed through the trees.